DR. SEUSS, Dr.

Seuss (Theodor Seuss

Geisel, 1904-1991) pseudonimul literar al lui
Theodor Seuss Geisel (inspirat de numele de fat
al mamei sale, o imigrant german n Statele
unite ale Americii), caricaturist, autor i ilustrator
de cri pentru copii american, s-a nscu la 2
martie 1904 n Springfield, Massachusetts unde
tatl su a fost un timp curatorul unei grdini
zoologice. Absolvind Dartmouth College i dup
o scurt perioad petrecut n Anglia n
ncercarea - ratat n ciuda particulei Dr.
autoironic ataat pseudonimului su - de a
obine titlul de doctor n literatur la Oxford, se
cstorete i se ntoarce n America, unde
colaboreaz la cunoscute reviste umoristice cu
articole i caricaturi, faima fiindu-i stabilit ns
de o reclam foarte popular. n timpul celui deal doilea rzboi mondial, dup nrolare, i
exercit talentul n grupul de oameni de film care,
sub conducerea lui Frank Capra, a turnat
documentare i pelicule pentru armat i s-a fcut
remarcat, cucerind cteva premii importante
(Academy Award for Best Documentary, 1948).
Primele cri - n versuri - pentru copii (And to
Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, 1937,
The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins, 1938,
The King's Stilts 1939, Horton Hatches the Egg,
1940), dar i cteva pentru aduli ( The Seven
Lady Godivas 1939) apar n perioada interbelic.
Au urmat i alte volume, dar succesul major a
venit odat cu The Cat in the Hat, care a
revoluionat cartea pentru copii, reprezentnd i

un stabil succes comercial. Dup ce petrece civa

ani la Hollywood, n 1948 se stabilete n
California, unde va rmne pn cnd se va stinge
din via la 24 septembrie 1991. But for two years,
1941-1943, he was the chief editorial cartoonist for
the New York newspaper PM (1940-1948), and for
that journal he drew over 400 editorial cartoons.

Prima sa carte de succes, The Cat in the

Hat, a fost scris folosind un vocabular
simplificat (un maxim de 220 de cuvinte) cu
scopul expres de a fi folosit de / pentru copiii
americani n procesul de nvare a limbii
materne cu dorina de a nlocui manualele
plictisitoare. I-au urmat alte cri, ntre care
Green Eggs and Ham a stabilit un record,
folosind doar 50 de cuvinte, pstrnd totui
versificaia i genul de rime cu care i obinuise
cititorii, miznd n acelai timp mult pe structuri
simplificate i repetiie.
Metrul caracteristic - un tetrametru
anapestic (patru msuri de cte trei silabe, dintre
care primele dou neaccentuate i a treia
accentuat) - mult utilizat i n poezia englez
romantic, de exemplu, este folosit ca metru de
baz, alternativ cu trohei i iambi, aceast variaie
dnd culoare i vivacitate versurilor i fcndu-le
uor de memorat i plcut de recitat - dar i
aproape imposibil de tradus; dificultatea
traducerii mai este sporit i de prezena
frecvent a rimei interioare, a aliteraiilor i a
cuvintelor sau numelor proprii inventate ( de
exemplu Grinch din The Cat in the Hat sau Yertle

the Turtle sau Lorax sau the Oobleck), a cror

sonoritate face deliciul scrierilor sale. Succesul
acestora se datoreaz n plus faptului c las fru
liber fanteziei, fiind scutite de orice intenie
moralizatoare, n ciuda faptului c nu snt lipsite
de o concluzie educativ sau folositoare.
Datorit talentului su de grafician evideniat i n caricaturile pe teme politice
aprute n timpul rzboiului - Dr. Seuss este i
ilustratorul multora dintre propriile volume,
manifestndu-i n acest spaiu tendin pentru
caricatur, preferina pentru animale sau
mainrii stilizate, dar i pentru liniile curbe indicate ca linii de baz i n studiourile Disney
n aceeai perioad. A mai scris i alte cri majoritatea pentru copii, sub pseudonimul Theo.
Le Sieg, fr ns a le i ilustra.
Bibliografie
And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street
(New York: Vanguard Press, 1937), The 500 Hats
of Bartholomew Cubbins (New York: Vanguard
Press, 1938), The King's Stilts (New York:
Random House, 1939), The Seven Lady Godivas
(New York: Random House, 1939), Horton
Hatches the Egg (New York: Random House,
1940 ), McElligot's Pool (New York: Random
House, 1947), Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose
(New York: Random House, 1948), Bartholomew
and the Oobleck (New York: Random House,
1949), If I Ran the Zoo (New York: Random
House, 1950), Scrambled Eggs Super! (New
York: Random House, 1953),

