Emilia Galotti

Emilia Galotti (1772), a tragedy in five acts by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (1729–1781), is considered his masterpiece. The plot of the tragedy is based on a Roman story about a father who killed his daughter to save her from being pursued and violated by a noble. The action of Lessing’s play takes place in the imaginary Italian principality of Guastalla. The lecherous and despotic prince has chosen as his next victim the beautiful Emilia, Colonel Odoardo Galotti’s daughter. Odoardo is proud and courageous. He detests the immoral life of the court and the prince himself. He cannot be bribed or frightened. Emilia is about to marry the noble and independent Count Appiani. In order to get Emilia, the prince, prompted by his chamberlain, Marinelli, commits a perfidious act. As the count and his bride are coming to the marriage service, the killers hired by Marinelli attack them. The count is dead, and Emilia is in the prince’s hands at his palace, to which his servants lead her, supposedly to give her aid. Once Odoardo learns about this, he hastens to the palace in order to take Emilia from there. However, he does not have a clue about his sovereign’s true intentions. But Countess Orsina