The sultan, impressed by Nerestan’s honor, replies that he will release not ten but one hundred prisoners. Voltaire established himself as one of the leading writers of the Enlightenment. - 3 - Its reception on the opening night was mixed, but once Voltaire made slight revisions to the play and the cast settled into their roles, it became a great success and was performed 31 times that year alone. A failure at its premiere, it has rarely been performed since. 3-23. French literature: Tragedy and the survival of Classical form. [17], Lounsbury (1902) pp. Chatillon agrees that without Lusignan, the great Christian leader and... Start your 48-hour free trial to unlock this Zaïre study guide and get instant access to the following: You'll also get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and 300,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. Zaïre then confesses to Fatima that Orosmane is her slave—that he loves her and she loves him. Zaïre was the first successful French tragedy to include French characters. enjoy 10% off. He was one of the first authors to … Zaïre's brother and father are now horrified at the idea that she will marry a Muslim and adopt his religion. ZAÏRE TRAGÉDIE Voltaire 1732 Représentée en public, pour la première fois, le 13 août 1732 au Théâtre de la rue des Fossés Saint-Germain par la Comédie française. Lounsbury also observes the influence of, See Carlson (1998) p. 42; Desnoiresterres (1867) p. 470; Bungener (1854) p. 278; and "Philo" (1828) p. 63, Desnoiresterres (1867) p. 470. Réprésenté une première fois au Château de la Chevrette en 1732 et chez la Comtesse de Fontaine-Martel la même année. The original actors in the play were Quinault-Dufresne as Orosmane, Charles-François Grandval as Nérestan, Pierre-Claude Sarrazin as Lusignan, and Jeanne-Catherine Gaussin as Zaïre. Voltaire's play tells the story of Zaïre (Zara), a Christian slave who had been captured as a baby when Cesarea was sacked by the Muslim armies. The first professional performances after the hostilities ended were given in Baltimore in April 1782 by the Thomas Wall Company. [5] For Voltaire himself, the play was a turning point. Zaïre replies that two years have passed since Nerestan’s departure and that perhaps Nerestan made the promise to return with ransom for ten slaves only because there was no other way for him to escape a similar servitude. It was a great success with the Paris audiences and marked a turning away from tragedies caused by a fatal flaw in the protagonist's character to ones based on pathos. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. Orosmane, already suspicious that Zaïre has asked him to delay their wedding, intercepts a letter from Nérestan with instructions for meeting him and the priest for her baptism. General Burgoyne, himself a playwright, produced Zara with military actors in British-occupied Boston in 1775 and four times in occupied New York between 1780 and 1781. [5] One contemporary account of his portrayal of the character described it as having an "intensity bordering on frenzy". She quickly adds that this love does not mean that she has consented to become his mistress. Now convinced of the possibilities of dramas with a central love story, he began his Adélaïde du Guesclin with a plot even more dominated by love than Zaïre had been. [8], Disappointed with the relative failure of his tragedy, Eriphyle, in March 1732, Voltaire began writing Zaïre in response to critics who had reproached him for not having love stories as the centrepieces of his plays. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. The historical characters alluded to, members of the Lusignan and Châtillon families, were related to events of the Crusades but not alive at the time of Louis IX. Chatillon, a French gentleman released at Orosmane’s command, praises Nerestan for having arranged to free the prisoners, but Nerestan is not gratified by Chatillon’s praise because of Orosmane’s refusal to release Zaïre and Lusignan. Zaïre was notably revived in 1874 with Sarah Bernhardt in the title role, and it was the only one of Voltaire's plays to be performed by the Comédie française during the 20th century. Note that Voltaire spells Fawkener's surname as "Falkener", For reasons unknown the slave girl Fatime in the original was named Selima in Hill's version, Richards (2005) p. 148, the source for all the early US performances, Carlson (1998) p. 44. With Fatima, Zaïre admits, the situation is different; Fatima was captured in adulthood, and she had deliberately embraced Christianity before becoming a slave. C'est la tragédie de Zaïre, une esclave, et Orosmane, le soudan de Jérusalem.L'histoire se déroule à Jérusalem de l'époque des croisades. When he learns the truth, he is overcome with remorse and commits suicide with the same dagger. Since she has been a slave from her childhood, it is only natural that her faith reflects the customs of the place where she was reared. However, the plot and characters are largely fiction. After the others have gone, Orosmane remarks to Corasmin, one of his officers, that Nerestan had sighed and fixed his eyes on Zaïre. The first is to Everard Fawkener who had befriended Voltaire during his exile in England and the second to Jeanne-Catherine Gaussin, to whom Voltaire attributed much of the play's success.[11]. They make her promise to be baptized that night and keep it secret from her future husband until the knights and the freed slaves have departed. [3] Famous English actresses who have played the title role include Susannah Maria Cibber, who made her stage debut in the 1736 Drury Lane production, Sarah Siddons, and Elizabeth Younge. 