Der Zerbrochene Krug

by Heinrich von Kleist

"Der Zerbrochene Krug" by Heinrich von Kleist is a comedy written in blank verse and considered one of his most famous works. In a Dutch village courtroom around 1685, Judge Adam must preside over a case involving a broken jug—but he himself is the culprit. As evidence mounts and witnesses testify, Adam desperately manipulates the proceedings to conceal his guilt. This analytical drama builds toward the revelation of what really happened that fateful night in Eve's chamber.