Sprache:
Deutsch
Erscheinungsjahr:
1998
Titel der Quelle:
Modern Language Review
Angaben zur Quelle:
93,1 (1998) 105-120
Schlagwort(e):
Lessing, Gotthold Ephraim,
;
Lessing, Gotthold Ephraim,
;
Antisemitism History 1500-1800
;
Antisemitism in literature
;
German literature History and criticism
Kurzfassung:
Argues against the prevalent view that these two plays by Lessing are an expression of his unqualified religious tolerance and philosemitism. Like many of his contemporaries, Lessing agreed to admit the Jews into the society of the Enlightenment on the condition that they would abandon their distinctive cultural peculiarity and become Germans in their language and habits. Thus Nathan and other positively depicted Jews in the plays lack religious or ethnic traits. Judaism was of little interest to Lessing; it served, rather, as a stick with which to beat Christianity. The plays are anti-antisemitic rather than philosemitic. Lessing's intention was to combat prejudice against the Jews in general; so he implied that good and virtuous Jews exist, maybe as an exception, whereas antisemitic stereotypes do apply to most Jews. Jews would be accepted as full members of society not by virtue of their natural right, but when they demonstrate their fitness to be citizens.
URL:
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