The Tidings Brought to Mary

by Paul Claudel

Drama

Genres: Plays, France, Drama, Religion, French Literature, Fiction, 20th Century

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1912

About the author

Paul Claudel was a French poet, dramatist and diplomat, and the younger brother of the sculptor Camille Claudel. He was most famous for his verse dramas, which often convey his devout Catholic faith.

Reviews

[María Carpio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una de las obras más difíciles de reseñar. ¿Cómo empezar? No es una obra de teatro sobre la escena bíblica que describe el título, su trama nada tiene que ver, en apariencia. En apariencia. Es una historia desarrollada en la Edad Media, en la época de la Guerra de los 100 años entre Francia e Inglaterra. Pero para entender esto hay que tomar las pistas que da el texto, porque no lo dice de forma determinada. Es más, nada de lo que dicen los personajes está claro, porque el simbolismo poético está muchas veces a un nivel indescifrable.

Es una obra de teatro en cuatro actos (más un acto alternativo final) como un largo poema sagrado. Una fábula poético-simbólica con subtextos que aluden a las profundidades del espíritu y a lo inconmensurable del designio divino. En ese sentido, la Anunciación a María (el hecho bíblico) actúa como base metafórica del acto poético-dramático, pero como metáfora encarnada. Porque es una obra en la que hay milagros, uno de ellos, y el que se acompaña matéricamente en escena con las campanadas del Ángelus (rezo mariano), es una encarnación y una resurrección a la vez.

El bebé muerto de Mara, quien lo lleva a su hermana leprosa que vive en una cueva para que ésta lo devuelva a la vida. Y lo hace, pero como instrumento del orden divino mimetizado a través de la liturgia de la Natividad (es el día de Navidad y la atormentada pero profundamente feliz Violane le hace leer esos textos a su hermana, mientras sostiene a la bebé en su regazo). Mara como la némesis designada de Violane. Su hermana que reconoce una santidad que ella solo puede parasitar.

Antes, Violane y su dicha casi infame frente a Pierre, el albañil leproso, a quien besa como expiación y redención, pese a que él intentó abusar de Violane. Esto hace que su compromiso con Jaques se rompa, pues Mara está enamorada de Jacques y cree que ella debe casarse con él, por lo que le cuenta lo que vio hacer a Violane. Su amor egoísta y devastador es aceptado por Violane y todo se cumple según lo establecido. Pierre sanará después de ese beso, poco a poco, y construirá iglesias y catedrales (siendo una analogía con San Pedro: "sobre esta piedra construiré mi Iglesia). Jacques no olvidará a Violane a pesar de estar casado con Mara.

Finalmente, en su agonía, Jacques comprenderá el sacrificio de Violane y sabrá la verdad con el solo toque de sus manos: no engañó a Jaques con ese beso, como le había contado Mara, solo era un acto de misericordia. Mara aceptará que intentó matar a Violane y es perdonada por ella. El padre de ambas hermanas regresa de su peregrinación a Tierra Santa solo para ser testigo de la muerte/sacrificio de Violane, del milagro de la reconciliación, pero una reconciliación más grande que la de su propia familia. Quizas una reconciliación universal.

Esta trama, que es tan solo la superficie del significado real de esta obra, se empata con la trama histórica al determinar el sacrificio de Violane (la piedad, la penitencia y la muerte) como una fuerza simbólica que salvará a Francia de la división (política y religiosa), ya que durante la Guerra de los 100 años se formaron dos facciones en el poder (de quienes aspiraban la corona) y de ello se aprovechó Inglaterra para someter al reino. Por esta guerra y estas facciones murió en la hoguera Juana de Arco (que también hay que descifrar a quien se refiere, aunque no es tan difícil ya que habla de Juana y de la hoguera), y Violane, con sus actos poético-simbólicos de piedad, perdón y compasión, sería la reconciliadora (o el instrumento de reconciliación) de Francia.

