Erdgeist (Earth-Spirit): A Tragedy in Four Acts

LULU BY FRANK WEDEKIND ERDGEIST (EARTH-SPIRIT) $1.00 PANDORA'S BOX (In Preparation)
ERDGEIST
( Earth-Spirit )
A Tragedy in Four Acts BY FRANK WEDEKIND
Translated by Samuel A. Eliot, Jr.
NEW YORK ALBERT AND CHARLES BONI 1914
Copyright, 1914 by Albert and Charles Boni
I was created out of ranker stuff By Nature, and to the earth by Lust am drawn. Unto the spirit of evil, not of good, The earth belongs. What deities send to us From heaven are only universal goods; Their light gives gladness, but makes no man rich; And in their state possession not obtains. Therefore, the stone of price, all-treasured gold, Must from the powers of falsehood be enticed, The evil race that dwells beneath the day. Not without sacrifice their favor is gained, And no man liveth who from serving them Hath extricated undefiled his soul.
DR. SCHÖN, newspaper owner and editor. ALVA, his son, a writer. DR. GOLL, M.D. SCHWARZ, an artist. PRINCE ESCERNY, an African explorer. ESCHERICH, a reporter. SCHIGOLCH, a beggar. RODRIGO, an acrobat. HUGENBERG, a schoolboy ( played by a girl .) FERDINAND, a coachman. LULU. COUNTESS GESCHWITZ. HENRIETTE, a servant.
( At rise, is seen the entrance to a tent, out of which steps an animal-tamer, with long, black curls, dressed in a white cravat, a vermilion dress-coat, white trowsers and white top-boots. He carries in his left hand a dog-whip and in his right a loaded revolver, and enters to the sound of cymbals and kettle-drums. )
Walk in! Walk in to the menagery, Proud gentlemen and ladies lively and merry! With avid lust or cold disgust, the very Beast without Soul bound and made secondary To human genius, to stay and see! Walk in, the show'll begin!—As customary, One child to each two persons comes in free.
Here battle man and brute in narrow cages Where one in haught disdain his long whip lashes And one, with growls as when the thunder rages, Against the man's throat murderously dashes,— Where now the crafty conquers, now the strong, Now man, now beast, lies cowed the floor along; The animal rears,—the human on all fours! One ice-cold look of dominance— The beast submissive bows before that glance, And the proud heel upon his neck adores.