The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-12-01
DUMAS TRANSLATION OF
HAMLET.
BY THEODORE CHILD.

The history of the translation of
hamlet, in five acts and in verse,
played at the Theatre Historique in
December, 1S47, has been related at
length by one of the authors, the
elder Dumas. with his usual exu-
berance and inexactitude of detail.
The authors who figure on the title
page are Alexandra Dumas and
Paul Meurice. Being curious to
know to what the collaboration of
Dumas amounted, the present writer
recently asked M. Meurice to give
him his version of the matter, which
is recorded here almost in M. Meu-
rice'S own words;
Il was then'quite a young man, al
most a boy q freshman, in short. Os.
tensibly I was law student, living
in the Latin quarter. Being already
a great admirer of Shakespeare, and
with view of getting practice in
dramatic verse-Writing, translated
the principal scenes of Hamlet. [
was at that time familiar with En-
glish; at any rate, | could read 1t
with facility. And SO, without any
special idea of having my work
played, [ continued until [ had
translated nearly all the piece; |
had omitted only the connecting
and transition scenes. One day |
happened to mention my translation
TO Dumas. who was an enthusiastic
champion of the Shakespearian
movement.
"'Ahp said Dumas. You must
show me that
Il brought my manuscript. Du-
mas read it.
1.-The translation is very good,
very good, was the verdict; the
verses are we'll turned. | will get it
played for you at the Theatre Fran
Gals. Ligier d celebrated actor of
the tiplel is Jred of playing the
insipid Hamlet Of Ducts, and | am
sure he will jump at the opportu-
nifty of at last playing Shake / cares
Hamlet. But l am afraid of the
den0uement for the French stage,
you know; it is perhaps a little TOO
audaclous-the public is hardly ac-
cust0med to.that sort of thing
81 Of course protested, in the
name of Shakespeare, and on the
ground Of the respect due to genius.
Yes, yes, continued Dumas, I
know, you are quite right; but the
French public will never put up
with that Strengthening at the end.
We shall have to tone that down,
and make it less Violent
although my conscience con-
tinued to protest, still Alexandra
Dumas was a master in matters
concerning the drama. | was only
hey, and so / yielded. But wish
ing to respect Shakespeare, even in
changing his sacred text suggested
the adaptation to Hamlet of the
apparition of the ghosts of Clarence,
Rivers, Hastings, Queen Anne, and
the other victims OF Richard in the
last act of Richard III.
Dumas was enchanted.
"sThe idea is splendid. Go and
write the scene, and then we will
see what the committee" of the
Franeais has to say about the piece.
so | wrote the final scene as il
was afterwards played. Meanwhile
Dumas arranged the scenario, inter.
calated few verses here and there
to connect the scenes, and altered
the beginning. But, with the ex
ception of these few verses [ was
really the author of the whole trans
! Ia IN, including the denouement.
"Thus arranged, the piece was reaC
at the Theatre Francois, aud &C
cepted by the actors, who were the1
the sole judges in such matters; bu
it was accepted, or, to use tn,
| French term, received q correction
that is to says on condition that Ger
| tain alterations should be made il
| it by the authors in concert wit
| the actors.
Dumas was furious when b
heard the verdict,
"'Quoi? Mais on ne recoit pa
Shakespeare a correction OGon
recoit GU on me lie recoi pas du tout
Tas d'imdeciles!'
"And be took up the manuscript
and stalked out Of the THEATRE
December Atlantic.