„Büchner’s “the Hessian Messenger” and “Woyzeck” Are Both Radically Modern Texts, but Both Reflect the Specific Cultural and Political Situation of Germany at the Time They Were Written.”

“The Hessian Messenger” and “Woyzeck” are the most influential works written by Georg Büchner. This essay will discuss the political and cultural connection to the time they were written in. To get a better understanding of both texts, it is important to know the political situation of Germany at that time.

The revolution which had started in 1848 began in France, followed by the remaining Europe except in the Netherlands and Russia. Around ten thousand people were murdered and agonized. The poor united against the rich and the other way round because the poor saw the rich as tormenters and the rich did it out of fright. Poor harvest had lead to hunger and the peasants and poor had the anger and the volition for revolution. At this time, people from the middle class as well as from the working class were upset and disturbed and had the same goals. In France, poor people gathered to the cities because countryside’s where overpopulated. People had to work in terrible circumstances from 13-15 hours a day and lived in infected slums. Rich people were afraid of the poor and found them dirty and illiterate. Germany was in a comparable situation. The revolutionary socialist Karl Marx had formed secret societies as well as the dramatist Georg Büchner who had also joined one for human rights. The character Woyzeck was living and working in these types of circumstances. As the residents had increased, people started lacking on food and land. So many people moved to America. There was a widespread of diseases, especially cholera, which is found out to be due unclean water. Another reason for the food shortage was the potato disease which started in Belgium, but affected Ireland mainly. The upper class was the possessor of the land and had the power over the farmers. Büchner’s “The Hessian Messenger” states many facts describing the situation in Hessen and in whole Germany. He supported his message with statistical demonstration of the cost of maintaining the expensive...