Luther (drama)

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Data
Title: Luther
Original title: Luther
Genus: history
Original language: English
Author: John Osborne
Publishing year: 1961
Premiere: June 26, 1961
Place of premiere: Theater Royal, Nottingham
people

Luther (English Luther ) is a 1962 published drama by John Osborne , which is based on the life of Martin Luther .

The play is influenced by Erik H. Erikson's book The Young Man Luther , which was published three years earlier in 1958. Luther is therefore viewed more critically in the play.

action

In 1506, Martin Luther, a young monk from the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt , torments himself to the utmost in order to stand before God and to achieve his salvation. His father Hans is critical of his son's development. He would prefer his son to do something other than monasticism . But he can't say anything and just carries on.

Years later, in 1517, Martin Luther heard that the Dominican Tetzel was selling church indulgences in Jüterbog . Luther, who viewed this indulgences critically, formulated 95 theses against this activity and published them. The events come thick and fast. The official church takes action against his theses and he should revoke it. But Luther does not want to bow and so he is invited to the Diet in Worms in 1521 , where he is supposed to withdraw. But Luther, who appeared, cannot make up his mind to withdraw. At this point the plot of the play jumps to the year 1525. A peasant, who had initially welcomed Luther's deeds, is disappointed in him and confronts him. He wants to know why the rebellious peasants were not supported by Luther, and immediately describes him as a butcher. Luther, who disagrees with the peasant's words, replies that God is the butcher and shows no responsibility.

After a conversation with Staupitz , the play ends with Luther rocking his young son Hans, who is still an infant, to sleep.

The individual acts

The play consists of three acts, each of which is divided into several scenes.

Act One
Scene 1. The Augustinian Hermit Monastery in Erfurt. 1506
Scene 2. The Augustinian Hermit Monastery in Erfurt. 1507
Scene 3. The Augustinian Hermit Monastery in Erfurt. Two hours later

Second act,
scene 1. On a market square in Jüterbog,
scene 2. In the hermit monastery. Wittenberg. 1517
scene 3. On the steps of the castle church in Wittenberg. On the eve of All Saints' Day
Scene 4. In the Fugger Palace in Augsburg,
Scene 5. At a hunting lodge in Magliana in Italy,
Scene 6. At the Elstertor in Wittenberg

Third act,
scene 1. The Reichstag in Worms. 1521
scene 2. Wittenberg in 1525
scene 3. In the hermit monastery in Wittenberg. 1530

Historical inaccuracies

  • Johann Tetzel is wrongly presented as present at Luther's meeting with Cardinal Cajetan in Augsburg in 1518.
  • Eck interrogates Luther at the Reichstag in Worms, which he did not actually do.
  • Staupitz died in 1524. The last scene in which Luther spoke with Staupitz in 1530 is therefore historically impossible.

Film adaptations

The piece was filmed several times. First in 1964 as an Australian television film under the name Luther and again in 1965 by the BBC also under the name Luther . Again the play was filmed in 1968. This version, called Luther , was made in the United States . The best known version, however, dates from 1974 and is a British - Canadian US co-production. She also bears the name Luther .

See also

References and comments

  1. ↑ For example, Luther suffers from constipation problems , which affects his actions.
  2. ↑ The German translation reads 1527 instead of 1530 as it can be read in the English original. Martin Luther's son, however, was born on June 7th, 1526 (see for example: Martin Brecht, Martin Luther , 3 volumes. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1985–1993, volume 2, page 203)

literature

  • John Osborne: Luther. London, 1961
  • John Osborne: Two Dramas - Luther - Here rests George Dillon. Frankfurt am Main and Hamburg, 1963

Web links