“House tutor, or the advantages of a private education” is a comedy (or tragicomedy) written by Jacob Lenz in 1774.
The title is ironic because the book shows mostly the negative aspects of house tutoring. Läuffer is employed in the Major’s family to teach children: Leopold and Gustschen.
Leopold is very unwilling to study and once he beats his tutor. The tutor doesn’t know to whom he should complain. The Major would punish the boy too severely while Mrs. Major would think that the tutor is guilty.
The earnings of Läuffer are being constantly reduced. Major’s daughter, Gustchen, befriends with the tutor. Later it turns out that she is pregnant by him. She escapes from her house and comes to an old blind woman, Marthe (a scene very similar to the tragedy “Children murderer” by Wagner, 1776).
Therefore, the comedy represents the negative aspects of house tutoring. The tutor can do nothing about the fact that he was treated unjustly (except leaving the job). One of his pupils has no respect for him, while the other develops an inappropriate relationship with him.