How does Minna help Major Tellheim overcome the obstacles to their marriage?

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German dramatist and critic Gotthold Lessing — Gotthold Ephraim Lessing Gotthold Lessing, detail of an oil painting by Georg May, 1768; in the Gleimhaus, Halberstadt, Germany.

In the play Minna von Barnhelm, the relationship between the Prussian officer Major Tellheim and the gentlewoman Minna is strained by Tellheim’s rigid adherence to a code of honor and his conscientiousness regarding the obstacles created by war and occupation.1

Minna helps overcome these barriers by taking matters into her own hands. Guided by her heart’s perceptions, she acts with charm and spirit to resolve the conflict between Tellheim’s sense of duty and their potential for happiness. By doing so, she enables them to move past the rigid constraints that threaten their union, allowing both characters to act as ordinary people and ultimately affirming Lessing’s concept of humanity.1