The Ghost-Seer; or the Apparitionist; and Sport of Destiny (ePub)

Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (1759-1805) was a German poet, philosopher, physician, and playwright, considered one of the most significant figures in German literature. Born in Marbach, Württemberg, he grew up in a military and medical environment, which later influenced his early dramatic works. Schiller's literary career began with the controversial drama 'The Robbers' (1781), which brought him immediate fame and reflected his engagement with Enlightenment ideals. Another significant work, 'The Ghost-Seer; or the Apparitionist; and Sport of Destiny' further demonstrates Schiller's preoccupation with moral and psychological themes within a context of Gothic and supernatural elements, reflecting the complexities of human nature and the fraught journey towards self-realization. His historical plays, including 'Don Carlos' (1787) and 'Wallenstein' (1799), reveal his profound interest in the freedom and dignity of the individual against the backdrop of political turmoil. Schiller's collaboration with Goethe, known as the Weimar Classicism period, was pivotal in shaping the literary culture of the time. His poems, such as 'Ode to Joy' (1785), which was later famously adapted by Ludwig van Beethoven in his Ninth Symphony, exhibit Schiller's mastery of lyrical expression. Schiller's contribution to aesthetics and his commitment to ideals such as liberty, justice, and human solidarity have secured his legacy not only as a prominent literary figure but also as a moralist and philosopher whose works continue to resonate today.