Frank Wedekind

En el ciclo que forman El espíritu de la tierra (1895) y La caja de Pandora (1904) Frank Wedekind creó su heroína más famosa, Lulú, un ser de naturaleza vampiresca, la encarnación misma de la feminidad y el sexo; no una pecadora ni un mero producto de su medio social, sino la exaltacion de la vida natural y el deseo. El dramaturgo aleman Frank Wedekind nacio en Hanover (1964) y murio en Munich (1918). Su tempestuosa obra fue precursora del expresionismo. Colaboro desde 1896 en la publicacion satirico-politica Simplicissimus. Sus contemporaneos dejaron numerosos testimonios de su electrizante personalidad.

Viele Manner liegen der intelligenten und gutaussehenden Lulu zu Fuen. Doch ihre zahlreihen Liebesbeziehungen bergen Gefahren fur ihre gesellschaftliche Stellung. Neid und Eifersucht drohen ihr zum Verhangnis zu werden. Die Buchse der Pandora von Frank Wedekind aus dem Jahr 1902 enthalt eine umfassende Kritik an den moralischen Vorstellungen des Wilhelminischen Zeitalters. Zu Recht ging Wedekind davon aus, dass die staatliche Zensur an dem Buhnenstuck heftigen Ansto nehmen wurde. Um moglichst groe Teile des Textes zu bewahren, setzte Wedekind zum einen auf umfassende Verschlusselung und Symbolik. Zum anderen sind einige der gefahrdeten Inhalte in englischen und franzosischen Textpassagen enthalten.

Tragedia en dos partes que se sitúa a caballo entre el impresionismo y el expresionismo literario alemán. Lulú encarna el eterno fantasma masculino de la hembra que atrae, seduce y destruye, no por su maldad sino porque sus sucesivos maridos se niegan a aceptar lo que ella francamente dice que es.

Drama Classics: The Worlds Great Plays at a Great Little PriceFrank Wedekinds famously banned German play written in 1891 focuses on a group of classmates and explores adolescent sexuality and the emotional consequences if suppressed.This edition of Spring Awakening in the Nick Hern Books Drama Classics series is an English translation by Julian Forsyth and Margarete Forsyth.

Pandoras Box (1904) (Die Buchse der Pandora) is a play by the German dramatist Frank Wedekind. It forms the second part of his pairing of Lulu plays (the first is Earth Spirit [1895]), both of which depict a society "riven by the demands of lust and greed".G. W. Pabst directed a silent film version (Pandoras Box), which was loosely based on the play, in 1929. Both plays together also formed the basis for the opera Lulu by Alban Berg in 1935 (premiered posthumously in 1937).In the original manuscript, dating from 1894, the Lulu drama was in five acts and subtitled A Monster Tragedy. Wedekind subsequently divided the work into two plays: Earth Spirit (German: Erdgeist, first printed in 1895) and Pandoras Box (German: Die Buchse der Pandora). It is now customary in theatre performances to run the two plays together, in abridged form, under the title Lulu. Wedekind is known to have taken his inspiration from at least two sources: the pantomime Lulu by Felicien Champsaur, which he saw in Paris in the early 1890s, and the sex murders of Jack the Ripper in London in 1888.The premiere of Pandoras Box, a restricted performance due to difficulties with the censor, took place in Nuremberg on 1 February 1904. The 1905 Viennese premiere, again restricted, was instigated by the satirist Karl Kraus. In Vienna Lulu was played by Tilly Newes, later to become Wedekinds wife, with the part of Jack the Ripper played by Wedekind himself.

Translator: Francis J. Ziegler

Translator: Samuel Eliot

Uno dei testi piu belli, significativi e complessi di Frank Wedekind si snoda in unapparente perfezione e bellezza dei personaggi e dellambientazione, e nellidillio complessivo in cui si svolge la trama, peraltro molto semplice: in un parco, separato dal resto del mondo da alte mura oltre le quali non e permesso vedere nulla, giovani fanciulle vengono educate sin dalla nascita a padroneggiare arti fisiche quali la ginnastica e la danza, e altre attivita, come la musica e il canto, escludendo pero totalmente lo spirito e ponendo laccento unicamente sulla perfezione tecnica e corporea.La protagonista Hidallapassa le giornate ad esercitarsi in compagnia delle altre giovani, e, man mano che passano gli anni, assiste allarrivo di nuove bambine e alla partenza delle ragazze piu grandi, una volta raggiunti i quattordici anni. Questi sono due dei tre soli momenti in cui questo luogo esclusivamente femminile apre uno spiraglio al mondo esterno: il terzo avviene quando le ragazzine vengono portate nel teatro del parco, di notte, per mettere in scena delle pantomime e dei balletti di cui non conoscono e non sanno capire la trama, ma che, al contrario, lululante pubblico unicamente maschile comprende perfettamente e assiste con ingordigia.La particolarita del libro di Wedekind e lintensita estrema di cui carica la corporeita, il simbolismo quasi folle e maniacale dellorganizzazione sociale e artistica cui accenna, e di cui non si riesce mai a vedere un volto definitivo, e dunque non e possibile darne una interpretazione, se non univoca, almeno unica e coerente.Un testo misterioso come la storia che viene narrata e trasparente come il suo titolo Mine-Haha e un nome indiano di ragazza che significa acqua ridente -. Wedekind ci offre un racconto perfetto: affascinante, inquietante e imperscrutabile, con delle note quasi di sacralita che se, certamente, non significa idealizzazione e rarefazione, cancellazione della sensualita, di certo la porta ad esprimersi a tuttaltro livello, e in modo non consapevole.

