The Expression of The Idea of Religious Tolerance Through Language Means in Nathan Der Weise

This article examines the expression of the idea of religious tolerance through language means in Gotthold Ephraim Lessing’s Nathan der Weise. The drama occupies a central place in Enlightenment literature because it presents tolerance not merely as an abstract philosophical principle, but as a lived ethical and communicative practice. The purpose of the study is to identify the linguistic and stylistic devices through which the idea of religious tolerance is constructed, developed, and artistically intensified in the text. The research focuses on lexical selection, dialogic structure, rhetorical strategies, pragmatic features, metaphorical organization, and the interaction between authorial intention and character speech. Special attention is paid to the dramatic dialogues of Nathan, Saladin, Recha, the Templar, and Daja, as well as to the symbolic and persuasive role of the parable of the three rings. The analysis demonstrates that tolerance in the drama is expressed through a combination of ethically marked vocabulary, balanced syntactic organization, dialogic openness, mitigated confrontation, persuasive parabolic discourse, and the gradual replacement of confessional opposition with humanistic universality. The findings show that language in Nathan der Weise functions not only as a medium of communication but also as a moral and ideological instrument that transforms conflict into understanding. The study concludes that Lessing’s linguistic construction of tolerance reflects the Enlightenment project of reconciling difference through reason, empathy, and dialogic coexistence.

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