Phaedra SG

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A Noise Within

Study Guide

Phaedra

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Table of Contents

About this Study Guide 3

About the Play 4People and Places in Phaedra 4

Racines Phaedra 5 Mythological Background 6

About the Author 7

Performance Practice 9

Famous Phaedras 12

Discussion Questions 14 Questions for Before the Show 14 Questions for After the Show 14Classroom Exercises 15 Translating a text 15 Writing in Racines Day 15 Dancing at the Court of Louis XIV 17

Phaedra in Literature and Music 17

About Theatre Arts 18 Theatre Vocabulary 18 Theatre Lore 19

About A Noise Within 20

Resources for Teachers 21


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Classical works are an important part of our collective culture andhistory, and unless students are given the opportunity to readhistorical texts and to experience them live, as they were meant to beexperienced, many will think of those written treasures as outdatedwords in a textbook anthology. With the goal of increasing studentslifelong understanding and enjoyment of classic works and theatre going,A Noise Within is honored to partner with you in the effort to preserve

our literary heritage.

This study guide has been prepared as a prelude to A Noise Withinsproduction of Phaedra. Please use it as a reference or as a teaching aidas you prepare your students to enter the classical world.

If your high school students are attending A Noise Withins performanceof Phaedraand are participating in the post-performance discussion,they are fulfilling the following of Californias Theatre Standards, as setforth by the State Board of Education:

Theatre Standards grades 9 12Artistic Perception 1.1 and 1.2

Creative Expression 2.1Historical and Cultural Context 3.2 and 3.3Aesthetic Valuing 4.1 and 4.2

All of the information and activities outlined in this guide were designedto meet the 9th and 10th grade English language arts standards setforth by the state of California. Together, the activities fulfill the contentstandards as follows:

English Language ArtsReading 1.1, 1.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.5, 3.11 and 3.12Writing 1.1, 1.4, 1.9 and 2.2Listening and Speaking 1.1 and 1.11

Although these activities are designed specifically with the 9th and10th grade standards in mind, they can be adapted to serve studentsin other grades as well.

Thank you for your

commitment to sharing great

literature with your students.

It is a commitment that

A Noise Within has shared

with you since its foundingin 1991, with the staging

of its first play, William

Shakespeares Hamlet.

About this Study Guide


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Characters

TheseusKing of Athens. As a young man, he slew theMinotaur with the help of Ariadne, a Cretanprincess. His love affair with Antiope, anAmazon warrior princess, resulted in a son,Hippolytus.

PhaedraDaughter of King Minos of Crete andPasiphe, sister of Ariadne, wife of Theseus.

HippolytusBeautiful son of Theseus and Antiope.

AriciaA character invented by Racine, but who

had mythological roots. Before Theseus couldinherit the crown of Athens, he had to fightAegeus brother, Pallas, and all his children.These cousins would have inherited thethrone of Athens, since Theseus grew up notknowing Aegeus was his father. Aricia is theonly daughter and last remaining child ofPallas. Through her father, she is a rival for thethrone of Athens, which is why Theseus hasforbidden her to marry or have children.

TheramenesTutor of Hippolytus.

OenonePhaedras nurse and confidante.

IsmeneAricias confidante.

PanopeLady in waiting to Phaedra.

Placesmentioned in Racines Phaedra

Aegean SeaThe sea surrounding Greece

AthensThe most beautiful and cultured city inancient Greece. Theseus reign began thefirst great period of Athenian democracy.

CreteThe island home of Phaedra and her family.Before Theseus reign, it was the mostpowerful kingdom in the Aegean Sea.

ElisA city near the site of the ancient Olympicgames. Elis lies on the northwesternPeloponnese.

TroezenChildhood home of Theseus and part of theAthenian empire. Hippolytus has also grown upthere. While Theseus was on his adventures,he moved his family from Athens to Troezenfor their own protection.

About the Play People and Places in Phaedra


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Act I

Theseus, King of Athens, has disappearedduring one of his expeditions and has beenmissing for nearly six months. Hippolytustells his tutor, Theramenes, of his intention tosearch for his father. But this is not the realreason that he wishes to leave Troezen, wherethe court has been in residence. His fatherhas forbidden him to marry, and he wishes toescape the charms of Aricia, with whom he isin love.

Oenone, Phaedras nurse, announces hermistress, but Hippolytus, wishing to avoida scene, leaves. The queens behaviorbetrays her forbidden love for her step-son,Hippolytus. She wants to die, but theunexpected announcement of Theseus death

gives her renewed hope: with the death ofher husband she has not sinned and is free toremarry. She immediately gives up her planof suicide in order to arrange an alliance withHippolytus against Aricia, to preserve her ownsons right to the throne of Athens.

Act IIIsmene, Aricias confidante, announcesTheseus death to the girl and reveals hersuspicion of Hippolytus romantic feelingsfor Aricia. Aricia has fallen in love with

Hippolytus. Hippolytus arrives, and theyshare their feelings with each other.

Phaedra enters with the intention of pleadingfor her son, but instead reveals her secret love.Devastated by Hippolytus rejection, she takesa sword and tries to kill herself. As she rushesout, Theramenes comes in with news thatTheseus may yet be alive. Hippolytus decidesto investigate.

Act IIIIn spite of her confession, Phaedras hopeshave been revived, and she begs Oenone toplead her case with Hippolytus. When shehears the news of Theseus return, she againthreatens suicide. Oenone comes up with aplan to save her mistress.

