Rusalka A Lyrical Fairy-tale in Three Acts Modern Czech Classics

This is a new book. Condition: Brand New.

Famous as the libretto for Antonin Dvorak's opera of the same name, Jaroslav Kvapil's poem Rusalka is an intriguing work of literature on its own. Directly inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's famous "The Little Mermaid," Kvapil's reinterpretation adds an array of nuanced poetic techniques, a more dramatic tempo, and dark undertones that echo the work of eminent Czech folklorist Karel Jaromir Erben. All of these influences work in tandem to create a poetic work that is familiar yet innovative.

Transposed into the folkloric topos of a landlocked Bohemia, the mermaid is rendered here as a Slavic rusalka-a dangerous water nymph-who must choose between love and immortality. Thus, Rusalka, while certainly paying homage to the original story's Scandinavian roots, is still a distinct work of modern Czech literature. Newly translated by Patrick Corness, Kvapil's work will now find a fresh group of readers looking to get lost in one of Europe's great lyrical fairy tale traditions.

Book details and technical specifications

Format: Paperback / softback
ISBN13: 9788024643816
Published: August 2020

Number of pages: 100
Width: 127 mm
Height: 191 mm
Depth: 13 mm

Publisher: Karolinum,Nakladatelstvi Univerzity Karlovy,Czech Republic