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Literary Criticism Of Rusalka

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A masterpiece of operatic literature, Antonín Dvořák’s Rusalka steadily rises to international recognition and popularity. With its lush melodies, beautiful orchestration, and poetic text, Rusalka continues to transcend the idea that it exists strictly as a Czech opera unable to be understood by foreign audiences. Though it remains the only of Dvořák’s operas to receive international fame (and is arguably the greatest), the romanticism and universal appeal of the story aide in securing a place for Dvořák in history as not only a great orchestral composer, but also a gifted composer of opera. Rusalka tells the story of a water nymph (Rusalka) who falls passionately in love with a human prince. She makes a deal with a witch to become a human herself, so that she might experience love. However, this compromise comes at a price. First, Rusalka will not be able to use her voice to communicate with humans. Second, if she fails to win the Prince’s affections, she will be pulled back by the water, forever cursed to exist as a bludička, or will-o’-the-wisp, a soulless light moving erratically over the water and luring men to their deaths in the swamps. Though Rusalka is initially successful in winning the Prince’s love, he grows increasingly frustrated with her inability to speak to him and is seduced by a foreign princess. Rusalka, betrayed, returns to the water to accept her fate. As Rusalka laments her fate, the witch returns with a knife to tell her she can avoid a soulless

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