| Revision as of 07:02, 26 February 2005 editJmabel (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Administrators90,312 edits There is no reason to link "Nathan" here, but certainly link Saladin!; rm "Ironically" (POV); specifically Third Crusade; Category:Plays← Previous edit | Revision as of 09:03, 26 February 2005 edit undoSebastianHelm (talk | contribs)Administrators21,373 editsm trueNext edit → | ||
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| Set in ] during the ], it describes how the wise Jewish merchant Nathan, the ] ] ] and the (initially anonymous) ] bridge their gaps between ], ] and ]. | Set in ] during the ], it describes how the wise Jewish merchant Nathan, the ] ] ] and the (initially anonymous) ] bridge their gaps between ], ] and ]. | ||
| The centerpiece of the work is the ''ring parable'', narrated by Nathan when asked by Saladin which religion is true: An heirloom ring with the magical ability to render its owner pleasant in the eyes of ] and mankind had been passed from father to the son he loved most. When it came to a father of three sons whom he loved equally, he promised it (in "pious weakness") to each of them. Looking for a way to keep his promise, he had two replicas made, which were indistinguishable from the original, and gave on his deathbed a ring to each of them. The brothers quarrelled over who owned the real ring. A wise judge admonished them that it was up to them live such that their ring's powers proved true. Nathan compares this to religion, saying that each of us lives by the ] we have learned from those we respect. | The centerpiece of the work is the ''ring parable'', narrated by Nathan when asked by Saladin which religion is ]: An heirloom ring with the magical ability to render its owner pleasant in the eyes of ] and mankind had been passed from father to the son he loved most. When it came to a father of three sons whom he loved equally, he promised it (in "pious weakness") to each of them. Looking for a way to keep his promise, he had two replicas made, which were indistinguishable from the original, and gave on his deathbed a ring to each of them. The brothers quarrelled over who owned the real ring. A wise judge admonished them that it was up to them live such that their ring's powers proved true. Nathan compares this to religion, saying that each of us lives by the ] we have learned from those we respect. | ||
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Revision as of 09:03, 26 February 2005
Nathan the Wise (original German title Nathan der Weise) is a play by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, published in 1779. It is a fervent plea for religious tolerance. Its performance was forbidden by the church during Lessing's lifetime.
Set in Palestine during the Third Crusade, it describes how the wise Jewish merchant Nathan, the enlightened sultan Saladin and the (initially anonymous) Templar bridge their gaps between Christianity, Judaism and Islam.
The centerpiece of the work is the ring parable, narrated by Nathan when asked by Saladin which religion is true: An heirloom ring with the magical ability to render its owner pleasant in the eyes of God and mankind had been passed from father to the son he loved most. When it came to a father of three sons whom he loved equally, he promised it (in "pious weakness") to each of them. Looking for a way to keep his promise, he had two replicas made, which were indistinguishable from the original, and gave on his deathbed a ring to each of them. The brothers quarrelled over who owned the real ring. A wise judge admonished them that it was up to them live such that their ring's powers proved true. Nathan compares this to religion, saying that each of us lives by the religion we have learned from those we respect.
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