Drama has long been a central part of Swedish cultural life. This also applies to translated drama, which has brought new ideas and aesthetic methods to Swedish theater and cultural life. The study of translated drama in Sweden can therefore provide interesting insights into different times' perceptions of the theater and translated drama as well as of art and society in general.

Yet there is no coherent research on the history of translated drama in Sweden. Even the most basic sources - the repertoire lists - have lacked a systematic review. Today there is hardly even a satisfactory overview of which translators have been the most important in our theater history. Even more limited is our knowledge of what they have actually done in bringing world literature to Sweden.

The editorial board of the Swedish Translator's Lexicon wants to make a comprehensive inventory of the translated dramatic repertoire in Swedish theaters around 1750-1910. The aim is to publish a bibliography with great potential usefulness for Swedish theater and literary historians as well as for the history of Swedish translation.

The inventory of unpublished translated drama will gather invaluable knowledge for further research. The picture of our theatrical and literary history will be broadened and deepened in a very important and hitherto neglected area.