ABSTRACT
Over the past few days I read Schiller’s translation of Macbeth, his Maria Stuart and his Wallenstein. How many beautiful passages there are, and everything is so absorbing! How restrained Macbeth is both in Shakespeare’s original and in translation! Je suis tenté de le traduire.8 That would be a great feat. But I must translate it in verse, in powerful and expressive verse. Ah, brother! What a tragedy! How many horrors are in it! For example, Macbeth kills King Duncan and a devoted member of his court. He ascends the throne and gives a party. He pretends to be a friend of the latter, who has already been murdered by his mercenaries, and he appears to wait anxiously for him. Meanwhile, they drink. His place between the two principal figures in the government is empty. He says, “Ah, when will Banquo (the name of the slain one) arrive?” And that very minute his shadow appears at his place. All this could not be more powerful or closer to theatrical horror. His monologue before the murdered one, when he thinks he sees the dagger before him, his wife’s lunacy, and so on – it is all excellent. The translation is more refined but not weaker than the original. There sorceresses also have their scene, as does everything else in this play. Try to find it and read it. Maria Stuart is also worthy of Schiller. There are many beautiful things in Wallenstein. Read it!
