Summaries
(of The Robbers, Intrigue and Love, Don Carlos and Mary Stuart) 

The Robbers (Die Räuber):

Franz Moor, who is discriminated because of his appearance and who the second son of the family, makes up an intrigue in order to take away his older brother Karl his right as the first son of the family.Karl, who is in Leipzig, has written a letter to his father in order to apologize for his easy-going life as a student. Franz replaces this letter through a letter written by a third person, who describes Karl as a man who has seduced a married woman, who has killed her fiancé and who is chased by the police. Karl’s father believes the information which is included in this letter and he wants Franz to talk to his brother. Now, Franz writes a letter to Karl which marks the ending between the relationship between Karl and his father. Karl is now deeply disappointed and decides to become the villain as his father sees him. He becomes a second Robin Hood; he and his henchmen try to help the suppressed, but some of his men are only interested in killing people. Therefore, Karl decides to give up his life as a villain but he has sworn faithfulness to his henchmen. That is way he decides to return to the castle of his father in order to see him and Amalia, his fiancée, again. But at that time, not Karl’s father is the one, who governs, but his brother Franz. Karl’s father is not allowed to eat much and Amalia is the only one who can resist Franz’s effort to make her his wife. Karl disguises himself in order to help Amalia and his father but Franz recognises him as his older brother and he is afraid to death. Karl’s henchmen attack the castle and at that point, Franz commits suicide.
Karl discovers that he has become the victim of an intrigue. He rescues his father but he dies shortly after Karl has told him under which circumstances he has lead his life in the past. Amalia recognizes Karl as well but she is really disappointed and longs for death. Karl, who is connected to his henchmen, has to kill her. He lets a day labourer deliver him to the police so that the poor man can start a new life with the reward the police gives him for handing Karl over. 



Intrigue and Love (Kabale und Liebe):

Ferdinand von Walter, who is the son of an influential Royal at a German court, has fallen in love with Luise, who is the daughter of the musician Miller. Both fathers do not like the relationship between their children because this relationship does not fit into their conception: Luise and Ferdinand do not live the same lives. Additionally, Luise is not sure as well if this relationship is worth fighting for. In contrast to her, Ferdinand is the one who is really passionate and wants her to escape with him. However, Luise cannot combine this idea with her conscience and that is why Ferdinand starts doubting on the real feelings of Luise towards him. Because of the fact that Ferdinand´s father does not want that his son marries a daughter of a musician, he and his secretary Worm invent an intrigue which should help that Ferdinand marries Lady Milford, instead of Luise. Luise´s parents are taken to prison because of alleged insulting Ferdinand´s father. Worm explains Luise that her parents are going to be executed if she does not write a love letter to the lord stewart, von Kalb, in which she tells him her deep feelings for him. She is forced to sign an oath which obliges her to tell everyone that she has written this letter without being forced. Ferdinand finds this letter and is deeply disappointed and hurt. Desperation and anger make him blind and therefore, he longs for revenge. Luise decides to commit suicide in order to become free from the oath. While dying, she wants to tell Ferdinand the whole truth about Worm and the intrigue but her father does not want Luise to commit suicide. Consequently, she has to be silent when Ferdinand confronts her with all his anger, desperation and insults. Ferdinand poisons himself and Luise and at that point, she released from the oath and is finally free to talk about the intrigue. Dying, Luise forgives Ferdinand and he, who is closer to death than to life, can forgive his father as well. 

(Although it is a German trailer, you find at the end of this site a stage performance which shows how Intrigue and Love can be presented on stage.)



Don Carlos

In the summer residence, Don Carlos mets his old friend Marquis de Posa again. Posa, who has been travelling for a long time, has just arrived from Brussels. He wants Don Carlos to be send to the turbulent province Flandern in order to finish the on-going troubles between the Spanish Catholics and the Netherlands peacefully. But Carlos is not interested in the political issues because he has still been fallen in love with Elisabeth from Valois who was supposed to be his wife but Carlos´ father married her beforehand.

Carlos´ father, King Philipp, is jealous because he knows the deep feelings of his son for his step-mother and therefore, he inhibits each attempt of Carlos to meet Elizabeth. Posa, who has been a friend of Elizabeth for a long time, arranges a meeting between Carlos and his step-mother in which Carlos confesses her how much he loves her.

