WIELAND’S HAMLET IN GERMAN Shakespeare Theatralische Werke

Octavo, bound in half calf over paper covered boards, rubbed and worn but sound; spine label and raised bands. Bookplate of Julius Gertig to the front pastedown and a boldly penned ownership inscription above, ‘J Ros...’ Engraved title page and Gesner vignette preceding the text of Hamlet; finger marking and minor staining to text. The play runs to 231 paged, followed by A Winter’s Tale and a Life of Shakespeare. A few pencilled annotations to Hamlet.

Wieland’s translation of Hamlet is in prose, later to be much praised by Goethe and part inspiration for his Hamlet novel, Wilhelm Meister. Wieland removed much of Shakespeare’s bawdy and cut part of the grave scene. But it is from this edition and its debut on the stage that the German critical reception to the play dates, evolving later into a near obsessional interest in Hamlet.