Schiller created this drama in 1871. The "robbers", a brief summary of which is brought to your attention, became the starting point in the development of the German robber novel. The work takes place in Germany during the time when Schiller himself lived. “The Robbers,” which we will briefly review, is a drama based on which D. Verdi wrote an opera of the same name.
News of Carl's Dissolute Life
The work begins in the family castle, where the barons von Moor live: father, Franz (youngest son), and Amalia von Edelreich (bride of the eldest son and pupil of the count). The author says that Franz received a letter from the solicitor from Leipzig. The solicitor asks him for advice about the dissolute life of the eldest son of Count Karl von Moor. This young man is a student at the University of Leipzig. The old man, saddened by the letter, allows his son to write to Karl and tell him that the count is angry and deprives him of his inheritance and parental blessing.
Karl decides to become a robber
Meanwhile, students gather in a tavern on the border with Saxony. This is their usual meeting place. Karl is waiting for a response to a letter to his father, in which he repents of a dissolute life and makes a promise to do business. Spiegelberg, his friend, kills time with Karl. He says robbing is better than living in poverty. Karl receives a letter from von Moor. After reading it, the young man becomes desperate. Spiegelberg, meanwhile, talks about how great it would be to live in Bohemian forests. You can take money from wealthy travelers and spend it. This thought takes poor students. However, they need an ataman. Despite the fact that Spiegelberg is counting on this position, everyone unanimously decides to elect Karl as ataman. Hoping that through such a life he will forget his daughter-in-law, father and his past, the young man takes an oath of allegiance to the robbers who swear allegiance to him.
Tricks of Franz
Further, Franz’s intrigues are described by Schiller (“Robbers”). A summary of them is as follows. After Franz casts out his eldest son from the father’s heart, he wants to denigrate Karl in the eyes of Amalia, his bride. He informs the girl that she gave the lover a diamond ring before leaving that he gave to the libertine, who had nothing to pay for the services. Franz paints a portrait of a sick beggar dressed in rags in front of a girl. A "deadly nausea" pours out of his mouth. That is exactly what her beloved Carl is now. However, to convince a loving heart is not so simple. Amalia does not believe Franz and drives him away.
Then, in Franz’s head, a new plan for fulfilling the dream matures (to become the master of the von Moor inheritance). The young man persuades for this Herman, the late son of a local nobleman. He should change clothes and go to the old man, saying that he saw how Karl died. His son allegedly participated in the battle of Prague. It is unlikely that the heart of a sick count will be able to withstand such sad news. Franz for this promises Herman to give him Amalia, whom Karl von Moor once recaptured from him.
"Death" Count
Everything happens according to the plan that Franz intended to implement from the drama, the author of which is Friedrich Schiller (The Robbers). We have already briefly described the contents of this plan. In the photo above is a portrait of Schiller.
Count talking to Amalia, recalls the eldest son. Here appears disguised Herman. The young man reports that Karl was left without a livelihood, so he had to participate in the Prussian-Austrian campaign. He died heroically in Bohemia, where the war threw him. While dying, Karl allegedly requested that his sword be handed over to his father, as well as the return of Amalia's portrait and her oath of allegiance. The old man blames himself for the death of his son. However, he notices the joy on Franz’s face and begins to realize that it is he who is to blame for all of Karl’s misfortunes. The count loses consciousness, leaning back on the pillows. Franz thinks he is dead, and it pleases him.
Ataman Karl's Life
In the Bohemian Forests, meanwhile, the eldest son of Count Karl, the hero of the drama created by F. Schiller (The Robbers), is robbing. A summary should be made by saying a few words about his life in the forest. This young man dared. He loves to play with death, as interest in life has completely lost. Ataman gives orphans his prey. He punishes the rich, robbing ordinary people. Karl says his trade is revenge, and his craft is retribution.
Franz rules the castle
The summary of Schiller’s drama “The Robbers” continues with the fact that Franz rules in the family castle. He achieved his goal, but does not feel satisfaction: as before, Amalia does not agree to become his wife. German, realizing that he was deceived, reveals the girl a "terrible secret." It turns out that Karl is alive, like the old count.
