Die Lorelei by German Poet Heinrich Heine

Die Lorelei by German Poet Heinrich Heine Heinrich Heine was born in Dà ¼sseldorf, Germany. He was known as Harry  until he converted to Christianity when he was in his 20s. His father was a successful textile merchant and Heine followed in his fathers footsteps by studying business. He soon realized he did not have much aptitude for business and switched over to law. While at the university, he became known for his poetry. His first book was a collection of his travel memoirs called Reisebilder (Travel Pictures) in 1826. Heine was one of the most influential German poets in the 19th century, and German authorities tried to suppress him because of his radical political views. He was also known for his lyrical prose, which was set to music by classical greats, such as Schumann, Schubert, and Mendelssohn. The Lorelei One of Heines famous poems, Die Lorelei, is based on a German legend of an enchanting, seducing mermaid who lures seamen to their death. It has been set to music by numerous composers, such as Friedrich Silcher and Franz Liszt.   Here is Heines poem:   Ich weiss nicht, was soll es bedeuten,Dass ich so traurig bin;Ein Mrchen aus alten Zeiten,Das kommt mir nicht aus dem Sinn.Die Luft ist kà ¼hl, und es dunkelt,Und ruhig fliesst der Rhein;Der Gipfel des Berges funkeltIm Abendsonnenschein.Die schà ¶nste Jungfrau sitzetDort oben wunderbar,Ihr goldenes Geschmeide blitzet, Sie kmmt ihr goldenes Haar.Sie kmmt es mit goldenem KammeUnd singt ein Lied dabei;Das hat eine wundersame,Gewaltige Melodei.Den Schiffer im kleinen SchiffeErgreift es mit wildem Weh;Er schaut nicht die Felsenriffe,Er schat nur hinauf in die Hà ¶h.Ich glaube, die Welllen verschlingenAm Ende Schiffer und Kahn;Und das hat mit ihrem SingenDie Lorelei getan. English translation (not always translated literally): I dont know what it meansThat I am so sadA legend of  bygone daysThat I cannot keep out of my mind. The air is cool and night is coming.The calm Rhine courses its way.The peak of the mountain dazzlesWith evenings final ray.The fairest of maidens is sittingUp there, a beautiful delight,Her golden jewels are shining,Shes combing her golden hair.She holds a golden comb,Singing along, as wellAn enthrallingAnd spellbinding melody.In his little boat, the boatmanIs seized by it with a savage woe.He does not look upon the rocky ledgeBut rather high up into the heavens.I think that the waves will devourThe boatman and boat in the endAnd this by her songs sheer powerFair Loreley has done. Heines Later Writings In Heines later writings, readers will note an increased measure of irony, sarcasm, and wit. He often ridiculed sappy romanticism and over exuberant portrayals of nature. Though Heine loved his German roots, he often critiqued Germanys contrasting sense of nationalism.  Eventually, Heine left Germany, tired of its harsh censorship, and lived in France for the last 25 years of his life. A decade before he died, Heine became ill and never recovered. Though he was bedridden for the next 10 years, he still produced a fair amount of work, including work in Romanzero und Gedichte and Lutezia, a collection of political articles. Heine did not have any children. When he died in 1856, he left behind his much younger French wife. The cause of his death is believed to be from chronic lead poisoning.