1812 was a banner year...Napoleon and his Grande Armee invaded Russia…the U.S. went to
war with Great Britain (once again) creating a national identity (along with an
anthem of their very own)…and in Switzerland, a classic novel of fortitude,
survival and family values was born…
Written by Johann Wyss, Der
Schweizerische Robinson was originally written as an allegory for
children…a book of teachable lessons, hidden within a story. Robinson is not a Germanic name, and even
though the family is named such, the author’s intent was to give a nod to Defoe
and his work Robinson Crusoe, written
almost 100 years earlier.
The book revolves around a Swiss family (of course) who are
the lone shipwrecked survivors on a desert island somewhere in the South
Pacific. Through trials and
tribulations, they set up a relatively comfortable existence, feasting on wild
game, fruits, nuts, berries and shellfish, while spending their days inventing and constructing mechanical contraptions
to enhance their isolated existence.
I doubt this book would have gained much attention had it not been for Baroness de Montolieu, who
in 1814 picked it up, read it, became enthralled with it and translated it into
French. She not only translated it, but
she embellished the story, creating a separate vision and enhancing the
tale. The Baroness even went so far as
to write a sequel, which was published in the 1820’s (Jules
Verne also wrote a sequel, but that’s a story for another day).
Not long after the Baroness’ French version hit the
bookseller’s shelves, William Godwin completed an English translation. It was taken from the French version, which
had already morphed from the German text.
To be truthful, it was Godwin’s second wife Mary Jane who actually
translated it…but he got the credit, this being the early 19th century and all…
The first English version had a slightly different title, The Family Robinson Crusoe, and came out
in two volumes, one in 1814, followed by the second in 1816. It was not until 1818 that Godwin published a
second edition…this time it was titled The
Swiss Family Robinson, the title that we are all familiar with today.
It is difficult to find an English version that stays close
to the original, given all the changes and additions. From what I gather, the Godwin translation is
the closest. Seeing as 1818 was the year
the book came out with its modern title, it’s my opinion that this is the first English edition.
Wyss died in 1818, but his story has stood the test of time. Despite its mistakes in regards to the flora
and fauna of the South Pacific, and despite its unlikely occurrences, The Swiss Family Robinson is one of the
few classics put on the silver screen by Walt Disney, with the added bonus of
getting its own attraction in Disneyland.
One final though before I leave you this week...while time has blurred the names Wyss, de Montolieu and Godwin, there is a name that has remained crystal clear, one that stands out and will always have a small connection to this book...William Godwin’s daughter, Mary.
Mary became an author, and her work, or more specifically, one of her works, has stood the test of time…you probably recognize her married name, Shelley…as in Mary Shelley…the author of Frankenstein...And now you know the rest of the story…
Mary became an author, and her work, or more specifically, one of her works, has stood the test of time…you probably recognize her married name, Shelley…as in Mary Shelley…the author of Frankenstein...And now you know the rest of the story…
You can get the 1818 first edition of The Swiss Family Robinson here:
Here is a text version that purports to be a close
translation of the German version: