Schiller’s dramaturgy is an innovative literature that has served as a benchmark for many of the author’s descendants. A brief retelling of the drama, of course, will not convey the whole charm of the book, but will provide all the main events from the play in abbreviation, which will simplify the preparation for the seminar or exam.
Act one
Music teacher Miller is unhappy with the relationship of his daughter Louise with Major Ferdinand: they are from different classes. Talk about this can reach President von Walter, father of Ferdinand. But Miller’s wife thinks the boy is cute. A quarrel occurs, after which Wurm, the president’s secretary, wants to marry Louise. Miller does not mind, provided that the daughter agrees. But Louise's mother wants a more noble husband for her. Wurm asks Miller to persuade his daughter, but the musician chases away the secretary: the groom himself must seek the bride.
Louise thinks only of Ferdinand, who, meanwhile, has already arrived at her house. The young major reproaches her beloved that she is sad about her philistine origin, because there are no barriers to love. Louise is afraid of his father and may lose hope.
The president does not pay attention to Wurm's warnings, as he is sure that this is a passing courtship, and indeed, von Walter is going to announce his son’s engagement with Lady Milford, the duke’s favorite. Wurm is willing to bet that the major will not agree. Hounds Marshal von Kalb runs in and reports important news: the Duke has goose droppings. He is instructed to announce the engagement, von Walter sends Wurm for his son.
The president says he killed his predecessor for his son. Ferdinand is horrified by such a confession, and renounces the inheritance, which was obtained at the cost of blood; his ranks and wealth do not inspire. The father announces the engagement, but the son thinks it is a joke, calling Lady Milford a high-ranking libertine. The son is ready to renounce such a father. Ferdinand also does not agree to the proposal to marry another, and his father realizes that it is not a matter of honor. The son decides to go to the lady and, if she stands her ground, with all at the shift watch, to reject her.
Act Two
Lady Emilia Milford misses in her palace and thinks about Ferdinand. She refuses the duke's diamonds mined by the blood of innocent people. A major comes and scolds the lady, but in response he hears regrets about his life: she has noble blood, but she has remained an orphan, and now nobody needs it. Having become a containment of the duke, she covered her name with shame. Now, the only way for her is marriage, only she will save her trampled dignity. Ferdinand apologizes and confesses his love for the bourgeois. The failure of the president’s son for the lady will be the last blow.
Ferdinand runs into Miller’s house with the news of an imminent marriage, but in order to reassure the teacher, he offers to run to the president together. Suddenly he collides in the doorway with his father. The president asks Louise how much the major paid her. Miller is offended! Ferdinand asks his father not to continue, otherwise blood may spill. Von Walter intends to arrest Miller, and lead his wife and daughter to a pillory. Ferdinand protects the musician’s family from the police and threatens to stab her to save her beloved’s honor, but even this is useless. The major lets Louise go and tells the world about the cruelty of his father. The president rushes after his son.
Act Three
Wurm offers the president a plan of action: you need to plant Ferdinand a fake love letter from Louise to the marshal, and arrest Miller. The president warns Kalba about the danger of terminating the engagement of Ferdinand and Lady Milford and informs him of the plan: it is supposed to accidentally drop Louise's letter. Hoffmarshal does not immediately understand, but agrees because of a thirst for influence.
Ferdinand begins to suspect Louise of treason, seeing that she does not want to go abroad with him. In fact, the girl hesitates due to the loss of hope for marriage, she does not want her father and son to be at enmity because of her, so she wants to voluntarily renounce happiness. Finally, Wurm, for a long time blackmailing the heroine with the fate of her father (he threatens to be imprisoned), dictates the text of the letter to Louise.
Act Four
Ferdinand finds out about the letter and furiously attacks Kalba, challenging him to a duel. The marshal turns out to be a coward and tries to explain to the major that the letter is fake, because he never even saw the girl. But Ferdinand does not believe him. He strikes Kalba with a pistol and pushes him out of the room in disgrace. The young man does not believe his eyes. He asks for forgiveness from his father, because he thinks that he was wrong.
Lady Milford invites Louise to take the place of her maid. But the girl refuses: she is already unhappy. The lady is threatened, but Louise respects her for such a strong impulse of love for Ferdinand and is ready to retreat, hinting that when the lady marries the major, Louise will commit suicide. The lady is defeated and writes a letter to the duke that leaves for shame in England and distributes property to the servants.
Fifth act
Miller returns home and sees his daughter in despair. She asks to give Ferdinand a letter in which she speaks of deception, and wants to commit suicide with her beloved. In horror, her father dissuades her, because suicide is a mortal sin. Louise comes to her senses, ready to leave and wander around. A major bursts into the house with a letter, and hears from her beloved that she herself wrote all this (Louise for the sake of her father should not tell the truth). Ferdinand asks for lemonade and recalls the first time he came to Miller's lesson. He pities the old man, but cannot forgive Louise.
Ferdinand sends Miller to his father to say that he will not come to dinner. The young man adds poison to the lemonade, drinks it himself and gives it to Louise. After silence, he begins to rebuke her, and when Louise becomes ill, she says that she will not leave this room. Now she has nothing to lose, she confesses her innocence, prays to God for the forgiveness of Ferdinand and the president, and then dies. The major doesn't feel the poison yet. He calls a runaway father with everyone a killer and intends to kill him, but the poison begins to act. Miller rushes to his daughter and runs away unconscious. Von Walter apologizes to his son, he reaches out a chilling hand (according to the remarks it is not clear to his father or to the audience). The father becomes confident that his son forgave him. President and Wurm are being taken into custody.
