Americana Germanica [16 (Old Series; 20)]

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(Sermatt Gmcrican Qnnals CONTINUATION OF THE QUARTERLY

AMERICANA GERMANICA A BI-MONTHLY DEVOTED TO THE COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE Linguistic, Educational

Historical, Literary,

and Commercial

Relations

OF

Germany and America ORGAN OF

The German American Historical Society The National German American Alliance The Union of Old German Students in America

EDITOR,

EDWIN MILLER FOGEL, University of Pennsylvania.

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Julius Goebel,

H. C. G. Brandt, Hamilton College. W. H. Carpenter, Columbia University. W. H. Carruth,

J.

University of T. Hatfield,

Illinois.

Northwestern University. VV. T.

Hewett,

Cornell University.

University of Kansas.

A. R. HOHLFELD, University of Wisconsin. Hugo K. Schilling,

Hermann

Collitz, Johns Hopkins University.

Starr W. Cutting,

University of California.

University of Chicago.

H. Schmidt-Wartenberg,

Daniel K. Dodge.

University of Chicago.

University of Illinois.

Hermann Schoenfeld,

A. B. Faust,

Columbian University. Calvin Thomas, Columbia University. Harvard University. H. S. White, Adolph Gerber, Harvard University. Late of Earlham College. Henry Wood, Johns Hopkins University. Cornell University.

KuNO Francke,

New

Old

1918.

Series, Vol. i6.

Series,

VoL

20.

PUBLISHED BY

THE GERMAN AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY Box

39,

E. M. Fogel, Secretary, College Hall, University of Pennsylvania

Ipbtladclpbla.

aSetUn

"Kew

:

CARL

MAYER & MOLLER

!3otft

A.

Xelp3ifl

:

STERN

F. A.

parte

XonOon

KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER &

:

BROCKHAUS

CO., Ltd.

H.

LeSOUDIER

CONTENTS OF

GERMAN AMERICAN ANNALS Continuation of the Quarterly

Americana Germanica.

New

Series, Vol. i6.

Old

1918.

Series, Vol. 20.

Pages

Art of Translation with Special Reference to Prose Dramas of Hauptmann and Sudermann Deutsche in Sao Paulo und in den brasilianischen Mittelstaaten

143

Mathilde Franziska Giesler-Anneke

Raabe und

3

die deutsche

73 176

Romantik PUBLISHED BY

THE GERMAN AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY E.

Box

M. FoGEL,

Secretary,

39, College Hall, University of Pennsylvania,

Philadelphia. Berlin

:

MAYER & MULLER

New York CARL A. STERN

Leipzig

:

London

F. A.

:

KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & Paris

H.

:

LeSOUDIER

457845

:

BROCKHAUS

CO., Ltd.

(Scrman Qmeiican Qnnals CONTINUATION OF THE QUARTERLY

AMERICANA GERMANICA New

Series,

XVI.

Vol.

March and

Jan., Feb.,

Nos.

I

and

XX.

Vol.

1918.

2.

April,

Old

Series,

Nos.

i

and

2.

THE ART OF TRANSLATION, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO PROSE DRAMAS OF HAUPTMANN AND SUDERMANN. L Translation

is

INTRODUCTION.

one of the

fine arts in theory,

quite the opposite in practice.

on the part of the

It

but frequently

presupposes the rarest of gifts

which a thorough familiarity with two languages is but the beginning. "It requires a sympathetic knowledge of two cultures, two perspectives, two attitudes toward life and their expression in art."^ Yet tliere are some who think that a mere smattering of a foreign langtiage, a none too great familiarity with the intricacies of their native tongue and perhaps a mediocre dictionary suffice They do not hesitate as equipment for a successful translator. to place the product of their labors upon the book market, and translator, of

the resources of

in so

doing to desecrate one of the noblest of

arts.

They

de-

fraud the author and deceive the public with their pseudo-translations. Little

do they

realize the

enormous

responsibility

assumed

by a faithful translator. On the other hand, there have always been and still are some translators who feel and allow themselves to be guided by the They fully realize that spirit which shall speak through them. "the soul cannot be inclined to anything without having it

known

before" and "that the string of the instrument must be struck

before '

it

return the sounds."-

Cf. Editorial,

The Art of

Such translators are not only

Translation,

New

York Tribune,

Sept.

1916. '

Cf Charles Bateux, Principles of Translation, .

p.

5.

(3)

17.

Art of Translation, With Reference

4

Prose

to

Drama

familiar with the manifold complexities of the foreign language,

but above

all

command

they possess a fine

of the language they

They are authors of un-

to enrich with foreign material.

want

disputed ability, whose literary creations are a distinct contribution to the literature of their native land, reflect the full spiritual

and whose translations

content of the original.

But the majority of translators, representing various degrees Consequently fit into neither of the above categories.

of ability,

the quality of translations varies according to the skill of the

Cauer ^ says that a perfect translation would be the original itself. Absurd as this statement rnay sound, it neverthe-

translator.

less contains

which

translations, as variables,

original designates the limit

may

approach, but never reach.

a universally accepted mathematical truth that the differ-

It is

ence between a variable and

So

The

a grain of truth.

also a translation

may

tion of the original. fact that a variable

make

limit can be made infinitely small. made an almost perfect reproduc-

its

be

Again, mathematics has established the

cannot pass beyond

its limit,

and so we may

the logical inference that a translation, as such, cannot be

superior to

What,

its

original.

then, constitutes a

have been made by various

good translation?

critics to define

these definitions will be cited here.

"That,

in

Tytler

*

Many

attempts

Only a few of

it.

says translation

which the merit of the original work

is

is,

so completely

transfused into another language, as to be as distinctly apprehended, and as strongly felt, by a native of the country to which it is by those who speak the language Tolman's ^ definition, although less ver-

that language belongs, as

of the original work." bose,

is

equally meritorious.

"Translation," he says, "is arous-

ing in the (English) reader or hearer the identical emotions and

sentiments that were aroused in him tence as his native tongue."

To

who

read or heard the sen-

accomplish

this

a translation

should give an exact reproduction, a complete transcript, of the thought and spirit of the original zvork. °

Kunst dcs Ohcrsctccns. p. 5. Cf Essays on Principles of Translation, Cf. The Art of Translating, p. 22. Cf. Die .

'

p. 8.

Art of Translation, With Reference

to

This, of course, presupposes the ability

Prose

Drama

5

on the part of the

translator to grasp the thought exactly, before he can attempt to reproduce it in another language. Ludwig Fulda " lays down

"Nie und nimmer wird der Ubersetzer seine Arbeit beginnnen dvirfen, bevor der Wortsinn des Originals ihm nicht die geringste Unklarheit mehr bietet, und auch

the rather severe canon

:

den kleinsten Schnitzer, der ihm infolge unrichtiger Auslegung einer Vokabel, einer sprichwortlichen Wendung, einer grammatikalischen oder stilistischen Eigentiimlichkeit unterOne must be carelauft, gibt es fiir ihn keine Entschuldigung." ful to distinguish between the thought which the author of the fiir

original wishes to convey with every word, every single state-

ment, and the general idea underlying his whole composition. A translator may have grasped the fundamental idea of a foreign work and reproduced it quite accurately in his native tongue, and

No recognition. yet have distorted individual passages beyond prose the of rendition English one will deny that every single dramas of Hauptmann and Sudermann conveys a general idea of very few the contents of the original to the English reader, but thought of give even a fairly accurate reproduction of every is very apt eye unobserving and unskilled An their prototype. long as the general to overlook these discrepancies in details, as

resemblance

is

preserved.

But a careful reproduction of the thought of the but merely interpretation.

original

This

is all

is

the

not yet -translation, linguistic more true when the original w^ork displays stylistic and mannerisms. peculiarities which at times border on "'What does this question, the himself asks interpreter

The mean in my

But the translator queries, would the poet have expressed this, had he been writing native tongue?"

"How in my

of the words language?" To interpret is to transfer the thought the style or from one language to another, without considering It really this. than more is Translation of the original.

form

begins where interpretation stops. Not until the second element of our definition

"

Cf.

Aus meiner

Werkstatt,

p. 169.

is

taken mto

Art of Translation, With Reference

6

Prose Drama

to

consideration does one arrive at translation proper. as well as the thought of the original

The

spirit

work must be reproduced

by the translator. In the

first

the spirit of a

place,

work

is

reflected

in

the

author's style, for every author has his distinct stvlistic peculi-

The

must familiarize himself with these and must endeavor to reproduce them faithfully and accuratelv. Some translators, realizing the importance of this principle, have limited themselves entirely to the translation of the works of one foreign author. They become thoroughly imbued with the spirit of their original and are therefore able to reproduce this arities.

translator

spirit faithfully.

Secondly, linguistic and dialectal peculiarities create a dis-

and these must be reproduced or

tinctive atmosphere,

imitated is

if

the milieu of the original

particularly true of

They

many

of the

is

modern

present difficulties which are

at least

not to be destroyed.

This

naturalistic dramas.

frequently underestimated

by the translator. Thirdly, since citations

many

from popular

of the modern prose dramas contain

ditties,

folksongs, or even original verses,

the translator should feel himself in duty

bound to clothe these

metrical passages in the form of the original.

This

is

frequently

quite difficult, to be sure, but only by doing so can a translator

hope to give a faithful reproduction of the spirit of the foreign work. To paraphrase in prose the ideas contained in a poem is to emphasize the intellectual side of a work which was created for the purpose of appealing to our aesthetic sense. Not even the use of rhythmic, elevated prose style can begin to compensate for the loss resulting

To sum

from the

abolition of the original meters.

up, a translator should endeavor to give a careful

and accurate rendition of each individual thought of the original and faithfully reproduce the spirit of the foreign work by imitating the stylistic, linguistic and metrical peculiarities of the foreign author.

The mission.

translator

"Er macht

who sich

succeeds in doing this

zum

fulfills

a high

Vermittler zweier durch die Spra-

che getrennter Volker, er bewirkt eine geistige Einwirkung meist

Art of Translation, With Reference fremden auf

eines

nimmt

An

sein eigenes Volk.

er mit ganzer Seele

teil,

to

wie des Heimischen, erlebt schliesslich

Volker von einander machen,

gegeniiberstehen. "

Drama

7

dieser Vermittlung

cr erlebt sie, eriebt

dere den Unterschied der Volker, erlebt das sich

Prose

Wesen

alle

mehr als anFremden

des

Vorstellungen, die

alle gefiihle,

mit denen

sie sich

'^

Translation,

when properly

done, serves a threefold pur-

which should never be lost sight of. In the first place it is utilitarian, in that it opens to one people the storehouse of literary monuments of another, enabling them to assimilate and utilize new ideas and ideals. Secondly, it is humanitarian, in pose,

that

it

brings about

a

closer

intellectual

peoples separated by linguistic barriers. cultural sphere is

and broaden

It

union

By

soil,

it

in its

is

creation into his

Lastly, its it

it

expres-

not only

pure unadulterated form.

until a translator realizes the

sponsibility he

and

but also frequently reacts upon the origi-

encouraging the study of

Not

life

introducing foreign ideas and ideals

enriches the native nal,

two

serves to enlarge their

their intellectual horizon.

conducive to a more cosmopolitan view of

sion in art.

between

full

extent of the re-

assuming when he endeavors to turn a foreign native tongue can we begin to look for a higher

grade of translations. In the following chapters the general principles enumerated be further elaborated and an attempt will be

will

made

to deter-

mine in how far the English renditions of Hauptmann's and Sudermann's prose dramas elucidate these principles. In other words, these translations will be judged not according to the theories of the individual translators, but according to the definition of a

'

good translation adopted above.

Cf Franzel .

:

Geschichte des Obersetsens,

p. 6.

Art of Translation, With Reference

8

to

Prose

Drama

TRANSLATION OF PROSE DRAMAS.

II.

The average prose work does not offer any great difficulties who is equally familiar with the foreign lan-

to the translator

guage and

his native tongue. It resolves itself into a question of rendering the thought of the original accurately and clearly into readable, idiomatic English, and of betraying as little of its foreign origin as possible.

But many of the modern prose dramas display stylistic and peculiarities, which make the problem of rendering

linguistic

them

into another language a peculiarly unique

One might almost distinct

say, each

problems,

trasnlator

This

its

and

modern prose drama

difficult one.

presents

characteristics, with

striking

own

its

which the

must contend. particularly true of

drama, as from a careful portrayal of human emotions, as well as a minute observation of the environment in which characters live and move. The most striking external characteristic of the so-called is

the

popularly understood, which derives

naturalistic art in literature

is

its

"naturalistic"

effectiveness

the Kleimnalcrci, the detail touches

which lend tone and color to the artistic creation. And are these external qualities not the temperamental expression of the The deeper artist's innermost self in contact with the world? aspirations of man, his restless activity, "the mysterious stir-

rings of the

human

what

man

is art,

nervous tension of the age,

spirit,"* the

these find artistic record in the

human

but "a

consciously, by

modern

naturalistic

—

drama.

activity, consisting in this, that

means of

all

P^or

one

certain external signs, hands on

to others feelings he has lived through,

and that other people are If, now,

infected by these feelings, and also experience them."^

these feelings are of such a nature as to find fullness of expression only in the

most minute observation of

details, as for in-

stance in the naturalistic drama, can anyone hope to experience

' Cf. John Galsworthy, Tranquility, p. 277.

'Cf. Leo Tolstoi,

Maude.

What

Platitudes is

Art?

concerning Drama, in

Works, Vol.

9,

p.

43,

The Inn of

tr.

by Aylmer

Art of Translation, With Reference

to

Prose Drama

9

same feelings as the artist without carefully observing each and every one of these details? Surely not. Consequently the very first principle which a translator, who would give a faithful reproduction of a drama written in the spirit of modern Only by reproducing naturalism, ought to observe is accuracy. the exact impression, the thought and feeling of every single statement, every single word, accurately can a translator hope to the

convey the

full

The

significance of the original.

liberties ex-

tended to a translator of metrical works cannot be allowed a Whereas the former may at times be comprose translator. pelled to deviate

somewhat from the thought of

the original in

order to retain the metrical form, or vice versa, the latter has

no such privileges granted to him.

—

Inaccuracies. Yet it is surprising to note the thousands of deviations from the thought of the original in the English renditions of a number of Hauptmann's and Sudermann's prose dramas. These inaccuracies range all the way from misinterpretation of a single thought or word to renditions which are the exact opposite of the original.

the ple

The following illustrations are but a small percentage of many striking instances of incorrect translations. Roy TemHouse, in his rendition of Das Friedensfest,^'* translates "wunderlich"

(p.

119).

(strange) "wonderful!"

(p.

343)"Viel zu gutte Sorte fiir einen von uns," (p. 121). "That's too high a viewpoint for folks like us," (p.

244).

"Denk

dir

mal

Tour von Wien." througli from Vienna)

an, in einer

(Just think, straight

"Just imagine in a trip about Vienna."

"Man muss so etwas durchmachen "A man can't help seeing a thing (p.

'°Cf.

.

(p.

like that

362).

The

Reconciliation, in Poet Lore, Vol. 21,

346)-

."

.

p.

337

ff-

(p. 123).

(p.

i45)-

through."

lo

Art of Translation, With Reference

"Du

to

Drama

Prose

wohl nicht recht gescheit." (p. 153). (You haven't your right wits about you). bist

"You

aren't careful enough."

"Na nu

— ganz uf

hort's

"

368).

(p.

(p. 165).

(Well, that beats everything)

"Well, stop

it

then."

(p.

378).

"Reden Sie mir zu, Wilhelm!" (p. 169). (Encourage me, William!) "Speak to me, Wilhelm!" (p. 381). "das Thenia

ist

(the subject

is

"the theme

is

unerquicklich!" (p. 171).

not refreshing!)

inexhaustible!"

(p.

383).

These are but a few of the many instances in which a wrong idea is conveyed by the English rendition of the conversation of

Even more significant are the careless some of the stage directions. For instance

the original.

renditions of

Das Aussenportal des Hauses is

geht.

