Wilhelm Tell

by Friedrich Schiller

ISBN 9783150000120 was later reused for Wilhelm Tell

Das 1804 erschienene und in Weimar – unter der Regie von Johann Wolfgang Goethe – uraufgeführte Blankvers-Drama Wilhelm Tell war Friedrich Schillers letztes und lange Zeit erfolgreichstes Stück. Das Geschichtsdrama spielt um 1300 in der Schweiz und behandelt den Freiheitskampf der Urkantone. Der überzeugte Einzelkämpfer Wilhelm Tell wird – wider Willen, aber im eigenen Interesse – zum Tyrannenmörder, Volkshelden und Mitbegründer einen freien Gesellschaftsordnung. Als National- oder Freiheitsdrama erlebte Schillers Wilhelm Tell eine bewegte Aufführungsgeschichte bis zum Verbot durch die Nationalsozialisten im Jahr 1941.

Genres: Classics, Plays, German Literature, School, Drama, Fiction, Literature

144 pages, Paperback

First published March 17, 1804

About the author

People best know long didactic poems and historical plays, such as Don Carlos (1787) and William Tell (1804), of leading romanticist German poet, dramatist, and historian Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller.

This philosopher and dramatist struck up a productive if complicated friendship with already famous and influential Johann Wolfgang von Goethe during the last eighteen years of his life and encouraged Goethe to finish works that he left merely as sketches; they greatly discussed issues concerning aesthetics and thus gave way to a period, now referred to as classicism of Weimar. They also worked together on Die Xenien ( The Xenies ), a collection of short but harsh satires that verbally attacked perceived enemies of their aesthetic agenda.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedri...

Reviews

[Nayra.Hassan · Rating 4 out of 5]

اذا اجبروك على الانحناء لقبعة في غدوك و روحك ..هل ستفعلها؟

حسنا لقد رفض السويسري وليام تل منذ سبعمائة عام
فعاقبه الملك برمي تفاحة فوق رأس ابنه بسهم


سأله الملك :و لماذا أتيت بالسهم الاخر؟
فرد وليام تل :أتيت به لاقتلك به اذا اصيب ابني بالسهم الاول
هكذا👀 أمر الملك بسجنه مدى الحياة في سجن بجزيرة بعيدة
لتتوالى مغامرات أشهر رامي في الأساطير
..و تماثيله تملأ الشوارع السويسرية

كانت هذه اول قصة انجليزية اقراها باختياري في سن التاسعة و احببتها
ثم اعدت قراءتها كاملة

[Manybooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although Friedrich Schiller's Wilhelm Tell is truly and certainly one of my all time favourite plays, period, and while I have indeed read and reread this masterpiece of German Classicism religiously and repeatedly since I first had to peruse Wilhelm Tell in 1986 (for a fourth year undergraduate German literature course on both Goethe and Schiller that I somehow was at least partially manipulated into taking during my second year), I have actually and unfortunately never had the chance to see it performed, to see the play staged (and although I do very much hope this sorry scenario will change, I kind of doubt that Wilhelm Tell will ever be staged in Canada and if by chance, in German, and I do not really want to consider viewing the play in English or in French translation, at least not for a first time attendance, as going to an English or a French language performance of Wilhelm Tell would at least for me personally totally defeat the purpose).

Aside from having absolutely loved reading Wilhelm Tell as a literary drama, but never having had the chance to see it staged, I also tend to often forget that historically, it was actually Schiller's wife Charlotte who already in 1789 (the play was completed in 1804, less than two years before Schiller's death from tuberculosis at the relatively young age of 45) made her future husband aware of the Tell legend (as well as his good friend Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who during his own travels to Switzerland not only researched Wilhelm Tell, but had also at one time seriously considered Wilhelm Tell for a possible literary work before deciding against this and handing the information and research he had amassed over to Friedrich Schiller). And therefore, while Friedrich Schiller is definitely and in all ways to be considered the sole author of Wilhelm Tell, it must and should be noted that the genesis of the latter, that the production and development of Wilhelm Tell does indeed owe much to Schiller's wife's Lotte's enthusiastic encouragement and his friend Goethe's Swiss travels and research (for Friedrich Schiller himself actually never did visit, never did manage to travel to Switzerland).

With regard to the play itself, for me personally, what I have always found both most enjoyable and really even essential with regard to Wilhelm Tell is the cheering fact that unlike other dramatic works of German Classicism (and even a number of Schiller's own offerings), Wilhelm Tell in particular is presented in a generally reasonably approachable, comparatively easy to understand manner, both not too difficult to read and also therefore not too difficult to watch performed (never simplistic, never trivial, but fathomable for a lay person, for someone who does not necessarily need to have advanced degrees in literature and philosophy to enjoy and appreciate settings, dialogues, monologues, descriptions etc.). For basically, the main themes of Wilhelm Tell, the both individual and collective historical struggles of the Swiss against Habsburg, against their often cruel and ruthlessly arbitrary Austrian overlords is shown clearly, concisely, and even with a sense of adventure and thrillingness (kind of like watching a movie or at least, I have always been able to visualise Wilhelm Tell as a movie, as a running adventuresome script, when I read, when I peruse the play).

