What is the historical inspiration for this play?

The plot is a modern adaptation of the ancient Roman legend of Virginia, as recorded by the historian Livy, which tells of a father who kills his daughter to protect her from the tyranny of a powerful official.

Does this book have a connection to other famous works of literature?

The play is famously referenced in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's The Sorrows of Young Werther, where it is found lying on the desk of the protagonist at the moment of his suicide.

Emilia Galotti

Edited with an introd. and notes

Classics Drama

Pages: 128
Published: 1803
Language: English

Synopsis

A virtuous young woman is pursued by a nobleman whose obsession sets off a chain of fatal manipulations. As her marriage to Count Appiani is thwarted, the play exposes the moral chasm between the world of the aristocracy and that of the bourgeoisie.