Herodes und Mariamne

Herodes und Mariamne, a five-act tragedy in blank verse by F. Hebbel, completed in 1848, published in 1850, and first performed in April 1849 in the Burgthea-ter, Vienna. Hebbel used as his source Josephus' The Jewish War and The Jewish Antiquities. At the height of his power, yet threatened by conspiracies fomented by Mariamne's mother Alexandra, Herodes has caused Mariamne's brother, the High Priest Aristobolus, to be drowned, ostensibly by accident. At the risk of losing his power and his life, he sets out for Alexandria to account to Antonius for Aristobolus' death. He orders Joseph, his viceroy, to kill Mariamne should he not return. When he returns; he finds that Joseph has failed to keep his order secret, and he therefore has him executed. Mariamne, deeply wounded by Herodes' order, for she would have taken her own life in the event of his death, vainly hopes that Herodes will sense her dedication. His suspicion that he has forfeited her love through her knowledge of the true circumstances of her brother's death, and his jealousy of Antonius' designs on Mariamne, blind him to Mariamne's wish not to lose his trust in her power of love and forgiveness.

As Herodes is called away for a second time, he passes his order to Soemus, governor of Galilei, a repetition already contained in Hebbel's sources, but one which he put to effective dramatic use. Mariamne is not spared the knowledge of this second order, and, in her despair, threatens to kill herself. Alexandra, in the hope of winning Mariamne's support against Herodes, intervenes, but her attitude kindles in Mariamne the idea of revenging herself, not from political motives or on account of her brother's death, but because Herodes' conduct is a violation of her basic sense of human worth and dignity. She organizes a festive ball, intending Herodes on his return to find her rejoicing at his supposed death. Her ruse succeeds. Herodes arrives, has her tried and condemned to death. The Roman officer Titus is the only person to whom Mariamne confides her true motives on condition that he keeps them secret. But Titus feels free to reveal the truth to Herodes after her death. This coincides with the arrival of the Three Kings heralding the birth of the Son of God. Shattered at his self-destructive deed, Herodes revenges this challenge to his power by ordering the Massacre of the Innocents.