Eiffel. Brust

Author: Theodor Fontane
Publisher:
Publication Date: 1997-01-01
Features: This is a masterpiece completed by Fontane in his later years. The manuscript was completed in 1890, but it was published in 1895. The story follows a beautiful young woman named Effi, born into a Prussian Junker noble family, who was arranged by her parents to marry Count von Instetten, her mother's former lover, at the age of 17. Count von Instetten served as the county governor in the coastal city of Kessin, and after Effi's marriage, she moved there to live with her husband. Effi was young, passionate, and loved to have fun, while Count von Instetten was nearly 40 and eager to pursue wealth and status, determined to climb the social ladder. He spent his days at the office and even after returning home in the evening, he had to handle a large pile of documents and letters, leaving no time to care for his wife and sometimes neglecting her. As a result, Effi gradually felt her life growing lonely and dull, as if something was missing from it. Moreover, the county governor's mansion was gloomy and frightening, with rumors of ghostly disturbances, which made Effi lose her appetite and sleep poorly. Whenever her husband left for official business, she would become suspicious and terrified. Later, she asked him to move to a different house, but he not only refused but also lectured her on the matter. Just when Effi felt increasingly lonely and unable to find solace, a friend of Count von Instetten—a major officer named Krampenhoff—met Effi. They began to spend time together frequently, and soon their relationship became intimate. Six years later, Count von Instetten discovered this by chance and, to defend his honor, engaged in a duel with Krampenhoff. The duel ended with Krampenhoff being killed, Effi being divorced, and her biological daughter leaving her. Effi lived alone with her maid, Rosa, in Berlin. Eventually, she fell seriously ill, and her parents allowed her to return to her family home, where she soon died.