Apollo has fled the wretchedness of German literature for the land of Utopia. Mercury relates how German poets have turned the Parnassus into a brothel and reminds Apollo of his responsibilities. They go to the Parnassus and find that Minerva has been raped and is on the verge of hanging herself. Then, Apollo dispenses justice and punishes muses and the members of their cult: he transforms them into pigs, donkeys, dung beetles, spittoons and dustbins, and serves the rest up to journalists. Once their work is complete, they will be hung by their feet.

Not specified

Schink Johann Friedrich

Germany

Berlin

Printed

Greek mythology

Gods

Poetry

Wonderland

Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock

Gottfried August Bürger

Popular literature

Sturm und Drang

Preromantic

Triviality

Scatology

Rousseauism

Germanic mythology

Philosophy

Stench

Satirical

Burlesque

Engraving from the original publication of Marionettentheater (1778)

German

Apoll

Eine dramatsche Fantasei

Creativity

Apollo

Mercury

Minerva

Muse

Grâce

Prologue

Allegory

Song

Allusion to current literary events

Hanging scene

Chorus

Sung scenes

Versified passages

Foul language register

Parodic trial

Defecation on stage

Metamorphosis

Epilogue

Der Staupbesen

The Broom

Theseus – duke of Athens – has just prevailed against Creon – king of Thebes. Palamon and Arcite, two Theban cousins, are found alive. Theseus imprisons them for life. The two cousins promise to never betray one another. Yet, when they hear Theseus’ sister, Emely, sing in the garden under their cell, they both fall in love with her. Their promise is then broken. In the garden, Emely finds a love letter addressed to her. She understands that it was written by a prisoner (the one whose face she has seen behind the bars of the cell, she believes). She makes a vow of chastity, promises allegiance to the goddess Diana and to the author of the letter, and then she declares that she will reject anyone that courts her. She then declines the advances of the King of India, the Duke of Brittany and the Emperor of Rome. A Theban asked for Arcite to be released. His sentence is overturned by Theseus, but he must flee Athens or be put to death. He is then seen disguised as Pentheo, who stages a masque (a sung and danced show) attended by Emely. This metatheatrical scene reproduces the story of Emely and Arcite and ends with a song. Luciana, Emely’s lady-in-waiting, has put the guards to sleep – Palamon is now free, and he meets Emely in the garden. They promise to be faithful to each other for the rest of their life. When Palamon and Arcite meet again in a forest, they start a duel – interrupted by the arrival of Theseus, who spares their lives on condition that they promise to not wage war on him. He also declares that the cousin who wins a tournament will marry Emely. Then, Palamon, Emely and Arcite respectively pray Venus, Diana and Mars, who all appear to them. Arcite wins the tournament, but he is seriously injured and eventually dies. Palamon mourns the death of his cousin, who was a friend and like a brother to him. Theseus makes a speech in his memory.