Dom Juan or the feast of stone

Dom Juan or the Feast of stone is a comedy of Molière in five acts (respectively comprising 3,5,5,8 and 6 scenes) and in Prose created the February 15th 1665 with the Théâtre of the Palais Royal.

The title of the part Dom Juan is written with a “m”. Gift with “N” is the title given to noble in Spain. However Molière gives to the Spanish title another orthography: Dom, old French word (of dominum), allotted to the monks of some kinds.

Characters

  • DOM JUAN, wire of Dom Louis.

  • SGANARELLE, servant of Dom Juan.
  • DONE ELVIRE, woman of Dom Juan.
  • GUSMAN, rider of Gives Elvire.
  • DOM CARLOS & DOM ALONSE, brothers of Gives Elvire.
  • DOM LOUIS, father of Dom Juan.
  • CHARLOTTE & MATHURINE, country-women.
  • PIERROT, peasant.
  • LA STATUE of the commander.
  • LA VIOLETTE & RAGOTIN, lackey of Dom Juan.
  • Mr. DIMANCHE, merchant.
  • LA RAMÉE, hired killer.
  • FRANCISQUE, poor.
  • UN SPECTRE.

Summary

This part describes a character inaccurate, tempting, Libertin and blasphemer . Dom Juan, alive noble young person in Sicily, accompanied by its faithful Sganarelle servant, accumulates the conquests in love, alluring the noble young girls and the maidservants with same success. Only the conquest interests it and the young women are abandoned as soon as they are allured, even after a marriage. But one of them, Gives Elvire, amongst other things will give him well wire to retordre with the arrival of his/her two brothers in Sicily to find Dom Juan and to punish it affront made in their connection: indeed, Dom Juan removed Done Elvire of a convent in order to marry it, then gave up it. Its conquests are worth certain enmities and certain duels to him to which it is not concealed. It posts a certain cynicism in the relations with its close relations, in particular with his father (Dom Louis) and calls into question the Christian conditions. He likes the challenges, until that of the end: the meal with the Statue of the Commander, that Dom Juan had killed before, which will carry it in the flames of the Hell. In its Moliere account created a character having all the defects of its time but by explaining its goals, its convictions and its reasoning.

Act I

Gusman, rider of Gives Elvire, converses with Sganarelle, servant of Dom Juan. It is astonished that Dom Juan gave up Done Elvire, that it had married after to have removed it convent.

Sganarelle, off-hand, answers the interrogations of Gusman. It removes its illusions to him and outlines a portrait of its Master, free thinker, " large malicious lord homme" and " epousor with all mains" . Arrive Dom Juan: he entrusts to Sganarelle that only the conquest interests it. He evokes the inconstancy of the love and reveals with his servant the secrecy of his own character: he can stick to no woman, and dreams, the such large conquerors, of unceasingly started again successes. Free one to launch out the here in a news " company amoureuse" : it is a question of removing beautiful, during the walk at sea which offers to him its been engaged. But Elvire occurs, painful and made indignant. It reproaches Dom Juan its treason and asks him accounts. Dom Juan takes refuge in an impudent hypocrisy and answers him with the most odious cynicism. Elvire calls on him the punishment of the sky and leaves it by threatening it of its revenge. Dom Juan, impassive, is on the point of concluding its " conquest amoureuse" about which he spoke in Sganarelle.

Act II

Dom Juan failed in its company in love. Whereas it wished to remove the young girl at sea, a gust of wind turned over its boat. It was saved only thanks to the intervention of Pierrot, a peasant. Pierrot and Charlotte discuss this rescue. The young man tells how it saved shipwreck a large lord magnificiently vêtu.

But this accident did not moderate the heats of Dom Juan. Hardly given of its emotions, It makes the soft eyes with a young country-woman, Mathurine. Pierrot leaves and Dom Juan enters in scene. He undertakes to allure Charlotte and the marriage promises to him. Charlotte, one moment hesitant lets herself gain by the ambition to become a noble lady. Pierrot, of return, finds Dom Juan kissing the hand of Charlotte. It is annoyed, interposes but must quickly leave the scene under the bellows of that which it however has just saved of the drowning. Sganarelle tries to interpose and receives some slaps which were not intended to him.

Dom Juan makes the court with Charlotte. Mathurine, the young country-woman whom it allured previously, appears. The two country-women throw one with the other the promises of marriage that Dom Juan their made. The seducer tries to persuade each one of them which she is only liked. A servant comes to warn Dom Juan that armed men are with his research. He escapes.