Las diversas capas de sentido de esta obra son complejas de discernir. Si en el plano histórico Mara y Violane son la representación de esa Francia dividida, en el plano espiritual su desciframiento es aún más arduo. Violane es como la encarnación de la imitación de Cristo que es mandato cristiano, incluso al absorber el mal del otro (del leproso al que cura, el de su propia hermana y su niña muerta). Su sacrificio final se puede entender como una parábola sobre el camino del amor y del bien a través de la entrega y el sacrificio; pero también aterrizarlo al nivel del relato, de la fábula: la narración de la santidad, el nacimiento poético de una santa. En fin. Es sólo una pequeña interpretación, la obra es compleja y tiene muchas alusiones simbólicas que merecerían un análisis mayor.

[César · Rating 4 out of 5]

3'5

Drama de Claudel de intensa simbología católica, razón por la cual algunos lectores encontrarán dificultades en conectar del todo con la historia. A mí me ha pasado. Lamentablemente, no he desarrollado la sensibilidad adecuada capaz de captar y degustar los ricos matices que propone el autor. El problema, por tanto, soy yo. Poseo la suficiente intuición como para atisbar la presencia de un sustrato fuerte y poderoso en el texto, pero carezco de la refinada capacidad que permite adentrarse en él.
Pese a los obstáculos que he encontrado durante la lectura, sí puedo declarar con rotundidad que contiene pasajes, en especial algunas frases, de una belleza sobrenatural.

[Dhanaraj Rajan · Rating 4 out of 5]

May be Four and Half Stars.

The theme of the play is very much Christian/Catholic.

Let me also warn the reader of this review that I am not divulging anything of the play. But at the same time, let me assure you that the plot is developed in an interesting and engaging manner with some splendid dialogues spoken by some contrasting characters.

Here in this review, all I dare to do is to share just some of my sentiments. So, this review may be much appreciated by the one who has already read the play. And I hope, this review will evoke an interest in the one who is yet to read it to read it.

One of the themes very well brought in the play is the answer to the question: Who is a Christian? Let me qualify it: Who is a true Christian?

The answer that the play gives is:

"The purpose of life is not to live. The feet of the children of God are not bound to this wretched earth. It is not a question of living, but of dying. Not a question of building the cross, but hanging from it and giving what we have joyfully."

And in another place we read the following:

"What worth is the world by comparison with life? And what worth does life have except to be used and given?"

Another interesting quote that I loved from this play is regarding Holiness.

The following is the quote:

"Holiness doesn't come from being stoned by the Turks or kissing a leper on his mouth, but by keeping the commandment of God, whether it means staying in our own place or mounting higher."

Final Word:

I sought in Claudel an excellent piece of Catholic literature. And I can now say with complete certainty that I had found it.

[Leonor Gonçalves · Rating 5 out of 5]

«Se o primeiro instante da história em que este facto começou a acontecer, em que o eu se encontrou como uma pepita na praia, (...) e se o primeiro instante disto é Abraão – porque o primeiro instante em que o homem se embateu nesta diversidade misteriosa que lhe disse qualquer coisa de si, se o primeiro fotograma da história em que emergiu aquilo que é o homem foi Abraão (Abraão: o nascimento do eu) – se o primeiro fotograma é Abraão, qual é o instante da história em que isto foi tão claro como sol, de tal forma que é o instante da história para o qual nós nos dirigimos com o pensamento pelo menos três vezes ao dia para clarificar o nosso instante?
A Anunciação a Maria, que não é por acaso que dá título ao livro.
A Anunciação a Maria é o instante em que se revelou que a vida existe.»

- Mariella Carlotti

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read 4 and 5 star reviews of this play and 1 and 2 star reviews. I agree with both sides; hence, my three-star rating.

This play does have beautiful moments, lovely language and phrases that can easily be quotes made into memes and shared on Facebook or Instagram. However, the plot and characters are shallow. The message Claudel wants us to take away from his work is crystal clear, which is partially the problem.

One note I do have is that the alternate ending is MUCH stronger and more powerful than the original ending. I thought the way of bringing everything together was much more surprising and more evocative as well as more emotionally impactful. The ending of the first "Act IV" was vague, but the second ending hit more and seemed to fit, overall, the rest of the play much better. I also felt the alternate ending added much clarity to the plot and development of the theme.

