Franz Schubert: Erlkönig

Summary

In a chilling tale, a father and son traverse a windy night, only to encounter the deceitful Elfking. The child, sensing danger, pleads with his father to heed the Elfking's promises of games and riches, while the father dismisses these as mere illusions. As the Elfking's persuasion turns to force, the father races to safety, but tragedy strikes when they reach the farm, with the boy lifeless in his arms, a victim of the Elfking's dark magic.

Takeaways

• 👨‍👦 A father and his child are traveling late at night, with the father holding his son tightly to keep him safe.
• 😨 The child is fearful and hides his face, sensing the presence of the Elfking, a supernatural figure.
• 👑 The Elfking is described as wearing a crown and a train, suggesting a royal or majestic appearance.
• 🌫️ The father reassures his son that what he sees is only mist and wind, trying to calm the boy's fears.
• 🌼 The Elfking entices the child with promises of games and flowers, and mentions a mother with golden clothes.
• 👂 The child hears the Elfking's promises and pleads with his father to acknowledge them, but the father dismisses it as the wind.
• 🧝‍♂️ The Elfking offers the boy a place among his daughters, who will serve and entertain him.
• 🌕 The father sees old willows shining in the moonlight, not the supernatural beings his son perceives.
• ❤️ The Elfking expresses a desire for the child based on his beauty and threatens to use force if necessary.
• 😱 The child feels the Elfking's grasp and is hurt, crying out to his father for help.
• 🏠 The father rushes to the farm, but upon arrival, he finds his son has died in his arms.

Q & A

What is the central theme of the script?

The central theme of the script is the encounter between a father and his child with a supernatural being, the Elfking, and the tragic outcome of this encounter.

Who are the main characters in the script?

The main characters in the script are the father, his child, and the Elfking.

What does the child initially perceive the Elfking as?

The child initially perceives the Elfking as a figure with a crown and train, promising lovely games and a beautiful world.

How does the father interpret the child's fear?

The father interprets the child's fear as a misunderstanding of the natural environment, attributing the child's fear to the mist and the wind in the leaves.

What does the Elfking offer to the child?

The Elfking offers the child the promise of lovely games, flowers on the beach, and the company of his daughters who will sing, dance, and rock the child to sleep.

How does the father react when the child claims to see the Elfking's daughters?

The father reassures the child, telling him that what he sees are old willows shining in the moonlight, not the Elfking's daughters.

What is the Elfking's final threat to the child?

The Elfking's final threat is that if the child will not come willingly, he will take the child by force.

What is the tragic outcome of the encounter with the Elfking?

The tragic outcome is that the child dies in the father's arms after the encounter with the Elfking.

What does the father's reaction to the child's cries indicate about his character?

The father's reaction indicates that he is protective and tries to comfort his child, but he may also be in denial about the supernatural events occurring.

What could be the symbolic meaning of the old willows mentioned by the father?

The old willows could symbolize the natural world and the father's attempt to rationalize the supernatural events as mere natural phenomena.

How does the script convey the tension between reality and illusion?

The script conveys the tension by contrasting the child's perception of the Elfking and the father's attempts to explain away these perceptions as natural elements like mist and wind.