Phryne" by R. Castelvecchio and "Nero" by P. Cossa in the translations by A.N. Ostrovsky

The article deals with A.N. Ostrovsky's incomplete translations of two plays by contemporary Italian authors, R. Castelvecchio's "Phryne" and P. Cossa's "Nero". The translation of "Phryne" was conceived in 1878 as an illustrative material in M.O. Kashperov's weekly magazine Pchela [Bee]. The manuscript of the translation of the Prologue and first nine acts of the play (stored in the Pushkin House, published by D.K. Petrov) is of interest to recreate the process of Ostrovsky's work on his text. It consisted in the improvement of the size of the 5-iambic pentameter, and in search of images, shades, psychological details contributing to the creation of deep images. The play, written on a historical theme, interested Ostrovsky by its modern look on the human character. The action in the translated part of the play is based on the un-solvability of the socio-psychological conflict: Thais Phryne is inspired by the idea to restore the walls of the city of Thebes Alexander the Great destroyed, yet she is humiliated by the contempt of the speaker Hyperides to her social status. Hyperides, rejected, but pitying and loving her, is equally controversial and dual about her. P. Cossa's historical play "Nero" (the translation of the characters list and the beginning of the first act is stored in Russian State Archive of Literature and Art (RGALI)) attracted Ostrovsky's attention by the formulation of the problem of complexity and duality of the character of Nero and of his circle as well as the image of the life of the theater in its theatrical and circus existence. These experiences are reflected in "Be-spridannitsa" [Without a Dowry], the work on which ended in 1878. Interest in the plays of the contemporary Italian playwrights on historical topics was dictated by the new processes in the works of Ostrovsky at the end of the 1870s, marked by his attention to the profound social and psychological collisions beyond the scope of domestic theater or, rather, giving the domestic life a deep symbolism of moral and philosophical content.

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