(p.

121).

translated

A This

is

knock

at the outer door.

(p.

344).

a striking illustration of the importance of accurate

redition of such stage directions.

Dr. Scholz, the old family

tyrant, returns after his long wanderings.

toward his home and family? penitent vagrant, or

is

he

Is

still

What

is

his attitude

he returning, a broken-down,

the family tyrant of his former

years ?

Hauptmann has very

ingeniously

indicated Dr.

Scholz's

mental attitude toward his family in the stage direction "Das Aussenportal des Hauses geht." Dr. Scholz does not ask admittance rights.

to

He

his

home

still

asserts his

like

one

who

has sacrificed his former

former prestige,

his

old attitude

toward his family has not changed.

How knocks

different in the English translation!

at the door.

He

is

Here Dr. Scholz

not sure of his ground, he feels that

he has sacrificed his paternal prerogatives, he humbly seeks ad-

Art of Translation,

home by knocking

miltance to his old inconsistent

Reference

IVitli

to

Prose

Drama

1 1

And how

at the door.

such an interpretation with the subsequent actions

is

of Dr. Scholz

Nothing could be more conducive

!

to an errone-

ous interpretation of character than just such an apparently

in-

a stage direction.^ ^

significant mis-translation of

Frequently a single word

misconstrued by employing an

is

inappropriate dictionary term, and thus creates an impression

from

quite different

"unterbrechend"

temptuously"

For instance

the original.

(p.

(interrupting)

131).

(p.

tr.

"con-

352).

"vergeistigt"

(spiritualized)

149).

(p.

"enthusi-

tr.

astically." (p. 366).

Far more accurate than the above is the English rendition drama by Janet Achurch and C. E. \Vheeler, under the title The Coming of Peace. But it also contains a number of wrong translations, which could scarcely be perpetrated by anyone who is thoroughly conversant with German and English. For instance: of the same

"Es ner hat."

gibt Lebenslagen, p.

122).

"There are times mies."

(p.

in

—wenn man — — one has

einflussreiche

life

powerful ene-

if

24).

'.'dreiste"

(p.

153).

(bold), "thirty"

"Trinkt der Mensch

habt von

(p.

jeher

(p.

.!

.

.

"Drunken creature!" "ihr

(p. 91).

155).

94).

den

Sieg behalten!" (p. 161).

"from today you have won the victory!"

"Ob

es iiberhaupt

"if

that

"which takes the

fiihrt.

article

.

.

."

along with

(p. it."

no).

(p.

noch mal werden wird?" were to happen again?" (p. 122).

"die unseren Artikel

"

Geg-

(p.

166).

173). (p.

138).

note that Ludwig Lewisoinn, in his careful revision translation of Das Friedcnsfesl does not correct the above mistranslation. Cf. Dramatic Works of G. H., Vol. Ill, p. 19. of

It is interesting to

this

12

Art of Translation, With Reference

to

Drama

Prose

or the stage direction

Man (He

He

merkt nun deutlich: er is

is

ist

angeheitert

154

(p.

:

'•

evidently slightly intoxicated)

evidently excited,

92).

(p.

of the translations found in the English manuscript

Some

Dcr Biberpeh under the title Thiefcs' Comedy, by Charles John Home, are quite ludicrous, and betray an inadequate knowledge of German colloquialisms and dialect on the rendition of

part of the translator.

"Det bisken Lumpe, det is

da anhabe?"

ick

10).

(p.

translated

"A "

fat lot that'll be."

p. 3, I).

Geld vergisste woU ganz?" "Money's always worth picking up." (p. 3, 'S

baare

"Wat hab (p.

konnte

"He'd

let

me

Ihn'

it

to me,

all

noch

say anything."

if

I've got to

(p.

63).

bury it?"

ville erzahln."

(p. 2,

10).

I).

davon, wenn ick sitzen muss!"

ick

"What's the good of 2, ni). "Ick

(p.

(p.

80).

IV).

Although there are three English renditions '- of Hauptmann's Hanncles Himmelfahrt on the book market today, not one of them is free from striking inaccuracies. Most faulty in this respect is G. S. Bryan's rendition, where we find such translations as the following:

—Leine— out of here!) draw —

"Jetzt zieht aber

(Now "Now

clear I

the

"Dare du!"

"Das "The

" (p. 10).

(p.

iibrige weiss

rest

you

line!"

14),

man

(p.

164).

(You wench!) ja

"

—you

von alleene." from her!"

can learn only

' Tr. by William Archer, Charles Henry Meltzer and G.

21).

(p.

(p.

S.

there!'"

168).

Bryan.

Art of Translation, With Reference

to

Prose

Drama

13

stage direction "Sie driickt sich hinaus," (p. 17). (She the goes out steaUhily) conveys quite a different meaning from "Noten out," (p. 167). Enghsh rendition "She forces her way

The

(producing music sheets) is intermemoranda." preted ridiculously "taking from his pocket some hervorziehend,"

(p.

72,)-

(p. 183).

But the high-water mark of inaccurate and distorted transwith the Englations of Hauptmann's prose dramas is reached Marion A. Redlich. lish rendition of Fiihrmann Hcnschel, by Bauernzimmer," "Ein for misprint, The version begins with a room," pleasant (p. 3); and one (p. 373) is translated "A absolutely need read only a few lines to see that the work is

The translator displays ignorance idiom, but also of the Silesian German High

worthless as a translation.

not only of the dialect.

Consequently the translation becomes more or

less

a

travesty on the original.

"Holzlatschen"

"Hatchet"

(wooden pattens)

373)-

(p.

is

tr.

(p. 3)-

"Bomkrug"

(p.

373)-

(water pitcher)

is

construed as

proper noun.

"Hader"

(p.

375)-

(rag)

is tr.

"Ich wer's'n eintranken." (I'll get even with him).

"Guess

it's

my

loss

.

.

"poker"

(p. 9).

377)-

(p.

(p. 13)-

."

a Gewirge," (das Stiefelanziehen) (That's some twistin' and squirmin').

"Das

is

"That's a storm for you

.

.

."

"schmeissen Se nich etwa um!"

(p-

(p.

(p.

377)-

H)-

378).

(be careful you don't upset) (p. 16). fall over anything."

"don't

"meine Schmiere"

(p.

423)-

(m.v Troupe)

ailment" (p. 102).

"den verdammten Karrcn." "this

damned

carcass."

(p.

423)-

(p. 102).

tr.

"my

Art of Translation, With Reference

14

is

Prose

Drama

stage direction, "Frau Henschel, die aufrecht vor

The Ofenloch 445).

to

wie

steht, so

sie

eben hastig emporgefahren

the bedroom."

(p.

(p.

"Mrs. Henschel stands before

translated ridiculously:

same way as when she

the stove, dressed in the

dem

ist:"

first

came from

143).

Inaccurate renditions of the thought of the original are not

very careful English translation of Und Pippa Sarah Tracy Barrows. The few deviations to be noted are rather accidental, and cannot be ascribed to any lack of ability on the part of the translator. Such reditions as

numerous

in the

Tanst, by

wants to go over to the Snowman"

he

suppose

"I

(P- 153)-

for

"A (p.

will

wohl zum

Schneemoane warn"

(werden)

112).

or

"Why

do you look so?

(p.

228),

for

"Wie

siehst

du denn aus?"

(p.

154).

Far less accurate same drama by Mary Harned,

are exceedingly scarce in this translation.

is

the English rendition of the

in

which we find such translations as

"Government horse." (p.

"A

290).

for

"Staatspferd."

so schloappern de Tuta an ihre Milch!"

(That's the is

(p.

103).

way

(p. 122).

the dead slobber their milk.)

translated

"That's the

way

babies, too, suck in their milk!"

306).

"kurz und klein" is

(p.

155).

translated

"low and small" ".

.

.

(shall I

333).

(p.

sold ich an'n Diener

make

a

bow

)

macha,"

(p.

157).

(p.

Art of Translation, With Reference is

to

Prose Drama

15

translated

"Shall

I

make you

a servant," (p. 334).

Such inaccuracies might be indefinitely multiplied, but the above may serve to illustrate what wrong impressions are conveyed by these renditions.

In her translation of Sudermann's Es Lcbe das Lehcn, Edith Wharton loses sight of the significance of the play on the word "Eigentum"' in the following passage, which is thereby

rendered vague and meaningless

"Eigentum ist Diebstahl, sagen unsere Freunde driiben, und wenn umgekehrt der Diebstahl das uns Eigentiimliche ist

.

."

.

".

erty

(p. 50).

Don't our

.

.

Why

theft?

is

political

opponents say that prop-

not reverse the axiom, and

.

."

.

(P- 52)-

Again, the English rendition of

"Wenn gen diirfte!"

ich mit einer

gesunden

Kuhmagd Kinder

zeu-

(p. 54).

by "If only I could

marry a healthy dairy-maid"

(p.

56).

does not begin to convey the underlying idea of the original. For a nobleman to suggest in public marrying a dairy-maid is contrary to

all

conceptions of caste

among

the nobility,

could not conceive of Sudermann's writing:

sunde

Kuhmagd

The English

and one

ich eine ge-

heiraten diirfte. translation of Die Hcimat, by Charles

Amory Winslow, under inaccuracies.

Wenn

the

title

Magda,

also contains

Edward

numerous

For example

"Ausserdem hat Sie auch mein Freund Heydebrand, .

.

.

mit ihr zusammen getrolYen." (p. 17). her with my friend Heydebrand."

"You met

(p.

18).

"Seid ihr nicht gut aufgehoben? Halten wir nicht zu-

sammen, wir drei?" (p. 26). "Have you not been well brought up? And not hold together,

we three?"

(p.

26).

shall

we

1

Art of Translation, With Reference

6

to

Prose

Drama

"Sie manschen ja heute nur so in Barbarei."

"Wir bekommen

einen Tadel,

— Wir

ziehn

uns eine

Riige zu," (p. 30).

"We "We

seem to be in a strange land today." are under a curse, We are bearing a penance."

—

(P- 30)-

"qualen Sie mich nicht." "don't be angry with me."

"Es

scheint, das

"That

(p. 99). (p.

97).

muss durchgemacht werden."

—that seemed to be

all

over."

(p.

(p. 122).

119).

William Ellory Leonard, in an otherwise faithful translation of Das Gliick im JJ'inkel, at times loses sight of the German construction, and so fails to note the correct pronominal ante-

As a

cedent.

result

we

find such translations as

"In the house a door."

(p.

443).

for

"in demselben (Staketenzaun) eine Pforte," (p. 9).

or

"I'm renting them out" (P-

(antecedent "Siigarbccts"),

450)-

for

"die verpump' ich"

hahn"),

— (antecedent "transportable Eisen-

(p. 42). *

Some feucr,

of the attempts at translating Sudermann's Johannes-

by Charlotte Porter and H. C. Porter are more or For example

less

amusing.

"Hauptkerl" "blockhead!"

"Wird

(p.

8).

fellow)

(capital

is

translated

(p. 2).

sich

Ijedanken!" (p.

10).

(catch

her

doing

(that!)

"That's something to be thankful for!" (p. 3). "Olsche," (p. 13).

noun,

(old lady)

is

construed as a proper

Art of Tramlation, With Reference

to

Prose Drama

"Hab' dich nicht!" (p. 36). (Don't put on "Haven't I got you?" (p. 15).

"Das

wiir' ein

"And he

junger Vater!"

will be

(p.

a young father."

17 airs!)

54). (p.

23).

"das ist ein fcincr Zug unserer Religion, das Baste in uns dem lieben alten Harm da oben in die Schuhe zu schieben.

96).

(p.

"It

is

a fine trait in our religion that

it

clothes all that

best in us in raiment befitting the dear Father above."

is

(p. 41).

"sanften Thransauce" (p. 133).

(tender intoxication

of love)

"warm

tear-sauce" (p. 57).

The

stage direction "sich rechend" (p. 145), (stretching) translated: "she rocks herself back and forth." (p. 62).

is

The translation of the same drama, by Grace E. Polk, although far more accurate than the alxjve, likewise displays inadequate knowledge of the shades of meaning attached to Sudermann's highly idiomatic language.

For instance:

"Vielleicht, dass wir sie wieder wegkriegen." (p. 10). (Perhaps we'll be able to get her out of the way again.) is

translated

:

"Perhaps

"Wenn du

we'll

run across her again."

so weiter gnidderst, wirst

(p. g.

du noch kurz vor

deiner Hochzeit in den Winkel gestellt." (p. 21). "If you keep up this sort of foolishness, it won't be long

you find yourself thrown wedding." (p. 16). till

'.'Wir

waren

—unserer

into

a corner

viere, die

without any

wir darauf warteten,

jejen die Sinden der Manschheit losjelassen zu werden," (p- 24).

"We

—

were

,

four of our old crowd,

who were

waiting

there to be freed from the sins of mankind;" (p. 19).

"sanften Thransauce (p. 89).

—

" (p. 133).

"soft tear gravy

—

i8

Art of Translation, With Reference

To

Prose Drama

to

cite all the incorrect renditions of the

thought noted

in

dramas of Hauptmann and Sudermann would fill a goodly sized volume. And yet there seems to no plausible exthe above

cuse for such misinterpretations.

To

be sure the degree of inac-

curacy varies considerably both in quantity and quality. Whereas

some of the prose translations of Hauptmann's and Svidermann's dramas might be considerably improved with but slight revision, others should be discarded entirely as translations, for the task

of careful revision would be greater than of translating anew.

Even more

number of the above incorrect which convey the exact opposite of the thought in the original. Such errors may at times be due to an oversight on the part of tlie translator when making his first draft, and carelessness in his subsequent revision; or they may In either case they seem unbe due to ignorance on his part. pardonable. Only a few such translations will be cited here. renditions

striking than a

those

are

In his otherwise faithful version of Vor Sonncnaufgang,

Leonard Bloomfield permits an error

like the

following to creep

in:

Arm

der ihren

who

noch nicht wieder

has released her arm,

(p. 71).

278).

Roy Temple House's

while this rendition occurs in

Das

(p.

losgela.ssen,

version of

Friedensfest=

"Das

ist

ja auch gar nicht

"That's exactly what

Janet Achurch and same drama, translate:

"Das

lobt

"that's not

man

I

meine Absicht."

think about

it."

(p.

(p.

127).

349).

C. E. Wheeler, in their version of the

sich docli!"

much

(p.

119).

to be grateful for"

"Ich mochte jauchzen."

(p.

(p. 17).

152).

"I could sob" (p. 88).

A few of the renditions quite the opposite of the original might also be cited from Marion A. Redlich's version of Fulirmann Henschel. For example:

Art of Translation, "Ich

Reference

(p.

"and talks a

406).

lot

wahr

ob's

is."

"I

(p. 71).

you,

tell

it's

(p. 107).

Uud Pippa

In her version of lates

19

(p. 72).

"wer weess, true."

Drama

to you," (p. 390).

lie

"unci hat Maulaffen fell,"

of stuff."

Prose

to

mir von dir keene Liegen vorschmeissen."

lass'

"I won't

(p. 23).

IVitli

Mary Harned

Tanzt,

trans-

:

"A

hat dich zu

"After

all,

ji^iiter

!"

Letzt doch no gefangt

he didn't get you!"

Equally distorted are some of the statements

I'Mward stance

Amory Winslow's

(p.

1

19).

304).

(p.

Charles

in

For

rendition of Die Heimat.

in-

:

"Und wenn

zu

sie's

(p.

werft

nur ruhig

ihr

—das

ist

sie

schon

90).

"And when plate at

treibt.

was an den Kopf

einen Teller oder so

gewohnt."

toll

she gets too excited, she quickly throws a

I'm accustomed to

your head.

it."

"Ich gehe gerad auf mein Ziel los!" "I have already

(p.

(p.

88).

151).

wandered from the point."

(p.

145).

In the version of Johannisfeucr, by Charlotte Porter and

H.

