J.G. Herder’s translation into German of the border ballad Abenámar or Die Herrlichkeit Granada’s

Abstract

This article introduces a critical comment on the first rhymed verse translation of the Spanish border ballad, Abenamar, into German initially performed by German Scholar and Philosopher, J.G. Herder. This early Sturm und Drang publication illustrates Herder’s historic, linguistic and ethnological theories and its purpose, in accordance with the first Romantic theories, was to give the German public an insight into the lives, identities and mentalities of another people from another time. In spite of the fact that this translation came from a French source, Herder succeeded in captivating the Spanish-Arabic fusion atmosphere as well as reproducing an enhanced German rhymed verse version of the initial works.