Intrigue and Love

Intrigue and Love, sometimes Love and Intrigue, Love and Politics or Luise Miller (, ; literally "Cabal and Love") is a five-act play written by the German dramatist Friedrich Schiller. His third play, it was first performed on 13 April 1784 at Schauspiel Frankfurt. The play shows how cabals and their intrigue destroy the love between Ferdinand von Walter, a nobleman's son, and Luise Miller, daughter of a middle-class musician. Characters President von Walter, at a German prince's court Ferdinand, the president's son, an army major Hofmarschall von Kalb Lady (Emilie) Milford, favourite of the prince Wurm, the president's private secretary Miller, town musician or "Kunstpfeifer" Miller's wife Luise, Miller's daughter Sophie, maid to Lady Milford A valet to the prince Various minor characters Plot Ferdinand is an army major and son of President von Walter, a high-ranking noble in a German duke's court, while Luise Miller is the daughter of a middle-class musician. The couple fall in love with each other, but both their fathers tell them to end their affair. The president instead wants to expand his own influence by marrying off his son Ferdinand to Lady Milford, the duke's mistress. However, Ferdinand rebels against his father's plan and tries to persuade Luise to elope with him. The president and his secretary Wurm (Ferdinand's rival) concoct an insidious plot, arresting Luise's parents for no reason. Luise declares, in a love letter to the Hofmarschall von Kalb, that only by death can she obtain her parents' release. Luise is also forced to swear an oath to God to state she wrote this letter (actually forced on her) of her own free will. This letter is leaked to Ferdinand and deliberately evokes jealousy and vengeful despair in him.