Charlotte von Stein

Charlotte's parents were Hofmarschall Johann Wilhelm Christian von Schardt and Koncordia Elisabeth Irving of Drum.

On 17 May 1764 Charlotte married Baron Gottlob Ernst Josias Friedrich von Stein [de].

Often Charlotte remained alone in Weimar, as her husband travelled a great deal in the service of the Duke of Saxe-Weimar in Jena.

Charlotte von Stein wrote four plays, only one was published during her lifetime, Die zwey Emilien (The Two Emilies).

A second play, Die Probe (The Trial or The Rehearsal), may have been written by Charlotte von Stein.

She lacks any pretentiousness or affectation; she is straight, free in a natural way, not too heavy and not too light, without enthusiasm, and yet, with spiritual warmth, takes an interest in all reasonable and in all human, is well informed and possesses a fine delicacy, even aptitude for art.In 1786 the deep friendship between Charlotte and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ended with his sudden departure to Italy without telling her.

As depicted by Virgil, Dido (Queen of Carthage) was forsaken by her lover Aeneas who set off for Italy - an obvious parallel to von Stein herself and Goethe.