Phedre: A Play - Softcover

Racine, Jean Baptiste

 
9780374526160: Phedre: A Play

Inhaltsangabe

A lean, high-tension version of a classic tragedy.

The myth of Phaedra is one of the most powerful in all of classical mythology. As dramatized by the French playwright Jean Racine (1639-99), the dying Queen's obsessive love for her stepson, Hippolytus, and the scrupulously upright Hippolytus' love for the forbidden beauty Aricia has come to be known as one of the great stories of tragic infatuation, a tale of love strong enough to bring down a kingdom.

In this "tough, unrhyming avalanche of a translation" (Paul Taylor, The Independent), Hughes replaces Racine's alexandrines with an English verse that serves eloquently to convey the passions of his protagonists. The translation was performed to acclaim in London in 1998, and the London production, starring Diana Rigg, was staged in 1999 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

"We are still catching up with Ted Hughes's gift for narrative verse after his Tales from Ovid," one English critic observed after the London premiere. "Little needs to happen on stage when there's a swirling action-packed disaster movie-riddled with sex and violence-in Hughes's free verse."

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Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Jean-Baptiste Racine was a prominent French dramatist, regarded as one of the three great playwrights of 17th-century France alongside Moli re and Corneille. Born on December 22, 1639, in La Fert -Milon, France, Racine made significant contributions to French classical tragedy. His works are known for their focus on intense emotional conflict, complex characters, and their exploration of themes such as love, fate, and honor. Racine's influence extends beyond French literature, marking him as an important figure in Western literary traditions. He was the son of Jeanne Sconin Racine and Jean Racine, and had a sibling, Marie Racine. Racine's legacy lives on through his works, which remain central to the study of classical French drama. His contributions continue to shape the way tragedy is understood and appreciated in literary circles. He passed away on April 21, 1699, in Paris, France, at the age of 59. Racine s impact on the world of theater and literature remains undeniable, with his works continuing to be performed and analyzed today.

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