The drama «Maria Magdalena» is one of the most famous tragedies. It was founded in 1843 by Friedrich Hebbel Written and premiered on March 13, 1846 in the Königsberg City Theater. The play is divided into three acts.
the Plot revolves around a young woman named Klara. She is pregnant and desperate because she is not yet married and is therefore expecting an illegitimate child, which was an absolute taboo in society at the time. Due to the intolerant moral standards of the bourgeoisie and her own desperation, she finally decides to commit suicide.
«Mary Magdalene» Contents – Summary
The drama «Maria Magdalena» mostly takes place in one Room in the bourgeois house Clara’s family. Furthermore, part of the plot takes place in Room of Cashier’s Leonhard instead of. It says so in both places bourgeois life in the foreground.
«Maria Magdalena»: Act 1
Of the first and the second act play in a room of Master Anton’s bourgeois house.
The healing of a serious illness
Clara is the bourgeois daughter of the carpenter Master Anton. She admires and adores her mother Therese. This is her second time in many years Wedding dress. Shortly before, Therese had overcome a serious illness. She only put on the wedding dress because she wanted to corpse dress designated. She says it is a reminder to stop sinning. That’s the only reason God would have them from hers Illness healed.
Klaras has just entered brother Karl the house. He wants his mother to support him financially. However, she refuses this request because she does not have enough money herself. Karl is then angry and accuses her of preferring his sister Klara. The mother then replies that he is impertinent. Karl leaves the house again.
Therese is now afraid that she spoiled him too much as a child. She also suspects that she is not loved by her son. She also worries about Klara because her admirer, the Cashier Leonard, hasn’t visited for a long time. When she asks Klara about it, Klara’s anger towards Leonhard becomes clear. The mother tries to calm her daughter by emphasizing what kind of good partner the cashier would represent.
Foreboding dreams
After a Bunch of flowers is delivered, the mother thinks that Karl would have sent it. She is happy and leaves the house with the flowers. Klara is left alone and thanks God for her mother’s recovery. Meanwhile, she suddenly sees this on one mortician undertaker passes and the bouquet in that dig lays.
Klara is with the cashier Leonhard engagedhowever exists no love between the couple. Leonhard is after Klara’s father’s dowry. But as Clare childhood lovethe secretary, returns to her hometown, the old love flares up again. Leonhard does not miss Klara’s interest in the secretary and urges she therefore to with him to sleep. He hopes that this will win Klara over to him more.
The dowry is the financial support that a bride used to take into the marriage.
Of the act of lovewhich more out jealousy than happens out of passion, has the result that Klara becomes pregnant. In order not to soil her own honor and that of her family, Klara is now dependent on marrying Leonhard.
The family tragedy
Towards the end of the first act, two bailiffs, Adam among them, ring the doorbell of Klara’s parents’ house to search the house. Klara’s brother Karl stands under suspicion jewels stolen to have. Karls mother Therese is so shocked by the news about her criminal son that she suddenly breaks down and dies.
Klara and her father are alone
The father is from fault of his son and now places all his hopes in Klara. To increase the pressure on her, he forces her to swear an oath. This i swearher father then no shame about bringing him up, even though she already knows about her own pregnancy.
Klara is now aware that she has to marry Leonhard because a bastard their Father to the Suicide would cause. However, it arrives shortly thereafter letter at Klara. Leonard Swrites her that he die relationship to Klara want to end, under the pretext that Klara’s family had lost all honor due to her brother’s arrest. However, the real reason for Leonard’s actions is not Karl’s arrest, but this To lose the dowry. Klara’s father gave away the dowry of 1000 thalers to his old master, who was in financial difficulties.
«Mary Magdalene»: Act 2
The mother is buried and Karl is taken to prison. Meanwhile, Master Anton notices that his daughter isn’t eating anymore. Despite Klara’s objection that Karl’s guilt has not yet been proven, he fears that one ten-year prison sentence imposed on his son. He worries about how he will behave when Karl returns home after serving his sentence with a shaved head. his whole Wishes and hopes Master Anton now projects onto his daughter again Klara. Eventually, he even threatens to take his own life if she, too, would disgrace him and thus fulfill her oath.
