Topaze : pièce en 4 actes

by Marcel Pagnol

Topaze : pièce en 4 actes Mass Market Paperback – 1976

Genres: France, French Literature, Theatre, Plays, Fiction, Classics, School

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1947

About the author

Marcel Pagnol was a French novelist, playwright, and filmmaker. In 1946, he became the first filmmaker elected to the Académie Française.

Reviews

[Sawsan · Rating 4 out of 5]

مسرحية من كلاسيكيات أدب المسرح للكاتب الفرنسي مارسيل بانيول نُشرت عام 1928
أثر المال في الحياة عموما باعتباره من أهم القوى التي تحكم المجتمع
ينقد بانيول فساد السياسة والمجتمع فترة ما بعد الحرب العالمية الأولى
ويتناول قدرة المال على تغيير الانسان اجتماعيا ونفسيا
والظروف التي تُسهل التحول من الشرف والأمانة والفقر إلى الغش والاحتيال والثراء
الحوار رائع وبسيط ويحكي الواقع برغم مرور السنين على كتابة المسرحية
ينتقل بين مفردات الأخلاق والواجب, السعادة والرغبات والأحلام
والنظرة العامة للانسان في مجتمعه بحسب ما يملكه من مال وما يتبعه من سيادة وقوة

[Fatma Al Zahraa Yehia · Rating 4 out of 5]

بتلك المسرحية العظيمة قدر من الصراحة التي لن نرغب أبداً أن نواجه أنفسنا بها. يلطمنا "مارسيل بانيول" بالحقائق واضحة وصارخة بواقعية ساخرة وسوداء دون تزييف.

اقبلوا ذلك أو لا.. فالصادق الأمين مصيره الوحيد أن يُستغل ويؤكل حقه. وإن لم تكن مُفترِساً، ستكون الفريسة.

رأيت ذلك أمامي طوال حياتي. وقد نختار أن نمضي في طريق مستقيم صارم في حياتنا، ولكن لا يجب ان تمنعنا تلك الاستقامة عن ادراك أبسط حقائق الحياة، والتي ذُكرت على لسان "طوباز" في النهاية:

الناس ليسوا طيبين إذ ان القوة هى التي تحكم الدنيا، وكذلك تلك المستطيلات المربعة من الورق ذي الحفيف هى القوة التي تحكم العالم



لم أتوقع أن أستمتع بتلك المسرحية لهذه الدرجة. كتابة ممتعة وخفيفة ذات تطور منطقي ومقنع للشخصيات دون الوقوع في فخ المثاليات التي كانت تحكم الكتابة في تلك الوقت، أي العشرينات من القرن الماضي. كانت النهاية شديدة السخرية، شديدة المنطقية.

لم أشاهد مسرحية السكرتير الفني للراحل العظيم فؤاد المهندس والمأخوذة من هذا العمل المسرحي. لا أعرف منها سوى المشهد الرائع بينه وبين جمال اسماعيل وجُملته الخالدة "بقى الأرضُ كرويةّ تدورُ حولَ نُفسها؟ يعني ابقى الصبح في شبرا وبعد الظهر ألاقي نفسي في روض الفرج؟"


closest santander bank


ولكن بعد قراءتي للمسرحية ومشاهدتي للقطات من العمل المسرحي لفؤاد المهندس، اجد انهم قد ابدعوا في "تمصير" العمل الأصلي.
شاهدت أيضا لقطات من الفيلم الفرنسي الذي أخرجه كاتب العمل مارسيل بانول عام-1951-والذي يحمل نفس الأسم، واتمنى أيضا ان اجد الوقت لمشاهدته كاملا.



أريد أن أُثني على الترجمة الرائعة السلسة لمحمود زمزم، والتي كانت من اهم اسباب استمتاعي بهذا العمل الرائع.

ارشحها بقوة، اقروها يا جماعة بجد حلوة قوي.

[Radwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

"إن جميع ما فعلته يقع تحت طائلة القانون، ولو كان المجتمع سليم البنيان لكنت الآن في السجن"

الأستاذ توباز مثال الشرف والأمانة
كيف تغير وتحول إلى لص مخادع

القصة تحولت إلى أعمال عدة
منها

Topaze (1933)
للمبدع جون باريمور

الفيلم الفرنسي
Topaze (1951)

I Like money (1961)
لبيتر سيليرز

وفي مصر
فيلم المدير الفني لفريد شوقي

مسرحية السكرتير الفني
ومسلسل الدنيا لما تلف
كلاهما للمهندس

[Czarny Pies · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dans Topaze Marcel Pagnol démontre qu'il a un très grand talent pour les dialogues. Hélas, dans ce cas c'est du talent mis au service d’un vaudeville exécrable. On n'y voit rien du grand écrivain que Pagnol est devenu bien plus tard pour une très brève période.

