THE
NEXT THREE SCENES FROM FAUST- STREET, GARDEN, A LITTLE SUMMER HOUSE
In
these three scenes we have in a brief poetic form the development of
the love affair between Faust and Margaret. Like Romeo and Juliet
this love will lead to tragedy.
In
my experience "translation" is much more of a creative art
than is often recognised. This is especially so with verse and even
more so with rhyming verse. It is necessary to try to "re-create"
the original into something that works in a similar way in your own
language. To illustrate this I am going to take a small section of
the original (a speech by Margaret) and translate it "mechanically"
using Google Translate.
Here
is the original-
Ich
war bestürzt, mir war das nie geschehn;
Es
konnte niemand von mir Übels sagen.
Ach,
dacht ich, hat er in deinem Betragen
Was
Freches, Unanständiges gesehn?
Es
schien ihn gleich nur anzuwandeln,
Mit
dieser Dirne gradehin zu handeln.
Gesteh
ich's doch! Ich wußte nicht, was sich
Zu
Eurem Vorteil hier zu regen gleich begonnte;
Allein
gewiß, ich war recht bös auf mich,
Daß
ich auf Euch nicht böser werden konnte.
And
here is the version from Google Translate
I was shocked, I
was never to happen;
Nobody could tell me of evil.
Ah, I
thought, he's in your behavior
What Naughty, seen indecent?
It
seemed to him at once only to convert,
This prostitute to act
gradehin.
I confess it yet! I did not know what is
To your
advantage here to stir begonnte equal;
But certainly, I was quite
angry with me,
That I could not be angry at you.
Here
is the version I created.
I
was upset. It never happened here before.
No
one could ever say bad things of me.
“Oh,”
I thought, “ has he seen something free,
Not
modest, in my bearing?” Even more,
He
seemed on sudden urge to sense
He’d
straight off strike a bargain with this wench.
Let
me confess! I didn’t know, what else
Was
stirred to your advantage. I just knew
That
I was angry with myself
That
I could not be angrier with you.
was upset. It never happened here before.
No
one could ever say bad things of me.
“Oh,”
I thought, “ has he seen something free,
Not
modest, in my bearing?” Even more,
He
seemed on sudden urge to sense
Faust and Margaret in the garden, Mephisto and the neighbor at the background, drawn by August von Kreling in Wolfgang von Goethe Faust, published in Munich, 1874.
STREET
FAUST,
MEPHISTOPHELES
FAUST
What
gives? Some progress? Is it soon?
MEPHISTOPHELES
Ah,
bravo! Are you found aflame!
Soon
Gretchen shall be your sweet gain.
Tonight
you’ll see her in Frau Martha’s room:
That
woman’s just ideal it seems
To
spin out pimp and gypsy schemes.
FAUST
That’s
good.
MEPHISTOPHELES
One thing is
wanted of us too.
FAUST
Well,
all good deeds must get their due.
MEPHISTOPHELES
We’ve
first to set down, legally attesting,
That
her dear husband’s limbs are resting
In
Padua, outstretched in holy ground.
FAUST
Oh,
brilliant!So first we have to journey there.
MEPHISTOPHELES
Sancta
Simplicitus! No need for that, dear clown,
Just
testify without a care.
FAUST
This
plan is through if you've no better ideas spare.
MEPHISTOPHELES
O
saintly man! once more the holy crown!
Is
this the first occasion in life’s course
You’ve
trumpeted false testimony?
On
God, the world, what moves it all, were you not phoney;
Was
man, what reigns in heart and head, not all baloney,
Infused
with definitions of the greatest force?
With
brazen brow and bold-set breast?
If
deep within you venture to the true,
You’ll
surely straight away admit you knew
As
much of them as Schwerdtlein’s place of rest.
FAUST
You
are and stay a sophist and a liar!
MEPHISTOPHELES
Yes,
if you probe no deeper in the mire.
Tomorrow,
so sincere and brave,
Won’t
you fool Gretchen, poor, young dove,
And
swear she has your soul’s deep love?
FAUST
True
from my heart.
MEPHISTOPHELES
That’s
well and good.
What
springs from faith and love’s eternal spell,
That
once and overall-mighty impulse, would
That
come straight from the heart as well?
FAUST
Stop
that! It will!- For when I feel
True
feelings forming, for the storming
I
seek for names, find none quite real,
Then
through the world I seek with every sense
And
grasp for highest words and hence
This
glow, this glow with which I flame,
Call
endless, eternal, as a name-
Is
this a devilish play of lies?
