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Lulu #1
Το Πνεύμα της Γης
"Το πνεύμα της Γης" εκδόθηκε το 1895 και ο Άλμπαν Μπεργκ χρησιμοποίησε το κείμενο μαζί με "Το κουτί της Πανδώρας" για την όπερά του "Λούλου". Προερχόμενη από τα κατώτερα κοινωνικά στρώματα, η Λούλου -χρησιμοποιώντας διαφορετικά ονόματα- ανεβαίνει κοινωνικά και παντρεύεται έναν αξιοσέβαστο ηλικιωμένο άντρα. Στην πρώτη πράξη κατακτά τον ζωγράφο που κάνει το πορτρέτο της. Ο σύζυγος τους συλλαμβάνει και πεθαίνει από αποπληξία. Στη δεύτερη πράξη είναι η γυναίκα του ζωγράφου που τη θεωρεί άγγελο αρετής. Αλλά ο εκλεκτός της καρδιάς της, ο Σεν, που την ακολουθεί πάντα, αποκαλύπτει λίγο λίγο την αλήθεια στον εύπιστο ζωγράφο που αυτοκτονεί. Στην τρίτη πράξη η Λούλου εξαπατά έναν αριστοκράτη, ερασιτέχνη εξερευνητή και τον οδηγεί στην καταστροφή. Στην τελευταία πράξη αναγκάζει τον Σεν να την παντρευτεί. Εκείνος θέλει να ζήσει μια κανονική ζωή μαζί της αλλά η Λούλου του επιβάλλει τον καταστροφικό περίγυρό της. Στο αποκορύφωμα της δυσαρέσκειάς του σκοτώνεται.
Κάθε πράξη τελειώνει μ� έναν θάνατο.
Κάθε πράξη τελειώνει μ� έναν θάνατο.
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1895
3 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
Frank Wedekind
310books69followersBenjamin Franklin Wedekind, usually known as Frank Wedekind, was a German playwright. His work, which often criticizes bourgeois attitudes (particularly towards sex), is considered to anticipate expressionism, and he was a major influence on the development of epic theatre.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 5, 2017
When Frank Wedekind wrote his famous magnum opus, LULU, the play ran into many censorship problems and was infrequently produced. Oddly enough, although not many people saw it, the story became very famous (especially in Germany). In an effort to find a larger audience and reduce the censorship problems, he restructured LULU as two separate plays ... ERDGEIST and PANDORA'S BOX. The split was not unlike ANGELS IN AMERICA, although for different reasons.
ERDGEIST is the first part and PANDORA'S BOX the second. ERDGEIST has the more difficult task to accomplish as it needs to set-up the story before things get rolling. It contains only one famous incident, a shooting that occurs in the final Act, while PANDORA'S BOX contains multiple famous incidents.
ERDGEIST is something of a challenge. Wedekind wrote a part for himself in the first Act as a circus ringmaster who is introducing one of the world's most dangerous Beasts ... Lulu. Everyone wants her, but she feeds on what she needs and moves on to the next prey. It is a stylized introduction, so it seems bombastic.
As we move into the play itself, much of the language is stilted and motivations are not clearly explained. Indeed, Lulu floats through he story as something of a chameleon, changing to fit with the situation in which she finds herself. Yes, she seeks prey for survival, but she is also manipulated by those around her ... and she adapts.
The original LULU is seldom performed now. Companies often edit the two plays and perform it as an abridgment called LULU. That's a good decision, although I very much enjoyed the original version (long though it was).
My advice to the Reader is to find the original to truly savor the work. If you choose to experience the two-play revision instead, stay with it. ERDGEIST needs about two Acts before it finally hits its stride. With the background behind it, PANDORA'S BOX is more involving throughout.
ERDGEIST is the first part and PANDORA'S BOX the second. ERDGEIST has the more difficult task to accomplish as it needs to set-up the story before things get rolling. It contains only one famous incident, a shooting that occurs in the final Act, while PANDORA'S BOX contains multiple famous incidents.
ERDGEIST is something of a challenge. Wedekind wrote a part for himself in the first Act as a circus ringmaster who is introducing one of the world's most dangerous Beasts ... Lulu. Everyone wants her, but she feeds on what she needs and moves on to the next prey. It is a stylized introduction, so it seems bombastic.
As we move into the play itself, much of the language is stilted and motivations are not clearly explained. Indeed, Lulu floats through he story as something of a chameleon, changing to fit with the situation in which she finds herself. Yes, she seeks prey for survival, but she is also manipulated by those around her ... and she adapts.
The original LULU is seldom performed now. Companies often edit the two plays and perform it as an abridgment called LULU. That's a good decision, although I very much enjoyed the original version (long though it was).
My advice to the Reader is to find the original to truly savor the work. If you choose to experience the two-play revision instead, stay with it. ERDGEIST needs about two Acts before it finally hits its stride. With the background behind it, PANDORA'S BOX is more involving throughout.
April 3, 2025
This portrait of a groomed girl is a bit too saturated by male fantasies and fears.
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February 5, 2019This is part 1 of a 2-parter. It doesn't stand on its own. Know that to get the end, you also need to read Pandora's Box.
Also, know this! If you are actually considering reading this, don't read it's Wikipedia page when you are done. I did, and it spoils the end of the SECOND part, despite the fact that the other play has its own Wikipedia page.
Also, know this! If you are actually considering reading this, don't read it's Wikipedia page when you are done. I did, and it spoils the end of the SECOND part, despite the fact that the other play has its own Wikipedia page.
