Emilia Galotti, by German writer, philosopher, dramatist, and art critic, Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, was originally published in English as translated by Ernest Bell, in 1891. The work is a play in five acts, originally premiering on the 8th of March 1772 in Brunswick. The work is a classic example of German b�rgerliches Trauerspiel (bourgeois tragedy). Emilia Galotti is a drama of the Enlightenment, though it doesn't precisely follow the standard French model of the era. Although love is a central theme, in reality Emilia Galotti is primarily a political commentary. The arbitrary style of rule by the aristocracy is placed in stark contrast to the new and enlightened morality of the bourgeoisie.