Confusion

About “Confusion”

Stefan Zweig was deeply interested in the novella form, and Confusion is one of his finest works in this genre. It tells the story of a young man who is sent from Berlin to a quiet provincial town after falling into bad habits. There, a powerful lecture sparks a deep passion for learning in him, as well as an intense fascination with the aging professor who gave the talk. The student becomes close to the professor and visits his home, where the professor lives with his much younger wife. He offers to help the professor complete his long-unfinished scholarly work. The professor sometimes welcomes the student’s company, but at other times he becomes angry or distant. The student is confused and hurt. The professor’s wife, however, understands the situation clearly and will help the student come to terms with it.