The Expressionist Transfusion: Metalepsis in Gustav Meyrink’s Novels

Abstract

The paper examines the phenomenon of narrative metalepsis in terms of its vivid implementation in Expressionist prose. It is argued that in Meyrink’s works (The White Dominican and The Angel of the West Window), a special metaleptic type termed as “mental metalepsis” propels the dialectical relationship between the Ancestor and his Descendant whose interactions consistently demonstrate the convergence of uncompromising struggle and profound unity.