Spring Awakening

A Student Edition of Wedekind’s classic 1891 expressionist play about adolescent sexuality.

Wedekind’s notorious play Spring Awakening influenced a whole trend of modern drama and remains relevant to today’s society, exploring the oppression and rebellion of adolescents among draconian parents and morals. This seminal work looks at the conflict between repressive adulthood and teenage sexual longings in a provincial German town.

Highly controversial and with themes of sexuality, social attitudes and adolescence, the play is a popular and provocative text for study, especially at undergraduate level.

This translation by Edward Bond and Elisabeth Bond Pablé first brought the play to English audiences when it premiered at the National Theatre in 1974. Receiving high praise (‘scrupulously faithful both to Wedekind’s irony and his poetry.’ The Times), this version is now considered to be the definitive English translation.

This Student Edition features expert and helpful annotation, including a scene-by-scene summary, a detailed commentary on the dramatic, social and political context, and on the themes, characters, language and structure of the play, as well as a list of suggested reading and questions for further study and a review of performance history.

Author Biography

Frank Wedekind (1864-1918) was a journalist, advertising manager, secretary to a circus, cabaret artiste, satirist, convict and actor as well as the author of 21 plays, many of which reflect aspects of his extraordinary career. His plays include Spring Awakening, Earth Spirit, Lulu and Pandora’s Box.