Keywords: Baltic German, Ossianism, Estonia, collections, literary history, James Macpherson
This paper takes a look at the Baltic German reception of “The Poems of Ossian”. For the Baltic Germans, it seems to have been the most important work of lyrical literature written in English. First, a short summary of Macpherson’s project, its literary innovations and reception in Europe is given, which is followed by an overview of the preserved editions in the cultural historical collections of Estonian research libraries. As Baltic Germans mostly read in German, the greatest focus lies on German editions, but also some French and Italian translations can be found. Of course, the text was read in the original language as well. The Baltic German reception seems to have begun in the 1770s and it continued until the Umsiedlung (departure of Baltic Germans from Estonia and Latvia, 1939–1941). At the beginning of the reception stood not the work of Macpherson himself, but some examples of German Bardendichtung. Also, a few Macpherson-epigones such as Edmund von Harold were popular. Another influential person was Herder with his concept of popular song (Volkslied), which was based on his reading of “The Poems of Ossian”. The work was read by lawyers, estate owners, pastors, teachers and professors, but it was also found in public and school libraries, as well as libraries of student fraternities. Part two of the article concentrates on the Ossianistic works by Baltic Germans themselves.
Kairit Kaur (b. 1978), PhD, Academic Library of Tallinn University, Research Fellow (Rävala pst 10, 15042 Tallinn); Chair of Comparative Literature of the University of Tartu, Research Fellow, kairit.kaur@tlulib.ee, kairit.kaur@ut.ee
References
Veebivarad
National Library of Scotland. https://digital.nls.uk
WorldCat. http://worldcat.org
Raamatukogud
Eesti Kirjandusmuuseumi Arhiivraamatukogu
Rahvusraamatukogu (RR)
RLB – haruldaste raamatute kogu
Tallinna Ülikooli Akadeemilise Raamatukogu Baltika kogu (TLÜ AR Baltika)
XII – Eestimaa Kirjanduse Ühingu raamatukogu XII alaliik „Luule ja draama”
Tartu Ülikooli Raamatukogu (TÜR)
Mrg – Karl Morgensterni kogu
Kling – Maximilian Klingeri kogu
Kirjandus
Balladen und Lieder altenglischer und altschottischer Dichtart. Toim August Friedrich Ursinus. Berlin: Himburg, 1777.
Brinckmeier, Eduard 1839. Ossians Gedichte, rhythmisch bearbeitet. Braunschweig: Oehme & Müller.
Bysveen, Josef 1982. Epic Tradition and Innovation in James Macpherson’s Fingal. (Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis. Studia Anglistica Upsaliensia 44.) Uppsala.
Dochartaigh, Caitríona Ó. 2004. Goethe’s translation from Gaelic Ossian. – The Reception of Ossian in Europe. Toim Howard Gaskill. London–New York: Thoemmes Continuum, lk 156–175.
Gaskill, Howard (toim) 2004. The Reception of Ossian in Europe. London–New York: Thoemmes Continuum.
Goethe’s Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand. Kd 33. Stuttgart–Tübingen: Cotta, 1830.
Gröblinger, Heidrun 2009. Die Rezeption des „Ossian” von James Macpherson im deutschsprachigen Raum von ihren Anfängen bis in die Gegenwart. Diplomarbeit. Universität Wien.
Hamel, R[ichard] (toim) [1883]. Klopstocks Werke. Kd 4, Klopstocks „Hermanns Schlacht” und das Bardenwesen des 18. Jahrhunderts (Denis, Gerstenberg, Kretschmann). (Deutsche National-Litteratur 48.) Berlin–Stuttgart: Spemann.
Härm, Paul (tlk) 1963. Ossiani laul meeskoorile kahe corno ja harfi saatel. Op. 17 No. 4 / Johannes Brahms. [Tallinn]: [Eesti Teatriühing].
