Posted by: narlinswords on: December 18, 2009
Jean Racine was a French dramatist during the 17th century Classical era. He is considered one of the three most famous writers from that era. He produced tragedies, though he did write one comedy. He often made enemies due to his successes, Moliere being one of his biggest and most notorious enemies. Jean Racine was the first French writer to become so successful he was able to live entirely off of his earnings.
Racine’s work was well received by the public when he began writing plays. He wrote mostly secular plays focusing on Greek mythology. This was widely popular during the rise of the middle class, and affordable to many. He and Moliere were once good friends until Racine took his plays to another company to produce them. He also stole the lead actress from Moliere’s troupe away, which deeply wounded Moliere after all the support he gave Racine.
Racine continued to produce a string of successful tragedies through the new company, the Hôtel de Bourgogne. Over the next nine years before writing Phedre he was able to make so much money he needed hardly any other support. He was so popular that the lead role for Phedre was considered the “pièce de resistance” of almost every French actress. By this time he had acquired many enemies. So many that, opening night, quite a large number of seats were purchased by them and left unfilled. Racine was very bothered by this, and retired from mainstream theatre soon after.
I enjoyed Phedre‘s emotional tragedy. The leading role, Phedre, is very intelligent and emotional. This play, to me, is very similar to Shakespeare plays. I like the drama that unfolds, and a few of Phedre’s lines are classics. Her love for her stepson is evident, as is her turmoil from it. I would have loved to have seen Helen Mirren as Phedre at London’s Royal National Theatre. Better than a Harlequin Romance novel!
http://www.imagi-nation.com/moonstruck/clsc56.html
http://www.curtainup.com/phedre.html
http://www.theatredatabase.com/17th_century/jean_racine_001.html
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/theatre/2009/07/20/090720crth_theatre_lahr
February 17, 2010 at 11:36 pm
Interesting feed, do you think it was home video? Do you know where and when the play was enacted? I can only wonder at the differences inherent when translated into english.
This was a good example of theatre during the classical period. Its development was evident in Racine being the first “professional” playwrite. I think the context of the play really would play to the masses in that it delt with issues independent of status.
Although I appreciate your admiration for this “better than a Harlequin Romance novel” play. I don’t share the same affinity.