The main focus of Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship is the protagonist's struggle to leave behind what he perceives as the meaningless life of a bourgeois merchant. Jarno introduces Wilhelm to William Shakespeare's plays, and following a lengthy debate of Shakespeare's works, they decide to form a theatre troupe. They perform Hamlet, with Wilhelm playing the title part. Following a failed relationship with the theatre, Wilhelm joins the enigmatic Tower Society and embarks on a voyage of self-discovery.
