The Natural Man: Novalis’ Aesthetic Anthropology

Abstract The aim of this work is to show how Novalis designs his own development of Fichte’s and Kant’s gnoseological systems. The analysis is brought upon the distinction between “natural man” and “artificial man” expressed in Novalis’ fragments, and follows his exam of Nature, I and God – all three considered by a Kantian and Fichtean perspective. The conclusion of this paper is to show how two of the main concepts of Novalis’ philosophy (Schweben and Romantisierung) can be used as aesthetical and gnoseological devices to comprehend Novalis’ interpretation of the subject.