Le Cid

by Pierre Corneille

Overview

The Focus Student Editions are designed for French language courses in literature and culture. Prepared with non-native French speakers in mind, these editions include an introduction (in French), the complete work, and linguistic and cultural notes in French, a current bibliography and study questions.

Le Cid, considered Corneille’s finest work, is a tragicomedy of love and honor in medieval Spain. The 1637 play was enormously popular but controversial in its time, due to its unorthodox dramatic structure, and is now considered a masterwork of French drama.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9782035839169
Publisher:	Librairie Larousse
Publication date:	01/28/2008
Edition description:	New Edition
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 1.25(h) x 9.00(d)

About the Author

Eileen M. Angelini (Ph.D. Brown University) is Professor of French at Canisius College and Fulbright Scholar. She has won multiple research grants from the U.S., French, and Canadian governments. She is a frequent presenter at national and regional conferences and the author of publications on literary analysis and on pedagogy. Her pedagogical publications focus on second language acquisition, the professions, and cross-cultural communication. Dr. Angelini is a Question Leader for the AP French Language and Culture Examination, a Senior Reviewer for the AP Audit, and a College Board Consultant.

Myrna Bell Rochester (Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles) has taught at UCLA and at Stanford University. She is the co-author of college textbooks and educational materials, including several annotated texts in French literature for Focus Publishing.

Table of Contents

1606: Birth of Pierre Croneille, in Rouen, June 6

1622: Finishes studies at the Jesuit college of Rouen

1624: Receives law degree

1625-29: His first play, Mélite, a comedy, staged in Paris

1632: Clitandre, tragicomedy

1633-34: Three comedies, La Veuve, La Galerie du Palais, and La Suivante. Médée, a tradegy

1636: L’Illusion comique, comedy, and Le Cid, tragicomedy, based on the play by Guillen de Castro, Las Mocedades del Cid. Richelieu grants him an annual pension of 1,500 livres

1637-38: “Quarrel of the Cid,” various critics and the Academy itself publish criticisms, to which the author replies

1640: Horace and Cinna, tragedies. Marriage to Marie de Lampérière

1641-43: Polyeucte, tragedy

1642-43: La Mort de Pompée, tragedy; le Menteur, comedy; la Suite du Menteur, comedy

1644: Rodogune, tragedy

1645: Théodore, vierge et martyre, tragedy

1647: Héraclius, tragedy

1650: Andromède, tragedy “with machines” (the use of stage machinery for spectacular effects, as in opera), Don Sanche d’Aragon, heroic comedy

1651: Nocomède, tragedy

1652: Pertharite tragedy whichfails. Corneille gives up writing drama for seven years

1659: Returns to the theatre with Œdipe, tragedy

1661: La Toison d’Or, tragedy with machines

1662: Sertorius, tragedy

1663: Sophonisbe, tragedy

1664: Othon, tragedy

1666: Agésilas, tragedy

1667: Attila, tragedy

1670: Tite et Bérénice, heroic comedy

1671: Psyché, tragic ballet, in collaboration with Molière, Quinault, and Lully

1672: Pulchérie, heroic comedy

1684: Death of Corneille on October 1st