Minna von Barnhelm

“ The power of Minna von Barnhelm, Lessing’s greatest drama, was also immediately recognized. Tellheim, the hero of the comedy, is an admirable study of a manly and sensitive soldier, with somewhat exaggerated ideas of conventional honour; and Minna, the heroine, is one of the brightest and most attractive figures in German comedy. The subordinate characters are conceived with even more force and vividness ”

“ Tender hearted, yet proud; virtuous, yet vain; passionate, yet innocent. I dare say you do not understand me. I do not rightly understand myself. Joy turns my head. FRAN. Compose yourself, my lady, I hear footsteps. MIN. Compose myself! What! receive him composedly? SCENE VIII. Major von Tellheim, Landlord, Minna, and Franziska MAJ. T. (walks in, and the moment he sees Minna rushes towards her) . Ah! my Minna! MIN. (springing towards him) . Ah! my Tellheim! MAJ. T. (starts suddenly, and draws back) . I beg your pardon, Fraulein von Barnhelm ”

“ There is one thing only which may need a studied turn ... this reserve, this scrupulousness of throwing herself, unfortunate as she is, into my arms; this anxiety to make a false show of still possessing that happiness which she has lost through me. How she is to exculpate herself to herself—for by me it is already forgiven—for this distrust in my honour, in her own worth... Ah! here she comes. SCENE V. Minna, Franziska, Major von Tellheim MIN. (speaking as she comes out, as if not aware of the Major's presence) . The carriage is at the door, Franziska, is it not? ”

“ It is cruel of you, Tellheim, to paint such happiness to me, when I am forced to renounce it. My loss!!!!! MAJ. T. Your loss! Why name your loss? All that Minna could lose is not Minna. You are still the sweetest, dearest, loveliest, best creature under the sun; all goodness and generosity, innocence and bliss! Now and then a little petulant; at times somewhat wilful—so much the better! So much the better! Minna would otherwise be an angel, whom I should honour with trepidation, but not dare to love. ”

“ Minna von Barnhelm (min ́ä fon bärn ́helm) .—A comedy by Lessing, published in 1767. It is the first German national drama which deals with contemporary events.
Minnehaha (min-e-hä ́hä) .—Hiawatha, Henry W. Longfellow. The daughter of the arrow maker of Dacotah, and wife of Hiawatha. She was called Minnehaha from the waterfall of that name.
Minnesingers (min ́e-sing-erz) .—A name given to the German lyric poets of the middle ages, on account of love being the principal theme of their lays, the German word “minne” being used to denote a pure and faithful love. ”

“ The service of the great is dangerous, and does not repay the trouble, the restraint, the humiliation which it costs. Minna is not amongst those vain people who love nothing in their husbands beyond their titles and positions. She will love me for myself; and for her sake I will forget the whole world. I became a soldier from party feeling—I do not myself know on what political principles—and from the whim that it is good for every honourable man to try the profession of arms for a time, to make himself familiar with danger, and to learn coolness and determination. ”

“ It is like awaking suddenly from a frightful dream. MIN. We are losing time... I hear him coming now. SCENE XIII. Count von Bruchsal (accompanied by several servants and the Landlord) , Two Servants, Werner, Just, Major von Tellheim, Minna, Franziska COUNT. (entering) . She arrived in safety, I hope? MIN. (running to meet him) . Ah! my father! COUNT. Here I am, dear Minna (embracing her) . But what, girl (seeing Tellheim) , only four-and-twenty hours here, and friends—company already! MIN. Guess who it is? COUNT. Not your Tellheim, surely! MIN. Who else!—Come, Tellheim (introducing him) . ”

“ No, Major, follow the call of your higher destiny. MAJ. T. Well! if the busy world has greater charms for you, Minna, let us remain in the busy world! How mean, how poor is this busy world; you now only know its gilded surface. Yet certainly, Minna, you will. ... But let it be so! until then! Your charms shall not want admirers, nor will my happiness lack enviers. MIN. No, Tellheim, I do not mean that! I send you back into the busy world, on the road of honour, without wishing to accompany you. Tellheim will there require an irreproachable wife! ”

