The purpose of this paper is to present a discussion of some of the main characteristics of Robert Walser's short story Kleist in Thun, in an attempt to reflect on how the literary text can establish a dialogue with tradition. This is achieved by the fictionalisation of the character of a real author, more specifically by the narrative genre often used by Walser: the portrayal.
Heinrich von Kleist; Robert Walser; German Literature; Intertextuality
