Friedrich Schiller's ''Wilhelm Tell''

 The legend of Wilhelm Tell is as old as the hills, yet, there is no more subtle and romantic story. Friedrich Schiller wrote a drama a piece of masterpiece which expresses the political situation he himself observed and wanted to comprehend. The hero expresses Schiller's perception of live, his inner, unbroken demenour. The controversy and orthodoxy he was not afraid to come forward. The drama suddenly became very popular and well-read, Schiller himself was not astounded of its popularity, namely, he did expect the success, not that huge one, tough. It was his last completed work, his writting victory he deserved for. The book undoubtedy is indebted to the works and suggestion of Goethe's. Schiller's work was highely influenced by Goethe's. They befriended and created a mutual bound, a spiritual bound which helped them to create the books of our time. The one it is worth returning to. The crrespondence between those two was frequent and profound.

''(...)What will You say when I confess to You that, amid all these prosaic matters, a poetic one has arisen which inspires me with a good deal of confidence? I feel almost sure that the story of Tell could be treated epically; and if I should suceed in what I contemplate, we shall have a curious instance of a story first attaining its full truth through poetry , in place of history being made a fable, as is the general rule. But more of this is a future time. The limited but exceedingly important locale which forms the scene of the events, I have again very thoroughlly examined; and I have also directed my attention to the characters and to the manners and customs of the people of the district (...)''

Schiller's reply to the Goethe's perceptions and pieces of advise was staight forward:

''(...) Your idea in regard to Wilhelm Tell is a very happy one; and after having carefully considered that point, I think that, [...] it is only some such subject perfectly local in character, that You could handle with You peculiar originality of mind and freshness of spirit... . The beautiful subject will give us a certain broad insight into the whole human species, in the same way as between high mountains one may obtain a view into the far distance (...)''

The eponymous folk hero was indeed a perfect subject to hang out, the plot is very dynamic and filled with twist and turns, wit dialogues and suspence one may only admire. The way how it should be written was a perplexing matter, finally, it was agreed that ''Wilhelm Tell'' appears in hexameter, despite of all odds of its component.

''(...) I am at present working at ''Wilhelm Tell''; of which subject I intent to make a great tragedy (...) [...] I am at present busy working out a ''Wilhelm Tell''. This subject is very tough and gives me much trouble (...)''

As stated before ''Wilhelm Tell'' is the last completed piece of literature Schiller wrote, namely, Schiller succumbed to the malady which developed pulmonary consumption, he died shortly after at the age of forty-six. The drama appeared in the period of extreme excitemet and freedom which provided the vent and voice for the patriotic feelings of his countrymen. There is no coincidence why ... Germany found itself in a very difficult situation, in a dark period, this drama was like the light at the end of the tunnel – it showed the possibilites, it showed that there was a way out, the oppresion was no longer a lagacy, it was something the countrymen might and ought to shake off.

“The man of courage thinks not of himself. Help the oppressed and put thy trust in God.”  

 



It shows the permanent but changable elements of human nature; the qualities of which are independent, these elemets eager to be self-determined, free to decided regardless of place and time.

No one could describe more accurately how Schiller and his masterpiece match the match than Goethe;

''(...) Both Schiller and ''Tell'' could very well exist together, namely, through the conception of self-dependance. In my execution however, with the obediance to the tendency of his talent, and the neccesities of the German state, he was compelled to pursue another road (...).''

Goethe read and contemplated over the drama, he saw the inner soul and core essance of it, through the eye of Schiller, he also realized of the threat, how, inconvenient in must have been to the state, yet, unsoppable and strong in notion, respectively. The drama takes place in XIII century, perhaps, 1291. Cantons of Switzerland are useasy place to live, much more, difficult to rule and govern upon.

 

“So it has reached this pass? Obedience and fear take flight together?”

 

The encroachments of the House of Austria are growing in power, so does, the confederacy which is about to protect the freedom and fight for liberties.

''(...) A high and rocky shore of the lake of Lucerne opposite to Schwyz. An inlet of the shore. Hard by the fisher's hut. A fisher's boy in a skiff. On the further side of the lake are seen the green meadows and the hamlets and homesteads of Schwyz, bathed in sunshine. On the left hand, tower the peaks of the Haken, enveloped in clouds. In the background to the right are ranged snow-clad mountains. In the near distance are heard the strains of pastoral melody, and the harmonious tinkling of the cattle bells (...)''

To understand the problem, we have to go back to VIII century, at that particular moment Alemannic tribes began to settle in, they were mainly vassals, some of them were pronounced as ''free men'', yet, most of them were deprived of freedom, they were about to show obedience to over-lords, clerical part of the society; in the long run it cannot be coherent, idyllic. The limited independance made yeowmen edgy. They wanted more rights, they wanted more liberty, self-sufficiency. Centuries passed ahead, people changed, social and political situation, as well. Powerful and unscrupulous Dukes of Zahringen ruled with the iron consequence in the name of the Empreror of Germany. Their inheritance was spread among the Counts of Habsburg, which, triggered their haste to obain the power, and gave onset to their total establisment of leadership. The Habsburgs were able to dominate almost every state, apart, the mountainous region of the Canton of Uri.

“We shall be free, just as our fathers were.”  

It must be remineded that ''Wilhelm Tell'' is a legand, every legend is proud of its hero, Wilhelm Tell, without a cloud of doubt is not a fictional character. A gallant Swiss patriot. This hero was a woodsman and a hunter, he wanted to bring up the justice and and free his people from the tyrant – local Austrian governor – Hermann Gessler. Diosbedience is harshly punished, to prove that the authority is upon everything and everyone, Gessler ordered to bow to a hat which has been placed upon a pole as a punishment for not obeying orders.

“You saw his weakness, and he will never forgive you.”

Tell is forced to shoot an apple from his son's head, which is to prove that he is not such good shooter as he pronounced himself, Gessler hopes Tell kills his son, nothing hurts more than loosing the one Tell love the most of all – a little boy. This romantic element hugely dramatize the plot.

“This feat of Tell, the archer, will be told
While yonder mountains stand upon their base.
By heaven! The apple's cleft right through the core.”

The arrow from his crossbow doesn't miss the apple, the shot is successful, yet, dishonest Gessler doesn't keep his promise, he arrests Tell. Fortunately for Tell, Gessler underestimated Tell's character. Bravery and courage helps Willelm Tell to escape, and so he awaits the opportunity to kill Gessler. After the assassination of Gessler, Wilhelm Tell escapes to the woods. The drama is based on true political uphevals which took place in XIII century. The real outline of the events really took place in the Canton of Uri. At that time the Canton was occupied by the vassals of Zurich. The political disobedience was about to destroy the House of Habsburg, yet, it was not strong enough, the Habsburgs regained the power, afterall. The drama was compared to Nordic sagas. The closes relation was found of those from Norway, Denmark and Scotland.

The origin of saga is still quite an argumentative point, it still must be analysed and thoroughly examined. Despite of all odds and understatemetns it is the most beautiful Shiller's work of our time.

 

Bibliography:

 

''Wilhelm Tell'', Fredrich Schiller, Biblioteka Narodowa, Seria II, 1962, Zaklad Narodowy im. Ossolinskich.

 

OTA [The University of Oxford Text Archive]