Fiesco's Conspiracy at Genoa
by Friedrich Schiller
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Within two years of the success of his first play Die Räuber on the German stage in 1781, Schiller wrote a drama based on a rebellion in sixteenth century Italy, its title: The Conspiracy of Fiesco at Genoa. A Republican Tragedy. At the head of the conspiracy stood Gian Luigi de' Fieschi (1524-1547), Schiller's Count Fiesco, a clever, courageous and charismatic figure, an epicurean and unhesitant egoist, politically ambitious, but unsure of his aims and principles. He is one of Schiller's show more mysterious, protean characters who secures both our admiration and disgust. With Fiesco as tragic hero Schiller examines the complex entanglement of morality and politics in his own times that was to preoccupy him throughout his career. The play was a moderate success when performed in Mannheim in 1784; it was more popular in Berlin where, during Schiller's lifetime, it was performed many times in a version by Carl Plømicke, which however radically altered the play's meaning. There have been some noteworthy productions on the German stage and television, even if it has remained somewhat in the shadow of Schiller's other works. In the English-speaking world it is all but unknown and very seldom performed. This translation aims to remedy that oversight. show lessTags
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Schiller's second full-scale stage play, another five-act prose tragedy, but with a political rather than a family theme this time, loosely based on the real story of the Fieschi conspiracy against Doge Andrea Doria in Genoa in January 1547. In Schiller's version, Fiesco is a handsome, clever and politically astute young man who joins a republican coup against the excessive power of the Doria family only to become convinced that what Genoa needs is not the quasi-democratic rule his patrician allies are aiming for, but a strong, competent dictatorship by someone with the kind of abilities that only Giovanni Luigi Fiesco can offer.
The logic of drama sees to it that Fiesco is punished for his arrogance, but Schiller doesn't seem to be show more quite so sure that he made the wrong decision in opting for dictatorship. Certainly, Fiesco and Andrea Doria are the characters who get all the best lines and who come across as positive forces, whilst the "noble republican" character, Verrina, is a strongly negative element, a man who is happy to mortgage his daughter's life to his political ideals ("schwer, ernst und dunkel", as Schiller sums him up in the dramatis personae).
The most interesting character is probably Muley Hassan, the archetypal Mediterranean wheeler-dealer (and a more than slightly racist caricature), who acts as a double-agent spying on the Dorias for Fiesco and on Fiesco for the Dorias, increasing his personal wealth with every passage between camps. He also has the one line in the play that has entered the German language: "Der Mohr hat seine Arbeit getan, der Mohr kann gehen" (The Moor has done his work, the Moor can go) — still a great line to quote under your breath when you feel your boss isn't giving you the recognition you deserve.
The women get more to do than in Die Räuber, but their parts aren't exactly out of the ordinary — Julia is a femme fatale to be seduced and spurned by Fiesco, Leonore a faithful neglected wife, Berta an innocent victim. Schiller does, however, remember to put in a couple of reasonable parts for Leonore's maids. And there's a little bit of Shakespearean cross-dressing in the last act.
Given all this, it's probably not surprising if you've never seen this performed on stage, but it is quite an interesting study of political character. show less
The logic of drama sees to it that Fiesco is punished for his arrogance, but Schiller doesn't seem to be show more quite so sure that he made the wrong decision in opting for dictatorship. Certainly, Fiesco and Andrea Doria are the characters who get all the best lines and who come across as positive forces, whilst the "noble republican" character, Verrina, is a strongly negative element, a man who is happy to mortgage his daughter's life to his political ideals ("schwer, ernst und dunkel", as Schiller sums him up in the dramatis personae).
The most interesting character is probably Muley Hassan, the archetypal Mediterranean wheeler-dealer (and a more than slightly racist caricature), who acts as a double-agent spying on the Dorias for Fiesco and on Fiesco for the Dorias, increasing his personal wealth with every passage between camps. He also has the one line in the play that has entered the German language: "Der Mohr hat seine Arbeit getan, der Mohr kann gehen" (The Moor has done his work, the Moor can go) — still a great line to quote under your breath when you feel your boss isn't giving you the recognition you deserve.
The women get more to do than in Die Räuber, but their parts aren't exactly out of the ordinary — Julia is a femme fatale to be seduced and spurned by Fiesco, Leonore a faithful neglected wife, Berta an innocent victim. Schiller does, however, remember to put in a couple of reasonable parts for Leonore's maids. And there's a little bit of Shakespearean cross-dressing in the last act.
Given all this, it's probably not surprising if you've never seen this performed on stage, but it is quite an interesting study of political character. show less
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Author Information
Friedrich Schiller was born in Marbach, Germany, the son of an army surgeon, a profession for which he himself was later educated. He never wanted to practice medicine, however, and found an outlet for his dissatisfaction in writing poetry and plays. Schiller's first play was to be performed was The Robbers (1781), a rallying cry for the freedom show more and idealism of youth against the tyranny and hypocrisy that Schiller saw all around him. The play was an immediate success, but Schiller, who had taken unauthorized leave from his regiment to watch the performance, was arrested and forbidden by the ruling Duke to write anything but medical books in the future. In defiance of the order, Schiller fled the duchy and, although suffering great poverty, continued to write. The remainder of Schiller's life was a struggle against poverty and, in his last years, a struggle against tuberculosis. Each of Schiller's nine plays is a masterpiece of situation, characterization, subtle psychology, and brilliant dramatic technique. Most of his plays focus on historical subjects, such as Mary Queen of Scots, Joan of Arc, or the Swiss hero William Tell. Schiller uses these period characters and settings to suit his own themes, which center on individual freedom, justice, and heroism. He often sacrifices historical accuracy in order to make a point. Schiller's place in German literature is very near the top. Among German dramatists there are none better, and perhaps only his friend German poet and playwright Goethe can be called an equal. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Insel-Bücherei (Nr. 991)
Work Relationships
Is contained in
Die Verschwörung des Fiesco zu Genua - Kabale und Liebe: dtv(-Taschenbücher) ; 74 Schiller, Friedrich: dtv-Gesamtausgabe . - Teil: Bd. 4. by Friedrich Schiller
Dramen - Erster Band (Die Räuber - Die Verschwörung des Fiesco zu Genua - Kabale und Liebe - Don Carlos) (Bibliothek der Weltliteratur). by Friedrich Schiller
Has as a commentary on the text
Has as a student's study guide
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Fiesco's Conspiracy at Genoa
- Original title
- Die Verschwörung des Fiesco zu Genua
- Original publication date
- 1783
- People/Characters*
- Andreas Doria, Doge von Genua; Gianettino Doria; Fiesco, Graf von Lavagna; Verrina, verschworener Republikaner; Bourgognino, Verschworener; Calcagno, Verschworener (show all 15); Sacco, Verschworener; Lomellino, Gianettinos Vertrauter; Romano, Maler; Muley Hassan, Mohr von Tunis; Leonore, Fiescos Gemahlin; Julia, Gräfin Wittwe Imperiali, Dorias Schwester; Bertha, Verrinas Tochter; Rosa, Leonorens Kammermädchen; Arabella, Leonorens Kammermädchen
- Important places*
- Genua, Ligurien, Italien
- Original language*
- Deutsch
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
Classifications
- Genres
- Fiction and Literature, Literature Studies and Criticism
- DDC/MDS
- 832.6 — Literature & rhetoric German & related literatures German drama 1750–1832 : 18th century; classical period; romantic period
- LCC
- PT2473 .V4 — Language and Literature German, Dutch and Scandinavian literatures German literature Individual authors or works 1700-ca. 1860/70
- BISAC
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