Catalog Search Results
1) Berenice
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English
Description
In this volume of Racine's plays we find "Berenice," the sixth of twelve plays by the author. One of Racine's more popular plays in the modern era it was not performed often until the 20th century. In this work Racine draws upon the histories of Roman historian Suetonius, who recounts the story of the Roman emperor Titus and Berenice of Cilicia. Titus, whose father Vespasian has died, is presumed to be free to marry his beloved Berenice, queen of...
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In this volume of Racine's plays we find "The Litigants," the fourth of twelve plays by the author. Inspired by Aristophanes' "Wasps," Racine removes all political significance in this farce. As the only comedy by Racine "The Litigants" stands apart from his other works. The action of the story revolves around Judge Dandin, who in his old age has begun to go crazy. Hilarity ensues as Leander, Dandin's son, and Petit Jean, a house porter, attempt to...
3) Esther
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English
Description
In this volume of Racine's plays we find "Esther," the penultimate of twelve plays by the author. "Esther" was written at the request of Madame de Maintenon, second wife of King Louis XIV of France, who wished Racine write some more liturgical works to be performed by the pupils of the Maison royale de Saint-Louis, a famous academy for girls. Racine's drama concerns the Biblical character of Esther, Jewish queen of the Persian king Ahasuerus, who...
4) Mithridates
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English
Description
In this volume of Racine's plays we find "Mithridates," the eighth of twelve plays by the author. In this drama Racine draws upon the historical figure of Mithridates who is remembered as one of the Roman Republic's most formidable and successful enemies. Having reigned over the kingdom of Pontus, around the Black Sea, Mithridates was famous for having gradually immunized himself to poisons. Popular in its day being a favorite of King Louis XIV, the...
5) Athaliah
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English
Description
In this volume of Racine's plays we find "Athaliah," the last of twelve plays by the author. Considering that it was Racine's final work it may come as no surprise that it has been described as the masterpiece of "one of the greatest literary artists known." Revered by Voltaire who saw it as "perhaps the masterpiece of mankind" and by Flaubert who referred to it as an "immortal masterpiece of the French stage." The story itself concerns the biblical...
6) Britannicus
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English
Description
In this volume of Racine's plays we find "Britannicus," the fifth of twelve plays by the author. "Britannicus" is the first work by the author to draw upon Roman History for its subject matter. The story concerns Britannicus, the son of the Roman emperor Claudius, and would be heir to the imperial throne. Britannicus's rule would be usurped however by Nero who has desires for Britannicus's fiancée Junia as well. The struggle for power and love are...
7) The Thebaid
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Description
In this volume of Racine's plays we find "The Thebaid," the first of twelve plays by the author. Racine draws upon Sophocles' "Antigone" and Euripides' "Phoenician Women" for this drama. The play concerns the struggle and death of the young son of Oedipus, as well as that of Antigone. The plot follows that of the other Theban plays in which we find Eteocles and Polynices, two warring brothers, Jocasta, their mother, Antigone, their sister, and Menoeceus...
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In this volume of Racine's plays we find "Alexander the Great," the second of twelve plays by the author. As you would expect the drama concerns its titular character and his love for the Indian princess Cleofile. Based largely on the histories of Roman historian Quintus Curtius Rufus, Alexander finds his pursuit of love of the Indian princess complicated by intrigues between her brother Taxilus and his ally Porus.
9) Bajazet
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English
Description
In this volume of Racine's plays we find "Bajazet," the seventh of twelve plays by the author. A five act tragedy, "Bajazet" draws its subject from contemporary history, taking care to choose a far off location, the Ottoman Empire. Set in 1635, the Sultan Amurat has executed his brothers and potential rivals Bajazet and Orcan. A rich example of Racine's dramatic talent, "Bajazet" is a complex tragedy rich with romantic subplots.
