Woe to him who lies!

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Data
Original title: Woe to him who lies!
Genus: Comedy ( comedy ) in five acts
Original language: German
Author: Franz Grillparzer
Literary source: Gregory of Tours : Historia Francorum
Publishing year: 1840
Premiere: March 6,  1838
Place of premiere: Vienna
Place and time of the action: Mostly in the Rheingau behind Trier , at the time of the Merovingians (5th - 8th centuries)
people
  • Gregory , Bishop of Chalons
  • Atalus , his nephew
  • Caretaker , Gregor's servant
  • Leon , Gregor's kitchen boy
  • Kattwald , Count in the Rheingau
  • Edrita , his daughter
  • Galomir , her bridegroom
  • Servants , agents Kattwalds
  • Schaffer , commander of Kattwald's servants
  • Fischer , subject of Kattwald
  • Fisherman's servant
  • Frankish leader

Woe to him who lies! is the title of a comedy by Franz Grillparzer that premiered on March 6, 1838 in the Vienna Burgtheater . Grillparzer took the material from the Historia Francorum by Gregory of Tours . After the performance, the piece caused a scandal that persuaded Grillparzer to withdraw from the public. Posterity will woe to those who lie! but regarded as one of the classic German comedies. The piece appeared in print in 1840.

In Woe to him that lying is a comedy , which at the time of the Merovingian plays. The comic plot is based on the promise of the kitchen boy Leon to carry out the rescue of the nephew of Bishop Gregor von Chalons , who had been captured by the Teutons , without lying once. It is reminiscent of the charisma of the Austrian folk theater and the tradition of the baroque . The piece was initially misunderstood because Leon can say what he wants. Due to his bold manner, he is not taken seriously, even if he speaks the truth. Like most of Grillparzer's dramas , woe is there for those who lie! Written in five- legged iambs.

evaluation

At first sight this piece is mainly about lies and truth . But not only the meeting of two cultures that are at war with each other (pagan Germans and Christian Merovingians) and cannot find harmony is dealt with , but also the victory of practical reason (Leons, Edritas) over a worldly view (Gregors) . The comedy also shows the victory of a rebellion by the socially disadvantaged (kitchen boy, young woman with no right to self-determination) against the encrusted order of nobility and church.

Kindler's Literatur Lexikon finds that the piece is carried by a sense of humor that reveals the weaknesses of the world, "in order to affirm them in a higher view in the belief in the divine order of existence".

Characteristics of the people

  • Gregory: Bishop of Chalons, uncle of Atalus. Hold on to the truth, abhor the lie, because without a lie there would be no sin. Saves on his own food so he can put money aside to rescue his nephew from the hostage situation. He does not touch the church's accumulated money from taxes and donations because it is not his private life.
  • Atalus: Gregor's nephew, was taken hostage to make peace in the country. However, one was betrayed, the peace was only lying, Atalus will still be kept after the one-year period has expired. They charge a hundred pounds for him, which is an incredible amount for his uncle. He works as a groom and considers this work to be of higher priority than that of a kitchen assistant, because at least he has to do with knightly noble animals. He is in love with Edrita, who he thinks will reciprocate his feelings. But he is just a bit stupid, does not defend himself and, despite everything, feels born to be something better.
  • Leon: Kitchen assistant in Gregor's house, but mutates into a cook so that Gregor only has to afford one person. Is clever and skilled and always has an answer ready, which makes him very subtle and eloquent. He can't see how stingy his master is with the money, especially since he would have wanted to serve the king in the army earlier. But after seeing this tall, tired, fragile figure of the bishop, he found his calling to support this person. Because of the commandment of truth imposed by Gregor, he cleverly uses it for the purpose of deception. Later he takes a liking to Edrita, who is not averse to him.
  • Edrita: Count Kattwald's daughter didn't fall on her mouth either. She wanted to hear more of the teachings of the one god, because the Germanic gods are still widely known in her country. However, she was refused, which is why she is interested in Leon. She knows how to defend herself and assert her opinion, which was probably not common at the time. She quickly feels drawn to Leon, who acts in the same way as she does. She helps the two to escape.
  • Kattwald: Graf in the Rheingau, behind Trier. Has enough money to afford all kinds of domestic staff. Likes to eat, which is why Leon seems right to him. He thinks he has everything in hand, he is hated far in the country, but everyone has to obey him. A code word connects all his employees, subjects and guards, which is used as a sign of his loyalty, so that an outsider can be recognized immediately.
  • Gregory's caretaker: First wants to keep Leon from complaining to the bishop and quitting his service. It seems as if he knows about the money Gregor saves, and why and where Atalus is being held. Is responsible for Gregor's court.
  • Galomir: Is the bridegroom of Edrita, who simply refuses to marry Edrita, although he is her closest blood relative. He is moronic and never speaks in full sentences, which is how he is stylized as “instinctively dull”. He is easily overwhelmed by the three fugitives. He doesn't have a real job in the house either, he's only there until he's married and takes Edrita to his Hube (small estate).
  • Schaffer: landowner and commander of Kattwald's servants. Serves as a sort of commander of the guards.
  • Servants: Must obey and serve as guards. They take Atalus prisoner until he is freed by his fellow countrymen.
  • Franconian leader: Has taken over Metz where the others previously lived. Took the entire city over night. Intervenes when the servants catch Leon.
  • Fischer: Has a boat on the river that is supposed to transport passengers to the other side. Is subject to Count Kattwald, but despises and hates him because of his tyranny. Want to sink Edrita, Leon and Atalus in the river as soon as they are far enough out. Edrita asked him to take her over with the code word already mentioned.
  • Servant: The fisherman's servant clears the boat and is instructed to throw everyone overboard. Fortunately, Leon intervenes, avoiding lies on all sides and declaring that he is on the run. Only then do you bring them safely to the other side.

