French Neoclassical TheatreMajor Themes and Questions--What elements of theatre have artists experimented with, and how have they done so?--How has theatre reacted to both the art that came before it AND its social and political contexts?For this lecture:--What are the characteristics of theatre in this era?Political Background--King Louis XIII (1601-1643)--Reigns 1610-1643--Cardinal Richelieu (1585-1642)--Becomes chief minister 1624--Académie Française--Role was to arbitrate language and culture--Officially established 1635--40 membersRules--Bienseance: Decorum, appropriate behavior--Vraisemblance: Likeliness, believability--Unities (based on Aristotle’s Poetics)--Time--Place--Action (no subplots)--Two distinct, separate genres: Tragedy and ComedyOther Script Characteristics--Plots from myth/legend/history--Aristocratic characters--Importance of social rules--“French scenes”--Scene changes every time a character enters or exits stage--Emphasizes how social rules change depending on who is in the situationJean Racine (1639-1699)--Playwright and poet--Major plays:--Andromaque (1667)--Iphigenie (1674)--Phedre (1677)The LE CID controversy--Le Cid by Pierre Cornielle 1637--Popular with audiences--Censured by Academie Francaise--Significant effects on Cornielle’s
View Full Document
Unlocking...