Buddenbrooks

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1901

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Parts 1-2

Parts 3-4

Parts 5-6

Parts 7-8

Parts 9-11

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

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Themes

The Decline of the Buddenbrooks

The theme of decline in Buddenbrooks is central to Thomas Mann’s depiction of the fall of a once prominent family, set against the backdrop of societal and economic changes in 19th-century Germany. This theme unfolds as a gradual yet inevitable descent, touching upon various aspects of familial relationships, business ethics, personal aspirations, and societal norms.

In the initial parts of the novel, Mann introduces the Buddenbrook family at the height of their success, depicting them as the epitome of upper-class prosperity and respectability. However, even during these early stages, subtle hints foreshadow their eventual decline. Mann includes the undercurrents of familial tensions that erode their familial stability, such as the ongoing conflict between Thomas and Christian, the generational gap, and the gradual erosion of traditional values that have underpinned the family’s success. The narrative constructs a paradox wherein the external facade of success and stability contrasts with internal fragility and impending doom. One of the most significant scenes that signals the family’s decline in the beginning of the novel is that of Johann and Jean Buddenbrook’s rejection of Gotthold’s request to be included in the firm and household as an equal member of the family. During the family’s inauguration of their new house, Gotthold’s complaints reveal the cracks in the family’s social and economic armor as Thomas’s speech to his father illustrates:

Father—we sat here so cheerful this evening, it was such a lovely celebration, we were so happy and proud of our accomplishments, of having achieved something, of having brought our firm and our family to new heights, to a full measure of recognition and respect. But this acrimony with my brother, your eldest son, Father—let us not have a hidden crack that runs through the edifice we have built with God's gracious help (44).

Mann uses the recurring metaphor of a house or edifice that shows cracks and eventually collapses throughout the novel, suggesting that the grander the house, the harder the fall.

As the story progresses, the individual trajectories of the family members serve as microcosms of the broader theme of decline. Each character’s journey—from Thomas’s struggles to uphold the family business to Tony’s disastrous marriages—reflects the overarching narrative of deterioration. The characters’ personal failures, whether in business, marriage, or social conduct, collectively contribute to the family’s downfall. Mann intermixes these personal narratives with broader socio-economic changes, suggesting that the family’s decline is as much a result of internal weaknesses as it is of external forces.

The psychological depth Mann gives to his characters further enriches the theme of decline. The inner lives of characters like Thomas, Tony, Christian, and Hanno reveal a growing sense of disillusionment and existential angst. Their internal struggles symbolize the disintegration of the values and principles that once defined their family's identity. Mann portrays his characters internally and externally, exposing their fears, desires, and moral conflicts. This introspective approach humanizes the characters and provides a deeper understanding of the subtleties of decline, suggesting that the downfall of the Buddenbrook family is not just a material or social phenomenon but a spiritual and psychological one as well.

Family Members as Links in a Chain

Mann employs the idea of Family Members as Links in a Chain to explore several of the novel’s central ideas: the complexities of familial bonds, the burdens of legacy, and the impact of individual actions on the collective fate of the family. This theme shapes the novel’s narrative structure and underpins its philosophical and psychological explorations.

At the heart of Buddenbrooks lies the notion that family members are not merely individuals but part of a continuum, each generation inextricably linked to the next. This idea is expressed most clearly in Jean Buddenbrook’s letter to his daughter, Tony, who refuses to marry the man chosen by her family, Bendix Grünlich, and expresses her preference for Morten Schwarzkopf. Jean Buddenbrook responds with a letter in which he outlines how he envisions the family and society at large:

We are not born, my dear daughter, to pursue our own small personal happiness, for we are not separate, independent, self-subsisting individuals, but links in a chain; and it is inconceivable that we would be what we are without those who have preceded us and shown us the path that they themselves have scrupulously trod, looking neither to the left nor to the right, but, rather, following a venerable and trustworthy tradition (144).