Act III

Dom Juan, out of dress of countryside and Sganarelle, dress of doctor, travel through the forest. Dom Juan entrusts to Sganarelle its skepticism on medicine. It is according to him a string of absurdities. It also states to him that it does not believe more in a God that in medicine. Sganarelle, scandalized once more, tries to show the existence of God. In vain.

The two men were mislaid. They ask their way a poor fellow who shows the way of the city to them. The man makes them alms. Dom Juan gives him a gold coin " for the love of humanity " .

Dom Juan hears noises of sword. It carries help and saves a gentleman attacked by three robbers. It is about Dom Carlos, one of the brothers of Elvire left to his continuation. The two men, who do not know each other, do not take conscience of the incongruity of the situation.

Dom Alonse, another brother of Elvire joined them. He, recognizes Dom Juan the enemy of their family. Dom Carlos persuades his brother to give to later revenge against a man who so liberally has just saved the life to him.

Dom Juan promises in Dom Carlos to be with his orders when it wishes it. Remained only, Dom Juan and Sganarelle see, between the trees, the tomb of a Commander. It is about the commander that Dom Juan killed in duel six months before. This one, by bravado, invites the statue of late to dine. The statue inclines the head and indicates thus that it accepts the invitation.

Act IV

The evening even, Dom Juan, returns at his place, and awaits its dinner. At his place a crowd the importunate ones follow one another: Mr. Dimanche, his creditor. Dom Juan covers the intruder of as well compliments as this one does not have time to claim its due. Arrive then Dom Louis, father of Dom Juan, which reproaches his/her son his dishonouring control. Dom Juan expresses with respect to his/her father only one cold insolence. Then it is the turn of Elvire. Touched by the grace, she asks Dom Juan, before turning over to the convent, giving up the defect and to convert themselves into God. Vain intervention. Dom Juan is however allured by the young woman and has many difficulties of letting it leave. Dom Juan sits down finally at table, but he forgot his guest: the statue of the Commander. It invites Dom Juan to dine the following day.

Act V

Reversal of situation . Dom Juan announces with his/her father that it converted. The old man is touched by this news and is pleased some. Sganarelle, him also is delighted by the news. But Dom Juan undeceives it quickly and indicates to him that this is only pure hypocrisy. Dom Carlos, the brother of Elvire, comes to give its orders to Dom Juan, while requiring of him to remain faithful to his/her sister. Dom Juan is cut off behind its supposed conversion.

Dom Juan went too far. The sky decides to give an ultimate chance to this shameless: a veiled woman, having the pace of a spectrum and the voice of Elvire, asks Dom Juan of repentance. Dom Juan wants to strike the spectrum, but this one disappears.

Dom Juan let pass its last chance. The statue of the Commander emerges then. She recalls to Dom Juan the promise that it made him: to share with it its meal. It involves Dom Juan in the abysses of the ground, in hell. Sganarelle, remained only, claims, in vain, its pledges and it is sad to have lost them.

Reactions

This part of Molière caused with its creation a general outcry on behalf of the Cabal. Written just after Tartuffe , where Molière fustigated the hypocrisy of certain excessively pious people, it seems with the eyes of the monks of the time a Apologie for the Libertinage. The only defender of the religion seems to be Sganarelle for which the religion resembles extremely superstition and whose comic role is undeniable. It thus will undergo, as of its second representation an attack in rule. One will ask Molière to remove certain scenes (scene of poor) and certain counterparts (my pledges, my pledges) which seemed to turn in derision the religion. It will be published only in 1682 in often mutilated versions and it is not that in 1884 qu ' it will be rejouée for the first time in its original version.

It should be noted that Molière took as a starting point the main character of El Burlador de Sevilla Convidado by will piedra there of Tirso de Molina, with the difference that this Dom Juan Spanish, which spends its time to disavow God and allure the women, requires to be confessed before its death at the time of the outcome.

Intentions of Molière

Molière maintains ambiguity on his intentions by describing a character who is not completely black. He is intelligent and courageous. In its verbal duels against Sganarelle, against its creditor and his father, it gains high the hand. In addition, its cynicism and its hypocrisy can only counterirritate the spectator.

