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would take away much of Strahl's rightful lands. Kunigunde's former suitor, Maximilian
Frederick, however, has kidnapped her. Strahl unknowingly defeats his enemy's capturer and frees Kunigunde. The rules of hospitality at the time require that he invite her back to his castle, whereupon she learns of a dream. The dream indicates that he will find his future bride in the daughter of the emperor. Kunigunde, aware of the information, presents herself as this prophesied woman. Soon, the Count is considering making Kunigunde his wife.
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unforeseen events Käthchen intercepts his plans to attack and rushes off to warn Strahl. After his refusal to read the letter, he threatens to whip Käthchen for returning. Eventually Strahl reads the letter and learns of the impending attack. After the fighting has subsided
Kunigunde sees an opportunity to get rid of Käthchen and sends her into a burning building to retrieve a picture. Käthchen, with the help of an angel, escapes the building unscathed.
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shop, bowing before him "as if struck by lightning". Käthchen is also accused of following the Count and then throwing herself out of a second story window in his presence. Interrogated to the point of being bullied, Käthchen confesses to never having been bewitched. The esteemed Count is found not guilty of making advances toward
Theobald's daughter, and the court dismisses the case against him entirely.
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meant to test the innocence of a defendant in undecided court cases. There were several types of trials by fire: walking barefoot over hot coals, holding a hot piece of iron in one's hands, or wearing a shirt dipped in hot wax. Whoever managed to survive such an ordeal was considered innocent. Other
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bears witness to that. From the beginning, it was a marvellous concept and only the intent to adapt it for stage play has led me to mistakes that I would now like to cry over. In short, I want to soak up the thought that, if a work is only quite freely sprung from one human mind, then that same work
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Strahl confronts the emperor about the validity of Käthchen's nobility and in a monologue of the emperor he confesses that he is her biological father. Strahl invites Käthchen to his wedding, but in a twist she learns that it is her wedding. Shocked by this sudden turn of events, Käthchen passes out
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Strahl pursues the Rhine Graf and Käthchen accompanies them. Käthchen falls asleep beneath an elderberry bush where Strahl questions her. Through questioning they discover that they have met already in their dreams. The Count then begins to realize that Käthchen is his real prophesied wife. Käthchen
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At the beginning of Kleist's second act Count von Strahl yearns for Käthchen in a monologue. It becomes increasingly evident that he is not capable of acting on these feelings, given the vast social class divisions between them. We also learn of the Count's enemy, Kunigunde, whose impending lawsuits
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The play begins in the secretly convened court in which
Theobald, a blacksmith in the town of Heilbronn, accuses Count von Strahl of bewitching Theobald's young and beautiful daughter Käthchen Theobald. Käthchen, says the blacksmith, shows an "unnatural possession" when Count von Strahl enters the
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Das Urteil der
Menschen hat mich bisher viel zu sehr beherrscht; besonders das Käthchen von Heilbronn ist voll Spuren davon. Es war von Anfang herein eine ganz treffliche Erfindung, und nur die Absicht, es für die Bühne passend zu machen, hat mich zu Mißgriffen verführt, die ich jetzt beweinen
333:
Käthchen, in her shame, wants to enter a convent despite her father's objections. In a last attempt to keep his daughter out of the convent, Theobald suggests that she follow Count von Strahl. The Rhine Graf, now betrayed by
Kunigunde, decides to attack Count von Strahl. Through a series of
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ordeals were also common, wherein the defendant with hands and feet bound together was thrown into water. Drowning confirmed the defendant's innocence, while staying afloat confirmed the guilty status and the defendant was then put to death. The
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möchte. Kurz, ich will mich von dem
Gedanken ganz durchdringen, daß, wenn ein Werk nur recht frei aus dem Schoß eines menschlichen Gemüts hervorgeht, dasselbe auch notwendig darum der ganzen Menschheit angehören müsse.
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Denn wer das Käthchen liebt, dem kann die
Penthesilea nicht ganz unbegreiflich sein, sie gehören ja wie das + und - der Algebra zusammen, und sind ein und dasselbe Wesen, nur unter entgegengesetzten Beziehungen
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Act 5 – City of Worms in a plaza in front of the imperial castle. The throne is to one side. Later in a cavern with a view of the countryside. Finally, the castle square with a view of the castle and a
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because they belong together like the + and - of algebra, and they are one and the same being, only imagined out of contrary relations." Kleist in a letter to
Heinrich J. von Collin (8 December 1808).
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in this text is not referring to an actual ordeal, but simply a test for Käthchen. She passes this test when she returns safely from the burning
Thurneck Castle with the help of an angel.
