The Theatrical Mission of Wilhelm Meister

novel by Goethe

Also known as: “Wilhelm Meisters theatralische Sendung”

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July 23, 2026

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The "Theatrical Mission of Wilhelm Meister" is an early, unfinished novel by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. It tells the story of a young man named Wilhelm who aspires to stardom in a reformed German theater. The novel is written in an ironic style, reminiscent of Henry Fielding. Goethe began this work around 1785, but it remained in manuscript during his lifetime. It is considered a precursor to his more famous novel, Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship, which explores the theme of self-education and personal development through life's experiences.12

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Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
First Weimar period (1776–86) of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
…Wilhelm Meisters theatralische Sendung (The Theatrical Mission of Wilhelm Meister), each year until 1785. In a rough-and-tumble, ironic way, reminiscent of the English novelist Henry Fielding, it tells the story of a gifted young man who aims for stardom in a reformed German national theatrical culture. At first the…
Read More
…Wilhelm Meisters theatralische Sendung (The Theatrical Mission of Wilhelm Meister), each year until 1785. In a rough-and-tumble, ironic way, reminiscent of the English novelist Henry Fielding, it tells the story of a gifted young man who aims for stardom in a reformed German national theatrical culture. At first the…
Read More