Die Zärtlichen Schwestern

In 1747 Leipzig, Christian Fürchtegott Gellert gave German literature one of its first genuine comic voices. Die zärtlichen Schwestern follows Cleon and his two daughters, the gentle Lottchen and the spirited Julchen, as they navigate the treacherous waters of love and marriage. When the earnest Herr Damis arrives, tea in hand and heart on his sleeve, the sisters must confront their opposing views on romance: Lottchen embraces affection with open arms, while Julchen fiercely guards her freedom, until she doesn't. Through mistaken declarations, clever wordplay, and the gentle comedy of hearts going where they ought not, Gellert crafts a sparkling portrait of a society where marriage means everything and feeling anything at all means risking everything. The play ran through dozens of editions in Gellert's lifetime, making him the most read author in the German-speaking world before Lessing. For readers who want to see where German comedy began, and for anyone who delights in watching proud people fall inexplicably in love.