by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)
Translation by Adrien Dézamy (1844 - 1891)
There is a willow grows aslant a brook
Language: English
Gertrude: There is a willow grows aslant a brook, That shows his hoar leaves in the glassy stream; There with fantastic garlands did she come Of crow-flowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples That liberal shepherds give a grosser name, But our cold maids do dead men's fingers call them: There, on the pendent boughs her coronet weeds Clambering to hang, an envious sliver broke; When down her weedy trophies and herself Fell in the weeping brook. Her clothes spread wide; And, mermaid-like, awhile they bore her up: Which time she chanted snatches of old tunes; As one incapable of her own distress, Or like a creature native and indued Unto that element: but long it could not be Till that her garments, heavy with their drink, Pull'd the poor wretch from her melodious lay To muddy death.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), no title, appears in Hamlet, Act IV, Scene 7 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in French (Français), a translation by Ernest-Wilfrid Legouvé (1807 - 1903) [an adaptation] ; composed by Hector Berlioz, Pauline Duchambge, Charles Camille Saint-Saëns.
- Also set in French (Français), a translation by Adrien Dézamy (1844 - 1891) ; composed by Delphine Ugalde.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-13
Line count: 19
Word count: 137
Ophélia
Language: French (Français)  after the English
Il est, dans la prairie, un saule qui se penche Sur le bord d'un ruisseau... C'est là qu'en poursuivant Ses douces visions elle venait souvent En guirlande tresser l'ortie et la pervenche. Et son âme chantait, quand se rompit la branche, Quand l'onde qui berçait son espoir décevant L'entraina dans ses bras, laissant au gré du vent Parmi les nénuphars, flotter sa robe blanche Elle est morte en cueillant des rèves des fleurs... Oh ! dira combien a fait verser de pleurs Ton trépas idéal, blonde, et pâle Ophélie ! Hélas ! le cœur humain n'est qu'un jouet du sort ! Qui cherche un peu d'amour ne trouve que folie Qui cherche le bonheur ne trouve que la mort !...
Text Authorship:
- by Adrien Dézamy (1844 - 1891) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), no title, appears in Hamlet, Act IV, Scene 7
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Delphine Ugalde (1829 - 1910), "Ophélia", subtitle: "Statue de E. Aizelin / Mélodie pour soprano" [ soprano and piano ], from 20 mélodies de Mme Ugalde sur les sonnets de Adrien Dézamy, no. 8, Paris, Éd. Louis Gregh [sung text checked 1 time]
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Grant Hicks [Guest Editor] , Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2025-06-19
Line count: 14
Word count: 115