The Robbers (, ) is the first dramatic play by German playwright Friedrich Schiller. The play was published in 1781 and premiered on 13 January 1782 in Mannheim and was inspired by Leisewitz's earlier play Julius of Taranto. It was written towards the end of the German Sturm und Drang ("Storm and Stress") movement, and many critics, such as Peter Brooks, consider it very influential in the development of European melodrama.Stephanie Barbé Hammer, Schiller's Wound: The Theater of Trauma from Crisis to Commodity (Wayne State University Press, 2001), page 32. The play astounded its Mannheim audience and made Schiller an overnight sensation. It later became the basis for Verdi's opera of the same name, I masnadieri.
Plot and description The plot revolves around the conflict between two aristocratic brothers, Karl and Franz Moor. The charismatic but rebellious student Karl is deeply loved by his father. The younger brother, Franz, who appears as a cold, calculating villain, plots to wrest away Karl's inheritance. As the play unfolds, both Franz's motives and Karl's innocence and heroism are revealed to be complex.
Schiller's highly emotional language and his depiction of physical violence mark the play as a quintessential Sturm und Drang work.David Hill, “Schiller and the End of the Sturm und Drang,” in Alan C. Leidner and H. B. Nisbet (eds.), Literature of the Sturm und Drang (Rochester, NY: Camden House, 2003), pp. 145–147.David Hill, “Sturm und Drang: Passions and Eighteenth-Century Psychology,” in Alan C. Leidner and H. B. Nisbet (eds.), Literature of the Sturm und Drang (Rochester, NY: Camden House, 2003), p. 47. At the same time, the play utilizes a traditional five-act structure, with each act containing two to five scenes. The play uses alternating scenes to pit the brothers against each other, as one quests for money and power, while the other attempts to create revolutionary anarchy in the Bohemian Forest.
Schiller raises many disturbing issues in the play. For instance, he questions the dividing lines between personal liberty and the law and probes the psychology of power, the nature of masculinity and the essential differences between good and evil. He strongly criticizes both the hypocrisies of class and religion and the economic inequities of German society. He also conducts a complicated inquiry into the nature of evil.
Schiller was inspired by the play Julius of Taranto (1774) by Johann Anton Leisewitz, a play Friedrich Schiller considered a favourite.Johann Anton Leisewitz, Encyclopædia Britannica
Content
Summary Count Maximilian of Moor has two very different sons, Karl and Franz. Karl is the elder son, and the count's favourite. In comparison, Franz is described as ugly, and he was neglected during his childhood. As the younger son, he has no claim of inheritance from his father. Franz spends his time in the play scheming to remove Karl as well as the count. At the beginning of the play, Karl is a student in Leipzig, where he lives a relatively carefree life, spending freely, accruing large amounts of debt. He writes to his father in hopes of reconciliation.
Franz uses the letter as an opportunity to push a false narrative of Karl's life on his father. Throwing away the original letter, Franz writes a new one that claims to be from a friend, describing in the barest terms the types of activities Karl is claimed to be doing in Leipzig. The letter describes Karl as a womanizer, murderer, and thief. The letter shocks the old count deeply, causing him to declare — with the help of Franz's suggestions — Karl as disinherited.
Karl, having hoped for a reconciliation, becomes demotivated at the news. He agrees to become the head of a robbers band that his friends created, in the idealistic hopes of protecting the weaker and being an "honourable" robber. There are tensions in the band, as Moritz Spiegelberg tries to sow discord among them. Spiegelberg hopes to be the leader of the group and tries to encourage the rest to replace Karl. Karl falls into a cycle of violence and injustice, which prevents him from returning to his normal life. He eventually swears to stay forever with his band of robbers. Shortly after, the band receives a newcomer, Kosinsky, who tells them the tale of how his bride-to-be, importantly named Amalia, was stolen from him by a greedy count. This reminds Karl of his own Amalia, and he decides to return to his father's home, disguised.
In this time, Franz has been busy. Using lies and exaggerations about Karl, he manages to break the count's heart and assumes the mantle of the new Count of Moor. Bolstered by his new title and jealous of Karl's relationship with Amalia, he attempts to persuade her to marry him. Amalia, however, stays true to Karl and denies Franz's advances. She sees through his lies and exaggerations about Karl.
Karl returns home, disguised, and finds the castle very different from how he left it. Franz introduces himself as the count, and with some careful questions, Karl learns that their father has died, and Franz has taken his place. Despite Karl's carefulness, Franz has his suspicions. In a moment with Amalia — who does not recognize him — he learns that Amalia still loves him.
Franz explores his suspicions about the identity of his guest. Karl leaves the castle. He runs into an old man, who turns out to be his father — he is alive. The old count was left to starve in an old ruin and in his weakness is unable to recognize Karl. Incensed by the treatment of his loved ones, Karl sends his robbers band to storm the castle and capture Franz. Franz observes the robbers approaching and takes his own life before he can be captured. The robbers take Amalia from the castle and bring her to Karl. Seeing that Karl is alive, Amalia is initially happy. Once the old count realizes that Karl is the robbers' leader, he in his weakened state dies from the shock. Karl tries to leave the robber band but is then reminded of his promise to stay. He cannot break this promise and therefore cannot be with Amalia. Upon realizing that Karl cannot leave, Amalia begs for someone to kill her; she cannot live without her Karl. With a heavy heart, Karl fulfills her wish. As the play ends, Karl decides to turn himself over to the authorities.