In fact, the part is a reflection on libertinage and its excesses. Molière is follower of the Libre-pensée, but respects the religious convictions. He attacks mainly any form of hypocrisy that it is that of the excessively pious person Tartuffe or that of the Libertin. Dom Juan is ready with very to satisfy its pleasures. The end of Dom Juan is very ambiguous. Admittedly, Dom Juan is punished of its sins by death, it is destroyed physically (indeed the didascalies indicate it as swallowed by the ground), the conclusion thus seems moral (as one can await it at the time). Nevertheless, can one say that a hero is overcome if he preferred to die rather than to give up his convictions?

Work analyzes

Dom Juan

; Dom Juan or disproportion Some see in Dom Juan, the prototype of disproportion and the proof of a moral disproportion.

Large young and beautiful Spanish lord he is malicious man of a total insolence, sometimes violent. Dom Juan handles with ease the irony and the sarcastic remark, impertinence and offense, irreverence and disrespect. He personifies a pitiless fight between the classicism and the baroque. Such Prométhée, it is released by death, i.e. it enters (die) triumphing measurement.

; A transgressive character Dom Juan, it is the transgression of manners because it is tempting it does not respect the marriage, it allures the women, including those which are promised (see the scene with Charlotte and Pierrot). Dom juan is the Master of the play.

It transgresses the social rules, it lives with the variation, in escape during half of the part, and it represents a danger to the company insofar as it allures all the women. It is transgressive with respect to the rules imposed by its birth, its nobility and her father. It does not test any respect towards this last and even wishes him to die (act IV). He refuses to regulate his control as its row would require it. His/her father, Dom Louis, show it to be the shame of his family in a tirade which one could describe as cornélienne.

There is also at Dom Juan, the transgression of the sky. He believes only that " two and two are quatre". He refuses, on several occasions repentance, he keeps an attitude of freethinking against all the social codes of the time. Even with its death, he refused to disavow himself, he remained deviating until the end.

It is also a man of the experimentation, which faces each new problem, and solves it at the time. There is also at Dom Juan the temptation of the Sky. One can think that, in the scene of poor, or its false redemption, it tests, it awaits a reaction, and while not receiving, it continues to deny it.

Sganarelle

Sganarelle, as a servant, is protective Faith only by fear of beyond. Present since the first comedies of Molière, in this part, it comes in counterpoint to bring of humanity and the laughter to a part which without him would have been quite black. But Sganarelle of Dom Juan dissociates other servants of Molière; one can qualify it Asexuel insofar as it " récupère" not conquests of Dom Juan, which could make a Moliéresque servant.

Sganarelle often mixes the popular sayings, shown a certain good sense, but remains rather awkward. On the other hand, the paradoxical praise (celebrates it praise of the Tobacco , act I, scene 1) is a complex literary process. He addresses himself to Gusman, the servant of Gives Elvire in a disconcerting way: far from benefitting from this moment of equality (as a servant), to be expressed in the patois which often appears at Molière he speaks as well as would do it Dom Juan.

In act I, scene 1, Sganarelle specify that he hates his Master but must follow it, more by cowardice that by moral direction. One can nevertheless wonder about the true reasons which justify it. Indeed, it does not cease beseeching its Master of repentance and threatens it of the divine punishment. There is something of paradoxical in its attitude. Undoubtedly Sganarelle, from the point of view of the company, would find in the order of the things that Dom Juan dies. It is not fascinated less by it by this man of exception, which, by its personality, by its transgression, takes a monstrous dimension. Undoubtedly he wonders until where Dom Juan can go… Thus Sganarelle really does not wish that Dom Juan die. However with died of this last, he will regret it only because he owed him of the money, " my pledges! my gages" , while Sganarelle " social" and the death of Dom Juan accept will justify.

Thus, far from being erased in front of the character of Dom Juan, Sganarelle is also problematic.

The Master-servant ratios

Which are the relationship between the Master Dom Juan and his Sganarelle servant?

In the first scene, Sganarelle makes a very pejorative portrait of its Master, a blame, in Gusman, servant of Elvire. He highly criticizes it by describing it as: “pourceau of Epicure”, “true Sardanapale”, “of heretic”… It introduces his Master like a libertine without any morals: “nothing is too hot nor too cold for him”. It tried to reason its Master in connection with his manners which it does not approve: “It reduces to me to applaud what my heart hates”, but in vain. Moreover, Sganarelle believes in a God and fears the divine fury if Dom Juan repend not. One can affirm that Sganarelle fears its Master: “fear in me makes the office of the zeal”. For example, with scene 4 of act II with the country-women: “my Master is cheating they took care not to believe it”. Indeed, it is caught up with when it sees Dom Juan returning: it is afraid of the reprisals. Nevertheless, it takes part in the least adventure undertaken by the large malicious lord man.

