Youth (drama)

Jugend is a naturalistic love drama in three acts . It was written by the German writer Max Halbe in 1892. The first performance took place in 1893.

Emergence

The drama was created as a reminder of a personal love experience in his youth (1889). He was then on a three-day visit to his uncle's parsonage and fell in love with his cousin Adele. On April 11, 1892, Max Halbe finally finished the drama after two months of work.

performance

For over a year, Halbe submitted his drama to various stages in Germany in vain. Again and again it was rejected because of moral complaints. Finally, the time came on April 23, 1893 in Berlin Palace Theater was "Youth" successfully performed for the first time and Max Halbe became famous overnight.

content

1st act

Born out of wedlock, Anne, called Annchen, grew up with her uncle, Pastor Hoppe, in his parsonage in Rosenau after the early death of her mother. Annchen and her uncle live with Annchen's mentally handicapped half-brother Amandus and chaplain Gregor von Schigorski. As a religious fanatic, Schigorski wants to persuade Annchen to atone for her mother's guilt by living in a monastery. Hans Hartwig, Annchen's cousin, who is on his way to Heidelberg as a future student, comes to visit the farm for three days. Hans and Annchen fall in love. This love is (still) tolerated by Pastor Hoppe, but observed by Amandus and Schigorski with jealousy, envy and resentment. Hans and Annchen spend a night of love together.

2nd act

Amandus had secretly sneaked after Annchen that night and had watched them both. He immediately goes to Schigorski to tell him about it. He in turn tells Pastor Hoppe. Hans should now leave immediately and only return after completing his studies.

3rd act

When Hans and Annchen say goodbye, Amandus appears to shoot Hans. Annchen, however, throws herself in between and dies.

interpretation

Subjects of naturalism

Max Halbe wanted the most accurate representation possible of reality. Colloquial language and seconds style appear in his drama . There are also language differentiations between people in order to show their differences (e.g. social origin). Halbe gives very detailed stage and stage directions and describes exactly the people involved, their clothes, feelings and body movements, the environment in which they are and even the weather conditions. It was difficult to get his instructions on stage so accurately and in detail. Biological determinism is also taken up: Annchen is genetically predetermined as an illegitimate child. Future events are clearly defined negatively by their preconditions. Pastor Hoppe is the owner of a farm and under him work and live staff on the farm. This petty bourgeoisie in rural surroundings always appears as a theme in naturalism. However, the number of people involved is limited.

Not naturalistic subjects

Max Halbe takes a critical look at bourgeois conventions and values such as marriage or sex. He addresses the conflict between instinctuality / nature and morality / compulsion. Halbe also manages to authentically portray the mood: the audience is touched emotionally. The conclusion is intended as a kind of warning to elevate the achievements of modern industrial society to absolute "doctrines of salvation".

swell

De Boor, Helmut / Newald, Richard: History of German literature. From the founding of the empire to the turn of the century 1870–1900. Volume 9. Munich 1998.
Erdmann, Ulrich: From Naturalism to National Socialism? Contemporary-biographical studies on Max Halbe, Gerhart Hauptmann, Johannes Schlaf and Hermann Stehr. Frankfurt am Main 1997.
Halbe, Max: youth. In: Complete Works. Edited by Jens Walter. Volume 4. Salzburg 1945, pp. 207-285.
Stegemann, Thorsten: literature on the sidelines. Studies on selected works by Rainer Maria Rilke. Hermann Sudermann, Max Halbe, Gottfried Benn and Erich Kästner. Stuttgart 2000.