ABSTRACT
In Lessing's early comedies, as people have seen, there is little beyond a few hints of a deeper humanity which marks them off from the general run of Leipzig work for the theatre. They had however considerable success on the stage, as did also the Plautus adaptation, Der Schatz. But Miss Sara Sampson was the first of Lessing's plays which stood out from current production and altered its course. The first domestic tragedy in German proclaims the English origin of its inspiration in the names of its characters, taken from Clarissa, The London Merchant and some plays of Congreve. Lady Marwood is the most convincing character in the play, the prototype of Orsina(Emilia Galotti), Schiller's Lady Milford (Kabale und Liebe) and a score of similar figures in minor plays. Minna and Franziska are decided personalities too, as loyal and affectionate as anyone could wish, and their spontaneity is in delightful contrast to the rigidity of the men.