Elizabeth is shocked about Carlos´ behaviour and she explains him that she has learned to respect and to honour her husband and that her responsibility towards her country and her people is much stronger than her feelings she used to have for Carlos. Moreover, she wants him to stop focussing on his feelings but wants him to start being interested in political issues and his mother country.

Back in Madrid, Carlos talks to his father in order to convince him to send him to Flandern. Philipp, who mistrusts his son and who is not willing to reconcile with him, decides to send Duke of Alba to Flandern. Additionally, King Philipp thinks that his son has a weak and self-destructive character.

Carlos receives a love letter written by Princess Eboli. But my mistake, Carlos believes that this letter has been written by Elisabeth. Totally happy, he follows the demand to meet the one who has written the letter in a lonely room of the castle. But instead of seeing Elisabeth, Carlos just finds Princess Eboli, who does not recognize that Carlos does not want to see her but his step-mother, confesses him her love.

Carlos gets to know from a letter written by the King to Eboli that he has made her to his mistress and therefore, she is forced to marry the Duke of Silva. Carlos is deeply touched by her destiny but the only thing he can offer her is his friendship and not his love. Additionally, Carlos confesses Eboli that he is in love with another woman. Carlos decides to take the letter from the King with him in order to show this letter to the Queen a bit later. Eboli realizes bit by bit that Elisabeth is the other woman and because of her jealousy, she decides to take revenge on Carlos and Elisabeth.

Duke of Alba and padre Domingo have now allied each other against Carlos and they convince Eboli to reveal Carlos´ secret of being in love with the Queen. They want Eboli to steal letters written by Carlos to Elisabeth to have evidence for their accusations. At the same time, Carlos tells Posa about the incident that Eboli is love with him and that the King has not been faithful to Elisabeth. Posa does not want Carlos to show the letter to Elisabeth. He should, therefore, be focused on the political issues again.

Because of the confession of Eboli and the rumour that his baby child is not his but Carlos´ child, the King decides to execute both, Elisabeth and Carlos.

Because of the fact that King Philipp is just surrounded by dishonest people, he longs for someone he can rely on and whom he can trust. Therefore, he wants the Marquis de Posa to work for him. Firstly, Posa rejects this bargain and delivers a speech for humanity. Furthermore, he wants the King to change Spain which has been a place like a prison at that time into a place where freedom and justice reigns. The King is impressed by Posa and advanced him. He should spy on Carlos and Elisabeth. In pretence, Posa accepts the bargain of the King. He searches for Elisabeth who should convince Carlos to rebel against the King. Because of numerous misunderstandings and letters, Carlos is caught and brought to jail. During a conversation between Carlos and Posa about the truth, Posa is killed by a gun shot.
King Philipp wants to reconcile with his son but Carlos, who is deeply shocked because of Posa´s death, is not willing to forgive his father. Philipp, who is deeply disappointed because of Posa´s betray, gives up all his humanity and commit Carlos to the inquisitor.



Mary Stuart (Maria Stuart)

Friedrich Schiller tells the story of Mary Stuart in this play. He uses historical facts but also fictional aspects to present the historical background.

Mary Stuart is imprisoned in England – she is accused to have killed her husband Darnley. The real reason for her being in jail is that Elizabeth I. is afraid that Mary would become the new Queen of England. Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth I., hesitates over signing Mary’s death sentence.
After Mary finds out that Mortimer, the nephew of her custodian, is on her side, she entrusts her life to the character Mortimer, who is supposed to give Earl of Leicester a letter from Mary, in which she pleads for help.

Mary manages to meet Elizabeth I., which ends in a disaster because Mary does not want to accept all the wishes Elizabeth I. has.

The situation gets even more complicated when Mortimer tries to free Mary out of the prison. Because of the fact that Mortimer fails, he finally commits suicide.

Queen Elizabeth I. now signs Mary´s death sentence but she says that the only reason she does so is that she is forced by her own people to do so.

There is no chance to rescue Mary and therefore, she is executed by Lord Burleigh.