When did Heinrich von Kleist write Penthesilea?

When did Heinrich von Kleist write Penthesilea?

Based on the figure from Greek mythology, Penthesilea, Queen of the Amazons, Kleist wrote this tragedy in 1808. It was long considered (among others by Goethe) as unplayable.

When was the first performance of Penthesilea performed?

It was first performed on 25 April 1876 at the Königliches Schauspielhaus in Berlin, 65 years after the author’s death. The Amazons, a fierce race of female warriors, have a sacred tradition: they can marry only those warriors whom they have defeated in battle.

How did Achilles fall in love with Penthesilea?

Achilles enters the Amazon camp in search of Penthesilea despite the orders of Odysseus to return to the Greek army, and finds her unconscious in the arms of her devoted friend Prothoe; he explains to Prothoe that he has fallen in love with Penthesilea and wishes to marry her.

What happens to Penthesilea when she regains consciousness?

When Penthesilea regains consciousness, she is led to believe that she was the victor in their personal combat and that therefore she can claim him as her husband. But the arrival of a troop of Greek soldiers compels Achilles to reveal the truth about their combat, and he is forced to leave, taking the Greek prisoners with him.