The Dramaturgy of Edmond Rostand.

284 Pages·2017·9.86 MB·English

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LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School
1968
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Patricia Ann Elliott
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
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Elliott, Patricia Ann, "The Dramaturgy of Edmond Rostand." (1968). LSU Historical Dissertations and
Theses. 1483.
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ELLIOTT, Patricia Ann, 1937-
THE DRAMATURGY OF EDMOND ROSTAND.
[Portions of Text in French].
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and
Mechanical College, Ph.D., 1968
Language and Literature, modern
University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan
THE DRAMATURGY OF EDMOND ROSTAND
A Dissertation
Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the
Louisiana State University and
Agricultural and Mechanical College
in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
m
The Department of Foreign Languages
by
Patricia Ann Elliott
B.A., Catawba College, 1958
M.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1962
August, 1968
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I wish to express my deep personal appreciation to
Professor Elliott Dow Healy for his inspiration to me and
guidance of my studies at Louisiana State University, and
particularly for his direction of this dissertation.
I am especially grateful to my parents for their
encouragement throughout my studies.
r
ii
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CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION ......................................... I
I. THE ARRANGEMENT OR P L O T ...................... 20
II. DEVELOPMENT OF CHARACTER. . . . . 46
III. THOUGHT: THEMES AND IDEAS................... 106
IV. LANGUAGE....................................... 161
V. MUSIC AND SPECTACLE.......................... 225
CONCLUSION........................................... 264
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................. 271
V I T A ................................................. 275
lii
ABSTRACT
The spectacular success of Edmond Rostand's dramas
at the turn of the nineteenth century poses the question as
to what facets of the plays are responsible for their suc­
cess. This investigation proposes to examine Rostand's
dramaturgy through a study of the structure of the plays.
The frame of reference used is the six constituent elements
which Aristotle deemed requisite for tragedy: plot, charac
ter, thought, diction, i.e., language and dialogue, music
and spectacle.
The total study reveals that Rostand, like Aristotle
placed primary emphasis on plot construction. Examination
of the plots of the plays reveals that the playwright care­
fully, logically, and artistically arranged their structure
according to both story and form.
Skillful character creations support the prominence
and convey the impact of the plot. Rostand's forte is the
portrayal of the hero. This study proposes that each hero
reflects a magnification of a certain phase in life; one
might then interpret this proposal to indicate that the
heroes, taken in chronological order, represent the psycho­
logical maturation process in man. Moreover, merging the
collective heroes, one finds that each represents an
exaggerated facet of man; together they comprise the total
man. This study does not support the general allegation
that the feminine characters in Rostand's plays are weak,
for when the heroines' actions have direct bearing on the
outcome of the plays, they are well drawn.
Six universal themes which are found consistently in
Rostand's plays are discussed: love; idealism; optimism;
death and the significance of life as revealed in death;
the concept of illusion versus reality, including disillu­
sionment; and courage, including the concept of le panache.
These universal themes are individualized by the episodes of
the plot.
The playwright's use of language is a tribute to his
dramatic and poetic skill. The dialogue is usually refined,
poetic, aristocratic, and for the most part appropriate for
the personages. The plays are written primarily in alexan­
drine couplets. Innovations within the lines inject move­
ment; deviations into other syllable counts and rhyme schemes
provide variety and create different moods. Rostand has
chosen words to convey precise meaning and then embellished
the language to create mood and establish tone. In Chante-
cler he selected words for their sound qualities as well.
He relies heavily on images of nature and the universe.
Total theatrical effect is achieved with music and
spectacle. Rostand employed music in each play in varying
degrees. It serves as a natural accompaniment to action
v
and to create moods. Spectacle is discussed in terms of
decor and coups de theatre. Its effectiveness is evident
in that the decor either completely or partially assists in
giving information, in aiding characterization, in estab­
lishing the level of probability, and in creating mood and
atmosphere. Obviously the playwright exploits spectacle in
order to complement the action of his dramas.
Throughout his plays Rostand skillfully substantiates
his dramaturgical, artistic, and poetic prowess. His innate
sense of the dramatic as well as his precision 'in composi­
tion results in technically sound artistic creations, and
thus accounts in large measure for their success.
vi
INTRODUCTION
The dramatic works of Edmond Rostand may be likened
to a brilliant star which appeared suddenly on the Parisian
'theatrical horizon, blazed incandescently for a short time,
then with the mortality of a spectacular comet fell quickly
into darkness. Except for occasional sparks consisting of
performances of Cyrano de Bergerac, the glittering poetic
evocations live only in the memories of those fortunate to
have witnessed the spectacles and in the hearts of eternal
romantics.
The verve and enthusiasm evident in the lively, color­
ful work of the poet-dramatist are sometimes attributed to
His Provencal temperament. Born in Marseille, April 1, 1868,
Rostand spent his early youth in an atmosphere of cultural
activities and economic comfort.1 Jules Haraszti, in Edmond
Rostand, says, "Malgre quelques rares nuages fugitufs, le
ciel bleu de la Mediterranee ne cessera de briller avec toute
.. sa splendeur au-dessus de cet enfant gate de la fortune. "2
At the Marseille lycee he won prizes in history and French.3
From Marseilles he went to Paris at the age of sixteen, where
he studied at the college Stanislas. After the baccalau-
reat, he continued studies in law while devoting most of his
time to reading and to writing verse.4
In 1887 Rostand received public literary recognition
1
V.
for his essay, "Deux romanciers de Provence, Honore d'Urfe
et Emile Zola," winning the Marechal de Villars prize in
the competition at the Academie de Marseille.
Jean Suberville in Le Theatre d'Edmond Rostand dis­
cusses the milieu in which the young Rostand found himself
in Paris and comments, "le nouveau Parisien au regard ardent
et melancolique, entre dans un monde qui ne ressemble pas a
son ame."^ Leaning toward les heros and art, he found that
Naturalism, dilettantism and devotion to beauty of form had
replaced idealism and patriotism. "Dieu, la Patrie, l.’ame,
l’ldealisme s'en vont.... On n'aspire plus a vivre: on subit
la v i e . . . Suberville concludes: "Ainsi, par un instinct
atavique, corroborant l'impulsion de sa propre nature,
obeissant a l'appel des heros qui voulaient naxtre de lui,
Rostand s'est evade de sa generation sceptique, et s’est
tourne vers la jeunesse qui suivait la siepne et dont il a
pressenti le grand destin."^
In 1890 Rostand published Les Musardies, a collection
of poems which Emile Faguet in "La Vie et l'oeuvre d’Edmond
Rostand," Avant propos du Tome ler des Oeuvres completes
illustrees d'Edmond Rostand describes as "vers gais , riants,
alertes, simples, verdissants,...poemes tres ingenieux, la
plupart exquis deja de prestesse, de desinvolture et d'une
sentimentalite legere, mousseuse et capiteuse.''^
This same year he married Rosemonde Gerard, who, ac­
cording to Paul Faure in Vingt ans d'intimite avec Edmond
Ros tand,9 was the inspiration, the comforting, understanding