[Vasileios · Rating 5 out of 5]

Υπέροχο· μου θύμισε το εξίσου υπέροχο «Ξύπνα Βασίλη», αναφορικά με το χρήμα/εξουσία και πώς αυτά μπορούν να διαφθείρουν.

[هاجر عبد الحميد · Rating 2 out of 5]

الحقيقة اني كنت محملاها فوق طاقتها وعشان كده جالي إحباط من مدي توقع الأحداث، يمكن لاني كنت متوقعه عمق فلسفي أو صراع ضخم يوازي فكرة التحول الأخلاقي، لكن المعالجة الصراحة كانت سطحية اوفر و متوقعة أوفر- علي الاقل بالنسبالي- و فرضا،  إنها بالفعل متوقعة ، خلينا نفصل و نناقش جانب أخلاقي،  طب جانب اجتماعي لان لو مفصلتش في دول هتفصل في أي ، في مسرحية موضوعها تحول شخص نبيل-أخلاقيا- لشخص فاسد-علي كذا مستوى- بدفع من المجتمع و الاستغلال الي اتعرضله من الي حواليه .
وانا بحكي لصديقتين ليا عن محتوى المسرحية،  كلنا توقعنا ال switch ، لحد هنا تمام ، لكن السؤال ماذا بعد التحول لنقيض ما كنت تؤمن به ، بل و حتى إزدراء ما كنت تؤمن به سابقا و اعتباره غباء ، ماذا بعد ؟
حاجة كمان فين الصراع انا مقدرتش احط ايدي عليه ، يعني حتى ال switch اللي حيلتنا حصل بمنتهي السلاسة (كان في صراع بالقطارة) مش صراع يليق بموضوع المسرحية
نجمة لأجل أنها ناقشت موضوع جميل بالنسبالي و من المواضيع الي بحب أقرأ عنها (حتى لو الثيمة معروفة و متكررة و متوقعة )
نجمة أخرى لأجل النهاية ، نهاية المسرحية كانت مفاجئة (خالفت الثيمة المعروفة ) 

[M. 1001 livres à lire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pièce de théâtre, sur un sujet très moral mais avec des répliques bourrées d'humour.

[Mouâd Benzahra · Rating 5 out of 5]

« Topaze » : Truculente par moments mais truffée de bons mots, il s’agit d’une pièce faisant la part belle à l’apologie de l’argent et des pouvoirs qui en découlent.

D’un acte à l’autre, ce sont des colorations continuellement présentes sur les textes et dialogues qui savent captiver et étonner à la fois, alternant vertu et combines malicieuses.

Étonnante pièce théâtre de Marcel Pagnol démontrant combien l’éloge de l’argent peut être un moteur de progrès et un moyen de libération sociale, sur fond d’hypocrisie et de pure malhonnêteté.
Une situation dans laquelle le héros « Topaze », instituteur ingénu et droit de sa nature, devenu par la force des choses un redoutable homme d’affaires en l’espace de quelques mois, démontre à quel point la force de l’argent et de la richesse facile provenant de bases douteuses peuvent chambouler tout un système de morale prédéterminé.

Le premier acte renseigne sur une situation de pauvre instituteur de pension, honnête et malmené par le quotidien et plus particulièrement de ses rapports inéquitablement perçus par ses confrères et directeur dudit établissement : On y découvre un « Topaze » très à cheval sur ses principes, emporté par des airs positifs emprunts à tout ce que la vertu pourrait apporter de si bon pour l’avenir.

A première lecture, il est délicat de déterminer les cours des événements puisque ce premier acte contraste complètement avec ceux qui suivent : Et là, intrusion dans le monde pourri des affaires obscures des gens dits « respectables », où le maître-mot est incontestablement l’argent : Des gens motivés par le gain facile et malhonnête ! Ce qui en dit long sur l’idéologie bourgeoise mise en avant dans cette pièce qui est toute basée sur des actes mystificateurs et voués au doute : C’est dire la figure peu reluisante sous laquelle elle étalée sur celle-ci, lorgnant constamment le besoin de conserver ses privilèges en travestissant la réalité sociale à son compte, et craignant de voir ses réelles marques dévoilées, et à mises horriblement à nu par les journaux au vu d’une société vivant dans l’abus et l’injustice.

