IS 380 Song and Poetry: Adaptations of 19th-century German Poetry: "Here's a set of links to the song 'Hilf Mir' ('Help me') by Rammstein, which like 'Rosenrot' and 'Dalai Lama' is adapted from an earlier poe..."
What significance do the changes in the Rammstein version make for the story?
One significant change that Rammstein made to the story is that, as seen in the first, he took out the rhyme. Also, the original version, with the use of pictures seemed to be more of a childrens poem, that was developed to ensure children followed the rules of their parents. Rammstein, on the other hand transformed this poem into, what could be considered a Edgar Allan Poe poem because of the darkness that is felt while reading it. If not Poe, it could also be looked at as a poem of passion with the narrator saying the fire loves him/her or doesn't love. Finally, Rammstein's version of "Hilf Mir," unlike the original verson, wasn't set in a real form of rhythm and the syllables were scattered more throughout the piece.
Take care when addressing issues like rhyme and rhythm (syllables etc...) that you're not describing a translation, rather than the original.
ReplyDeleteBoth the original piece and Rammstein's "Hilf Mir" rhyme and possess the same rhythmic structure (they're in a "alternating" meter common to English and German called iambic tetrameter). These sorts of features often are lost when a piece is translated. The English translation of "Die gar traurige Geschichte" makes an attempt at duplicating the rhyme and rhythm.
As you point out, there is a definite change in perspective. The original is done with a direct moral in mind, whereas the shift to the first-person perspective (from the "I" standpoint), is a distinct change affecting the whole piece.
Are there other places in our cultural of children's 'rhymes' where we see the "loves me / loves me not"?