Plot

Scene I
Lenz speaks with the Spirit of Nature. He feels that it is the reason for everything, that it dwells in himself as well. He asks it to spare his life, to grant him more time. He promises it freedom – later. He hears other voices too, ones that he cannot define. He is seized by ecstatic rapture. He throws himself into the water, trying to come to his senses.
Scene II
Oberlin, a vicar in an Alsatian village of Waldbach, finds Lenz in the water. He brings him back to reality and takes him home. He recognizes in him the young German poet. Lenz says that he has been sent by their mutual friend, Kaufmann. Lenz is in despair. Oberlin tries to calm him down. He changes his clothes and puts him to bed.
Scene III
Lenz lies in bed in Oberlin’s house, afraid of the night. He speaks with Jesus Christ. He complains to him about the desire he feels, about his longing for the ‘one and only, saint, divine’ woman, Frederica, whose picture he cannot evoke. Once again he hears the Voices. This time they take the shape of real characters. Apart from Jesus he sees Gagarin, Red Riding Hood, Napoleon, Caliban and Goethe. The Voices go to the water to drink. They are dying of thirst. Lenz drives them away.
Scene IV
Oberlin once again finds Lenz in the water. He wants to cure him, introduce him to normal life. A walk with Oberlin has a soothing effect on Lenz. They see common people working in the field, among them Oberlin’s wife with her children.
Scene V
Lenz asks Oberlin, if he could preach a sermon. He says he used to study theology. Oberlin, enchanted, allows him to do it. Lenz stands silent in front of the people for a long time, at last he launches into a beautiful, yet difficult speech about the love for God. In an inspired vision he is flooded by a ‘divine light’. He finds his vocation, his ‘charisma’.
Scene VI
Lenz is in Oberlin’s house, delirious. He has mutilated himself. Oberlin’s wife fearfully dresses his wound. Lenz falls asleep. Oberlin remains by Lenz’s bed. Kaufmann enters, waking him from his stupor. Oberlin leaves them alone. Kaufmann is trying to establish some sort of contact with Lenz – he asks him about his work, knowing that it means everything to him. They talk about esthetics. Kaufmann is an idealist, he expects first of all beauty from art. Lenz prefers realism, he demands to see ‘life in all aspects’. Kaufmann sees that Lenz’s state has worsened. He says his father is calling him to come home. Oberlin comes back and takes Kaufmann’s side. Lenz, shaking, runs out of the house.
Scene VII
Lenz is trying to work, in the bosom of nature. The Voices call out again and remind him of his lost Frederica. Scene VIII Night at Oberlin’s house. Lenz enters the Oberlins’ bedroom. He asks about the woman he once loved, he wants to know what happened to her. He is lost in memories of her. Oberlin’s wife panics, she tries to pull her husband away from Lenz. Oberlin remains with the sick man. Lenz says he wants to leave their house. Oberlin tries to stop him.
Scene IX
Lenz and the Voices. One of them is Frederica’s
voice.
Scene X
Lenz is trying to resurrect a dead little girl, whom he takes for Frederica. Failing that, he cries: ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’. Lenz becomes an atheist.
Scene XI
Lenz is in despair, he blasphemes. The Voices close in on him. He tries to commit suicide.
Scene XII
Kaufmann carries the unconscious Lenz to Oberlin’s house. He is afraid of madness, he finds the potential for the illness in himself. Oberlin enters, he tries to bring Lenz round, he notices that he dislocated his arm from the shoulder. He closes the door to the room, in order to protect his family from Lenz, who is raving and saying that he is a murderer. Lenz asks Oberlin to be beaten. Oberlin kisses him on the lips, Lenz derides him. Oberlin fixes his arm. Both Oberlin and Kaufmann try to force Lenz to leave the country. Lenz speaks about his illness as if he was fully conscious of it. The Voices are singing for him, he is just mouthing the words: ‘Will the night never come again?’.
Scene XIII
The dawn comes. Oberlin is filled with fear and despair, he feels he has lost the battle with Lenz’s illness. Kaufmann tries to persuade him to leave Lenz to himself. He claims they cannot help him. Oberlin leaves with Kaufmann. Lenz is passionately repeating the word ‘consequent’. He has a vision of the Spirit of Nature, before which he trembled in the first scene.