Thébaïde (Root)

Thébaïde or the Enemy brothers is a Tragédie in five acts (respectively comprising 6,4,6,3 and 6 scenes) and in worms (1516 Alexandrin S) of Jean Racine (the first of the author) represented, without much success, the June 20th 1664 with the Petit-Bourbon. It has as a subject the combat and the death of the two young people wire of Oedipus, like that of Antigone. This subject had already occupied many authors before Racine. Thus, this young playwright still rather inexperienced is inspired in particular by: the '' Antigone '' of Sophocle, the '' Phéniciennes '' of Euripide, but especially of the '' Antigone '' of Rotrou as well as invoice of the tragedies of Crow. It is also extremely probable that for this first part, Molière, by which the part was to be played, contributed to its drafting.

Étéocle and Polynice, the two enemy brothers, is fought with fury, in spite of supplications of their mother Jocaste and their Antigone sister, in spite of the noble devotion of their two cousins, Ménécée and Hémon, wire of Créon. All these characters, without exceptions are killed, kill themselves or die of pain during the part. Their characters are still rather slightly drawn: Étéocle and Polynice are of a monotonous violence, Jocaste tired by these declamations more than it does not touch, Créon is a quite black and quite cynical traitor. However the beautiful ones towards are not rare in this part, which was the first attempt, still hesitant, of a large poet.

Characters

the scene is in Thèbes, in a room of the royal palace.

ÉTÉOCLE : king de Thèbes
POLYNICE : brother of Étéocle
JOCASTE : mother of these two princes and Antigone
ANTIGONE : sister of Étéocle and Polynice
CRÉON : uncle of the princes and the princess
HÉMON : wire of Créon, lover of Antigone
OLYMPE : confidante of Jocaste
ATTALE : confidant of Créon
UN SOLDAT of the army of Polynice
G ardes

See too

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