Die Zauberflöte Reponse

Opera is stereotypically characterized as boring and uneventful. However, when reading the libretto of “Die Zauberflöte,” I was pleasantly surprised by the multidimensional plotline. The storyline of the Magic Flute contained several literary elements including the classic literary conflicts of man versus man, man versus society, man versus nature, and man versus self. The conflict of man versus man lies in the tension between Prince Tamino and the Queen of the Night. The struggle between man and nature is ever-present throughout the opera as Tamino and Papageno cross the dangerous landscape in pursuit of Princess Tamina. In order to combat their hazardous surroundings, the two protagonists employ the magic flute and the magic silver bells given to them by the Queen’s ladies. The introduction of such supernatural elements adds to the magnetism of the opera’s plotline. An additional conflict present in Wolfgang Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” is the clash between man and self. Pamino and Papegeno’s suicide attempts suggest that the two characters were unable to overcome this conflict.

The opera also plays on other classic fundamentals of literature including the hero’s journey, motif, and metaphor. Tamino goes through all the stages of the hero’s journey, which comprises of the call to adventure, meeting with the mentor, crossing the threshold, facing tests and enemies, the reward, and the road back. Throughout this journey, there is a motif in the use of magic and the supernatural in that they always come back to save the characters. The supernatural can also be seen as having a metaphoric connotation.

So while “Die Zauberflöte” is an opera, it reads like a piece of literature