Exploring the Canon: Fontane’s Effi Briest

Abstract

Effi Briest is a celebrated work of realism and is considered the best novel of Theodor Fontane. Published back in 1894 the work still enjoys an important role in today’s world. Effi Briest has joined the canon literature due to its highly controversial themes that are still relevant in today’s world. This paper attempts to explore Fontane's masterpiece Effi Briest providing a thematic analysis of the novel and highlighting elements that led to the canonization of the novel.