Now especially in German Classicism, most dramas need to present a clearly delineated turning point, and Schiller's Wilhelm Tell is no exception here. During the first scenes of the play, while the main protagonist, while Wilhelm Tell is indeed portrayed as being much sympathetic to his fellow countrymen's concerns about and struggles against the Habsburg Empire, he does tend to keep himself rather aloof and apart, he is intuitive, nature-bound and does not want to embrace politics, political struggle, or entertain thoughts of rebellion (which of course then changes after the arrow incident, as Tell must realise that he can no longer remain neutral and is thus also no longer unwilling to actively strive against the oppressors, no longer unwilling to stalk and personally assassinate the nastily tyrannical Gessler).

And finally, with regard to the famous apple/arrow scene, in my humble opinion, it is actually first and foremost Gessler's broken promise to Tell that he would not face arrest or execution if he (if Tell) truthfully gives the reason why there were two arrows placed in his quiver which finally and firmly cement not only Tell's desire to kill Gessler, but also convinces him to fully and wholly join the rebels against the Habsburgs (namely that if Tell had missed and had injured or killed his son Walter whilst trying to shoot that apple from his head, the next arrow would have been for Gessler himself). For if one looks at the entire apple shot scene realistically, if Wilhelm Tell had been an active and yes dedicated adversary against Gessler, against the Austrian overlords right from the start, he would or at least he should not have actually bowed down and done what was being demanded of him by Gessler, he would not have shot the apple from his son's head, he would instead have immediately used his bow and arrows to kill Gessler, to punish with death his tyranny and his outrageously hateful demands. Yes, at the end of Wilhelm Tell, Gessler has been assassinated and the main character, Wilhelm Tell has one hundred percent now joined the rebels, but it has taken an attack on himself and his family, as well as Gessler's broken promises (that truth loving and honest Tell was arrested to be executed even after Gessler had specifically promised that he could speak without fear of the latter) for Wilhelm to finally realise that Gessler is indeed an evil monster who needs to be gotten rid of and that the struggles of the Swiss against the Habsburgs are both just and necessary, that his support, Tell's expertise, his marksmanship are not only appreciated, but desperately needed.

[Warwick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learnt to read thanks to a fortnightly magazine called Story Teller that was around in the early 80s – it was one of those publications that came with a cassette taped to the front cover, on which various celebrities of the day could be heard reading out fairytales and children's stories, while you read along in the lavishly-illustrated magazine. Frankly, every child deserves to grow up listening to Brian Blessed bellow out The Elves and the Shoemaker, or Joanna Lumley politely explain Gulliver's Travels.



One of my favourite stories – indeed one of my strongest memories of childhood – was William Tell, which drew on the inspired combination of Tom Baker and Gioachino Rossini (together at last). Of course I didn't know who Tom Baker was then, I just knew I loved the way he enunciated ‘Gessler's black heart’ with such relish; and I certainly didn't know who Rossini was – I probably assumed the Overture was just something they'd come up with for the sake of the Story Teller recording – I only knew that the music got me so riled up that, afterwards, I used to charge around the house in some frenzy, trying to liberate the airing cupboard from the Habsburg Austrian yoke.

If you have a spare few minutes, treat yourself here.

So anyway. Though Schiller had a lot to live up to by the time I finally got around to reading him, his play also found fertile ground. And though I am the least nationalistic person imaginable, I have always had a soft spot for tales of national freedom or independence. This one is put together with consummate skill, different scenes and conversations echoing each other very deftly. The poetic flourishes are well translated in my edition by William F Mainland in the 70s.

The herald cries his summons to the lists,
But no sound comes to these sequestered valleys;
I only hear the melancholy note
Of cowbells and the dreary ranz des vaches.

There is an interesting tension in the treatment of the central character, who is often discussed but not often on stage. Perhaps it comes from the fact that Schiller, as a professional historian, knew only too well that Tell probably never really existed; Schiller the historian and Schiller the dramatist have, perhaps, slightly different ideas about how large a role he should play. Much of his dialogue consists of regurgitated proverbs, as though he's merely a personification of general folk wisdom – most of it revolving around the theme of self-sufficiency, which is something of a recurring motif here, for people as well as for countries.

I find national myths like this weirdly moving – not so much the original story as the way it has captured the imaginations of so many generations of people. I'm determined to get down to the open-air staging of the play that's put on every summer outside Altdorf, where these legendary events actually ‘happened’. Until then I'll make do with the words on the page – supplemented, natch, by regular doses of Tom Baker.