C’est la genèse des actes II et III, ce dernier étant par ailleurs marqué par le fait que « l’homme de paille » rapidement entraîné par les méandres des affaires louches, a finalement que l’attraction magnétique de l’argent se fond dans un pouvoir entièrement édifié sur de l’escroquerie.

Le comble dans cette histoire étant le fait que le « héros » s’est glissé dans cette même peau des réprimandés bourgeois et adopté leurs pratiques pour déboucher sur un revirement de situation complet en dernier acte, plutôt rédigé sur une note cynique. Des comportements qu’il reconnaît répréhensibles mais qui font le bonheur et la survie dans un confort pimpant !

En somme, une satire illustrant donc d’amères réalités : Voir à quel point même les gens les plus honnêtes peuvent se laisser happer par les sirènes de l'argent, quitte à laisser au placard leurs idéaux et leurs illusions.

TOPAZE - Suis-je capable de diriger ?
SUZY - Pourquoi pas ?
TOPAZE - Madame, cette confiance m'honore, mais je crains que vous n'ayez une trop bonne idée de mes capacités.
SUZY - Mais non... Vous êtes professeur, monsieur Topaze.
TOPAZE - Justement, madame. Je suis professeur. C'est-à-dire que hors d'une classe, je ne suis bon à rien.
{Acte II}

TOPAZE - [...] Ah ! l'argent... Tu n'en connais pas la valeur... Mais ouvre les yeux, regarde la vie, regarde tes contemporains... L'argent peut tout, il permet tout, il donne tout... Si je veux une maison moderne, une fausse dent invisible, la permission de faire gras le vendredi, mon éloge dans les journaux ou une femme dans mon lit, l'obtiendrai-je par des prières, le dévouement ou la vertu ? [...]
TOPAZE : [...] je vais te dire un secret : malgré les rêveurs, malgré les poètes et peut-être malgré mon cœur, j'ai appris la grande leçon : Tamise, les hommes ne sont pas bons. C'est la force qui gouverne le monde, et ces petits rectangles de papier bruissant, voilà la forme moderne de la force."
{Acte IV}

[aurora torelli · Rating 1 out of 5]

meglio di kukum but still, non ci siamo

[The literary voyager · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ce n'est pas ma pièce de théatre de Marcel Pagnol préférée mais c'est un beau texte sur la moralité, l'argent et le bonheur dans le monde.

[Sarrareadsbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good, but I got slightly bored in the middle.

[l’ivresse rhapsodie. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Le mépris des proverbes c’est le commencement de la fortune

La déchéance du honnête homme, dans un monde ou ne peut subsister la vertu. Excellente pièce de théâtre

[Victoria Foote-Blackman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant, funny, horribly cynical, but as true today as it was when first published in 1928, even if it's a caricature of reality. The world of education with the teacher always at fault, the world of big business in collusion with politics, a jackpot of influence peddling, graft, kickbacks, and other forms of corruption... all so uncomfortably familiar even a century later.

Also: wonderful twists of plot to keep the reader or audience glued to the edge of their seats. Delicious, if malicious. A perfect play even for advanced students of French either in high school or college.

[Bryan Spellman · Rating 4 out of 5]

1 for 2016. Marcel Pagnol wrote his four act play, Topaze, in 1928, and the play had its first Parisian performance that same year. Albert Topaze, the title character, begins act 1 as a poor teacher employed in a private school. He is extremely naive, and honest to the point of absurdity, failing to realize that in order to get ahead, he has to bend the rules. Over the course of the four acts he grows up, as it were, and in the final scenes of act 4, he meets his old teaching colleague, Tamise, who is described in exactly the same way as he was in act 1. Topaze, on the other hand, has flourished, having left education for business and having learned the ropes--that is that honesty is not always the best policy and that in order to succeed, you must play the game. Act 1 was hard for me to get through as Topaze's naiveté is almost beyond belief. And it is precisely for that naiveté that Suzy (the aunt of one of his students) and Régis (Suzy's lover and a crooked politician) choose Topaze to be the front man for their various illicit schemes. Through Acts 2, 3 and 4, Topaze sees what is going on, and learns his lessons--learns them so well that in the end he has destroyed Régis and taken his place. While the play was written on the eve of the Great Depression, it has power today as we watch our politicians being bought and public policy following the dictates of big money. Over the years there have been several movie versions of the play, including a 1933 American version starring John Barrymore and Myrna Loy, tv movie versions in France and Sweden, a tv mini-series in Portugal, and stage productions world-wide. This meets the 2016 Read Harder challenge #23, Read a Play.

