First, a heads-up: 'Die Aufgeregten' is a fragment. Goethe never finished it. But don't let that put you off. What we have is a complete first act that sets up a world of ideas and personalities clashing in a way that feels incredibly modern.

The Story

The play is set in a small German town. A group of progressive, upper-class citizens—the 'agitated ones' of the title—have formed a secret society. Their goal? To push for social and political reforms, to shake up the old order. They're led by a Baron who is full of revolutionary fervor. The plot kicks off when they decide their first major act should be to help the local peasants by, essentially, giving them a piece of land. Sounds noble, right? The catch is, they plan to do this by manipulating a legal situation involving an inheritance, without really consulting the peasants themselves. We see them debating, scheming, and getting very excited about their own cleverness and virtue, while remaining pretty disconnected from the reality of the people they want to save.

Why You Should Read It

Reading this is like finding an old, insightful comment on a modern news article. Goethe isn't making fun of the desire for change. Instead, he's holding up a mirror to the pitfalls of activism that's more about the activist's feelings than the actual outcome. The characters aren't villains; they're earnest, but also self-important and sometimes hilariously out of touch. You can see the satire in how they get wrapped up in their own rhetoric. The real strength here is the dialogue. The back-and-forth between the idealistic Baron and his more pragmatic, skeptical friend feels like it could happen today. It asks: when does passionate advocacy become performative? When does helping become controlling?

Final Verdict

This is a perfect pick for readers who love historical fiction that speaks to the present, or for anyone who enjoys a smart, character-driven comedy of manners. It's also great if you're curious about Goethe beyond 'Faust' and want to see his lighter, more observational side. Because it's unfinished, it leaves you thinking and imagining where the story could go, which is part of the fun. You won't get a neat ending, but you will get a brilliant, conversation-starting snapshot of human nature that hasn't changed a bit.