Horton Hears a Who! (New York: Random

House, 1954), On Beyond Zebra! (New York:
Random House, 1955), If I Ran the Circus (New
York: Random House, 1956), How the Grinch
Stole Christmas! (New York: Random House,
1957), The Cat in the Hat (New York: Beginner
Books, Random House, 1957), The Cat in the
Hat Comes Back (New York: Beginner Books,
Random House, 1958), Yertle the Turtle and
Other Stories (New York: Random House, 1958),
Happy Birthday to You! (New York: Random
House, 1959), One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue
Fish (New York: Beginner Books, Random
House, 1960), Green Eggs and Ham (New York:
Beginner Books, Random House, 1960), The
Sneetches and Other Stories (New York: Random
House, 1961), Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book (New York:
Random House, 1962), Dr. Seuss's ABC (New
York: Beginner Books, Random House, 1963),
Hop on Pop (New York: Beginner Books,
Random House, 1963), Fox in Socks (New York:
Beginner Books, Random House, 1965 ), I Had
Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew (New York:
Random House, 1965 ), The Cat in the Hat Song
Book (New York: Random House, 1967 ), The
Foot Book : Dr. Seuss's Wacky Book of Opposites
(New York: Bright & Early Books, Random
House, 1968), I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today! and
Other Stories (New York: Random House, 1969),
I Can Draw It Myself (New York: Beginner
Books, Random House, 1970), Mr. Brown Can
Moo! Can You? (New York: Bright & Early

Books, Random House, 1970), The Lorax (New

York: Random House, 1971). Marvin K. Mooney
Will You Please Go Now! (New York: Bright &
Early Books, Random House, 1972), Did I Ever
Tell You How Lucky You Are? (New York:
Random House 1973),
The Shape of Me and Other Stuff (New York:
Bright & Early Books, Random House, 1973),
There's a Wocket in My Pocket! (New York:
Bright & Early Books, Random House, 1974),
Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! (New York:
Beginner Books, Random House, 1975), The
Cat's Quizzer (New York: Beginner Books,
Random House, 1976), I Can Read with My Eyes
Shut! (New York: Beginner Books, Random
House, 1978), Oh Say Can You Say? (New York:
Beginner Books, Random House, 1979),
Hunches in Bunches (New York: Random House,
1982), The Butter Battle Book (New York:
Random House, 1984), You're Only Old Once! :
A Book for Obsolete Children (New York:
Random House, 1986), Oh, the Places You'll Go!
(New York: Random House, 1990), Daisy - Head
Mayzie (New York: Random House, 1995),
Hooray for Diffendoofer Day! (New York: Alfred
A. Knopf, 1998). Postume, cu colaborarea lui
Jack Prelutsky i Lane Smith: My Many Colored
Days New York (Alfred A. Knopf: Distributed by
Random House, 1998), Gerald McBoing Boing
(New York: Random House, 2000)
Volume publicate sub pseudonimul Theo. LeSieg:
The Eye Book (1999), Hooper Humperdink ... ?

Not Him! (1976), I Wish That I Had Duck Feet In

A People House (1972), Maybe You Should Fly A
Jet! Maybe You Should Be A Vet! (1980), Ten
Apples Up On Top! (1961), The Tooth Book
(1981), Wacky Wednesday (1974), Please Try to
Remember The First of Octember! Come Over To
My House, The Many Mice of Mr. Brice, I Can
Write
Filmografie
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T: film de lung metraj,
1953; How the Grinch Stole Christmas!: desen
animat pentru televiziune, 1966, autor Chuck
Jones, studiourile Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; The
Cat in the Hat: desen animat de Friz Freleng,
1971,
pentru
studioul
DePatie-Freleng
Enterprises; How the Grinch Stole Christmas!:
film de lung-metraj cu actori, 2001 Seussical: un
musical prezentat pe Broadway, 2001; The Cat in
the Hat: film de lung-metraj cu actori, 2003
Documentaries
Design for
Oscar for Best
1948
Death
Documentary
early
Oscar for Best
Hitler Lives
1940's?
Documentary
Lathem, Edward Connery. Whos Who and Whats What in
the Books of Dr. Seuss. Hanover: Dartmouth College, 2000