“ I will set all that right again. (Exit the Landlord.) Franziska, run after him, and tell him not to mention my name! (Exit Franziska.) SCENE VII. Minna, and afterwards Franziska MIN. I have found him again!—Am I alone?—I will not be alone to no purpose.— (Clasping her hands.) Yet I am not alone! (Looking upwards.) One single grateful thought towards heaven, is the most perfect prayer! I have found him! I have found him! (With outstretched arms.) I am joyful and happy! What can please the Creator more than a joyful creature! (Franziska returns.) Have you returned, Franziska? You pity him! ”

“ Ten pistoles! You heard, my lady, that he was a beggar! (Minna pours out the coffee herself.) Who would give such a sum to a beggar? And to endeavour, into the bargain, to save him the humiliation of having begged for it! The charitable woman who, out of generosity, mistakes the beggar, is in return mistaken by the beggar. It serves you right, my lady, if he considers your gift as—I know not what. (Minna hands a cup of coffee to Franziska.) Do you wish to make my blood boil still more? I do not want any. (Minna puts it down again.) ”

“ If my mistress knows now what she is to have for dinner, it will be all over with her appetite. Come, we must talk that over in private. (Drags him off.) SCENE IX. Minna, Major von Tellheim MIN. Well, are we still both mistaken? MAJ. T. Would to heaven it were so—But there is only one Minna, and you are that one. MIN. What ceremony! The world might hear what we have to say to one another. MAJ. T. You here? What do you want here, Madam? MIN. Nothing now (going to him with open arms) . I have found all that I wanted. MAJ. T. (drawing back) . You seek a prosperous man, and one worthy of your love ”

“ Now, my dear unfortunate, you love me still, and have your Minna still, and are unhappy? Hear what a conceited, foolish thing your Minna was—is. She allowed—allows herself, to imagine that she makes your whole happiness. Declare all your misery at once. She would like to try how far she can outweigh it.—Well? MAJ. T. Madam, I am not accustomed to complain. MIN. Very well. I know nothing in a soldier, after boasting, that pleases me less than complaining. But there is a certain cold, careless way of speaking of bravery and misfortune!!!!! ”

“ No, silly girl, a man is never discarded for a single fault. No; but I have thought of a trick to pay him off a little for this pride, with pride of the same kind. FRAN. Indeed, you must be very composed, my lady, if you are thinking of tricks again. MIN. I am so; come. You will have a part to play in my plot. (Exeunt.)
ACT IV. SCENE I. Minna's Room. Minna (dressed handsomely and richly, but in good taste) , Franziska (They have just risen from a table, which a servant is clearing.) FRAN. You cannot possibly have eaten enough, my lady. MIN. Don't you think so, Franziska? ”

“ I do not usually care for those who wear this uniform. But you are an honourable man, Tellheim; and one must love an honourable man, in whatever garb he may be. MIN. Ah! did you but know all! COUNT. Why should I not hear all?—Which are my apartments, landlord? LAND. Will your Excellency have the goodness to walk this way? COUNT. Come, Minna! Pray come, Major! (Exit with the Landlord and servants.) MIN. Come, Tellheim! MAJ. T. I will follow you in an instant, Minna. One word first with this man (turning to Werner) . MIN. And a good word, methinks, it should be. Should it not, Franziska? ”

“ As certainly as I have given you back the ring with which you formerly pledged your troth to me, as certainly as you have taken back that same ring, so certainly shall the unfortunate Minna never be the wife of the fortunate Tellheim! MAJ. T. And herewith you pronounce my sentence. MIN. Equality is the only sure bond of love. The happy Minna only wished to live for the happy Tellheim. Even Minna in misfortune would have allowed herself to be persuaded either to increase or to assuage the misfortune of her friend through herself.... ”

“ Stay, it is well that I think of it. (Takes more money from the desk.) Put that aside, Franziska, for the first poor wounded soldier who accosts us. SCENE IV. Landlord, Minna, and Franziska MIN. Well, is he coming? LAND. The cross, unmannered fellow! MIN. Who? LAND. His servant. He refuses to go for him. FRAN. Bring the rascal here, then. I know all the Major's servants. Which one of them was it? MIN. Bring him here directly. When he sees us he will go fast enough. (Exit Landlord.) SCENE V. Minna, Franziska MIN. I cannot bear this delay. But, Franziska, how cold you are still! ”

