Die Räuber: Ein Schauspiel

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

47804

Title

Die Räuber: Ein Schauspiel

Language

de

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

In revolutionary Germany, the noble Count of Moor's sons turn to banditry after their father's death. This drama explores the conflict between law and passion, contrasting the corrupting influence of vice with the enduring strength of virtue.

Summary up to 500 words

Set in Germany approximately two years prior to 1805, Friedrich Schiller's *The Robbers* chronicles the tragic disintegration of the noble House of Moor. Following the death of the elderly Count, his sons Franz and Karl inherit the estate alongside a crushing debt and the family's social ostracization. Franz, initially a libertine, descends into a life of banditry, while Karl, driven by a thirst for greatness and a disdain for conventional morality, joins Franz's outlaw band. The narrative explores the psychological complexities of these "extraordinary men," who are portrayed not as purely evil, but as products of their environment and innate power. Through intense dialogue and dramatic confrontation, the play examines the nature of crime, the hypocrisy of societal norms, and the inevitable consequences of unchecked ambition. The story serves as a moral critique, illustrating how law and virtue ultimately triumph over the chaos of the outlaw's life, even as the characters themselves are consumed by their own passions. Schiller's preface clarifies that the play is a dramatic history rather than a strict theatrical piece, aiming to capture the soul's secret operations without the constraints of traditional theater. He argues that to effectively strike down vice, the playwright must expose it in its naked ugliness, even if this requires depicting characters who offend delicate sensibilities. Schiller posits that virtue is often highlighted by the contrast with vice, and that great criminals possess a certain brilliance of mind that makes them fascinating despite their moral failings. He warns against the superficiality of the common reader who might misinterpret the work as an apology for crime, emphasizing that the play demands a certain intellectual strength from its audience to appreciate the full humanity of its flawed characters. The narrative follows the band of outlaws as they operate in the wilds, contrasting their chaotic existence with the rigid, hypocritical society they reject. Ultimately, the play illustrates the destructive cycle of revenge and the futility of living outside the bounds of civilization, where the pursuit of power leads inevitably to ruin.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Classics
• Drama