Jean Racine: A Critical Biography

Description

Racine the practising dramatist had been in some danger of being crowded out from the numerous books on his psychology and style. In this critical study of the man and his work, first published in 1951 and this slightly revised edition originally in 1973, Dr Brereton’s guiding principle has been to make the factual basis as accurate as it can be in the light of modern research. The result is the portrait of a sensitive and attractive figure which is none the worse for being shorn of certain legends. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Original Title Page Original Copyright Page Table of Contents Principal Dates Introduction Part I: The Varied Prospect Chapter I. Boyhood and Port-Royal Chapter II. Paris and the Vitarts Chapter III. Uzès Part II: Through the Jungle Chapter IV. The Theatre in 1663 Chapter V. Racine's Début: La Thébaïde and Alexandre Chapter VI. The Break with Port-Royal Chapter VII. Andromaque Chapter VIII. Life and Death of the Du Parc. Les Plaideurs Chapter IX. The Challenge of Corneille Chapter X. The Assault on Corneille: Britannicus Chapter XI. The Defeat of Corneille: Bérénice Chapter XII. Patrons, Friends and Lovers Chapter XIII. A Turkish Interlude: Bajazet Chapter XIV. The Fruits of Success. Mithridate, Iphigénie Chapter XV. The Quarrel of Phèdre Chapter XVI. Phèdre Part III: The Promised Land Chapter XVII. Towards Security Chapter XVIII. The Dramatist Re-born: Esther and Athalie Chapter XIX. The Eternal Theatre Chapter XX. The Bourgeois Years: Family and Religion Chapter XXI. The Last Phase Chapter XXII. The Originality of Racine Appendix: La Voisin's Testimony Notes Bibliographical Note Index