The family’s history, according to Jean Buddenbrook, acts as a chain where each link represents a family member’s contribution to the lineage. The novel embodies the idea of the link in its very composition as Mann portrays each generation of the family as connected, not only in happiness and success but also in failure and decline. This portrayal of generational continuity reflects the 19th-century bourgeois value of maintaining and enhancing familial prestige through commerce and marriage.

Mann’s portrayal of the family’s internal dynamics and individual characters illustrates how personal ambitions, desires, and flaws influence the family’s collective destiny. For instance, Thomas Buddenbrook, who inherits the family business, embodies the weight of social and familial expectation and the struggle to uphold the family’s legacy. His story is emblematic of the burdens that come with such inheritance, where personal aspirations are often suppressed for the sake of familial duty. Tony Buddenbrook, on the other hand, with her failed marriages, represents the conflict between personal happiness and societal expectations. Tony is a true believer in her father’s philosophy of “links in a chain” (144), despite the fact that the notion leads to her unhappiness.

Christian Buddenbrook, the most divergent link in the chain along with Hanno, symbolizes the potential for individual actions to alter or weaken the family’s link and influence its trajectory. His rejection of business and conventional life reflects the emerging individualism of the time, challenging the family’s traditional values. However, he cannot fully extract himself or commit to his independence, therefore remains a weakened part of the chain and suffers the consequences.

In its exploration of family as a chain of interconnected links, Buddenbrooks also raises philosophical questions about determinism and free will. The characters grapple with the extent to which their lives are predestined by their family heritage versus the degree to which they can forge their own paths. This tension between destiny and self-determination is a central dilemma for several characters, reflecting Mann’s interest in the emerging philosophers of his time, such as Nietzsche’s and Schopenhauer’s.

Art as Destructive Force

Art appears in various contexts in Buddenbrooks, but almost always at the core of a conflict between the practical, business imperative of the Buddenbrooks and the sensitive, artistic spirit, full of desires which cannot be contained.

One of the most compelling embodiments of this theme is found in the character of Hanno Buddenbrook. Hanno, with his musical talents and sensitive disposition, stands in contrast to the pragmatism of his family. His artistic inclination, particularly his passion for playing the piano, represents an escape from the burdens of his legacy and the expectations placed upon him as a Buddenbrook. However, this escape brings its own consequences. Hanno’s devotion to art becomes a form of detachment from the real world, contributing to his inability to engage with the practical demands of life and the family business. His artistic inclinations, while providing personal solace, also hasten the family’s decline by diverting him from the responsibilities he is expected to shoulder. From the perspective of his family’s traditional worldview, Mann positions Hanno’s passion for art and music as a direct threat to the legacy his family struggles to maintain and protect.

Mann first introduces artistic passion to the narrative through Gerda, Hanno’s mother. He depicts Gerda, a talented violinist, as an enigmatic and distant figure, whose artistic temperament sets her apart from the rest of the Buddenbrook clan. Her dedication to her art and her somewhat bohemian lifestyle is at odds with the family’s traditional values. Gerda’s art creates a barrier between her and her family, contributing to a sense of alienation and emotional detachment. This detachment symbolizes the growing gap between the old values of the Buddenbrook family and the new, more individualistic values emerging in society. In this sense, art becomes a symbol of division and estrangement, both within the family and between the family and the changing world around them.

Christian Buddenbrook’s character also explores the theme of art as a destructive force, albeit in a different vein. Christian’s penchant for the theatrical and his exaggerated storytelling reflect an unproductive and unfocused version of an artistic temperament. Unlike Hanno and Gerda, whose pursuit of art takes a form more easily recognized, Christian’s artistry lies in his flair for drama and embellishment—a trait that leads to his marginalization and eventual institutionalization.

The arts, represented by characters like Hanno and Gerda, symbolize the new, more introspective and individualistic values that are in conflict with the traditional, pragmatic approach of the Buddenbrook family. This conflict between the old and the new, between art and commerce, reflects the broader societal shifts occurring at the time of the novel. In this context, Mann depicts art as a force that contributes to the erosion of traditional values, disrupting entrenched structures of power and prestige.