Hamburg Dramaturgy
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Hamburg Dramaturgy (1767–69) is a series of essays by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing that critically examined dramatic works and theatrical performances. In this influential work, Lessing reinterpreted Aristotle's concept of catharsis, proposing that tragedy evokes pity and fear in the audience, which should then lead to moral action. He championed William Shakespeare as a model for German dramatists, arguing that Shakespeare's plays were more effective at eliciting these emotions than French Classicism. Lessing's Hamburg Dramaturgy was a significant contribution to German literary criticism and helped shape modern German drama by advocating for a more naturalistic and emotionally resonant theatrical experience.123
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- dramatic literatureWestern theory
…in his Hamburgische Dramaturgie (1767–69; Hamburg Dramaturgy) sought to accommodate Shakespeare to a new view of Aristotle. With the classical straitjacket removed, there was a release of dramatic energies in new directions. There were still local critical skirmishes, such as Jeremy Collier’s attack on the “immorality and profaneness of the…
Read More…in his Hamburgische Dramaturgie (1767–69; Hamburg Dramaturgy) sought to accommodate Shakespeare to a new view of Aristotle. With the classical straitjacket removed, there was a release of dramatic energies in new directions. There were still local critical skirmishes, such as Jeremy Collier’s attack on the “immorality and profaneness of the…
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tragedyRomantic theoriesRomanticism’s chief innovations in his Hamburg Dramaturgy (1767–69):
Read MoreRomanticism’s chief innovations in his Hamburg Dramaturgy (1767–69):
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