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Overview
Synopsis
In a world of luxury and decadence, a beautiful young woman struggles to find her own unique self in a society dominated by men. Lulu wants nothing more than to be a dancer, to find joy in her own activities, to be independent. Men appear in her life and try to own her, possess her, control her--but for each and every one of these husbands, their attempts end in death. Lulu is a symbol of female power and sexuality, the “Earth-Spirit” who cannot be tamed and inspires destruction around her. Censored in its original 1898 production, Erdgeist is Frank Wedekind’s mediation on the nature of female sexuality and a cautionary tale for any man wishing to control a woman and her identity.
Show Information
- Book
- Frank Wedekind
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 4
- First Produced
- 1898
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Germany, 1890s, parlor, theatre, artist studio
- Cast Size
- medium
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly, Child, Early Teen, Late Teen Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Frank Wedekind’s Erdgeist (German for “Earth-Spirit”) was first published in 1895, but it was not produced until 1898. In this first performance in Leipzig, Germany, Wedekind himself played Dr. Schon (Wedekind often acted in his own plays). Erdgeist is the first of the “Lulu plays”; in 1904, Wedekind wrote the sequel Die Büchse der Pandora (Pandora’s Box). The title Erdgeist is a reference to Goethe’s Faust, in which the Erdgeist
to read the context for Erdgeist and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Prologue
Outside a circus tent, an animal-tamer greets the audience, punctuated by the sounds of drums and cymbals. He poetically proclaims the battle for man and beast within the tent. A stage hand carries in a young woman; it is Lulu, dressed as a Pierrot clown. The animal-tamer tells the audience that she was created to incite sin, and orders her carried away. He teases the audience regarding Lulu’s fate and what might happen to her throughout the course of the play. Finally, to
to read the plot for Erdgeist and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
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Lead |
Female |
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Lead |
Male |
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Supporting |
Male |
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Supporting |
Male |
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Supporting |
Male |
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Supporting |
Male |
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Supporting |
Male |
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Supporting |
Male |
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Supporting |
Male |
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Supporting |
Female |
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Supporting |
Male |
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Featured |
Male |
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Featured |
Male |
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Featured |
Female |
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Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Cindi Calhoun
Theatre teacher, director, writer, and seamstress