Der Vorwurf an Rensi

The Peasant's accusations, complaints, demands, and reflexions on greed, unwillingness to listen, and failure in leadership are addressed to the official Rensi because the character had suffered injustice in the area of Rensis's competence. But together with his heavy reproaches, the Peasant also praises Rensi as a perfect official, as king, and even as the sun god. By means of this glorification, Rensi is qualified as the representative of a royal and divine order which he actually does not bring about. Thus, the reproach to God pronounced in the pessimist literature of Egypt and Mesopotamia is diverted to God's earthly substitute, while the question of theodicy is answered with reference to the responsibility of the state apparatus. Beyond that, the ironical structure of the Tale suggests to the audience that they should trust the state authorities, who from the very beginning supply and eventually justify their client even though he had failed to recongnize it

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