“ Sergeant! WER. No, little woman; that is just what I wished to say to you. I only rattled on a little. There is nothing in it. One ring is quite enough for a man. Hundreds and hundreds of times I have heard the Major say— "He must be a rascally soldier, who can mislead a young girl." So think I too, little woman. You may trust to that! I must be quick and follow him. A good appetite to you. (Exit.) FRAN. The same to you! I really believe, I like that man! (Going in, she meets Minna coming out.) SCENE XII. Minna, Franziska MIN. Has the Major gone already, Franziska? ”

“ Sitting by the table in the quiet little room, with Frau von Kerich a few yards away sewing by the light of the lamp--Minna reading on the other side of the table, and no one talking, he looking through the half-open garden-door at the gravel of the avenue glistening under the moon, a soft murmur coming from the tops of the trees--his heart would be so full of happiness that suddenly, for no reason, he would leap from his chair, throw himself at Frau von Kerich's feet, seize her hand, needle or no needle, cover it with kisses, press it to his lips, his cheeks, his eyes, and sob. ”

“ She did not do it deliberately; she acted upon instinct, with the treachery natural to a woman who is defending her own. It was useless for Minna to resist, and sulk, and be impertinent, and go on denying the truth of her remarks; there was only too much justification for them, and Frau von Kerich had a cruel skill in flicking the raw spot. The largeness of Jean-Christophe's boots, the ugliness of his clothes, his ill-brushed hat, his provincial accent, his ridiculous way of bowing, the vulgarity of his loud-voicedness, nothing was forgotten which might sting Minna's vanity. ”

“ There is nothing in common between life and their dream--nothing, except in that moment of magic: they are but a dream themselves; their being has melted away at the touch of love.
It was not long before Frau von Kerich perceived their little intrigue, which they thought very subtly managed, though it was very clumsy. Minna had suspected it from the moment when her mother had entered suddenly one day when she was talking to Jean-Christophe, and standing as near to him as she could, and on the click of the door they had darted apart as quickly as possible, covered with confusion. ”

“ The most spurring motive that can move a man was developing in me, and developing fast. As a supposititious Prince von Gramberg I was absolutely impossible as a suitor for Minna's hand. Even if I could save her from this terrible entanglement, and escape any recognition, I could not marry her. My life would then have to be lived over a mine which might be exploded under my feet at any moment, to the ruin of both her life and my own.
As an English adventurer and ex-play-actor my case was just as hopeless. But as Count von Rudloff there would be no such bar of family between us ”

“ With ironical deliberation--she did not take him altogether seriously--she told him that he had no fortune, that Minna had different tastes. He protested that that made no difference; that he would be rich, famous; that he would win honors, money, all that Minna could desire. Frau von Kerich looked skeptical; she was amused by his self-confidence, and only shook her head by way of saying no. But he stuck to it.
"No, Jean-Christophe," she said firmly, "no. It is not worth arguing. It is impossible. It is not only a question of money. ”

“ When he regained his room he flung himself on his bed, and gave way to a fit of anger and injured pride, just as he used to do when he was a little boy. He bit his pillow; he crammed his handkerchief into his mouth, so that no one should hear him crying. He hated Frau von Kerich. He hated Minna. He despised them mightily. It seemed to him that he had been insulted, and he trembled with shame and rage. He had to reply, to take immediate action. If he could not avenge himself he would die. ”

“ In short, she gave him all the little attentions and the quasi-maternal care which come to every good woman instinctively for a child who is intrusted to her, or trusts himself to her, without her having any deep feeling for it. But Jean-Christophe thought that all the tenderness was given to him personally, and he was filled with gratitude; he would break out into little awkward, passionate speeches, which seemed a little ridiculous to Frau von Kerich, though they did not fail to give her pleasure.
With Minna his relation was very different. ”

“ Minna, do you hear? For God's sake, have mercy," and he caught hold of her dress and clung to her—the type of broken, abject, fright-becrazed cowardice.
"Don't touch me!" she cried. "Your hands are red with my brother's blood."
"Get up, you crawling, unclean brute, and cease your whining," said Praga, dragging him to his feet.
"Don't let him be killed, cousin Hans," whispered Minna. "He is not fit to die. But, oh, take me away. This scene is killing me," she cried in distress.
At that von Nauheim broke out with more pleas and entreaties, his voice shaking as he trembled in his fear. ”