Shakespeare in France

French adaptations of William Shakespeare by classic French authors, translated back into English and introduced by Frank Morlock: Hamlet by Alexander Dumas, père; Ophelia by Arthur Rimbaud; and As You Like It by George Sand.

Hamlet by Alexandre Dumas, the author of The Three Musketeers? As You Like It by early feminist George Sand?

Here, for the first time in English, are two rousing interpretations of William Shakespeare's classics by renowned French writers, geniuses in their own right. Before turning to historical romances, Dumas was the most successful French playwright of his time, and when he offered his own translation of Hamlet to his countrymen, he brought them not a literal rendering of the Prince of Denmark, but his own sophisticated interpretation. The same may be said for George Sand's adaptation of As You Like It.

Now these works have been rendered back into English by Frank Morlock, so that we can appreciate the interpretations of these great French masters. Also included to round-out the volume is the eerie and beautiful poem "Ophelia" by the Symbolist poet Arthur Rimbaud and Mr. Morlock's detailed introduction exploring the history of French drama, Shakespeare's influence on it, and the background of these works.

The French discovery of Shakespeare provided a powerful burst of creativity to the new French Romantics. "This was the first time I had seen real passion on the stage, inspiring men and women of real flesh and blood," Dumas wrote after attending an English language production of Hamlet on the Paris stage in 1828. Victor Hugo wrote a biography of the Bard, Berlioz composed music for Romeo and Juliet, and painters depicted Shakespearean scenes. George Sand, quite possibly the greatest female writer of the Nineteenth Century and certainly France's greatest female novelist, was also a playwright, essayist, early feminist, and engaged politician. Like the other Romantics, she, too, was deeply influenced by Shakespeare.

Specializing in the translation of the works of classic French writers that have never before appeared in English, Frank Morlock has become something of an Internet phenomenon, with translations appearing through Project Gutenberg, InfiniteArtistries.com, The Literature of the Age of Napoleon, and The Alexandre Dumas Pere web pages. His translations of Dumas, Charles Nodier, and Eugene Scribe have appeared in book form from several publishers. In addition, Mr. Morlock has published several plays of his own.

While offering significant insight into Nineteenth Century French drama, this book also provides a treat for admirers of William Shakespeare, Alexandre Dumas, George Sand, and Arthur Rimbaud--as well as Mr. Morlock's growing number of admirers.