[Andrei Tamaş · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friedrich Schiller, a doua cea mai proeminentă figură a romantismului german, după Goethe, a reuşit -prin "Wilhelm Tell"- să creeze una dintre cele mai grăitoare drame istorice ce au ca tematică libertatea. Fiind inspirată din istoria Evului Mediu precoce, cea din urmă lucrare a lui Schiller prezintă lupta pentru libertate a şviţerilor, împotriva despotismului feudal.
Acţiunea dramei este plasată în secolul XIV.
Vocea autorului este întru totul justificată şi se poate explica logic: secolul al XVIII-lea a fost un dezastru din punct de vedere social (discrepanţele dintre paturi deveniseră tot mai mari), dar -în acelaşi timp- acest lucru a prilejuit afirmarea literaturii. Deci, dacă secolul al XVIII-lea este reprezentat, în plan politic, de un dezmăţ al aristocraţiei, în plan literar reprezintă germenele literaturii oropsiţilor. *În sensul în care, după patru secole, absolutismul monarhic dăinuie.*
"Wilhelm Tell" nu trebuie interpretat în maniera romantică la modul absolut. Iubirea sau interiorizarea nu există. Dacă s-ar cere să facem o analogie cu principiile romantismului, nu putem vorbi decât de orientarea spre istoria naţională şi de "personajele excepţionale în situaţii excepţionale". Opera se remarcă prin patosul pe care l-a pus autorul în ţăranii şviţeri -dintre cere se ramarca Wilhelm Tell- în drumul lor subit spre libertate. Focul libertăţii mocnea din pricina asupririi, iar veriga care lipsea lanţului uman (îmi pare rău pentru analogie!) în drumul spre libertate era UNIREA TUTUROR!

"Da, să-nduram ce ne trimite cerul,
Dar nedreptatea nu o rabdă drepţii."

"Eu inima mi-aş azvarli-o-n foc
De-ar fi de bunuri pământeşti legată."

"Of! tare grea e piatra ce o cari
Că să-ţi clădeşti tu însuţi închisoarea!"

"N-am plâns! Nu-n lacrimi de nevolnic
Mi-am revărsat durerea mea fierbinte,
Ci-n fundul inimii, că pe-o comoară,
Am zăvorât-o, cugetând la fapte."

Tell, autocaracterizare: "... ci sunt făcut s-alerg mereu după un ţel fugar./ Simt că trăiesc numai când cuceresc/ În fiecare zi din nou viaţa."

După cum se observă, dăm pe afara de figuri de stil. Nemaivorbind de fundalul hiperbolic, aproape mitic, pe care Schiller îl proiectează.

Mă gândesc că, toate aceste contribuţii ideologice, şi culturale deopotrivă, pe care le-au adus romanticii germani spiritului veacului (XVIII, iar apoi XIX), au contribuit enorm la buna dezvoltare a Germaniei, unificată un secol mai târziu.
"Noi nu cunoaştem decât idealuri, nu ştim ce există cu adevărat!" îi spunea Schiller, într-o scrisoare, prietenului sau Karl Moser.

[Jesús De la Jara · Rating 3 out of 5]

GUILLERMO TELL de Friedrich Schiller

"HEDWIGIA: Han de elegir para ti el puesto de más peligro; como simpre ... te cabrá en suerte lo más arduo.
TELL: A cada cual, según sus medios.
HEDWIGIA: Durante la tempestad condujiste a un hombre de Unterwald por el lago, y milagro es que hayas vuelto. ¿Pero no piensas nunca en tu esposa y en tus hijos?
TELL: ¡Ah! cara esposa, ¿no pensaba en ustedes cuando devolvía un padre a sus hijos?"

Esta pieza de teatro del alemán Schiller nos habla sobre el héroe del pueblo Guillermo Tell quien junto a muchos otros personajes personificaron una revuelta suiza en contra del poder de los Habsburgo (la casa de Austria) para lograr la libertad. Geszler es el lugarteniente del emperador habsburgo quien tendrá a mal traer a Tell y sus amigos; mientras que el barón de Attinghausen y su sobrino Rudenz son nobles suizos sojuzgados por el imperio en el tiempo actual de la obra.
La prueba a la que será sometido Tell es muy conocida y narrada en la tradición suiza e inspiradora sobre el ballestero experto, humilde y de gran arraigo popular.
Debo decir de la obra que me pareció quizás muy sobrecargada de personajes y el argumento relativamente débil, no sé cuál fue el propósito exacto de la obra, aunque presenta a mi parecer de manera tibia el heroísmo de Tell y de sus amigos. Algunas frases sí como siempre valen y mucho la pena, pero hay algo en Schiller que no me logra convencer, probablemente tenga que ver con la costumbre que tengo de haber leído otras obras de teatro que me gustan más.
Espero poder seguir leyendo más obras del autor para darme una idea más íntegra.

[Jan-Maat]

After Die Räuber I felt a sense of Schiller's play as returning to and experimenting with ideals of political legitimacy and establishing new societies - unsurprising concerns for a writer at the end of the Ancien Regime era, in Wallenstein the traditional authority of the Emperor trumps the personal loyalty of the army to it's General and paymaster, while the robbers mutual loyalty and commitment to raising crime levels everywhere proves undesirable and unsustainable, only in Tell does a society founded on a mutual oath prove resilient and in this case the oath takers effectively are the inheritors of the traditional feudal authority of their lord. The new society must be grafted on to the old root stock in order to flourish, or as somebody else was to put it referring to a different place everything has to change to stay the same.

The staging requirements for this play, compared with others by Schiller are ambitious, mountains, stormy lakes, horses, live archery, either his theatre was well equipped or the master disposed to gives its poor director a headache. Killing a tyrannous overlord is permissible but not parricide, everybody gets to look down on the father killer. A significant statement in an age when the monarch might be seen figuratively as the father of his people, and his governors therefore as acting in loco parentis. No, says Schiller, these are different relationships, you can kill your king, but not your father - a revolution.

