What is more, Albrecht’s widow Elisabeth guarantess Swiss independence. In Act Five, the news arrives that the Kaiser, Albrecht, has been murdered by his nephew Johannes of Swabia. Attinghausen dies saying that the aristocracy is no longer needed since the people have organised themselves. In Act Four, Tell escapes from Gessler’s men. Tell does the deed but Gessler has him arrested anyway when Tell explains that the second arrow was intended for Gessler. Gessler threatens to have Tell executed unless he shoots the apple placed on his son’s head. In Act Three, Bertha persuades Rudenz to support the national cause. In Act Two, the aging Baron von Attinghausen and his nephew Rudenz mope about the men of the three cantons meet at the Rütli meadow and plan an uprising. Stauffacher goes to Uri to find support there he meets the fugitive Melchthal whose father has been blinded by Gessler’s men. Stauffacher’s wife Gertrud advises him to seek an alliance between the three cantons Schwyz, Uri and Unterwalden. Ruodi the fisherman refuses to ferry Baumgarten to safety, fearing a storm, but Tell arrives and takes Baumgarten across. In Act One Baumgarten is on the run he killed the governor of Unterwalden who was trying to interfere with his wife. The play also deals with the theme of Tyrannenmord (the murder of a tyrant), and asks the question: when is murder justified? Through the figure of Tell, the play explores the coming-into-being of a legend, even though Tell does not seek this legenday status.

Natural rightness here goes hand in hand with democratic cultural and political forms. There is a sense that the Swiss resistance to tyranny, represented by the tyrant Gessler (the governor of Schwyz and Uri), is grounded in the nature and the countryside itself. ENG English (John H.Wilhelm Tell, first published and performed in 1804Schiller called this a ‘Schauspiel’ (a play), but in some ways it is more of a Volksstück (popular play), with a touch of the celebratory pageant.CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila), 'El noi pescador', copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission.by Friedrich von Schiller (1759 - 1805), no title, appears in Wilhelm Tell, Act I, Scene 1, Fischerknabe (singt im Kahn: Melodie des Kuhreihens) Īvailable translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):.

William tell friedrich schiller