Why did Gotthold Ephraim Lessing become interested in writing comedy?

Gotthold Ephraim Lessing’s interest in writing comedy was primarily ignited during his youth by his admiration for the plays of the Latin dramatists Plautus and Terence.1

This ambition was further nurtured when he moved to Leipzig to attend university. There, he became fascinated by the local theatre, which had been revitalized by the actress Caroline Neuber. Neuber took an interest in the young poet and produced his first comedy, Der junge Gelehrte (“The Young Scholar”), in 1748.1

Through his subsequent comedic works, Lessing set a goal to become the "German Molière." He used the genre to provide witty commentaries on human weaknesses—such as bigotry, hypocrisy, and vanity—while moving away from traditional dramatic "types" to depict characters as recognizable individuals.1