The Babylonian Captivity

by Lesia Ukrainka, Sasha Newborn (Editor), C. Bechhofer (Translation)

Among the last of her poetic career, The Babylonian Captivity is an allegory describing the conditions of the Ukrainians under Russian influence at the end of the Nineteenth Century-which is not unlike the pressures Ukraine is under in 2014. This text is modernized from an earlier translation. Lesya Ukrainka is a pseudonym of Larisa Petrivna Kosach-Kvitka, perhaps made necessary in the beginning because the Ukrainian language was not permitted in publications at the time. The story is of Jews, not all of the same persuasion, in exile in Babylon, in woeful conditions. The main character is Eleazar, a singer and harpist, who is challenged by the others of his community for serving the Babylonian masters with his songs. He defends his activities and helps to redefine the situation they are all in. The "play" is designed for reading rather than staging in a theater, and is in looser format than strictly poetic lines, although Eleazar does perform a few songs in measured lines. The reason for publishing it now is to provide for a wider audience a historical dimension to current affairs in one part of the world rarely portrayed in European fiction.

32 pages, Paperback

First published August 20, 2014

About the author

Lesya Ukrainka (born Larysa Petrivna Kosach-Kvitka (February 25, 1871 – August 1, 1913) is one of is one of Ukrainian literature's foremost writers, best known for her poems and plays. She also was an active political, civil, and feminist activist

Among her most well-know works are poems collections «On the wings of songs» (1893), «Thoughts and Dreams» (1899), «Echos» (1902), epic poem «Ancient fairy tale» (1893), «One word» (1903), plays «Princess» (1913), «Cassandra» (1903—1907), «In the Catacombs» (1905), «Forest song» (1911).

Леся Українка (справжнє ім'я Лариса Петрівна Косач-Квітка 13 лютого 1871, — 19 липня 1913) - українська письменниця, перекладач, культурний діяч. Писала у найрізноманітніших жанрах: поезії, ліриці, епосі, драмі, прозі, публіцистиці. Також працювала в ділянці фольклористики (220 народних мелодій записано з її голосу) і брала активну участь в українському національному русі.

Серед найвідоміших праць письменниці збірка поезій «На крилах пісень» (1893), «Думи і мрії» (1899), «Відгуки» (1902), поеми «Давня казка» (1893), «Одно слово» (1903), та п'єси «Бояриня» (1913), «Кассандра» (1903-07), «В катакомбах» (1905), «Лісова пісня» (1911).

Source: EN/UA Wikipedia

Reviews

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a brief but beautiful poetic drama about the sufferings of exile and slavery. This translation is serviceable -- a prose translation of the poetry. (Though I don't know what poetic form she used.) But it feels a little old fashioned. A more modern verse translation would be nice.

[Alessandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful allegory that resonates still today. Слава Україні.