[Marco Marcel Moschinski · Rating 1 out of 5]

ich hätt den Apfel auch getroffen, ansonsten sau anstrengend zu lesen

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

We were forced to read this in school, when we were way too young to dig it. I have to re-read it someday. Until then I enjoy this "review" by Jürgen von Manger (alias Adolf Tegtmeier) whose prose in Ruhrdeutsch is unbeatable. I am glad I found it on youtube .
Here's the transcript I made:
__________
Ja. Ich hatte ja wider Teaterkarten geschenkt gekricht, ne?, weil bei uns im Haus der war verhindert, der musste zum Kegln, und hab ich gesehen: Willem Tell. Das is ein Schauspiel von, äh – na wie heisst der Macker? – nich Göhte, dieser andere, da gibs so zwei Stück, die diese ganze Sachn geschriebn habn. Jetz komm ich doch nich auf den sein Name. Der auch Schillers Räuber gemacht hat, diese ganze altertümliche Sachen, ne? Aber ich muss schon sagn, diesn Willem Tell hat der wunderbar hingekricht. Und zwar spielt das inne Schweiz, is natürlich schon länger her, ne?, und da waren die Menschen damals sehr glücklich – hat man ja heut auch noch: Milch von glückliche Kühe – die sind ja auch aus’e Schweiz weg, so dass man sieht, wer da her stammt, bei dem klappt das auch schon ganz schön mit diese Glück. Und – wie gesacht – also das ging damals ganz gut, bis der Landvocht Gessler in das Land kommt, und diesa Mann ist ja nun auch wirklich ein Deibel, ne? Am liebstn wär ich auf de Bühne rauf und hätt ihm ersmal eine gefitscht, so richtich unsympatisch war der – Mann!, war dat ein Blödmann. Und der quält jetz das Volk und lässt er sie eine Zwingburch bauen – da zwingt der die für. Und da sieht man’se jetz im Anfang, ne?, wie’se alle als Maurer zugange sind, müssn’se Speiss und Steine schleppn, aber – mein lieber Scholli! – die musstn vielleicht ran, ne?, nich so wie heute die Maurer, dass se stundenlang inne Baubude sitzn können, ne?, und wenn se wat nich passt haun se gleich im Sack, holn de Papiere? Nääh! Dat kam nich in Frage bei diese Gessler, sondern – wie gesacht – die musstn da schon imma ganz schön arbeitn – damals. Na ja, jedenfalls, diese ganze Angelegenheit das sieht man jetz im Anfang und dann kommt auch der Willem Tell. Und Willem Tell der liebt die Freiheit – und eine Lederhose, hat der so an, ne? Und da sieht man’n im Anfang sitz da mit seinem Weibe unta einer Linde das’se sich’n bisschen unterhalten, die zwei, und da erzählt ihr der Willi wodurch er auch mit diese Landvocht ein Kniest hat. Und zwar sind die sich einmal in Gebirge begechnet auf ein Weg wo nur einer draufpasste, ne?, und dass der andere da wohl ganz schön runterrutschn musste, und da hat es der Tell erkannt wie der Landvocht am Schwitzen kam, ne?, wahrscheinlich dass er Angst hatt, er wäre derjenige welcher, nich?, und dass er runterrutschn müsste. Und diese Angst, das verzeit ihm der Mann heute nich.

Ja. Und wie der Willi das seine Frau erzählt hat, nich?, die heisst übrigns Hedwich und hat son Dirndlkleid an und is ganz liebich anzuschaun, ne?, dass heisst aber eine, Berta von Bruneck – o Junge! – aber bei die war erst was los, das fing schon bei den Köstum oben an, was die da … nich war? Da warn welche von die Burschn im Zuschauerraum, die standen auf, das’se da mehr sehen wolltn, aber da habn die anderen natürlich gleich gezischt, weil doch jeda was sehn wollte, ne?, von diese Berta. Na ja. Äh – wie gesacht – also da war schwer was los. Obwohl die andere Schweizerinnen, äh, ährlich, die habn mir nich so gefalln, nich?, die warn so dick, nich?, da warn richtich Maschin drunter. Nun sacht mir einer, das käm davon weg, die wären von de Oper ausgeliehen, nich?, und dass die also in Wirklichkeit Sängerinnen wärn, und sacht er: Sängerinnen die müsstn wohl schon mal’n bisschen dicker sein, ne?, dass in die mehr Luft reingeht, weil die ja damit dann ihre ganze Töne veranstalten. Na ja. Jedenfalls, also wie der Tell das da alles erzählt hat seine Hedwich, da geht er dann los mit sein Knäblein, dass die zwei den Oppa besuchn wollen. Und der Tell erzählt auch noch so allehand, ne?, aber das war direkt auffällich, also was der Mann sachte, bald alles Sprichwörter, ne?, „Die Axt im Haus“ und was er da alles vorbrachte. Und, aber, sonst ist er ganz guten Mutes, singn’se auch die zwei, äh, ♫ durch die Wä-ä–lder, durch die Auen, durch Gebirch und Tal, kommt der Schütz gezogn— Also ich weis’s nich, ich kriech das nimmer so genau hin. Jednfalls mit diese ganz Singerei, ne?, kommen sie schliesslich in den Flecken Altdorf und da hat der Landvocht – kann man sehn, was das für’n Mensch ist, ne? – hat der ein’n Hut auf eine Stange getan, ne?, obendrauf und verlangt es, also, dass man, äh – wie soll ich sagn? – diese Ehrerbietung, oder dass man Diener machn muss für diesn Hut, ne? Und der Tell, der lehnt das ab, ne?, als aufrechter Mensch, und geht er schon ma so dran vorbei, aber in den Augnblick da kommn die Knechte um die Ecke geflitzt, ne?, und sagn’se Bitte schön, er hät den Hut nich Guten Tach gesacht und dass’n se gefangn nehmn müssen. Oh, also da war natürlich, gerietn’se sich an’ne Köppe, ne?, und noch andere biedere Landleute eilten herbei und warn’se alle am Rumreden und am Schimpfn und in den Augnblick kommt der Gessler an, und – Junge! – jetz, also, merkt man jetz geht das erst alles so richtich los, weil, der Gessler, der erkennt natürlich gleich den Tell, ne?, damals von diese Einbahnstraße her, und sacht er, er könnt ihn nur freilassn, wenn er ein’n Apfel von den Haupte, äh, also von sein’n Knäblein, äh, sein’n Haupte, ne?, müsst er den Apfel runterschießn.

