Hermann und Dorothea

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"Hermann und Dorothea" by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is an epic poem written between 1796 and 1797. When a wealthy innkeeper's son encounters a refugee woman named Dorothea in a fleeing convoy, he falls instantly in love. But his father demands a bride with a proper dowry, and Hermann fears rejection. As friends investigate the mysterious woman's past, they discover tales of her courage and virtue. Through misunderstandings and hesitation, the young man must find the courage to reveal his true feelings before Dorothea disappears forever.