April 2, 2024
DIOS MIO THE TEAAAAA IS BOILING 🙏🏻🙏🏻 i love el drama y la tragedia con todo lo q tengo and i just love ver a los hombres sufrir y ser patéticos
November 3, 2023
The English translation is only slightly less baffling than the German, and either will help to clarify what's happening in the first half of the famous silent film staring Louise Brooks.
From the beginning, the language is off-putting, starting with the pompous prologue in verse:
(A stage-hand with a big paunch carries out the actress of Lulu in her Pierrot costume, and sets her down before the animal-tamer.)
She was created to incite to sin,
To lure, seduce, poison—yea, murder, in
A manner no man knows.—My pretty beast, (Tickling Lulu's chin.)
Only be unaffected, and not pieced
Out with distorted, artificial folly,
Even if the critics praise thee for 't less wholly.
Thou hast no right to spoil the shape most fitting,
Most true, of woman, with meows and spitting!
(It's enough to send the reader scurrying to the German, isn't it? WTH did I just read?)
The four acts that follow are not in verse, fortunately. The dialogue does often slip into some kind of way too literal translationese:
SCHIGOLCH. Would be possible, for it certainly isn't going like it usually does. (Stroking her knee.) Now you tell—not seen you a long time—my little Lulu.
LULU. (Jerking back, smiling.) Life is beyond me!
SCHIGOLCH. What do you know about it? You're still so young!
LULU. That you call me Lulu.
SCHIGOLCH. Lulu, isn't it? Have I ever called you anything else?
LULU. In the memory of man my name has no longer been Lulu.
SCHIGOLCH. Another way of naming?
Despite these obstacles, however, the play made a strong impression. Much of the sordid backstory (as we call it) comes out bit by bit, and the melodramatic plot (hypergamy gone so, so wrong), given its inclination to ridiculousness, is very well handled. I would read it again. I would try to read it in German. I would love to watch Pandora's Box again, with a little more idea of what's going on.
From the beginning, the language is off-putting, starting with the pompous prologue in verse:
(A stage-hand with a big paunch carries out the actress of Lulu in her Pierrot costume, and sets her down before the animal-tamer.)
She was created to incite to sin,
To lure, seduce, poison—yea, murder, in
A manner no man knows.—My pretty beast, (Tickling Lulu's chin.)
Only be unaffected, and not pieced
Out with distorted, artificial folly,
Even if the critics praise thee for 't less wholly.
Thou hast no right to spoil the shape most fitting,
Most true, of woman, with meows and spitting!
(It's enough to send the reader scurrying to the German, isn't it? WTH did I just read?)
The four acts that follow are not in verse, fortunately. The dialogue does often slip into some kind of way too literal translationese:
SCHIGOLCH. Would be possible, for it certainly isn't going like it usually does. (Stroking her knee.) Now you tell—not seen you a long time—my little Lulu.
LULU. (Jerking back, smiling.) Life is beyond me!
SCHIGOLCH. What do you know about it? You're still so young!
LULU. That you call me Lulu.
SCHIGOLCH. Lulu, isn't it? Have I ever called you anything else?
LULU. In the memory of man my name has no longer been Lulu.
SCHIGOLCH. Another way of naming?
Despite these obstacles, however, the play made a strong impression. Much of the sordid backstory (as we call it) comes out bit by bit, and the melodramatic plot (hypergamy gone so, so wrong), given its inclination to ridiculousness, is very well handled. I would read it again. I would try to read it in German. I would love to watch Pandora's Box again, with a little more idea of what's going on.
Read
July 16, 2024The farthest extents of my funhouse mirror familiarity with this material until today have been two musical sources: Berg's opera, and Lou Reed and Metallica's (very loosely) inspired-by album. [Both these works are phenomenally good, by the way.]
This first part of Wedekind's two part work is as sly and sneaky and self-aware as you are willing to believe it is. Garish and melodramatic and funny, Wedekind's enigmatic, prismatic, anti-heroine is only as threatening and venomous as the madness-inducing lust of the men bumbling around her. On to Pandora's Box...!
This first part of Wedekind's two part work is as sly and sneaky and self-aware as you are willing to believe it is. Garish and melodramatic and funny, Wedekind's enigmatic, prismatic, anti-heroine is only as threatening and venomous as the madness-inducing lust of the men bumbling around her. On to Pandora's Box...!
December 29, 2018
I loved the whole play except the last act, it might just be me being 13 and all- but it was difficult for me to understand the situation there? All these new characters were introduced that -their correlation to Lulu didn’t really show. So I may have skipped the last act. Only because it wouldn’t have been any use to read it anyway. And I hope it wasn’t too crucial to piecing together the whole story... but other than that, it was such a great story!
December 28, 2017
Surprisingly funny for a tragedy.
December 26, 2020
Dieses Buch ist einfach veraltet. Nicht jedes Buch aus dem Kanon ist immer noch lesenswert. Dieses ist vielleicht interessant als Zeugnis einer vergangenen Mentalität. Na ja.
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May 30, 2022Colección Biblioteca Básica Universal no recuerdo qué número.
May 19, 2023
Che jsjsjs qué le pintaba a la mina esta la amo
August 6, 2024
Excited to start Pandora’s box and then watch the movie. Reading cuz I’m a Momus fan (How do you like my sister is based on the Lulú plays loosely)
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October 18, 202448:1. We have opened up a clear victory for you.
Read
May 27, 2015The frightening, suicidal pull of corrupted male desire.
October 4, 2015
I... don't get existentialism at all.
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