Act IVOenone has accused Hippolytus of attempt-ing to seduce Phaedra. Theseus is completelydeceived. When Hippolytus appears, Theseuswonders at his innocent appearance and greetshim with accusation, culminating in a prayerto Neptune. Hippolytus defends himself, but isrejected by Theseus. Meanwhile, Phaedra goesto Theseus to plead for Hippolytus, butbecomes hysterical with jealousy whenTheseus reveals to her that Hippolytus is inlove with Aricia. Finally, she repents andrejects Oenone, the instigator of her treachery.

Act VHippolytus decides to flee, refusing to clearhis name, but he arranges to meet Aricia sothat they may marry. Immediately after hisdeparture, Theseus appears. Aricia stands upto him and defends Hippolytus innocence. Theking is taken aback. He calls for Oenone and istold that she has committed suicide. Theseusnow believes in his sons innocence, but it istoo late. Theramenes comes in with the newsthat Hippolytus has died. Phaedra arrives andclears Hippolytus, then dies of the effects ofthe poison she has taken earlier. Theseus vowsto honor his sons name and to treat Aricia ashis daughter.

About the Play Racines Phaedra


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About the PlayMythological Background

The Greeks believed that the gods hadauthority over the fortune of humansand that in order for salvation to oc-cur, the gods had to be recognized orworshipped. The Greeks recognized

the 12 the major gods: Zeus, Hera,Poseidon, Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite,Ares, Hephaestus, Athena, Hermes,Dionysus and Demeter. In the mytho-logical story of Phaedra, Theseus andHippolytus, Aphrodite, the goddess oflove, plays a large part in determiningtheir fate.

The story of Phaedra, Theseus andHippolytus stood as a warning tomortals of the mighty powers of

Aphrodite. Phaedra was the daughterof King Minos of Crete and Pasiphae,and the younger sister of Ariadne.Pasiphae also bore the Minotaur asa result of a pairing with a bull sentto her by her lover Poseidon, god ofthe sea. King Minos kept the half-bulland half-human boy in a maze underhis palace. In the time of King Minos,Greece was a subject of Crete, andevery nine years seven young Athenianboys and seven Athenian girls wereoffered as food for the Minotaur.

This was Minos revenge, as his onlyson died had while carrying out adangerous task on behalf of theAthenean King Aegeus. If this pay-ment was not made, Minos wouldsend his troops to destroy Athens.

Theseus was the son of PrincessAethra of Troezen, who was secretlymarried to King Aegeus of Athens.Theseus was an adventurous youthand decided to go to Crete to end the

terror of the Minotaur. With the helpof Minos daughter Ariadne, he wassuccessful in his quest. Ariadne fell inlove with him and fled with him as faras Naxos, where he abandoned her.

Theseus had made an agreement withhis father, the King of Athens, that ifhe was successful in his quest to killthe Minotaur, he would sail back toAthens on a ship with white sails. Inhis excitement at returning home,Theseus forgot to change the color ofhis sails from black to white. Whenhis father saw the black sails in thedistance, he threw himself from thecliff into the sea in grief. The sea is

called the Aegean Sea in his honor.Theseus, upon his arrival, becameKing of Athens. Theseus went on todefeat the Amazonians and marriedtheir queen, Antiope. She bore hima son, Hippolytus. Hippolytus wasknown for his beauty and perfectpurity. He was devoted to Artemis,the virgin sister of Apollo and goddessof hunting.

Upon the death of Antiope, Theseusmarried Phaedra who bore him two

sons: Acamas and Demophon.The couple settled on the island ofCyprus, which was the birthplace ofAphrodite, the goddess of love.An earlier affair with Poseidon had leftAphrodite embittered toward the seagod, and she never liked Theseus.She also resented Hippolytus becausehe worshipped another god. UsingPhaedra as a pawn, Aphrodite plottedher revenge.

Phaedra was considerably youngerthan Theseus and saw in Hippolytusa young man closer to her age withall the attributes of his father. Aph-rodite cast a spell on Phaedra, who

became obsessed with Hippolytus andattempted to seduce him. Hippolytusrejected her advances. In order to getrevenge, Phaedra told Theseus thathis son made advances on her virtueand that he should be punished.

There are various versions of the storywith differing ends for Hippolytus. InEuripedes play Hippolytus, writtenin 428 BC, Hippolytus is killed by abull sent by Poseidon at the request of

Theseus. Virgil has Hippolytus savedfrom the bull by Artemis and taken tosafety. In another version, Hippolytusis put to death, but Theseus findsout the truth and reconciles with hisson before he dies. In yet anotherversion, Dionysus punishes Hippolytusby sending a wild bull which terrifiesthe horses, pulling Hippolytus fromhis chariot dragging him to his death.In each of the versions, Phaedracommits suicide out of remorse forwhat she has done.

Hippolytus was restored to life andlived in a holy forest where he wasworshipped under the name ofVirbius. He became a hero and hiscult was associated with Aphroditewith whom he shared a shrine on theAcropolis. The site of his death wasa place of pilgrimage for young girlsabout to be married.

Phaedra, Theseus and HippolytusA Grecian Soap Opera


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About the Author

JEAN BAPTISTE RACINE was born in La Ferte-Milon, a small town near Soissons, France.He was raised by his grandparents, who were

members of a reform movement within theRoman Catholic Church known as Jansenism.The central beliefs of the Jansenist sect werethe denial of free will, predestination and theneed for divine grace for salvation. AlthoughRacine received a classical education, he wasgreatly influenced by the beliefs of this sect.Many of his works combine the Greek idea offate with the Jansenist belief in human frailty.

In 1658, Racine went to Paris to study philoso-phy at the Collge de Harcourtin. While there,he befriended Molire and the poet Boileau

and abandoned his spiritual interests for thedelights and ambitions of the secular world.Like many of his contemporaries, he followedthe custom of dedicating poems to potentialpatrons. His marriage ode for Louis XIV andMarie-Thrse of Spain, La Nymphe de laSeine, written in 1660, gained him his initialnotoriety.