Charlemagne’s relief
Klara is due to this great burden very desperate. After Master Anton leaves the house, he finally comes Merchant Wolfram to visit to announce that he has found the jewels again. His mentally ill wife had hidden them. So it turns out that Karl innocent is. Klara then talks to Wolfram and explains to him why the bailiff Adam is so angry with Anton. Because of this, he had behaved so severely when Karl was arrested. Wolfram then decides to follow Anton into the mountains so that he can tell him about Karl’s release himself. Nevertheless, Master Anton is concerned about his civic honor.
An old love flares up
Soon he comes too Secretary Frederick. He meets Friedrich alone on Klara. He asks her for a friendly kiss as a reward for the good news. However, Klara’s thoughts are elsewhere and she doesn’t listen to him at all. She hopes that Leonhard will marry her after her brother’s rehabilitation.
Actually Klara still loves her former lover, the secretary Friedrich. Friedrich reciprocates her feelings and proposes marriage to Klara. But Klara wants her father no shame make and see theirs duty in trying to bring back the father of her child with all her might. Friedrich, who knows about Leonhard’s heartless letter, wants to avenge Klara. That’s why he wants it Leonhard to a gun endwell challenge.
In the 18th and 19th centuries pistol duels were carried out as a kind of single combat. The trigger was always a serious disparagement of honor (e.g. through an insult). Depending on the severity of the insult, there was either one, two or three exchanges of gunfire. The distance between the two opponents was also based on this. It also depended on the severity of the insult whether the duel should go only to the first wound or to death.
«Maria Magdalena»: Act 3
The third act has two locations. For one thing, he’s playing again in Room of bourgeois house from Master Anton and on the other in Room the apartment of Cashier’s Leonhard.
Leonhard rejects Klara’s marriage proposal
as Klara Leonhard visits, it becomes clear to her in a long conversation that this is from jealousy eaten up and feels badly offended by his rival. Leonhard tells Klara that in the meantime he has a marriage with the daughter of mayor initiated. After the conversation, Klara sees only two options. She gives herself a choice: either go to her father with the shame or take her own life. When she chose the Suicide decides and tells Leonhard, he doesn’t believe her.
A short time later, when Leonhard thinks about it and wants to run after Klara, he is stopped by the secretary. This challenges Leonhard to a pistol duel on. After hesitating for a long time, Leonhard goes into the forest with Friedrich to see the duel to deliver.
Klara’s death
In the meantime, return Karl return home. In order to escape the misery at home, he wants to work as a sailor work. Clare hints about theirs predicament and your suicidal thoughts he hears but doesn’t understand her. When he asks his sister for water, she goes to the well, determined to throw herself down.
Meanwhile he comes Secretary badly injured in the House. He shot Leonhard, so he goes as winner from the duel out and was able to avenge Klara. At that moment, Karl suspects that something might have happened to his sister. He checks on her and comes back with the news that she is in the Spring had fallen. He makes Master Anton accusations and replies that because of his blame petty-bourgeois views in her suicide. Karl then leaves the house for good to work as a sailor. The father still shows no insight. For him, his daughter’s suicide only has more shame brought over the family. In the end he is left confused and alone.
«Mary Magdalene» – characterization
Klara
- Clara is one bourgeois young woman.
- She is pregnant by Leonhard, who is leaving her. Actually she loves the secretary Friedrich.
- Klara is the victim of her father and of social morality.
- She has human traits and puts her own desires and passions behind her civic duties. She is afraid of losing the reputation of her fellow citizens.
- She commits for love of her father Suicide. Klara is selfless and takes all the blame on herself.
Leonhard
- Leonard is a cashier and the Clara’s fiancee.
- He is calculating, ambitious, greedy, very jealous and willing to do anything to consolidate his middle-class existence.
- He pushed Klara into illegitimate sex and thus made her pregnant.
- Leonhard only wants to marry Klara in order to receive a high dowry and leaves her when he does not receive the dowry.
- He seems nice on the outside because he does everything he can to ensure that his acting is not seen through.
- Leonhard follows the societal norms and values according to which he is a normal and ambitious husband.
Frederick
- Frederick is a secretary and the former childhood friend from Klara.
- He left the city for an education, and when he returns he falls in love with Klara again. Friedrich wants to protect her and avenges her by winning the duel against Leonhard.
- Friedrich is very friendly and tries to act humanely without violating society’s moral standards.
Master Anton
- Master Anton is a master carpenter and the Father from Karl and Klara.
- He represents the moral standards of society and has strict principles – without civil marriage it doesn’t work.