Ja, nu, muss man sich ma vorstelln, ne?, der Vatta von sein eigen’n Söhnchen, ne?, so wat Grausames. Und der Tell, der, also, will da auch erst gar nichts von wissen und bittet er den Landvocht uns sacht’r „Hörn’se ma zu, sind’se doch ma Mensch, ne? und hat doch kein’n Wert“ Aber der Gessler der nimmt sich da nix von an, sacht’r „Schluss! Aus!“, sacht’r „Jetz. Hier. Schiessn!“

Ja. Wat soll der Tell machn? Ne? Äh, nimmt’r sein Flitzebogen – den habn die ja imma bei sich, diese Schweizer – und dann gelingt ihm das auch, dass er den Apfl da auch richtich schön so durchschiesst. Und da is natürlich die Freude groß und jubln’se alle, aber, jetz hat, durch den Zufall, hatte der Gessler, äh, den Reservepfeil entdeckt, ne?, wie der Tell da so damit am spinksen war. Und sacht’r „Bitte schön.“, sacht’r, was er denn da wohl vorgehabt hätte. Jou!! Jetz, der Tell, der druckst so’n bisschen rum, ne?, und, äh, aber schließlich – ich weiß auch nich – dass’er vielleicht nich lügn will –, äh, sacht’r dann „Jawoll. Da hätte ich wahrscheinlich Sie totgeschossn.“, ne?, sacht’r dem Gessler schlankweg ins Gesicht. Uuund, da ist der aber, also, äh, da rollt’r mit’de Augn, ne?, und dass man richtich merkt, dem passt das nicht, dass der Tell ’ne da totschießen wollte. Und sacht’r, „Och“, das wär aber schon bessr, er wär ja ein ganz gefährlicher, äh, Mensch, und dass’r ’ne bessr schon ins Gefängnis tät. Und ordnete das auch an bei die Knechte, und, äh, also bringn die den Tell dann auch auf’n Schiff und führn ihn da ins Gefängnis.

Ja. Und da war diesr Akt dann auch vorbei. Und, äh, – Moment ma, wie ging dat weiter?, dass ich das zusammn krieg, ah ja! – jetz kommt’s nächste, ne?, der nächste Akt, da is inne Nacht, kommen diese ganze Schweizer kommen auf den Berge Rütli, ne?, dass’se da gegn den Landvocht transpiriern wolln. Und, äh, sagn’se „Also jetz muss schon’ma Feierabend sein mit diesem Tyrannen, ne?“, und legen’se auch schän ’n Datum fest, alles. Und dann, äh, ja, dann schleichn’se wieder weg. Jetz war aber folgendes passiert: Wie der Tell da auf’m Dampfer fuhr kam ein Sturm daher, dass keiner das Steuer halten konnte, als wie nur der Tell und musstn’se ihm die Fesseln abtun und dann der Tell, der lenkt dat Schiff schnell an so ein - na! wie heisst’et – so ein Felssvorsprung, ne?, war da wohl, und er dadran vorbei, Jupp!, gab’r dem Schiff noch mit’m Absatz, dass’r dat so im Meer reintrieb, und, äh, dann war er da schön gerettet, nich?, und da ist das natürlich wieder ne feine Sache. Und der Tell, äh, der beschließt aber jetz, also sacht’er, dass er jetz wohl den Landvocht totschiessen will, ne?, und versteckt’r sich da so in eine Gasse und dann lässt’r auch noch ma so sein ganzes Leben, alles, an sich vorüberziehn, ne?, diese Selbstgespräche, dat machn die ja viel auf’de Bühne, und, äh, da sitzt’r da auf so eine Steinbank, sacht’r „Auf diese Bank von Stein will ich mich setzen“ Da war neben mir der alte Herr Stratmann, ne?, bei uns aus’m Versand, der sacht so schön, sacht’r „Jo, der Tell, dat muss aber noch’n junger Mensch sein“, sacht’r „Wenn’r ma ers in mein Alter kommt und dass’r Malessen hat mit de Blase und de Niern. Junge!“, sacht’r, „Wird’r sich aber überlegn, ob sich auf so’n kaltn Steinklotz setzt“.

