“The overblown woman” is the nickname Behrens gives to a Berghof resident whose real name, Hans eventually learns, is Frau Zimmermann. She’s one of the people Hans visits when he’s going through his phase of visiting the Berghof’s “poor sick” in an effort to dignify their suffering. Frau Zimmermann is a nervous-seeming woman who laughs nonstop about her dire condition. The origins of her nickname relate to a botched pneumothorax she had prior to arriving at the Berghof—a doctor tried to refill her oxygen but gave her too much, which caused her heart to constrict and gave her shortness of breath. Frau Zimmermann’s unserious attitude infuriates Behrens. She dies before Hans can visit her a second time.
The Overblown Woman (Frau Zimmermann) Quotes in The Magic Mountain
The The Magic Mountain quotes below are all either spoken by The Overblown Woman (Frau Zimmermann) or refer to The Overblown Woman (Frau Zimmermann). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 5, Chapter 8: Danse Macabre
Quotes
“Just listen, and tell me if it isn’t the funniest thing you’ve ever heard in your life.”
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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The Overblown Woman (Frau Zimmermann) Quotes in The Magic Mountain
The The Magic Mountain quotes below are all either spoken by The Overblown Woman (Frau Zimmermann) or refer to The Overblown Woman (Frau Zimmermann). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 5, Chapter 8: Danse Macabre
Quotes
“Just listen, and tell me if it isn’t the funniest thing you’ve ever heard in your life.”
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