[Ninette · Rating 2 out of 5]

1928 წლის პიესის 1988 წლის თარგმანი ეროვნული ბიბლიოთეკის დარბაზში რომ არ იყოს მიტოვებული და, განახლებული გამოცემის ფარგლებში, აქაურობასაც ამშვენებდეს და წიგნის მაღაზიებსაც, “ტოპაზის” დასაწყისში წამოწყებული საკლასო კარნახი ცხვრების შესახებ ქართველ მკითხველს აუცილებლად მოაგონებდა “იმერული ესკიზების” საკლასო ოთახში ჩამომსხდარი მოსწავლეების სიმღერას მხარზე ჯოხმოგდებულ, სალამურმომარჯვებულ მეცხვარეზე.

ამ იუმორისტულ-გროტესკული ტონის მიუხედავად, მარსელ პანიოლს მძიმე თემასთან შეჭიდება აქვს განზრახული. თუკი პიესის დასაწყისში დაფაზე გაკრული შეგონებები მოგვიწოდებს, ადამიანის ღირსება მის ჯიბეში ფულის რაოდენობით არ განვსზაღვროთ, მეორე მოქმედების ბოლოს ტოპაზი თავადვე გვიცხადებს, რომ ღირსებას შესვენების ხანა დასდგომია. ამბის მიწურულს კი მისი უკანასკნელი პატიოსანი მეგობარიც მაქინაციის ნაწილი ხდება და საქანელაზე კანჯი ვატანაბესაგან ბიუროკრატიის რეკვიემის მღერის იმედსაც მკითხველში ტოპაზის დასუფთავების სამსახურის მანქანები გვიან.

მოკლედ, ეს ამბავი მსუბუქ სპექტაკლად ქცეულ დოსტოევსკის “იდიოტს” ჰგავს. საზოგადოება აქაც დასცინის იდიოტ პერსონაჟს, “თავადის ქალის” ხელის თხოვნა რომ გაუბედავს, მაგრამ, გაიზრდება-რა მისი კაპიტალი, მისი სიძობა სასურველ სახეს იძენს. აქაც ჩანს მეორე ქალი, ნასტასია ფილიპოვნასავით დამატყვევებელი პროტეჟე საეჭვო რეპუტაციის კაცისა. ადამიანის ადგილი საზოგადოებაში პანიოლთანაც ქონებით განისაზღვრება, ამიტომ, შეიძლება ითქვას, ოთხივე მოქმედება ბუხარში ალმოკიდებული ფულის დასტის წინ გულწასული გაიას ფონზე ვითარდება.

პრობლემაც ამაშია… თავად მიშკინის მშვინვიერს შეჩვეულს, იდიოტუსის ტიპის მხოლოდ გარეგნული ჩვენება მეუცხოვა - ადამიანისა და საზოგადოების ურთიერთობა თუ მსუბუქ კალამს შეეგუება, ეს თავისთავად უკვე იქნება ერთის მარცხი მრავალთან.

[Nabilla Zammali · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Aux temps préhistoriques, pendant que les hommes dépeçaient la bête abattue et s'en disputaient les lambeaux, les femmes regardaient de loin... Et quand les mâles se dispersaient, en emportant chacun sa part, sais-tu ce que faisaient les femmes? Elles suivaient amoureusement celui qui avait le plus gros bifteck."

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delighted to discover that my French skills are still sufficient to read this play with little assistance.

[Realini Ionescu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Topaze by Marcel Pagnol

Very good, 8 out of 10



Marcel Pagnol is the wonderful author of a few masterpieces:

- Manon de Sources, followed by Jean de Florette, My Father’s Glory, The Castle of my Mother and a few more.

Topaze is a remarkable work, with a familiar subject.

An innocent named Topaze is abused by ruthless people – Suzy Courtois and her lover Castel Benac who take advantage of a kind man.

As a teacher, Topaze has a calling for his profession and he likes to review his pupils’ works and even helps other teachers.

He is the symbol of honesty, integrity and hard work.

When he is rating his students, the only thing Topaze cares for is the quality of the work and no other criteria.

That upsets the interest of the director and one of the clients who pays for three children and wants better marks.

Since the honorable teacher would not change his opinion about the sloppy work, the pressure is increased.

When he refuses to change the evaluations he is laid off.