C. Porter, such translations as these are

found

"der Mansch muss sich hiten, alter zu werden," "a

man must

(p.

23).

submit to growing old," (p. 8).

"Und da sagte "And I said, 'Do

ich: it

'Nu gerade

then'."

nich." "

(p.

65).

(p. 27).

Can anyone assert that justice is done to the thought expressed in Hauptman's and Sudermann's dramas with such translations?

And

yet rarely have critics called the attention of

the reading pul)lic to the fact that they are being deceived by

many

translators.

Not

all

deviations from the thought of the original are as

striking '& as those cited above.

At times they are but

slight

and

20

Art of Translation, With Reference

to

Prose Drama

For example. Hauptmann's remarkable knowledge of human nature is well

attract the attention of the careful observer only.

displayed at the end of the

first

act of

Fuhrmann Hcnschcl.

Frau Henschel, on her deathbed, is making every effort to exact from her husband the promise not to marry Hanne, the servant Henschel promises in a somewhat indifferent and jocose girl. manner, and will not comply with his wife's request to answer "yes" or "no." The positive affirmation is not forthcoming, even though Henschel agrees rather evasively, with an indifferent

shake of the hand. for his

the

own

He

is

leaving, as

conscience, which

future.

It is

human

may

were, a small loophole

it

give

him ease and comfort

in

nature to seek relief for one's qualms

of conscience by resorting to such petty diplomacy.

Frau Hen-

demands, "Ja oder nee?" (p. 21), but nowhere do we find The translation of the the "ja" which she so earnestly craves. conversation at the close of the first act shows how Ludwig Lewisohn has failed to recognize the real psychological signifischel

cance of Henschel's evasiveness Fr.

Fr.

Fr.

H. H. H. H. H. H.

"Kannst Du"s versprechen ?" (p. 21). "Was denn versprechen?" "Dass Du das Madel nich thatst nehmen!" "Vor inir audi versprechen?" "Hier in die Hand?" "Ich sag Der'sch ja." (Er legt seine Hand in die ihre.

(I'm

which

is

tellin'

you

right along.)

translated

Mrs. H. "Can you promise

H. Mrs. H. H. Mrs. H. H.

it?"

(p.

38).

"Promise what ?" "That you wouldn't go and marry the promise, too; I'm

"I'll

"An'

you'll give

"I'm

tellin'

zvillin

me your hand

you: Yes."

(He

girl!'"

to." in

token?"

puts

his

hand

into hers.)

from the original result in a wrong interpretation nf character, and emphasize the importance of rendering every word accurately, in order to do Such apparently

insignificant deviations

Art of

With Reference

Traiislation,

to

Drama

Prose

21

complete justice to the thought and psychological significance of the original.

Some

dictionary translations are readily discernible by the

which German words are translated by their Englisli cognates, which are no longer equivalent in meaning. Again, one frequently finds that a translator has selected the wrong meaning

manner

in

For example, Roy Temple House

of a word.

"auskommen" "Braut" ".

.

.

(p.

lange machen.

.

"da haben

x^

se

.

."

.

can't

.

(p.

347).

155).

make

—

it

much

longer."

(p.

—klar—Punkt!" — —point!"

det Janze

clear

Janet Achurch and C. E. Wheeler, same drama, translate "dieser Lump!" by "and that lump!" (p. 116). Marion A. Redlich ^* translates "pol'schen

(p.

der kann't unmeejlich mehr

.

whole thing

"there's the

translates:

"bride" (p. 368).

Mann

"Her man, he

"come out"

125).

(p. 152).

Ihr

'^

Wirtschaft"

164).

(p.

155).

(p. (p.

370).

in their rendition

410).

(p.

370).

of the

(this rascal)

(horrible

mess)

"Polish saloon" (p. 79). "stillweinendc"

(p.

61).

(silently

weeping)

"still

crying" (p. 94)In

Mary Harned's

rendition of Sudermann's Tcja, these

translations are found

"auf eigene Faust," (p.

(p.

27).

"with

my own

fist,"

338).

"Und was machen

die

keinen

Anhang haben

"

(P- 35)-

(And what will those do, who have no followers "And what are the men doing who have no pendages

" (p. 342).

" Cf. The Reconciliation, in Poet Lore, Vol. Cf. Fuhrtnann Henschel.

"

21.

)

ap-

Art of Translation, Willi Reference

22

may

Furthermore, violence lates

Sarah Tracy Barrows

'"

trans-

(p.

141).

:

"fliisternd" (p. 159).

and

Prase Drama

be done to the thought by care-

misreading the original.

lessly

to

in

"fleeing" (p. 236).

Edith Wharton's version of Es lebc das Lebcn"geleitet."

131).

(p.

translated,

is

"rings"

while William Ellory Leonard, in P'ale of Content, translates

"Kiihn!"

(p.

by "cool!"

17).

(p.

444).

may have existed in the and consequently the transAt all events it is apparent from the lators are not at fault. above illustration that a wrong idea may be conveyed by changing not only a word but even a single letter in the original. It may be argued by some translators that "every man's conception of the true meaning of words is modified, both in kind It is quite likely

that misprints

originals used by the translators,

and degree, by the idiosyncracies of his mental constitution. Language as a medium of thought and an instrument for the expression of thought

subjective,

is

not absolute."^"

this

is

But where the deviations from the thought of the pronounced as to convey an absolutely erroneous conception, no matter from which angle they are viewed, no quite true.

original are so

possible vindication for the translator can be found.

a

passage

permitted

lator's rendition

of

a

twofold

interpretation, the

trans-

Only such which convey an absolutely wrong idea

was not questioned by the

instances have been cited

Wherever

writer.

or which tend to distort the thought of the original.

Omissions.

— Violence

may

be done to the thought of the

original not merely by incorrect renditions, but also by omitting

from a translation such

essential details as are necessary for a

complete understanding of the original. less

To enumerate the countHauptmann and Su-

passages omitted from the dramas of

"'Cf.

"

Cf.

Und Pippa Tanst. Marsh, Lectures on the Engtisli Language, N.

Y., 1872, p. 572.

Art of Translation, With Reference

to

Prose Drama

23

dermann in the various English translations would require man> pages. At times such omissions are quite insignificant, but frequently they rudely interrupt the trend of thought and tend to destroy the organic integrity of the entire work.

Important stage

directions in the original, which are so essential to a clear under-

standing and comprehensive interpretation of the action of a character are often lacking in the English renditions. "heiter,"

"freudige Bewegung,"

"aufjubelnd,"

Words

like

"grosse Bewe-

are surely employed with a definite purpose by the author of the original. And yet they are only too often omit-

gung,"

etc.,

ted in translation.

Sie

ist

ver gegen

Even such

John

in

significant stage directions as:

Arm

den

sie gerichtet.'"

(p.

gefallen, so dass sein Revol-

168).

or

mit

Beate sieht den StaatssekretJir halb fragend an, der erwieeiner Geste bescheidenen Einverstandnisses

dert.>«

(p. 18).

Such translations surely fall are omitted by the translators. of the thought of the transcript complete a giving of short original.

—

Frequently omission resolves itImitation- of Dictiox. of the original. The translathought the of denuding self into a imagery of its protopicturesque the all tion which results has lost Onlv the mere skeleton of the thought remains. For the type. sake of brevity and poignancy of expression the translator creates a prosaic reproduction of the foreign work. Figurative or-

nament is sacrificed for conciseness of expression. Still it would seem more logical to substitute mental pictures producing the same aesthetic eflfect and of equal weight than to strip the original of all

its

figurative language.

Note, for example, the follow-

ing translations, taken from Edith Wharton's version of

das Leben-

" Cf. Die Ratten, translated by Ludwig Lewisohn. Es lebe das Leben, translated by Edith Wharton.

"^Cf.

Es Lcbe

24

Art of Translation, With Reference "Grafin, ich

bewundre

to

Prose Drama

die schlafwandelnde Sicherheit,

mit der Sie die Giite des Menschenherzens in ihre Berech-

nungen ziehen." "Countess,

(p. 15). I

wonder

your

at

faith in

human

nature."

(P- 13)-

"Ach, du weisst's ja! ich bin ja

doch Glas vor

Wenn

"You know, mother. "

ich's

auch nie gesagt hab',

" (p. 92).

dir I

don't have to

tell

you things

(p. 99).

"Wir Arzte haben serchen, die

i'lber

ein ganzes Arsenal von solchen Wasden Augenblick hinwegtauschen, wie das

Gliick,

und wie das

sind."

(p.

"We

Gliick bloss tropfenweise zu geniessen

95). physicians have a supply of such remedies to tide

us over bad places."

(p. 102).

"(Ich lache) Weil du uns heute verleugnet hast vor allem Volk, uns und unser

langes,

stilles

Warte

Gliick!

Freundchen, es wird die Stunde komnien da wird der

Hahn

zuni dritten Male krahen, dann wirst du weinen bitterlich." (P- 144).

"(I laugh) because in your speech this morning you disowned us both disowned our long, sad, sweet dream."

—

(P- 154)-

"Ich verdanke ihr so unendlich

vergangenes Leben rin finde, als ein

iiberschaue, ich

viel,

dass

wenn

kaum etwas

ich

mein

anderes da-

ewiges Empfangen, einen schimmernden

Reichtum von Giite und von Frieden, die mir aus diesem Hause kamen." (p. 162). "The house of Kellinghausen As I look back over my life, I don't know how to sum up all I owe to it." (p. 176). !

In the translator's note, prefaced to the version of

Es Lebc

Leben, Edith Wharton expresses her views on translation of dramatic dialogue. "Wherever it has been possible," she says rfo-s

;

"his (Sudermann's) analogies, his allusions, his tours dc phrase

have been scrupulously followed

;

but where they seemed to ob-

^Irt of Translation, IVitli

Reference

to

Drama

Prose

25

meaning to English readers some adaptation has been Apart from these trifling changes, the original lias 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 scure his

necessary.

;

have allowed."'"

Would Sudermann's meaning have

been less closely repro-

duced by following the "analogies," the allusions," the "tours de phrase" a little more "scrupulously" than in the above illus-

seems to be a rather severe indictment of the Engof aesthetic appreciation and power of perception to argue that a careful translation of such passages would obscure the meaning. It is just these "trifling changes" trations?

It

lish reader's faculty

which tend to destroy the meaning is reproduced, to be spirit

in

spirit

of the original work.

sure, but in faint outline only.

The The

of the original, as well as the thought, must be reproduced

order to do

full justice to

When

a lofty,

medium

for the

the foreign work.

figurative diction suggests itself as the proper

conveyance of the author's thought, the translator should feel himself in duty bound to adopt a similar diction. fully

endeavoring to imitate the

Only by care-

peculiarities

stylistic

of his

author can a translator hope to attain even a moderate degree of success.

But such imitation does not mean slavish adherence to

the syntactical structure or

word order of

wise expressions such as the following

Helen comes noiselessly tripping behind Loth,-°

(p.

the original.

may in

Other-

result:

and embraces from

304).

"—Let me

loose!"-'

"I wish to

tell

(p.

376).

thee yet something,"--

(p. 42).

"she remains by him standing and stroking his hair."-* (p-

447)-

" Cf The Joy of Living, translated by Edith Wharton, Translator's Note. "Ci. Before Dawn, translated by Leonard Bloomfield. " Cf. Reconciliation, translated by Roy Temple House. " Cf. Morituri, translated by Archibald Alexander. " Cf. Vale of Content, translated by William Ellory Leonard. .

26

Art of Translation, With Reference

to

Drama

Prose

Besides revealing their foreign origin such expressions, on

account of their unnatural awkwardness, convey an impression quite the opposite of that produced by the natural, easy-flowing original.

A

translator cannot be too careful to conceal the labor of

"The one crying

translation.

which no mere commercial is bad Eng-

evil,

motives should ever induce a publisher to tolerate, lish."-''

Numerous

instances of such translations as the follow-

ing might be cited from the English renditions of the dramas of

Hauptmann and Sudermann.

Roy Temple House

(in Reconcili-

ation) translates

"Habt (p.

denn nich

viel Riicksicht

fiir

mich?'"

"Haven't you as much consideration for

me

as that

ihr

so

126).

comes to?"

(p.

348).

While a stage direction

is

translated by

Ludwig Lewisohn :-'

Bertha, leaving Henschel unwillingly, and walks

gonally across the room.

Edward Amory Winslow's

In Charles

this expression is

"es

men?"

ist

—

dia-

(p. 93).

version of

Magda,

found Ihnen

—verboten

worden, dergleichen anzuneh-

(p. 8).

"weren't you told not to

Mary Harned "sein

~^

let

any more be

left?"

(p. 8).

translates

Leben lang,"

(p.

18).

"all

his life long,"

(p.

334).

Expressions "it's all the

like

"makes as

if

to go," "In respect of that,"

"He who enters goes am from my heart sorry,"

time like harps in the house,"

not out again," "forty years long," "I

"look at one another in the eyes,"

" Cf. Nation, Vol.

29, p. 388.

°'Cf. Fulirmann Henschel.

"Cf. Teias.

all

of which were found in

Art of Translation, With Reference

to

Prose Drama

27

various published English renditions of prose dramas of Haupt-

mann and Sudermann, and which might

be indefinitely multi-

would not be sanctioned by an authority on good

plied, surely

And

usage of English.

still

they are supposed to be translations

German expressions such immer wie Harfen im Hause," "wer

of perfectly normal colloquial

gehen,"

es

"ist

geht nicht mehr hinaus," "vierzig Jahre lang," "es lich leid,"

"Seht Euch

in die

only do not reproduce the

Augen."

ist

as "will eintritt,

mir wahr-

Such translations not

stylistic peculiarities

of the original,

but tend to destroy, rather than convey the spirit of the foreign

The

work.

ease of the original composition has been sacrificed,

even though the thought has not been distorted.

By

following the construction of the original too closely not

only ease but frequently clearness lator.

Take for example

is

destroyed by the trans-

the following stage direction

from Und

Pippa Tanst-

W'ann gibt dem blinden und hilflosen Michel einen Stock in die Hand, setzt ihm den Hut auf und fiihrt den Tastenden, aber leise und gliicklich Kichernden nach der Ausganstiir (p. 166). This perfectly clear statement

Mary Harned's

is

made

quite

ambiguous

in

translation:

Wann puts a cane into the hand of the blind and helpMichael, puts his hat on and leads him to the outside door, feeling his way, but chuckling softly and happily

less

(P-

340).

Sarah Tracy Barrow's translation of and intelligible

this

passage

is

per-

fectly clear

Wann puts a stick into the hand of the blind and helpMichel, puts his hat on his head and leads the groping man, who is softly and happily chuckling, to the outer less

door.

(p.

248).

At times not only

the spirit, but also the thought suflfers

on account of too close adherence to the

Roy Temple House " Cf Reconciliation. .

-^

translates

original.

For example,

28

Art of Translatiun, With Reference

"wenn

icli

davonlaufe?"

Prose

to

"if I

(p. 176).

Drama go off?"

(p.

387).

In the rendition of the same drama by Janet Achurch and C. E. Wheeler, this translation

found

to be

is

"erheht sich," (p. 168).

is

tr.

"lifts

himself up,"

(p.

127).

While Mary Morison in her translation of Die IVcber renders "Vor mir" (p. 376), (for all I care) literally by "for me." (P- 133)-

Frequently an author purposely clothes his thought in simple

This is true, for instance, of employed by Sudermann in his drama Johannes. The clear, naive Biblical language is admirably imitated in the English rendition of this drama by Beatrice Marshall. Mary Harned, translating the same drama quite literally, employs a but dignified, graceful language. the diction

formal, elevated, but often rather prosaic English, while the

manuscript version by Nelly Margaret

Baumann and Gertrude

Parker Dingee renders the work into the everyday, hackneyed It will be observed that each one of the following translations reproduces the thought quite accurately, and yet only vernacular.

the version by Beatrice Marshall gives an idea of the style and

language of the original.

"Und darum B. (P-

&

grollte

ihm das Volk."

(p.

