The rhetoric of passivity and the challenge of modernity in Schiller's die braut von messina

Schiller's Die Braut von Messina has traditionally been seen as a stillborn hybrid of modern and Greek tragedy, a superfluous rehashing of the fraternal conflict of Die Rauber, and the unfortunate progenitor of German fate tragedy. The weaknesses of the plot in conception and execution are mitigated, however, by the interest aroused by the drama's intricate rhetorical structuring, and the compelling thematization of language as a medium for enlightenment and cultural advancement. In Die Braut, Schiller showcases how the dramatis personae's fatally maladaptive relationship to the spoken word and defensive rhetorical strategies result in a tragic failure to appreciate the demands of the modern moment.