Author |
Kleist, Heinrich von, 1777-1811 |
Title |
Penthesilea
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Credits |
Thanks are given to Delphine Lettau for finding a huge collection of ancient German books in London
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Summary |
"PENTHESILEA" by Heinrich von Kleist is a tragic play written during the early 19th century. The narrative revolves around Penthesilea, the queen of the Amazons, as she grapples with her role as a warrior amidst the chaos of battle while harboring a deep infatuation for Achilles, a hero of the Greek forces. The play explores themes of love, power, and the dichotomy between femininity and warrior ethos in a war-torn landscape. The opening of "Penthesilea" presents a dramatic assemblage of characters before the backdrop of the Trojan battlefield. As the Amazons, led by Penthesilea, clash with Greek heroes, including Odysseus and Achilles, the tension of war is palpable. The initial exchanges among the warriors reveal their apprehensions and strategies while highlighting the escalating conflict. Penthesilea's fierce determination to confront Achilles is underscored by her emotional instability, as she fluctuates between moments of rage and vulnerability. Conversations among both the Greeks and Amazons foreshadow the tragic events to unfold as they vie for supremacy, setting the stage for a confrontation that intertwines love with hatred, ultimately challenging the characters’ perceptions of honor and desire. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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Language |
German |
LoC Class |
PT: Language and Literatures: Germanic, Scandinavian, and Icelandic literatures
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Subject |
Penthesilea, Queen of the Amazons -- Drama
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Subject |
Kings and rulers -- Drama
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Subject |
Achilles (Mythological character) -- Drama
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Subject |
Verse drama
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Category |
Text |
EBook-No. |
6648 |
Release Date |
Oct 1, 2004 |
Most Recently Updated |
Dec 29, 2020 |
Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
Downloads |
155 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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