Topaze has to resort to private tuition and falls prey to a couple who have no qualms about using public funds for private gain.

He is destined to be a kind of front man for an immoral, illegal business.

When Topaze understands the nature of the role he is supposed to play, the moral nature of a very dignified man becomes obvious.

Initially, it was ironic and somewhat funny to listen to Topaze when he was offered the job

- Now I see why you offer me this position, it is out of mercy

- Oh, no!

Indeed the couple of mischievous lovers had in no way any benefit in my mind, except their own enrichment.

In another strange turn of fate, when he talks to Suzy about what he discovered, the latter is very cunning.

She pretends she would become a victim and Topaze needs to continue with his role to…protect an innocent woman.

She is the victim of her lover.

This what she pretends and with deceitful skill, she turns the young man around and has him wrapped around her finger.

The evolution of Topaze, which is that of a man accumulating wealth and power –is interesting to watch.

He even learns to speculate the position of front man, with right for signature and decision, which were thought only as a cover in the first place.

If the teacher was happy with 5,200 francs per month at the start of his new endeavor, he later learns the value of the enterprise.

It is with pleasure that we see the crooks getting a lesson from the man that they had thought too stupid to get it.

I will not say what happens, but the plot provides at the same time some good laughs and poses some questions.

As a final note, I have learned that this play had the same success as a more famous one- Cyrano de Bergerac.

[lakshmi · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌟4/5
Ok so this book in and of itself is probably around a 3/5 (or maybe less depending on your taste) but I'm giving it a 4/5 because I can 😩✋🏽 What really made me enjoy the book was the afterthoughts it left me with and a lot of space for discussions and other perspectives. I ended up reading a lot more about morals, ethics and moral relativism after reading the book, which isn't something I normally do after finishing a book like this. Would I ever have considered reading this if not for French class? Probably not. Was the starting unbelievably boring? Yes. I haven't ever enjoyed a book for school as much as I did this one though 🙈

[Andy P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marcel Pagnol was a French "auteur" decades before the concept even existed. He wrote, directed, and produced remarkable plays and films way back in 1920s and '30s. Many of these hold up very well as timeless morality fables, and certainly "Topaze" fits this bill. I especially enjoyed the humour of this play, all the more remarkable in its ability to make me "lol" one hundred years after the words were first set on paper.

A sidenote on languages - this is the French language edition I am reviewing, but this play should be available in all major world language. If you are a student of French at B1 or better, you should find this edition quite accessible.

[Amelitteraire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Topaze, c'est avant tout un questionnement sur le bien-fondé de la sacralisation de la morale, mais aussi une comparaison entre les idéaux et le réalisable, entre ce que l'on voudrait et ce qu'il est possible de faire. C'est une balance constante entre devoir de suivre et plaisir de s'affranchir. C'est une pièce très plaisante et facile à lire, comme la plupart des Marcel Pagnol, qui interroge sans tomber dans un dédale philosophique hasardeux et qui se lit très (trop) vite.

[Lucie · Rating 5 out of 5]

D’un homme moral à un homme corrompu…
Livre satirique, très chouette et facile à lire.
J’ai eu 2/3 rires de bon coeur, notamment le “exécutez-vous” que Topaze comprend comme “ôtez-vous la vie”!!
La fin est un peu déroutante. Le début de l’acte 2 est un peu longuet.
J’ai adoré ! Merci Julie pour la recommandation !!

[Inès Khrouf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Topaze, est un classique de la littérature française par Marcel Pagnol. Ce livre raconte emporte le lecteur dans le monde écolier. Il est très agréable à lire ! Je conseille vivement ce livre comme tous ceux que j’ai lu de Marcel Pagnol.

[Simon Guerlava · Rating 3 out of 5]

Une pièce de théâtre intriguante, avec du suspens et des rebondissements, mais l'histoire n'est pas toujours très bien amenée, et les personnages sont plutôt fades et peu attachants.

Divertissant tout de même.

[Célia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humoristique, léger et mène à la réflexion. Tout ce dont j'avais besoin en ce moment !

[Ambre Velleyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super drôle!! Hyper rapide à lire

[Coralie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sans grand intérêt pour ma part

[Miti Algodón · Rating 5 out of 5]

L'argent !! L'opium du monde!

[ipurpleskies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute

[Abanoub Ramsis · Rating 3 out of 5]

من حيث التوضيح ووصول المعني فالجنيه المصري اوضح وصريحة
من حيث الكتابة والارشادات المسرحية فالنص الاصلي هو الافضل بالتاكيد