55).

D. "and therefore the people bore him a grudge."

35)-

M. H. "and therefore he gained people." B.

(p.

M. "and

there was,

amongst the people."

(p.

on

that

account,

D.

"Doch du B.

&

will

of the

grumbling

in).

"He stole some chickens," (p. M. H. "He stole chickens," (p. 214). B. M. "He stole hens," (p. 225). B.

ill

196).

"er stahl Hiihner," (p.

&

the

187).

gehst nicht unter."

(p.

66).

125).

D. "But you do not sink down."

(p. 73).

Art of Translation, With Reference

to

Drama

Prose

29

M. H. "But you will not go down." (p. 221). B. M. "Thou shall not go down." (p. 232). "Dein Antlitz leuchtet." (p. 135). & D. and M. H. "Your face shines;"

B.

(p.

80),

(p.

225).

M. "Thy countenance beams."

B.

(p.

237).

A translator should guard against monotony of style. A goodly supply of words is needed in order to furnish a choice whenever necessary.

"Wer

nicht auf sich achtet," says Cauer,^*

"verfallt leicht in die lassige Gewohnheit, ahnliche

w'ieder mit demsell^en

nicht nur

Namen

dem Wohlklang sondern auch

Dinge immer

Und

zu benennen.

das schadet

der Deutlichkeit."

Note,

monotonous effect produced by the repetition in the following passage from Mary Harned's translation of Elga: for example, the

"Sieh doch: da

Licht

—

driiben

ist

Licht."

"Wahrhaftig, im alten Wartturm

ist

Licht."

ist

"But look there ;

a light

is

there

is

(p.

224).

a light over there."

(P- 14)-

"So

there is; there

a light in the old watch-tower."

is

or "Ich habe Angst.

am

"I

afraid.

I

Ich fiirchte mich jetzt," (p. 248). afraid now," (p. 3).

am

On the other hand, an author frequently repeats a word or group of w^ords for the sake of emphasis and force. This is To translate such repetiby a variety of words or phrases tends to destroy the very eft'ect an author is striving after. In Sudermann's Johannes, the particularly true of dramatic dialogue. tions

repetition

"Aus seinem Munde,

—aus seinem Munde." 30). "from —out of (p.

translated by Beatrice Marshall:

mouth."

A

'

he

is

is

his

182).

translator should not attempt to be

whom

poet

(p.

his lips;

translating.

A

more

artistic

than the

word, or group of words,

Cf. Die Kuiist dcs Ubcrsctccns, p. 47.

re-

Art of Translation, With Reference

30

to

Prose Drama

peated perhaps with a definite purpose in view, should also be repeated by the translator. When a foreign writer continuously uses the

same word, the translator has no

ment of

style

by seeking to avoid

into this error

when she

right to attempt refine-

Edith Terry

repetition.

translates

"Aber sei frohlich! Sei frohlich," "But be merry! Be gay!" (p. 2). or

—Bringt — Bringt

"Bringt Licht!

"Fetch

At times

lights!

"" falls

Licht

!"

(p.

lights!"

(p.

213).

230).

(p. 4).

the simplicity of the original expression vanishes

due to a roundabout way of rendering the foreign Such circumlocution is all the more unpardonable when the simple English equivalent is clear at hand. For example, Roy Temple House "" translates in translation,

thought.

"Allerweltsbastler"

"A

laborer

"Unverbesserlich" "I can't

113).

(p.

who works around (p.

140).

make anything out

Ludwig Lewisohn appears panding the expressions of the

(

Jack-of-all-trades.

at

odd jobs."

(p. 339).

(incorrigible)

of )'ou."

(p.

359).

to be particularly fond of ex-

original.

In his rendition of

Vor

Sonncnaufgang, such translations as the following are to be found "Gemeinheit" (p. 58). "spiritual meanness" (p. 79). "an die Tafel"

(p.

"at the banquet table of Hfe"

58).

(P- 79)-

"zittemder Spannung"

(p.

72).

"quivering tension of

soul" (p. 97).

"meiner selbst" (P-

(p.

"my own most

ideal self."

150-

While from

his version of

stances as these might be cited

'Cf. Elga. '

09).

Cf. Reconciliation.

Die Ratten, numerous such

in-

Art of Translation,

Jl'ith

Reference

to

less

31

search

"more than one

sleep-

night" (p. 513).

may

It

(p. 202).

Drama

"Young men

"Junge Leute suchen." (p. 109). after various aims" (p. 424). "schlaflose Niichte"

Prose

be argued that interpretive phrases like some of the

above are necessary for a complete understanding of the original that when a word conveys a fuller meaning in one language, it will require an expanded statement in another language to reproduce the complete thought of the original. This is at times true. But when a translator repeatedly reveals his own per-

sonality in his choice of trite, mellifluous, perhaps poetic phrase-

ology,

where the simple translation conveys

artistic

in

than the original

is

no longer

all

that

is

To endeavor

the original, he ought to be censured.

implied in

to be

more

translating.

Frequently a translator's personality will also be reflected his choice of unfamiliar or even obsolete words to render the

familiar everyday expression of the original.

may

Such rendition

give a certain literary stamp to the translation,

but in

dramatic dialogue great care must be exercised by the translator to select words and phrases possessing the same degree of famili-

The

arity as those in his prototype.

of this principle

may

psychological significance

be illustrated by the following example

In Vor Sonnenaufgang, Loth

is

lecturing, as

it

were, to the

Hoffmann on the curse of alcoholism. With the exof Hoffmann and possibly Helene, the remaining mem-

family of ception

bers gathered about the table are quite

illiterate.

To

hold the

must exercise care in must avoid using terms which would not be familiar to his audience. Loth speaks to Frau Krause, Frau Spiller, Kahl and the others in normal, everyday language. After a lengthy discourse on the ravages of alcoholism, in which he has aroused the interest of his attentive listeners to the highest pitch. Loth concludes: attention of such individuals the speaker

his choice of language, he

"Es

gibt Familien, die

familien."

(p.

daran zugrunde gehen, Trinker-

t,?)-

and the conversation follows along

in its earnest,

serious vein.

Art of Translation, With Reference

32

What must tion

to

Prose Drama

be the psychological effect of the English rendi-

upon characters of the type of Kahl and Frau Krause? "There are families who are ruined by dipsomaniacs."

it

— families of

(p. 52).

Can one conceive of

a

word

like

dipsomaniacs producing the

same mental reaction upon an illiterate person, as the German Trinkerfamilien? Ludwig Lewisohn has surely not adapted his language to the nature of his audience in

this particular instance.

might be cited from various translations, in which words and phrases are employed by the translator, not of the same degree of familiarity as those in the original. The average reader would have to consult a dictionary

Numerous

similar cases

to understand such expressions as

"slender convolvulus!"

(p.

146), "innocuously" (p. 197), "aegilops" (p. 232), which are translations of "schlanke Winde!" (p. 108), "harmlos" (p. 135),

and "Walchen" rendition of

(p.

156), respectively, in Sarah Tracy Barrows'

Und Pippa

Tanzt.

Again, a translator should exercise great care to employ an English of the same degree of accuracy as the language of the

Where

drama employs a synform of discourse, there appears to be no reason for reproducing it with an incorrect, illiterate Eng-

original.

the author of a foreign

tactically correct colloquial

Still

lish.

such instances as the following are to be observed in

Ludwig Lewisohn's

rendition of Michael

Kramer^

"Das wiirde mein Mann doch gewiss

nicht tun."

(p.

127).

"My

husband wouldn't never do that."

(p.

436).

"ich weiss mir wahrhaftig keinen Rat mehr." "I don't

know what

to

do no more."

(p.

(p.

173).

515).

By reproducing the highly colloquial style of the prose dramas of Hauptmann and Sudermann, a translator cannot fail to

do

justice to the spirit of the original

lar merit of

some

work.

It is

the particu-

translators to be able to convey the full signifi-

cance of a foreign colloquial expression in their native tongue.

Take

for instance such renditions as the following, selected at

Art of Translation, With Reference

random from Ludwig Lewisohn's

to

Prose Drama

translation of

33

Vor Sonncnanf-

gang: "aber er hatte sich nun doch einmal darauf versteift" (p. 14)-

"Certain ideas had bitten themselves into his mind.'' (p. 12).

"sichtlich pcinlich l^eriihrt."

raw,"

(p.

22).

"Touched on the

(p. 23). "da guckt ja der Ueberfluss wirklich aus Thiiren und

Fenstern."

(p. 27). "they seem literally steeped in abundance."

(p. 31).

or a few illustrations from the version of Rose Bernd by the

same

translator

"Gebetbichla-Hengsta" keys."

(p.

388).

"psalm-singin' don-

(p. 181).

"Die

Ehe

is

auch

"Well, marriage

"A

is

bloss 'n

Gimpelfang."

a risky business."

(p.

Seinen gibt's ebens der Herr im Schlaf."

"The Lord

lets his

own

(p.

397).

200). (p.

414).

people have an easy time."

(p.

231)-

Such translations do credit to the linguistic ability of the translator and reproduce the colloquial tone of the original work where a literal translation of these expressions would certainly fail to do justice to the original. Idiomatic Language. liar

turns of expression,

—

Every language has its own pecusome of which are so inherently con-

nected with the language that

duce them

in

it is

another language.

mann and Sudermann abound

in

well nigh impossible to repro-

The prose dramas of Hauptsuch highly idiomatic expres-

which frequently test the translator's ability to the utmost. There are three possible ways of rendering idiomatic language from one tongue into another. In the first place it may be translated literally, and thus onlj' the thought, not the spirit sions,

of the foreign idiom be conveyed.

The poignancy

of the original

Art of Translation, With Reference

34

expression tirely,

is lost,

Prose Drama

to

and frequently the meaning is misconstrued enmay have significance other than its literal Mary Morison, in her version of Die Weber,

for an idiom

or logical one. translates

"Wer

gut webt, der Gut lebt."

"If you

want

(p.

303).

to live well, then be sure to

weave

well."

(p. II).

which rendition surely reproduces the thought but vey the spirit of the poignant

con-

fails to

The

German "Sprichwort."

illus-

which Marion Redlich translates "pol'schen Wirtschaft" by "Polish saloon" shows the impossibility

tration cited before,^' in

of translating certain idiomatic

expressions

literally

without

meaning of the the original. A second method of interpreting a foreign idiom is to substitute a colloquial expression, but not of the same weight as the

destroying the

foreign expression.

The language may

be

common

language

the tone of ordinary conversation, but not idiomatic.

The

in

ex-

pression

"Mir hoan a Hihnla zu is

translated colloquially by

"We've got a

little

pflicka!"

(p.

Ludwig Lewisohn private quarrel

!"

391). :^-

(p. 188).

whereas the equivalent English idioms

"We

have a crow to pick with each other," or have a bone to pick with each other,"

"We

would have reproduced the original idiom far more accurately, and can also be adapted to the dialogue which follows. The third and ideal method of conveying the full significance of an idiom from one language into another is to substitute a corresponding idiom for that

course this

is

found

in the original.

Of

possible only when such an idiom exists and the

translator possesses the ability and the knowledge to recognize

" Cf. Page

21.

" Cf Rose Bernd. .

Art of Translation, With Reference

to

Prose

Drama

35

aiul use it. It will be conceded .by everyone that the use of idiomatic language lends ease and vivacity to the prose dramas of

Hauptmann

and Suderniann. To translate such language or even colloquially will tend to destroy much of the of the foreign work, by placing the idiomatic expression unfamiliar medium. To be effective, tlie translation of the

literally spirit

in lui

idiom must be adapted to the new linguistic environment. Tytler

^^

expresses

"The

it,

translation

is

perfect,

when

As

the trans-

own language an idiomatic phrase, correspondMany translators of the prose draHauptmann and Suderniann have succeeded admirably in

lator finds in his

ing to that of the original."

mas of

finding such corresponding idiomatic phrases. these will be cited here by way of illustration.

of Vor Sonncnaufgang,

Ludwig Lewisohn

"auf eigene Faust"

"on

his

own

"Eine Hand wascht

"in ihr

Horn

translates:

(p. 13).

hook,"

"Tit for tat."

Only a few of In his rendition

(p. 11).

die andere,"

(p.

85).

(p. 115).

blasen."

"dances to her music"

(p.

108).

(p.

150).

Fuhnnann Hcnschcl, such admirable

while in his translation of

translations as these are found

"Mir

lesen Sie auch noch die Leviten!"

"And

then you raked

me

"das fehlte noch."

(p.

"That'd be the

straw

"Mit Dir

is

last

!"

(p.

(p. 37).

95).

a beeses Kirschenessen."

"wir sind

alle nicht recht

"we're

a

little

20).

59).

"You're a hard customer."

all

(p.

over the coals too!"

(p.

auf

(p.

60).

97).

dem Damme."

under the weather."

(p.

88).

(p. 140).

Unci Pippa Tanzt, translated by Sarah Tracy Barrows, congood renditions of the German idiom

tains equally

'

Cf. Principles of Translation, p. 138.

Art of Translation, With Reference

36

was nehmen

"Na,

Sie

to

Drama

Prose

mich denn so aufs Korn?"

(p. 106). is

translated

"Well, what have you got your eye on

me

for?"

(p.

141).

geht mir ein Seifensieder auf

"Nun is

(p.

127).

translated

"Now

it

dawn on me!"

begins to

"Lasst gut sein is

!"

;"

182).

(p.

(p. 150).

translated

"Let well enough alone;"

(p.

221

).

The idiom "eh' is

of

man

sich die

Horner abgelaufen

well reproduced in Janet

hat."

(p. 174).

Achurch and Wheeler's translation

Das Friedensfest by "before (P-

has

one

finished

sowing one's wild oats."

139)-

Mary Morison

^*

"Alle Tage

translates is

nich Kirm's."

(p.

379).

"Christmas comes but once a year."

These translators

illustrations testify to the

and do credit

(p.

linguistic

to their familiarity

139).

ability

of

the

with the foreign

idiom as well as to their intimate knowledge of English idiomatic expression.

—

Dialect. Hauptmann and Sudermann become even more colloquial and idiomatic in their choice of language when they employ dialect. The problem of translating such dialect dramas has confronted many translators and has been solved with a

moderate degree of success by but few. Even though it must be admitted that it is quite to formulate a definition which will include all so-called '"

Cf.

The Weavers.

difificuk

dialects,

Art of Translation, With Reference

to

Prose Drama

"What

the question confronting a translator should not be

"Why

37 is

employed by the author?" Witli reference to the dramas of Hauptmann and Sudermannn the answer to this question is quite clear. The dramatists, in accord with the spirit of naturalism, want to portray man in his immediate environment, observe his actions, manners and language carefully, and give a faithful record of these. dialect?" but

is it

Consequently the successful translator of these dialect dra-

mas must

When

and

clearly decide as to the social status

whom

plane of the characters

he has settled

the author wishes

this question accurately

who

similar state of social and intellectual development,

same walks of

life

portray.

he ought to observe

the language of the people in his native land

the

intellectual

to

represent a

and are

as the cliaracters in the original.

in

By

applying such criterion the question of dialect rendition ought to be facilitated.

For example, an equivalent for the Berlin jargon

might be found polis like

New

in the

language of the middle class of a metro-

York; the

Silesian peasant dialect could be ren-

dered by the characteristic language of the Yankee farmer in

any outlying country fisherman,

employed,

district

for

Schilling's Flucht, could well

brogue of the

New

;

the low

instance,

be

in

German

dialect of

the

Hauptmann's Gabriel

reproduced

by

the

peculiar

England fisherman, the language always

being determined by the social and intellectual status of the characters in the original.

a similar

mode

It

would

Ix;

absolutely

wrong

to

adopt

of speech for the character of Frau John in

Hauptmann's Die Ratten, and Haffke, the clergj'man, in Sudermann's Johannisfeucr, although lx)th characters speak a Berlin brogue, with var}-ing degrees of accuracy, in the original.