First Act The first act takes place in the Castle of the Count of Moor. The key characters are the Count of Moor and his younger son Franz. Not in scene, but mentioned, is the count's older son, Karl. Karl is a student in Leipzig, who lives freely but irresponsibly.
First Scene The old Count Maximilian of Moor receives a letter from Leipzig, containing news about his older son Karl. The content, however, as read by his younger son, Franz, is upsetting. Supposedly written by a friend of Karl's, it describes how Karl accrued massive debts, deflowered the daughter of a rich banker whose fiancé he killed in a duel, and then ran from the authorities. Unknown to the count, the letter was written by Franz himself – the content entirely false – with Karl's actual letter destroyed. Greatly disturbed by the news, the count takes some supposedly "friendly advice" from Franz and disowns Karl. The count hopes that such a drastic measure would encourage Karl to change his behavior, and upon his doing so, the count would be glad to have Karl back. The count has Franz write the letter and impresses upon him to break the news gently. Franz, however, writes an especially blunt letter as a way of driving a deeper wedge between Karl and his father.
Second Scene At the same time as Scene 1, Karl and a friend of his, Spiegelberg, are drinking at a pub. With the arrival of a few more friends comes the arrival of Franz's letter to Karl. Upon reading the message, Karl lets the letter fall to the ground and leaves the room speechless. His friends pick it up and read it. In Karl's absence, Spiegelberg suggests that the group become a robber's band. Karl returns, and is obviously disillusioned from the bluntness of his father's letter. His friends ask that he become the leader of their robber's band, and Karl agrees. They formulate a pact, swearing to be true to each other and the band. The only discontent comes from Spiegelberg, who had hoped to be the leader.
Third Scene In this scene Franz visits Amalia. Amalia is engaged to Karl. Franz lies to her, hoping to make her disgusted with Karl and to win her for himself. He tells her Karl gave away the engagement ring she gave him so that he could pay a prostitute. This extreme character change, as presented in Franz's story, causes Amalia to doubt the truth of it, and she remains true to Karl. She sees through Franz's lies and realizes his true intentions. She calls him out, and he lets his "polite" mask fall and swears revenge.
Second Act
First Scene Franz begins setting the foundations of his greater plan of removing both Karl and the count. He hopes to shock the old count so greatly that he dies. He encourages Herman, a bastard, to tell the old count a story about Karl. He promises that Herman will receive Amalia in return for his help. Herman leaves the room to carry out the plan, and just as he's left, Franz reveals that he has no intention of holding up his end of the promise. Franz wants Amalia for himself.
Second Scene Herman arrives to the castle in disguise. He tells the old count that he and Karl were both soldiers, and that Karl died in battle. He follows with Karl's supposed last words, placing the blame on the old count's shoulders. The old man is shocked and receives only harsh words from Franz. He cannot stand it, and falls to the floor, apparently dead. Franz takes up the title and warns of a darker time to come for the people on his land.
Third Scene During this time, Karl is living life as the Leader of the robber's band. They are camped in the Bohemian forests. The band is growing, with new members coming in. The loyalty of the robbers to Karl grows too, Karl has just rescued one of their own, Roller, from being hanged. The escape plan is carried out by setting the town ablaze which ultimately destroys the town and kills 83 people. In the forest, they are surrounded by a large number of soldiers, and a priest is sent to give an ultimatum – give up Karl and the robbers live, or everyone dies. The robbers, however, stay true to their leader and with the cry "Death or Freedom!" the fight breaks out, ending the second Act.
Third Act
First Scene Franz seeks again to force Amalia to join him. He tells her that her only other option would be to be placed at a convent. This hardly bothers Amalia, she would rather be in a convent than be Franz's wife. This angers Franz and he threatens to take her forcefully, menacing her with a knife. Amalia feigns a change of heart, embracing Franz, and uses it as an opportunity to take the weapon. She turns it on Franz, promising the union of the two, knife and Franz, if he threatens her again.
Second Scene After a long and exhausting battle, the robbers are victorious. Karl takes a moment to reflect on his childhood, and his recent actions. In this moment, Kosinsky, a newcomer, arrives in scene. He wishes to join the robbers, but Karl encourages him not to. Karl tells him to return to normal life, that becoming a robber would be damaging. Kosinsky presses the matter, and describes what caused him to want to be a robber. His story shares many points with Karl's, especially that Kosinsky also had a fiancee by the name of Amalia. Kosinsky's story ends with the loss of his Amalia to his count. Karl, seeing perhaps a sliver of his upcoming fate, decides to return home. His robbers, now including Kosinsky, follow him.
Fourth Act
First Scene