In this short tale by the German playwright Frank Wedekind, the narrator recounts the travails he goes through in an attempt to seduce a lovely young cousin. Translated by Juan LePuen.Genre: short storyLength: 2,200 wordsDate of English translation: 2012

Versió catalana de Carme Serrallonga. Direcció de Josep Maria Flotats.

"By and large," the straying wife of Frank Wedekinds classic erotic tale says to her young lover, "husbands are jealous only so long as they have no reason to be. As soon as there really is a reason for them to be jealous, its as if they were stricken with terminal blindness."Genre: short storyLength: 1,800 wordsTranslated from German by Juan LePuen

Translator: Samuel A. Eliot

Set in late-19th century Germany, The Awakening of Spring concerns teenagers who are discovering the inner and outer tumult of sexuality. The plays debut performance in English, in New York City, was threatened with closure when the citys Commissioner of Licenses claimed that the play was pornographic, due to its portrayal of abortion, homosexuality, rape, child abuse and suicide. But a New York trial court issued an injunction to allow the production to proceed.

The Awakening of Spring by Frank Wedekind is a groundbreaking and provocative drama that explores the emotional turmoil, curiosity, and struggles of adolescence in a society bound by rigid moral expectations. First published in 1891, this powerful play challenged the strict social conventions of its time by openly addressing themes of youth, sexuality, authority, and the consequences of silence surrounding education and personal growth. Set in late 19th-century Germany, the story follows a group of teenagers who are beginning to confront the confusing transition from childhood to adulthood. As they struggle to understand their changing bodies, emotions, and desires, they face a world of adults who refuse to provide honest guidance or meaningful support. Instead of knowledge and understanding, the young characters encounter repression, fear, and misunderstanding.At the center of the drama are three studentsMelchior, Wendla, and Moritzeach navigating the challenges of growing up in different ways. Melchior is intelligent and questioning, seeking rational explanations for the mysteries of life. Wendla is innocent and curious, eager to understand the world around her. Moritz, however, becomes overwhelmed by academic pressure and personal confusion, representing the devastating consequences of societal expectations and emotional isolation.Wedekinds bold and unflinching storytelling exposes the dangers of a culture that suppresses open discussion about sexuality, identity, and personal development. Through a series of intense and often tragic events, the play reveals how ignorance, fear, and strict authority can deeply harm young people who are searching for understanding and acceptance.Despite the controversy that surrounded its early performancesmany of which were banned or censoredThe Awakening of Spring eventually gained recognition as a landmark work of modern theatre. Its honest portrayal of adolescence and its critique of social hypocrisy helped pave the way for more open discussions about youth, education, and psychological development.Today, Wedekinds drama remains a powerful and thought-provoking work that continues to resonate with readers and audiences around the world. Through its raw emotional depth and fearless exploration of difficult themes, The Awakening of Spring stands as an enduring classic that challenges society to listen to the voices of the young and confront the consequences of silence.

Sinnlich, unberechenbar und gefahrlich eine auergewohnliche Frau fasziniert und zerstort die Manner, die ihr verfallen. Aus den tiefsten Rinnsteinen der Gesellschaft erhoben, steigt sie zur begehrtesten Femme fatale auf, hinterlasst jedoch eine Spur von Verrat, Wahnsinn und Tod. Ihr unstillbarer Hunger nach Leben und Freiheit prallt auf die heuchlerische Moral einer erstarrten Welt. Ein schockierendes und zugleich hypnotisches Portrat weiblicher Urkraft, das alle burgerlichen Konventionen kompromisslos sprengt. Betreten Sie einen Strudel aus verzehrender Leidenschaft und Verderben, aus dem es kein Entrinnen gibt.

Die drangenden Geheimnisse des Erwachsenwerdens treffen auf eine gnadenlose, kalte Erwachsenenwelt. Jugendliche ringen mit aufkeimender Sexualitat, Leistungsdruck und tiefen existenziellen Angsten, wahrend Eltern und Lehrer sie in todliches Schweigen hullen. Diese radikale Tragodie enthullt die verheerenden Folgen von Unterdruckung und moralischer Heuchelei in einer Gesellschaft, die ihre eigenen Kinder nicht versteht. Erschutternd, ehrlich und von beklemmender Aktualitat, bricht diese Geschichte Tabus, die bis heute nachklingen. Begleiten Sie junge Seelen auf ihrem tragischen Weg durch das dunkle Labyrinth der Pubertat.