Saul

Saul is a theatrical tragedy in five acts, written by Vittorio Alfieri in 1782, in which the eponymous protagonist simultaneously embodies the tragic heroism of both tyrant and victim. This play marks the high point of Italian tragedy and pre-romantic poetry.

The story is taken from the Bible, and is about Saul's last hours during the war against the Philistines. In the narration, Alfieri adhered to the unity of time (one day only), of space (Gelboé) and of action, which were strictly Aristotelian. The tragedy is dedicated to his friend Tommaso Valperga di Caluso, philosopher and teacher of oriental languages.