I enjoyed reading this play towards the end. I got much more into the story in Act III, where I felt the surprises and mysterious events were more pronounced. The first part was boring to me and definitely dragged. I did enjoy the interspersing of liturgical music with the French dialogue, and I appreciate the message and how Violaine gave Jacques up for a higher purpose and the slight humor of Anne Vercours and his pilgrimage. I did smile a few times in reading, but I was too reminded of another famous French playwright, one who is (in my opinion) MUCH better at his craft, Jean Anouilh, so I couldn't fully appreciate Claudel's art, which I don't think is nearly as strong as Anouilh's. In fact, I have an unread Anouilh play sitting on my shelf, and I was thinking about getting to that next while reading this, again until the end, which I did thoroughly enjoy.

Anyway, I can't really recommend this play. I know some people love it and consider it an epitome of Christian themes. I don't really like the triteness, and the characters aren't well-developed enough for me to fully recommend it. However, there are some techniques and symbolism that flesh this out and make it more interesting if you're inclined to check it out despite my obvious ambivalence!

[Airácula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una grata sorpresa

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, it might have more biblical intertextuality than you think for the year it was published in. Besides belonging to the expression of the catholic beliefs from the author, it has a lot to do with the fact that the characters live in the middle ages.

The story of Violaine and her family is displayed through the book. Violaine is the oldest daugher of Anne and Elisabeth Vercont. She has a sister, Mara and a fiancé, Jacques Hurdy.

In this play of 4 acts, we see how in her aspiration of sanctity, Violaine kisses a leprous man (Pierre de Craon) that turned out to be a church builder, which tried to forced her. She forgives him and kisses him in the face. Her sister sees the scene without listening to the rest of the context, which was a discussion about sanctity and full of envy, since she wanted to marry Jacques, thinks her sister has cheated on her fiancé.

Mara convinces her mother to talk to Violaine, so she can be persuaded of not marrying Jacques.

As a consequence of this, Violaine has leprosy, and feels that the only way to be completely honest with her future husband is to tell him that she's sick. He immediatly assumes that she has been unfaithful and shows no mercy, no doubt in leaving her.

Violaine decides to leave the house to "go on a trip" and her father decides to go away, in a peregrination to Jerusalem. He lends every property to Jacques.

Years go by and Anne is not back from his mission, Elisabeth dies.

With Violaine out of the scene, Mara seems to get what she wanted until her daughter dies, and since it's a well known rumor that Violaine has a special communication with God and is a saint, she wants him to ressurect the baby but her sister refuses.

After insistance and a proof of Mara's faith, Violaine is finally able to produce the miracle, and the little baby's eyes change to a deep blue color, which was Violaine's. Jacques distrusts her wife and knows that Violaine cured her. Mara kills her sister in a clear analogy with the biblical episode of Abel and Cain, except that the end varies a little because she's forgiven when she confesses her crime.

The alternate ending features some slight differences. The symbolism of Pierre de Craon being cured, and his name being Pierre, same as Pete, the rock of the church, the way in which he refers to his work as "an Eve of stone extracted from his side in the dream of pain" does not only refer Genesis but to the episode of Jesus and the spear, that took place as he was being tortured in the Cross.

Violaine and Pierre, both leprouses, find a way to be excluded from the world yet care for it, and approach sanctity, even though it's clear that Violaine seems much more free from fault since the beginning and Pierre de Craon takes the illness as a punishment from his lust. It was a common belief that this health issue was a product of lust, something as divine punishment.

Mara is unloved in appareance due to her envious, selfish behaviour but in the end she's forgiven. Jacques searches for what's fair and in the end he discovers he has misjudged the protagonist of this story. Anne Vercont, even when he's one of the most faithful characters, won't be the same when he comes back from Jersualen, being the one that calls to forgive the sins and go on, being the one that loses both his daughter and wife, because of events that develop when he's away.

Only Violaine remains as pure as ever, as image of Mary.

[Sarah (Gutierrez) Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paul Claudel's wisdom regarding such mysteries as the saints' deep love for the world and their strange separation from it outstrips his technical skill as a playwright, and for that reason I'm not sure how well this play would work performed. That said, it is well worth reading. The central character, Violaine, is a saintly French girl, who because of leprosy and the enviousness of her sister ends up rejected by her lover and exiled from home. Meanwhile, her sister takes the young man and their father's inheritance--and still finds that she is the more miserable of the two.