MEPHISTOPHELES
I
am still right!
FAUST
Hear me! Mark
this thing-
I
beg of you to spare my lungs-
Whoever
holds he’s right and has a tongue
Can
seem to win.
But
come, I’ve had enough of noise. I'll just
Admit
you’re right, but mainly for I must.
GARDEN
MARGARET
ON FAUST’S ARM. MARTHA WITH MEPHISTOPHELES WALKING UP AND DOWN
MARGARET
I
feel you shield me and downplay
Your
true thoughts, causing me to blush.
A
traveller is used to doing such-
Takes
what he finds in some good way.
I
know too well that such a travelled one
Won't
be amused by my poor speech for long.
FAUST
A
glance from you, a word, is worth
More
than all wisdom of this earth.
HE
KISSES HER HAND
MARGARET
Don’t
put yourself out now! How could you kiss my hand?
It
is so ugly- rough and thick!
What
work I’ve done with it! You understand
My
mother’s ways are just so strict.
THEY
PASS
MARTHA
And
you, good sir, you always see new faces?
MEPHISTOPHELES
Ah,
trade and duty keep one on the go!
I’m
deeply pained to leave so many places;
Yet
I just cannot stay, you know.
MARTHA
Yes,
in the rush of youth it’s fine
To
roam around the world, so free and brave,
And
yet there comes that evil time-
Alone,
a bachelor, you’re creeping towards the grave,
That’s
never good for anyone.
MEPHISTOPHELES
With
dread I see it far, far on.
MARTHA
And
so, good sir, take heed now while there’s time.
THEY
PASS
MARGARET
Yes!
out of sight is out of mind!
You
wear politeness with great ease;
But
often you’d find friends who please
With
bright views that leave me behind.
FAUST
O
best! believe me, what’s called bright is often more
Conceit
and narrowness of mind.
MARGARET
How
so?
FAUST
Oh,
open, innocent natures never know
Their
own true sacred worth! You may be sure
The
highest gifts, like meekness, modesty,
That
flow from giving, love-filled natures do-
MARGARET
Just
think on me when you’ve some moments free,
I
shall have time enough to think of you.
FAUST
You’re
often then alone?
MARGARET
Though
ours is but a little home
I’ve
much to get done on my own.
We
have no maid, so I must cook and sweep and knit
And
sew and run from dawn to dusk.
My
mother thinks that all things must
Be
made so accurate.
Not
that she really needs to skimp so much. In fact,
Our
reach is wider than many of our kind.
My
father left a fair amount behind,
A
little house and garden close to town.
I
lead a rather quiet life. My brother-
He
is a soldier now.
My
little sister died.
She
took much loving care, I often sighed.
Yet
I would gladly bear that burden over,
I
loved that child so much.
FAUST
An
angel, if like you.
MARGARET
I
brought her up; she really loved me too.
My
father’s death was just before her birth;
My
mother looked not long for earth
As
she lay there in misery;
But
she grew better, as the time went, gradually.
She
couldn’t think, in her poor health,
Of
nursing the poor mite herself;
And
so I brought her up alone,
With
water and milk; she grew my own.
And
in her arms, and on my lap,
She
smiled, she squirmed…and she grew up.
FAUST
You
surely knew the purest happiness.
MARGARET
But
surely also many hours of stress.
At
night her cradle stood by me,
Right
by my bed and if she stirred but slightly
I
woke, for she
Might
need to drink and be laid by me lightly,
And
if not quiet, up in the gloom,
To
skip her gently up and down the room;
Yet
early I’d be at the wash and soon
Off
to the market, then at the stove I’d stay…
And
always tomorrow like today.
Such
living, good sir, isn’t always blessed
With
cheer- but food tastes good, and so does rest.
THEY
PASS BY
MARTHA
And
yet poor women still are badly off:
A
bachelor's not likely to be swayed.
MEPHISTOPHELES
It
would but take one like yourself
To
lead me into better ways.
MARTHA
Be
frank, good sir, you’re yet to find that one?
Your
heart’s not bound to somewhere in the sun?
MEPHISTOPHELES
Your
own hearth and a splendid wife
Are
pearls and gold- if the saying’s right.
MARTHA
You’ve
never had the leaning though, I mean.