Karl decides to visit his castle
Together with the gang, the count's eldest son is surrounded by Bohemian dragoons. However, Karl’s people manage to escape, paying for it with the life of only one fighter (about 300 people lost the dragoons). A Czech nobleman asks for a detachment of Karl. He lost his fortune and his beloved, whose name is Amalia. In Carl’s soul, the story of this man evokes some memories. He is going to go to Franconia with a gang.
The young man, introducing himself as Count von Brand, penetrates his own ancestral castle. Here he meets Amalia and sees that she is faithful to the "dead Karl." Among the portraits of the ancestors presented in the gallery, he notices a portrait of his father. Karl stops at him and sneaks a tear away. Nobody recognizes the eldest son of the count. Only Franz, all-seeing and constantly suspecting everyone, guesses Carl at a party. However, he does not tell anyone about his guesses. Franz forces Daniel, the old butler, to swear that he will kill the count who arrived. However, Daniel recognizes Carl in his scar on his arm. He cannot lie to the old servant who raised him. But now Karl must leave the castle forever. Before leaving, he decides to see Amalia. The girl has feelings for him, such as were previously associated only with Karl von Moor. However, Amalia will not recognize him, and the guest says goodbye to his beloved.
Karl finds his father
He returns to the robbers. They must leave these places in the morning. In the meantime, Karl is walking through the forest. He stumbles into the tower in the dark and hears a voice. Herman arrived to feed the locked prisoner. Karl breaks the locks from the tower and frees his father, who has dried up like a skeleton. It turns out that the count, unfortunately, did not die from the message that German brought. In the coffin he came to his senses. Then Franz secretly from everyone imprisoned his father in a tower, condemning to loneliness, hunger and cold. After listening to the story of his father, Karl decided to take revenge. Despite the family ties connecting him with Franz, he ordered the robbers to seize his younger brother and deliver him to him alive.
Franz's conversation with the pastor, Franz's death
Are you curious to know how the summary will continue? The "robbers" (Schiller) we have described in chapters only in general terms, but we will now outline further main events.
Daniel, the old valet, says goodbye to the castle at night. He lived here all his life. Franz enters with a candle in his hand. He is worried. Franz dreamed about the Last Judgment. For his sins, he was sent to the underworld. Franz begs Daniel to call the pastor. He considered himself an atheist all his life, and even now has a debate with a visiting priest on religious topics. However, this time he does not manage to laugh with the previous ease over the argument about the immortality of the soul. Franz, having received confirmation from the priest that patricide and fratricide are the most serious sins, is scared. He suddenly realizes that his soul cannot escape hell.
The robbers that Carl sent attack the castle. They set it on fire, but Franz fails to capture. He himself is squeezed, using the lace from his hat.
Amalia's death
Already approaching the finale of Schiller's drama "The Robbers." Members of the gang, following the order, return to the forest, where Karl, who is still not recognized by his father, is waiting for them. Amalia comes with them. She rushes to Moore, hugs and calls her bridegroom. The count finds out who is the leader of bandits, murderers and thieves. Upon learning of this, he dies. However, Amalia forgives her lover. She is ready to start a new life with him. But love prevents the fact that Moore swore allegiance to the robbers. Realizing that he cannot be happy without Karl, the girl asks for death. And Moore stabs her.
Karl surrenders to the authorities
A spectacular finale was prepared for us by Friedrich Schiller ("The Robbers"). A summary of Karl’s future life is as follows. He drank his cup to the bottom and realized that the world could not be corrected by atrocities, and his life was over. And he surrenders to the hands of justice. Karl was still talking to a poor man with a large family on his way to his castle. Now he is going to him to hand over to the authorities the "famous robber" and get a thousand louisors for his head.
This completes his drama Schiller. "The robbers", the brief content of which we have described, is one of the most interesting works in his work.