78-80. He dismisses Nerestan and orders Zaïre to prepare to assume her place as his sultana. The original actors in the play were Quinault-Dufresne as Orosmane, Charles-François Grandvalas Nérestan, Pierre-Claude Sarrazin as Lusignan, and … Disappointed with the relative failure of his tragedy, Eriphyle, in March 1732, Voltaire began writing Zaïre in response to critics who had reproached him for not having love stories as the centrepieces of his plays. [10] The published version of Zaïre contains two lengthy dedications by Voltaire. Although Zaïre regards herself as Muslim, she admits that she is impressed by the Christian faith, but she assures Fatima that her love for Orosmane is so strong that she no longer considers becoming a Christian. However, both appear to have been significantly influenced by the plot and themes of Zaïre which had been performed in Salzburg as late as 1777. For other operas based on, "Influence Of English Literature Upon The French", Essai sur les mœurs et l'esprit des nations, Épître à l'Auteur du Livre des Trois Imposteurs, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zaïre_(play)&oldid=979979870, Articles with Italian-language sources (it), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 23 September 2020, at 22:05. [14] One of the earliest operatic adaptations was Peter Winter's Zaire which premiered in 1805 at The King's Theatre in London with the famous Italian contralto, Giuseppina Grassini, in the title role. [16] Johann Andreas Schachtner's libretto for Mozart's unfinished opera Zaïde, was directly based on a 1778 singspiel, The Seraglio, or The Unexpected Reunion of Father, Daughter and Son in Slavery. Fatima, delighted to hear that Zaïre will be elevated from the place of a slave to that of sultana, has but one misgiving—Zaïre is forgetting that she is a Christian. The play, in which the sultan Orosmane, deceived by an ambiguous letter, stabs his prisoner, the devoted Christian-born Zaïre, in a fit of jealousy, captivated the public with its exotic subject. Zaïre replies that she does not even know who her parents were; she has only Nerestan’s surmise, because of the cross she has worn since childhood, that she is a Christian. Nérestan returns with the ransom on their wedding day. It was notably revived in 1874 with Sarah Bernhardt in the title role, and it was the only one of Voltaire's plays to be performed by the Comédie française during the 20th century. The truth is that Orosmane’s love for her is so strong and pure that he plans to wed her. On this, he composed, on the spot, half a dozen verses, quite new, and very fine. Fatima and Zaïre are slaves of Orosmane, sultan of Jerusalem, but their lot is not an unpleasant one. The first known professional performance of the play in the American Colonies was in Philadelphia on 26 December 1768, performed by the Hallam Company using the Aaron Hill version. The play was widely performed in Britain well into the 19th century in an English adaptation by Aaron Hill and was the inspiration for at least thirteen operas. eNotes plot summaries cover all the significant action of Zaïre. The tragic fate of its heroine is caused not through any fault of her own, but by the jealousy of her Muslim lover and the intolerance of her fellow Christians. Résumé : Zaïre de Voltaire (1732) Orosmane, soudan de Jérusalem, est un jeune et beau Tartare qui, dans ses luttes avec les chevaliers chrétiens, s’est formé aux vertus chevaleresques. He has Nérestan seized and stabs Zaïre to death with his dagger. No fatality of…. As he professes his love, a servant comes in and announces the arrival of Nerestan, who enters and tells the sultan that he has come with ransom for the prisoners and that he is willing to remain as Orosmane’s slave. you may unsubscribe at any time. zadig voltaire. She and another captured Christian child, Nérestan, were raised in the palace of Orosmane (Osman), the Sultan of Jerusalem. Zaïre has been the inspiration for at least thirteen operas. The tragic fate of its heroine is caused not through any fault of her own, but by the jealousy of her Muslim lover and the intolerance of her fellow Christians. Une pièce de théâtre de Voltaire qui se lit agréablement. [15] Bellini's 1829 Zaira, also based on the play, was expressly written for the inauguration of the Teatro Regio di Parma. [13] The company took the play to New York City in 1769 and after the end of the Revolutionary War sporadically revived it there and in Philadelphia. Although Zaïre does not wish to be released herself, she escorts the elderly Christian prisoner, Lusignan, to the camp of Nérestan and his knights. When Corasmin warns his master against jealousy, the sultan replies that he cannot be jealous on Zaïre’s account because she is truth itself. (Critical Survey of Literature for Students). Zaïre, however, was a resounding success. Orosmane then enters and expresses his love for Zaïre and his intention to marry her. Although Orosmane has the power to treat them as mere chattel and to use them for his pleasure, he treats them with respect and consideration. C'est une pièce de cinq actes qui est plein de sentiments amoureux et de la jalousie, de l'espoir et de la déception, et, évidemment, tout ça va aboutir à une tuerie inévitable. The only ones who will have to remain are Lusignan, a French nobleman who claims the hereditary right to rule in Jerusalem, and Zaïre. Voltaire’s Zaïre (1732; The Tragedy of Zara) aims to do just that, through the spectacle of Christian intolerance overwhelming the eponymous heroine, torn as she is between the religion of her French Roman Catholic forefathers and the Muslim faith of her future husband, a Turk. © 2020 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. [2] Although some Anglophone writers, most notably Aaron Hill and Thomas Lounsbury, have tended to emphasise the plot similarities between Zaïre and Shakespeare's Othello,[3][4] the resemblance is only superficial.