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Le Véritable Saint Genest
Rotrou, dramaturge adulé au XVIIe siècle, donne ici son chef-d'œuvre. Pièce baroque chrétienne, Le Véritable Saint Genest, nous convie au vertige de l'illusion et nous révèle pourtant la vérité : un acteur se convertit en plein théâtre. Dieu descend sur scène.
190 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1646
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About the author
Jean de Rotrou
154 books1 followerJean de Rotrou (21 August 1609 – 28 June 1650) was a French poet and tragedian.
Rotrou was born at Dreux in Normandy. He studied at Dreux and at Paris, and, though three years younger than Pierre Corneille, began writing before him. In 1632, he became playwright to the actors of the Hôtel de Bourgogne. (This hall is the setting for the first act of Rostand's play Cyrano de Bergerac, and Rotrou's name is mentioned - as is Corneille's) With few exceptions, the only events recorded of Rotrou's life are the successive appearances of his plays, and his enrolment in 1635 in the band of five poets who had the duty of turning Richelieu's dramatic ideas into shape.
Rotrou's own first piece, L'Hypocondriaque (first published in 1631, probably staged in 1628; critical edition by JC Vuillemin [Droz, 1999]), dedicated to the Comte de Soissons, seigneur of Dreux, appeared when he was only eighteen. In the same year he published a collection of Œuvres poetiques, including elegies, epistles and religious verse. His second piece, La Bague de l'oubli (1635), an adaptation in part from the Sortija del Olvido of Félix Lope de Vega, was much more characteristic. It is the first of several plays in which Rotrou endeavoured to naturalize in France the romantic comedy which had flourished in Spain and England instead of the classical tragedy of Seneca and the classical comedy of Terence.
Corneille had leanings in the same direction. Rotrou's brilliant but hasty and unequal work showed the marks of a stronger adhesion to the Spanish model. In 1634, when he printed Cleagénor et Doristée (acted 1630), he said he was already the author of thirty plays; but this probably includes adaptations. Diane (acted 1630; pr. 1633), Les Occasions perdues (acted 1631; printed 1635), which won for him the favour of Richelieu, and L'Heureuse Constance (acted 1631; pr. 1635), which was praised by Anne of Austria, succeeded each other rapidly, and were all in the Spanish manner.
In 1631, Rotrou imitated Plautus in Les Ménechmes, and in 1634 Seneca in his Hercule mourant. Comedies and tragi-comedies followed. Documents exist showing the sale of four pieces to Antoine de Sommarille for 750 livres tournois in 1636, and in the next year he sold ten to the same bookseller. He spent much time at Le Mans with his patron, de Belin, who was one of the opponents of Corneille in the quarrel over Le Cid. It has been generally assumed, partly because of a forged letter long accepted as Corneille's, that Rotrou was his generous defender in this matter. He appears to have been no more than neutral, but is credited with an attempt at reconciliation between the parties in a pamphlet printed in 1637, L'Inconnu et veritable amy de messieurs de Scudéry et Corneille.
De Belin died in 1637, and in 1639 Rotrou bought the post of lieutenant particulier au baüliage at Dreux. In the next year he married Marguerite Camus, and settled down as a model magistrate and père de famille. Among his pieces written before his marriage were a translation of the Amphitryon of Plautus, under the title of Les Deux Sosies (1636), Antigone (1638), and Laure Persécutée (acted 1637; pr. 1639), in the opposite style to these classical pieces.
In 1646, Rotrou produced the first of his four masterpieces, Le Veritable Saint Genest (acted 1646; pr. 1648), a story of Christian martyrdom containing some amusing byplay, one noble speech and a good deal of dignified action. Rotrou uses with considerable success the device of a play within a play to assert a Christian perspective on the theatrum mundi theme. The Roman actor Genest becomes a real convert while playing the part of a Christian martyr. Incidentally (Act i. Sc. v.) Rotrou pays a noble tribute to the genius of Corneille. Don Bertrand de Cabrère (1647) is a tragi-comedy of merit; Venceslas (1647; pr. 1648) is considered in France his masterpiece, and has had several modern revivals; Cosroès (1649) has an Oriental setting, and is claimed as the onl
Rotrou was born at Dreux in Normandy. He studied at Dreux and at Paris, and, though three years younger than Pierre Corneille, began writing before him. In 1632, he became playwright to the actors of the Hôtel de Bourgogne. (This hall is the setting for the first act of Rostand's play Cyrano de Bergerac, and Rotrou's name is mentioned - as is Corneille's) With few exceptions, the only events recorded of Rotrou's life are the successive appearances of his plays, and his enrolment in 1635 in the band of five poets who had the duty of turning Richelieu's dramatic ideas into shape.
Rotrou's own first piece, L'Hypocondriaque (first published in 1631, probably staged in 1628; critical edition by JC Vuillemin [Droz, 1999]), dedicated to the Comte de Soissons, seigneur of Dreux, appeared when he was only eighteen. In the same year he published a collection of Œuvres poetiques, including elegies, epistles and religious verse. His second piece, La Bague de l'oubli (1635), an adaptation in part from the Sortija del Olvido of Félix Lope de Vega, was much more characteristic. It is the first of several plays in which Rotrou endeavoured to naturalize in France the romantic comedy which had flourished in Spain and England instead of the classical tragedy of Seneca and the classical comedy of Terence.
Corneille had leanings in the same direction. Rotrou's brilliant but hasty and unequal work showed the marks of a stronger adhesion to the Spanish model. In 1634, when he printed Cleagénor et Doristée (acted 1630), he said he was already the author of thirty plays; but this probably includes adaptations. Diane (acted 1630; pr. 1633), Les Occasions perdues (acted 1631; printed 1635), which won for him the favour of Richelieu, and L'Heureuse Constance (acted 1631; pr. 1635), which was praised by Anne of Austria, succeeded each other rapidly, and were all in the Spanish manner.
