Anti-authoritarian aspects in Thomas Bernhard's autobiographical pentateuch

This thesis is designed within a qualitative research framework to understand and elucidate how Thomas Bernhard, whose worldview was shaped amidst the tumult of global societal crises between the two World Wars and who grew up in Austria, reflects his views on society in his autobiographical works. Known as the "Autobiographical Quintet," Bernhard shares significant anecdotes from his childhood and youth, presenting his observations on society itself, individuals shaped by society, the relationship with society, and his reflections on this relationship over time.Throughout his literary career, Bernhard unabashedly criticizes society and the Austrian State, engaging with various manifestations of authority along the fundamental trajectory that underpins his critiques. Through an anarchist stance, he articulates his feelings of 'disgust' engendered by these manifestations, shaping his thoughts for society, particularly holding a mirror to Austrian society at large. The thesis also includes an analysis of how Bernhard's ideas are applied through the characters in his literary works of the period, examining the external influences faced by Bernhard and ultimately investigating which anti-authoritarian aspects he generates concerning different sources of authority, culminating in discourse analysis of his Autobiographical Quintet. Bernhard symbolically manifests the flaws in established societal operations and normalized assumptions, critiquing the embedded nature of authority in interactions through the turmoil experienced by his created characters. His personal development of anti-authoritarian attitudes against the backdrop of his culture and nation's political situation, marked by his lifelong aversion and the distinctive anti-authoritarian stance as a writer, elucidates the social conditions under which this stance emerged and the societal issues it addresses.