A new interpretation of old tales. On the latest edition of the Brothers Grimm’s <i>Children’s and Household Tales</i>

Abstract

The review considers K. Azadovsky’s translation of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm’s Children’s and Household Tales published by Ladomir Press in their Literary Monuments [Literaturnye pamyatniki] series in 2020. The first complete Russian edition of the collection follows the last original compilation printed in the scholars’ lifetime and includes a foreword and a letter to Bettina von Arnim, both appearing in the Russian language for the first time. By pondering the vicissitudes of the Brothers Grimm’s fairy tales in Germany and Soviet Russia and especially by comparing the new book with previous publications, the author demonstrates the book’s significance and helps appreciate the sheer scope of preparation and research behind the translation and comments. The review contains a careful analysis of Azadovsky’s translation which offers the most faithful interpretation of the German original. In addition, the author discusses the general problem of scholarly comments of the Brothers Grimm’s tales as well as accuracy and thoroughness of the information provided in comments, and considers the commentator’s freedom of interpretation.