How did Johann Gottfried von Herder's essay on Shakespeare influence German literature?

Johann Gottfried von Herder’s essay on William Shakespeare was a pivotal work that helped shape the Sturm und Drang literary movement, which served as a necessary precursor to German Classical and Romantic literature.1

By analyzing Shakespeare alongside Homer, Herder demonstrated that genuine poetic expression reveals hidden aspects of human life through the creative power of language. He famously asserted that a poet acts as the creator of their nation, providing a world for the people to see and guiding their souls.1

Herder’s perspective challenged the prevailing Rationalism of his time by emphasizing historical existence as a product of the tension between individual development and the broader course of history. His insights encouraged a deeper appreciation for folk traditions and the "mother tongue," directly influencing the artistic development of contemporaries like Goethe and setting the stage for future intellectual developments in aesthetics, history, and linguistics.12