Onegin, Werther and Other Seminal (Yet Obscure) Works in World Literature

Roxana Constantinescu as
Charlotte and James Valenti as
Werther at the MN Opera.
Photo by Michal Daniel.
Source: Aisle Say Magazine

Recently, I came across an opera review on Aisle Say Twin Cities, the Minneapolis/St. Paul branch of Aisle Say Magazine, which hosts theater reviews across the country.  It summarized the synopsis of the opera as such:

Werther (pronounced ver-TAIR) was such a hit in Goethe's day that Massenet's 1892 operatic adaptation could be likened to the movie version of Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. The original publication of the book inspired devoted readers to dress up as Werther, and a rash of copycat suicides led authorities to worry about "Werther Fever." The story, so deeply resonant in the minds of 18th- and 19th-century European readers and viewers, tells of young love kept apart by duty and tradition. In a nutshell: Werther – a brooding young man who modern audiences would call "emo" – sees Charlotte at a ball and falls madly and instantly in love with her. Charlotte, however, has promised her dying mother that she would marry Albert. Unable to cope with his heartbreak – sorry for the spoiler – Werther shoots himself.

This is rather surprising that a caution of spoiler.  Don't we all know of the basic storyline of Die Leiden des jungen Werthers (The Sorrow of the Young Werther) by Goethe?  Don't we all know that Werther shot and killed himself in the seminar novel of the world literature?  Is the spoiler alert really needed?

This reminded me a ballet performance of "Onegin" by Eifman Ballet I attended a few years ago, at Cal Performances in Berkeley, California.  During a pivotal scene, the heroine Tatiana wrote love letter to the protagonist, Eugene Onegin.  The innovative choreographer Boris Eifman kept the ballerina accompanied by the reading of the letter, in Alexandr Pushkin's original Russian poetry.  The old gentleman sat next to me kindly whispered to me the English translations, unaware of the fact that I had been very familiar with the story and though I couldn't understand the reading verbally, I knew every nuances of the letter and the movement of the dancer.



Even when I was a child, in Mao's China, I knew of the stories of Eugene Onegin and the young Werther.  I remember vividly the cover of the copy of Die Leiden des jungen Werthers (in Chinese translation, in traditional characters) my father kept on his bookshelf.  Years later, I read both books in English translations and have seen various reincarnations of them - films, dances, operas, etc.  They were so familiar to me that I often forget that despite the supremely importance of these two literature works, many people in the U.S. still have no idea what they are and what they are about.

Cover of the first edition, 1925
Source: wikipedia

To me, the comparative American literature is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  I truly hope that most Americans know of the book and know of the story plot and need to spoiler alert for this the most American literature.  Would this be as obscure as other seminal works of world literature?

Frog King

Image source: Wikipedia

Reading Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part II, I was struck by a line in Act 1, "Past and to come seems best, things present worst."  Since I read multiple books simultaneously, just as I work on multiple canvases, I just read the reference to the Frog King story in Goethe's Reineke Fuchs (Reynard the Fox).  Goethe's version of the Frog King was a truncated reference only.  For the full version, I employed my memory of childhood fables my father used to read me, such as Aesop and Krylov, both wrote "The Frogs who Begged for a Tsar or a King".

Image source: Wikipedia

It was said that in the peaceful realm of frogs, the inhabitants became bored and concerned that they ought to have a ruler.  They prayed to the god for such a ruler.  God couldn't endure their croaking therefore consented.  God sent them a piece of log and the frogs became ecstatic and started to worship the log as their ruler.  However, it didn't last long.  Soon, they became emboldened in front of the immobile king/tsar and ever so obliging ruler.  They even climbed atop of their king/tsar.  They were dissatisfied again with this do-nothing ruler.  Once again, they appealed to God.  God agreed again; but this time, he sent them a stork as their king/tsar, who hated and ate the frogs at will.  The frogs had to live in constant fear ever since.

Quite uncannily, these two references closely mirror today's reality.  For quite a while, we craved for a ruler who would give us some directions and a purpose of life.  As if our prayers had been answered, out of nowhere, came Barak Obama, striking right poses, as if ready to lead us out of wildness.  However, almost three later, we discovered, that he is but a piece of useless log.

Therefore, we croak aloud again; this time, seeking someone who would act.  Just be aware what we are wishing for.  If we had a Republican president, I guarantee, that he or she would become the merciless stork to us helpless frogs.

Pity.