Ja. Aber, der Tell, das merkt man deutlich, der denkt nich an’e Blase und an’e Niere, sondern, äh, – wie gesacht – dass er den Landvocht da totschiessen will. Und dann dauert es auch gar nich lange, da kommt der Gessler an, und der Tell der schießt’ne tot, und der Gessler der weiß auch gleich was los is, sacht’r noch „Das war Tells Geschoss!“ und, äh, also, mehr kann’r dann schon auch nich mehr, weil, äh, is’r dann schon tot.

Ja. Und in diesn Augnblick, äh, kamen die ganzn Schweizer wiedr um die Felsen gesaust, die Maurer vom Baugerüst warn’se alle wieder da, und die Kühe, wahrscheinlich, konnten wieder schön glückliche Milch geben, also dass man sieht, diese Freiheit, ne?, das is da wieder in’ne Reihe, alles. Und, äh, dann war das ein wunderbarer Anblick zum Schluss, da kam so das Morgenrot, oder, äh, was das da so vorstelln sollte, ne?, kam so über die Berge anmarschiert, und auch das ein Zeichen für diese Freiheit. Und die Landleute gucken’se auch alle nach oben dahin, ne?, das’se dem Herrgott dankn, weil der ja auch da ganz schön mitgeholfen hatte, und, äh, ach!, da warn’de Glockn am Leuten und auf der Bühne alle am Winken, ne?, und dann ging dann der Vorhang bald zu, ne? Aber, also ich muss sagn, dies Stück das war so richtich aus dem Lebn, dass man sieht, was los is, ne? und muss ich sagn: Dat hat mir richtich schön gefallen.
__________

[leynes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wilhelm Tell is Friedrich von Schiller's last (or penultimate) completed drama. He completed it in 1804, and it was premiered at the Weimar Court Theater on March 17, 1804. The drama, apostrophized simply as a "play" in Schiller's paratext, takes up the material of the Swiss national myth surrounding William Tell and the Rütli Oath.

Schiller interweaves three plot lines: at the center is the saga of William Tell with the apple shot and the liberation from the tyrant Gessler as an act of self-defense. The historical background is formed by the plot about the confederation and the liberation of Schwyz (Switzerland). The third plot is determined by the love story of Berta of Bruneck with Ulrich of Rudenz, who reconciles with his people and gives them their freedom. The last two plots link together at the end, while there is only a loose connection between the Tell story and the other events.

In his interpretation, Schiller depicts the individual and collective struggle for freedom of the natives of central Switzerland against the brutal arbitrary rule of the Habsburg bailiffs. One aspect of this is the title hero's step out of his natural innocence, to which he cannot return after the tyrannicide. While Tell acts intuitively at the beginning of the play and explains his actions rather tacitly, he becomes an almost philosophical figure in the fifth and last act. Already in the 19th century, however, this act was either greatly shortened or not performed at all, since according to the prevailing reading since Ludwig Börne, Schiller expressed here a problematic conception of liberation. According to them, the title character should have shot the bailiff instead of the apple and thus accepted the "hero's death" - a view typical of the zeitgeist after 1815.

During the times of Nazi Germany, the play was initially integrated into Nazi propaganda. Propaganda Minister Goebbels praised it as a "Führer drama" in the early years, and it was performed accordingly frequently. The main characters Tell and Werner Stauffacher were interpreted as ideal Führer personalities, and Tell quotations were found in most reading books. However, Schiller's motif of justified tyrannicide, the applause of German theater audiences at the "inappropriate" parts, and also several assassination attempts on Hitler (planned, among others, by the Swiss Maurice Bavaud) seem to have led to the Nazis' complete abandonment of the Tell myth; the change in attitude was so dramatic that the play was banned for performance and for school instruction on June 3, 1941, on Hitler's orders.

Personal opinion: I forget in which grade we had to read this play (maybe 9th grade?), I know in any case that I hated it like the plague at that time.

[Sheona :) · Rating 1 out of 5]

bisschen mehr enemies to lovers wär schön.

[Greta Yay · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was das, mehr kann ich nicht sagen.

[lina · Rating 1 out of 5]

ich hab aufgegeben

[Jakob · Rating 1 out of 5]

Es ist mega langweilig und man versteht kein Wort außer man kommt aus 18. Jahrhundert

[Mira123 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gestern endlich beendet. Uff. Nicht der schlimmste Klassiker, den ich für dieses Seminar lesen musste, aber trotzdem nichts, was ich normalerweise freiwillig lesen würde.

[İlkim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Şahane bir oyundu. İsviçre'nin dağlık bölgesinde zorba bir valinin altında yaşayan halk artık işlerin iyice kötüye gideceğini anlayıp zorba diktatörü yıkmaya karar veriyor. Birbirleriyle pek geçinemeyen üç düşman dağ halkı ortak bir paydada buluşuyor. Wilhelm Tell ise sözüne güvenilen, dürüst bir adam. Onun için işler oğlunu hedef olarak kullanmasını söyleyen vali ile korkunç bir olay yaşayınca değişiyor ve ayaklanmanın asıl kahramanı oluyor böylece. Ben çok beğenerek okudum, karakterler başta karmaşık gelse de bir kere anlayınca kimin kim olduğunu su gibi akıp gidiyor. Bu sene okuduğum en iyi oyunlardan.