Violane models Our Lady as she willingly accepts the blessing of the suffering that comes with the salvation of the world. But we, I'm afraid, are the bitter sister, Mara. We, like Mara, kick against the holiness that reveals our own failure, yet attack the kingdom of heaven with force and demand a miracle from a God we scarcely love. But just like for Mara, Joy is born to us, little as we deserve it.

[Czarny Pies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quelle joie de lire en premiere année universitaire cette grande classique catholique qui fait le louanges de la vocation de martyr telle que vecu aux moyen-ages. Ce genre de piece de theatre n'existe pas chez nous les Anglais. L'annonce faite a Marie m'a fait comprendre que la littérature francaise n'était pas la chasse-gardée des philosophes et des existentialistes.

Les oeuvres de Mauriac, Bernanos, Racine, Teillhard de Chardin, Montherlant, Huysmans, Daudet, Flaubert et d'autres étaient encore a venir mais on a bien commencé. Que l'on continue a enseigner cet ouvrage en premiere année des universités anglo-saxonnes.

[Stefan Stojanovski · Rating 3 out of 5]

What did I read?!? Seriously it felt like me and the people who wrote the synopsis read almost different books. Either way Mara is a legend, fave character from this book.
*I had to bump my rating because I realized that it was pretty interesting

[Simone Trivisani · Rating 5 out of 5]

È un'opera palpitante L'annuncio a Maria di Paul Claudel: di vita, di amore, di commozione, di dramma. Da una parte ci sono Violaine e Anna Vercors, suo padre, mossi nell'intimo dal desiderio di aderire a ciò che Dio propone loro; dall'altra ci sono la madre e moglie di Anna, Elisabetta, e poi Giacomo e Mara, che oppongono resistenza all'inarrestabile susseguirsi di fatti che indicano un altrove a cui loro non vogliono guardare. Infine c'è una delle figure più belle dell'intera opera: Pietro di Craon, trasformato dal perdono gratuito di Violaine, con cui la storia si apre. É una vicenda profonda, ricca di significati che si svelano a ogni nuova lettura, a mio avviso concentrati in questa frase, fulminante, che Anna dice sul finire del dramma: "che vale il mondo rispetto alla vita? E che vale la vita se non per esser data? E perché tormentarsi quando è così semplice obbedire?"

[Armance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Le souffle de Claudel est magnifique, la poésie, le drame nous transportent loin de la terre.

VIOLAINE : Pardonnez-moi parce que je suis trop heureuse ! parce que celui que j'aime m'aime, et je suis sûre de lui, et je sais qu'il m'aime, et tout est égal entre nous ! Et parce que Dieu m'a faite pour être heureuse et non point pour le mal et aucune peine.
PIERRE DE CRAON : Va au ciel d'un seul trait ! Quant à moi, pour monter un peu, il me faut tout l'ouvrage d'une cathédrale et ses profondes fondations.
VIOLAINE : Et dites-moi que vous pardonnez à Jacques parce qu'il va m'épouser.
PIERRE DE CRAON : Non, je ne lui pardonne pas.
VIOLAINE : La haine ne vous fait pas de bien, Pierre, et elle me fait du chagrin.
PIERRE DE CRAON : C'est vous qui me faites parler. Pourquoi me forcer à montrer l'affreuse plaie qu'on ne voit pas ? Laissez-moi partir et ne m'en demandez pas davantage. Nous ne nous reverrons plus. Tout de même j'emporte son anneau !
VIOLAINE : Laissez votre haine à la place et je vous la rendrai quand vous en aurez besoin.
PIERRE DE CRAON : Mais aussi, Violaine, je suis bien malheureux ! Il est dur d'être un lépreux et de porter avec soi la plaie infâme et de savoir que l'on ne guérira pas et que rien n'y fait, mais que chaque jour elle gagne et pénètre, et d'être seul et de supporter son propre poison, et de se sentir tout vivant corrompre !

[Марија Николовска · Rating 2 out of 5]

« L'annnonce faite à Marie » est indéniablement le chef d'iœuvre de Paul Claudel.

