The Broken Jug

The Broken Jug (, , also sometimes translated The Broken Pitcher) is a comedy written by the German playwright Heinrich von Kleist. Kleist first conceived the idea for the play in 1801 after looking at a copper engraving in Heinrich Zschokke's house entitled "Le juge, ou la cruche cassée". In 1803, challenged over his ability to write comedy, Kleist dictated the first three scenes of the play, though it was not completed until 1806. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe first staged the play in Weimar, where it premiered on 2 March 1808. The Broken Jug follows the story of a judge who presides over a trial where he has to settle the question of who had broken a jug in the room of a young woman late one night, while himself acting highly suspiciously both before and throughout the whole trial. Characters Adam – the judge. Eve – a country girl. Licht – the judge's secretary. Walter – the man who comes to inspect Adam and the way he runs his court. Frau Marthe – Eve's mother. Ruprecht – a young man who is in love with Eve. Plot Adam, the judge of the small town of Huisum in the Netherlands, is found dressing a wound on his leg by his secretary Licht, when Licht enters Adam's home in the morning. Licht also notices a large gash on Adam's face. Adam tells Licht that he received these wounds when he fell down after getting out of bed this morning and hit his head on the fireplace. Licht also comments on Adam's clubfoot.