Anthony Hope
(eigentlich: Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins)
war Rechtsanwalt und Schriftsteller. Hope wurde am 9.2.1863 in London als Sohn eines Geistlichen geboren. 1885 schloß er sein Universitäts- Studium in Oxford mit Auszeichnung ab. Er wurde ein äußerst erfolgreicher Anwalt in London. Die Lust an der Schriftstellerei ließ ihn jedoch nicht los. Während des 1. Weltkrieges arbeitete er im englischen Informations-Ministerium. 1918 wurde er für seine Arbeiten während des Krieges in den Adelsstand erhoben. Hope starb am 8.7.1933 auf seinem Landsitz Heath Farm / Tadworth, Surrey.
Werke:
A Man of Mark; 1890
The Dolly Dialogues; 1894
The Prisoner of Zenda (Der Gefangene von Zenda); 1894 *)
The Lady of the Pool; 1896
Phroso; 1897
Rupert of Henzau; 1898
A Cut and a Kiss; 1899
Double Harness; 1904
A Servant of the Public; 1905
Dialogue; 1909
*) 'Der Gefangene von Zenda' war sofort ein internationaler Erfolg. Der Roman wurde mehrmals verfilmt. Die bekannteste Verfilmung stammt aus dem Jahr 1952 mit Stewart Granger und Deborah Kerr in den Hauptrollen.
My promise, then, was given; but six months are six months, and seem an eternity, and, inasmuch as they stretched between me and my prospective industry (I suppose attaches are industrious; but I know not, for I never became attache to Sir Jacob or anybody else), I cast about for some desirable mode of spending them. And it occurred to me suddenly that I would visit Ruritania. It may seem strange that I had never visited that country yet; but my father (in spite of a sneaking fondness for the Elphbergs, which led him to give me, his second son, the famous Elphberg name of Rudolf) had always been averse from my going, and, since his death, my brother, prompted by Rose, had accepted the family tradition which taught that a wide berth was to be given to that country. But the moment Ruritania had come into my head I was eaten up with a curiosity to see it. After all, red hair and long noses are not confined to the House of Elphberg, and the old story seemed a preposterously insufficient reason for debarring myself from acquaintance with a highly interesting and important kingdom, one which had played no small part in European history, and might do the like again under the sway of a young and vigorous ruler, such as the new King was rumoured to be. My determination was clinched by reading in The Times that Rudolf the Fifth was to be crowned at Strelsau in the course of the next three weeks, and that great magnificence was to mark the occasion. At once I made up my mind to be present, and began my preparations. But, inasmuch as it has never been my practice to furnish my relatives with an itinerary of my journeys and in this case I anticipated opposition to my wishes, I gave out that I was going for a ramble in the Tyrol-- an old haunt of mine--and propitiated Rose's wrath by declaring that I intended to study the political and social problems of the interesting community which dwells in that neighbourhood.
Anthony Hope: The Prisoner of Zenda; Copyright worldwideschool.com
Stewart Granger in 'Der Gefangene von Zenda'
Foto: MGM
