Harvard Classics, Vol. 26: Continental Drama

by Charles William Eliot (Editor)

Harvard Classics, Vol. 26 This volume aims to represent, as far as the limits of space allow, the chief dramatists of Spain, France, and Germany. To the plays included here should be added the "Faust" and "Egmont" of Goethe, included in Volume XIX of this series. These eight works, along with the specimens of the Elizabethan drama contained in Volumes XLVI and XLVII (forthcoming)and Modern English drama given in Volume XVIII, indicate the high-water mark of dramatic production in modern times, and afford a basis for comparison with the masterpieces of the drama of antiquity as represented in Volume VIII "Nine Greek Dramas."

Included in this volume:

Life Is a Dream by Pedro Calderon de la Barca
Polyeucte by Pierre Corneille
Phèdra by Jean Racine
Tartuffe by Moliere
Minna von Barnhelm by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
Wilhelm Tell by Friedrich von Schiller

Genres: Classics

Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1909

About the author

Charles William Eliot was an American academic who was selected as Harvard's president in 1869. He transformed the provincial college into the preeminent American research university. Eliot served the longest term as president in the university's history.

Reviews

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first couple of plays were difficult reads, but in retrospect there was some merit. "Life is a dream" had an unusual theme in differentiating reality from dream. "Polyeucts" was much too religious for me, although a tragedy for the believers. "Phaedra" was a reasonable facsimile of Classic Greek drama written two millennia beyond that age. "Tartuffe" introduced modern comedy and hypocrisy. "Minna ..." added sarcasm to the stage. And finally, "William Tell" described the fight of Swiss free men against a tyrant. The drama increased as the years intervened from the 16th to the end of the 18th centuries.

[Ixby Wuff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harvard Classics, Vol. 26 This volume aims to represent, as far as the limits of space allow, the chief dramatists of Spain, France, and Germany. To the plays included here should be added the "Faust" and "Egmont" of Goethe , included in Volume XIX of this series. These eight works, along with the specimens of the Elizabethan drama contained in Volumes XLVI and XLVII ( forthcoming )and Modern English drama given in Volume XVIII , indicate the high-water mark of dramatic production in modern times, and afford a basis for comparison with the masterpieces of the drama of antiquity as represented in Volume VIII "Nine Greek Dramas."
Included in this volume:
Life Is a Dream by Pedro Calderon de la Barca

Polyeucte by Pierre Corneille

Phèdra by Jean Racine

Tartuffe by Moliere

Minna von Barnhelm by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

Wilhelm Tell by Friedrich von Schiller