SOURCE: "Kleist's Erdbeben in Chili," in Seminar, Vol. XI, No. 1, February, 1975, pp. 33-45.

In the following essay, Johnson explores Kleist's preoccupation with morality, and focuses on its role in "Das Erdbeben in Chili."

Kleist subordinated knowledge to moral action. In some of his works understanding plays a central role, but only after a main character is able to act in a threatening situation. In "Das Erdbeben von Chili" Jeronimo and Josephe act with great resolve to save their child, but they die before knowledge is attained. Don Fernando does have time to reflect about the child he has lost and the child he has saved, but his knowledge at the end of the story is tentative at best. Kleist placed much more emphasis on Don Fernando's courageous actions in his struggle against the mob.

Kleist suggested in a letter to his publisher that his first volume of stories...