[5]. Voltaire was a versatile and prolific writer, producing works in almost every literary form, including plays, poems, novels, essays, histories, and scientific expositions. Zaïre est une pièce de théâtre, tragédie en cinq actes de Voltaire, écrite en alexandrins en 1732 et représentée à la Comédie-Française le 13 août 1732. Voltaire’s Zaïre (1732; The Tragedy of Zara) aims to do just that, through the spectacle of Christian intolerance overwhelming the eponymous heroine, torn as she is between the religion of her French Roman Catholic forefathers and the Muslim faith of her future husband, a Turk. [9] Voltaire was also invited to the French court for six weeks where the play was performed before King Louis XV and the Queen consort. He completed Zaïre in three weeks, and it premiered on 13 August 1732 performed by the Comédie française at the Théâtre de la rue des Fossés Saint-Germain. Get kids back-to-school ready with Expedition: Learn! Zaïre also marked a turning away from tragedies caused by a fatal flaw in the protagonist's character to ones based on pathos. In addition to the chief protagonists, the other characters in the play are: Fatime, (Fatima) a slave girl and friend to Zaïre; Châtillon, a French knight; Corasmin and Mélédor, officers of the Sultan; and an unnamed slave. When she asks Zaïre to explain why she no longer weeps or looks forward to the return of Nerestan, who has gone to France to seek ransom for them, Zaïre replies that she finds it difficult to yearn for a mode of life she has never known. Although the professional theatres were closed during the War, the play proved popular with the British Army. Zaïre (French pronunciation: ​[za.iʁ]; The Tragedy of Zara) is a five-act tragedy in verse by Voltaire. Orosmane, however, permits no discussion of his decision. on your first purchase on zadigetvoltaire.com when you sign up* * offer valid for first time customers only on zadigetvoltaire.com / discount code will be emailed to you / discount cannot be applied to previous purchases, gift cards, or combined with additional offers. Nevertheless, Fatima is disturbed to find that Zaïre not only is resigned to her fate but also appears actually to enjoy it. He wrote more than 20,000 letters and 2,000 books and pamphlets. Zaïre went on to become one of the most popular of Voltaire's stage works in France. Nerestan protests that Orosmane had promised to release the prisoners, and Zaïre in particular, if the ransom money were brought from France. She admits that she admired Nerestan at the time of his promise, but she has decided to think of the matter no longer. The Sultan believes that she is planning an assignation with her lover and goes to the appointed place himself. Complete summary of Voltaire's Zaïre. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. [6] Voltaire played the role himself when Zaïre was revived in Madame de Fontaine-Martel's private theatre shortly after its premiere run in Paris, and continued to play it in many private performances over the years. [12] Following its successful run at London's Drury Lane Theatre in 1736, Zara became the most frequently staged English adaptation of a Voltaire play. The play opens two years after Nérestan had been granted permission by Osman to return to France to raise a ransom for the other Christian slaves. At the moment of recognition [of his daughter], he burst into such a flood of tears that he forgot his part, and the prompter, who was weeping also, could not give him the reply. Several writers have noted Voltaire's personal affinity with the character of Zaïre's father Lusignan, who like Voltaire had suffered imprisonment and exile. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Since childhood she has been confined to the sultan’s seraglio under the care of Orosmane, and she has grown fond of her life and even of her master. [5] His later plays, Alzire (1736) and Tancrède (1760) likewise feature passionate lovers. Lusignan, a descendant of the Christian princes of Jerusalem, recognizes the cross that had been given to Zaïre as a baby and realizes that she and Nérestan are his lost children. Zaïre was soon translated into English by Aaron Hill as Zara: A Tragedy. [5] He completed Zaïre in three weeks,[9] and it premiered on 13 August 1732 performed by the Comédie française at the Théâtre de la rue des Fossés Saint-Germain. [1] Voltaire ostensibly set the play in the "Epoch of Saint Louis". [7] Voltaire's secretary, Jean-Louis Wagnière, recalled: One day Zaïre was acted in his house, and he was Lusignan. Original French: ", For more on the parallels drawn between sexual jealousy and religious fanaticism in the play, see Weber (2004), The full texts of the dedications in the original French can be found in Voltaire (1791) pp. Fatima then reminds Zaïre that Nerestan, who conducted himself nobly in the battle of Damas as part of the Christian army fighting against the Turks, had been captured by Orosmane but, because of his courage, was later released on his word to return with ransom for the Christian prisoners, including Fatima and Zaïre. In his absence, Zaïre and the Sultan have fallen in love. Written in three weeks, it was given its first public performance on 13 August 1732 by the Comédie française in Paris.