A Consideration of the Narrative Element in German Theories of Drama: An Introductory Survey with Examples from Lessing and Schiller

Abstract

The traditional Japanese drama includes in itself a special form of narrative, which has been conceptualized as “katari”. The narrative element in European drama, on the other hand, does not seem to have ever been theorized. The story-telling by Nathan in Act III of Lessing's Nathan the Wise is one of the most famous examples of the narrative element in European drama history. But Nathan's story-telling is not separate or independent from the other parts of the play. On the contrary, it underscores the whole action of the drama. Schiller gives us similar examples, which function as an organic part of the dramatic action in the play. This is a characteristic of the narrative element in European drama, quite different from Japanese “katari”.