Central Kansas Library System

Based on Euripides' Hippolytus, this play by one of France's greatest playwrights is a magnificent example of character exposition. When the title character, Hippolytus' stepmother, receives false information that her husband, Theseus, is dead, Phedra reveals a passionate love for her stepson - an act that eventually spells doom for both characters.

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...

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...

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."...

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.

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...

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...

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...

Une édition de référence de Phèdre de Jean Racine, spécialement conçue pour la lecture sur les supports numériques. « HIPPOLYTE Non, mon père, ce cœur, c'est trop vous le celer, N'a point d'un chaste amour dédaigné de brûler. Je confesse à vos pieds ma véritable offense: J'aime; j'aime, il est vrai, malgré votre défense. Aricie à ses lois tient mes vœux asservis; La fille de Pallante a vaincu votre fils. Je l'adore, et mon...

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..."