Chapter 27: The situation degenerates in Jena

 

 

The work on "Wallenstein"

 

Schiller works now, almost exclusively, since the end of 1796 on "Wallenstein", and wanted to devote himself day and night to his writing. As usual, he could not work in the morning as he had to prevent himself from catching cold during the first morning hours. For that reason, he had to remain in bed until the house was heated enough, after that their house help have started the fireplaces again throughout the house.

 

He would, however, take advantage of the evening and the night, to work until there was not enough wood anymore to sustain the fire. Usually, in truth, he would sometime fall asleep on his desk, taken over by tiredness and pains, and would only wake up again early in the morning.

 

The more he worked on his "Wallenstein", the more his body would react violently against his diligence by experiencing constipation and other physical pains. It is not an exaggeration to state that he has produced "Wallenstein", this great saga about political conquest, in physical pains and mental torments. He would take, naturally, his medicines, but these would often make him dizzy; hence, he had to stop taking them when he wanted to work long hours. Often, he would take tobacco, drink coffee and occasionally also wine, to compensate for his physical pains.

 

This continuous long hours would soon make him apparently tired, if not sick, as he would become leaner and also paler with every day. Lotte would advise him, then, very insistently, to take some rest in order to allow his forces to renew. To these wise advice would he however often reply:

 

            - "Dear Lotte! I just can not stop working! This particular play simply requires all my forces at the same time! It is draining my mental capacities, but on the other hand, I am also rapidly advancing! It is taking me over completely!", would he often remark, feverish and more than ever enthusiastic, to her.

 

What Schiller did not tell Lotte, is that he sincerely thinks that "Wallenstein" would be his last work. Because of its themes, because of his waning health, he utterly thought that he would not survive the immediate attacks which this play would undoubtedly generate after its publication. Hence, the same way as Goethe, later with his "Faust", would Schiller throw all his opinions, all his convictions, all his favorite symbols into his "Wallenstein". If he should write his last work, he wanted to make of it a masterpiece. Relentlessly, he would demand from himself, nothing less than the best symbolic representations, the most moving scenes of  loyalty and sacrifice, the greatest  philosophical quotes for his "Wallenstein".

 

He wanted to finish this play in the shortest possible delay, because he was well aware that his time was counted, and because of his ill health, the source of his inspiration could dry at any time.