Summary of The Road to the OpenÂ
Schnitzler’s novel “The Road to the Open” follows a young and talented composer as he spends his time socialising with the bourgeoisie of Vienna and starts an affair with a middle-class girl.
Reasons to read The Road to the Open
“The Road to the Open” vividly portrays Viennese liberal society around 1900, delving into their topics of interest and discussions on psychology, sexual norms, art, antisemitism, and the dilemma of whether to feel Austrian first or Jewish. Arthur Schitzler was a controversial author in his time, because of his descriptions of sexuality and his outspoken stance against antisemitism well before the Nazi era. Alongside his novel “The Road into the Open”, he is remembered for his plays and short stories, including “Rhapsody: A Dream Novel” (also known as “Dream Story” or “Traumnovelle”), famously adapted by Stanley Kubrick as the film “Eyes Wide Shut”.
Setting: Vienna (Austria)
Original title: Der Weg ins Freie
Year of publication: 1908
Nr of pages: 278
