Rules, Rule-Breaking, and French Neoclassicism: Crash Course Theater #20

Summary

This Crash Course Theater episode explores French Neoclassicism, focusing on the strict rules that shaped 17th-century drama. Host Mike Rugnetta explains the five key tenets—verisimilitude, decorum, separation of styles, the unities of time, place, and action, and the five-act structure—established by Le Pleiade and the Academie Francaise. The episode contrasts the approaches of Racine, who masterfully adhered to these rules in tragedies like Phèdre, with Corneille, whose adventurous Le Cid flouted conventions yet captivated audiences. Through lively narration, examples, and historical context, viewers gain insight into how these playwrights shaped French theater, balancing moral instruction, emotional intensity, and dramatic elegance.

Takeaways

• 🎭 French neoclassical drama developed slowly after the Renaissance arrived late in France, influenced by Classical models and Latin texts.
• 📜 The French neoclassical framework emerged around 1550 with Le Pleiade and was later codified by the Academie Francaise in 1636.
• ✅ Five main rules governed French neoclassical plays: verisimilitude, decorum, no mixing of dramatic styles, unities of time/place/action, and five-act structure.
• 👀 Verisimilitude required that plays be believable—no gods, monsters, or breaking the fourth wall.
• ⚖️ Decorum meant that plays should teach and uphold French morals, rewarding good characters and punishing bad ones, while avoiding violence and defamation.
• 😂 Tragedy and comedy were kept strictly separate, with serious plays featuring nobility and comedies focusing on lower-class love stories.
• ⏳ Unities of time, place, and action were adopted, meaning plays occur in one location, within one day, and follow a single plot.
• ✍️ Racine exemplified elegant adherence to the rules, focusing on simple plots, complex emotions, and the inner torment of characters like in 'Phèdre'.
• ⚔️ Corneille, author of 'Le Cid', often bent or broke the rules, creating complex plots with characters exercising free will, leading to scandal but popular acclaim.
• 🇫🇷 French neoclassicism dominated for over a century, shaping France as a cultural hub, and when executed well, its plays were psychologically intense and forceful.
• 💡 While Racine’s works are emotionally intense and tragic, the humor and lighter aspects of French Renaissance theater were also present but less emphasized.

Q & A

What historical context led to the rise of neoclassicism in French theater?

Neoclassicism in French theater emerged after political upheaval and religious wars in France. By the late 16th and early 17th centuries, under the boy kings Louis XIII and Louis XIV and ministers Cardinal Richelieu and Cardinal Mazarin, the country stabilized and fostered cultural growth, including support for theater.

Who were Le Pleiade and what role did they play in French neoclassical drama?

Le Pleiade was a group of seven French authors around 1550 who set up rules for writing drama, emphasizing classical influences. Their ideas laid the foundation for neoclassical drama and were later absorbed by the Academie Francaise.

What are the five main rules of French neoclassical drama?

The five main rules are: 1) Verisimilitude – action must be believable, 2) Decorum – drama must teach, please, and uphold morals, 3) No mixing of dramatic styles – comedies for middle/lower classes and tragedies for nobility, 4) Unities – unity of time, place, and action, 5) Five acts – plays should follow a five-act structure, based on Seneca.

How does verisimilitude affect the way plays were written?

Verisimilitude requires that the action onstage must be realistic and believable, forbidding fantastical elements like gods, ghosts, or monsters. Characters also avoid breaking the fourth wall or delivering soliloquies, often using friends or maids as sounding boards instead.

What is the significance of the unities in French neoclassical drama?

The unities—time, place, and action—dictate that plays should occur within a single day, in a single location, and follow one main plot. While Aristotle focused mainly on unity of action, the French extended this principle to time and place, reflecting their preference for order and centralization.

How did Racine and Corneille differ in their approach to neoclassical rules?

Racine strictly adhered to the rules, creating elegant, concentrated dramas with internal emotional conflicts, like 'Phèdre.' Corneille, on the other hand, was more flexible, focusing on heroic characters and complex plots, which sometimes violated the rules, as in 'Le Cid.'

What is an alexandrine, and how did Racine use it in his plays?

An alexandrine is a twelve-syllable line of iambic hexameter, divided by a caesura into two six-syllable parts. Racine used it to create a formal, stately rhythm that enhances the emotional intensity and psychological depth of his characters.

Why did 'Le Cid' cause controversy when it premiered?

'Le Cid' caused controversy because it violated several neoclassical rules: it had multiple locations, compressed action into a single day, included offstage deaths, and ended happily, which some intellectuals saw as implausible and immoral. Despite this, its virtuous characters and emotional impact won popular acclaim.

What themes differentiate Racine’s tragedies from Corneille’s plays?

Racine’s tragedies focus on women doomed by fate, with simple plots and complex emotional depth. Corneille’s plays emphasize male heroes exercising free will, featuring complex plots and multiple actions, often showcasing ambition and honor.

How did the Academie Francaise respond to the controversy over 'Le Cid'?

The Academie Francaise acknowledged that 'Le Cid' violated many neoclassical rules, but ultimately recognized its artistic merit, particularly in its creation of virtuous characters and its emotional impact. Afterward, Corneille adjusted his writing to adhere more closely to the rules.

Why was neoclassicism influential in making France a cultural center in Europe?

Neoclassicism promoted a strict, austere style that emphasized order, moral clarity, and technical mastery. This disciplined approach to theater and arts contributed to France’s dominance in European culture during the 17th and early 18th centuries.

How did French neoclassical drama differ in its treatment of comedy and tragedy?

Comedies were restricted to humorous stories about middle- and lower-class people, typically involving love and social folly, while tragedies focused on nobility, serious moral dilemmas, and emotionally intense situations. Mixing these styles within a play was forbidden.