Les Guèbres ou la tolérance
| Data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Les Guèbres ou la tolérance |
| Genus: | tragedy |
| Original language: | French |
| Author: | Voltaire |
| Publishing year: | 1769 |
| Premiere: | not listed |
| people | |
|
|
Les Guébres ou la tolérance is an unperformed tragedy in five acts by Voltaire . The Ghebers were written by Voltaire in 1768 with the intention of supporting Joseph-François-Edouard de Corsembleu de Desmahis and his advocacy of tolerance.
action
The action takes place in the Syrian fortress Apamée ( Apameia ) on the Orontes . Arzame, a member of an ancient Persian religious community, is brought before the commandant Iradan by the priests of Pluton and charged with blasphemy . Iradan, a free spirit, falls in love with the girl who professes the ancient Persian cults. According to her laws, Arzane only wants to marry her own brother, the younger Arzemon. There is a fight between the brother who has arrived and Iradan, in which the tribune is violated. The priests then demand the death of the siblings. The aged Arzemon appears and declares that Arzane and Arzemon are in fact neither his children nor siblings. They are the children of Iradan and his brother Césene from their relationships with Persian women, i.e. cousins and cousins. In this situation the emperor arrives and decides. Iradan and Césene have to resume their duties. Arzame and Arzemon are allowed to marry and live their faith. The priests are put in their place.
Literary source and biographical references
Voltaire decided in August 1768 with the play in the public discussion on tolerance sparked by the publication of Jean-François Marmontel's Bélisaire . He wanted to support Joseph-François-Edouard de Corsembleu de Desmahi's demands for more tolerance directly. In the introductory discourse, Voltaire, who had published the work anonymously with the initials Desmahis, wrote that "he would use a weak talent, insofar as he possessed it, to respect the law, to universal charity, to humanity, to forbearance and to tolerance".
Performances and contemporary reception
The Guèbres were contrary to the hopes of Voltaire from the Comédie-Française refused. The book edition at Grasset, initiated by Voltaire in 1769, was poorly received by the Krik. She accused the tragedy of structural weaknesses and poor action. The piece moves below mediocrity.
Going to press
After Voltaire was unable to achieve a performance of his tragedy, in 1769 he arranged for the work to be printed in Geneva by Gabriel Grasset (1725–1782). A total of six separate editions of the piece appeared in 1769.
Addition
The Guébres presented Voltaire an extensive Discours historique et critique à l'occasion de la tragédie the Guébres ahead, in which he explained his intention and the historical foundations.
First edition
- Les Guèbres ou la tolérance par M. D *** M *** (Desmahis), without imprint (Grasset, Geneva, 1769), 116 pp.
Web links
literature
- John Paul Renwick: Les Guébres ou la tolérance In: Raymond Trousson, Jeroom Vercruysse, Jacques Lemaire (eds.): Dictionnaire Voltaire. Hachette Livre, Paris 1994, p. 91.
- Siegfried Detemple: Voltaire: The Works. 300th birthday catalog. Reichert, Wiesbaden 1994, p. 211 ff.
Individual evidence
- ↑ See Siegfried Detemple: Voltaire: The works. 300th birthday catalog. Reichert, Wiesbaden 1994, p. 211 ff.
- ↑ Avertissement des nouveaux éditeurs, before the edition of the Guèbres in the work edition Kehl, 1784, volume 6, p. 324.
- ↑ John Paul Renwick: Les Guébres ou la tolérance In: Raymond Trousson, Jeroom Vercruysse, Jacques Lemaire (eds.): Dictionnaire Voltaire. Hachette Livre, Paris 1994, p. 91.
- ↑ John Paul Renwick: Les Guébres ou la tolérance In: Raymond Trousson, Jeroom Vercruysse, Jacques Lemaire (eds.): Dictionnaire Voltaire. Hachette Livre, Paris 1994, p. 91.