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Schiller: The Stage as a Moral Institution (1784). By Laurel Hilton-Devitt and Alison Short. Historical Context. Schiller was born in Germany in 1759 and died in 1805. He was writing and developing his work in the later part of the eighteenth century
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Schiller: The Stage as a Moral Institution (1784) By Laurel Hilton-Devitt and Alison Short
Historical Context • Schiller was born in Germany in 1759 and died in 1805. • He was writing and developing his work in the later part of the eighteenth century • The major political event that shaped Schiller’s writing was the French revolution which sparked a major upheaval of social and political ideas throughout Europe and was not just limited to France. • Furthermore, Schiller was writing not long after the period of the Renaissance ended and that likely had some effect on his writing as well. • The renaissance encompassed teaching and learning about art from an intellectual perspective as well as many scientific developments. • Schiller was good friends with the German writer Goethe and throughout their friendship Goethe encouraged Schiller to finish the writings he was doing instead of just leaving them as rough outlines. • Together they came up with a combined definition of theatre as a “creative process [that] liberates humankind by allowed the spectator to see through sensuous matter and discover the “free-working of the mind.” (249)
Definition of Vice • VICE according to Merriam-Webster: • 1 a:moral depravity or corruption: WICKEDNESSb: a moral fault or failing c: a habitual and usually trivial defect or shortcoming : FOIBLE <suffered from the vice of curiosity>2: BLEMISH, DEFECT3: a physical imperfection, deformity, or taint4 aoften capitalized: a character representing one of the vices in an English morality play
Schiller on Vice • Schiller argues that the stage allows us to see more powerfully then law or religion the many thousands of vices that everyday go unnoticed by human justice. • Furthermore, in opposition every good deed that goes unnoticed is applauded on the stage. • The stage also shows vice because it pushes past the boundaries that religion and law put in place to show the origin of crimes and how certain people will end up doing certain things. • The stage is able to teach people about how to avoid vice through imitation and experience.
Schiller on Justice • We are able through the stage to impose our own ideas of justice on the characters. • Whether or not we think that they are fairly judged in crucial and whether or not we agree with the end result of the play.
“A great school of practical wisdom, a guide for civil life and a key to the mind in all its sinuosities” (252) • The stage is essentially able to show us the barest form of humankind. • We see the person behind the mask – the hypocrite etc… • We are not susceptible to being tricked into thinking people are something other then they are duplicity and cunning are stripped away
Schiller on Fortune • Through episodes of Catharsis we are able to watch and see how characters onstage deal with certain situations • In doing that we learn from them about ourselves • In learning those things we are then “filled with a grand new stock of courage and endurance” (252)
Schiller on Misfortune • Humanity and tolerance come more into play here as we try to judge characters fairly • We are able to take into account the whole story, why someone chose suicide, why she loves him etc…
“The Great of the world ought to be especially grateful to the stage, for it is here along that they hear the truth.” (253) • “Schiller uses his dramas to make known to man and to unveil the secret movements according to which he acts,” (www.schillerinstitute.org). • The truth about why man does what he does- good or bad (Aristotle: good/bad human). When man has seen exactly how one acquires his vices and how he initially becomes good or bad, it is at this moment that man learns from the origins of his character and thus makes the conscious decision to better the morality of his character, therefore positively contributing to society.
The Schiller Institute and Social Progress • The Schiller Institute: “is working around the world to defend the rights of all humanity to progress --material, moral and intellectual. It is named after Friedrich Schiller, the great 18th-century German poet and playwright, whose works have inspired republican opposition to oligarchic tyranny worldwide.” (www.schillerinstitute.org). • Schiller wrote: “The stage is the common channel through which the light of wisdom streams down from the thinking, better part of society, spreading thence in mild beams throughout the entire state. Truer ideas, more refined precepts, purified emotions, then flow into the veins of the population, the clouds of barbarism and dark superstition disperse, night yields to victorious light.'‘ (www.schillerinstitute.org) • Schiller writes that it is the “thoughtful and worthier section of people in society who diffuse the light of wisdom over the masses through the stage,” (253).
Advancement of Humanity • Can theatre release the “enchained masses” from their opinions? • Schiller says yes. Once they have been released, social and human advancement can begin/continue. • These “opinions” of the masses are in the areas of • Nations and ages • Religion and Education • Parenting and Teaching • Governments and Classes • Invention and Industry Theatre can encompass stories, characters and representations all of these aspects of society!
-Religion and education: - “Purer and better principles and motives issue from the stage and circulate through society.” (253) Such as religious toleration. The stage can show seeds of humanity and gentleness. -Governments and classes: -Opinions concerning the government “might be reformed by the stage,” (253). Symbolism in drama can address issues without offense. -Nations: -Schiller’s idea of a “National Theatre”: “It would have a great influence on the national temper and mind by helping the nation to agree in opinions and inclinations. The stage alone can do this, because it commands all human knowledge, exhausts all positions, illumines all hearts, unites all classes and makes its way tot he heart and understanding by the most popular channels,” (253). -The stage can bring the masses of a nation together. His example: the Greeks. They indulged in theatre and the moral issues that were raised on stage which then developed interest for the advancement of humanity.
Double-Duty • Back to Aristotle’s good/bad people: Schiller claims that theatre is the premier form of amusement. Schiller advocates that you need theatre to learn from, but also to remain ‘good’ people, to stay out of trouble- to be entertained. • Gambling, other “follies” are unavoidable in society if the law-giver produces nothing better. People are bound to become “brutish without the stage,” (254). • “The stage is an institution combining amusement with instruction, rest with exertion, where no faculty of the mind is overstrained, no pleasure enjoyed at the cost of the whole,” (254).
The Stage: when exposed to it, man becomes closer to his “heavenly destination. The individual shares in the general ecstasy, (Theatre also appeals to emotion- Aristotle) and his breast has now only space for an emotion: he is a man,” (254) • What can we make of this ending sentence? Thoughts: • It seems that Schiller has avoided mentioning the raw emotions of man until this last sentence. He focuses mainly on moral lessons that lead to social progress and social advancement of humankind. He refers to the institutions of government, religion etc. • Schiller believes in theatre as a moral institution that we can learn from, for the betterment of society. He does not speak on matters of theatre as an art form or as a medium used to appeal to the emotions of mankind.
Mimesis and Morality: Making Connections • idea of Catharsis and imitation as a mirror of man’s character. • Schiller neglects to mention tragedy as a form itself but does use the idea of the tragic flaw or as he puts it “Vice.” • One could also assume that Schiller is drawing on Aristotle’s ideas of objects of imitation (ie. plot, character, thought/reasoning) and adds onto it with his ideas of religion and justice as what makes up ones character.
Discussion Questions • Do you agree with Schiller in that the stage is better then any form of law or religion to judge a man and his character? • Do you think Schiller is correct in saying that we are not as susceptible to being tricked in a play by a character who is cunning then in everyday life? • What are some vices that you think may go unnoticed in everyday life but not in the theatre? • Consider the following statement: do you agree/disagree? “Sight is always more powerful to man than description.” – Schiller. • Schiller’s idea of “universal sympathy” – • Are there any examples of theatre you have seen that changed any of your opinions (concerning religion, government, education etc) enough to reflect, perhaps experience catharsis and thus feel the need for you to contribute to the betterment of society?