His first play,Amasie,was written in 1660,and the next year he wrote Les Amours dOvide(The Loves of Ovid) for the famous Htel deBourgogne. Both plays have been lost, but

these early attempts at playwriting exposedRacine to the theatre for the first time.

His career as a playwright was the cause ofa rift with his family. Not only was he work-ing as a poet and playwright, but throughhis career choice he associated with theatrepeople, which was against Jansenist doctrine.In 1660, he wrote to a friend, I keep gettingevery day letter after letter, or to put it better,excommunication after excommunication, on

account of my unlucky sonnet. (referring to apoem on Mazarin that had since been lost). In1661, his uncle invited him to take up an ec-

clesiastical post in Uzes. While there he wroteLa Thbade (The Thebans). Although he didnot really aspire to a career in the church, hedid experience many things that appeared inhis later works as a dramatist. The rift betweenRacine and his family continued to widenduring his time in Uzes. He wrote to a cousin,It is quite enough to be playing the hypocritehere, without playing it in Paris, too, by cor-respondence; for I call it hypocrisy to be writingletters when you can talk about nothing butdevotion and do nothing else, then recommendyourself to peoples prayers. Its not that I dont

need them badly. But I wish people would saythem for me, without my being obliged to askthem so often to say them. If God grants thatI become a prior, Ill say as many prayers forothers as they have said for me. Soon afterthis letter, Racine left for Paris, giving up anyattempt at a life in the church.

In Paris, Racine devoted his time to writingplays and to meeting powerful people. By1663, he had written two more sonnets to theKing: Ode Sur la Convalescene du Roi(Ode onthe Kings Convalescence) and La Renomme

aux Muses(The Goddess Fame Speaks to theMuses).

In 1664, La Thbadewas performed byMolires company at the Comdie Franaise,followed byAlexandre le Grand(Alexanderthe Great)in December of 1665. Racinegave permission for a rival company, Htelde Bourgogne, to performAlexanderin thesame month, on the grounds that he was notsatisfied with the original production and the

Jean Racine

(Dec 22, 1639 Apr 21, 1699)


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Htel de Bourgogne had a higher reputationfor staging tragedy. Following this betrayal,Molire never spoke to Racine again. Racinessubsequent plays:Andromache(1667), LesPlaideurs(1668), Brnice(1670), Bajazed(1672), Mithridate (1673) and Phdre(1677)were performed by the Htel de Bourgogne.

During this production ofAndromachein1667, Racine began a relationship with theMarquise du Parc, who was his mistress untilher death a year later. Racines next affair,with the famous actress la Champmesl,continued until his break with the theatre. LaChampmesl originated the roles of Brnice,Roxane, Monime, Iphigenie and Phdre.

Following Phdre, Racine decided tochange his life. He ended his affair with laChampmesl, cut all ties with the commercialtheatre, ended relationships with his theatrical

friends and reconciled with the Jansenists at

Port Royal. He married Catherine de Romanet,a pious young woman who had never beenexposed to the theatre, and became the fatherof two sons and five daughters, most of whomwent into the church.

Racine was appointed royal historiographerand accompanied the king on his militarycampaigns.

His final plays, Esther(1689) andAthalie(1691), were commissioned by Louis XIVswife. These were biblical tragedies writtenfor the students of a girls school, not thepassionate works of earlier years.

Racine died on April 21, 1699 from cancerof the liver and was buried at Port Royal. Incontrast to his earlier life, Racine died a piousand reverent man. His remains were eventuallymoved to Saint-Etienne-du-Mont in Paris.

Jean Racine Timeline

WORLD EVENTSRACINES LIFE

1638

Birth of Louis,

Dauphin of France1639

English Civil warBirth of Racine

1643

Louis XIV proclaimedKing

Racines mother dies

1649

Charles I of England

beheadedEngland becomes a

commonwealthGrandfather diesRacine sent to

College deBeauvais

1655

Racine goes to schoolin Port Royal

1658

Racine in Paris

1660

Monarchy broughtback to England

Amasiewritten

1661

Les Amours dOvidewritten

Racine considerscareer in thechurch

1663Royal sonnets1664

British troops captureNew Amsterdamand rename itNew York

La Thbideperformed byMolieres company

1665

Alexander the Great

written1666

Great Fire of London

1667

Andromachewritten1668

Les Plaideurs written

1669

Britannicuswritten

1670

Brnicewritten

1672

Bajazedwritten1673

Mithridatewritten

1677

Phdrewritten

Racine marriesCatherine de

RomanetNamed Royal

Histographer

1678

Son, Jean Baptisteborn

Accompanies King onSiege of Ypres

1682

La Salle exploresMississippi riverand claimsLouisiana forFrance

Peter the Greatbecomes joint rulerof Russia

1683

On campaignwith King

1687

On campaign

with King

1689

Estherwritten

1691

Athalie writtenOn campaign

with King

1692

Salem Witch Trials inMassachusetts

Son Louis bornOn campaign

with King

1693

On campaignwith King

1699

Racine dies


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Performance Practice

During the reign of Louis XIV, between 1643and 1715, the arts thrived. The king was apatron of many writers, artists and musicians,including Molire, Racine and Lully. By sup-

porting such artists, Louis ensured his securityas absolute monarch. The arts were primarilyused as a part of the propaganda machine.

