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

Driven by his ambition, doctor Faust learns black magic and sells his soul to the devil Mefistopheles, who will serve him for twenty-four years in return. Mefistopheles is also trying to obtain the soul of his servant Hannswurst. Imitating his master, the latter also tried to summon demons; however, the devil himself is bewildered by the servant’s coarseness and simple-mindedness. Mefistopheles then takes them to Italy: the Duchess of Parma is desperately trying to win back the love of the Duke, who suffers from melancholy. Faust promises to heal him, before finding out that the Duchess wants to poison him to avenge herself for the affront of Hannswurst, who farted on her face. Mefistopheles helps them both go back to Wittemberg safely. But Faust’s final hour has come. He tries to trick his way out of Hell, by suggesting that he and his old servant swap clothes; but Hannswurst is not fooled, and Faust is damned.

String marionette

Geisselbrecht Johann Georg

Weimar

University

Necromancy

Sorcery

Donkey

Perlike

Vanity

Human condition

Eternal punishment

Hell

Fart

Goat

Nightwatchman

Tragic

Farcical

Mock-heroic

Fausts Leben, Thaten und Höllenfahrt

Eine alte Volks-Sage, aus den Zeiten des 12ten Jahrhunderts in 5 Aufzügen

Faust

Christoph Wagner

Hanswurst

Duchess of Parma

Skeleton

Mephistopheles

Devil

Angel

Voice

Genie

Fury

Helen of Troy

Monologue

Off-stage voice

Dilemma

Lazzi

Word for another

Thunderbolt

Pact with the devil

Macaronism

Talking animal

Dream

Comic equivocation

Pyrotechnics

Apparition

Doctor Faust

After the death of his father (a miller), Casperl inherits his old cat Muzl, who is no other than a naturalist magician turned into an animal for having questioned creationism: he has been sentenced to live as a cat until he has eaten the giant Lüpel. Muzl introduces Casperl to the local lord by making Casperl bring him rabbits and partridges, for the Lord loves them to the point of not eating anything else. However, Lüpel asks for the hand of Lord Rosalinde’s daughter through the intervention of the chamberlain Gummielastico. Rosalinde refuses and Lüpel turns Gummielastico into a rubber ball. Muzl offers his services to Lüpel and advises him to transform into a mouse to slip inside Rosalinde’s house. The giant transforms and Muzl eats him. Casperl marries the princess.

Young audiences

Pocci Franz von

Munich

Last will and testament

Miller

Magic

Biology

Creation of the world

Homunculus

Hypochondria

Melancholy

Paranoia

Politics

Nature

Rabbit

Partridge

Wedding

Beer

Fantasy

Illustration by Franz von Pocci for the edition of the play in 1862

Lord

Gamekeeper

Physician

Kasperl

Giant

Valet

Teacher

Hidden character

Address to the public

Letter

Argument

Brawl

Instrumental tune

Parody of formal language

Procession

Muzl, der gestiefelte Kater

Muzl, the Puss in Boots

Two hungry lawyers are looking for clients by all means. One would like to urge Pierrot, the other Mme Bégriche to sue anyone under any pretext. But they refuse, flee and then hit the lawyers. The two lawyers join forces to create a dispute: one kills Pierrot's cat and accuses Mme Bégriche of the crime, while the other kills Mme Bégriche's parrot and blames the cat. Dragged to court by their lawyers, the two plaintiffs, victims of the Commissaire's stupidity, were sentenced to be hanged. But they escape without paying any fees and beat up the lawyers who are chasing them. The two lawyers blame each other for this failure and fight to death.

Glove-puppet

All audiences

France

Paris

Duranty Louis Émile Edmond

Hunger

Lawyer

Trial

Judgment

Speech for the defense

Parrot

Injustice

Crime

Latin

False testimony

Discord

Comical

Parodistic

French

Pierrot

Police Superintendant

Animal

Misunderstanding

Blow-with-a-stick

Chase

Fight to the death

Court scene

Les Plaideurs malgré eux

The Plaintiffs in spite of themselves

Kasperl leaves his wife Grete and resigns from his job at Stoffelbauer’s farm to explore the world. On the road, he meets the genius of the mountains, Cuivre Curpus. The latter is dressed as an old man and Kasperl gives him three of his copper coins. Cuprus thanks him and gifts him a magic violin in turn. Kasperl uses it to make the Jew Mauschl dance until he faints, after discovering that he was embezzling money. Two robbers – Fangauf and Schnapper – take advantage of the opportunity to steal Mauschl’s purse. Kasperl is then introduced to Duke Richard’s court as the violinist Spagatini, and he seduces the Duke’s daughter, Princess Amalie, as well as her lady-in-waiting. One day he is caught serenading them by night, but he makes the guards, the whole court, the princess and the lady-in-waiting dance. However, he is brought to justice and accused by Mauschl of having stolen the purse. As a result, he is sentenced to death. At the gallows, he asks to play one last tune on his violin, in the hope of making everyone dance and escaping. But Cuprus appears with Grete. He takes away the magic of the violin but promises to save Kasperl’s life, on condition that he goes back to his wife.

Der Staupbesen

Eine dramatsche Fantasei

Doctor Faust

Eine alte Volks-Sage, aus den Zeiten des 12ten Jahrhunderts in 5 Aufzügen

Muzl, der gestiefelte Kater

Les Plaideurs malgré eux

Die Zaubergeige

Casper soll ins Gefängnis kommen

Le mie prime guarattelle