The Evolution of Dramatic Procedure in Cornelian Tragedy With Emphasis Onthe Period From 1643 to 1674.
Year: 1968
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Pierre Corneille, after having written four master pieces of French classical tragedy within a seven year period, was unable in thirty additional years of writing even to approach the standard which he himself had set, in spite of the fact that there occured at no time any significant deterioration in his poetic ability.An explanation of this phenomenon can be found in an examination of the evolution of dramatic procedure in the Cornelian masterpieces and in those tragedies which follow ed them.In the four masterpieces, Le Cid, Horace, Cinna, and Polyeucte, Corneille's successful dramatic formula consists of a relatively simple plot constructed around two central themes: a political question to be solved, which leads to a physical conflict between opposing forces; and a moral issue which results from the political problem and engenders a mental conflict.While the political issue is frequently dated in interest and no longer of importance, the inner struggle is a human characteristic which gives universal appeal to the plays and to the characters.During the second stage in the evolution of Cornelian tragedy, beginning with Pompee(1643) and ending with Pertharite (1651), several major changes in dramatic procedure are noted: the moral issue is almost nonexistent, having been replaced by political concerns and ideals, and with its disappearance comes the elimination of the element of inner conflict, resulting in subjects which are wholly political and plays consisting of physical conflicts be tween opposing forces of different political beliefs.Certain romanesque and melodramatic elements are intro duced which prove detrimental to the creation of the highly restrictive classical tragedy; extremely complex and complicated plots replace the relatively simple ones of the masterpieces and result in poor or incomplete development of the principal characters and loss of spec tator interest.Likewise the will of the Cornelian hero, which in the past was in some cases almost superhuman but which always inspired its possessor actively to seek his goal, becomes so rigid and inflexible that it inspires not activity but passiveness in the protagonist and re sults in insensitive, immobile characters solving cold, uninspiring political problems.In the third period, which dates from 1659(Oedipe) to 1667(Attila) , we note only one major change from the tragedies of the previous period.The one essential dif ference is that Corneille depicts a new kind of love, based on political expediency and couched in gallant vocabulary, with its sole object a marriage leading to political advancement.It is clearly a love designed to suit the vogue for preciosite and gallantry prominent at the time, and while most of the tragedies produced during this period enjoyed a measure of success, their popularity ended with the death of preciosite.During the final stage, which includes Tite et Bere nice (1670), Pulcherie(1672), and Surena(1674), we note several major changes within the framework of Cornelian drama.These plays, like the earlier masterpieces, are psychological in nature and relatively simple in plot, with a minimum of emphasis on political ideas and maxi mum focus on character reaction.The Cornelian heroic, gallant, and political loves of the past are replaced by strong emotional love; and the element of inner conflict once again assumes a vital role.However, in this case it results solely from the passions of love, anger, and jeal ousy.These changes, made after the presentation of Racine's Andromaque, are considered too drastic and too similar to be coincidental and have caused Corneille's last three plays, although very excellent Cornelian trage dies, to be classified by most critics as imitations of Racinean tragedy.vi found which, when combined with the previously mentioned ones, will account for the decline to be seen in those tragedies written by Corneille after Polyeucte.It also appears that such a cause must of necessity be due to some variations or changes within the very framework of the Cornelian tragedy, for if there were no variations, then it follows that one could easily point to any of Corneille's tragedies, be it Horace or Pertharite, as a perfect example of the dramatic poet's ability.Such, of course, is not the case.What this study proposes to do, then, is to present a brief analysis of the four masterpieces of Corneille, and then to examine the later tragedies, from Pompee to Surena, in the light of this analysis, in an effort to determine what changes take place and their possible influence on the decline of these tragedies.Since only the serious dramas beginning with Le Cid are of real significance in this study, those plays written before Le Cid as well as the comedies and productions for music (Psyche) and spectacle (Andromede La ToIson d'Or), will not be considered.It should be pointed out here that a portion of this study, that concerned with the evolution of the element of conflict in the tragedies of Pierre Corneille, was CHAPTER I From Le Cid to Polyeucte: 1636-1643 By the time he had reached his thirtieth year, Pierre Corneille was ranked among the leading dramatists of his time, and had to his credit six comedies, one tragi-comedy, and one tragedy.Yet in all this work there was nothing to suggest the real genius which was "on the point of burst ing into full flower,*1 ^ and which did so in December, 1636 2 or early in January, 1637, with the introduction of Ije Cid.However important his plays which preceded Le Cid may have appeared to Corneille and to his contemporaries, they have since fallen into the category of his inferior works.But Le Cid opened a new epoch in the history of French drama, for with the innovation of the emphasis on mental conflict, "it pioneered the tragedy of inner con flict and sealed the fate of the tragedy of mere mis-3 fortune."It is essentially the dramatization of dual ^Lockert, op.cit., p. 29. 2 H.C. Lancaster, A History of French Dramatic Litera ture in the Seventeenth "Century, Part V, Recapitulation (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 174277 P^ 39.Critics prior to Lancaster generally accept December, 1636 as the correct date of Le Cid.The latter, however, after exten sive research, concludes that January, 1637 is the prob able date of its first presentation.3 H.Caudwell, Introduction to French Classicism (London: Macmillan and Company, LtdT, 1931), p. 37. enlist our sympathies, through the character portrayals, on the side of Rodrigue.This makes it possible for us to accept, at the end of the play, Chimene's presumed agreement to marry Rodrigue, even though he has killed her father.The physical conflict begins early in the play when \ 8 Don Gomes slaps Don Diegue, and it is sustained through out, first by Don Diegue and Don Gomes, then by Don Gomes and Rodrigue, and finally by
Source: Louisiana State University
Author: Derouen, Larry Robert
Institution: Louisiana State University
Language: English
Subfield: Literature and Literary Theory
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2903218814