Acceso usuarios
Christophe Thierry
The article deals with three works of the Nurnberg playwright and master-singer Hans Sachs (1495-1576), representing three different categories of texts (Spruchgedicht, comedy, dialogue). In some cases, Sachs wrote several versions of the episodes he selected from his sources.
In these three short texts, Alexander the Great’s authority and power are questioned by famous Greek sages. The tense political and religious context of the sixteenth century accounts for the potentially subversive dimension of the texts: Von Callistene, dem weysen natürlichen meister, 1558, Ein gesprech könig Alexander Magnus mit Diogene, dem philosopho, 1558 and Das gesprech Alexandri Magni mit dem philosopho Diogeni, 1560. This highly critical trend is compatible with a humorous tone, as shown by the comedy Persones, die Königin, 1554, a play in which the character of Alexander recedes into the background.
From a moral point of view, the sage’s position almost always prevails in these texts, even when he is not able to avoid pitfalls such as excessive confidence in the power of reason (Callisthenes) or misogyny (Aristotle). The author highlights personal defects of the young king that are imaginary or attested by Plutarch and Boccaccio: indirectly drawing a portrait of the ideal prince, Sachs is clearly influenced by Renaissance humanism. Yet the medieval roots of his inspiration cannot be denied.
