Schiller (johann christoph friedrich von schiller 1759 ~ 1805) is a German dramatist and poet. Born in marbach-on-Neckar. My father was a surgeon and later became a military doctor in the army. 1773, the Duke of Wü rttemberg selected Schiller, who was 13 years old, to study law in his military school, and later agreed to study medicine. Schiller spent eight years in his youth in this tightly controlled and isolated place. After graduation, he worked as a military doctor in an infantry brigade in Stuttgart from 65438 to 0780. He had a deep understanding of the autocratic rule at that time. 178O, he wrote The Robber, a drama full of the spirit of Sturm and Delong, which premiered in Mannheim on 1782+05438+03. 1782 He wrote the third tragedy "Conspiracy and Love" and began to write the new drama "Don Carlos". 1783, Schiller wants to hire a screenwriter for Mannheim Theatre. 1785 In April, Schiller accepted the invitation of four admirers, including K, and went to Leipzig, where he spent a wonderful summer. His famous poem Ode to Joy reflects the warmth and happiness that this sincere friendship has given him. In the autumn of the same year, Schiller and his friends moved to Dresden, where they completed the political tragedy Don Carlos with the theme of Spanish court struggle. This is the last drama of his youth, which indicates that his creation is in the transition from frenzied period to classical period.

The Robber reflects the young people's resistance to feudal autocracy. On the title page of the second edition of The Robber, Schiller wrote the slogan "Down with the Violent" and quoted Hippocrates, a famous ancient Greek doctor: "If medicine cannot be cured, use iron to treat it; If iron can't cure it, use fire. " The fighting enthusiasm is extremely strong. Engels said the play was "a tribute to a young man who declared war on the whole society".

Conspiracy and Love is Schiller's masterpiece, which reflects the contradiction between the German civil class and the feudal ruling class. Louise, the heroine in the play, embodies the idea that the progressive young people in Germany opposed the feudal system and demanded freedom and equality at that time. She shouted: "the limit of class will collapse and the hateful skin of class will break!" " People are people! "Can be said to be the voice of the times. Engels said that this work was "the first political drama in Germany".

Almost ten years later, Schiller stopped writing and turned to study history and philosophy. In historical research, he focused on the national movement in historical development. He linked history with the current social problems in Germany. Just like this, his later historical plays are all about the past and the present, criticizing and accusing German society. In philosophy, Schiller is a follower of Kant.

His aesthetic theory is idealistic. In his aesthetic work "The Spread of Aesthetic Education", he emphasized the transformation of society through the education of beauty and built a country ruled by aesthetic principles. But when he accepted Goethe's help, he left idealism philosophy.

Schiller did not practice his aesthetic theory in Weimar's classical literary creation. Schiller later wrote some important plays, such as Wallenstein, The Girl in Orion and William Tell.

Wallenstein is set in the war of 1930s. Wallenstein, the hero of the play, is a real historical figure. Schiller embodied the requirements of national unity in him and pointed out the reasons for his failure.

The Maiden of Orion is set in the struggle of Joan of Arc, a French heroine, in the Hundred Years' War between Britain and France. She saved France from the humiliation of national subjugation.

Based on the legend of heroes in14th century, William Tell expressed his desire to fight against feudal tyrants and strive for freedom. The theme of these three plays is to call for national consciousness and national unity. This was the requirement of the times in Germany at that time. What is commendable is that the play also shows the struggle and strength of the people. This shows that Schiller's realistic spirit has been enhanced. However, due to the limitation of the world outlook and the serious separation from the reality of social struggle, Schiller's creation often starts from ideas and ideals, thus forming the "Schiller" defect of "turning individuals into simple megaphones of the spirit of the times". Don Carlos is a typical work with this defect.