Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 16
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Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 16
Literature -- Collections
"You easily perceive," said Wilhelm, "how I shall contrive to
keep the other parts together. When Hamlet tells Horatio of
his uncle's crime, Horatio counsels him to go to Norway in his
company, to secure the affections of the army, and return in war-like
force. Hamlet also is becoming dangerous to the King and
Queen; they find no readier method of deliverance than to send
him in the fleet, with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to be spies
upon him: and as Laertes in the mean time comes from France,
they determine that this youth, exasperated even to murder,
shall go after him. Unfavorable winds detain the fleet; Hamlet
returns: for his wandering through the church-yard perhaps some
lucky motive may be thought of; his meeting with Laertes in
Ophelia's grave is a grand moment, which we must not part
with. After this, the King resolves that it is better to get quit
of Hamlet on the spot: the festival of his departure, the pretended
reconcilement with Laertes, are now solemnized; on
which occasion knightly sports are held, and Laertes fights with
Hamlet. Without the four corpses I cannot end the piece; not
one of them can possibly be left. The right of popular election
now again comes in force, and Hamlet gives his dying voice for
Horatio."
"Quick! quick!" said Serlo; "sit down and work the piece;
your plan has my entire approbation; only do not let your zeal
for it evaporate." ...
Wilhelm had already been for some time busied with translating
Hamlet; making use, as he labored, of Wieland's spirited
performance, by means of which he had first become acquainted
with Shakespeare. What in Wieland's work had been omitted he
replaced; and he had at length procured himself a complete version,
at the very time when Serlo and he finally agreed about
the way of treating it. He now began, according to his plan, to
cut out and insert, to separate and unite, to alter and often to
restore; for satisfied as he was with his own conception, it still
appeared to him as if in executing it he were but spoiling the
original.
So soon as all was finished, he read his work to Serlo and
the rest. They declared themselves exceedingly contented with
it; Serlo in particular made many flattering observations.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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