Luther (play)
- Martin Luther
- Tetzel
- Staupitz
- Cajetan
- Miltiz
- Leo X.
- Eck
- Katharina von Bora
- A Knight
- A Prior
- Hans Luther
- Lucas
- Wienand
- Johnny Luther ( Luther's son )
- A herald
- Several Augustine and several Dominicans, etc.
Luther (English Luther ) is a 1962 drama posted by John Osborne, based on the life of Martin Luther.
The piece is influenced by Erik H. Erikson's book The young man Luther, which was published three years earlier in 1958. Luther is therefore also considered in the piece rather critical.
Action
In 1506, Martin Luther, a young monk of the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt, torments himself to the edge, to stand before God and attain to salvation. His father Hans sees the development of his son critical. He would prefer it if his son would do something other than monasticism. But this can be said nothing and simply continues.
Years later, in 1517, Martin Luther hears that the Dominican Tetzel sold in Jiiterbog Church drain. Luther, who considered these indulgences critical formulated 95 theses against this bustle and publish it. The events come thick and fast. The official church takes action against his thesis and he shall be revoked. But Luther does not want to bow down and he is 1521 loaded on the Diet of Worms, where he is to be revoked. But Luther, who has been released, can not decide to revoke it. At this point the action of the play jumps to the year 1525. A farmer who had initially welcomed Luther's actions, is disappointed by him and confronts him. He wants to know why the rebellious peasants were not supported by Luther, and referred to him once as a butcher. Luther did not agree with the farmer words, tells him God is the butcher, and shows no responsibility.
The piece ends after a conversation with Staupitz with how his young son Hans Luther, who is still an infant rocked to sleep.
The individual acts
The play consists of three acts, each divided into several scenes.
Act I Scene 1 The Augustinian Hermits monastery in Erfurt. 1506 Scene 2 The Augustinian Hermits monastery in Erfurt. 1507 Scene 3 The Augustinian Hermits monastery in Erfurt. Two hours later,
Second Act Scene 1 On a marketplace in Jiiterbog Scene 2 In the hermitage. Wittenberg. 1517 Scene 3 On the steps of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. On the eve of All Saints' Day Scene 4 In the Fugger palace at Augsburg Scene 5 On a hunting lodge in Magliana in Italy Scene 6 On Elster in Wittenberg
Act Three Scene 1 The Diet of Worms. 1521 Scene 2 Wittenberg in 1525 Scene 3 In the hermitage at Wittenberg. 1530
Historical inaccuracies
- Johann Tetzel is incorrectly shown at the meeting of Luther with Cardinal Cajetan in Augsburg in 1518, as a present.
- Eck is being interrogated in the play Luther at the Diet of Worms. In reality Eck did not.
- Staupitz died in 1524. Consequently, the last scene of the play, which takes place in the year 1530 and in the Luther with Staupitz has not coherent.
Films
The piece was filmed several times. For the first time in 1964 as an Australian television film under the name of Luther and again in 1965 by the BBC, also under the name of Luther. Again, the play was filmed in 1968. This version named Luther was born in the United States. The best-known version, however, dates back to 1974 and is a British- Canadian American co-production. Also, it bears the name Luther.