A young man returns to his rural hometown after a period of education and becomes the village schoolmaster. He struggles with the limitations of his position and the expectations placed upon him by the community. His relationships with the villagers are strained, particularly with the local pastor who sees him as a threat. The young man's attempts to modernize the school and improve the lives of the children are met with resistance from the traditionalists in the village.
By Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe · First published 1774 · Genre: Poetry, Satire, Fable