Sganarelle fulfills its functions of servant and even more. It maintains an almost fraternal relation with its Master because it represents its confidant and the only person always at her sides. He is his single interlocutor. He remains almost always there in the serious moments: with M.Dimanche, the country-women… Dom Juan seems to be the utopian double of Sganarelle. Indeed, it incarnates almost all that it would have liked to be. The servant tests a deep admiration for the audacity and the capacity rhetoric of his Master: “Ah what a man! What a man! ” (after the visit of Dom Juan in his/her father). However, in the last scene Sganarelle is sad but what imports more in its eyes, they are its not paid pledges: “My pledges! my pledges! ”.

Sganarelle is in addition, as a servant of comedy (an artefact specific to the comedy), the intercessor of the public, i.e. an intermediary between the public and the character of Dom Juan. In scene 1 of act I, it presents Dom Juan as the propriety obliges it, by criticizing it highly, but so awkwardly that the character can keep some charm when it presents itself his passion of the conquest in love (act I, scene 2). It is Sganarelle also which pushes Dom Juan to acknowledge its atheism or its rationalism (equivalents by the excessively pious people): " I believe that two and two are four… ". And especially which will révélèra with the public the hypocrisy of Dom Juan towards Dom Louis, whereas it could have deceived the spectator. This is why it will have the last word, by drawing morals from the part, even if this morals is framed by " My pledges! My pledges! " : it matters that there remains a buffoon.

In conclusion, one can say that Dom Juan cannot separate from its servant, they are one for the other besides a kind to put forward reciprocal. This first represents the dark side of the part while Sganarelle is the entertainer, that which slackens the atmosphere, but also the intercessor of the public. The role that reserved Molière besides, because most theatrical of all. In spite of their friendly relations, Sganarelle remains an inferior. One century will have to be waited so that the servants start to incarnate claims, and leave by there a role solidified in the theatrical artefact, as one can see it in the Marriage of Barber of Beaumarchais.

Outcome

a tragic outcome, but which remains comic (act V, scenes 4,5 and 6).

It is known that Dom Juan is carried in the Flames of the Hells by the Statue of the Commander.

Dom Juan dies, one could be believed in the outcome of a tragedy. But very quickly, the comic register returns to the gallop with the final counterpart of Sganarelle: “My pledges, my pledges! ”; pained Sganarelle, not of died of its Master but of the loss of his money.

The punishment of Dom Juan can appear exemplary: a man who defies all the social laws and the divine power cannot survive. However the comic one of this final counterpart cancels the desired effect: God does not have the last mot. the part finishes himself on a note bouffonne and the Sganarelle commander states a morals.

The sky employs all the possible ways in order to convince Dom Juan, and must be solved to use violence. Finally Dom Juan never goes repentance, nobody will succeed in convincing it and overcoming his logic.

Molière raised Dom Juan (libertine invented by Tirso de Molina in 1630) with the row of myth, by giving him a depth and a certain complexity.

Register

In a first access, we can suggest that because of its outcome this part is tragic but with more attention one notices than all along the part is rocked by the comic register. Indeed during the part, we face situations which give birth to the laughter or the smile starting from a contradiction. This situation is shifted and creates a sudden variation compared to what is awaited. This laughter or smiles is caused by several elements of the part, in particular the behavior, the mentality of Dom Juan, the dress or the register of language of certain characters… Dom Juan is thus a tragi-comedy

Famous counterparts

  • No matter what can say Aristote, and all philosophy, it is nothing equal to the tobacco, it is the passion of the decent people; and which lives without tobacco, is not worthy of living. (Sganarelle, act I, scene I)
  • … A large malicious lord man is a terrible thing. (Sganarelle, act I, scene I)
  • The inclinations incipient after all, have unexplainable charms, and all the pleasure of the love is in the change. (Dom Juan, act I, scene II)
  • I want to give you one louis of gold… and I give it to you for the love of humanity. (Dom Juan, act III, scene II))
  • The birth is nothing where the virtue is not. (Dom Louis, act IV, scene IV)
  • " I believe that two and two make four sganarelle, and that four and four make eight. - beautiful belief! "

Adaptations

Internal bonds

External bonds

  • Dom Juan, a free man? (Magister site, with four vidéos).
  • All representations on site CÉSAR
  • Dom Juan
  • Toutmoliere
  • All on Don Juan
  • El gift Juan of zorrilla

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