content

1st elevator

The work begins with a scene in the house of Bishop Gregory, who lives very frugally. Leon, his cook, complains to the caretaker that he can't work when he has to give back everything he bought so cheaply. It pains him that the bishop is no longer eating decent food and he cannot understand why. The caretaker is unable to hold Leon back from venting his anger on Gregor. Because Leon saw the bishop kissing a piece of silver, he thinks that Gregory is doing business in his own pocket. Leon speaks to Gregor about it, and he immediately notices his anger, but in the conversation Leon finds out what is so depressing the bishop:

His nephew Atalus had been taken hostage to the distant Rheingau behind Trier to keep the peace. However, the deadline has already expired, but the war has broken out again. The enemies are now holding his beloved Atalus prisoner. They ask for £ 100 to be released, but the bishop does not have it. The sincere bishop cannot use the church money for this because it belongs to the poor and needy, he argues. That is why he saves on everything that concerns himself, including eating. Leon agrees to bring the nephew back. The bishop is skeptical and tells him to go, but not to lie. Here the bishop uses the phrase, which is also the title of the work, Woe to him who lies! After some deliberation, Leon promises to bring Atalus back, even without committing the sin of lying, and receives the 10 pounds that the bishop has already collected.

2nd elevator

Leon meets a pilgrim who is on his way to the Rheingau. He gives the poor money for an escort to Kattwald Castle. The cook, who has now given all the money to the pilgrim, sells himself as a slave to the count, but says he is a good cook. This is very convenient for the count, since his daughter Edrita will soon marry the stupid Galomir. Edrita was commissioned to learn something from Leon's arts; However, because of his secrecy, it is difficult for her to do so. But she notices that Leon is up to something. She considers his inquiry about Atalus suspicious. Atalus is supposed to help Leon in the kitchen, but Leon refuses for the time being. With a lot of eloquence, Leon manages to win Atalus as a kitchen assistant.

