Female characters in the novels by Chistoph Ransmayr

The article analyses one aspect of the work of the famous contemporary Austrian writer Christoph Ransmayr (born 1954). One predominant theme in Ransmayr's work is the theme of death, which stems from the author's pessimistic view of the contemporary European world - a world dominated by men. In opposition to this destructive male presence, Ransmayr proposes a more positive, feminine world traditionally associated with love, family, motherhood, philanthropy and creativity. But the chaotic world turns out to be overpowering and the women are condemned to a life of loneliness, unable to realize their potential. The article provides an analysis of female character types in the publications «Brilliant Demise», «The Last World», «The Terrors of Ice and Darkness» and «Morbus Kitahara» and systematically places these types according to their roles within a semiotic context.