Lessing’s Nathan The Wise (1901)

Lessing’s Nathan The Wise is a play that was first published in 1779. It is set in Jerusalem during the time of the Crusades and tells the story of a Jewish merchant named Nathan who is asked by the Muslim sultan Saladin to answer the question of which religion is the true one. Nathan responds with a parable that emphasizes the importance of tolerance and respect for all religions. The play explores themes of religious and cultural tolerance, the nature of God, and the relationship between Jews, Christians, and Muslims. It is considered a masterpiece of German Enlightenment literature and has been widely studied and performed. This edition of the play, translated into English by William Taylor, was first published in 1901.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world’s literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.