hermann and dorothea-第1节

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Hermann　and　Dorothea

By　Johann　Wolfgang　von　Goethe

Translated　by　Ellen　Frothingham





INTRODUCTORY　NOTE

There　are　few　modern　poems　of　any　country　so　perfect　in　their　kind　as　the　〃Hermann　and　Dorothea〃　of　Goethe。　In　clearness　of　characterization；　in　unity　of　tone；　in　the　adjustment　of　background　and　foreground；　in　the　conduct　of　the　narrative；　it　conforms　admirably　to　the　strict　canons　of　art；　yet　it　preserves　a　freshness　and　spontaneity　in　its　emotional　appeal　that　are　rare　in　works　of　so　classical　a　perfection　in　form。

The　basis　of　the　poem　is　a　historical　incident。　In　the　year　1731　the　Archbishop　of　Salzburg　drove　out　of　his　diocese　a　thousand　Protestants；　who　took　refuge　in　South　Germany；　and　among　whom　was　a　girl　who　became　the　bride　of　the　son　of　a　rich　burgher。　The　occasion　of　the　girl's　exile　was　changed　by　Goethe　to　more　recent　times；　and　in　the　poem　she　is　represented　as　a　German　from　the　west　bank　of　the　Rhine　fleeing　from　the　turmoil　caused　by　the　French　Revolution。　The　political　element　is　not　a　mere　background；　but　is　woven　into　the　plot　with　consummate　skill；　being　used；　at　one　point；　for　example；　in　the　characterization　of　Dorothea；　who　before　the　time　of　her　appearance　in　the　poem　has　been　deprived　of　her　first　betrothed　by　the　guillotine；　and；　at　another；　in　furnishing　a　telling　contrast　between　the　revolutionary　uproar　in　France　and　the　settled　peace　of　the　German　village。

The　characters　of　the　father　and　the　minister　Goethe　took　over　from　the　original　incident；　the　mother　he　invented；　and　the　apothecary　he　made　to　stand　for　a　group　of　friends。　But　all　of　these　persons；　as　well　as　the　two　lovers；　are　recreated；　and　this　so　skillfully　that　while　they　are　made　notably　familiar　to　us　as　individuals；　they　are　no　less　significant　as　permanent　types　of　human　nature。　The　hexameter　measure　which　he　employed；　and　which　is　retained　in　the　present　translation；　he　handled　with　such　charm　that　it　has　since　seemed　the　natural　verse　for　the　domestic　idylwitness　the　obvious　imitation　of　this；　as　of　other　features　of　the　poem；　in　Longfellow's　〃Evangeline。〃

Taken　as　a　whole；　with　its　beauty　of　form；　its　sentiment；　tender　yet　restrained；and　the　compelling　pathos　of　its　story；　〃Hermann　and　Dorothea〃　appeals　to　a　wider　public　than　perhaps　any　other　product　of　its　author。




HERMANN　AND　DOROTHEA


CALLIOPE

FATE　AND　SYMPATHY


〃Truly；　I　never　have　seen　the　market　and　street　so　deserted！　How　as　if　it　were　swept　looks　the　town；　or　had　perished！　Not　fifty　Are　there；　methinks；　of　all　our　inhabitants　in　it　remaining；　What　will　not　curiosity　do！　here　is　every　one　running；　Hurrying　to　gaze　on　the　sad　procession　of　pitiful　exiles。　Fully　a　league　it　must　be　to　the　causeway　they　have　to　pass　over；　Yet　all　are　hurrying　down　in　the　dusty　heat　of　the　noonday。　I；　in　good　sooth；　would　not　stir　from　my　place　to　witness　the　sorrows　Borne　by　good；　fugitive　people；　who　now；　with　their　rescued　possessions；　Driven；　alas！　from　beyond　the　Rhine；　their　beautiful　country；　Over　to　us　are　coming；　and　through　the　prosperous　corner　Roam　of　this　our　luxuriant　valley；　and　traverse　its　windings。　Well　hast　thou　done；　good　wife；　our　son　in　thus　kindly　dispatching；　Laden　with　something　to　eat　and　to　drink；　and　with　store　of　old　linen；　'Mongst　the　poor　folk　to　distribute；　for　giving　belongs　to　the　wealthy。　How　the　youth　drives；　to　be　sure！　What　control　he　has　over　the　horses！　Makes　not　our　carriage　a　handsome　appearance；the　new　one？　With　comfort；　Four　could　be　seated　within；　with　a　place　on　the　box　for　the　coachman。　This　time；　he　drove　by　himself。　How　lightly　it　rolled　round　the　corner！〃　Thus；　as　he　sat　at　his　ease　in　the　porch　of　his　house　on　the　market；　Unto　his　wife　was　speaking　mine　host　of　the　Golden　Lion。

