The Ständeklausel was a principle in poetic theatre, by which attempts were made to transfer the principals of Classicist French drama

French literature of the 17th century

17th-century French literature was written throughout the Grand Siècle of France, spanning the reigns of Henry IV of France, the Regency of Marie de Medici, Louis XIII of France, the Regency of Anne of Austria and the reign of Louis XIV of France...

 into German theatre. It is often connected with Johann Christoph Gottsched

Johann Christoph Gottsched

Johann Christoph Gottsched was a German author and critic.-Biography:He was born at Juditten near Königsberg, Brandenburg-Prussia, the son of a Lutheran clergyman...

. It stated that only kings, princes and other people of high rank were to be shown in tragedies and that those of the middle classes could only be shown onstage in comedies. It also demarcated audiences in theatre concessions granted by ancien regime princes - only theatres in courts were allowed to put on tragedies (including ballets and serious opera

Opera

Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...

s), while the rapidly-proliferating Volkstheaters were only allowed to put on comedies, including comic operas

Opéra comique

Opéra comique is a genre of French opera that contains spoken dialogue and arias. It emerged out of the popular opéra comiques en vaudevilles of the Fair Theatres of St Germain and St Laurent , which combined existing popular tunes with spoken sections...

 and pantomimes. It was broken by the onset of Bourgeois tragedy

Bourgeois tragedy

Bourgeois Tragedy is a form of tragedy that developed in 18th century Europe. It was a fruit of the enlightenment and the emergence of the bourgeois class and its ideals...

 such as Love and Intrigue.