To

translate the naturalistic dialect

drama

into

an English

or American dialect simply for the sake of using English deviating from normal literary English, and without observing the

above principle, tends to destroy, rather than reproduce the real In each and every significance of the language of the original.

must be suited to the character or types of characters employing it. This appears to be the most logical and accurate method of instance the language

Art of Translation, With Reference

38

found

interpreting the dialect it is

also the most difficult.

in

to

Prose

Drama

the naturalistic drama.

But on the part of the transinto which he is translating,

It recjuires,

an intimacy with the dialect and what is still more, the abilit}' to reproduce such a dialect in writing. Since American dialects have developed no pronounced literature as yet, the work of the American translator is made doubly difficult, and it is doubtful whether the reward would be worth the labor. But not until the prose dramas of Hauptmann and Sudermann are treated from this point of view, can the translation begin to give even an approximate reproduction of the spirit of the original to the American reader and receive full lator,

recognition as a translation.

A

Amer-

British translator has a decided advantage over his

ican colleague

when

it

is

at his disposal various recognized literary dialects

employ to convey the

He

a question of dialect rendition.

spirit

has

which he can

of his prototype admirably, since

these dialects represent the language of peoples in similar walks

of

life as

those in the original.

But there appears

to be

no valid

excuse for an American translator of the modern naturalistic

drama

Amer-

to imitate a British dialect in a translation for the

ican reading public.

To do

so tends to place his

work

an un-

in

natural and unfamiliar atmosphere for the American reader, and consequently makes it impossible for him to grasp the real significance of the spirit just

and tone of the foreign work.

It

is

by rendering such dramas into an appropriate American

dialect that this dialect

A

may

attain literary significance.

second method, employed by some translators,

is

to in-

vent a vulgar vernacular English brogue to take the place of the dialect in the original.

any

Such speech naturally does not connote

distinct region, as the dialect in the foreign work, but

is

developed with a view to indicating the types of characters in the original.

It is substituting for

a colloquial dialect a vernacu-

and one which cannot receive any, with any distinct class of indiidentified cannot be it because viduals or any definite locality. lar of

A

no

literary recognition

translator attempting to invent

fronted by

many

obstacles.

In the

first

such

a

is

con-

place his "dialect"

must

dialect

Art of Translation, With Reference

Drama

Prose

to

39

all the earmarks of the speech of a distinct type of people. must be simple, unaffected, unpretentious. Secondly, the translator must be consistent in his use of such an artificial dialect. He must not shift from vernacular to normal English, or vice

bear It

And

versa.

one

here

Take, for example, the

the real difficulty.

is

cited before

line

from Ludwig Lewisohn's rendition of The illiterate Frau Henschel is made to

•''"'

Fuhrmann Hcnschcl. say:

"An'

The

two words

last

fied to

me your hand

you'll give

in token?" (p. 39).

in this question are far too

formal and digni-

be used by a character of the type of Frau Henschel.

To

translate a

German

pression of a people, handed

dialect,

down

which

to

is

the spontaneous ex-

them by

from

oral tradition

generation to generation through centuries, by a consciously in-

vented "dialect"

is

imposing almost superhuman

The degree

translator.

ability

upon a

of success of such an invented "dialect"

must always depend upon the qualities of the translator, ability to create a "dialect," and at the same time to conceal

own

personality, his conscious effort.

translator

though ficial

it

is

The

Even

too apt to penetrate through such translations.

"dialect"' for that in

the

his

subjective side of the

were humanly possible to substitute successfully an original,

his

another

arti-

consideration

must be borne in mind. The translator may convey the thought and spirit of the foreign work to himself and still fail to prcxluce a similar effect upon the reader. The very fact that it is an artificially created speech, not identified with any definite locality or any definite class of people, destroys the spontaneity of expression, dialect

which

is

a fundamental characteristic of the naturalistic

drama.

A

third possibility of rendering dialect

grammatically correct, colloquial English.

and tone of the original

is lost

when

this

is

to put

Of

it

into good,

course, the flavor

method

is

adopted.

It

is

in reality only interpretation,

not translation.

This method

is

employed by translators who lack either the

ability or the

" Cf

.

Page

20.

Art of Translation, With Reference

40

to

Prose

Drama

courage to attempt to render the original into dialect or

its

equiv-

American English. three possible ways of translating dialect may well be illustrated from renditions of Hauptmann's and Sudermann's Hilmar R. Baukhage, dialect dramas by various translators. translating Sudermann's Ehre renders the Berlin dialect into a vernacular English such as one would hear spoken by the average

alent in

The

uneducated

New

He

Yorker.

adapts the language to a class of

people representing the same social and intellectual plane as those in the original. in English,

Take

And

since such people frequently use slang-

he does not hesitate to employ

"Im janzen

it

in his translation.

Frau Heinecke

for example the speech of

scheint es ihnen doch recht jut zu jehn.

August hat zwei Zimmer hochherrschaftlich ausnioblirt und an einen feinen Herrn aus Potsdam vermietet, der manch. mal dort absteigt, aber bezahlt fiir's voile Monat. Das bringt manchen schonen Groschen. Fur den Morgenkaffee allein gibt er "ne Mark." (p. 22). Auguste "But, all in all, they get along all right. has furnished up two swell rooms, and rented 'em to a gentleman from Potsdam, that ain't there half the time, but That brings in many a pretty pays for the whole month He pays a whole mark just for his coffee in the penny. morning." (p. 19). !

Hauptmann's Vor Sonnenaufgang Bloomfield. The translator Leonard is admirably imitated by has selected an English such as one might hear spoken amongst Not only his illiterate peasantry in outlying country districts. his choice of words diseven but vernacular, the is of language the form of speech employed by of knowledge plays an intimate

The

Silesian dialect of.

Take for

such people.

instance the following speech of the old

peasant Beipst

— —

'

",

"Na verlecht a klee wing wull an oam Ende. A hoat mer'sch Been geknet't: sahn Se, a su geknutscht und gederwegen nich A iis no kurz un hackt un oaber nee A keeft 'n gutt, a hoot mit 'n aarma Mensche a Mitleed. kimmt nischt. zu jeder verlangt und a Med'zin de " (p. Zeet 54). !

!

!

— A

— —

Art of Translatiun, With Reference

"Well

—perhaps a

after

little bit,

leg; see, like this; he squeezed

it

—

to

an'

Drama

Prose

41

He kneaded my

all.

punched

it

an'

—but no!!

That ain't the reason He's well, he's got pity for a poor man. He buys him medicine an' won't take no money. He " comes any time you (p. 269). !

Compare

this passage with

Ludwig Lewisohn's

translation

"A little, maylje, when all's said. He kneaded my you see, he squeezed it, an' he punched it. But no, 't ain't on that account. He is well, I tell you, he's got compassion on a human bein', that's it. He buys the medicine " An' he'll come to you any time an' asks nothin'. leg,

—

(P- 71).

A

word

"compassion"

like

at

once reveals the

artificiality

of the language, for a character of the type of Beipst would use the

word "compassion" no more than Frau Henschel would say

"in token."

It will

be noticed that a certain formal tone per-

vades the translation by loquial nature,

which

is

Ludwig Lewisohn,

in spite of

its

col-

not found in the rendition by Leonard

Bloomfield.

No

attempt

is

made by Mary Harned

dialect in her rendition of

Und Pippa

to imitate the Silesian

Her English

Tanzt.

formal rather than colloquial, and certainly

fails to

is

convey even

a faint idea of the language in the original.

"Kumm

her, ick versteck' diich

hiehr' ock, wie's heult

!

iich wickel'

und faucht und miaut

;

dich ein

voll'ns 'run-

vom Dache mit da poar Strohwischen Vor mir, immer 'runter vom Schadel d'rmit nu is a vorbei gelt, doas woar a Spuck?" (p. 123). der

!

"Come how

listen,

here,

the

I'll

!

—

hide you!

wind howls and

:

I'll

spits

wrap you up!

Juit

and miaus; down

it

comes from the roof with the few wisps of straw there! For all I care, keep on pulling until you have every^thing off Now he has gone by! That was a ghost, wasn't the roof.

—

it?"

(p.

307).

illustrations show how various American transhave attempted to translate dialect. The problem will not be solved with any degree of finality by American translators

The above

lators

Art of Translation, With Reference

42

to

Prose

Drama

American dialectal deviations have become even more pronounced than at present and have found record in works of Then a more perfect substitute for the dialect literary merit. might be found. But with the process of work in the foreign

until

decay palpably going on parts of this country and

now, the

American

in

the English language

among

in

various

various classes of people even

translators should seek a logical substitute

for a foreign dialect rather than create an artificial vernacular jargon or employ nomial colloquial English. This logical substitute

can be found only by carefully observing and recording

the language of various social classes in various localities.

Exclamations.

—Frequently

translators fail to take note of

the fact that exclamations and ejaculations are employed in Ger-

man, as

in French, to express various feelings.

uncommon

to use the

name

It is

not at

all

of the deity in interjections, or paren-

even profound interest in GerSuch invocation of the deity is not at all irreverent or A sacrilegious, but an accepted, idiomatic form of expression.

thetically to express surprise or

man.

translator cannot translate these exclamations

they merely indicate surprise.

He must

tone

literally,

down

when

the force of

the language in order to render the foreign expression correctly.

To

translate:^*

was soil ich nur davon denken?" "Christ! what am I to think!" (p. 28). "Jesus,

(p.

124).

or

"O

Jesis, Jesis,

Friebe!"

(p. 155).

"Oh, Jesus! Jesus! Friebe!" is

making the

(p. 94).

original expression far too forceful

and expressive

in English.

Profanity

is

used also to express surprise in German, but

not with the same degree of vulgarity as the literal translation

would imply

in English.

Such translations as

"damned, lousy hedgehog!"^^

(p.

291).

^Cf. Coming of Peace, by Janet Achurch and C. E. Wheeler. "Cf. Und Pippa Tanst, translated by Mary Harned.

Art of Translation,

IVitli

Reference

Prose

to

Drama

43

for

"verdammter Lausigel!"

104).

(p.

or

"Pfui DeiwelP"

show

(p. 7).

"Phew!

tr.

the devil!" (p. 2).

that the translators have failed to grasp the full signifi-

cance of the exclamation in the original.

Ludwig Lewisohn's

On

the other hand,

translations display a profound

apprecia-

the real significance and weight of exclamations in the

tion of original.

The

substitutions for the foreign expression are at

times singularly appropriate and well chosen.

In his rendition

of Vor Sonncnaufgang, he substitutes for

"Himmeldunnerschlag ja!" "Well, well,

I'll

"Dukterluder!"

"You son

(p. 49). " (p. 64).

be (p.

55). !"

of a

(p.

73).

or in Rose Bernd-

"In Dreideibelsnamen."

"Confound

it

all!"

(p.

But the name of the deity

is

frequently also used in exclama-

tions expressing horror or fright.

tion

is

Thus

the only correct one.

398).

(p.

203).

In this case a literal translait is

perfectly correct to trans-

late:

"O, mein Gott!"^»

(p. 79).

in this particular instance, while

it

by

is

"my God!"

just as

wrong

(p.

76).

to render:

"Mein Gott, da ist er ja!"^" (p. 79). "My God! there he really is!" (p. yy).

A

must therefore exercise great care to determine the exact manner in which an exclamation is used in the original, before attempting to translate it. For one who is equally familiar translator

with both languages

it

is

simply a question of feeling, and

in-

^ Cf. Johannisfeuer, translated by Charlotte Porter and H. C. Porter. ^ Cf. Magda, translated by E. A, Winslow. " Cf. Fritschen, translated by Archibald Alexander.

^^t of Translation, With Reference

44

volves no his Bible

Prose

to

Drama

But a translator whose dictionary becomes difficulties. would do well to bear the above principle in mind.

—

Play on Words. Another problem confronting a translator of modern naturalistic drama is the rendition of puns or play on words.

A

substitute.

Here again

it

is

a question of finding a suitable

twofold possibility suggests

itself.

A

translator

and sound of the words sacrifice the sense or meaning, or vice versa, he may reproduce the meaning, and thus destroy the real nature of the play on words. The ideal method, to be sure, would be to imitate both the sound and meaning, but this the translator is seldom able to

may

do.

in the original

either imitate the

Ludwig Lewishohn substitutes Vor Sonnenaufgang:

for the paronomasial expres-

sion in

"Sie hatte nur noch einen einzigen, langen Zahn

— da

immer heissen Troste, troste mein Volk und es kam immer heraus: 'roste, 'roste mein Volk!" (p. loi). sollte es

!

;

—

"she had only one long tooth left then she was supposed to sing: 'Trouble yourselves not, my people!' and it "Rouble, 'rouble yourselves not my always sounded like

—

:

people!' "

(p. 138).

the words has been lost in this English Leonard Bloomfield, translating the same passage,

The meaning of rendition. is

more

successful, for he not only imitates the peculiarity aris-

ing from the inability to pronounce the dental, but also attaches

a definite meaning to the words

—

"she had only one, solitary, long tooth and she tried 'In the Lord put I my trust' and it always sounded like 'In the Lord put I my rust!' " (p. 295).

to sing

:

"Wort" by Kriiger, who is Bibcrpch is reproduced by Ludwig hard of hearing, in Dcr Lewisohn, who uses a similar misunderstanding of "place" and

The confusion

of "Ort" and

"face."

Wehr. "Sind Kriiger. is

translated

die Eltern

"Was

fiir ein

am Ort?"

Wort?"

(p.

486).

Art of Translation, With Reference

"Do

to

Prose Drama

her parents live in this place?"

(p.

432).

"I'm not concerned with her face."

(p.

433).

45

Charles John Hornc makes no attempt to imitate the pun, but simply translates

"Do

they live in the district?"

"What's that you say?"

The harping on Elga

(p.

23S)

(p. 11, II).

word "Langeweile"

the

in

Hauptmann's

Mary

consciously avoided by Edith Terry and

is

Harned in their English renditions when they substitute a variety of words such as "ennui," "bored," etc., and thus destroy the linguistic peculiarity of the original. This is all the more deplorable since the word tedious in its various grammatical forms may be employed as noun, adjective or adverb in English.

At times

it

is

absolutely impossible to transfer a

one language into another.

In

.such

a case a translator should

endeavor to reproduce the meaning as nearly as is

pun from

done, for instance, in the translation by

This

possible.

Ludwig Lewisolin of

the following paronomasia found in Fuhrtimnn Henschel-

"Wees Gott, sagt a immer, der Siebenhaar! Wahrhaftch, ich hab in den Manne mehr Haare gefunden wie blossich sieben."

(p.

52).

"Lord knows, he than a few."

says, there's

more

man

tricks to that

(p. 85).

Marion Redlich's

translation of the

same passage

is

too

strong and expressive:

"That Siebenhaar " (p. 82). him up

isn't

Forms of Address.— A

characteristic of

worth the powder

to

blow

German, which no

longer exists in English as a means of distinguishing tamiliar

and

polite or

formal address

is

the use of du and Sie in their

The question of Duzfreiindschaft, e., addressing a person familiarly by the first name as a mark of more various

cases.

intimacy and friendliness

i.

is

frequently found in the prose dra-

mas of Hauptmann and Sudermann. It is employed to designate more closely the relationship existing between two charac-

Art of Translation, With Reference

46

Prose

to

Drama

The various attempts to designate such relationship by Enghsh translators is well illustrated in the following citations Roy Temple House, in his rendition of Das Fricdcnsfcst,

ters.

translates ". wollt ihr mich "Won't you drop the Frau." .

.

while Janet Achurch

and

C. E.

nicht

du nennen?"

(p.

115).

the

same

(p. 340).

Wheeler

translate

passage ".

I call

.

shan't

.

we drop

you Augusta?"

all

these formalities?

Mayn't

(p. 9).

Both of these translations convey the meaning of the origmal equally well. On the other hand the expression: ".

is

.

seit

.

heute duzen wir uns sogar."

(p. 135).

Roy Temple House, while Janet ingeniously translate Wheeler quite E.

omitted in translation by

Achurch and

C.