[Dorottya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really interested in this drama, because 1) I promised myself to read more dramas, and I found this one in our collection, 2) I've always been intrigued by the whole William Tell legend, because it is a main part of our national deck cards in Hungary, but I knew little about it (only the apple scene)

I really liked this drama. What I liked most is that it was just not a mere historical tableaux/costume drama only showing the great deeds and happenings, but it was also really lyrical, dramatic and poetic, and how Schiller could tell us a lot about human nature and emotions - how people having absolute power and control on people, drunk on power, behave and what they do to break people to discourage them from rebellion, how some people break important bonds because of promises and romantic attraction, how some traumas induce poisonous thoughts in people, how real achievement in a community's life could only achieved by co-operation and joint efforts.

[Anna-Maria Wachtel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ich durfte dieses Drama im Rahmen einer Univorlesung lesen und mir hat vor allem die historische Bezugnahme sehr gut gefallen. Drei verschiedene Storylines werden hier sehr gut miteinander verknüpft, der Anfang in das Werk viel mir etwas schwer, aber ab der Hälfte hat mich die Thematik wirklich gepackt.

[Mesoscope · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second Schiller play I've read after "Die Räuber", which is funny, as that was his first play and this is his last. Stylistically and formally, this play towers over his former work. It focuses with vigorous economy on one specific historic event: an insurgent uprising by three cantons of present-day Switzerland against an oppressive administrator from Habsburg Austria. The action of the play occupies two levels - the general dissatisfaction of the masses is staged in large group settings that serve as the occasion for various manly speeches praising freedom and self-determination, while the action is particularlized in the form of the play's titular hero, William Tell, who is a stand-in for the Swiss people as a whole and an exemplar of their cardinal virtues.

Schiller was a well-known popularizer and passionate defender of the philosophical notion of freedom for reasons that are easily detected when studying his biography. Raised in a military academy and then consigned to an oppressive military career that he loathed, he was forbidden from writing or producing plays after "Die Räuber" caused a national sensation. Eventually he went AWOL and fled, eventually to Weimar.

In that sense, one can look on his enthusiasm for a general concept of freedom with a certain indulgence, but as it is articulated as a positive value in the play, it comes across as a bit naive. Freedom as a defense against tyranny is easy to make rousing speeches about, but the day-to-day business of negotiating what freedom means in a heterogenous state composed of competing self-interested actors whose actions affect one another is not so simple.

The ringing lines of Schiller's dialog bear a clear stamp of Shakespeare, whose gigantic influence on Schiller is evident on every level. Especially "King Lear" and "Julius Caeser" come repeatedly to mind, but it must be said that Schiller's worldview is somewhat more parochial than the lofty vantage point of the world-historical genius he drew from, and we are talking about an artist of an altogether different rank.

But for what it is, the play is electrifying in its way, polished and crystalline in its flowing verse - with one noteworthy exception. The penultimate scene of the last act, which serves as no more than a clumsy attempt to connect distant relevant events to the play's field of action, is awkward and superfluous, and it completely derails the momentum of the play.

[Markus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Late 15th century, Switzerland.
Wilhelm Tell is a local folk hero. He is forced by a tyrannic ruler to shoot at an apple, placed on his son's head at a distance of a hundred feet.
He succeeds without wounding his son, but in revenge, later kills the tyrant and his country gains independence.
This famous play, by Friedrich Schiller, is amazing in beauty of language and dialogs, I would say of Shakespearean quality.
I had read it long ago in my young school years but names and the action came quickly back to my mind.
A basic must read in Classic German literature.

[Ovidiu · Rating 3 out of 5]

1804
Another story where the character in the title isnt really necessary the main hero

[caro · Rating 1 out of 5]

ich will nicht mehr.

[v3 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nein

[Lukas Rupp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nachdem ich die moderne Inszenierung vom Regisseuren Milo Rau im Zürcher Schauspielhaus besuchte, war mir die Lektüre des Originals von Friedrich Schiller im Nachhinein ein besonderer Genuss. Der Held Tell tritt als Pragmatiker und aufrichtige Persönlichkeit immer wieder mit Aphorismen auf und agiert bereits früh in der Handlung als Retter in der Not: "Wo's Not tut, Fährmann, lässt sich alles wagen (...) Der Brave Mann denkt an sich selbst zuletzt, Vertrau auf Gott und rette den Bedrängten." Dann schiesst Tell in der legendären 3. Szene im 3. Akt seinem eigenen Sohn einen Apfel aus 80 Meter Entfernung vom Kopf, weil er den Gruss an den Hut Gessler's verweigert und letztendlich befreit er das Volk, durch den Mord an Gessler in der hohlen Gasse, von der Tyrannei und Unterdrückung. Dabei fällt auf: Tell selbst nimmt als Held jedoch nicht aktiv an der Rebellion teil.

Dass es sich bei diesem Buch um ein durchaus gefährliches handelt, muss einem bewusst sein. Naheliegend ist es, darin Fürsprache für den Schweizer Patriotismus und Unabhängigkeitsdrang zu finden. Welche Wirkung hätte das Werk, wenn es anstatt von Schiller, von einem Schweizer Autoren geschrieben worden wäre?