En général, je n'aime pas les livres qui traitent des sujets religieux mais celui-ci m'a plu beaucoup. Même si notre pauvre Violaine n'est pas coupable, elle souffre trop. Je crois que son personnage représente la pureté, dans tous les sens. Elle pardonne à tous néanmoins ils ne le méritent pas.

Le personnage de Mara est peut-être une représentation de tous les maux dans ce monde parce qu'il n y a aucune action postive faite de sa part.

Je suis un peu déçue par Jacques parce qu'il n'a pas réussi à comprendre et accepter Violaine telle quelle elle était.

Le message qu'on peut tirer de cette histoire c'est qu'on doit pardonner à tous le monde et à nous-mêmes pour pouvoir vivre paisiblement ou pour avoir une âme tranquille.

[Concha Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most important plays of the 20th century. It has two endings, which surprised me very much

[Leonor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uma maravilha e absolutamente genial, reveladora do poder do amor, o que ele á capaz de criar em nós, centrifugar em nosso redor, transformar e salvar.
Com inúmeras referências ao texto Biblico, para quem o conheça: " Há um tempo para tomar e um tempo para deixar de tomar"; "E precisaste de ver para acreditar"; ajuda ler a peça com esse conhecimento, mas é um texto maravilhoso para qualquer um.

"o desgosto que nós temos não vale nada, mas o que causamos aos outros, impede-nos de comer em paz o nosso pão"

[Joshua]

Христианская мистика французского литературного пошиба

[Tyler Dumont · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Tidings Brought To Mary is a drudgery of all the worst parts of Christian sentimentality. It relies almost exclusively upon banal and obvious theological statements loosely wrapped up in the dialogue of bare and flat characters. This work provides no great window into uncovering great theological truths and only serves as a masturbatory exercise in blind Christian softness. It is devoid of meaningful characters, or even understandable and real characters, and is instead filled with all that what would later become detestable in the growth of Baby-Boomer mawkishness. Its sickly-sweet prose is only made worse by the droves and droves of the faithful praising this work as, I kid you not, one of the greatest works ever written in this century. It is not a story for the thinking person, nor even for the liberal or free man. It is designed only for those poor nail-biters of weak faith, those who would desperately add it to the ever-growing pantheon of meaningless religious works that make the faithful assured in their anti-intellectual and trite belief set.

If you would like to read religious works of legitimate importance and gravity, read anything written by J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, or their esteemed crew. They, unlike the current rabble of the common Christian demographic, were interested in honestly inhabiting the real world that everyone else is living and breathing in. They were interested in creating a real work which would serve the Christian and the Pagan alike. This book condescends so blatantly to its target market that it cannot possibly do exactly what makes literature so beautiful: to transcend it's rough paper and ink form to live in the transendent realities of our minds. No person is ever formed or made better by being force-fed candy virtues.

The intense steam bath of self-righteous praise for Paul Claudel is misappropriated and highly inappropriate. Paul Claudel has done nothing but create a story about Christians for Christians, all of whom are within the sickly-sweet tribe which has formed the backbone of all the laziness that persists in our Church. He does not deserve our praise, nor our patting on the back of a work which will be quickly forgotten within the turn of time. He most certainly does not deserve the never-ending swells of "hallelujah's" from some among us, who continually over-flatter his work by calling it a Classic upon Classic, one of the greatest works of Western Literature, one of the best stories of our time.

This work is such a capitulation to a gnostic transcendence that it makes a mockery of the very real transcendent character of our world. It attempts to call forth the transcendent but in its essence so deeply and tragically lacks anything of the sort so that any mention of God or Love or Goodness seems like a sham, a farce, a jest, a mockery, and a shameful presentation of Christian industry. Any person who praises this work as beautiful, as filled with wonderful language, as proposing universal truths, as providing light in the darkness of the secular world, has clearly only read this book as their second story ever, followed quickly after the Shack. And shame upon any who would consider this work a classic work of Western literature! You profane the land you walk on, and you profane the work of legitimate Christian authors who must first wade through the deplorable press your babble raises. In order to make such praises, one must first ignore the constant witness and cry of the hundreds of authors within the Western Tradition who have toiled their years and hair away for the sake of the Kingdom and have created something actually worth our praise. The hour or so it would take any man or woman to read this would be completely wasted in comparison to the rich and transcendent beauty within any other text of respected Christian literature (such as the aforementioned and venerable authors).