In 17th century Paris, theatrical performanceswere given both in public theatres and at court.During the 54-year reign of Louis XIV, 1,200tragedies were performed at court. Frenchtheatre in the 17th century was dominatedby Pierre Corneille, Molire and Jean Racine.Actually, theatrical repertoire at the Frenchcourt consisted primarily of the works of thoseplaywrights, right up until the French Revolu-

tion in 1789.

Unlike England, France did not have a restric-tion on women performing on stage, but thecareer of acting for either sex was consideredimmoral by the Catholic church. Actors wereexcommunicated from the church and evenrefused last rites on their deaths. In order toget around this, however, actors had fantasticstage names that typically described their rolesor characters.

By the end of the century, the publicsenthusiasm for tragedy had lessened.Theatrical tragedy paled in comparison to theeconomic problems of the time, and comedicplays now included moral messages.

French Public Theatres

The early theatres in Paris were often exist-ing structures, like tennis courts, as theirrectangular shape and open floor with side

galleries made them ideal for conversion intopermanent or temporary theatres. Stages werenarrow, and there were little or no areas forscenery changes. In the early part of the 17th

century, performances took place twice a weekstarting at 2 or 3pm. The presentation oftenconsisted of several works: a comic prologue,then a tragedy, then a farce, and then a songto end it. Nobles sat on the side of the stage.Because there were no such things as houselights, the audience was always aware of eachother, and spectators could be noisy duringperformances. The place directly in front of thestage, called the parterre, did not have seatsand was reserved for men only. These were thecheapest seats. Elegant people watched fromthe galleries. Prior to 1630, honest women did

not attend the theatre.

The Htel de Bourgogne

The first public theatre in Paris was the Htelde Bourgogne. Built by the members of laConfrrie de la Passion in 1548 as a place tostage religious dramas, it was located in thehistorical market center of the city. The long,narrow (40 x 96) structure (with a 33 deepplatform stage) occupied the second floor ofwhat had been the town house of the Duke ofBurgundy. Unfortunately, just a few years afterit was completed, the king passed a law forbid-ding the public performance of religious drama.As recompense, the Confrrie were granted amonopoly over the public performance of othertypes of drama in the city. As a result, all theat-rical companies wishing to give performancesin Paris had to rent the Htel de Bourgogne.The Confrrie retained their monopoly until theThtre du Marais opened in 1634.

Theatrical Performance in 17th Century France


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Palais Cardinal

The Palais Cardinal was built by CardinalRichelieu (1585-1642) as his Parisian home.Located in the heart of Paris, just a short dis-tance from the Louvre, the Palais Cardinal wasunder construction throughout the height ofRichelieus career. Its large theatre, completedjust before his death, was the best-equippedperformance space in the city. It was the firstproscenium theatre in Paris. Richelieu left hispalace and its theatre to the royal family uponhis death, and it was renamed Palais Royal.

It changed hands and was refurbished severaltimes, but it remained a pre-eminent perfor-mance site for more than 100 years. Moliresplays were performed here between 1661 and1673. After 1673, the theatre became the siteof the Paris Opra under the management ofMolires nemesis, Jean-Baptiste Lully.

Thtre du Marais

The Thtre du Marais, located in the fashion-able Marais district, was permanently convert-

ed from a tennis court into a theatre in 1634.The building burned down in 1644, and itssuccessful resident troupe financed an exten-sive remodeling. The new theatre was largerin capacity and more elegant than its closestrival, the Htel de Bourgogne.

Htel du Gungaud

The Htel du Gungaud was also a convertedtennis court. After Molires death in 1673,Lully succeeded in getting the remaining actorsof his troupe evicted from the Palais Royaltheatre, and Molires troupe moved to the H-tel du Gungaud. Not much is known aboutthe interior design of this theatre, but it wasoriginally intended as a space for opera. It wasthe first major theatre space on the left bankof the Seine, and it flourished between 1673and 1680. It was the first site of the ComdieFranaise. In 1689, Louis XIV united the Htelde Bourgogne and the Hotel Gungaud intoone official troupe.

Thtre Franais

This theatre was built to house the ComdieFranaise in 1689, replacing the Htel duGungaud. Once again, the building was aconverted tennis court, yet remodeled to housea horseshoe-shaped auditorium. This continuedto be the site of the performances of the Co-mdie Franaise for the rest of the seventeenthand for much of the eighteenth centuries.

The Rules of French Theatre

Most scripted plays in the 17th Century werewritten in verse. Notable exceptions were someof the comedies of Molire. The meter usedwas a 12 syllable line (the Alexandrine) witha pause after the sixth syllable. Lines wereput into rhymed couplets. Couplets alternatedbetween feminine (ending in a mute e) andmasculine (ending in a vowel other than amute e or in a consonant or nasal) rhymes.

During the reign of Louis XIII, a scheme toorganize cultural patronage and uniformity was

foundedthe Acadmie Franaise. This groupof 40 learned men was formed in 1637 andpatterned after the Italian academies. The mis-sion of the Acadmie Franaise was to fix theFrench language, give it rules and make it pureand comprehensible by all. The Academieestablished five rules for neoclassical, dramaticstructure.

Anything that happens on stage must beable to happen in real life

Every drama must preach a moral lesson byshowing that good will be rewarded and that

evil will be punished There can be no mixing of dramatic styles

a play is either a comedy or tragedy, butnot a tragicomedy

A play must observe the three unities* A drama must be divided into five acts

Soliloquies were not allowed in neoclassical,French drama, because they were notconsidered to be realistic.


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A tragedy had to draw its characters from thenobility. The plot must deal with affairs of state(i.e. who will be the next king) and the endingmust be tragic (people die). The dialogue mustbe poetic.

*The Unities

Aristotle, in his work Poetics, outlined theformat for a tragedy. Both the French and theItalians took their theatrical formats from this.