MEPHISTOPHELES
I’ve
met with great politeness everywhere I’ve been.
MARTHA
I
meant to ask: it’s never mattered to your heart?
MEPHISTOPHELES
With
ladies one should never play the joker’s part.
MARTHA
Oh,
you don’t understand!
MEPHISTOPHELES
I
am most sorry! Mind,
I
do know this- that you are very kind.
THEY
PASS BY
FAUST
You
knew me from the street before when I
Came
in the garden here today?
MARGARET
You
didn’t see? The way I lowered my eyes.
FAUST
And
you forgive the freedom I presumed?
The
impudence I showed the other day
As
you came from cathedral gloom?
MARGARET
I
was upset. It never happened here before.
No
one could ever say bad things of me.
“Oh,”
I thought, “ has he seen something free,
Not
modest, in my bearing?” Even more,
He
seemed on sudden urge to sense
He’d
straight off strike a bargain with this wench.
Let
me confess! I didn’t know, what else
Was
stirred to your advantage. I just knew
That
I was angry with myself
That
I could not be angrier with you.
FAUST
Sweet
love!
MARGARET
Just wait
awhile!
SHE
PLUCKS A DAISY AND PULLS THE PETALS OFF, ONE
AFTER
THE OTHER
FAUST
For
what? A bunch?
MARGARET
No,
just a game- don’t smile.
FAUST
How?
MARGARET
Go
away! You’ll laugh.
SHE
PULLS OUT PETALS AND MURMURS
FAUST
What
are your whispers weaving?
MARGARET
(HALF AUDIBLY)
He
loves me- loves me not.
FAUST
Oh,
shining face of heaven.
MARGARET
(CONTINUING)
Loves
me- not me- loves me- not me-
(SHE
PULLS OFF THE LAST LEAF WITH CHARMING JOY)
He
loves me!
FAUST
Yes, my love! Let
this fair flower word
Be
like a godlike speech- he loves you!
So
now you fully understand- he loves you!
HE
CLASPS BOTH HER HANDS
MARGARET
It
makes me shiver!
FAUST
Oh,
do not tremble! Let this look,
This
handclasp speak to you of what
Is
inexpressible:
And
so give over to it fully- feel
A
joy that must , must be forever there!
Forever!
- For its end would be despair.
Without
end! Without end!
MARGARET
CLASPS HIS HANDS, THEN FREES HERSELF AND RUNS AWAY. HE STANDS FOR A
MOMENT THINKING, THEN FOLLOWS HER
MARTHA
(COMING UP)
The
night comes.
MEPHISTOPHELES
Yes, and we
must be away.
MARTHA
I’d
beg you make a longer stay.
But
this is not much of a place, it’s true.
You’d
think folk had no business at all,
Or
work to do,
But
spying on their neighbour’s every call.
You’re
gossip’s goal, no matter what you’ve done.
How’s
our fine pair?
MEPHISTOPHELES
They flew
on up the path that way;
Like
butterflies at play.
MARTHA
He
likes her I would say.
MEPHISTOPHELES
She
likes him too. Well, that’s the way things run.
A
LITTLE SUMMER HOUSE
MARGARET
BOUNCES IN, HIDES BEHIND THE DOOR, HOLDING HER FINGER TO HER LIPS,
AND PEEPS THROUGH THE CRACK
MARGARET
He’s
coming!
FAUST
(ENTERING)
You tease me then
depart!
Now
you’re caught!
HE
KISSES HER
MARGARET
(EMBRACING HIM AND RETURNING THE KISS)
Best of men! I love
you from my heart!
MEPHISTOPHELES
KNOCKS
FAUST
(STAMPING HIS FOOT)
Who’s
there?
MEPHISTOPHELES
A friend!
FAUST
A beast!
MEPHISTOPHELES
Our
time has truly gone.
MARTHA
(ENTERING)
Yes,
it is late, good sir.
FAUST
Well, may I
take you home?
MARGARET
I
fear my mother would- good-bye!
FAUST
Must
I go then?
Good-bye!
MARTHA
Adieu!
MARGARET
Soon
may we meet again!
FAUST
AND MEPHISTOPHELES EXIT
MARGARET
Dear
God! Oh, all that one could find
Of
thoughts in such a man’s deep mind.
I
stand ashamed in front of him,
Just
saying yes to everything.
I
am but poor, unknowing… I cannot see
Just
what it is he finds in me.
SHE
EXITS
