Drama (wr. 1778, prod. 1783), set in Jerusalem at the time of the Crusades, which recounts the famous legend of three rings and illustrates the idea that a religion must be judged not by its dogmas but by the lives of those who subscribe to it. The brotherhood of man, of whatever faith, is demonstrated by the plot, which at times becomes a mere web of coincidence.
A wealthy and revered Jewish merchant, Nathan, called "the Wise" by Jews, Christians, and Moslems alike, returns from a journey to find that his daughter Recha has been rescued from a fire by a young Knight Templar whose life has recently been spared by Saladin, the Moslem chief of state, because of his resemblance to the latter's long-lost brother. Recha was actually born a Christian and is only Nathan's foster daughter. In reality she is the sister of the Knight Templar, and both are the children of Saladin's missing brother. Christianity emerges in a poor light, as reflected by the vacillating and priggish Templar, the scheming Daja (companion to Recha), and the unscrupulous Patriarch. Wisdom, constancy, and honesty are reserved for Saladin, intellectually curious and generous; his gentle sister Sittah; and the warm, intelligent, and witty Nathan.
Peter Jelavich