Translation of Othello into French [manuscript] 1881

Paris, 1881

1 item ; 20 x 15.5 cm.

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France -- Paris, -- production place.

272852 MS

From dealer's description: "Louis de Gramont’s working translation for Shakespeare’s Othello Performed at the Odeon Theatre in Paris, 1882 With a dedication inscription to Fernand Bourgeat, general secretary of the Odéon [Shakespeare, William. Louis de Gramont, translator]. Othello ou le More de Venise: drame en cinq actes et huit tableaux. [Paris]: 1881. (20 x 15.5 cm). Manuscript in ink and pencil. 1 leaf (dedication), 6 blank leaves, 1-49: tableaux 1-2, blank, 1-49: tableau 3, blank, 1-49 tableau 4, blank, 1-53: tableau 5, 1-10: tableau 6, blank, 1-11: tableau 7, blank, 1-5, 7-19, 21-29: tableau 8, ff. Written on rectos, blank versos occasionally used for corrections and notes. Dated from a manuscript note in the translator’s hand, July 15 – September 15, 1881. Contemporary half-burgundy sheep spine and corners over marbled paper boards, raised bands with title in gilt, marbled endpapers signed by the binder L. Pouillet. Corners rubbed, minor external wear, tanning to some leaves, a few leaves detached but undamaged a few small tears with no loss of text, a well-preserved volume. The original and complete working manuscript for de Gramont’s alexandrine verse translation of Shakespeare’s Othello , prepared for the stage at the Theatre de l’Odéon in Paris, where it opened for performance April 15, 1882. The published text itself is rare with only 10 copies world wide (OCLC) 5 of which are held in the US. N.b.: the images of the published text, which is not included, that appear here are from copies at UCSB and University of Kansas. The volume establishes de Gramont’s translation and mise en scene of the play, organized in five acts sub-divided into eight tableaux, written in a clear and legible hand. The manuscript shows de Gramont’s extensive working and reworking of the translation, where his changes range from a single word choice to full lines to entire speeches. A comparison with the printed version of the play and this manuscript shows that the translator was still polishing his verses, at times changing certain lines considerably, and finalizing the structure of his version of the play for performance. Concerning the play’s structure, in addition to changing lines of dialogue to serve his alexandrine rhyme scheme, de Gramont’s published version of the play makes a number of cuts, shortens some scenes and removes others—the manuscript includes content for the play that was not included in the published version. The published version of the play has cut numerous scenes from Act 2, and the manuscript shows signs of de Gramont’s efforts to find the definitive version. The ending of Act 2 in particular is in an unfinished state. For example, absent from the published text is the final dialog between Iago and Roderigo, which in the manuscript version is present—Roderigo’s name appears in the stage directions, only to be crossed out—alongside speeches that have been heavily corrected. Shown right. Another example: in the published version, Act 4.3 is moved to the beginning of Act 5; whereas, in the manuscript version de Gramont was still organizing this section of the play. The dialog between Lodovico and Othello that begins Act 4.3 appears in the manuscript, at right, but does not appear in the published version, and this section of the manuscript is very much still a work in progress. Many of the lines are not as they appear in the published version, designated as tableau 6 by de Gramont, and this section of the manuscript is heavily reworked with earlier versions crossed out and sections of 4-8 lines rewritten entirely. Unlike earlier poetic translations of Othello, which sought literal accuracy at the expense of aesthetics, contemporary reviews of the play praised de Gramont’s facility with language, “ce jeune homme possède tous less secrets de rythme; il a un alexandrine d’une souplesse extraordinaire” was the judgment of the Temps ; in the Figaro, “il faut rendre homage au travail intelligent, habile, et consciencieux par lequel M. Louis de Gramont nous fait pénétrer dans l’intimité de l’oeuvre shakespearienne” (Cf. Gilman, 1925). According to a note in de Gramont’s hand, the manuscript was composed very quickly—from July 15 – September 15, 1881—a sign of his facility for quickly producing a verse translation in alexandrine couplets: de Gramont’s hand is swift but sure. However, this is not a fair copy: crossouts and alterations are present throughout and the signs of the poet working out his verses is well evident. Dedicated to “a shared admiration for the divine Shakespeare” and an “inalterable fraternity.” The first leaf includes an affectionate 2 pp. presentation inscription to Fernand Bourgeat (1851-1932), the journalist and drama critic, who was also Secrétaire général du Conservatoire de Musique de Paris, until about 1884. Bourgeat’s theatre reviews were published under a pseudonym in La Marseillaise and Le Mot d’Ordre. It was Bourgeat who suggested de Gramont to the theatre’s director, Charles de la Rounat, for the job of translating Othello to satisfy the latter’s interest in staging the play at the Odéon. (cf. Lamothe) Mon cher Fernand, Je te donne ce manuscript. Il te revient de droit, puisque sans toi, sans ton ingénieuse affection, je n’aurais pas écrit cette traduction d’Othello et qu’elle n’aurait pas été représenté à l’Odéon. Je ne m’illusionne pas sur la valeur de cette traduction fatalement si éloigné du texte: mais je veux que tu la conserves en souvenir de notre admiration commune pour le divin Shakespeare, et comme un témoignage de notre inaltérable fraternité. Louis de Gramont The printed text of the play also bears a dedication, to the director of the Odéon, Charles de la Rounat. Naturally, the more public dedication that appears in the published text is more formal and, by nature, that of a writer acknowledging his patron. But the back story of the genesis of the translation is more fully understood when considered in the light of the de Gramont’s more personal note to Bourgeat, without whom the translator would never have met the impresario. The translator, Louis de Gramont (1854-1912), was French journalist, critic, and dramatist, and at the time of this translation an unknown. He wrote more than a dozen plays (1874-1906) and was also respected as a drama critic for numerous publications. [...]" Ordered from Gerald Cloud, D9621, 2023-03-239, email quote.

272852