The Joy of Living (Es lebe das Leben) A Play in Five Acts By: Hermann Sudermann (1857-1928)
First Page: Transcriber's Note: 1. Page scan source: http://www.archive.org/details/joyoflivingthe00suderich 2. The diphthong oe is represented by [oe]. THE JOY OF LIVING ( ES LEBE DAS LEBEN ) A PLAY IN FIVE ACTS BY HERMANN SUDERMANN TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN BY EDITH WHARTON CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS NEW YORK:::::::::::::::::1906 Copyright, 1902, by Charles Scribner's Sons Published, November, 1902 TROW DIRECTORY PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY NEW YORK Translator's Note The translation of dramatic dialogue is attended with special difficulties, and these are peculiarly marked in translating from German into English. The German sentence carries more ballast than English readers are accustomed to, and while in translating narrative one may, by means of subordinate clauses, follow the conformation of the original, it is hard to do so in rendering conversation, and virtually impossible when the conversation is meant to be spoken on the stage. To English and American spectators the long German speeches are a severe strain on the attention, and even in a translation intended only for the "closet" a too faithful adherence to German construction is not the best way of doing justice to the original. Herr Sudermann's dialogue is more concise than that of many other German dramatists; yet in translation his sentences and speeches need to be divided and recast: to preserve the spirit, the letter must be modified. This is true not only of the construction of his dialogue but also of his forms of expression. Wherever it has been possible, his analogies, his allusions, his "tours de phrase," have been scrupulously followed; but where they seemed to obscure his meaning to English readers some adaptation has been necessary. Apart from these trifling changes, the original has been closely followed; and such modifications as have been made were suggested solely by the wish to reproduce Herr Sudermann's meaning more closely than a literal translation would have allowed. CHARACTERS Count Michael von Kellinghausen. Beata, his wife. Ellen, their daughter. Baron Richard von Völkerlingk. Leonie, his wife. Norbert, their son, reading for the Bar. Baron Ludwig von Völkerlingk ( Secretary of State, Richard's step brother ). Prince Usingen. Baron von Brachtmann. Herr von Berkelwitz Grünhof. Dr. Kahlenberg ( Privy Councillor at the Board of Physicians ). Holtzmann ( candidate for Holy Orders, private Secretary to Baron Richard von Völkerlingk ). Meixner. A Physician. Conrad, servant at Count Kellinghausen's. George, Baron Richard's servant. Another Servant. The scene is laid in Berlin the first three and the fifth acts at the house of Count Kellinghausen; the fourth act at Baron Richard Völkerlingk's. Period: about 1899 . ACT I THE JOY OF LIVING ACT I A drawing room in the Empire style in Count Kellinghausen's house. In front, on the left, a fireplace; to the left, in the background, a door to the inner apartments; to the right, back, a door into the front passage; in the foreground, on the right, a window. In the centre of back wall a wide opening between two columns, partly closed by an old Gobelins tapestry. On the right a sofa, table and chairs. On the left, in front of the fireplace, several low seats. Near the middle, placed diagonally, a writing table with shelves; beside the table two seats with low backs and a comfortable arm chair... Continue reading book >>

The Joy of Living (Es lebe das Leben) A Play in Five Acts By: Hermann Sudermann (1857-1928)

First Page:

Transcriber's Note: 1. Page scan source: http://www.archive.org/details/joyoflivingthe00suderich

2. The diphthong oe is represented by [oe].

THE JOY OF LIVING

( ES LEBE DAS LEBEN )

A PLAY IN FIVE ACTS

BY HERMANN SUDERMANN

TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN BY EDITH WHARTON

CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS NEW YORK:::::::::::::::::1906

Published, November, 1902

TROW DIRECTORY PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY NEW YORK

Translator's Note

The translation of dramatic dialogue is attended with special difficulties, and these are peculiarly marked in translating from German into English. The German sentence carries more ballast than English readers are accustomed to, and while in translating narrative one may, by means of subordinate clauses, follow the conformation of the original, it is hard to do so in rendering conversation, and virtually impossible when the conversation is meant to be spoken on the stage. To English and American spectators the long German speeches are a severe strain on the attention, and even in a translation intended only for the "closet" a too faithful adherence to German construction is not the best way of doing justice to the original.

Herr Sudermann's dialogue is more concise than that of many other German dramatists; yet in translation his sentences and speeches need to be divided and recast: to preserve the spirit, the letter must be modified. This is true not only of the construction of his dialogue but also of his forms of expression. Wherever it has been possible, his analogies, his allusions, his "tours de phrase," have been scrupulously followed; but where they seemed to obscure his meaning to English readers some adaptation has been necessary. Apart from these trifling changes, the original has been closely followed; and such modifications as have been made were suggested solely by the wish to reproduce Herr Sudermann's meaning more closely than a literal translation would have allowed.

CHARACTERS

Count Michael von Kellinghausen. Beata, his wife. Ellen, their daughter. Baron Richard von Völkerlingk. Leonie, his wife. Norbert, their son, reading for the Bar. Baron Ludwig von Völkerlingk ( Secretary of State, Richard's step brother ). Prince Usingen. Baron von Brachtmann. Herr von Berkelwitz Grünhof. Dr. Kahlenberg ( Privy Councillor at the Board of Physicians ). Holtzmann ( candidate for Holy Orders, private Secretary to Baron Richard von Völkerlingk ). Meixner. A Physician. Conrad, servant at Count Kellinghausen's. George, Baron Richard's servant. Another Servant.

The scene is laid in Berlin the first three and the fifth acts at the house of Count Kellinghausen; the fourth act at Baron Richard Völkerlingk's.

Period: about 1899 .

ACT I

THE JOY OF LIVING

ACT I

A drawing room in the Empire style in Count Kellinghausen's house. In front, on the left, a fireplace; to the left, in the background, a door to the inner apartments; to the right, back, a door into the front passage; in the foreground, on the right, a window. In the centre of back wall a wide opening between two columns, partly closed by an old Gobelins tapestry. On the right a sofa, table and chairs. On the left, in front of the fireplace, several low seats. Near the middle, placed diagonally, a writing table with shelves; beside the table two seats with low backs and a comfortable arm chair... Continue reading book >>

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