Gothold Evrem Lessing

Gotthold Evrem Lessing (1729.1.22 - 1781.2.15) was a playwright, aesthetician, and literary critic during the German Enlightenment. Born in Kamenz, Rausits region, his father is a priest.

In 1746, he entered the University of Leipzig to study theology, and wrote his debut novel in the same year as the comedy "Young Scholar". Before 1760, he worked as an editor and writer, and edited the literary supplement of the Berlin Charter. He wrote "Miss Sara Samson" (1755) and translated "The Drama of Monsieur Diderot" (1760). After that, he completed the anti-Prussian comedy "Minna Feng Balhem" (1767). After the Hamburg Theatre was established, he served as a consultant of dramatic arts and wrote the Hamburg Drama Review. After that, he completed the anti-Prussian comedy "Minna Feng Balhem" (1767). After the Hamburg Theatre was established, he served as a consultant of dramatic arts and wrote the Hamburg Drama Review. Later, he completed the tragedies "Amelia Galotti" (1772) and "Nadan the Wise" (1778), which together with the play "Sa" constitute Lessing's three famous plays. The review collections are "New Literature Newsletter" and "Hamburg Play Review". The former has 17 letters and basically includes the main ideas of his dramatic theory: the creation of national literature and drama that are closely related to the history and reality of the nation; national drama should not be modelled on French classicist drama but should follow the example of Shakespeare and English drama, while also absorbing its own national traditions. The latter consists of 104 reviews, which also summarize his theoretical views, advocating Aristotle and Shakespeare and pan-classical drama.

He died in Braunschweig on February 15, 1781.