The king and the usurper : comparing the characters of Franz Grillparzer's Primislaus Ottokar und Jaroslav Hilbert's Záviš z Falkenštejna

King Ottokar II and Záviš z Falkenštejna are often depicted in literary fiction as rivals – both in politics and in love. A similar representation can be found in the work of Franz Grillparzer, whose Zawisch incorporates both demonic and comic elements. He can be interpreted in various ways: as a sophisticated plotter of intrigues, a malicious poisoner, an arrogant figure who betrays his king and his country due to his wounded pride, or a seducer who eventually becomes subservient to an Amazon whom he had originally envisaged as his own puppet. Directors, viewers and readers usually do not see him as a great statesman. However, Jaroslav Hilbert depicted him in an entirely different manner. His Falkenštejn is a violent conspirator and usurper - but also a patriot, a statesman and a modern thinker. In Grillparzers work, the character of Zawisch is more reminiscent of his traditional rival Ottakar than of Hilbert's depiction. This study presents a comparison of both characters