An intrigue, also an intrigue or cabal (cf Kabale und Liebe), is a strategy which is planned by a person or group of persons to harm others or to stir them up against each other. The intrigue is conceived behind the backs of those affected and serves the achievement of a (personal) purpose, such as the emotional gratification or the attainment of an advantage. In drama (cf. literary genres) intrigue plays a central role. In tragedy the success of the intrigue leads to the destruction of the hero, the discovery of intrigue in the comedy producing the happy ending and exposing the intriguer. The intrigue is devised by the antagonist and is intended to overthrow the protagonist and thus arouses the dramatic conflict. One example is the intrigue Franz Moor from Friedrich Schiller’s Die Räuber.
The term is derived from the Latin verb intricare, which can be translated into something entangled, confused or embarrassed. Consequently, the translation of the concept already points to what is at stake: namely, that somebody is involved in a thing, in the drama being mostly the hero of the work, who mournfully failed in tragedy of the comedy, thereby exposing the intriguer.
The words “cabals and intrigues,” which nowadays appear obsolete (cf. Archaism), have a similar meaning and can therefore be used as a synonym. The cabal means the secret consent of several persons to an evil attack or purpose, whereby the word derived from the Latin expression Cabala, which can be translated with a secret. Ränke is the majority of ranks, which is a German word for intrigues or machinations, and from the middle-high German noun ranc for a fast and twisting movement.
Example: Intrigue in Maria Stuart
Maria Stuart, a tragedy of the poet Friedrich Schiller, can be used for many characteristics of the typical drama, since it takes on all sorts of typical things as an example. In addition, the drama is based on various intrigues that unfold the conflict.
Basically even the whole piece is based on an intrigue. Mary, the Queen of Scotland, is chased out of the country in 1568, as she is suspected of having murdered her husband. She sought shelter at Elisabeth I, the Queen of England. Since Maria herself was entitled to the English crown, Elisabeth Maria takes prisoner and sets the fugitives on a castle. The concatenation, which ensures that Mary fled and captured, appears intriguing.
In the course of the play, Elisabeth makes another intrigue. She is faced with the dilemma that her claim to the crown would be secured if Mary were dead. This would be easy to accomplish, as the incarceration was, as is well known, accused of murdering her husband. However, Mary is popular and Elizabeth would fall in the prestige of the people when she passed the sentence. That is why she asked Mortimer, a worshiper of Mary, to assassinate her. Mortimer even accepts this assignment because he wants to take time to plan a plan to free the prisoners.
Mortimer then turns to Leicester, who is Elizabeth’s lover, but secretly in love with Maria, to tell him of his plan. Now it is Leicester, who tries to intrigue. Leicester assumes that Elizabeth would refrain from her death if she met the rival in person. That is why he urges a meeting without confessing his intentions. The meeting failed and divided the two women even more. The work shows several intrigues.Short overview: The most important part of the term at a glance
As intrigues, also intrigues or cabals, a strategy of action is carried out, which is carried out by a person or even a group of persons, in order to harm others or to incite others against each other. The intrigue is conceived without the knowledge of those affected and serves the purpose of (personal) purpose, such as emotional satisfaction, gaining an advantage, or quite similar things.
Particularly in the genre of the drama, intrigue plays a very central role. In the tragedy, she is devised by the antagonist to bring down the hero of the play (cf Fall Height). In the comedy, the intrigue of the intriguer is exposed, and the play is thus led to a happy ending.