3rd elevator

In the evening Leon cooks a juicy roast that encourages the guests to drink lots of wine. Tired and drunk, Count Kattwald forgets to remove the key from the door, which also opens the gate to the outside. Unfortunately, a servant comes before Leon and Atalus to get the key. Leon has found out that the key is safely hanging on the wall above the Count's bed and decides to get it. According to Leon's plan, Atalus is supposed to dig a bridge pillar at the same time so that it collapses when the pursuers enter after their escape. Leon sneaks into Kattwald's bedroom and manages to get hold of the key. Edrita comes in unnoticed through a back door and removes the key from a side door. Kattwald wakes up. Leon immediately throws the key away and pretends to be looking for it. Since he is not supposed to lie, he tells the count that he stole it himself, which Kattwald takes as a joke. Meanwhile, Edrita steps out of the shadows and exchanges the keys. Leon finds the wrong key and hangs it back, although he notices that it is lighter than before. Kattwald doesn't want to hear or see anything and falls asleep again. Devastated because he could not steal the key, Leon wants to go back to Atalus, who is almost finished digging. But he sees the right key in the door. Edrita admits that she placed it there herself. Atalus and Leon can escape, but leave the gate open. Galomir, who wants to pursue him, falls into the trench, whereupon Edrita laughs at him. Kattwald believes Edrita has betrayed him and threatens her with death. She decides to flee with the two of them. The gate closes them from the outside.

4th elevator

Leon and Atalus are arguing during the escape until Edrita suddenly comes to them. She made up her mind never to return. Galomir appears with his horse, but the three have gone into hiding. Edrita comes out of the bushes and outsmarts him eloquently so that she can tie him up. A little later he can break free and blows his horn. Once at the river, Edrita tells the ferryman the password for the crossing. Here Leon cleverly outwits the fisherman.

5th elevator

The three of them have taken a break in a barn near Metz, but Leon cannot sleep and goes outside. There he is ambushed and begins to pray. At that moment the gates open and a Frankish leader comes out. The Franks took Metz overnight and everyone can feel reassured and secure.

The next day, Gregor embraces Atalus. Edrita explains to Gregor that she intends to become a Christian and wants to be baptized by him. Instead of going to the monastery, Leon wants to marry Edrita. She agrees immediately, then he clears up the misunderstandings and tricks to escape. Atalus agrees to leave Edrita, whom he once wanted to marry himself, to Leon, because Leon has finally freed him after a long time in captivity and he realizes that she only loves him. Happy all embrace each other.

background

Grillparzer's portrait lithograph by Josef Kriehuber , 1841

Grillparzer attended the artist faculty at the University of Vienna in the 1820s and had a Jesuit as a teacher there. The latter explained to him the ten commandments with the saying: "It depends on the spirit of the action, not on the words." This thesis gave Grillparzer the first ideas for a comedy, which he did not develop until 1831 after the success of the play The dream a life put into action. The subject of the five-act comedy Woe to him who lies! is taken from an anecdote by the Gallo-Roman historian Gregor von Tours (6th century) in his Historia Francorum ( German : "History of the Franks " ). The idea in its entirety and the intertwined love story between Edrita and Leon (and Atalus) are, however, Grillparzer's property.

First performance in 1838

The old Vienna Burgtheater and the Hofburg (painting by Robert Raschka )

The curiosity of literary Vienna rose to its peak in early 1838 when it was heard that a comedy by the celebrated tragedy poet Grillparzer would soon be performed in the Burgtheater . From eyewitnesses to the premiere on March 6, 1838, it is said that the theater was full long before the comedy began and that some aristocrats let their servants occupy a seat before the doors opened.

Just as great as the tension before the performance was the failure afterwards. After the audience applauded the first lifts with loud applause, it became more and more moderate in the course of the performance and the final scenes were met with impatient indifference. Few have claimed that the failure of the play was due to the fact that Grillparzer had aimed far too high with his "literary comedy", as someone wrote, since the audience was simply overwhelmed by his ignorance of literature. Above all, however, the aristocracy showed itself to be completely incomprehensible to the play, as it was seen as a criticism of the rich. Humiliated by the failure, Grillparzer withdrew from the literary public and from Viennese society. After his death, three more tragedies were found in Grillparzer's locked desk ( Libussa , Die Jüdin von Toledo and Ein Bruderzwist in Habsburg ), which Grillparzer's fiancée Katharina Fröhlich published.

Radio plays

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Woe to him who lies! on zum.de
  2. ↑ a b Kindlers Literatur Lexikon , Volume 23 Vin-Z, Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, Munich 1974, page 10165

literature

  • Kindlers Literatur Lexikon , Volume 23 Vin-Z, Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, Munich 1974, page 10165
  • Helmut Kern: "Woe to him who lies!" , In Kurt Bräutigam, Ed .: European Comedies, presented in individual interpretations. Diesterweg, Frankfurt 1964, pp. 79-98

Web links