The interaction of earthly powers

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Data
Title: The interaction of earthly powers
Original title: Сродство мировых сил
Genus: One-act play ("mystery in eleven appearances")
Original language: Russian
Author: Kosma Prutkov
Publishing year: 1884
people
  • The deep valley
  • The great poet
  • The tall oak
  • The order star
  • The sky star
  • The knothole
  • An owl
  • The mound of earth
  • A lump of earth
  • The rope
  • The collected works of the great poet
  • The north wind
  • The tallest and the longest branch
  • The south storm
  • A field mouse
  • The night hours
  • The nocturnal silence
  • The sun behind the horizon
  • The sun in the sky
  • The afterlife in passing
  • An almaviva
  • The little acorn
  • The big acorn
  • The general assembly of earthly powers

The interaction of earthly powers ( Russian Сродство мировых сил ) is an absurdly comical short drama by the imaginary writer Kosma Prutkow (1803-1863). It first appeared in the Kosma Prutkow Complete Edition in 1884 with the following indication of origin: "Found in the portfolio with the imprint in gold letters: 'Unfinished Works (d'inachevé) No. 1.'" (translation by Peter Urban )

action

It is already clear from the overview of the characters that this is an absurd drama. In the very first scene, the setting, the deep valley, raises its voice itself. The valley is awakened at midnight by an approaching poet. This is expressed in verses about his childhood. He is full of bitterness and is finished with the world. In a knothole he spotted an owl that flies away and perches on a mound some distance away. The poet throws a clod of earth at her, but the owl is not deterred.

The poet wants to put an end to his life, but the rope he has brought does not reach the lowest branch of the oak. He climbs onto the pile of his collected works, which he has also carried with him. But it is only through the north wind that the rope is really carried up, even to the tallest and longest branch of the oak. So the poet is in the noose, but his suicidal intentions are thwarted by the south storm that brings the oak to collapse. A field mouse is killed, but the poet survives.

At dawn the poet examines his situation: since he has survived this dark hour against his will, he would like to report to the world about it in hymns soon. From the fallen oak he takes two acorns with him as a souvenir and leaves the scene with his collected works. The “Choir of the General Assembly of Earthly Powers” ​​has the last word.

expenditure

  • The interaction of earthly powers. Mystery in eleven appearances. In: Mistake of Death. Russian absurd from 2 centuries. Edited and translated from the Russian by Peter Urban . Frankfurt / Main: Verlag der Autor 1990. pp. 61–70.

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