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Loading... Le Misanthrope, texte intégral (original 1667; edition 1998)by Molière
Work InformationThe Misanthrope by Molière (Author) (1667)
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. I’m unsure how to review this, other than to say I’m ambivalent about it and move on. I don’t think it will be memorable beyond my learning the term “comedy of humors.” Perhaps I would feel more strongly if I saw a live production or read it in French. ( ) This a review of four audio live performances: Caedmon 1969 (Richard Easton); BBC 1998 (David Schofield); BBC 2013 (Neil Caple); LATW 2014 (Brian Bedford). According to Wikipedia it is "Molière's best known work today". According to Rousseau it was Molière's best work. I love it, language gymnastics, Cirque du Soleil of the rhyme. The themes are timeless and the wit has lost nothing with time. Célimène's acid take-downs are awesome. Of the four recording there is no question Richard Easton takes the show with energy and verve. In second place is David Schofield who is slower. The other two are lacking conviction. This is the kind of play you can listen to repeatedly , no wonder it's a classic, but which performance makes a difference. Read this in a Hachette edition I bought on the banks of the Seine a half-century ago (for 3 of 5 vols,10 francs, $2), and read a bit in Paris (where we attended one at Comedie Francaise), then five plays after a defeat in grad school. Now I start reviewing the source of Wycherley's Plain Dealer, Moliere's Misanthrope. One big difference from Wycherley's derivative, Manly uses a dialect, and prose. Moliere rhymes 12-syllable couplets; translator R Wilbur (fellow grad of my Amherst College) uses rhymed pentameters in English-- though I don't recall if I ever read his translation of this particular play. Moliere's title character is Alceste, who begins the play overhearing his friend Philinte praising someone whose name he doesn't even know. Alceste says this ends their friendship. In fact, Alceste continues to attack effusive friendship, evidently the heart of Louis XIV's society. He next criticizes Celimene, he supposes his girlfriend, but she is equally friendly to every guy, "tout l'univers est bien reçu de vous"(II.i, p.124, vol III). Especially one particular rival, whom Alceste describes, Is it his long nails on short fingers? His blond wig? Lace hanging from his knees? "Est-que par l'ongle long qu'il porte au petit doigt"(p.123, vol III). Hold on, Alceste is too sincere, "trop sincère" when he fails to praise the poem Oronte wrote, preferring a little memorized verse, roughly ballad stanza (but three-beat and two): were the king to give him Paris, if he gave up his friend, he'd keep his friend, not Paris (I.ii, p.111). Many scenes later a guard orders him to follow to apologize and accept the verses he'd called "execrable" in private (II.vi, 126). After Celimene encounters a woman who also criticizes her "taking all the men," she finally agrees to Alceste, who surprises in the final scene, plans to leave everybody. no reviews | add a review
Belongs to Publisher SeriesIs contained inBourgeois Gentleman / Imaginary Invalid / Misanthrope / Miser / School for Husbands / School for Wives / Tartuffe by Molière Bourgeois Gentleman / Dom Juan / Imaginary Invalid / Learned Ladies / Misanthrope / Miser / Tartuffe by Molière Bourgeois Gentleman / Imaginary Invalid / Learned Ladies / Misanthrope / Miser / Scapin / School for Wives / Tartuffe by Molière Amphitryon / Bourgeois Gentleman / Dom Juan / Imaginary Invalid / Misanthrope / Miser / Tartuffe by Molière The Misanthrope and Other French Classics (Eric Bentley's Dramatic Repertoire ; V. 3) by Eric Bentley A Treasury of the Theatre: An Anthology of Great Plays from Aeschylus to Hebbel by Philo M. Jr. Buck The Affected Misses / Don Juan / Tartuffe / The Misanthrope / the Doctor by Compulsion / The Miser / The Tradesman Turned Gentleman / The Learned Ladies by Molière Plays of Moliere: The School for Wives, Tartuffe, The Misanthrope, The Miser, The Physician In Spite of Himself (Art Type Edition) by Molière Dom Juan (notices de Paul Arbelet) - L'ecole des femmes (notices de G. Sablayrolles) - Le Misanthrope (notices de Felix Guirand) by Molière The slave of truth (Le misanthrope) Tartuffe. The imaginary invalid. New English versions by Molière Is retold inInspiredHas as a student's study guideNotable Lists
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HTML: This timeless comedy of manners is considered one of Molière's most probing and mature works. While it's still an exemplar of 16th century farce, Molière went beyond his usual comic inventiveness to create a world of rich, complex characters, especially in the cynical title character Alceste, played here by the Tony Award-winning actor Brian Bedford. Lead funding for this production is provided by the Sidney E. Frank Foundation. This recording also includes an interview with Larry F. Norman author of The Public Mirror: Molière and the Social Commerce of Depiction. An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring: Brian Bedford as Alceste, JD Cullum as Clitandre, Sarah Drew as Eliante, Martin Jarvis as Philinte, Darren Richardson as Basque, Du Bois, Susan Sullivan as Arsinoe, Nick Toren as Oronte, Matt Wolf as Acaste, Guard, Bellamy Young as Celimene. Directed by Rosalind Ayres. Translated by Richard Wilb No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)842.4Literature French French drama Classic period 1600–1715LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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