Der Marquis von Keith

by Frank Wedekind

Über das letzte Gespräch zwischen Keith und Scholz schrieb Thomas Mann: Es ist eine ungeheuerliche Szene. In einem nichtssagenden modernen Zimmer wechseln zwei Männer in bürgerlicher Kleidung kurze und glasklare Repliken. Aber dahinter spukt und lockt ein Mysterium. . . Wedekind hat Größeres, Krasseres, äußerlich Kühneres entworfen, das ist sicher. Aber in meinen Augen ist die letzte Szene zwischen Scholz und Keith das Schrecklichste, Rührendste und Tiefste, was dieser tiefe, gequälte Mensch geschrieben hat.

103 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1901

About the author

Frank Wedekind was a German dramatist whose bold, unconventional plays reshaped modern theatre by challenging social norms and exposing the hypocrisies of bourgeois morality, especially around sexuality. Raised between Germany and Switzerland and drawn early to travel, performance, and satire, he lived an eclectic life that included work in advertising, time with a circus, and a celebrated stint as a cabaret performer with the influential troupe Die elf Scharfrichter. His fearlessness as both writer and performer made him a central figure in the artistic circles of Munich, where his sharp wit and provocative themes influenced a new generation of socially critical satirists. His early play Spring Awakening caused an uproar for its frank depictions of adolescent sexuality, repression, and violence, while his two-part “Lulu” cycle introduced a character whose rise and fall exposed society’s fascination with desire and destruction. These works challenged censorship, pushed theatrical boundaries, and later inspired films, operas, and adaptations across decades. Wedekind’s personal life was intense and often turbulent, marked by complicated relationships, creative restlessness, and brushes with authority, including a prison sentence for lèse-majesté after publishing satirical poems. His marriage to the actress Tilly Newes brought both devotion and strain, reflected in the emotional swings of his later years. Even near the end of his life, recovering from surgery, he returned to the stage too soon, driven by the same energy that fueled his art. His influence extended well beyond his death, resonating through the Weimar era and shaping the development of expressionism and later epic theatre. Many of his works were translated, staged, or adapted by major artists, ensuring that his confrontational spirit and fearless exploration of human desire would remain part of the theatrical canon.

Reviews

[Richard Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Struggled to read this in German. Didn’t like it as much as the Lulu plays.

[Edward Cheer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Der Marquis von Keith follows the rise and fall of The Marquis of Keith.

I had never heard of Frank Wedekind or seen any plays from Germany, but I was shocked with the amazing pacing, characters, and deep undertone of art and its influences from the outside world. Keith is a likable character that I learned to appreciate for his views of bringing art to Munich, despite is flaws as a person. And, oddly enough, I found his fall deserved because of his actions during the play till the final act.

There's an immense amount of detail that go into the Fairytale Palace, and while I personally wish that there was a scene within the theater, I was fine with the how the experience in the theater was described between the character. It really does feel like a fairytale- like a place for the arts to cultivate without any influences from the outside, but it's ironic in that fact that in the context of the play that it never would exist. It's a really intriguing character drama that anyone who wants to think and feel for compelling characters. I'd love to see this play performed onstage.