The Unity of Action A play should have one

main action that it follows, with no or fewsubplots.

The Unity of Place A play should cover asingle, physical space. The stage should notrepresent more than one place.

The Unity of Time A play should representan action that takes approximately the sameamount of time as the play.

Scenery and Lighting

The theatre at the Palais Royal was lit by six,grand chandeliers and by rows of candles atthe front of the stage. Scenery was lit from thesides by candles. In a painting in the collectionat the Comdie Franaise, Molire the actorplays on a stage lit by six chandeliers, eachwith twelve candles, and thirty-four candles atthe front of the stage.Large chandeliers, similar to those onstagewere hung in the auditorium. In addition tolighting the auditorium, these chandeliersenhanced the lighting of the downstage area.A row of footlights was placed at the edge ofthe stage, adding more light to the faces of theactors.

Inventory lists of the day provide us withdetailed information about the types andquantity of candles used in theatres,informing us that more candles were used inthe auditorium than on the stage itself.


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Famous Phaedras

Phaedra is a coveted role for many actresses.Throughout history, many notable women haveplayed this role to great acclaim.

La Champmesl(1641-1698)

Marie Desmares was born in Rouen and beganher career with a provincial theatre troupe. Herbeauty and voice endeared her to audiences.She was a young widow when she met theactor Charles Chevillet, known as Monsieur deChampmesl. La Champmesl became famousfor her harmonious voice and musical decla-mation. Reciting dramatic verse was governedby strict rules, and she excelled at her art. By1668, both she and her husband were mem-bers of the Comediens du Roi, and performedat the Thtre du Marais. In 1670, they joinedthe Htel de Bourgogne, where she took on

the great roles of Racine, who became herlover. She originated the title roles of Brnice(1670), Iphignie (1674), Phdre (1677)and Monime in Mithradate(1673). She leftthe Htel for the amalgamated Molire-Maraiscompany, which formed the core of what wasto become the Comdie Franaise, where sheperformed until her death.

Adrienne Lecouvreur(1692-1730)

Adrienne Couvreur was born in the little villageof Damery, near Rheims. A natural elocution-ist, by the age of ten she had begun to learnand recite poems. When she was thirteen, herfather moved them to Paris, where she wasplaced in a humble school in a humble part ofthe city. Under her influence (very mature forone so young), a number of children and youngpeople formed themselves into a theatricalcompany purely for the love of acting. A localgrocer let them have an empty store-room fortheir performances, and it was here that Adri-

enne first acted in a tragedy by Corneille. Shehad never been inside of any theatre, nor hadshe any training in the rudiments of theatre,yet she delivered her lines like a professional.

At first, only the neighborhood knew aboutthese amateur performances, but one day a

noble lady, Mme. de Gue, attended and wasfascinated by the young Adrienne. Mme. deGue offered the use of the courtyard of herown house as a theatre for the young group,and soon Adrienne became famous with thenobility, as well as with actors from the Co-mdie Franaise. She excited so much jealousyamong the actors of the Comdie Franaisethat they evoked the law against her. Theatresrequired a royal license, and Adriennes compa-ny did not have one. Legal proceedings began,and the company went into the precincts ofthe temple, where legal warrants could not be

served. Eventually, this group of actors brokeup. Adrienne, now fifteen, would have beenhappy to perform at one of the Paris theatres,but they were closed to her through jealousy.She went into the provinces, where she was aleading lady in several companies for about adecade.

For all of her professional success, she led avery unhappy life. She had two children, butnever married, although she was the recipientof many proposals. Finally, in 1717, at the ageof twenty-five she became a member of theComdie Franaise and an instant celebrity.

She began a nine-year affair with Maurice,Comte de Saxe (the son of the future king ofPoland). A rival for Maurices affections, theDuchesse de Bouillon, resolved to humiliateAdrienne and to do it in the theatre. Duringa gala performance of Racines Phaedra, theduchesse sent a large number of her servantsto hiss and jeer and to try to break off theplay. The duchesse sat in on the performance


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in order to watch her rival and gloat over herdiscomfort. When the performance began,Adrienne knew that a plot was afoot. Shemoved to the front of the stage and faced herenemy saying:

I am not of those women void of shame,

when savoring in crime the joys of peace,Harden their faces till they cannot blush!

The whole house rose to their feet in supportof Adrienne. The duchesse hurried from thetheatre.

Not long after this incident, Adrienne wasacting in one of Voltaires plays when shesuddenly collapsed in pain. Four days later,she died of apparent poisoning (poisoning wascommon, especially if one wanted to eliminatea rival). Maurice was with her at her death, as

was a Jesuit priest who declined to administerlast rites unless she repented of her theatricalcareer. She refused, since she believed thatto be the greatest actress of her time was nota sin. Her life and death was the subject of aplay by Eugne Scribe, and an opera byFrancesco Cilea.

Sarah Bernhardt(1844 1923)

Renowned for her silvery voice, commandingpresence, wide emotional range and uncon-ventional behavior on and off stage, the divineSarah was the greatest French actress ofthe 19th century and one of the best-knownfigures in stage history. Henriette Rosine Bern-hardt entered the Conservatoire de Paris at theage of sixteen. In 1862, she made her debutat the Comdie Franaise. She had her firstsuccess in 1869 at the Thtre de lOdeon in

Franois Coppees La Passant. Back at the Co-mdie Franaise in 1872 she was a triumph inRacines Phdre (a role she performedfrequently up until 1914). In addition to othernotable roles, she performed the title role inHamlet in 1899 and La Dame aux Cameliasby Dumas fils. After forming her own traveling

theatre company, she became internation-ally famous. At the age of 70, she had herleg amputated, but refused to abandon thestage, playing parts she could act while seated.600,000 paid their respect to her upon herdeath in 1923. Her funeral cortege consistedof five hearses, decked with white camellias.

