# Wilhelm — The Sorrows of Young Werther character guide

> Wilhelm in The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** O Wilhelm, dear Wilhelm, Dear Wilhelm

**First appearance:** 0001-the-sorrows-of-young-werther

## Who they are

Werther's patient friend and confidant, the steady ear receiving letters that swing from ecstatic joy to black despair without warning.

## Relationships

### [Charlotte](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sorrows_of_young_werther_se/characters/charlotte)

_social_

Wilhelm is Werther's friend and correspondent, known to Charlotte only through Werther's letters.

### [Albert](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sorrows_of_young_werther_se/characters/albert)

_social_

Wilhelm is known to Albert only as Werther's absent friend.

### [Werther](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sorrows_of_young_werther_se/characters/werther)

_friendship_

Wilhelm is Werther's confidant and the recipient of almost all his letters.

## In the story

### [The Sorrows of Young Werther](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sorrows_of_young_werther_se/chapters/the-sorrows-of-young-werther)

The recipient of Werther's letter. He is Werther's confidant, though he does not appear directly in the chapter.

### [Book I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sorrows_of_young_werther_se/chapters/book-i)

The recipient of Werther's letters; serves as Werther's confidant for his deepest thoughts and emotional turmoil.

### [Book II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sorrows_of_young_werther_se/chapters/book-ii)

The continued recipient of Werther's increasingly desperate and philosophical letters.

### [The Editor to the Reader](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sorrows_of_young_werther_se/chapters/the-editor-to-the-reader)

Referenced indirectly as the 'friend' in Werther's final letter, a figure from his past associated with loss and the incomprehensibility of death.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sorrows_of_young_werther_se/characters/wilhelm
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sorrows_of_young_werther_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sorrows_of_young_werther_se/characters