Villette in Russian – Part One

The first translation of Villette was published in 1853. In 1856 and 1860 a translation of La Maitresse d’Anglais was published. These have been described earlier in Nastavnitsa ili pansion v brussele.
The first of 27 editions of a new Russian translation of Villette was published in 1983, as Городок (Gorodok, pronounced as Garadok), which means little city. The first half was translated by A. or L. Orel.  In most cases the name A. Orel is given, in the other cases L. Orel. It has not been possible to find out anything more about this person, but he or she also translated Shakespeare. The second half of the novel was translated by Elisabeta Jakovlena Surits.
The 1983 edition was published in Moscow, had 559 pages and an introduction by N. Michalskoy.

Cover of the 1983 Russian Villette

The second edition was published in 1990 by Pravda from Moscow, with the Michalskoy introduction. It had 477 pages.

Cover of the 1990 Russian Villette

The third edition was published in 1993 by Dom from Moscow (458 pp.).

Cover of the 1993 Russian Villette

In 1995 two editions were published. One of these also had a translation of Agnes Grey. That one was published by Borisfen (672 pp.).

Cover of the 1995 Russian
Villette/Agnes Grey

The edition with Villette only was published by Folio in Charkov, Ukraine (446 pp.).

Cover of the 1995 Russian Villette

The sixth edition was published in 1997 by El-fa from Nalchik (528 pp.), as part of a series with all of the Brontë novels.

Cover of the 1997 Russian Villette

In 1998 the next edition was published, by AST Folio (АСТ Фолио) from Moscow and Charkov (448 pp.).

Cover of the 1998 Russian Villette
(Painting: Joshua Reynolds-Miss Nelly 
O'Brien (ca. 1762-3))

The year 2001 saw two editions being published, both by AST Folio too (448 pp.).

Cover of the first 2001
Russian Villette

Cover of the second 2001
Russian  Villette
(Painting: Jean Auguste Dominique 
Ingres-Baroness Betty de Rothschild (1848)

In 2002 AST Folio published another edition, with the cover being a variation of the second 2001 edition. This was a smaller book, 17 v 21 cm, with thus more pages (525).

Cover of the 2002 Russian Villette

AST Folio published its next edition in 2003, with 525 pages again, and a different cover.

Cover of the 2003 Russian Villette

Paintings; upper half: Karl Bryullov
-Portrait of Princess Elizabeth Pavlovny
 Saltykovoy (1841); lower half: 
William Maw Egley-
Omnibus life in London (1859))

In 2005 the next edition was published, by AST Tranzitkniga (525 pp.).

Cover of the 2005 Russian Villette

To be continued.
Eric Ruijssenaars