expiation:

the means by which atonement or reparation is made

 

subjectivizing:

relating to the nature of an object as it is known in the mind as distinct from a thing in itself; existing in the mind; belonging to the thinking subject rather than to the object of thought (opposed to objective ).

 

anecdote:

a short account of a particular incident or event, especially of an interesting or amusing nature; a short, obscure historical or biographical account.

 

naiveté:

a state having unaffected simplicity of nature or absence of artificiality; unsophisticated; ingenuous; having or showing a lack of experience, judgment, or information; credulous.

 

a Problem (the Problem play):

form of drama in the late 19th century, part of the wider movement of realism in the arts, led by Ibsen (1828-1906) who dealt with contentious social issues through debates between characters on stage representing conflicting points of view in realistic social contexts.  He portrayed contemporary & controversial issue such as women’s rights, unemployment, penal reform, class privilege.  He rejected the intricately plotted romantic intrigues of the 19th century French tradition (the well-made play).  Hebbel (1813-63) added new psychological dimensions to German drama.  In his Maria Magdalene he lionized the lower & middle classes.  He also made use of Hegel’s concepts of history to dramatize conflicts in his historical tragedies.  He was more concerned with the historical process of change as it led to new moral values, rather than the characters themselves.

 

ruck:

a large number or quantity; mass; the great mass of undistinguished or inferior persons or things.

 

sa sacree majeste Ie Hazard:

French- his sacred majesty the Hazard