Molière's Spanish Connection: Seventeenth-Century Spanish Theatrical Influence on Imaginary Identity in Molière

ISBN-13: 9780820441214 / Angielski / Twarda / 2001 / 178 str.

Thomas P. Finn

Opis

Part of the enduring charm of Moliere s characters stems from their insistent belief, in the face of overwhelming odds, that they can be whatever they choose. This idea of identity as a mercurial and resilient force is one Moliere was able to expand and explore largely because of his knowledge of early-seventeenth-century Spanish theatre. While the impact of Italian and Latin sources has been well documented, in this volume, Thomas P. Finn offers socio-historical as well as textual analyses to trace the comedia s influence on Moliere s concept of identity. Through an in-depth study of specific works and general trends, he shows how Moliere reworked and reinvigorated the Spanish process of identity construction and distribution. By examining this neglected aspect of Moliere s work, Finn s study exposes identity largely as a product of the imagination that individual as well as societal forces, on both sides of the Pyrenees, sought to control."

Recenzje

"This comparative study of Spanish and French comedy is a clear and persuasive account of what two great traditions shared and how they diverged. Although some scholars have denied that Molière had any contact with Spanish drama, Thomas P. Finn makes a strong case for such familiarity. He shows both which aspects of the comedia would most have appealed to Molière and how he transformed what he found there. This highly readable and thought-provoking book contains detailed analyses of some of Molière's greatest comedies." (Perry Gethner, Professor of French, Oklahoma State University, Tulsa, Oklahoma)

O autorze

The Author: Thomas P. Finn is Assistant Professor of French and Spanish at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. He has published articles on Molière's relationship to Spanish theatre and has presented several papers at national and international conferences.