Abstract

Leonard J. Arrington and Jon Haupt have identified seven stereotypes of Mormons in nineteenth century American fiction which influenced public opinion about them, ultimately resulting in anti-Mormon legislation. Since westerns were also extremely popular in Germany, the writings of two popular German novelists of the eighteen hundreds, Amalie Schoppe and Balduin Mollhausen, were analyzed to determine whether their Mormon characters are similarly stereotyped. Mormon stereotypes associated with adventure writing were found in the works of both authors, but not those associated with polemical novels. It was concluded that their writing still had an adverse effect on public opinion, though the state churches also influenced anti-Mormon policy in Germany.

Degree

MA

College and Department

Humanities; Germanic and Slavic Languages

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

1983

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etdm745

Keywords

Amalia Schoppe, 1791-1858, Criticism, interpretation, Balduin Mollhausen, 1825-1905, Mormons, Fiction

Language

English

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