"Up, break thy fetters! Burst thy prison! My soul is free! My essence knows no chains."
— Render, William (fl. 1790-1801); August Friedrich Ferdinand von Kotzebue (1761-1819)
Place of Publication
Cambridge
Publisher
Printed for the authour, and sold by J. Deighbon, and J. Nicholson; also by W. H. Lunn
Date
1798
Metaphor
"Up, break thy fetters! Burst thy prison! My soul is free! My essence knows no chains."
Metaphor in Context
BENYOWSKY
At length day breaks! At length the sun vouchsafes a glance upon Kamtschaka, but scanty as the pittance thrown to a beggar, which barely suffices to lengthen out his hunger.--Where are ye, many coloured bubbles of my youth?--I am deserted--alone!--No voice to whisper over my sick bed: "Hush! hush! he sleeps:" --No tears over my grave will e'er proclaim "alas, he is dead!" No one hates, no one loves me--and do I still live!--Have they left thee knife, spear, sword, and pistol, and dost thou still live?--Up, break thy fetters! Burst thy prison! My soul is free! My essence knows no chains.--Ah! there hope appears, lovely daughter of captivity,--the delight of every captive. The dagger drops from my hand, and I recline upon her bosom.--
(II)
At length day breaks! At length the sun vouchsafes a glance upon Kamtschaka, but scanty as the pittance thrown to a beggar, which barely suffices to lengthen out his hunger.--Where are ye, many coloured bubbles of my youth?--I am deserted--alone!--No voice to whisper over my sick bed: "Hush! hush! he sleeps:" --No tears over my grave will e'er proclaim "alas, he is dead!" No one hates, no one loves me--and do I still live!--Have they left thee knife, spear, sword, and pistol, and dost thou still live?--Up, break thy fetters! Burst thy prison! My soul is free! My essence knows no chains.--Ah! there hope appears, lovely daughter of captivity,--the delight of every captive. The dagger drops from my hand, and I recline upon her bosom.--
(II)
Categories
Provenance
Searching "soul" and "chain" in HDIS (Drama)
Citation
Second edition in Google Books: Count Benyowsky, or the Conspiracy of Kamtschatka. A Tragi-Comedy, in Five Acts, Translated from the German, by the Rev. W. Render, 2nd ed. (London: W. J. and J. Richardson, 1798). <Link to Google Books>
Date of Entry
07/30/2011