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walks in on Kunigunde during her bathing and is so shocked by what she sees that she cannot speak a word. Kunigunde, having been discovered, decides to have Käthchen poisoned.
539:
Wagenbaur, Birgit, and Thomas Wagenbaur. "Erotik und Sexualität im Werk Heinrich von Kleists: Internationales Kolloquium des Kleist Archivs Sembdner der Stadt Heilbronn".
398:, her opposite pole, a creature as powerful through submission as Penthesilea is through action ...?" Kleist in a letter to Marie von Kleist (late autumn 1807)
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In a letter to Marie v. Kleist (Berlin, Summer 1811), Heinrich v. Kleist wrote: "The judgement of the masses has governed me too much until now; especially
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Jetzt bin ich nur neugierig, was Sie zu dem Käthchen von Heilbronn sagen werden, denn das ist die Kehrseite der Penthesilea, ihr anderer Pol...?.
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Act 2 – In a forest near the cave of the Secret Court. Later in the mountains near a coal miner's hut. It is night with thunder and lightning
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Linhardt, Marion. "Ziererei und Wahrheit, oder: Das Bühnenspiel der Kunigunde von Thurneck und das erzählte Käthchen von Heilbronn."
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when it was written, refused at first to present it, calling it "a jumble of sense and nonsense." It was also passed over by the
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on 17 March 1810 and then published in the same year. Originally, the first two acts appeared separately with the play
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685:
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Kohlhaufl, Michael. "Des Teufels Wirtschaft als Station der Erkenntnis: Ein klassisch-romantischer Topos in Kleists
97:, also by Kleist. Although the play has gained respect among modern audiences, it was originally largely rejected.
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Pahl, Katrin. "Forging Feeling: Kleist's Theatrical Theory of Re-Layed Emotionality." MLN 124.3 (2009): 666–682.
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Zimmermann, Hans Dieter. "Der Sinn im Wahn: der Wahnsinn. Das 'große historische Ritterschauspiel'
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543:, Zeitschrift für Literaturwissenschaft, Ästhetik und Kulturwissenschaften 45.4 (1999): 615–619.
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Act 4 – In the mountains, surrounded by waterfalls and a bridge. Later at the Strahl Castle
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Horst, Falk. "Kleists Käthchen von Heilbronn – oder hingebende und selbstbezogene Liebe."
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Käthchen and the Count of Strahl on the Heinrich von Kleist Memorial in Frankfurt (Oder)
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Weinberg, Manfred. "'... und dich weinen': Natur und Kunst in Heinrich von Kleists
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Knauer, Bettina. "Die umgekehrte Natur: Hysterie und Gotteserfindung in Kleists
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Alt, Peter-André. "Das pathologische Interesse: Kleists dramatisches Konzept."
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Deutsche Vierteljahrsschrift fur Literaturwissenschaft und Geistesgeschichte
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Act 3 – Hermitage in a mountainous forest. Later at the Thurneck Castle
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Schott, Heinz. "Erotik und Sexualität im Mesmerismus: Anmerkungen zum
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444:
Wirkendes Wort: Deutsche Sprache und Literatur in Forschung und Lehre
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A herald, two coal miners, servants, messengers, pursuers, and people
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oder Die verdinglichte Schönheit: Zum Schluss von Kleists Drama."
118:
114:
565:. 203–213. Würzburg, Germany: Königshausen & Neumann, 2001.
497:. 207–231. Würzburg, Germany: Königshausen & Neumann, 2004.
490:. 291–300. Würzburg, Germany: Königshausen & Neumann, 2000.
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59:
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Käthchen und seine Schwestern: Frauenfiguren im Drama um 1800
46:) (1807–1808) is a "great historical knightly play" (German:
536:. 152–174. Heilbronn, Germany: Kleist-Archiv Sembdner, 2000.
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Lu, Yixu. "Die Fährnisse der verklärten Liebe: Über Kleists
479:. 137–151. Heilbronn, Germany: Kleist-Archiv Sembdner, 2000.
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Das Käthchen von Heilbronn oder das Weib, wie es seyn sollte
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Kleist's Aristocratic Heritage and Das Käthen von Heilbronn
525:(pp. 41–59). London: McGill-Queen's University Press.
390:"I am now eager to learn what you would have to say about
468:, Zeitschrift fur Literaturgeschichte 89.1 (1995): 23–36.
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Käthchen Fountain Figurine (1965) by Dieter Läpple in
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Counselor to the Emperor and Judge of the Secret Court
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Counselor to the Emperor and Judge of the Secret Court
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Counselor to the Emperor and Judge of the Secret Court
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534:Erotik und Sexualität im Werk Heinrich von Kleists
477:Erotik und Sexualität im Werk Heinrich von Kleists
374:must necessarily belong to the whole of mankind."