"we're sworn friends already."

The

(p. 52).

translation of

"zu

dem

kennt ich 'Du' sagen."

(p. 65).

by Marion Redlich "I can call

him by

his first name."'*^

(p.

99).

conveys the meaning more accurately than the rendition of same statement by Ludwig Lewisohn "I could say most anythin' to him!"

On

"Was

meinst du?

diffi-

from Rose Bernd quite cleverh'

Was meinen

Sie, wollt ich

sagen?"

400).

"What do you mean, Rosie? Bernd."

(p.

I

should

say

Miss

206).

In the conversation between

" Cf.

103).

the other hand, the latter translator overcomes the

culty in the following statement

(p.

(p.

the

Fuhrmann Henschel.

Magda and Max,

in

Suder-

Art of Translation, With Reference

to

Prose Drama

47

mann's Hcimaf, the question of Duzfreundschaft also occurs. Charles E. A.

Winslow has

Thus he

original.

translates

quite successfully reproduced the :

"haben wir uns damals nicht geduzt?" "We were great friends, were we not?"

112).

(p.

(p. 109).

or

"W'ie

soil

ich

Ihnen danken, teuerste Cousine?"

(p.

114). "Dir, main siisser Vetter, dir, dir, dir!"

"How

shall

"Magda,

thank you,

I

my

my

"

(p. 112).

in the original is

somewhat

dear Miss

dear cousin, Magda!"

although the force of the repetition

weakened in the translation. Again the same translator renders

kann mich an das gewohnen." (p. 120). "ich

trauliche 'Du' noch nicht wieder

"I can hardly accustom myself again to the affectionate

terms." (p. 117).

The above

illustrations

show how various

translators have

solved the problem of rendering the German du and Sic when used to designate the nature of the relationship between indi-

To omit such expressions entirely from a translation more detrimental to an exact understanding than to interpret even somewhat freely. "To call each other by the first name,"

viduals. is

"to drop formalities," or "to be close friends," frequently conveys exactly what is implied in the German "duzen."

—

Biblical Allusions. Numerous biblical allusions and references are to be found in the prose dramas of Hauptmann and Sudermann. To render these by present-day colloquial expressions is certainly a sad reflection on the knowledge of the Bible on the part of the English reader, and surely not conducive to an understanding of foreign usage and manner of discourse. .A. literal

translation

logical one. sions.

Still

of

such

references

appears to be the only

some translators prefer to interpret these Ludwig Lewisohn renders

In Rose Bcrnd,

allu-

Art of Translation, With Reference

48

to

Drama

Prose

"Sodom and Gomorra

dahier!" (p. 417)"All the evil on earth seems broken loose here!"

(p.

238).

"De Rotte Kora

lebt

"But the powers of

immer noch !"

evil is

(p. i37)-

strong!"

(p.

299).

or his version of Die Ratten: "die vor neunmidneunzig Gerechten geht,"

"who

is

154)-

(p.

yet above the righteous," (p. 466).

Rather than to destroy the biblical reference, it would seem far better to retain it, and if the translator thinks it is unintelligible to the English reader, to explain it in a footnote.

Most translators substitute for biblical quotations in the dramas of Hauptmann and Sudermann the corresponding quotaSuch instances as :" tion from the English Bible. "Lasset die Kindlein zu mir kommen."

"Let the

little

children

come unto Me."

(p.

yy).

(p.

184).

are rare and certainly not to be imitated.

Foreign Expressions in the Original. sions in the original

they

may

dividual.

may

— Foreign expres-

serve various purposes. In the

first

place

be intended to connote the intellectual status of an inIn such a case they ought to be left untranslated. Sec-

may

be used to designate the nationality of a character, and of course should also remain as in the original. Thirdly, they may be employed to display the pedantry or erudiondly, they

humorous effect, and again they should not be translated. Most translators adhere to these principles. But in her translation of Und Pippa Tanct, Mary Harned translates the Italian employed by Tagliazoni into tion of a character, perhaps even producing a

English. stroyed.

Consequently the identity

He

is

no longer

of

the foreigner

the

who

character is

is

de-

almost ignorant

of the language spoken by those about him. The Italian in the original is just as unfamiliar to the aver-

"Cf. Hanncles Himtnclfahrt, translated by G.

S.

Bryan.

Art of Translation, With Reference

to

Prose

Drama

49

And besides it is an inwhose knowledge of a for-

age German as to the English reader. justice to the author of the original,

eign language can certainly not be appreciated by a reader of the translation unless the foreign

words are

Barrows, translating the same drama,

Sarah Tracy

retained. is

careful to retain

all

the foreignisms found in the original.

—

Folklore. Again, the broad cultural qualities of a foreign work, which manifest themselves in references to folklore, popular superstitions and mythology, should be retained in translaand not interpreted or emendated by using present-day phraseology. Mary Morison *^ translates tion,

"O du Fennigmandl, halt ock du deine mag sich woU ei a Xeumonden beim

Mutter

Deine

Fresse.

Besenreit'n

am

Luzifer versehn hab'n, dass aso a Teu'vel aus dir gewor'n is."

(p.

305)-

"You

shut up, you Jack-in-the-box. Your mother must have gone dancing once too often with Satan to have got

such a devil for a son."

(p. 15).

This rendition reproduces the meaning exactly, but the significance of the popular Folklore in the original has been sacrificed.

In his version of Die Ratten,

"du

bist

eben

so'n

Ludwig Lewisolin

richtiger

Zerberus."

"You're a regular old watch-dog, eh?"

A

translates:

(p.

reference to Cerberus by a character like John

137).

(p.

450).. is

just as

unusual and singular in the original as it would be in translaAnd as far as understanding the allusion is concerned, tion. does not the average high-school student

know

the verses

from

Milton's L' Allegro?

"Hence loathed Melancholy

Of Cerberus and There seems to

lie

blackest Midnight born."

no valid reason for altering such myth-

ological references of the original.

" Ci. The Weavers.

Art of Translation, With Reference

50

to

Quotations From Popular Lyrics.

Prose Drama

— Numerous

popular

and Volkslicd strophes are to be found in the prose dramas of Hauptmann and Sudermann. When set to the original melditties

ody, they must, of course, either be rendered in the meters of

The popular Christmas 157 ff. ) in Das Friedensfest

the original, or be left untranslated. carol, "Ihr Kinderlein is

rendered

well

kommet,"

(p.

English, by

into

Janet Achurch and C. E.

Wheeler (p. loiff). The translation of the "Weaver's Song," by Mary Morison, on the other hand, lacks much of the force and expressiveness of the original and the line of the popular ditty

"Fuchs du hast is

die

"

Cans

(p.

371

).

absolutely misconstrued in the rendition

up— on

"The fox jumped

Ludwig Lewisohn thought of

Thus he

particularly

is

"

a moonlight

numerous popular strophes

clever

in

(p.

127).

rendering the

into the original meters.

translates:*^

"Du

bist verriickt

mein Kind, du must nach

Berlin.'"

(p. 160).

"You're a crazy

kid, Berlin is

your home."

(p.

493).

or in Die Ratten:

"Deutschland, Deutschland

"Germany our

The

fiber alles," etc.

highest glory,"

etc.

(p.

^p.

104J.

419).

interpretive phrase in the following rendition

is

quite

permissible and necessary for a complete understanding of the original

:*^

"Wenn

das wirklich bestimmt

is

in Gottes

Rat," (p.

419). "If this thing as the song has it

is

Hilmar R. Baukhage, " Cf. Michael Kramer. " Cf Rose Bernd. .

really decreed in the council of God, " (p. 241 ). in translating

Die Ehrc, leaves Volks-

Art of Translation, With Reference

to

Prose

Drama

51

hkQ "So \eben wir" (p. 114) untranslated. Although not conducive to a full appreciation of the foreign work

licdstroplics this is

on the part of the English reader, it is to be preferred to a free Mary rendition, in which the life of the original is destroyed. Harned ^'' translates the first verses of Eichendorff's famous lyric

"Wem "

er

"To sends or Edith

Gott

(p.

will

rechte Gunst erweisen,

den schickt

ii3j.

those whom " (p. 297).

Wharton

^"

God

wishes to show great favor, he

renders the allusion to Goethe's ballad, Der

Fischer:

"Halb

zieht sie ihn, halb sinkt er hin."

(p.

67).

"Willingly or unwillingly," (p. 71).

These

illustrations

show how

translators have treated the

metrical citations in various prose dramas.

Even though much

of the popular significance of the original

lost

it

is

by reproducing

in an unfamiliar medium, yet this loss can be minimized by

rendering the thought of such verses into the original meters.

Setting of the Drama.

—

—

A. Local Allusions. Another must bear in mind is the localwhich translator a consideration ization or setting of the foreign work. He may either retain the it so as to make it more familiar However, the real cosmopolitan value of a translation can be realized only by retaining the original setting. By so doing one people is made familiar with the manners and customs of another, as well as with the milieu in which Hilmar R. Baukhage adopts this these people live and move. rendition of Sudermann's Ehre. Local his in principle admirably references such as "Lokal Anzeiger" (p. 10), "Griinewald" or "Treptow" (p. 60), he leaves untranslated, but explains them in

setting of the original or alter to the English reader.

footnotes.

On

the other hand, allusions to distinct

" Cf. Und Pippa Tanst. " Cf. Joy of Living.

German

cus-

Art of Translation, With Reference

52 tonis,

such as "second lunch"

13). are translated Hterally,

(p.

but explained in footnotes also.

might

It

translators to adopt such a method, for original flavor, but also

Drama

Prose

to

it

well

be

other

for

not only retains the

makes the English reader

acquaintetl

with foreign customs by calling attention to such distinctive characteristics.

To

foreign traits literally

translate these distinctive

obscures the meaning for the English reader.

average American reader,

will

at least,

fail

meaning of Mary Morison's translation "einen Bolzen einlegend"

in

in

successful

is

instance, the

Die Weber:

(p. 2,^)^).

"Putting a bolt into her iron"

Much more

For

to understand the

(p.

62).

the rendition of the local allusion

Vor Sonneimufgang, by Leonard Bloomfield

"Du segelst stark auf Bleichroder zu." "You are headed for a fortune as big as (p.

(p.

19).

Rothschild's."

248).

although an explanation of the expression in the original ought

accompany such a substitution. Ludwig Lewisohn is rather inconsistent in translating In his version of Die Ratten, he renders references.

to

"Linienstrasse"

(p.

"Linien street"

124).

(p.

local

438).

while on the other hand "Uferstrasse," (P-

(p.

141)

is

translated

"Shore

street"

454)-

The omission

of distinctive traits from a foreign

surely not conducive to a complete understanding of

work

is

foreign

manners and customs. Still Edith Wharton, in iier effort "to reproduce Herr Sudermann's meaning more closely than a literal translation would have allowed"^- sees fit to omit such directions as: "er kiisst ihr die

Hand"

(p. 19).

This

bit

of etiquette

could surely be understood and appreciated by the English reader. B. Monetary Standards.

" Cf

.

—Again,

a flavor of the foreign

The Joy of Living, Translator's Note.

setting

Drama

of Translation, With Reference to Prose

/irt

may

53

be retained in translation by leaving references to

monetary standards or coins untranslated. The principle is also observed by Hilmar R. Baukhage, who renders the expression in Sudermann's Die Ehre:

"200 Mark."

19).

(p.

"two hundred marks!"

(p.

18").

German number of his translations." It is difficult to miderstand why an American translator should employ this method. Surely a translation would not lose any of its literary qualities if it were reproduced in a more familiar Ludwig Lewisohn, on

the other hand, reduces the

coinage to British standards in a

atmosphere, since the original setting

is

destroyed anyway.

seems rather deplorable that American writers

It

feel inclined

still

to cater to the British rather than to the .American public, in

order to gain greater recognition for their work. For an American translator to change the setting from one unfamiliar locality to another

is

certainly not conducive to a full

And

tion of a foreign literary creation.

and

just apprecia-

besides, there

is

always

American translator will be inconsistent in his use of a British English, and consequently create an even more unnatural setting for his translation. the danger that the

C. Greetings

and Salutations.

left untranslated, also

atmosphere. equivalent

Still,

some

English

—Greetings

and

salutations,

tend to preserve a flavor of the original translators prefer to render

salutations.

Nevertheless,

them

into

seems rather

it

strange that a translator should render the so frequently recur-

"Auf Wiedersehen" in the dramas of Hauptmann and Sudermann by the French "Au revoir," even though the latter exring

pression

is felt

the translation,

as English.

why

If a foreign tinge

Cf.

'Cf.

to be given to

not retain the original expression? Charles

E. A. Winslow, for example, translates

'

is

i®"

"Auf Wiedersehn, meine Damen!"

(p.

"Au

no).

revoir, ladies,

au revoir!"

(p.

113).

Vor Sonncnaufgang, Fiihrmann Henschel, Die Ratten, Magda.

etc.

Art of

54

Prose

Tnvislalioii, Witli Reference to

Drama

done by a number of other translators. In the rendiGliick ini IVinkcl, by William Ellory Leonard, the original salutations are retained, while Ludwig Lewisohn, in Vor Sonnenaufgang very ingeniously translates

as

also

is

Das

tion of

"Also Wiedersehen!" "See you

and

in

later."

(p.

(p.

22).

24).

Rose Bernd:

"Auf Wiedersehn !" (p.

382).

(p.

"Another time then,"

170).

D. Names.

— Furthermore, a decidedly exotic touch

is

given

to a translation by leaving Christian names and pet-names, emBut at times ployed familiarly or endearingly, untranslated. languages, occurs in both yet consuch names form of the same

veys quite a different impression in one than it does in the other. The "Willy" in the English renditions of Das Friedensfest, by

Roy Temple House, and Wheeler, sounds much more

also

by Janet Achurch and C. E.

effeminate than the "Willy" in Ger-

"Will" or "Bill" would be a far more appropriate trans-

man.

Consequently, the translator must not employ the same form of the name, unless similar impressions are conveyed by it in both languages. lation in this instance.

E. Titles.

—

Lastly,

titles

and forms of address, left unstamp to a translation, and

translated, give a distinct foreign

help to localize

it

in the

mind of

observed by those translators

the reader.

who aim

This principle

at giving

to their renditions, while others translate such titles

make

the rank and social status of the characters

to the English reader. original

may

How

and thus

more familiar

completely the localization of the

be destroyed in a translation

the manuscript rendition

is

a foreign tone

is

well illustrated in

of Sudermann's Der gute Ruf, by Mar-

garet Holz and Olga Marz.

For example, "eine englische Erzieherin," governess," (p. 2). French "a "Geh. (p. 2).

Kommerzienrats"

(p.

7).

(p. 5),

becomes:

"multimillionaire"

Art of Translation, With Reference "30,000 Mark"

"wenn "and

I

"$30,000"

Prose Drama

55

(p. 2).

—

aus England kani," (p. 9). returned from boarding-school," (p. 3).

ich

"Duisburg"

"Zoo"

(p. 8).

to

(p.

18).

"Bronx Park"

"Kaviarbrotchen"

"Goethe"

"Pittsburg"

(p. 13).

(p.

So).

(p.

(p. 5).

(p. 7).

49). "lettuce sandwich" (p. 19).

"Shakespeare"

(p. 32).

Although the text of the original is carefully rendered into English, the foreign atmosphere is completely eliminated by changing the localization of the original. What possible cosmopolitan or utilitarian influence can be exercised by such a transla-

An

tion?

"adaptation" would be a more appropriate term to

apply to such a rendition. Certain distinct or characteristic

expressions

in

all

lan-

guages are absolutely untranslatable. Thus, for example, the German "Gesundheit" or "Gesegnete Mahlzeit" and the like ought to be retained in the original

form by a

translator,

and explained Only

as a distinct foreign usage, rather than be omitted entirely.

by explaining such foreign customs will a translator be instruin broadening the intellectual horizon of his readers, not by omitting them from his translation entirely. mental

All of the foregoing considerations

must be borne

in

mind

who would successfully reproduce the thought and modern German prose drama. Even though there

by a translator spirit

may

of the

be diversity of opinion on some of these principles, as there is. it must be conceded that an examination of the

undoubtedly

translations referred to above has revealed the fact that many translators have failed to realize the real nature of the problems

confronting them.

