BODENSTEDT, FRIEDRICH MARTIN VON (1819 1892), German author, born at Peine, Hanover, April 22, 181q, and died at Wiesbaden on April 19, 1892. He became tutor in the family of Prince Galitzin at Moscow, and then was head of a school in Tiflis. There he studied Persian literature, and in 1851 published a book of poems, Die Lieder des Mirza Schah (Eng. trans. 188o), oriental in form and colouring, which had instant success. The book ran through 16o editions, and was translated into many languages. After his return to Germany Bodenstedt became (1854) professor of Slav languages at Munich, made many translations from Russian authors, and wrote a tragedy on the story of the false Demetrius, and an epic on a Circassian theme. In 1858 he became professor of early English literature, and from that time devoted his attention primarily to the Shake spearean drama. He collaborated with Paul Heyse and others in a new translation of Shakespeare's works (g vols. 1868-73), and himself translated the sonnets. From 1866 onwards he was director of the Meiningen theatre, and he edited the Tagliche Rundschau from 1880 to 1888. Among Bodenstedt's other works are: Tausend und ein Tage im Orient (1849-50); Shakespeare's Zeitgenossen und ihre W erke (1858-6o); an autobiography (1888) ; successful translations from Hafiz and Omar Khayyam, and lyrics and dramas which added little to his reputation.
An edition of his collected works was published at Berlin (1866-69) and his Erzahlungen und Romane at Jena (1871-72). For further biographical details see Bodenstedt's Erinnerungen _aus meinem Leben (1888-9o) ; and G. Schenck, Friedrich von Bodenstedt. Ein Dichter leben in seinen Briefen (1893).