The Jewess of Toledo

  • Alfonso VIII, King of Castile
  • Eleanor of England, his wife
  • The Prince, their son
  • Manrique, Count of Lara
  • Don Garceran, whose son
  • Isaac, the Jew
  • Esther, whose daughter
  • Rachel, whose daughter

The Jewess of Toledo is a historical tragedy in five acts by Franz Grillparzer. Written about 1851, it was only posthumously premiered on November 22, 1872 in Prague.

Content

The young, high-spirited Jewess Rachel penetrates one day in the royal gardens in Toledo and surprised the royal couple. While the Queen is disgusted by the importunity of the intruder, the king remains fascinated by the passion of the foreign girl. By the time he succumbs to the charm of the Jew. As part of the Moorish threat of Toledo, the Queen feels with the support of the court forced to eliminate Rachel, and thus to bring the king to reason.

Inspiration

Grillparzer freely adapted Las paces de los Reyes y Judía de Toledo by Lope de Vega, although another historic event may have taken stronger influence on the content of the drama. Namely, the affair of the Bavarian King Ludwig I to the Irish dancer Lola Montez around the year 1847, which provoked a revolt of the population.

Secondary literature

The Jewess of Toledo ( program book ), Burgtheater GesmbH, Vienna, 2010

Fime

Germany 1920/21 Director: Otto Kreisler, Screenplay: Robert Land, Starring: Franz Höbling, Ida north and Leopold Iwald

Toledo, Spain 1195 Eleanor of England, Queen of Castile Moors Ludwig I of Bavaria Project Gutenberg Integrated Authority File
238006
de