Ludwig Devrient (15 December 1784 – 30 December 1832) was a German actor, noted for his playing in the works of Shakespeare and Schiller.
Devrient, who was born in Berlin, left a commercial career for the stage in 1804. He was a member of a notable theatrical family. His three nephews were actors. Karl August Devrient (1797–1872) was popular in heroic and character roles such as Lear, Shylock, and Faust. Another nephew, Philipp Eduard Devrient (1801–1877), directed the Court Theater, Dresden (1844–46), and the Karlsruhe Theater (1852–70).
He wrote several plays and also a history of the German stage (1848–74) in five volumes. With his son, Otto, he published translations of Shakespeare's plays. Gustav Emil Devrient (1803–1872), was the youngest and most gifted of all three nephews of Ludwig Devrient. He excelled in young heroic parts. When he gave Hamlet in London, his portrayal was said to equal that of Edmund Kean.
This article incorporates text from the public domain 1907 edition of The Nuttall Encyclopædia.
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