Der Mantel des Königs. Zum symbolischen Gehalt von Ottokars Prunkmantel in Franz Grillparzers Trauerspiel ‚König Ottokars Glück und Ende

Clothing plays an important role in the tragedy ‘König Ottokars Glück und Ende’ by the Austrian dramatist Franz Grillparzer – however, this role has not yet been adequately explored. Coats, jackets, helmets and garters are not mere props in the play; sometimes they are elevated to the level of symbols which can (and indeed must) be interpreted. Two types of garment play a particularly important symbolic role: Emperor Rudolf’s grey jacket (jerkin) and King Ottokar’s gold-embroidered coat. The King’s coat is a symbol of his power and authority, yet it also evokes his alienation from his Bohemian subjects. It can also be interpreted as an allusion to the French Emperor Napoleon, whose features are clearly transferred into the figure of Ottokar.