In 1631, Rotrou imitated Plautus in Les Ménechmes, and in 1634 Seneca in his Hercule mourant. Comedies and tragi-comedies followed. Documents exist showing the sale of four pieces to Antoine de Sommarille for 750 livres tournois in 1636, and in the next year he sold ten to the same bookseller. He spent much time at Le Mans with his patron, de Belin, who was one of the opponents of Corneille in the quarrel over Le Cid. It has been generally assumed, partly because of a forged letter long accepted as Corneille's, that Rotrou was his generous defender in this matter. He appears to have been no more than neutral, but is credited with an attempt at reconciliation between the parties in a pamphlet printed in 1637, L'Inconnu et veritable amy de messieurs de Scudéry et Corneille.
De Belin died in 1637, and in 1639 Rotrou bought the post of lieutenant particulier au baüliage at Dreux. In the next year he married Marguerite Camus, and settled down as a model magistrate and père de famille. Among his pieces written before his marriage were a translation of the Amphitryon of Plautus, under the title of Les Deux Sosies (1636), Antigone (1638), and Laure Persécutée (acted 1637; pr. 1639), in the opposite style to these classical pieces.
In 1646, Rotrou produced the first of his four masterpieces, Le Veritable Saint Genest (acted 1646; pr. 1648), a story of Christian martyrdom containing some amusing byplay, one noble speech and a good deal of dignified action. Rotrou uses with considerable success the device of a play within a play to assert a Christian perspective on the theatrum mundi theme. The Roman actor Genest becomes a real convert while playing the part of a Christian martyr. Incidentally (Act i. Sc. v.) Rotrou pays a noble tribute to the genius of Corneille. Don Bertrand de Cabrère (1647) is a tragi-comedy of merit; Venceslas (1647; pr. 1648) is considered in France his masterpiece, and has had several modern revivals; Cosroès (1649) has an Oriental setting, and is claimed as the onl
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 26, 2025
déçue… les alexandrins n’ont pas su me charmer plus que ça, et je m’attendais à des apparitions divines qui claquaient un peu plus
February 8, 2019
3.5/5.
L'idée de Theatrum Mundi -- ou, comme Shakespeare l'a dit -- "All the world's a stage" ne se trouve si essentielle que dans ce pièce par Rotrou.
On nous pose la question de ce qu'est la vérité et ce qu'est le théâtre. Cela a introduit des idées du film Inception 400 ans avant qu'il n'est montré. Il y a des moments où Adrian/Genest/son acteur parle directement à l'audience.
C'est évidement une pièce chrétienne, mais Rotrou montre les côtés admirables de la foi en temps que montrer ce choix difficile que Genest doit faire.
L'idée de Theatrum Mundi -- ou, comme Shakespeare l'a dit -- "All the world's a stage" ne se trouve si essentielle que dans ce pièce par Rotrou.
On nous pose la question de ce qu'est la vérité et ce qu'est le théâtre. Cela a introduit des idées du film Inception 400 ans avant qu'il n'est montré. Il y a des moments où Adrian/Genest/son acteur parle directement à l'audience.
C'est évidement une pièce chrétienne, mais Rotrou montre les côtés admirables de la foi en temps que montrer ce choix difficile que Genest doit faire.
May 13, 2020
Sublime : une dimension métathéâtrale vraiment surprenante.
October 10, 2021
In timpul domniei duble a lui Diocletian si Maximian avem reprezentarea unei performante actoricești astfel se creeaza fenomenul de teatru in teatru. Genest, actorul principal, credincios zeilor romani il joaca pe Adrian, un cetatean roman, ce devine Crestin si este osandit la moarte. Imediat dupa botezul pus in scena, Genest isi iese din rol vorbind despre cuvantul si slava Domnului. Colegii cred ca improvizeaza, spectatorii in prima faza sunt uimiti de cum Genest a intrat in personaj nestiind ca acesta vorbeste din suflet. Dupa ce lamureste situatia Diocletian in osandeste la moarte pe Genest, care preia prcursul lui Adrian si moare ca un martir. Aceasta continuare a piesei in “viata reala” face din Adrian, rolul jucat de Genest, rolul suprem; dupa cum spune si Maximian:”Nu mai plangeti doamna, asa i-a fost dorinta/ Din suferinta crunta sa-si teasa biruinta/ Caci savarsind o crima, prin moarte si-a dorit,/ In adevar sa schimbe un joc ce-a plasmuit.
August 21, 2024
This is structured very badly. Rotrou's play is an apologia for Christian martyrdom and Christianity more generally – this takes up the three central acts of the play and the first scene of the last act – but the play ends with everyone discussing the stupidity of the central martyr and his death instead of the play ending with the martyr himself and his faith. Even more bafflingly, the central drama itself simply makes no sense: why on earth would an emperor of Rome wish to watch a Christian martyr defy his wishes and speak against his own religious beliefs? And yet that is the conceit of Le Véritable Saint Genest.
Finally, and perhaps worst of all, Saint Genest is desperately repetitive. One hears again and again the same sentiments, the same arguments, and the same nonsensical celebrations of the death drive.
Finally, and perhaps worst of all, Saint Genest is desperately repetitive. One hears again and again the same sentiments, the same arguments, and the same nonsensical celebrations of the death drive.
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February 24, 2021Pour le coup, je suis passée totalement à côté.
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March 20, 2016
Très bonne édition critique.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews