Jean Racine

Lemaître, Jules, 1853-1914Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.5

Word count: 443K words
Chapters: 45

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Jean Racine by Jules LemaîtreAuthor: Lemaître, Jules, 1853-1914,Language: French, Class: PQ: Language and Literatures: Romance literatures: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Release Date: Jan 22, 2007

Editor's review

Jules Lemaître (1853–1914) was a French literary critic and playwright. This book is his critical study of Jean Racine, written in French and published as a public-domain eBook by Project Gutenberg. As a critic, Lemaître examines Racine's tragic works, combining textual analysis with the classical themes of character psychology, passion, and fate, in a style marked by the sensibility and rhetorical flourish characteristic of late nineteenth-century French criticism. Its value lies in offering one contemporary critic's reading of Racine, which can be set against the plays themselves to see how critical discourse shapes a classic. Readers should note that this is criticism, not a standard biography; its judgments reflect the author's personal stance and the tastes of his era. Suited to students of French literature and readers interested in the history of criticism on classical tragedy, best used after reading such major works as Phèdre and Andromaque.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Students of French literature and Racine scholars
Readers who have read Racine's major works and want to learn the history of criticism
Those interested in the style of late nineteenth-century French literary criticism
Readers with French reading ability and an interest in classical tragedy theory

Not a good fit for

Readers with no French at all and no translation available
Beginners who have not yet encountered Racine's plays and need an introductory guide
Readers expecting a biographical account of the author's life

Reading tips

Read one or two of Racine's major plays first, then the relevant chapters of this book, to compare criticism with text.
While reading, distinguish the author's judgments from the facts of the plot, treating the criticism as one interpretation rather than a final verdict.
Read alongside background material on French classical theater to understand core themes such as passion and fate.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a biography of Racine?

No. It is Jules Lemaître's critical study of Racine, focusing on critical analysis of the plays and their creative features rather than a chronological account of his life. For biographical information, look for a biography.

What level of French is needed to read it?

The original is late nineteenth-century French critical prose, with complex syntax and considerable rhetoric. Readers with upper-intermediate French and familiarity with literary terminology will find it easier to follow; beginners should start with a Chinese translation or introductory material before returning to the original.

Can I read it without having read Racine's plays?

You can, but your understanding will be limited. The book's discussions mostly revolve around characters and plots of specific plays, so without having read the originals it is hard to judge whether the author's comments are apt. It is advisable to read at least one major play first before starting this book.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Lemaître, Jules, 1853-1914 Author

Jules Lemaître (1853–1914) was a French literary critic and essayist whose biographical details are limited in publicly available sources. Fourteen of his works are held in this Chinese-language book collection, most notably the series of literary criticism Les Contemporains, published in multiple series including the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth, which shows that his critical work was sustained and systematic. He also wrote studies on Jean Racine and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, reflecting his deep interest in French classical drama and Enlightenment thinkers. Lemaître was known for critical essays that combine literary appreciation with personal judgment, often commenting on writers and works through close reading, in clear and distinctive prose. His collections offer useful material for studying late nineteenth-century French literary taste and critical practice, and hold a place in the history of French literary criticism.