Maria Casares(1922 1996)

Born in Spain, Maria Casares family moved toParis in 1936 at the outbreak of the Spanish

Civil War. She enrolled at the Paris Conserva-toire and soon became a leading lady at theComdie Franaise.

Following on her stage success, she began toreceive film offers and had a thriving film ca-reer in the 1940s and early 1950s. During the50s and 60s, she concentrated on her stagecareer. Her performance as Jeanne dArc atthe Comdie Franaise in 1952 won her greatacclaim. By the mid 1950s she had switchedto the Thtre National Populaire, where herperformances of Phaedraand Medeamade hera national treasure. These productions formedthe base of the companys tour to London andNew York.

She continued to act on stage and in films until1995.


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Discussion Questions

Questions for before the performance

1) How do we know from the beginning that Phaedra is unhappy?

2) How does the structure of Racines play fulfill the rules of French tragedy?

3) This play was written by Racine in 1677 for French audiences, from a Greek play byEuripedes based on mythological characters. How are the themes in the play (obsession,betrayal and honor) relevant to todays audiences?

4) What role do the gods play in what happens to the characters in Racines Phaedra?

5) What is your definition of honor, and why is it important in our lives?

Questions for after the performance

1) How did the production of Phaedraat A Noise Within differ from what you expected?How was it the same?

2) Were you able to interpret any scenes or lines differently because of how the actorsrepresented the characters? How?

3) How did you feel about the character of Phaedra during the play?

4) How did you feel about Hippolytus throughout the play?

5) What was the high point of the play?

6) After seeing the performance, has your definition of honor changed?


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How does a translator go aboutworking on a text? This exercise startswith Racines original French text andshows how different translators haveadapted it. Have your students try toadapt their version using the exampleshere. In this scene from Act II, Sceneii, Hippolytus is declaring his love toAricia:

Racine:

Moi, vous hair, Madame?Avec quelques coulers qoon ait peintMa tierte,Croit-on que dans ses flancs unmonstreMait porte ?Quelles sauvages murs, quelle haineEndurciePourrait, en voyant, netie pointAdoucie ?Ai-je pu resister au charme decevant.

RICHARD WILBURS TRANSLATION:

Hate you, Princess? No, not I.Im counted rough and proud, butdont assumeThat Im the issue of some monsterswomb.What hate-filled heart, what brutehowever wildCould look upon your face and notgrow mild?Could I withstand your sweet,beguiling spell?

WILLIAM PACKARDS TRANSLATION(1966):

Madam, could I hate you?No matter what they say or how theyPaint my pride,Do they suppose some beast onceCarried me inside?What mind that is unkind, what heartThat may be hard,

In viewing you, would not grow softIn its regard?Could any man resist the charm ofWhat you are?

A.S. KLINES TRANSLATION (2003)

I hate you, Madame, how so?Despite those colours in which theypaint my pride,

Can they think a monster brought beto the light?

What savage manners, what hardenedhatredWould not, on seeing you, be whollysoftened?Could I have resisted the seductivecharm?

YOUR TRANSLATION:

RULES FOR WRITING IN THE STYLE

OF RACINE

MeterThe meter used was a 12 syllable line(the alexandrine) with a pause afterthe sixth syllable.

Lines were put into rhymed couplets.Couplets alternated betweenfeminine (ending in a mute e) and

masculine (ending in a vowel otherthan a mute e or in a consonant ornasal) rhymes.

Rules for dramatic structure Anything that happens on stagemust be able to happen in real life, Every drama must preach a morallesson by showing that good will be re-warded and that evil will be punished There can be no mixing of dramaticstylesa play is either a comedy ortragedy, but not a tragicomedy A play must observe the threeunities of action, place and time (seebelow) A drama must be divided into fiveacts Soliloquies are not allowed Characters must be from the nobility Plot has to deal with affairs of state Ending must be tragic

The Unities The Unity of Action A play should

have one main action that it follows,with no or few subplots. The Unity of Place A play shouldcover a single, physical space. Thestage should not represent more thanone place. The Unity of Time A play shouldrepresent an action that takes approxi-mately the same amount of time asthe play.Exercise: Have students write a pieceusing the above rules.

Classroom Exercises

Translating a text


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Louis XIV loved to dance. Indeed, many ofthe plays and operas written during his reigncontain dances. At court, dances such as theallemande, boure, courante, gavotte, gigue,minuet and sarabande were extremely popular.Every man and woman of breeding knewhow to dance well. Dancing masters wereemployed by the wealthy to teach theirchildren who would learn all the importantdances at a very young age.

Much of what we know of French court dancesemanates from a book written in 1588 byThoinot Arbeau, in which he outlines the stepsof various French social dances as well asgives clues about dance styles. This treatise,Orchsographie,contains illustrations as wellas rules on etiquette and behaviour. Anotherbook, written in 1700 by Raoul-Auger Feuillet,Choregraphie; ou lart de decrier la danseil-lustrated floor patterns used in popular dances.

A page from Feuillets book, Choregraphie; ou lart dedecrier la danse

The Pavane was a dance that originated inthe late 16th century. Thepavane, or PeacockDance was used as a processional to open aball. The dance got its name from the move-ment of the ladies trains spread out like thetail of a peacock. This social dance gave ladiesand gentlemen the opportunity to show offtheir finest ball clothes and jewels as theyprocessed around the ballroom.

