Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
Key figure of the German Enlightenment, influential dramatist and critic.
Chronology: 1729-01-22 – 1781-02-15
Origins & Early Life
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (; German: [ˈɡɔthɔlt ˈeːfʁa.ɪm ˈlɛsɪŋ] ; 22 January 1729 – 15 February 1781) was a German philosopher, dramatist, publicist and art critic. He was a representative of the Enlightenment. His plays and theoretical writings substantially influenced the development of German literature. He is widely considered by theatre historians to be the first dramaturg in his role at Abel Seyler's Hamburg National Theatre.
Pivotal Works & Achievements
The word "dramaturgy" first appears in his work Hamburg Dramaturgy. == Life == Lessing was born in Kamenz, a small town in Saxony, to pastor and theologian Johann Gottfried Lessing (1693–1770) and his wife Justine Salome Feller (1703–1777), daughter of pastor of Kamenz, Gottfried Feller (1674–1733). His father was a Lutheran minister and wrote on theology. Young Lessing studied at the Latin School in Kamenz from 1737 to 1741. With a father who wanted his son to follow in his footsteps, Lessing next attended the Fürstenschule St.
Enduring Legacy & Impact
Afra in Meissen. After completing his education at St. Afra's, he enrolled at Leipzig University where he pursued a degree in theology, medicine, philosophy, and philology (1746–1748). It was here that his relationship with Karoline...
Source: Wikipedia