[Louis R · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a writer and playwright, Paul Claudel fits a wonderful niche of modern Catholic literature that is both true to humanity and true to the faith. It is most definitely a mystery, but one that is a delight to read and to live!

[Declan Huerta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amar con categorías muy superiores. No hay lugar al rencor. El perdón todo lo puede, lo renueva, lo llena de luz. Lectura impactante.

[Gregory Wolfe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spiritual wisdom: 5 stars. Dramatic form: 2 stars. Love the wisdom.

[Océane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Encore un roman de Claudel avec une héroïne féminine qui se résigne à la souffrance et se sacrifie pour le bonheur de ceux qu'elle aime : décidément, c'est un thème qui est cher à Claudel. Tout au long de la pièce, le parallèle est fait entre l'angélus et le destin des personnages. "L'ange du Seigneur apporta l'annonce à Marie / Et elle conçu du Saint-Esprit / Voici la Servante du Seigneur / Qu'il me soit fait selon votre parole / Et le Verbe s'est fait chair / Et il a habité parmi nous". Derrière cette prière qui salue le mystère de l'incarnation, l'écrivain met en exergue les implications sur la destinée des Hommes : la souffrance n'est plus méprisable mais un signe de la ressemblance au Christ. Le style claudélien est reconnaissable entre tous : l'emphase, le lyrisme, la grandiloquence, le vers libre... Les personnages sont à la fois des paysans communs (cf ambiance La Mare au Diable, Sand), mais ils ont une portée universelle : il y a toujours cette tension entre le particulier et l'universel ( ce qui peut tendre à donner un côté ridicule aux personnages et leurs idéaux de grandeur, notamment le père qui décide de partir à Jérusalem). La pièce, assez classiquement, commence par l'assurance de bonheur de Violaine et Jacques : "Et parce que Dieu m'a faite pour le bonheur et non pour le mal et aucune peine". Une affirmation qui devient ironique après la lecture de l'acte final : "Est-ce que le but de la vie est de vivre ? Il n'est pas de vivre mais de mourir ! et non point de charpenter la croix, mais d'y monter et de donner ce que nous avons en riant! Là est la joie, là est la liberté, là est la grâce, la jeunesse éternelle!". La morale se montre par la choix que fait Violaine de renoncer à son bonheur par amour pour Dieu et pour les autres. En se dépouillant de tout, elle atteint la véritable liberté et exhorte le spectateur aux mêmes sacrifices. Alors que son destin tragique inspirait la pitié, Violaine montre que c'est par son chemin que nous pouvons être heureux, par le renoncement et la résignation au risque de finir comme Mara, dans l'ingratitude, la colère et la jalousie. Il y a aussi toute une réflexion sur la souffrance comme outil de rédemption et de réparation du mal : "puissante est la souffrance quand elle est aussi volontaire que le péché!". Cette fable morale pleine de symboles et de signes, nous donne à voir des personnages grands malgré leurs petitesse, et dans toutes les nuances de l'âme humaine.

[Olga Sala · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hay libros que no se recuerdan por lo que cuentan, sino por la atmósfera que dejan. La anunciación a María pertenece a ese tipo de obras. Sabes que hubo algo importante, un sacrificio, una figura femenina potente, una intensidad espiritual… pero cuesta reconstruirlo. No porque sea menor, sino porque su forma se resiste.

Leer teatro, especialmente este tipo de teatro, es como escuchar una misa en latín: intuyes lo sagrado, pero te pierdes el pulso. La emoción está ahí, pero mediatizada por la estructura, por la ausencia de escena, por la liturgia del texto. Y Paul Claudel no escribe ligero: su lenguaje es simbólico, elevado, denso. Cada frase parece tener peso eterno, pero eso mismo impide a veces el temblor.

