Customer Reviews

Lower Depths (Nachtasyl)

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This is a warning. This is an atrocious translation and should be avoided. Hopkins, who translated this work in 1906 is either sloppy or just a poor translator. The English is awkward, and what is most reprehensible, Hopkins just plain omits two of the most important factual items of the entire play--1) Gone is Pepel's admission that he spend time in prison because he murdered a man, and 2) and this is the most grievous of all, the fact that Actor hanged himself at the play's cnclusion (almost the last words of the play which produces an immense impoact) is also omitted. There is no good reason other than monetary since all copywrite is probably gone for this edition, to republish it. I learned this the hard way, using it in a class amd now have subjected my students to this particular translation. It is a wonderful play, but this edition should be taken off the market.

In a crowded dark room live the dregs of Russian society: a thief, a prostitute, her pimp, and several other criminals and outcasts. The general humdrum drama of their lives goes on as they get into fights, have disagreements, counsel one another over their losses, and so on.

Luka, an idealistic spiritual sort, finds his way into the group, and starts to spread his message of hope and positive thinking. This spurs the plot along a bit, because many in the group are hard-bitten realists who have no truck with faith or hope.

This is a fine play by Maxim Gorky. Gorky doesn't have the number of famous plays that someone like Henrik Ibsen or George Bernard Shaw does. In fact, he might be better known for his memoir of his childhood than for this play.

Nevertheless, The Lower Depths is a great play. The gritty element described in the play makes it seem much more like a modern play than the 1902 publication date would indicate. The realistic dialogue and streetwise characters make it hard to put down.

ken32

The central theme of "The Lower Depths" is not only the total aniquilation of human personality by misery,in the harsh struggle for life that,so many times takes Men to degrade themselves but also,a statement that that aniquilation never is complete and that the very "Ex-Men",like in another book Gorki will call them,still have a conscience,the dream to overcome misery itself,a human warmth capable of being shared and ease.

A Must-read!