Captain Fracasse

by Theophile Gautier

Overview

Captain Fracasse (French: Le Capitaine Fracasse) is an 1863 novel by the French writer Théophile Gautier. It is an adventure novel set in the seventeenth century. The story has been adapted for film and television numerous times. An 1866 edition of the novel was illustrated by Gustave Doré. The novel recounts the story of the baron of Sigognac during the reign of Louis XIII of France (reign 1610-1643), a destitute nobleman who decides to abandon his castle to join a theatrical troupe out of love for a young actress. Leaving his castle in the care of a faithful old steward, he travels with the actors to Paris; his aim being also to meet the king in Paris to ask for financial help in memory of services rendered by his ancestors. When one of the actors dies, the baron replaces him in the company's productions, taking the stage name of Captain Fracasse and, against his proud nature, acting the part of a bumbling military man. He develops humility through the experience, and this in turn deepens his loving relationship with the ingénue.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783985312887
Publisher:	Otbebookpublishing
Publication date:	08/30/2021
Series:	Classics To Go
Sold by:	Bookwire
Format:	eBook
Pages:	398
File size:	973 KB

About the Author

Théophile Gautier (1811-1872) was a French poet, dramatist, novelist, journalist, and art critic whose work left an indelible mark on 19th-century literature. Born in Tarbes, Hautes-Pyrénées, Gautier moved to Paris at a young age, where he became a central figure in the Romantic movement. His early friendship with Victor Hugo, a leading Romantic, significantly influenced his literary trajectory.Gautier's poetry, particularly "Émaux et Camées" (1852), is celebrated for its precision and vivid imagery, embodying the principle of "art for art's sake" (l'art pour l'art). This concept, which he ardently championed, argued that art should be appreciated for its beauty alone, free from moral or utilitarian functions. This revolutionary idea resonated with and inspired later aesthetes and symbolists, including Charles Baudelaire and Oscar Wilde.A prolific journalist, Gautier's travel writings and art criticism were highly regarded, offering rich, descriptive accounts that transported readers to distant lands and into the heart of the contemporary art scene. His essays on ballet and theater also contributed significantly to the cultural discourse of his time.Gautier's personal life was as colorful as his prose. Known for his flamboyant style and bohemian lifestyle, he was a fixture in Parisian literary salons and a vocal advocate for artistic freedom. Despite facing criticism for his perceived detachment from social and political issues, Gautier's unwavering dedication to aestheticism cemented his legacy as a pioneer who broadened the horizons of literary and artistic expression.
Pierre Jules Théophile Gautier; 30 August 1811 – 23 October 1872) was a French poet, dramatist, novelist, journalist, and art and literary critic. While an ardent defender of Romanticism, Gautier's work is difficult to classify and remains a point of reference for many subsequent literary traditions such as Parnassianism, Symbolism, Decadence and Modernism. He was widely esteemed by writers as disparate as Balzac, Baudelaire, the Goncourt brothers, Flaubert, Pound, Eliot, James, Proust and Wilde.