The Theatre Considered as a Moral Institution

The Theatre Considered as a Moral Institution (Die Schaubühne als eine moralische Anstalt betrachtet) was an essay delivered by playwright Friedrich Schiller^[1]^[2]^[3] on 26 June 1784 to the Deutschen Gesellschaft society.^[4] The essay was later published.

In the essay, Schiller asked, "What can a good permanent theatre actually achieve?" (Was kann eine gute stehende Schaubühne eigentlich bewirken?)

Context

In January 1784 Schiller was accepted into the Deutschen Gesellschaft, a language society whose members aimed to improve morals and purify the German language. Schiller's position at the Mannheim theater became increasingly dubious in the summer of 1784. With his speech he hoped to recommend himself for the vacant position of secretary of the Deutschen Gesellschaft. The associated salary would have allowed him to support himself as a freelance playwright.

At that time, the members of the society viewed theater mainly as a place for entertainment. Schiller wanted to draw attention to the fact that theater also has an intellectual, moral and emotional effect on visitors.

Content

In his speech, Schiller makes three overarching claims.

A stage is a moral institution and a school of practical wisdom.

A stage is a socio-political institution and an instrument of enlightenment.

A stage is an aesthetic institution.

References

^ Charles Follen (2007). Between Natives and Foreigners: Selected Writings of Karl/Charles Follen (1796-1840). Peter Lang. p. 229. ISBN 978-0-8204-9732-7.
^ Michael Patterson (6 April 2016). The First German Theatre (Routledge Revivals): Schiller, Goethe, Kleist and Büchner in Performance. Routledge. p. 23. ISBN 978-1-317-26684-6.
^ John Russell Brown (2001). The Oxford Illustrated History of Theatre. Oxford University Press. p. 273. ISBN 978-0-19-285442-1.
^ Walter Horace Bruford (1950). Theatre, Drama, and Audience in Goethe's Germany. Greenwood Press. p. 222. ISBN 978-0-8371-7016-9.

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[Follen2007-1] Charles Follen (2007). Between Natives and Foreigners: Selected Writings of Karl/Charles Follen (1796-1840). Peter Lang. p. 229. ISBN 978-0-8204-9732-7.

[Patterson2016-2] Michael Patterson (6 April 2016). The First German Theatre (Routledge Revivals): Schiller, Goethe, Kleist and Büchner in Performance. Routledge. p. 23. ISBN 978-1-317-26684-6.

[Brown2001-3] John Russell Brown (2001). The Oxford Illustrated History of Theatre. Oxford University Press. p. 273. ISBN 978-0-19-285442-1.

[Bruford1950-4] Walter Horace Bruford (1950). Theatre, Drama, and Audience in Goethe's Germany. Greenwood Press. p. 222. ISBN 978-0-8371-7016-9.

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v t e Friedrich Schiller
Plays	The Robbers Fiesco Intrigue and Love Körner's Morning Don Carlos Wallenstein Wallenstein's Camp The Piccolomini Wallenstein's Death Mary Stuart The Maid of Orleans The Bride of Messina William Tell Die Huldigung der Künste Demetrius
Libretti	Semele
Selected poems	Ode to Joy Resignation Die Götter Griechenlandes Das verschleierte Bild zu Sais Die Teilung der Erde Xenien Der Handschuh Der Taucher Die Kraniche des Ibykus Ritter Toggenburg Der Gang nach dem Eisenhammer Der Ring des Polykrates Der Kampf mit dem Drachen Die Bürgschaft Das Lied von der Glocke Nänie Der Antritt des neuen Jahrhunderts Das Siegesfest
Selected prose works	The Criminal of Lost Honour The Ghost-Seer A magnanimous act
Selected philosophical works	The Theatre Considered as a Moral Institution Über den Grund des Vergnügens an tragischen Gegenständen Augustenburger Briefe On Grace and Dignity Über das Pathetische Kallias-Briefe On the Aesthetic Education of Man On Naïve and Sentimental Poetry Über das Erhabene
Historical works	What is universal history and why does one study it?
Journals	Wirtembergisches Repertorium Thalia Die Horen
Memorials	Berlin Chicago Columbus Milwaukee (with Goethe) Syracuse (with Goethe) Weimar (with Goethe)
Related	Johann Kaspar Schiller (father) Elisabetha Dorothea Schiller (mother) Charlotte von Lengefeld (wife) Carl Christoph von Lengefeld (father-in-law) Louise von Lengefeld (mother-in-law) Karl von Schiller (son) Ernst von Schiller (son) Emilie von Gleichen-Rußwurm (daughter) Ludwig von Gleichen-Rußwurm (grandson) Alexander von Gleichen-Rußwurm (great-grandson) Christophine Reinwald (sister) Wilhelm Friedrich Hermann Reinwald (son-in-law) Weimar Classicism Play drive Skull Friedrich Schiller (1923 film) Friedrich Schiller – The Triumph of a Genius (1940 film) Beloved Sisters (2014 film)

Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	Germany