Musil, << MOO sihl >> Robert (1880-1942), was an Austrian author best known for his long novel The Man Without Qualities. The first two volumes were published in 1930 and 1933. Musil died before completing the work. A fragment of the third volume was published in 1943.
The novel deals with both philosophical and political themes. The story takes place in Vienna in 1913 and concerns a man named Ulrich, who decides to become a “man without qualities.” The character refuses to use his skills as an engineer and mathematician, and instead concentrates on seeking ethical and spiritual values. The novel describes the moral and political decline of Austria-Hungary. It also analyzes the cultural crisis in Europe that led to World War I (1914-1918), especially the difficulty of finding stable meaning in the world of modern science.
Musil was born in Klagenfurt. His first major work was The Confusions of Young Torless (1906), a novel about adolescence. He also wrote essays and short stories, and two plays.