16:For the 1885 opera by Carl Martin Reinthaler, see
655:Grathoff, Dirk. "Notes" in Heinrich von Kleist's
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728:
449:Huff, Steven R. "The Holunder Motif in Kleist's
439:. 9–37. Heilbronn, Germany: Stadtbücherei, 2000.
511:Merschmeier, Michael. "Anti-Aging mit Kleist".
428:. 77–100. Göttingen, Germany: Wallstein, 2005.
37:Das Käthchen von Heilbronn oder Die Feuerprobe
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508:. 169–185. Rochester, NY: Camden House, 2000.
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563:Kleists Erzählungen und Dramen: Neue Studien
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521:Reeves, W. C. (1991). "False Princess". In
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58:. The action of the drama takes place in
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54:) in five acts by the German playwright
50:ein großes historisches Ritterschauspiel
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307:Act 1 – In a cave of the Secret Court (
44:Katie of Heilbronn or The Trial by Fire
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506:Heinrich von Kleist und die Aufklärung
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453:and its Nineteenth-Century Context".
394:, because she is the reverse side of
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101:, who was director of the theatre at
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117:the play was initially only seen in
89:The play was first performed at the
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816:St. Cecilia, or the Power of Music
406:The trial by fire is originally a
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18:Das Käthchen von Heilbronn (opera)
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589:"Das Kätchen von Heilbronn"
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168:Housekeeper in the Count's castle
139:Friedrich Wetter Count von Strahl
592:. In Rines, George Edwin (ed.).
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426:Kleist: Ein moderner Aufklärer?
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353:and the play ends in turmoil.
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271:Three gentlemen from Thurneck
853:Plays set in the Middle Ages
838:Plays by Heinrich von Kleist
381:cannot completely disregard
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657:Das Käthchen von Heilbronn.
586:Edith J. R. Isaacs (1920).
435:: Ein Rittermärchenspiel."
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692:Das Käthchen von Heilbronn
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858:Plays adapted into operas
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247:Graf Otto von der Flühe,
229:The Rheingraf vom Stein,
486:und seine Entwicklung".
241:Eginhardt von der Wart,
121:'s less famous theatre.
62:during the Middle Ages.
795:The Earthquake in Chile
431:Fink, Gonthier-Louis. "
243:Friend of the Rheingraf
237:Friend of the Rheingraf
211:Georg von Waldstätten,
111:Berliner Schauspielhaus
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595:Encyclopedia Americana
530:Käthchen von Heilbronn
502:Käthchen von Heilbronn
484:Käthchen von Heilbronn
473:Käthchen von Heilbronn
377:"Because he who loves
371:Käthchen von Heilbronn
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311:) lit by a single lamp
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253:Wenzel von Nachtheim,
189:Armorer from Heilbronn
172:Kunigunde von Thurneck
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777:The Prince of Homburg
554:79.4 (2005): 568–601.
446:46.2 (1996): 224–245.
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274:Kunigunde's old aunts
199:Gottfried Friedborn,
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848:Plays set in Germany
756:Die Hermannsschlacht
570:Notes and references
457:64.3 (1991): 304–12.
259:Hans von Bärenklau,
217:Ritter Schauermann,
207:Burgrave of Freiburg
187:Theobald Friedborn,
183:Rosalie's stepmother
107:Dresdener Hoftheater
734:Heinrich von Kleist
162:the Count's servant
135:Archbishop of Worms
91:Theater an der Wien
56:Heinrich von Kleist
515:8–9.(2004): 87–88.
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231:Kunigunde's fiancé
156:the Count's vassal
154:Knight Flammberg,
125:List of characters
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29:First edition 1810
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802:The Marquise of O
680:Project Gutenberg
541:Weimarer Beiträge
460:Kluge, Gerhard. "
225:his second vassal
142:Countess Helena,
83:Deutsches Theater
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809:Michael Kohlhaas
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309:Vehmgericht
130:The Emperor
843:1810 plays
832:Categories
488:Resonanzen
213:his friend
201:her fiancé
193:Käthchen,
166:Brigitte,
148:Eleonore,
144:his mother
133:Gebhardt,
466:Euphorion
301:Heilbronn
181:Sybille,
175:Rosalie,
150:her niece
113:, and in
628:gedacht.
392:Käthchen
379:Käthchen
291:Synopsis
109:and the
85:, Berlin
81:, 1905,
119:Bamberg
115:Germany
348:church
103:Weimar
99:Goethe
95:Phöbus
60:Swabia
787:Prose
741:Drama
730:Works
277:A boy
732:by
678:at
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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