Nathan the Wise

Nathan the Wise
Recha Welcoming Her Father, 1877 illustration by Maurycy Gottlieb
Written byGotthold Ephraim Lessing
CharactersNathan, Saladin, Young Templar, Patriarch, Recha, Daja, Monk, Sittah, Al-Hafi
Date premiered14 April 1783
Place premieredDöbbelinsches Theater, Berlin
Original languageGerman
SettingJerusalem c. 1192
Second edition in its first year of publication, 1779, in the collection of the Jewish Museum of Switzerland

Nathan the Wise (original German title: Nathan der Weise, pronounced [ˈnaːtaːn deːɐ̯ ˈvaɪzə] ⓘ) is a play by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing from 1779.[1] It is a fervent plea for religious tolerance.[2] It was never performed during Lessing's lifetime and was first performed in 1783 at the Döbbelinsches Theater in Berlin.[2]

Set in Jerusalem during the Third Crusade, it describes how the wise Jewish merchant Nathan, the enlightened sultan Saladin, and the (initially anonymous) Templar, bridge their gaps between Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Its major themes are friendship, tolerance, relativism of God, a rejection of miracles and a need for communication.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference KirschTheWise was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Dale, Geoff (June 17, 2019). "Stratford Festival review: A thought-provoking theatrical experience". Stratford Beacon-Herald. Retrieved September 5, 2019.