Table of Contents

Preface; 1. Classicism and neo-classicism, Germany and the European tradition; 2. Classicisms in modern dress, Lessing and the beginnings of realism; 3. The revolt of Prometheus, the 'Sturm und Drang' (i): Goethe and his circle; 4. The revolt of Prometheus (ii): Schiller's prose plays; 5. Thr triumph of humanity, Nathan der Weiss, Iphigenie auf Tauris, Don Carlos; 6. Crisis and response, the beginnings of Weimar classicism; 7. The high tide of Weimar classicism, Schiller and Goethe 1798–1805; 8. Nordic phantoms, Goethe's Faust; 9. A Prussian meteor, Heinrich von Kleist; 10. Classicism in Vienna (i): Grillparzer; 11. Classicism in Vienna (ii): Hebbel; the end of the tradition; Epilogue; Notes; Bibliography; Index.

Promotional Information

This historical and critical survey of the great tradition of German drama in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, provides an introduction to the major authors and works from Lessing.

Reviews

' … an excellent introduction'. The German Quarterly

'A comprehensive and lucidly-written guide … With its careful mix of historical survey and analyses of individual works, this is a most valuable introduction for the student of the period covered, and should also be required reading for those who prefer to study more modern dramatic literature.' Forum for Modern Language Studies