[laura e · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friedrich kann es einfach

[Frau G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Schullektüre, die in Erinnerung geblieben ist. An diesem Werk wurde mit der fünfhebige Jambus erklärt und das passende Zitat "Durch diese hohle Gasse muss er kommen..." kann ich heute noch rezitieren. Und ich war damals so froh, dass alles halbwegs gut ausgegangen ist ;-)

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many people have heard of Wilhelm Tell, and the shooting of an apple off of a head. I had not really heard the full story of Schiller’s play. It seems odd that so few lines would be included for the title character, but this is not a play about Wilhelm Tell. He is an obscure Swiss hunter, who lives under the government of the tyrant Gessler. Gessler fills the jails with the peasantry, and his abuse finally spills over into rebellion. Tell does not seem to seek a lead role, rather promising support when needed. Tell: “The man of courage thinks not of himself. Help the oppressed and put thy trust in God.” (11) On a visit to his father-in-law, he is captured and then pressed by the governor to display his hunting prowess by shooting the apple off his son’s head. He is successful, but then makes a threat to Gessler. This line spoken by Furst is not written in the moment, but seems to apply here, “Oh how can we, scarce mastering our passions, expect that youth should keep itself in check?” (26)

I will not give away the rest of the play, but suffice it to say that Gessler’s abuse is rebuffed finally by Tell as he defends his family. His defense as an individual against tyranny sets off the larger rebellion.

Quite the Romantic play, there are great philosophic lines. In closing, I’ll note a few below. I really enjoyed the quality of the drama and the Schiller’s writing throughout. This is a play that I hope I get to see performed someday.

Attinghausen: “Such greater wisdom
And so much clearer vision do you claim
Than all your noble forebears who did fight
As heroes, risking allthey owned for freedom?
Get you to Luzern and study there
How cantons live beneath the Austrians’ rule.
They’ll come, I warrant you, to count our flocks,
Our herds, and measure all our grazing lands;
They’ll claim the ownership of all the creatures
Which make their habitation in our forests;
At every bridge and gate they’ll set toll bar.
Our penury will pay for lands they buy,
Our blood for all the wars they choose to wage.
If blood of ours be wagered on a venture
The venture must be ours – and slavery
Costs more than freedom.” (41)

Rudolf Der Harras: “So it has reached this pass? Obedience and fear take flight together?” (120)

The Brothers: “With swift approach death comes to man,
To him is never respite given;
Or e’er he’s counted half his span
From toil and pleasure he is driven.
Prepared or not his God to meet,
He’s called before the judgement seat.” (120)

Suggested further reading:


Book Details:
Schiller, Friedrich von. Tr. William Mainland. Wilhelm Tell. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1972. 154 Pages.


Passages:

Tell: “The man of courage thinks not of himself. Help the oppressed and put thy trust in God.” (11)

Furst: “Oh how can we, scarce mastering our passions, expect that youth should keep itself in check?” (26)

Attinghausen: “Such greater wisdom
And so much clearer vision do you claim
Than all your noble forebears who did fight
As heroes, risking allthey owned for freedom?
Get you to Luzern and study there
How cantons live beneath the Austrians’ rule.
They’ll come, I warrant you, to count our flocks,
Our herds, and measure all our grazing lands;
They’ll claim the ownership of all the creatures
Which make their habitation in our forests;
At every bridge and gate they’ll set toll bar.
Our penury will pay for lands they buy,
Our blood for all the wars they choose to wage.
If blood of ours be wagered on a venture
The venture must be ours – and slavery
Costs more than freedom.” (41)

Rudolf Der Harras: “So it has reached this pass? Obedience and fear take flight together?” (120)

The Brothers: “With swift approach death comes to man,
To him is never respite given;
Or e’er he’s counted half his span
From toil and pleasure he is driven.
Prepared or not his God to meet,
He’s called before the judgment seat.” (120)

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

»Früh übt sich, was ein Meister werden will«
Die berühmte Geschichte um den Freiheitskampf der schweizer Urkantone. Und Wilhelm Tell als Freiheitskämpfer wider Willen. Interessant, es mal gelesen zu haben, nicht jedes Detail war mir bekannt aber es kamen auch einige bekannte Szenen vor. Und überraschend viele bekannte Zitate
"Durch diese hohle Gasse muss er kommen."

[Leah]

Irgendwie holen mich Bücher aus der Aufklärung nicht mehr so ab wie früher. Vielleicht sollte ich das Stück mal aufgeführt sehen, um es wirklich schätzen zu können, aber gerade nach dem ersten Lesen finde ich es einfach wie "Die Räuber", nur in ernst und dabei Nationalstaaten und Mythen propagieren.

[Ostrava · Rating 2 out of 5]

Is it just me, or does Tell not show up in his own play that much? Like yeah he's an important character, but why is half of the story spend on people nobody cares about? I hardly care about Tell! Or at least I'm trying to care!

I'm trying Schiller!

[Rachel Tau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where did that ending come from 💀 this actually wasn't that bad, and although I'll probably end up getting a bad grade because Wilhelm Tell can't stop talking in metaphors, I enjoyed this drama well enough...

Update: I got a C-, great.