Bismarck

A detailed Summary of Bismarck

In Taylor's book, Bismarck, the Man and the Statesman and Medlicocott's novel, Bismarck and Modern Germany, they both have differences and similarities. First, a summary of each book's contents is appropriate. The work by Taylor focuses on Bismarck's political career, with little else. This is not a portrait of a man that evaluates his background and tries to draw conclusions from his childhood for example. Rather, this volume focuses on the man's rise to power during the 1860s as well as his downfall. While it does not draw on extraneous materials, it does examine the man's motives and ideas far beyond the usual fare in this genre. The work is certainly written with a political point of view in mind, but objectivity is maintained to a degree. The author keeps the subject at arms length but it seems there is an anti-German sentiment woven in the pages of this work.

The book by Mendlicott embraces Bismarck's political career as well, and is also not a biographical account in the traditional sense. Instead, this work focuses on the man's role in Germany and the impact his stint in power had on the nation. In some ways it is more of a country study. Yet, Bismarck's rule and personal strategies are revealed to some extent. The work

is rather objective and looks at the career of Bismarck as it affects German history. The work is well written and flows chronologically. The author is effective in conveying the point that Bismarck had a significant effect on the future of Germany.

Taylor, Alan John Percivale Bismarck, the Man and the Statesman.

To choose which author I agree on may serve as a practical conclusion. Here, I agree with Taylor's perspective, I believe that Taylor embraces the subject in such a way as to render the facts objectively, but not abandon his point of view. This is admirable. While the Medlicott work is also valuable, it falls flat because it does not have the energy that seems to originate from Taylor's book, which is both insightful and reasonable. It is difficult to view history through completely objective lenses. Taylor proves that one can see history quite clearly, while not totally letting go of human considerations.

The life and times of Bismarck are explored in terms of how the man's actions influenced history, particularly as it pertains to the German state. Medlicott's work is simply stated and broken down in such a way as to be easily understood. Taylor's work is also meant for broad audiences, but Taylor sometimes tries to get into the mind of Bismarck-unlike Medlicott-and so another dimension is added to Taylor's work. Medlicott takes a broader worldview, looking at the German empire in the context of history overall. Taylor on the other hand views the world through the eyes of Bismarck himself.

While that is the case, and both authors share a great deal in terms of perspective, there is also the idea that in some ways, the authors' perspectives do differ on key points. This is true, but sometimes difficult to discern. For example, Taylor seems to hold Bismarck responsible for several events wher

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Approximate Word count = 1228
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

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