Observations from the period suggest that men

wore their cape and sword and women walkedwith a grave air with their eyes lowered in ademure fashion. The movement of the pavaneis very slow; it was essential that steps wereexecuted in a graceful and dignified manner.While the dancers were serious, the pavanewas the opening of an evening of merriment,and so there was underlying excitement andanticipation.

Directions for the PavaneAt the head of the room is The Presenceor the king and queen. Partner your studentsup at the opposite end of the room and havethem process in using a pavane. Couples arearranged according to status with those of thehighest rank at the head of the line. At thebeginning of the dance, ladies and gentlemenbow or curtsey to each otherthis is knownas rvrence. When they reach The Presence,men should bow and ladies should curtsey toThe Presence.

The pavane is danced in duple meter withtwo steps: simples (single steps) and doubles

(double steps). Arms should be gently rounded,shoulders set back. The gentleman should holdthe ladys left hand at waist level.

SIMPLE STEP:

1st bar (2 counts) One step forward with theleft foot for the first bar.

2nd bar (2 counts) Bring the right foot upbeside the left. Do not put weight on the

right foot.3rd & 4th bars (four counts) perform a simple

step beginning with the right foot.

Dancing at the Court of Louis XIV


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DOUBLE STEP1st bar (2 counts) Step forward with left foot.2nd bar (2 counts) Step forward with the

right foot.3rd bar (2 counts) Step forward with the

left foot.4th bar (2 counts) Place right foot beside the

left with the heels together.

The sequence of the dance consists of twosimples and one double forward and twosimples and one double backward. Whendancers find themselves at the end of the

room and dont want to move backward,they should do a conversion.

To do a conversion, dancers turn and face theopposite direction when dancing the double.The gentleman moves backward with tinysteps while the lady moves around thegentleman until they face the oppositedirection from where they started. Theconversion made it easier for the lady to seewhere she was going as the dresses that theywore were voluminous and had trains.Arbeau states, If she were to meet with some

hindrance while moving backwards she mightfall, a mishap for which you (the gentleman)would receive the blame and suffer a rapiddecline in her good graces.

Music for PavanesPavanes were played on musical instrumentsknown as hautbois (a double reed instrumentwhich evolved into what we know today as theoboe) and sackbuts (eventually evolved into thetrombone).

Musical Suggestions: Pavane pour le Roiby Eustache de Caurroy Pavane to the Earl of Salisburyby William

Byrd Pavane in Dby John Dowland

We do not dance the pavane today; however,vestiges of it can be found when we process ingraduation or marriage ceremonies.

Phaedra in Literature and MusicThe story of Phaedra has been the subject ofseveral great works:

Euripedes, Hippolytus, a Greek play Seneca, Phaedra, a Latin play Jean Racine, Phaedra(1677), a French play Robinson Jeffers, Cawdor(1928),

an English poem Phaedra(1962), movie starring Melina

Mercouri and Anthony Perkins Benjamin Britten, Phaedra(1976), an opera

in English Per Olav Enquist, Till Fedra(1980),a Swedish play

Sarah Kane, Phaedras Love(1996), anEnglish play

Matthew Maguire, Phaedra(1995),an English play


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About Theatre Arts

Being an Audience MemberToday, movies and television takeaudiences away from what was oncethe number one form of entertainment:going to the theatre. But attend-ing a live performance is still one ofthe most thrilling and active forms of

spending time. In a theatre, observersare catapulted into the action, espe-cially at an intimate venue like A NoiseWithin, whose thrust stage reaches outinto the audience and whose actorscan see, hear, and feel the responseof the crowd. Although in the pastplayhouses could sometimes be rowdy,today participating in the performanceby giving respect and attention to theactors is the most appropriate behaviorat a theatrical performance. Shoutingout or even whispering can be heard

throughout the auditorium, as canrustling paper or ringing phones.

After A Noise Withins performance ofPhaedra, you will have the opportunityto discuss the plays content and stylewith the performing artists and direc-tors. You may wish to remind studentsto observe the performance carefully orto compile questions ahead of time sothey are prepared to participate in thediscussion.

Theatre VocabularyThese terms will be included in pre-and post-performance discussions at ANoise Within.

blocking: The instructions a directorgives his actors that tell them how and

where to move in relation to each oth-er or to the set in a particular scene.

character: The personality or partportrayed by an actor on stage.conflict: The opposition of people orforces which causes the plays risingaction.

dramatic irony: A dramatic techniqueused by a writer in which a characteris unaware of something the audience

knows.

genre: Literally, kind or type. Inliterary terms, genre refers to the maintypes of literary form, principallycomedy and tragedy. It can also referto forms that are more specific toa given historical era, such as therevenge tragedy, or to more specificsub-genres of tragedy and comedysuch as the comedy of manners, farceor social drama.

motivation: The situation or moodwhich initiates an action. Actors oftenlook for their motivation when theytry to dissect how a character thinksor acts.

props: Items carried on stage by anactor to represent objects mentionedin or implied by the script. Sometimesthe props are actual, sometimes theyare manufactured in the theatre shop.

proscenium stage: There is usually afront curtain on a proscenium stage.The audience views the play from thefront through a frame called theproscenium arch. In this scenario, allaudience members have the sameview of the actors.

set: The physical world created onstage in which the action of the playtakes place.setting: The environment in which aplay takes place. It may include thehistorical period as well as the physi-cal space.

stage areas: The stage is dividedinto areas to help the director to notewhere action will take place. Upstage

is the area furthest from the audience.Downstage is the area closest to theaudience. Center stage defines themiddle of the playing space. Stage leftis the actors left as he faces the audi-ence. Stage right is the actors right ashe faces the audience.

theme: The overarching message ormain idea of a literary or dramaticwork. A recurring idea in a play orstory.

thrust stage: A stage that juts out intothe audience seating area so that pa-trons are seated on three sides. In thisscenario, audience members see theplay from varying viewpoints. A NoiseWithin features a thrust stage.


