'Frau Jenny Treibel' Summary

Frau Jenny Treibel is a satirical novel that follows the lives of two families in Berlin: the wealthy Treibels and the middle-class Schmidts. The Treibels are obsessed with money and social status, while the Schmidts value education and culture. The novel explores the tensions between these two families and the different ways they view the world. Frau Jenny Treibel, the matriarch of the Treibel family, is a domineering woman who is determined to marry her daughter, Corinna, to a wealthy man. However, Corinna is in love with Wilibald Schmidt, a poor professor. Frau Treibel does everything she can to keep the two lovers apart, but in the end, Corinna's love for Wilibald prevails. Frau Jenny Treibel is a witty and insightful novel that explores the themes of love, marriage, and social class. Fontane paints a vivid picture of Berlin society in the late 19th century, and his characters are complex and well-developed. The novel is a classic of German literature and is still widely read today.