Friedrich Hebbel was born to a poor famil. However, he is among the few who had talent in poetry, thus his economical background never hindered him to be one of the well known German dramatist and poet.

Hebbel was self educated and was very much influenced by the works of Hegel, who's theories dwell on linking romanticism and realism. His plays include Judith which introduced to the public a new character and a story that dealt with heroism through “degradation and retribution” as compared to the usual formula of virtue. Another of his plays include Maria Magdalena, Herod and Marriane, Agnes Bernauer and Gyges and His Ring. He also wrote a trilogy entitled The Nibelungs.

Born at Wesselburen in Ditmarchen, Holstein, Hebbel was a son of a bricklayer. He was able to work his way to the University of Hamburg with the support of Arnalie Schoppe. She was a journalist, at the same time author of nursery tales at the publication where Hebbel had an opportunity to be published.

From the University of Hamburg, Hebbel decided to take up law at the University of Munich. However, Hebbel was most interested in reading, philosophy, history and literature

A distinct departure in his plays was also the use of women as heroines. Very characteristic to his plays was the feeling of very strong and violent emotions. His works display the struggles between the old and new sets of values. Mainly, his works were a leaning towards realism, a response to romanticism and at the same time to the degrading societal structure.

Much like the theory of Hegel on dualism, wherein, a certain change is to occur if and if only a particular event such as death of a person would make a turnabout in society leading to a new moral or paradigm. Thus, the violent struggles even death of the heroic characters in his plays are perceived to be necessary to shake the existing ideological structures.

Early on, Germans have already recognized his works even considering him as one of the greatest dramatists of the period. He was commissioned to have his plays staged at the resident of rand-duke of Saxe-Weima but then again he declined and died in Vienna.