Kaur, Kairit 2018a. Inglise luule ja draama baltisaksa retseptsioonist. Eestimaa Kirjanduse Ühingu raamatukogu põhjal. – Keel ja Kirjandus, nr 5, lk 365–381.
https://doi.org/10.54013/kk726a2
Kaur, Kairit 2018b. Maine rõõm Jumalas Mäetagusel. Baltisaksa loodusluule esimene suurem tulemine 18. sajandi keskpaiku. – Uutmoodi ja paremini! Ühiskondlikest muutustest 18. sajandil ja 19. sajandi algul. (Rahvusarhiivi toimetised = Acta et Commentationes Archivi Nationalis Estoniae 2 (33).) Koost, toim Katre Kaju. Tallinn: Rahvusarhiiv, lk 49−75.
Levin, Ju. D. 1980. Ossian v russkoj literature, konec XVIII – pervaja tret’ XIX veka. Leningrad: Nauka. [Ю. Д. Левин, Оссиан в русской литературе, конец XVIII – первая треть XIX века. Ленинград: Наука.]
Lukas, Liina 2019. Eesti ja Läti luule sünd saksa laulu vaimust. I. – Keel ja Kirjandus, nr 10, lk 762–774.
https://doi.org/10.54013/kk743a1
Merilai, Arne 2004. Pikem (pigem) lugulaul. Žanri küsimusi. – Keel ja Kirjandus, nr 4, lk 241–250.
Metzdorf, Johann Friedrich Ludwig Theodor 1876. Böttger, Adolf. – Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, kd 3, lk 201–202.
https://de.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=ADB:B%C3%B6ttger,_Adolf&oldid=- (13. III 2021).
Nutt, Alfred 1910. Ossian and the Ossianic literature. 2. tr. London: David Nutt.
Orth, Ernst W. 1974. Jachmann, Reinhold Bernhard. – Neue Deutsche Biographie, kd 10, lk 213–215. https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/pnd118869744.html#ndbcontent (13. III 2021).
Petersen, Johann Wilhelm 1782. Die Gedichte Ossians neuverdeutschet. Tübingen: Heerbrandt.
Raudsepp, Hugo 2012. Tundeelu ärkamine ja arenemine inglise kirjanduses 18. aastasajal. – H. Raudsepp, Nüüd ma tahan mõõka tõsta. (Eesti mõttelugu 108.) Koost Hando Runnel. Tartu: Ilmamaa, lk 116–141.
Schmidt, Wolf Gerhard 2003. „Homer des Nordens” und „Mutter der Romantik”. James Macphersons Ossian und seine Rezeption in der deutschsprachigen Literatur. Kd 1, James Macphersons Ossian, zeitgenössische Diskurse und die Frühphase der deutschen Rezeption. Berlin–New York: Walter de Gruyter.
Zimmermann, Paul 1903. Brinckmeier, Johann Peter Ludwig Eduard. – Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, kd 47, lk 238–241. https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/pnd104262796.html#adbcontent (26. VIII 2021).
Tanskanen, Taimi 1970. Ossian suomen kirjallisuudessa Aleksis Kiven vuosikymmenellä. English Summary. (Kirjallisuuden laidoksen julkaisuja 4. Acta Universitatis Tamperensis ser. A 35.) Tampere: Tamperen Yliopisto.
The Poems of Ossian. Tlk James Macpherson. Esq. With Dissertations on the Aera and Poems of Ossian; and Dr. Blair’s Critical Dissertation. (Tauchnitz Edition. Collection of British Authors 116.) Leipzig: Tauchnitz, 1847.
Tieghem, Paul van 1917. Ossian en France. 1. kd. Paris: Rieder.
Valk, Ülo 2015. Kui muistendist saab fiktsioon. Žanriajaloolisi märkusi. – Keel ja Kirjandus, nr 8–9, lk 541–555.
https://doi.org/10.54013/kk694a2
Weinbrot, Howard D. 1995. Britannias Issue. The Rise of British Literature from Dryden to Ossian. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
