Danish translation of Pride and Prejudice

Object name: Danish translation of Pride and Prejudice

Object number: CHWJA:JAH372

Category: Object

Description: This handwritten translation of Pride and Prejudice in Danish was made in 1904. The novel was transcribed by hand with painted copies of Charles E. Brock’s illustrations (Pride and Prejudice, Macmillan and Co.1895). The book is made up of seventeen paper booklets bound with ribbon which are encased on a linen cover hardback cover. The cover is decorated in embroidery on the front and back.

Made: 1904

Context: This remarkable object was made by two Danish sisters for their mother, who did not speak English but wanted to read the book that her daughters loved so dearly. At the time there were no published Danish translations of Pride & Prejudice so the sisters translated the novel into their native language, and copied it into this beautiful handmade book.

Translations of Austen’s work appeared as early as 1813 with extracts of Pride and Prejudice being published in a French periodical not long after it was published in English. Today, Austen’s novels have been translated into over forty languages, and are known and loved all over the world.

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