Thereupon　answered　and　said　the　prudent；　intelligent　housewife：　〃Father；　I　am　not　inclined　to　be　giving　away　my　old　linen：　Since　it　serves　many　a　purpose；　and　cannot　be　purchased　for　money；　When　we　may　want　it。　To…day；　however；　I　gave；　and　with　pleasure；　Many　a　piece　that　was　better；　indeed；　in　shirts　and　in　bed…clothes；　For　I　was　told　of　the　aged　and　children　who　had　to　go　naked。　But　wilt　thou　pardon　me；　father？　thy　wardrobe　has　also　been　plundered。　And；　in　especial；　the　wrapper　that　has　the　East…Indian　flowers；　Made　of　the　finest　of　chintz；　and　lined　with　delicate　flannel；　Gave　I　away：　it　was　thin　and　old；　and　quite　out　of　the　fashion。〃

Thereupon　answered　and　said；　with　a　smile；　the　excellent　landlord：　〃Faith！　I　am　sorry　to　lose　it；　my　good　old　calico　wrapper；　Real　East…Indian　stuff：　I　never　shall　get　such　another。　Well；　I　had　given　up　wearing　it：　nowadays；　custom　compels　us　Always　to　go　in　surtout；　and　never　appear　but　in　jacket；　Always　to　have　on　our　boots；　forbidden　are　night…cap　and　slippers。〃

〃See！〃　interrupted　the　wife；　〃even　now　some　are　yonder　returning；　Who　have　beheld　the　procession：　it　must；　then；　already　be　over。　Look　at　the　dust　on　their　shoes！　and　see　how　their　faces　are　glowing！　Every　one　carries　his　kerchief；　and　with　it　is　wiping　the　sweat　off。　Not　for　a　sight　like　that　would　I　run　so　far　and　so　suffer；　Through　such　a　heat；　in　sooth；　enough　shall　I　have　in　the　telling。〃

Thereupon　answered　and　said；　with　emphasis；　thus；　the　good　father：　〃Rarely　does　weather　like　this　attend　such　a　harvest　as　this　is。　We　shall　be　bringing　our　grain　in　dry；　as　the　hay　was　before　it。　Not　the　least　cloud　to　be　seen；　so　perfectly　clear　is　the　heaven；　And；　with　delicious　coolness；　the　wind　blows　in　from　the　eastward。　That　is　the　weather　to　last！　over…ripe　are　the　cornfields　already；　We　shall　begin　on　the　morrow　to　gather　our　copious　harvest。〃

Constantly；　while　he　thus　spoke；　the　crowds　of　men　and　of　women　Grew；　who　their　homeward　way　were　over　the　market…place　wending；　And；　with　the　rest；　there　also　returned；　his　daughters　beside　him；　Back　to　his　modernized　house　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　market；　Foremost　merchant　of　all　the　town；　their　opulent　neighbor；　Rapidly　driving　his　open　barouche；it　was　builded　in　Landau。　Lively　now　grew　the　streets；　for　the　city　was　handsomely　peopled。　Many　a　trade　was　therein　carried　on；　and　large　manufactures。

Under　their　doorway　thus　the　affectionate　couple　were　sitting；　Pleasing　themselves　with　many　remarks　on　the　wandering　people。　Finally　broke　in；　however；　the　worthy　housewife；　exclaiming：　〃Yonder　our　pastor；　see！　is　hitherward　coming；　and　with　him　Comes　our　neighbor　the　doctor；　so　they　shall　every　thing　tell　us；　All　they　have　witnessed　abroad；　and　which　'tis　a　sorrow　to　look　on。〃

Cordially　then　the　two　men　drew　nigh；　and　saluted　the　couple；　Sat　themselves　down　on　the　benches　of　wood　that　were　placed　in　the　doorway；　Shaking　the　dust　from　their　feet；　and　fanning　themselves　with　their　kerchiefs。　Then　was　the　doctor；　as　soon　as　exchanged　were　the　mutual　greetings；　First　to　begin；　and　said；　almost　in　a　tone　of　vexation：　〃Such　is　mankind；　forsooth！　and　one　man　is　just　like　another；　Liking　to　gape　and　to　stare　when　ill…luck　has　befallen　his　neighbor。　Every　one　hurries　to　look　at　the　flames；　as　they　soar　in　destruction；　Runs　to　behold　the　poor　culprit；　to　execution　conducted：　Now　all　are　sallying　forth　to　gaze　on　the　need　of　these　exiles；　Nor　is　there　one　who　considers　that　he；　by　a　similar　fortune；　May；　in　the　future；　if　not　indeed　next；　be　likewise　o'ertaken。　Levity　not　to　be　pardoned；　I　deem；　yet　it　lies　in　man's　nature。〃

Thereupon　answered　and　said　the　noble；　intelligent　pastor；　Ornament　he　of　the　town；　still　young；　in　the　prime　of　his　manhood。　He　was　acquainted　with　life；with　the　needs　of　his　hearers　acquainted；　Deeply　imbued　he　was　with　the　Holy　Scriptures'　importance；　As　they　reveal　man's　destiny　to　us；　and　man's　disposition；　Thoroughly　versed；　besides；　in　best　of　secular　writings。　〃I　should　be　loath；〃　he　replied；　〃to　censure　an　innocent　instinct；　Which　to　mankind　by　good　mother　Nature　has　always　been　given。　What　understanding　and　reason　may　sometimes　fail　to　accomplish；　Oft　will　such　fortunate　impulse；　that　bears　us　resistlessly　with　it。　Did　curiosity　draw　not　man　with　its　potent　attraction；　Say；　would　he　ever　have　learned　how　harmoniously　fitted　together　Worldly　experiences　are？　For　first　what　is　novel　he　covets；　Then　with　unwearying　industry　follows　he　after　the　useful；　Finally　longs　for　the　good　by　which　he　is　raised　and　ennobled。　While　he　is　young；　such　lightness　of　mind　is　a　joyous　companion；　Traces　of　pain…giving　evil　effacing　as　soon　as　'tis　over。　He　is　indeed　to　be　praised；　who；　out　of　this　gladness　of　temper；　Has　in　his　ripening　years　a　sound　understanding　developed；　Who；　in　good　fortune　or　ill；　with　zeal　and　activity　labors：　Such　an　one　bringeth　to　pass　what　is　good；　and　repaireth　the　evil。〃

Then　broke　familiarly　in　the　housewife　impatient；　exclaiming：　〃Tell　us　of　what　ye　have　seen；　for　that　I　am　longing　to　hear　of！〃

〃Hardly；〃　with　emphasis　then　the　village　doctor　made　answer；　〃Can　I　find　spirits　so　soon　after　all　the　scenes　I　have　witnessed。　Oh；　the　manifold　miseries！　who　shall　be　able　to　tell　them？　E'en　before　crossing　the　meadows；　and　while　we　were　yet　at　a　distance；　Saw　we　the　dust；　but　still　from　hill　to　hill　the　procession　Passed　away　out　of　our　sight；　and　we　could　distinguish　but　little；　But　when　at　last　we　were　come　to　the　street　that　crosses　the　vall