Resisting oblivion: Konstellationsforschung and female narratives

Abstract

The power of narrative consists in orientation of the story. Formerly, however, this frequently led to the omission of certain historical experiences that had the capacity, if properly addressed, to shed light on female empowerment, both actual and potential. Starting from the relevant epistolary material, the present paper aims to establish a comparison between two key figures within the Hegelian Constellation of the feminine, namely, Christiane Luise Hegel (1773-1832) and Fanny Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Hensel (1805-1847). The purpose of doing so is to reflect deeply on the narrative of the feminine. From this point of view, the application of the biographical and narrative method to philosophical research is closely aligned with Dieter Henrich’s exploration of the genesis of German Idealism (Konstellationsforschung), allowing the interdependence and the reciprocal connections between life and thought to emerge. In the wake of studies aimed at interpreting human sciences from a female perspective, a broader reflection on the central value of narratives as the origin of every form of thought and communication will ultimately be developed.