English theatre in Enlightenment France [ Literary & Artistic genres ]
… dramatic comedy testifies to the importance of pathos and spectacle during this time. This type of theatre encouraged spectators to identify with the characters and their passions. Sociability thus operated on two levels—on stage, and in … response to a theatrical performance: the fate of the exemplary characters was meant to stir up profound emotion in the spectator. The terms used most to describe the new fashion—bourgeois drama, bourgeois comedy, bourgeois tragedy, or … Qu’est-ce que le théâtre ? (Paris : Gallimard, 2006), p. 236. British theatre unsettled emotions and took hold of the spectator, providing ‘French theorists of drama with more boldness and means to achieve their ideal than they themselves …
Anglomania | Audience | Emotions | Enlightenment | Friendship | Theatre | Translation
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