Nathaniel Hawthorne

Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment

Dr. Heideggers Experiment

An eccentric old doctor invites four aging friends, each unfortunate in life, to his study for a strange experiment involving water from a legendary fountain. As they grow younger before their own eyes, old rivalries and desires come rushing back.

C120 minAudio

Read

How it begins

EnglishGerman

That very singular man, old Dr. Heidegger, once invited four venerable friends to meet him in his study.

Jener höchst sonderbare Mann, der alte Dr. Heidegger, lud einst vier ehrwürdige Freunde zu sich in sein Arbeitszimmer ein.

There were three white-bearded gentlemen, Mr. Medbourne, Colonel Killigrew, and Mr. Gascoigne, and a withered gentlewoman, whose name was the Widow Wycherly.

Es waren drei weißbärtige Herren, Mr. Medbourne, Colonel Killigrew und Mr. Gascoigne, sowie eine verwelkte Dame, die auf den Namen Witwe Wycherly hörte.

They were all melancholy old creatures, who had been unfortunate in life, and whose greatest misfortune it was that they were not long ago in their graves.

Sie alle waren melancholische alte Geschöpfe, die im Leben vom Unglück verfolgt worden waren und deren größtes Unglück darin bestand, dass sie nicht schon längst im Grabe lagen.

The opening paragraphs, as the reader shows them. Read on

Languages

Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment · English (original)C1 Advanced · 3,678 words · ~20 min · Audio
Dr. Heideggers Experiment · GermanC1 Advanced · 3,660 words · ~20 min · Audio
Το πείραμα του δρα Χάιντεγκερ · GreekC1 Advanced · 3,705 words · ~20 min
El experimento del doctor Heidegger · SpanishC1 Advanced · 3,834 words · ~20 min · Audio
L’Expérience du docteur Heidegger · FrenchC1 Advanced · 3,938 words · ~20 min · Audio
डॉक्टर हाइडेगर का प्रयोग · HindiC1 Advanced · 4,259 words · ~25 min
Eksperimen Dr. Heidegger · IndonesianC1 Advanced · 3,431 words · ~20 min
L’esperimento del dottor Heidegger · ItalianC1 Advanced · 3,599 words · ~20 min
ハイデッガー博士の実験 · JapaneseC1 Advanced
하이데거 박사의 실험 · KoreanC1 Advanced · 2,712 words · ~15 min
Het experiment van Dr. Heidegger · DutchC1 Advanced · 3,921 words · ~20 min
Eksperyment doktora Heideggera · PolishC1 Advanced · 3,102 words · ~15 min
O Experimento do Dr. Heidegger · PortugueseC1 Advanced · 3,724 words · ~20 min
Experimentul doctorului Heidegger · RomanianC1 Advanced · 3,657 words · ~20 min
Dr. Heidegger’ın Deneyi · TurkishC1 Advanced · 2,784 words · ~15 min
Thí nghiệm của Bác sĩ Heidegger · VietnameseC1 Advanced · 5,282 words · ~30 min
海德格医生的实验 · ChineseC1 Advanced

Questions

Which languages can I read Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment in?

English, German, Greek, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese. Pick the language you want to read and the one to keep beside it: every paragraph sits next to its translation, so you can check a sentence without losing your place.

What level is it?

The original English is C1 Advanced. In translation, German, Greek, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese are C1 Advanced. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from Pre-A1 (starter) to C2.

How long is it?

About 3,678 words: around 5–30 min of reading, with the translation beside it. The time depends on the edition's level: an easier edition is read more slowly.

Is it free?

Yes. Read it online with no account. The downloads (PDF, EPUB, and AZW3 and MOBI for Kindle) need a free account.

Can I read it on a Kindle or Kobo?

Yes. Download the EPUB for Kobo, Apple Books and most e-readers, or the AZW3 or MOBI for a Kindle, with each paragraph followed by its translation. There is also a side-by-side PDF to print, and each language on its own.

Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment

How it begins

Languages

Questions

More stories at this level