A magnanimous act

A magnanimous act. From recent history (Eine großmütige Handlung. Aus der neuesten Geschichte) is a prose work by Friedrich Schiller, published in his Kleinere prosaische Schriften. It first appeared in 1782.

Plot

Two brothers love the same woman. As they become aware of this fact, the older brother immediately goes overseas. When he can manage to stay away from his love there, the younger brother is to marry the woman. The older brother soon comes back ill, and now the younger brother chooses to go overseas, to Batavia. If he succeeds in staying away from his beloved there, the older brother is to marry the woman. Soon the younger brother writes from Batavia to explain that his brother can now marry the woman. He even comes to the wedding. A year later the woman dies; on her deathbed she explains that she loved the younger brother more.

Background

Schiller's tale is based on the story of the brothers Ludwig (1740-1812) and Friedrich (1742-1781) von Wurmb. The older brother finally married Christiane von Werthern (1750-1778).

Allusions

In his introduction, Schiller indicates a wish that his text would leave his readers reminded of the works of Samuel Richardson's Sir Charles Grandison and Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded.

Critical evaluation

Bernhard Zeller notes in the afterword that Schiller has referenced a favourite motive of the time with his two brothers in love with the same girl: "the anecdotes are missing all dramatic effects; the poet limited himself to the simple report of the real facts, based on the moral effects and only interrupted by certain reflections."^[1]

Notes

↑ Bernhard Zeller in the afterword to Friedrich Schiller's Eine großmütige Handlung. in Der Verbrecher aus verlorener Ehre und andere Erzählungen. Stuttgart 2008 (RUB 8891), S. 71.

Works by Friedrich Schiller

Plays	The Robbers Semele Fiesco Intrigue and Love Körners Vormittag Don Carlos Wallenstein Wallenstein's Camp The Piccolomini Wallenstein's Death Mary Stuart The Maid of Orleans The Bride of Messina William Tell Die Huldigung der Künste Demetrius

Selected poems	Ode to Joy Resignation Die Götter Griechenlandes Das verschleierte Bild zu Sais Die Teilung der Erde Xenien Der Handschuh Der Taucher Die Kraniche des Ibykus Ritter Toggenburg Der Gang nach dem Eisenhammer Der Ring des Polykrates Der Kampf mit dem Drachen Die Bürgschaft Das Lied von der Glocke Nänie Der Antritt des neuen Jahrhunderts Das Siegesfest

Selected prose works	Der Verbrecher aus verlorener Ehre Der Geisterseher Eine großmütige Handlung

Selected philosophical works	Die Schaubühne als eine moralische Anstalt betrachtet Über den Grund des Vergnügens an tragischen Gegenständen Augustenburger Briefe Über Anmut und Würde Über das Pathetische Kallias-Briefe Über die ästhetische Erziehung des Menschen Über naive und sentimentalische Dichtung Über das Erhabene

Historical works	Was heißt und zu welchem Ende studiert man Universalgeschichte?

Journals	Wirtembergisches Repertorium Thalia Die Horen

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