Hay belleza, sin duda. Hay profundidad, entrega, mística. Pero me costó entrar. O más bien: me quedé en la antesala de lo que la obra proponía. Como si viera el drama tras un vitral precioso, pero desde fuera.

🔹 Lo mejor: La ambición poética, la vocación espiritual, la figura de Violaine como emblema de redención.
🔹 Lo peor: La lectura como experiencia fría, formal, demasiado alejada del cuerpo.

Un texto que impone respeto más que emoción. Quizá en escena, bajo una luz tenue, con cuerpos que encarnen el verbo, la obra se revele de otra forma. En la página… se queda lejana.

[Marija Krtolica]

This four act play reads like a folk tale and a modern poetic drama rich in Christian (Catholic) symbolism. The translator and interpreter of Claudel - Wallace Fowlie points out that “L’annonce Faite à Marie’ sourced from author’s childhood in the province of Le Tardenois. The succinct descriptions of stark landscapes add atmosphere to the scenes, while also acting as metaphors for virtue, evil, and the cycles of life and death.
The historical setting is the fifteenth century France - the time of The Hundred Years War. The mythical aspect of the play comes from a story of a German female mystic who revived a dead infant by breast feeding it. Thus, the act three concludes with Violaine’s miracle in which she brings back to life the daughter of her sister - Mara.
I recommended coupling the reading of the play with a cinematic experience: ‘L’Annonce faite à Marie’ directed by Alain Cuny.

[Sparrow .]

My daughter’s friend Christina quoted W. H. Auden:

Time that with this strange excuse
Pardoned Kipling and his views,
And will pardon Paul Claudel,
Pardons him for writing well.

[The “him” is Yeats; the poem is “In Memory of W. B. Yeats.”]

Perhaps if one is studying French, one should not read Catholic Surrealist pièces de théâtre. Either I couldn’t understand “L’annonce faite à Marie” or it makes no goddam sense. (Though I respect Claudel for – in 1940! – begetting a poignant play about a leper-saint.)

[Frédéric De · Rating 4 out of 5]

L’intrigue est confuse, le style poétique et mystique, pas facile à suivre et à pénétrer.
La pièce se passe à l’époque des 2 rois enfants, Henri VIII et Charles VII, des 3 papes et de l’arrivée de Jeanne d’Arc.
Violaine symbolise la sainteté, une Vierge Marie par sa pureté et un Christ par le fardeau de la lèpre qu’elle prend sur ses épaules par le baiser échangé avec Pierre de Craon. Elle ressuscite l’enfant de sa soeur.
Sa sœur Mara, jalouse et méchante, mais profondément croyante, représente les Chrétiens, ingrats par nature.
C’est beau, très spirituel, mais dense et difficile

[Julian · Rating 3 out of 5]

In terms of poetics and melodrama, this was really excellently constructed and written. In terms of values though ... practically the antipode of my worldview (total submission to an authority we don't even know exists, patriarchal structures, etc.). But it was still a rich reading experience and it helped give me a better idea of what a work from a devoutly Catholic playwright actually entails.

[Pablo Sotelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

La libertad como drama casi siempre brilla en los novelistas católicos, sin dejar de lado la gracia de la Providencia siempre latente pero nunca invasiva. Sigo pensando que no puede existir confesión cristiana auténtica si no respeta la libertad y la potencia a la verdad.

[Morning Glory]

Like till we have faces, centered on the relationships and coming and goings of two sisters. Centered on the particularity of each person’s calling. Hope to carry my annonce/calling into lent this year.

[Augustė · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ana Verkoras: „Viešpaties angelas apreiškė Marijai, ir ji pradėjo iš Šventosios Dvasios“.
Mara: O kokia antroji eilutė?
Ana Verkoras: „Štai aš Viešpaties tarnaitė, tebūnie man pagal tavo valią“.
Mara: O trečioji eilutė?
Ana Verkoras: „Ir žodis tapo kūnu, ir gyveno tarp mūsų“.

[Maria Inês Serrazina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fala da vida como vocação, do sim que é dado quando não se quer, de uma realidade que se impõe e da inevitabilidade de responder a um convite maior.

Um livro muito bonito, longe do óbvio. Para reler várias vezes, especialmente porque não sei se o percebi na totalidade.