Nathan the Wise; a dramatic poem in five acts

by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

"Nathan the Wise; a dramatic poem in five acts" by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing is a play written in 1779. Set in Jerusalem during the Third Crusade, it brings together a wise Jewish merchant, a Muslim sultan, and a Christian Templar in an unexpected web of rescue, debt, and love. When Sultan Saladin tests Nathan's wisdom by asking which religion is true, Nathan responds with a parable about an inheritance that challenges everything. As secrets unfold about true identities and family connections, this fervent plea for religious tolerance explores whether different faiths can bridge their divides through friendship and humanity.