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Description
Collected in this volume is a complete collection of Racine's dramatic works. Written between 1664 and 1691 Racine's plays draw their subject matter from historical events, mythology and the Bible. Presented in this volume are translations by Robert Bruce Boswell of the following works: "The Thebaid," "Alexander the Great," "Andromache," "The Litigants," "Britannicus," "Berenice," "Bajazet," "Mithridates," "Iphigenia," "Phaedra," "Esther," and "Athaliah."...
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In this volume of Racine's plays we find "Iphigenia, Phaedra, Athaliah," three of the most popular of the author's dramas. In "Iphigenia" we find the titular daughter of Agamemnon, King of the Greeks, who must sacrifice his daughter in order to set sail for war. In "Phaedra," we have the classic story from Greek mythology concerning its titular character who though married to Theseus falls in love with Hippolytus. And finally in "Athaliah" we find...
12) Andromache
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English
Description
In this volume of Racine's plays we find "Andromache," the third of twelve plays by the author. The drama is a five act tragedy based on Euripides' play "Andromache" and draws upon the third book of Virgil's "Aeneid." In the aftermath of the Trojan war, Andromache has been taken prisoner in Epirus by Pyrrhus, her husband Hector has been slain by Achilles, who is due to be married to Hermione, the only daughter of the Spartan king Menelaus and Helen...
13) Iphigenia
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Description
In this volume of Racine's plays we find "Iphigenia," the ninth of twelve plays by the author. After a series of historical dramas Racine choose to return to mythological subject matter for his ninth play. As Agamemnon, King of the Greeks, prepares his navy to attack Troy, the gods quell the winds for their journey and demand the sacrifice of Iphigenia, Agamemnon's daughter. Based in part on Euripides' "Iphigenia in Aulis," Racine departs somewhat...
14) Phaedra
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English
Description
First performed in Paris in 1677, Jean Racine's "Phaedra" is the tenth of twelve plays by the author and his last to be based on Greek mythology. Racine, the famed French dramatist and master of dodecasyllabic alexandrine, the 12-syllable poetic meter, was a contemporary of Molière and Corneille. This classic story concerns its titular character, who though married to Theseus, the King of Athens, falls in love with Hippolytus, Theseus' son from his...
16) Bajazet
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Français
Description
Extrait : "Quoique le sujet de cette tragédie ne soit encore dans aucune histoire imprimée, il est pourtant très véritable. C'est une aventure arrivée dans le Serrail, il n'y a pas plus de trente ans..."
17) Les Plaideurs
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Extrait : "Quand je lus les Guêpes d'Aristophane, je ne songeais guères que j'en dusse faire les Plaideurs. J'avoue qu'elles me divertirent beaucoup, et que j'y trouvai quantité de plaisanteries qui me tentèrent d'en faire part au public ; mais c'était en les mettant dans la bouche des Italiens, à qui je les avais destinées, comme une chose qui lui appartenait de plein droit..."
18) Mithridate
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Extrait : " MITHRIDATE : Venez, mon fils, venez, votre père est trahi. Un fils audacieux insulte à ma ruine, Traverse mes desseins, m'outrage, m'assassine, Aime la reine enfin, lui plaît, et me ravit Un cœur que son devoir à moi seul asservit. Heureux pourtant, heureux, que dans cette disgrâce, Je ne puisse accuser que la main de Pharnace ; Qu'une mère infidèle, un frère audacieux, Vous présentent en vain leur exemple odieux !"
19) Esther
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Extrait: "ESTHER : Est-ce toi, chère Elise ? O jour trois fois heureux! Que béni soit le ciel qui te rend à mes vœux, Toi qui, de Benjamin comme moi descendue, Fus de mes premiers ans la compagne assidue, Et qui d'un même joug souffrant l'oppression, M'aidais à soupirer les malheurs de Sion ! Combien ce temps encore est cher à ma mémoire!"
20) Bérénice
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Description
La tragédie naît de l'affrontement de deux impératifs inconciliables. Titus ne peut mettre en danger sa mission à la tête de Rome au nom de la passion qui l'unit à Bérénice.
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