« Heute aber ist es in Frankreich sowieso zu spät für May ». Trop tard en France pour Karl May ?

Abstract

For thirty years, there has been no French edition of Karl May. A glory of German literature, this author is little known in France, the country that was first to translate him as early as 1881, but he has hardly aroused any critical interest in over a century, and when it existed, it was often based on certain historical or literary misconceptions. Could it be "too late in France for Karl May?” The French reception was not non-existent, however, but scattered in multiple places, making it necessary to create an inventory.

Keywords

• translation
• children’s literature
• critical reception
• adventure novel
• nationalism
• May (Karl)