Hans Rudolf Velten, Bernhard Huss, Roman Lach, Franziska-Katharina Schlieker, Cord-Friedrich Berghahn, Sebastian Neumeister, Fabian Hauner, Marta Serena, Albert Göschl

Germanisch-Romanische Monatsschrift, Jahrgang 68 (2019), Ausgabe 3, Seite 359 - 394

Roman Lach

Germanisch-Romanische Monatsschrift, Jahrgang 67 (2017), Ausgabe 2, Seite 199 - 205

Nikolas Immer’s and Olaf Müller’s edition of Lessing’s ‚Theater des Herrn Diderot‘ for the first time renders the complete text of the first edition of 1760 in synoptic presentation with Diderot’s French original. Together with abundant footnotes and annotations, the text gives insight into Lessing’s practice as a translator and his criticism of Diderot’s theatre. While in general he seeks in Diderot an ally in the fight for the “natural” and against classicism, he is also very distinct about not following Diderot’s abandonment of catharsis and the ludicrous for prophylactic representations of ideal behavior. Rather, he follows concepts that critics like Richard Hurd and George Colman find in ancient comedy. Lessing even indirectly quotes Colman’s defense of “characters in motion” to contradict Diderot. However, the editors, in their postscript, seem to adhere to the opinion that Lessing follows Diderot.