Charlotte von Stein - Her childhood, Profession and family, Charlotte and Goethe, Loneliness and death, Afterlife

Writer, born in Eisenach, C Germany. Lady-in-waiting at the Weimar court, in 1764 she married Friedrich von Stein, the Duke of Saxe-Weimar's Master of the Horse. In 1775, she met Goethe, who fell in love with her. She became the inspiration for his character Natalie in Wilhelm Meister, as well as many of his love poems and plays. Her own works include dramas such as Rino (1776) and Dido (1792).

Charlotte von Stein (December 25, 1742 - January 6, 1827) was a lady-in-waiting in Weimar and a close friend to both Friedrich Schiller and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe whose work and life was strongly influenced by her.

Her childhood

Charlotta Ernestina Bernadina von Stein was born as “von Schardt” in Eisenach on December 25, 1742. Her parents were Hofmarschall Johann Wilhelm Christian von Schardt and Concordia Elisabeth von Schardt. Her Parents moved to Weimar when Charlotte was yet a little child. Early Charlotte von Stein was prepared for working as a lady-in-waiting. cats, dogs and doves)

Profession and family

In 1758 Charlotte became a lady-in-waiting to Duchess Anna Amalia whom she served until her death in 1807. On May 17, 1764, Charlotte married Baron Gottlob Ernst Josias Friedrich Freiherr von Stein (1735-1793). Often Charlotte remained alone in Weimar because her husband had to travel much serving the duke of Jena-Weimar.

Charlotte and Goethe

In 1774 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Charlotte von Stein met in Weimar. During this time she had a strong influence on the work and the life of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Loneliness and death

In 1793 the deep friendship between Charlotte and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ended with his sudden departure to Italy without even telling her he wanted to go. After her husband had died in 1793 Charlotte retired from society and got more and more lonely. Charlotte von Stein died on January 6, 1827 in the age of 85.

Afterlife

The German poet Peter Hacks presented his play "Gespräch im Hause Stein über den abwesenden Herrn von Goethe" (A Discussion in the Stein Home about the Absent Mr. Goethe) in 1974. This monodrama became a worldwide success and is seen as a subtile analyses of the fate of Charlotte von Stein.