Tartuffe: A New Verse Translation: A Norton Critical Edition (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780393931396)

His biting satire, witty dialogue, and irreverent staging have made him a favorite with theatergoers for four centuries. This Norton Critical Edition of Moli?re's most controversial and most often-performed play is based on Constance Congdon's acclaimed new verse translation. It is accompanied by explanatory annotations and nine illustrations of the seventeenth-century farce.

"Backgrounds and Sources" draws readers' attention to the real-life controversy Moli?re faced following the opening of Tartuffe, which was immediately banned by the Church. Both sides of the argument surrounding Tartuffe are presented in contemporary documents translated and annotated by Virginia Scott, among them Moli?re's three petitions to King Louis XIV, Pierre Roull? on the monarchy, letters by Boileau and Charles Robinet, and Hardouin de P?r?fixe on the law.

Assessments of Tartuffe as a production are given in seminal reviews by Harold Clurman and John Peter. Constantin Stanislavsky and Louis Jovet discuss the challenges they faced in preparing for modern productions of Tartuffe.

From the wealth of critical commentary on Tartuffe both in the United States and in France, the editors have chosen nine interpretations focusing on the central issues of translation, religion, social history, staging, and international adaptation. Contributors include Nancy Senior, Emanuel S. Chill, Roger W. Herzel, P. Munoz Simonds, Pamela Saur, William J. Beck, Mechele Leon, Wilma Newberry, and Cheryl Kennedy McFarren.

A Chronology of Moli?re's life and work and a Chronology are included.

Author: Molière
ISBN-10: 0393931390
ISBN-13: 9780393931396
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Language: English
Published: 10/01/2008
Pages: 240
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.50lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.00w x 0.60d