Nathan der Weise: Ein Dramatisches Gedicht, in fünf Aufzügen

by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

"Nathan der Weise: Ein Dramatisches Gedicht, in fünf Aufzügen" by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing is a five-act drama published in 1779. Set in Jerusalem during the Third Crusade, the play follows Nathan, a wealthy Jewish merchant, whose adopted daughter is rescued from fire by a Christian Templar. When Sultan Saladin tests Nathan's wisdom by asking which religion is true, Nathan responds with the famous Ring Parable—a story about three identical rings that becomes a powerful statement on religious tolerance and humanity's shared values.