Abstract
“Salieri seems to be the central character of Shaffer's play, since he remains on stage from curtain rise to curtain fall. Yet the title is Amadeus, a name which suggests ‘the gift of God, the love of God, the one whom God loves.’ Mozart's genius is God's gift, undeserved, unmerited, totally inexplicable. It affronts Salieri's talent, labors, and virtue. It also undermines his piety. Both Salieri and Mozart are ‘shattered by grace,’ but the results of such a spiritual upheaval are antithetical.”
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.