The Complicit

Observing the petty crimes and mutual betrayals of Alcest, Söller, and the innkeeper’s family, the work functions as a darkly humorous case study in ethical compromise, where stolen jewels and intercepted letters expose universal greed beneath surface respectability. Drawing structural inspiration from French comedic traditions like Molière’s farces while infusing Germanic psychological acuity, it reveals how trivial desires—lust, avarice, social climbing—cascade into collective guilt, presenting human fallibility without redemptive resolution. Though lacking the philosophical breadth of Goethe’s major dramas, its unflinching focus on self-serving rationalizations and claustrophobic tension offers enduring insight into the mechanics of moral failure, capturing a raw precocity that foreshadows his nuanced explorations of societal hypocrisy in later works.

This critical reader's edition offers a fresh, modern translation of the original manuscript in Fraktur (the old German script), designed to help any curious reader delve into Goethe's works, using clear, contemporary language and straightforward sentences to illuminate his complex ideas. It includes supplementary material providing autobiographical, historical, and linguistic context to this 18th century work- including an afterword by the translator discussing Goethe’s history, impact, and intellectual legacy, alongside an index of the philosophical concepts he explored—with a focus on Romanticism and Classicism. Included is a comprehensive chronological list of his published writings and a detailed timeline of his life, highlighting the personal relationships that profoundly influenced his philosophy.