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[HAMLET ON RUSSIAN STAGE] Gamlet. Tragediia v piati deistviiakh. V stikhakh. Podrazhanie Shekspiru. Predstavlena v pervyj raz na Sanktpeterburgskom teatre pridvornymi ego imperatorskago velichestva akterami v 28 i den’ noiabria 1810-go goda [i.e. Hamlet. Tragedy in Five Actions. In Verses. Adaptation of Shakespeare : Introduced for the First Time by His Imperial Majesty Court Actors at Saint Petersburg Theater on November 28, 1810]

[Shakespeare, W.]

Item #1752

Saint Petersburg: V Morskoi Tipografii, 1811. [6], 56 pp. 20,5x12,5 cm. In late wrappers with title glued to spine; modern slipcase. Stamp of a theatrical library on t.p., some minor stains, few small tears of covers, otherwise mint.

One of the earliest Russian adaptations of the whole story. Very rare.

The first translation of ‘The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark’ into Russian was undertaken by A. Sumarokov in 1748. He essentially altered the plot, so Ophelia remained alive and Hamlet favorably became king of Denmark. Over the following half-century, only Hamlet’s main speech was translated and published four times. The play was kept away from the Russian stage because of Paul I of Russia who was regarded as “the Russian Hamlet” for some coincidences. Shakespeare worthily gained popularity among Russians in the 1820-1840s. Until then, his tragedies were represented mainly through French alterations.
In particular, translator Stepan Viskovatov based this free translation of ‘Hamlet’ on version of French playwright Jean-François Ducis. Stepan Ivanovich Viskovatov (1786-1831) wrote poems and plays, some were staged but never published. In 1808, he became a duty officer and librarian in the Mining Cadet Corps, teaching Russian literature and history. Later he began translating for Imperial theaters. In this version of ‘Hamlet’, Ophelia also remained alive until the end. Claudius murdered the queen, tried to accuse Hamlet of this but was exposed as his sword was covered in blood. Claudius rushed at Hamlet, simultaneously pushed Ophelia and she fainted or lost her life. Claudius’ accomplices sided with Hamlet, who hit Claudius with a sword. Hamlet wanted to end his life after his mother and Ophelia but remained to live for the sake of the country.
Viskovatov’s adaptation of ‘Hamlet’ was first staged on November 28, 1810, then released as a book. The edition credits seven actors that were the first Russian performers of the play: Alexei Yakovlev (Hamlet), Alexandra Karatygina
(Gertrude), Elisei Bobrov (Claudius), Ekaterina Semenova (Ophelia), Pashkov (Harold, instead Horatio), Glukharev (Polonius), as well as Terpugova (confidente of Gertrude). The translation was dedicated to privy councillor, chamberlain Sergei Lanskoi. It was reprinted in 1929, without Shakespeare credited.

Not found in the USA.

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