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Theatre LoreWhy do actors say break a leg?

Perhaps the saying comesin a complicatedwayfrom the use of leg. In theatre, a legis a part of the mechanics that open and closethe curtain. To break a leg is to earn so manycurtain calls that opening and closing thecurtain over and over during final applausecauses the curtain mechanics to break.At the outset of theatre tradition, playersacted outdoors, where there were no stagesor curtains. Applause came in the form of footstomping, which could indicate another originof this phrase.

Why is it bad luck to say Macbeth

inside the theatre?

There are many origins for this superstition.Old actors believe the witches song inMacbethto possess the uncanny powerof casting evil spells. The reasons for thisfear usually bring tales of accidents andill-fortunes that have plagued productionsof the play throughout the world.

An alternative is that the superstition beganin the days of stock companies, which wouldstruggle to remain in business. Frequently,near the end of a season, a company wouldrealize it was not going to break even, and,in an attempt to boost ticket sales, wouldannounce the production of a crowd favor-ite: Macbeth. If times were particularly bad,the play would frequently be a portent of thecompanys demise.

What is a ghost light?There is a superstition that if an emptiedtheater is ever left completely dark, a ghostwill take up residence. In other versions ofthe same superstition the ghosts of pastperformances return to the stage to live outtheir glory moments. To prevent this, a singlelight called a ghost light is left burning atcenter stage after the audience and all of theactors and musicians have gone.

Now, those in the world of theatre know thata dark theatre is one without a play. There

is nothing sadder to a dramatic artist than anempty house and a playless stage. Therefore,a light is left burning center stage so that thetheatre is never dark; it is simply awaitingthe next production.

What is a raked stage? Where do the terms

upstage and downstage originate?

Historically, stages were built on inclines, withthe backs of the stages slightly higher thanthe fronts. The incline was called a rake andhelped those in the back of the audience seethe action onstage. Eventually, theatres started

placing seats on inclines instead of stages,but the terminology stuck. Downstage is thefront of the stage, closest to the audience,and upstage is the back of the stage. Sometheatres, like A Noise Within, still participatein the tradition of using raked stages.

Why are actors called thespians?

In the sixth century B.C., a Greek chorusperformer named Thespus was the first personin history to step away from the chorus andspeak by himself, exchanging dialogue with thegroup and impersonating a character instead ofsimply reciting a story as the chorus had donebefore then.


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A Noise Withins missionis toproduce the great works of world dramain rotating repertory, with a company ofprofessional, classically- trained actors.A Noise Withineducates the public throughcomprehensive outreach efforts andconservatory training programs that foster

a deeper understanding and appreciation ofhistorys greatest plays and playwrights.

As the only company in southern Californiaworking in the repertory tradition (rotatingproductions using a resident ensemble ofprofessional, trained artists),A Noise Withinis dedicated solely to producing classicalliterature from authors such as Shakespeare,Molire, Ibsen, Shaw, and Euripedes.

The company was formed in 1991 byfounders Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-

Elliott, both of whom were classically trainedat the acclaimed American ConservatoryTheatre in San Francisco. They envisionedA Noise Withinafter recognizing a lack ofprofessional, classical productions andeducation in Southern California and soughtout and assembled their own company ofactors to meet the need. All ofA NoiseWithins resident artists have been classically

trained, and many hold Master of FineArts degrees from some of the nationsmost respected institutions, such as Juilliard,Yale, and the American Conservatory Theatre.In its fourteen-year history,A Noise Withinhas garnered over 500 awards and commenda-tions, including the Los Angeles Drama Critics

Circles revered Polly Warfield Award forExcellence and the coveted MargaretHartford Award for Sustained Excellence.

In 2004,A Noise Withinaccepted aninvitation to collaborate with the Los AngelesPhilharmonic for a tandem performanceofA Midsummer Nights Dreamat theHollywood Bowl.

More than 25,000 individuals attendproductions atA Noise Within, annually,and between performances at the theatre

and touring productions, the companydraws 13,000 student participants to itsarts education programs every year.Students benefit from in-school workshops,conservatory training, and an internshipprogram, as well as subsidized tickets tomatinee and evening performances,discussions with artists, and statestandards-compliant study guides.

Written by Dawn KelloggEdited by Autumn HildenProduction Photography by Craig SchwartzGraphic Design by Christopher Komuro

Geoff Elliott & Julia Rodriguez Elliott, Artistic DirectorsAdministrative Office: 234 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91204Administration: Tel (818) 240-0910 / FAX (818) 240-0826Website: www.anoisewithin.orgBox Office: (818) 240-0910 ext.1

About A Noise Within


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Resources for teachers

The following is a list of resources used in thecreation of this guide. They may prove helpfulas you prepare your students to encounter thecomplexities of Phaedra.

AVAILABLE ONLINE

Holt, Ardern. How to dance the revivedancient dances fromAn American BallroomCompanion.

Kiger, Jennifer. The Enigma of a Legend:Jean Racine

Williford, Christa. Playhouses of 17thCentury Paris

FURTHER SUGGESTED READING

The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre,New York, Oxford University Press, 1993.

Mansel, Philip. Dressed to Rule Royal &Court Costume from Louis XIV to Elizabeth II.Yale University Press, 2005.

Tollini, F. P. Scene Design at the Court of LouisXIV: the work of the Vigarani Family and Jean

Berain.Edwin Miller Press, 2003.

Documents

Phaedra SG