Johann Joachim Eschenburg
Johann Joachim Eschenburg was an influential figure in the realm of literature and education in 18th-century Germany. Born in Hamburg, he pursued higher education at the University of Leipzig and the University of Göttingen. In 1767, he began his academic career as a tutor at the Collegium Carolinum in Brunswick and later took on the role of professor. Notably, in 1786, he was honored with the title of Hofrat, a councilor position, and became the director of the Collegium in 1814.
Eschenburg is particularly recognized for his efforts to introduce and popularize English literature in Germany. He translated key works of English authors, including aesthetic writers like Joseph Priestley and Richard Hurd, and is renowned for being the first to fully translate Shakespeare's plays into German prose. His translations served as a revised edition of an earlier, incomplete version. Additionally, he edited works of German poets and contributed significantly to literary criticism through various publications, including "Handbuch der klassischen Literatur" and "Entwurf einer Theorie und Literatur der schönen Wissenschaften." Eschenburg also composed poetry and hymns, some of which have remained well-known over the years.
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Subject Terms
Johann Joachim Eschenburg
Writer
- Born: December 7, 1743
- Birthplace: Hamburg, Germany
- Died: February 29, 1820
Biography
Johann Joachim Eschenburg was born and educated in Hamburg, Germany, in the mid-eighteenth century. He went on to study at the University of Leipzig and the University of G ttingen. In 1767, Eschenburg was appointed tutor at the Collegium Carolinum in Brunswick, and he was subsequently made a professor at the school. In 1786, Eschenburg was given the title of Hofrat, or councilor, at the university. He became a director of the Collegium Carolinum in 1814. Eschenburg died several years after his appointment as a university director.
Johann Eschenburg is best known for his attempts to popularize English literature in Germany. He translated the works of English aesthetic writers such as Joseph Priestley, Richard Hurd, and Charles Burney. Eschenburg was the first to completely translate Shakespeare’s plays into German prose. His translation of Shakespeare was essentially a revised edition of the incomplete translation published by Christoph Martin Wieland. He also edited the works of several German poets, including Friedrich von Hagedorn. He wrote several books of literary criticism, including Handbuch der klassischen Literatur (1783); Entwurf einer Theorie und Literatur der schönen Wissenschaften (1783); and the eight volume Beispielsammiung zur Theorie und Literatur der schönen Wissenschaften. Most of Eschenburg’s works were published in several later editions. Eschenburg wrote some poetry, and he also wrote a number of hymns, some of which remain well known.