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 Schiller's position at Stuttgart--Personal appearance--Convivial pleasures--Visits at Solitude--Revision of 'The Robbers' for publication--The two prefaces--Reception of 'The Robbers'--A stage-version prepared for Dalberg--Changes in the stage-version--Popularity of the play--Medicus and poet--The 'Anthology' of 1782--Character of Schiller's youthful verse--Various poems considered--The songs to Laura--Poetic promise of the 'Anthology'--Journalistic enterprises--Schiller as a critic of himself--Quarrel with Duke Karl--The Swiss imbroglio--The duke implacable--Flight from Stuttgart. CHAPTER IV The Conspiracy of Fiesco at Genoa General characterization--The historical Fiesco--Influence of Rousseau--The conflicting authorities--Fact and fiction in the play--Not really a republican tragedy--Character of Fiesco--Of Verrina--Schiller's vacillation--Fiesco's inconsistency--Lack of historical lucidity--The changed conclusion--Weak and strong points--Fiesco and the Moor--The female characters--Extravagant diction. CHAPTER V The Fugitive in Hiding Reception at Mannheim--An elocutionary failure--'Fiesco' rejected by Dalberg--Refuge sought in Bauerbach--A new friend--Relations with outside world--Interest in Lotte von Wolzogen--Literary projects and employments--Beginnings of 'Don Carlos'--Friendly overtures from Dalberg--Work upon 'Louise Miller'--Jealousy and resignation--Flutterings of the heart--Departure from Bauerbach with new play completed. CHAPTER VI Cabal and Love General characterization--English Beginnings of bourgeois tragedy--'Miss Sara Sampson'--Development of the tragedy of social conflict--Love in the age of sentimentalism--Rousseau and the social conflict--Wagner and Lenz--Diderot's 'Father of the Family'--Gemmingen's 'Head of the House'--Evolution of Schiller's plan--Debt to predecessors--Hints from Wagner and Lessing and 'Siegwart'--Weakness of the tragic conclusion--Character of Louise--Her religious sentimentalism--Fearsomeness--Lack of mother-wit--A cold heroine--Character of Ferdinand--Sentimental extravagance--Father and son--Prototypes of President von Walter. CHAPTER VII Theater poet in Mannheim