Art of Translation^

56

III.

Some may seem Still

Reference

IVitli

to

Prose Drama

CONCLUSION.

of the principles enunciated in the foregoing chapter quite self-evident.

As

a matter

show

the illustrations have served to

of

that

they

fact

many

are.

translators

have failed to take cognizance of them. As a result frequent injustice has been done to the thought and spirit of the prose dramas of two of Germany's most prominent contemporary dramatists.

Might one not be tempted

to believe that less meritori-

ous authors have been equally defrauded by their English translators?

And

of modern

yet there are several hundred English renditions

German dramas on

the

book market today."

Little

do the English reading public

realize that they are being de-

ceived, that they are not given

an exact reproduction of a for-

With the interest in the legitimate drama reviving in America, it is to be hoped that the reader who more more and is hampered by linguistic barriers will have access to all that is good and wholesome in the foreign drama. This can be given him only in faithful, accurate translations, and not in versions which at times distort the foreign work beyond recognition. A more rigorous censorship inaugurated by various publishers of translations would be a decided step toward reclaiming translation as one of the fine arts. The words of Karl Federn may be applied to English as well as to German translators "Wenn es in eign work.

:

Deutschland, so wie es dort ein Reichsgesundheitsamt sische

Hygiene

gibt, eines fiir die geistige gabe,

fiir

die phy-

dann miissien

seUi

und so manche Verleger wegen Verfalschung Nahrungsmittel hinter Schloss und Riegel sitzen. Es soil

viele iJbersetzer

geistiger

indessen zugegeben werden, dass es keine Verbrechen, sondern

nur Vergehen

sind, dass

mehr grobe

Fahrlassigkeit

bose Absicht in den einzelnen Fallen vorliegt.

Und

und nichl Auf-

dieser

den Zweck, demjenigen, der in guter Absicht an die tjbersetzung eines Kunstwerkes geht, vor Augen zu rufen, wie sehr er sein konnen zu priifen hat und welch grosse Verantsatz hat vor allem

" Cf. Bibliography of English renditions of Modern German Dramas,

German American Annals, N.

S.,

Vol.

15, p.

3

flf.

in

Art of Translation, With Reference wortung, er sowohl clem Publikum, auf sich nininit, was

iiljer

ginnen es

ist,

das,

was

fiir

als

to

Prose

dem W'erk

Drama selbst

57

gegen-

ein hassliches uiid l)arbarisches Be-

ein anderer schon hergeslellt hat, zu ver-

unstalten."''

Classification.

—

Judged from the standpoint of the prinenumerated and discussed in the previous chapter, the

ciples

work of various English translators of the prose dramas of Hauptmann and Sudermann may now be roughly classified. In his rendition of Sudermann's Ehrc, Hilmar R. Baukhage not only interprets the thought of the foreign work quite faithbut also gives the English reader a comprehensive and ac-

fully,

curate reproduction of the stylistic and linguistic peculiarities of the original. As a translation in the established sense of the

word,

this version merits

high praise.

Leonard Bloomfield's rendition of Hauptmann's Vor Sonncnaufgang also ranks high as a translation, for it conveys to the English reader the real flavor of the original atmosphere. The language is well suited to the type of character portrayed in

the drama.

Equally meritorious is the very able translation of Utid Pippa Tanzt, by Sarah Tracy Barrows, although at times the translator is somewhat too pedantic in her choice of words,

and

fails

to

observe

the

real

psychological significance and

weight of the original expression.

The various

Ludwig Lewisohn are exceedYet they too frequently reflect the conscious effort of the translator, and consequently lack that spontaneous, natural expression which appears to be the very essence of the language of Hauptmann. The translator is more ingly scholarly

translations by

and

clever.

poet than psychologist, as

is

mellifluous,

which appeal to the reader's produce the same mental reaction as

poetic

aesthetic sense, yet fail to

do the

shown by

his frequent recourse to

expressions

simple, colloquial expressions in the original.

William Ellory Leonard's translation of Sudermann's Das Gliick

im IVinkd,

mark of an ^

a.

is literal almost to excess, yet bears every earintimate familiarity with the idiomatic intricacies

Essays sur Vergleichenden Literaturgeschichte,

p.

26

f.

58

Art of Translation,

JVitli

Reference

to

Prose

of both languages on the part of the translator.

Drama

Rarely does the

translator fail to catch the real significance of the original expressions,

and the few deviations

to be noted

must be ascribed

to carelessness rather than to lack of ability.

The English trice Marshall,

rendition of Sudermann's Johannes, by Bea-

admirably

reflects the spirit

of

the

original,

as

by the linguistic and stylistic characteristics of Sudermann's drama, although the thought is at times badly dis-

exemplified

torted.

From

the standpoint of a translation the

work

is

there-

fore faulty and would profit considerably by a careful revision.

Mary Morison's version of Die Jl'eber displays a little too much feminine delicacy in its language. The rough, uncouth and often obscene expressions in the original are considerably toned down by the translator. As a result the translation fails to reproduce the full force and vigor of Hauptmann's language. Yet Miss Morison shows an intimate knowledge and profound appreciation of the original in her translation.

Hauptmann's Hannele allows himself a little too much freedom with the original text, and consec|uently his work at times is rather a free rendition than a translation. Still it has admirably caught and reproduced the spirit of Hauptmann's dream poem. William Archer is more faithful to the thought of the original, and therefore his version of Hanncle must be ranked considerably higher as a Charles

Henry

Meltzer, in translating

translation than the version by Meltzer.

A

number of

Hauptmann's and Sudermann's prose dramas by female translators are marked by the English translations of

a very keen appreciation of the significance of distinctive charac-

work. This is particularly true of the Sudermann's Rosen, by Grace Frank, and Jolmnnisfeuer, by Grace E. Polk, even though at times the thought of the original has been sadly misconstrued by the translators. A thorough revision would greatly increase the value of these works teristics in the original

translations of

as translations.

As one proceeds

further

down

the

list

of translators of

Hauptmann's and Sudermann's prose dramas and examines their

into

work, one cannot help feeling that they have relied too

Art of Translation, With Reference

much upon

to

Prose

Drama

59

and as a result the deviations from become more and more striking and numerous, be-

their dictionary,

the original

cause the lexicon translations often

fail

to give the full or exact

significance of the words in the original. The version of Hauptmann's Das Friedensfcst, b)- Roy Temple House, has already been subjected to one careful revision,^^ and might bear a second

revision

if

it

is

to give a complete transcript of the thought of

Hauptmann's drama. Similarly, the translation of the same drama by Janet Achurch and C. E. Wheeler frequently misrepresents the original, and as a result cannot be considered a good translation in the strict sense of the word.

The work of Mary Harned amply makes up This

lacks in quality.

all it

done a great deal

to

make

prolific translator

the

in

quantity for

has undoubtedly

modern German drama accessible Her interpretations are fairly

to the English reading public.

accurate, as long as the expression in the original

is simple and But they fail utterly to reflect even remotely the idiomatic niceties and dialectal peculiarities of the original work.

colloquial.

At

best they are but conscientious efforts to give to the English

reader the thought expressed in a

As

dramas.

number of modern German

translations they cannot be ranked very high, for

they not only frequently misinterpret the thought, but show a decided lack of appreciation for the essential characteristics of

various modern

German dramas.

Edith Wharton's rendition of Sudermann's

ben

is

nal.

Es lebe das Lea Itan and somewhat denuded reproduction of the origiToo much "ballast" has been thrown over by the trans-

and frequently, therefore, the mere outline of the thought remains, where the original is clothed in figurative and colorful

lator,

language. It

is

unfortunate

Sudermann's Heimat today.

Of

is

And

only

a

very mediocre version of

book market

the various English versions of this popular

the only accessible one

low.

that

to be found on the English

is

that by Charles

this version contains so

many

"Cf. Works of Gerhart Hauptmann, Vol. Ludwig Lewisohn.

drama

Edward Amory Winsglaring misinterpretaIll,

Introduction,

Ed.

by

Drama

Prose

6o

Art of Translation, With Reference

tioiis

that only a very thorough revision can possibly

valuable as a translation.

In

its

to

make

it

present form the English reader

can obtain but a very inadequate idea of the real significance of

Sudermann's drama. It is difficult to ascertain in

what respect G.

Bryan's ver-

S.

sion of Hanncle might be considered a possible improvement upon the renditions of either William Archer or Charles Henry Not only are the metrical passages abridged, but the Meltzer. translation also contains

many awkward

expressions resulting

from a too close adherence to the syntactical structure of the Furthermore, many misinterpretations of original sentences. idiomatic expressions are also to be noted in this very mediocre translation.

An

even

less

faithful translation

is

the version of Suder-

mann's Johannisfeucr, by Charlotte and H.

The

Porter.

C.

translators allow themselves all sorts of liberties with the origi-

nal and display a gross lack of

guage.

Such

knowledge of the German

a translation as St.

lan-

John's Fire can give only a

very distorted notion of Sudermann's meaning to the English reader.

But the stage of the ridiculous in translation is not reached until one compares Archibald Alexander's version of Sudermann's Moritiiri, and Marion A. Redlich's rendition of Haupt-

mann's Das Friedensfest, with

their

originals.

Some

of

the

misinterpretations of the thought to be noted in these versions

produce a decidedly humorous effect, and might be used as a source of supply for the comic section of some current periodiTo publish such translations is an unpardonable sin, for cals. they are certainly a gross injustice to the authors of the original.

of

Of the various manuscript Hauptmann and Sudermann

gress, the version of

dramas the Library of Con-

translations of the prose

deposited in

Sudermann's Schnictterlingsschlacht

most accurate, although

real significance of highly idiomatic expressions.

effort is

made

is

the

at times the translator fails to grasp the

A

conscientious

to adapt the language to the nature of the various

and the labor of translation is nowhere apparent. With but slight revision this rendition would rank with the best

characters,

Art of Translation, With Reference

to

Prose

English versions of any of the prose dramas of

Drama

61

Hauptmann and

Sudermann.

Home's

Charles John

pch

version of Hauptmann's

German

displays ignorance of

Der Biber-

but reproduces the

dialect,

of the original quite faithfully by employing a highly col-

spirit

and even vernacular English well adopted to the nature But the thought is often distorted beyond recognition. loquial,

of the characters portrayed in the drama.

The

real

cosmopolitan

Sudermann's Dcr gutc is

destroyed

when

Ritf,

value

of

by Margaret Holz and Olga Marz,

the translators see

customs and manners for

all

English version of

the

fit

to substitute

American

the local allusions and foreign char-

and to change the localization from Otherwise the thought of the foreign

acteristics of the original

New

Berlin to

work But

is

York.

quite accurately reproduced in good, colloquial English.

work

in reality the

is

tion, in the accepted sense

rather an adaptation than a transla-

of the word.

Baumann and Gertrude Parker Dingee

Nelly Margaret

fail

Sudermann's Johannes, by resorting of platitudes and at times almost trite expressions

to reproduce the spirit of all

sorts

to to

translate the simple but dignified formal Biblical language of the

This translation well serves to

original.

illustrate the

impor-

tance of reproducing the linguistic characteristics, the tone quality of the

words

convey the impres-

in the original, in order to

sion created by the language of the foreign work.

Edith Terry's translation of Hauptmann's Elga ceedingly

accurate

rendition,

but

unfortunately

is an exshows manv

and resultant un-English expressions. and ease of the original, and shows a decided

traces of laborious effort It

lacks the grace

limitation of the vocabulary of the translator.

The English ser, is

text of

Hauptmann's

a stage version, devoid of

for the reading public as a translation. breviations, misprints is

not

fit

"The

Grisclda, by Alice

all literary

Kau-

merit and worthless

With

its

countless ab-

and ungrammatical English expressions

it

to be read.'*

English versions of Johamiisfcucr by Fernandu

Eliscu and

by

Art of Translation, IViih Reference

62

to

Prose

Drama

Such is the nature of the general impressions to be gleaned from the work of various translators of the prose dramas of Hauptniann and Sudermann when compared with the original and judged by the standards here adopted. It is quite apparent that the high-water

mark of

translation has not yet been reached.

If this study has succeeded in opening the eyes of the reading

public to the fact that they have often and grieviously been sinned

many

against by

of our present-day translators, that they have

been deceived and the authors of the original frauded and misrepresented be forthcoming which

many ways,

in

will create a

more

have been de-

certain results

critical attitude

may

toward

translations in the future than has existed in the past.

As

yet

American

critics

and reviewers have done very

to elevate the art of translation.

"Selten findet

man auch

little

in ein-

gehendern Besprechungen eine wirkliche Nachpriifung der gentlichen Ubersetzungsarbeit. offnet.'^".

So ist der Wilkiir Tor und

ei-

Tiir ge-

Usually reviewers discuss in a general statement or two

the most striking characteristics of a translation, and then ex-

pend the force of their supercharged vocabulary upon a eulogy or condemnation of the original. Such criticism can never produce results other than

fill

the coffers of the publishers.

tunately the "art of translation" ized.

"Mehr

geschickt

und

is

being too

Unfor-

much commercial-

taktvoll ausgeiibte Kontrolle

ware

den deutsch-englischen tJbersetzungsmarkt ein Segen, fiir Amerika wie fiir Deutschland, so weit es amerikanische Literatur fiir

kennt und aufnimmt."^"

Only by such supervision and be purged of the

many

criticism can the

book market

products of inefficiency which are

being circulated as bona fide translations, lation be elevated to its proper sphere

—and the

among

now

art of trans-

the accepted fine

arts.

Charles Swickard, respectively, are free adaptations rather than translations,

and consequently do not come within the scope of the discussion. The translation of the prose passages of Hauptmann's Hannelc, by Mary L. Safford, as well as the various other versions of Sudermann's Hcimat were inaccessible to the writer.

°°A. Busse, Deutsch-englische Obersetsungen auf Biichermarkt. Litcrarischcs Echo, p. 1552.

"Cf.

ibid,

p.

1552.

dem amcrikanischen

Bibliography

63

BIBLIOGRAPHY.

IV.

A. Editions of Prose Dramas of Gcrhart Hauptmann and Her-

man Sudcrmann Employed

Study.

in the Foregoincj

Gerhart Hauptmann. {Der) Biberpch,

Gesammelte Werke, Volksausgabe. Band

in

Elga, in Gesammelte Werke, Volksausgabe. Band

S. Fischer,

4.

1912.

Berlin.

(Das)

2,

1912.

S. Fischer, Berlin.

Fricdensfest,

Gesammelte

in

Werke,

Volksausgabe.

Band i. S. Fischer, Berlin. 1912. Fuhrmann Henschcl, neue, der Schriftsprache angenaherte Fas4te Auflage.

sung.

S. Fischer, Berlin.

Hannele's Flimnuifahrt.

Michael Kramer,

jte Auflage.

1899.

S. Fischer, Berlin.

S. Fischer, Berlin.

(Die) Ratten.

6te Auflage.

Gesammelte Werke, Volksausgabe.

Fischer, Berlin.

Und Pippa

Tanzt!

S. Fischer, Berlin.

1910.

Band

3.

S.

1912.

in

Gesammelte Werke, Volksausgabe.

Vor Sonnenaiifgang.

jte Auflage.

S.

Fischer,

Berlin.

(Die) Weber, in Gesammelte Werke, Volksausgabe. 5. Fischer, Berlin.

Band

igi2.

S. Fischer, Berlin.

4.

3.

1912.

Rose Bernd,

in

1899.

Gesammelte Werke, Volksausgabe. Band

in

1899.

Band

i.

1912.

Hermann Sudermann. Es

lebe das Leben.

{Die) Ehre.

{Das)

Gliick

lote Auflage.

i6te Auflage.

im U'inkel.

gart und Berlin.

