Princess Maleine (1894)

Princess Maleine is a play written by Belgian playwright Maurice Maeterlinck and first published in 1894. The play tells the story of Princess Maleine, the daughter of King Hjalmar, who is betrothed to Prince Hjalmar of the neighboring kingdom. However, on the day of her wedding, Maleine is visited by a mysterious old woman who warns her of a terrible fate that awaits her if she marries the prince.Despite the warning, Maleine goes ahead with the wedding, but on the night of the ceremony, she is visited by a ghostly figure who reveals that the prince is actually her half-brother. Horrified by this revelation, Maleine flees into the forest, pursued by the prince and his soldiers.Over the course of the play, Maleine encounters a series of strange and supernatural beings, including a group of blind beggars and a group of witches. She also meets a young man named Hjalmar, who helps her escape from her pursuers and falls in love with her.As the play unfolds, Maleine and Hjalmar must navigate a series of obstacles and challenges in order to be together, including the wrath of Maleine's father, who is determined to keep the two apart.Princess Maleine is a haunting and atmospheric play that explores themes of love, fate, and the supernatural. It is widely regarded as one of Maeterlinck's most important works and has been adapted for the stage and screen numerous times over the years.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.