Los Amantes de Teruel - Drama Refundido en Cuatro Actos en Verso y Prosa by Juan Eugenio Hartzenbusch - HTML preview

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PREFACE

The importance of Hartzenbusch in the history of the Spanish drama andthe enduring popularity in Spain of

Los Amantes de Teruel

, hismasterpiece, have assured this play a definite place in the work ofadvanced students of Spanish literature in our universities. For suchstudents the many editions published in Spain and elsewhere have beenperhaps sufficient, but for the much larger number who never reach theadvanced literary classes an annotated edition is needed. That this playoffers excellent material for the work of more elementary courses in theschools and colleges has long been the opinion of the present editor;and that it has not already found a place among the Spanish textspublished in this country is difficult to understand. The old legend ofTeruel, the embodiment of pure and constant love, is one that might wellbe expected to make a strong appeal to the youth of any country; thesimple and direct presentation given to the legend by Hartzenbusch andthe comparative freedom from textual difficulties, as the result of thecareful revisions of the play by its scholarly author, bring it withinthe range of the understanding and appreciation of students who havestudied Spanish one year in college or two years in high school, if itis put before them in a properly prepared edition.

The editor has kept in mind this class of students in the preparation ofthe Introduction, Notes, and Vocabulary. To those who consider theIntroduction disproportionately long, the excuse is given that this willbe the first Romantic play read by many students, and that if they areto understand it and appreciate its fine literary qualities, they mustbe enabled to view it in its proper historical perspective. It is to behoped that this edition may serve as a safe approach to the systematicstudy, of the Romantic Movement in Spanish literature.

The text of the play is that of the annotated edition of Dr. AdolfKressner, Leipsic, 1887 (

Bibliothek Spanischer Schriftsteller

), and isthe same as the one contained in the definitive collection of the playsof Hartzenbusch, Teatro

, Madrid, 1888-1892, Vol. I, pages 7-130(

Colección de Escritores Castellanos

).

The indebtedness of the editor to Professor E.C. Hills of Indiana

University for many helpful suggestions is gratefully acknowledged.

G.W. UMPHREY

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, SEATTLE.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE