Female Heroism in the Works of Corneille and Racine

Médée, Clytemnestre, Phèdre

Series: 

Author:
Dana Lungu
This study breaks with traditional readings in terms of tragic model and tragic hero in the works of Racine and Corneille. It departs from the critical tradition of examining the tragic hero as an isolated figure, defined by autonomy; it approaches the behaviour of Médée, Clytemnestre, and Phèdre from a relational perspective. It argues that these female characters belong to the tragic hero category, hold valid and valuable ethical positions and deserve to be treated as equal to their male counterparts. It also redefines the way we look at the tragic dynamic. The characters are no longer antagonists but inadvertent collaborators working towards the tragic outcome in order to satisfy desires and beliefs about themselves and the world that are deeply rooted in their psyche. This book shows that alternative interpretations of the behaviour of Médée, Clytemnestre and Phèdre can be obtained and must be obtained by applying modern methodologies in order to challenge the biased readings from the past and to see these characters in a new light.
Copyright Year:
2023
E-Book (PDF)
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Published
ISBN:
978-90-04-54855-8
Publication:
24 Jul 2023
Hardback
Availability:
Published
ISBN:
978-90-04-51995-4
Publication:
26 Jul 2023
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Dana Lungu is a Lecturer in French at the University of Bristol. She completed her doctoral studies at the University of Bristol in 2019 and has published in Early Modern French Studies.
Contents
Acknowledgements and Dedication

Introduction
 1 The Tragic Motif and Ahistorical Tragic Heroines
 2 Medea, Clytemnestra and Phaedra as Early Modern Tragic Heroines
 3 The Problematic Relationship of Médée, Clytemnestre and Phèdre with the Critics
 4 Alternatives to the Mainstream
 5 Approaches to Staging the Classical Plays

1 Exploring the Ethical Perspective of Médée, Clytemnestre and Phèdre: an Ethics of Care Approach
 1 Tragedy’s Relationship to Ethics: Moral Approaches to the Tragic Conflict
 2 Revalorisation of Emotions and Ethics of Care: a Different Approach to Moral Dilemmas
 3 Médée: Self-Reliance and Heroism
 4 Clytemnestre: Relationships Are the Price to Pay for Power
 5 Phèdre: Going against the Norms in the Pursuit of Passion and Safety
 6 Conclusion

2 The Games That Médée, Clytemnestre and Phèdre Play: a Reading in Transactional Analysis
 1 Psychoanalytical Readings and Their Troubled Relationship with Médée, Clytemnestre, and Phèdre
 2 Médée and the ‘Always’ Script
 3 Clytemnestre and the ‘After’ Script
 4 Phèdre and the ‘See What You Made Me Do’ Game
 5 Conclusion

3 Médée, Clytemnestre and Phèdre on the Twentieth Century Stage
 1 Contemporary Trends in Staging French Classical Tragedy
 2 Contemporary Performances
 3 Conclusion
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
Scholars and students in the French Studies academic community in United Kingdom, Europe and the United States. Due to its interdisciplinary nature the book will also appeal to scholars with an interest in Early Modern Studies particularly tragedy as well as scholars and practitioners in Theatre Studies.
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