The Tragedy of Man - Hardcover

Madach, Imre

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0862414180 ISBN 13: 9780862414184

Publisher: Canongate Books Ltd, 1993

Synopsis

First published in 1862, this is a translation of a Hungarian dramatic poem. The poem has been translated into more than 30 languages and staged at the Hungarian National Theatre in over 1400 performances.

About this title

Language Notes:

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Hungarian

From Publishers Weekly:

Translator McLeod, a Hungarian-born poet who has lived in Britain since 1956, adheres to the spirit of the original 19th-century dramatic poem from his native land while providing an excellent, idiomatic translation. Widely translated and performed at the turn of the century, The Tragedy of Man (1862) evokes comparisons with Milton's Paradise Lost in both ambition and theme. After being banished from the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve fall asleep; Adam dreams the course of modern history, which fills him with despair. We see him, Eve and Lucifer take on different historical roles as they pass through ancient Rome, the Crusades, Kepler's Prague, revolutionary Paris and, finally, a post-historical time when ecological disaster has nearly destroyed the world. Once he has learned of the degradation that awaits humanity, Adam considers suicide, but when he discovers Eve is pregnant he puts his faith in God and the future. Madach passionately examines such themes as human destiny, the illusory nature of free choice and the inability of science and technology to deal with moral issues. Line drawings by Hungarian artist Kass vividly capture the work's essential mood.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Canongate Books Ltd
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 0862414180
• ISBN 13: 9780862414184
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 208
• Illustrator: Kass Janos