Variety in Schiller's work--Genesis of 'The Maid of Orleans'--Schiller's Johanna--Miraculous elements--Attitude of the critics--Difficulty of the subject--Johanna's tragic guilt--Her supernatural power--The scene with Lionel--Schiller's poetic intention--A drama of patriotism--The subordinate characters--Excellence of the composition. CHAPTER XIX The Bride of Messina Genesis of the play--General characterization--Disagreement of the critics--Relation to Sophocles--Substance of the plot--Ancients and moderns--Fate and responsibility--Schiller's invention--Unnaturalness of the action--Strange conduct of Don Manuel, Beatrice and the mother--Lavish use of silence--Schiller's contempt of realism--Don Cesar's expiatory death the real tragedy--Use of the fate idea--Apologia for the chorus--Poetic splendor. CHAPTER XX William Tell 'Tell' and 'The Robbers'--General characterization--Genesis--Attention to local color--An interruption--Success on the stage--The theme of 'Tell'--A drama of freedom--The play intensely human--Goodness of the exposition--Departures from usual method--Character of Tell--The apple-shooting scene--The scene in the 'hollow way'--Tell's long soliloquy--Introduction of Parricida--Bertha and Rudenz. CHAPTER XXI The End.--Unfinished Plays and Adaptations A Russian theme chosen--Berlin negotiations--Work on 'Demetrius'--'The Homage of the Arts'--Last illness and death--The unfinished 'Demetrius'--The historical Dmitri--The original plan modified--Character of the hero--Poetic promise of 'Demetrius'--'Warbeck'--'The Princess of Celle'--'The Knights of Malta'--Other unfinished plays--Adaptation of 'Egmont'--Of 'Nathan the Wise'--Of 'Macbeth'--Of 'Turandot'--Interest in the French drama--Adaptations from the French. CHAPTER XXII The Verdict of Posterity Schiller a national poet--His idealized personality--Estimate of Dannecker--Of Madame de Staël--Goethe's 'Epilogue'--Controversy over Goethe and Schiller--Attitude of Schlegel--Of Menzel--Goethe's loyalty to his friend--The mid-century epoch--Unreasonable criticism--Interesting prophecy of Gervinus--Schiller's aesthetic idealism often misunderstood--Schiller as a friend of the people--Partisan misconceptions--The enthusiasm of 1859--Epoch of the philologers--Present opinion of Schiller--Conclusion. LIVE AND WORKS OF SCHILLER CHAPTER I Parentage and Schooling Nur, Vater, mir Gesänge. _From the poem 'Evening', 1776._