Women Dramatists, Humor, and the French Stage

Synopsis

Filling a critical void, this book examines French women dramatists of the nineteenth century who managed to have their works staged prior to the lifting of censorship laws in 1864. Sophie de Bawr (1773 1860), Sophie Gay (1776 1852), Virginie Ancelot (1792 1875), and Delphine Gay de Girardin (1804 1855) all staged successful plays at Paris's top venues (Theatre Francais and Odeon) or at other selective theatres (Ambigu-Comique, Vaudeville, Gymnase) during this period without the aid or protection of a male coauthor. Between 1802 and 1855, all four of these dramatists were heavily involved in the literary scene of their day and hosted their own salons, venues essential for any male author wishing to see his works published and accepted among the public. While not always directly engaged in the politics of the day in their theater, these dramatists were aware of and influenced by the public sphere. Though none staged what today's critics would refer to as overtly feminist drama, through their use of humor, Bawr, Gay, Ancelot, and Girardin all cast aspersion upon patriarchal dominance and reconstructed ideals of womanhood that rejected traditional submissive roles. "

Copyright:

2014

Book Details

Book Quality:

Publisher Quality

ISBN-13:

9781137452863

Publisher:

Palgrave Macmillan

Date of Addition:

03/25/17

Copyrighted By:

Springer

Adult content:

No

Language:

English

Has Image Descriptions:

No

Categories:

Nonfiction, Art and Architecture, Literature and Fiction, Drama, Plays and Theater, Language Arts

Submitted By:

Bookshare Staff

Usage Restrictions:

This is a copyrighted book.