{Der) gute Ruf. Fleimat.

Johannes.

lyit

Cotta, Stuttgart.

Cotta, Stuttgart. Cotta, Stuttgart.

Auflage.

Cotta,

1903.

Morituri.

Cotta, Stutt-

1907.

24te Auflage. igte

1902.

1896.

und i8te Auflage.

6te bis lote Auflage.

20te Auflage.

Johannisfeiter.

Cotta, Stuttgart.

Cotta, Stuttgart.

Cotta, Stuttgart.

1897.

1913.

1897. 1898.

Stuttgart

und

Berlin.

Bibliography

64 Rosen.

Cotta, Stuttgart

und

Berlin.

1907.

ytt Auflage.

{Die) Schmetterlingsschlacht.

Cotta, Stuttgart,

1897.

B. English Versions of the

Dramas

of

Hauptmann and Suder-

viann {With Footnotes on Productions in English).

Gerhart Hauptmann.

And Pippa

Dances,

by Mary Harned,

tr.

in

Poet Lore. Vol.

18,

p. 288 ff. (cf. Elga). Before Daivn, tr. by Leonard Bloomfield, in Poet Lore. Vol. Separately by Richard G. Badger, Boston. 20, p. 241 ff.

1911.

Coming (The) of Peace/ a family Achurch and Co., Chicago.

C. E. Wheeler.

catastrophe,

Dramatic Works, Huebsch, N. Y. I.

by Janet

1907. edited by Ludvvig Lewisohn.

Vol.

tr.

Pub. by the Dramatic Pub.

Pub. by B.

W.

19 13- 191 7.

Social

Dramas

Before Dazvn, tr. by Ludwig Lewisohn. Weavers, tr. by Mary Morison.

Beaver Coat,

tr.

Conflagration,

Vol. IL

Social

by Ludwig Lewisohn.

tr.

by Ludwig Lewisohn.

Dramas:

Drayman Henschcl. tr. by Ludwig Lewisohn. Rose Bernd, tr. by Ludwig Lewisohn. Rats {The), tr. by Ludwig Lewisohn. Vol. in. Reconciliation,

tr.

by

Roy Temple

Plouse.

Lonely Lives, tr. by Mary Morison. Colleague Crampton, tr. by Roy Temple House. Michael Kramer, tr. by Ludwig Lewisohn. Symbolic and Legendary Dramas: Assumption { The ) of Hannele, tr. by Charles Henry

Vol. IV.

Meltzer.

'

Presented Sept.

20,

1907, at

Ravinia Park,

111.

6D

Bibliography

Sunken (The) Henry of Aii'e,

by Charles Henry Meltzer. by Ludwig Lewisohn.

Bell, tr. tr.

Symbolic and Legendary Dramas and Jau, tr. by Ludwig Lewisohn. And Pip pa Dances, tr. by Sarah Tracy Barrows. Charlemagne's Hostages, tr. by Ludwig Lewisohn.

Vol. V.

Schliick

Vol.

VL Maidens {The) of

the

Mount,

tr.

by Ludwig Lew-

isohn.

Griselda.

tr. b}-

Ludwig Lewisohn.

Gabriel Schilling's Flight, Vol.

tr.

by Ludwig Lewisohn.

VIL Conimemoration Masque,

tr.

by Bayard Quincy Mor-

gan.

Bow

of Odysseus,

tr.

by Ludwig Lewisohn.

by Ludwig Lewisohn. Fragments, tr. by Ludwig Lewisohn.

Elga,

tr.

L Helios. n. Pastoral. Elga,'

tr.

by Edith Terry, N. Y. same,

p.

I

ff.

tr.

19 12.

Typewritten.

by Mary Harned in Poet Lore. Vol. 17, And Pip pa Dances, by Richard G. Bad-

Pub. with

ger, Boston.

1909.

same, two closing scenes, in Cur.

Lit.

Vol. 39, pp.

318-322.

Fiihrmann Hetischel, tr. by Marion A. Redlich. Dramatic Pub. Co., Chicago. 1910.

Pub. by Chicago

Griselda, text in English, by Alice Kauser,

N. Y. Printed by the Binghamton Book Mfg. Co., Binghamton, N. Y. 1909. Hannele,^ a dream poem, tr. by William Archer. Pub. by Heinemann, London. Also in Bates, The Modern 1898. Drama. Vol. 12. 'Presented in New York, 1915. 'Presented at Lyceum Theatre, N. Y., beg. Apr. ii, igio; Mrs. Fiske starring. For this presentation, a translation by Mary S. Safford, with metrical passages by Percy MacKaye, was used.

Bibliography

66 same, under nele, tr.

of Assumption

title

by G. S. Bryan,

Poet Lore.

in

{The) of Han-

Vol. 20,

p.

161

ff.

same, rendered into English verse and prose by Charles

Henry

Garden

City,

Meltzer.

N. Y.

Works

of G. H.

Edgar

S.

Pub. by Doubleday, Page

And

in

from Death N. Y.

of

1908.

&

Co.,

Lewisohn, Dramatic

Vol. IV.

same, scene

Werner &

Hannele.

Pub.

by

Co.,

Lonely Lives* a drama, tr. by Mary Morison. Pub. by HeineAnd the De Witt Pub. House, 1898. mann, London. N. Y. 1898. Also in Lewisohn, Dramatic Works of G. H. Vol. in. Michael Kramer, tr. by Lewisohn. Pub. in The German Classics, Vol. 18, and in Lewisohn, Dramatic Works of G. H. Vol. III.

Reconciliation (The), Vol. 21,

p.

^^y

by Roy Temple House, in Poet Lore, and in Lewisohn, Dramatic Works of G.

tr.

ff.,

H. Vol. III. Sunken Bell,^ a fairy play

in five acts, freely

rendered into Eng-

by Charles Henry Meltzer, with a critical analPub. by Doubleday, Page & Co., Garysis by F. C. Brown. den City, N. Y,. 1914 (in Drama League Series of Plays, Vol. 4) also in Lewisohn, Dramatic Works of G. H., Vol. lish verse,

;

German

IV, and in The

Sunken {The)

Bell,'^

pp. 251-274, 1898,

same, Lore, Vol. 10,

Classics, Vol. 18.

extracts in Contemporary Review, Vol. 13, tr.

into

tr.

p.

in prose

161

prose

by the

editor.

by Mary Harned,

in

Poet

fif.

same, abridged.

Pub. by Edgar

S.

Werner &

Co.,

N. Y. 'Presented at Empire Theatre, N. Y., Dec. 11, 1902, and by the American of Dramatic Art, N. Y. "Presented at Mollis Street Theatre, Boston, beg. Dec. 21, 1899; E. H. Sothern and Virginia Harned starring, and at Lyric Theatre, N. Y., beg. Jan. 21, 1907, by Sothern and Marlowe. ° Foot-note "This article is published with the kind conto extracts

Academy

:

Devis, Esq., of Folkstone, who is the owner of all rights and representation of the play in the English language, and proposes shortly to publish the authorized metrical English version."

sent of P. R. of publication

who

67

Bibliography Thieves'

Comedy,

Home, London.

by Cliarles John

tr.

(A

Typewritten.

version of

Der

1905.

Biberpelz.)

Weavers; a drama of the Forties, tr. by Mary Morison. Pub. by Heimann, London, 1899; also in Dickinson, Chief Contemporary Dramatists. 191 5, Lewisohn, Dramatic Works of G. H., Vol. L and in The German Classics, Vol. 18. same, abridged in J. A. Pierce. Masterpieces of Modern German Drama, Vol. 2, pt. 2, p. 207. Pub. by Doubleday, Page

&

Co.,

Garden

City, N. Y.

191 5.

Hermann Sudermann. (The) of the Butterflies, play in four acts, tr. by Arthur H. Schwarz. Copyrighted by Charles Kraus, N. Y. 191 4.

Battle

Typewritten.

Good (A) Reputation, a

play

in

four acts,

by Margaret

tr.

Holz and Olga Marz, N. Y. 191 5. Typewritten. Honor,^ tr. by Hilmar R. Baukhage, with a preface by Barrett H.Clark. Pub. by Samuel French, N. Y. 1915, in French's Standard Library Series. Man (The) and His Picture," (Sodoms Ende). Jolmnncs, tr. by W. H. Harned and Mary Harned in Poet Lore, Vol.

1

1,

p.

161

ff.

same, under introduction

:

tr.

title

John, a drama in five acts and an

by Nelly Margaret

Baumann and Gertrude

Parker Dingee, Chicago. 1902. Typewritten. same, under title, John the Baptist; abridged in John A. Price and Brander Matthews: Masterpieces of Modern Drama, Vol. 2, p. 250. Pub. by Doubleday, Page

&

Co.,

Garden

City,

same,'"

Lane & 17, p.

Co.,

168

tr.

N. Y. by

1915.

Beatrice

N. Y. 1909; and

in

Marshall.

Pub.

The German

by John

Classics, Vol.

flf.

'Presented in New York, Dec, igiS'Presented at Criterion Theatre, N. Y., Jan. 26, 1905, by the American Academy of Dramatic Art. " Presented at Great Queen Street Theatre. London, Mar. 8, 1903"Presented at Lyric Theatre, N. Y., beg. Jan. 21, 1907, by Sothern and Marlowe.

68

Bibliography

Joy OF Living, ^^ a play in five acts, tr. by Edith Wharton. Pub. by Scribner Sons, N. Y. 1913. Magda,^" tr. by Charles Edward Amory Winslow. Pub. by Lamson Wolffe & Co., Boston and N. Y. 1896, and by Samuel French, N. Y. under title Home. same, English version by Count Bonzenta. same, English version by Louis N. Parker. same,

new

translation

by

Claude

Sykes,

East-

bourne, Devonshire Park, Dec. 12, 1907.

same, under

title

The Argument of Magda (not

in

dramatic form), English argument by E. Beall Ginty. Pub.

by F. Pullman, N. Y.

1896.

The Eternal Masfrom the German by Archibald Alexander. Pub.

Morituri, three one-act plays, Teja, Fritschen, culine,^^ tr.

by C. Scribner's Sons, N. Y. same, Teias, Vol. 9,

On

tr.

1910.

by Mary Harned,

in

Poet Lore,

331 iif. same, Fritschen,

p.

tr. into English. Pub. by the Yale University Dramatic Society, New Haven, Conn. Approval, an episode in two scenes from Das holic Lied;

dramatized by Alison M. Lederer, N. Y.

191 3.

Type-

written.

Roses, four one-act comedies. Streaks of Light, Margot, The Last Visit,

Far Aivay Princess,

Chas. Scribner's Sons, N. Y.

same. Far

Away

tr.

by Grace Frank.

Pub. by

191 3. Princess.

Pub.

by

Samuel

French, N. Y.

" Presented Oct. N. Y., and

New

2,3, 1902, by Mrs. Patrick Campbell, at Garden Theatre, Theatre, London, June 24, 1903.

""The

English version was played by Helena Modjeska and Mrs. PatCampbell. During season of 1901-02, Mrs. Campbell appeared as 'Magla' on the occasion of her first tour of America. The first actress to undertake the part in English was Mme. Modjeska. in a version prepared by her husband. Count Bonzenta. In Feb., 1899, Mrs. Fiske gave a few performances of 'Magda' at Fifth Ave. Theatre, N. Y., and in 1901-02, Mrs. Patrick Campbell made the Louis N. Parker version a prominent feature of her repertory." Cf. Clapp and Edgett, Plays of the Present, p. 168, f. Also presented Jan. 13, 1902, at the Republic Theatre N. Y. rick

"Fritschen played

in

English in America, 1914.

69

Bibliography Saint John's Fire, a drama in four

W. Wilson

Pub. by the H.

acts, tr.

Co., Minneapolis.

same, play in four acts,

^

Eliscu, N. Y.

1905.

same,

tr.

by Grace E. Polk.

tr.

and

ad.

1905.

by Fernanda

Typewritten.

by Charlotte Porter and H. C. Porter, in

Poet Lore, Vol. 15, No. IV, p. i fif. same, under title Fires of St. John," a drama in four acts, tr. and ad. by Charles Swickard. Pub. by J. W.

Luce & Co., Boston. 1904. Three (The) Herons Feathers, tr. by Helen Tracy Porter, Poet Lore, Vol. 12, No. 2, p. i ff.

in

Vale of Content, ^^ tr. by William Ellory Leonard. Pub. in J. H. Dickinson, Chief Contemporary Dramatists. 191 5. What Money Cannot Buy, a drama in four acts, ad. from a play of H. S. by Maurice Magnus, Berlin. C.

of

Works on Theories and

1906.

Discussions of Tratislations.

In addition to the very complete bibliography on the theory translation given in Julianna Haskell's dissertation on

Bayard Taylor's Translation of Goethe's Faust, the following works and articles were consulted Art {The) of Translation, Sept. 17,

1

editorial in the

New

York Tribune,

91 6.

Batteux, Charles

Principles of Translation, written originally

:

French by M. Batteux, professor of rhetoric in the Printed by Sands, Roval College of Navarre at Paris. Cockran, for A. Donaldson, EdinMurray & Donaldson,

in

burgh. Busse,

1760.

A: Deutsch-englische Ubersetzungen auf dem amerikani-

schen Bi'tchcrniarkt. in Literarisches Echo. Vol. 14, 1912. Praktische Sprachstudien, mit besonderer Capraz, Friedrich :

Rilcksicht auf Ubersetzungskunst, Stylistik

" Presented for the

und materien-

first time on the American stage at Columbia TheaBoston. Jan.. 1904, and at Daly's Theatre, X. Y.. beg. Nov. 28, 1904, by Nance O'Neil. '^ "Its only known English performance has been at Miss Horniman's Gaiety Theatre." (Cf. Dickinson, Chief Contemporary Dramatists, p. 66&)

tre,

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wcisc

by

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J.

Heuberger,

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1867.

Federn, Karl

:

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::ur

vcrglcichcndcn Litcraturgcschichtc.

Pub. by Georg Miiller, Miinchen und Leipzig. Franzel, Walter Friedrich Artur 18.

Jahrhundert.

Gummere, Francis

B.

:

1904.

Geschichtc dcs Ubcrsctzcns im

:

Pub. by R. Voigtlander, Leipzig, 1914. The Translation of Bcozvidf, in Amer.

Jour, of Phil., Vol.

7, p.

46

ff.

Rev. by Clarence G. Child

Mod. Lang. Notes, Vol. 24, p. 253. Journal of Education, London Essays in Translation and in

:

other

Reprinted from the Journal of Education, with Editorial Notes and Comments. Pub. by W. Rice, Contributions.

London. Nollen,

1885.

John

S.

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Notes, Vol. 10,

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p.

Kurt Ferdinand Freiligrath als Ubcrsetzer, in Forschungen sur neueren Literaturgeschichte, No. 11, p. i fi. 1899. Roehm. Alfred: Bibliographic und Kritik der deutschcn Ubcrsetzungen aus der Amcrikanischen Dichtung, Univ. ol Chicago, Diss. Pub. by August Hoffmann, Leipzig. 191 o. Schleiermacher, Friedrich Daniel Ernst Uber die verschiedenen Mcthoden des Ubersetcens, in Abhandlungcn der konigliRichter,

:

:

chen Akademie der Wisscnschaften in Berlin aus den Jahrcn 1812-181^. Gedr. in der Realschulbuchhandlung, 18 16. Tyrell, Robert Y.

Vol.

6,

:

London.

Translation as a Fine Art, in Hermathena, 1888.

Wartensleben, Dr. Gabriele, Grafin von

:

Bcitrage zur Psycholo-

gic des iJbersctsens, in Bcitrage fiir Psychologic ologic der Sinncsorgane, Part

Wilamowitz-Moellendorff Vortrdgc. lin.

:

Was

L

ist

pp. 56-57.

und Physi-

1910.

Ubersetzen? in Reden und

Pub. by the Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, Ber-

1913.

Karl Scholz. University of Pennsylvania.