Wallenstein

Wallenstein, a tragedy by Schiller in the form of a trilogy and sub-titled Ein dramatisches Gedicht. Written mainly between 1797 and 1799, the complete cycle of plays was performed in Weimar between 15 and 20 April 1799. Wallensteins Lager, a prelude, was first performed on 12 October 1798, which coincided with the reopening of the Weimar Court Theatre, and Die Piccolomini in January 1799. Die Piccolomini and Wallensteins Tod, both written in blank verse, are two parts of one vast tragedy, divided by Schiller on Goethe's suggestion.

Wallensteins Lager sketches, in deliberately archaic Knittelverse and in the manner of comedy, the background to the success of the central figure, A. von Wallenstein. It portrays the soldiers with their lusts and their diverse beliefs, their courage in battle, and their greedy violence in pillage; above all, it emphasizes their devotion to their leader and their trust in his superb generalship. In Die Piccolomini Wallenstein's plot to go over to the enemy with his army and the counterplot to overthrow Wallenstein are both developed, and Wallenstein's astrological confidence in his lieutenant Octavio Piccolomini is seen to be totally misplaced. Octavio's son Max and Wallenstein's daughter Thekla fall in love in innocence of the enmity to be generated between their houses. The most brilliant features of Die Piccolomini are the fourth act, in which officers faithful to Wallenstein seek signatures from the generals at a drunken carouse, and the fifth, in which Octavio reveals to Max his counter-conspiratorial plans.

In Wallensteins Tod, Wallenstein, urged on by Gräfin Terzky, overcomes his hesitation and, too late, opts for revolt. His plans to seize Prague are forestalled by Octavio, and the troops on which he had relied melt away into the darkness. Amid scenes of mutiny he removes from Pilsen to Eger with a handful of faithful regiments. Max Piccolomini falls, in an act of deliberate self-sacrifice, leading a charge against the Swedish forces. Wallenstein is assassinated by mer-cenaries under the orders of the rancorous Colonel Buttler, who, once faithful to Wallenstein, believes himself injured by him and therefore betrays him. Octavio Piccolomini can do no more than express horror at the catastrophe.