By Laurel Hilton-Devitt and Alison Short
Historical Context
 Schiller was born in Germany in 1759 and died in 1805.
 He was writing and developing his work in the later part of the eighteenth
century
 The major political event that shaped Schiller’s writing was the French
revolution which sparked a major upheaval of social and political ideas
throughout Europe and was not just limited to France.
 Furthermore, Schiller was writing not long after the period of the
Renaissance ended and that likely had some effect on his writing as well.
 The renaissance encompassed teaching and learning about art from an
intellectual perspective as well as many scientific developments.
 Schiller was good friends with the German writer Goethe and throughout
their friendship Goethe encouraged Schiller to finish the writings he was
doing instead of just leaving them as rough outlines.
 Together they came up with a combined definition of theatre as a “creative
process [that] liberates humankind by allowed the spectator to see through
sensuous matter and discover the “free-working of the mind.” (249)
Definition of Vice
 VICE according to Merriam-Webster:
 1 a : moral depravity or corruption :
WICKEDNESS b : a moral fault or failing c : a
habitual and usually trivial defect or shortcoming
: FOIBLE <suffered from the vice of curiosity>
2 : BLEMISH, DEFECT
3 : a physical imperfection, deformity, or taint
4 a often capitalized : a character representing
one of the vices in an English morality play
Schiller on Vice
Schiller argues that the stage allows us to see more
powerfully then law or religion the many thousands of
vices that everyday go unnoticed by human justice.
Furthermore, in opposition every good deed that goes
unnoticed is applauded on the stage.
The stage also shows vice because it pushes past the
boundaries that religion and law put in place to show the
origin of crimes and how certain people will end up
doing certain things.
The stage is able to teach people about how to avoid
vice through imitation and experience.
Schiller on Justice
We are able through the stage to impose our
own ideas of justice on the characters.
Whether or not we think that they are fairly
judged in crucial and whether or not we agree
with the end result of the play.
“A great school of practical wisdom, a
guide for civil life and a key to the mind in
all its sinuosities” (252)
The stage is essentially able to show us the
barest form of humankind.
We see the person behind the mask – the
hypocrite etc…
We are not susceptible to being tricked into
thinking people are something other then they
are  duplicity and cunning are stripped away
Schiller on Fortune
Through episodes of Catharsis we are able to
watch and see how characters onstage deal
with certain situations
In doing that we learn from them about
ourselves
In learning those things we are then “filled with
a grand new stock of courage and endurance”
(252)
Schiller on Misfortune
Humanity and tolerance come more into play
here as we try to judge characters fairly
We are able to take into account the whole
story, why someone chose suicide, why she
loves him etc…
“The Great of the world ought to be
especially grateful to the stage, for it
is here along that they hear the
truth.” (253)
 “Schiller uses his dramas to make known to man and to
unveil the secret movements according to which he
acts,” (www.schillerinstitute.org).
 The truth about why man does what he does- good or
bad (Aristotle: good/bad human). When man has seen
exactly how one acquires his vices and how he initially
becomes good or bad, it is at this moment that man
learns from the origins of his character and thus makes
the conscious decision to better the morality of his
character, therefore positively contributing to society.
The Schiller Institute and Social
Progress
 The Schiller Institute: “is working around the world to defend the rights of
all humanity to progress --material, moral and intellectual. It is named after
Friedrich Schiller, the great 18th-century German poet and playwright,
whose works have inspired republican opposition to oligarchic tyranny
worldwide.” (www.schillerinstitute.org).
 Schiller wrote: “The stage is the common channel through which the light of
wisdom streams down from the thinking, better part of society, spreading
thence in mild beams throughout the entire state. Truer ideas, more refined
precepts, purified emotions, then flow into the veins of the population, the
clouds of barbarism and dark superstition disperse, night yields to victorious
light.'‘ (www.schillerinstitute.org)
 Schiller writes that it is the “thoughtful and worthier section of people in
society who diffuse the light of wisdom over the masses through the stage,”
(253).
Advancement of Humanity
 Can theatre release the “enchained masses” from their opinions?
 Schiller says yes. Once they have been released, social and human
advancement can begin/continue.
 These “opinions” of the masses are in the areas of
 Nations and ages
 Religion and Education
 Parenting and Teaching
 Governments and Classes
 Invention and Industry
Theatre can encompass stories, characters and representations all of
these aspects of society!
-Religion and education:
- “Purer and better principles and motives issue from the stage and
circulate through society.” (253) Such as religious toleration. The stage can
show seeds of humanity and gentleness.
-Governments and classes:
-Opinions concerning the government “might be reformed by the
stage,” (253). Symbolism in drama can address issues without offense.
-Nations:
-Schiller’s idea of a “National Theatre”: “It would have a great
influence on the national temper and mind by helping the nation to agree in
opinions and inclinations. The stage alone can do this, because it
commands all human knowledge, exhausts all positions, illumines all hearts,
unites all classes and makes its way tot he heart and understanding by the
most popular channels,” (253).
-The stage can bring the masses of a nation together. His example:
the Greeks. They indulged in theatre and the moral issues that were raised
on stage which then developed interest for the advancement of humanity.
Double-Duty
 Back to Aristotle’s good/bad people: Schiller claims that
theatre is the premier form of amusement. Schiller
advocates that you need theatre to learn from, but also
to remain ‘good’ people, to stay out of trouble- to be
entertained.
 Gambling, other “follies” are unavoidable in society if the
law-giver produces nothing better. People are bound to
become “brutish without the stage,” (254).
 “The stage is an institution combining amusement with
instruction, rest with exertion, where no faculty of the
mind is overstrained, no pleasure enjoyed at the cost of
the whole,” (254).
 The Stage: when exposed to it, man becomes closer to his “heavenly
destination. The individual shares in the general ecstasy, (Theatre also
appeals to emotion- Aristotle) and his breast has now only space for an
emotion: he is a man,” (254)
 What can we make of this ending sentence?
Thoughts:
 It seems that Schiller has avoided mentioning the raw emotions of man until
this last sentence. He focuses mainly on moral lessons that lead to social
progress and social advancement of humankind. He refers to the institutions
of government, religion etc.
 Schiller believes in theatre as a moral institution that we can learn from, for
the betterment of society. He does not speak on matters of theatre as an art
form or as a medium used to appeal to the emotions of mankind.
Mimesis and Morality:
Making Connections
 idea of Catharsis and imitation as a mirror of
man’s character.
 Schiller neglects to mention tragedy as a form
itself but does use the idea of the tragic flaw or
as he puts it “Vice.”
 One could also assume that Schiller is drawing
on Aristotle’s ideas of objects of imitation (ie.
plot, character, thought/reasoning) and adds
onto it with his ideas of religion and justice as
what makes up ones character.
Discussion Questions
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Do you agree with Schiller in that the stage is better then any form of law
or religion to judge a man and his character?
Do you think Schiller is correct in saying that we are not as susceptible to
being tricked in a play by a character who is cunning then in everyday
life?
What are some vices that you think may go unnoticed in everyday life but
not in the theatre?
Consider the following statement: do you agree/disagree?
“Sight is always more powerful to man than description.” – Schiller.
Schiller’s idea of “universal sympathy” –
Are there any examples of theatre you have seen that changed any of
your opinions (concerning religion, government, education etc) enough to
reflect, perhaps experience catharsis and thus feel the need for you to
contribute to the betterment of society?