Le Siege de Calais, hailed by its author in 1765 as France's 'premiere tragedie nationale', rolled into Paris like a storm. Pierre-Laurent de Belloy's play about French bravery during the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) appeared on the heels of France's defeat in the Seven Years' War (1756-1763). Le Siege de Calais was performed throughout Europe and published numerous times during the second half of the eighteenth century. De Belloy emerged as a national hero, receiving prizes from Louis XV, accolades from the city of Calais, and membership to the prestigious Academie francaise. Since the...