Andromaque
"It is with Andromaque that true Racinean tragedy is born."
Andromaque, "one of Racine's masterpieces," edition presenting the final text of the work.
Copy preserved in its original contemporary limp vellum.
12mo of (6) leaves, 93 pp., the last mistakenly numbered 95, and (2) pp. of privilege. Contemporary limp vellum, some dampstaining and scattered foxing. Contemporary vellum.
150 x 90 mm.
Racine, Jean. Andromaque. Tragedy.Paris, Henry Loyson, 1673.
Rare definitive first edition of Racine’s first masterpiece.Guibert, pp.37-39.
This partially original edition, ranked fifth chronologically by Guibert, provides the definitive text of the play for the first time.
Indeed, "Racine modified here Act V, Scene III; he removed the 4 lines of Oreste and replaced them with the following two lines:“Madame, it's done. And you are served.Pyrrhus returns his unfaithful life to the altar.””He then replaced Hermione’s exclamation, “What? Pyrrhus is dead then?” with “Is he dead?”. He removed a long passage on page 88 from Oreste’s tirade and replaced it with:“Through the terrified crowd I made my way,To take my Princess away from this place,And regain the Port, where soon our friendsWill come, covered in the blood I promised you” (…) ”(Guibert).
The Privilege of the Original Edition, valid for 5 years, having expired, Racine obtained on March 12, 1673 a new Privilege for the Thébaïde, Alexandre, Andromaque, Les Plaideurs, and for a period of ten years.The printing was completed on June 6, 1673.
Andromaque was performed for the first time on November 17, 1667, in the queen’s apartment by the actors of the Hôtel de Bourgogne.King Louis XIV was present.
Andromaque marks a decisive turning point in Racine’s career.It is his third play and his first triumph. The court applauded without reservation and the Parisian public let their admiration be known.Older spectators compared Andromaque’s success to the enormous triumph Le Cid had won in 1637.
The novelty of Andromaque was strongly felt and the play enjoyed considerable success: people marveled at the simplicity of the action and immediately drew comparisons between the new conception of drama the play introduced and Corneille’s conception of tragedy—it was passionate love making its entry on the French stage.
“It is with Andromaque that the true Racinean tragedy is born. That it represents, beyond Alexandre, a return to myth is the least of its characteristics” (Dictionnaire des Oeuvres, Laffont-Bompiani).
“Was there ever a subject better chosen, better treated, and as generally applauded as this one, observes the author of the Dictionnaire Dramatique. Yet which play has ever been attacked, criticized, and torn apart with more fury and determination? Despite envy, spite, and plot, Andromaque prevailed” (J. B. Baudrais, Petite bibliothèque des théâtres, XXVIII).
Copy of this rare and sought-after definitive first edition of Racine preserved in its contemporary vellum.First editions of our great classics are rare and sought-after, even more so when preserved in their period vellum.
