Captain Schiller and his wife--Sojourn at Lorch--Traits of
Friedrich's childhood--Removal to Ludwigsburg--Karl Eugen, Duke of
Wuerttemberg--Impressions from court, theater and school--Poetic
beginnings--Duke Karl's change of heart--Franziska von Hohenheim--The
Academy at Solitude--Schiller at the Academy--School exercises--From law
to medicine--Early poems and orations--An ardent friend--Books read and
their effect--Dramatic plans--Dissertation rejected--Genesis of 'The
Robbers'--Morbid melancholy--Release from the Academy--Value of the
education received.


CHAPTER II

The Robbers

General characterization--The Schubart story--Schiller and
Schubart--The contrasted brothers--Comparison with Klinger and
Leisewitz--Influence of Rousseau and Goethe--Unlike earlier attacks
on the social order--Outlawry in the eighteenth century--The
noble bandit in literature--Karl Moor's crazy ambition--His
sentimentalism--Schiller's sympathy with his hero--Character of
Franz--Influence of Shakespeare--Ethical attitude of Franz--A dull
villain--Character of Amalia--The subordinate outlaws--A powerful
stage-play--Defects and merits.


CHAPTER III

The Stuttgart Medicus