“ Andromache ” ( French Andromaque ) is a tragedy in five acts, a work of the French playwright Jean Racine . Written by the Alexandrian verse . The premiere of Andromache took place on November 17, 1667 in the Louvre , in the presence of Louis XIV .
| Andromache | |
|---|---|
| Andromaque | |
 1668 edition. | |
| Author | Jean Racine |
| Original language | French |
| Original published | 1667 |
Main characters
- Andromache is the widow of Hector , a captive of Pyrrhus.
- Pyrrhus is the son of Achilles , king of Epirus .
- Orestes is the son of Agamemnon .
- Hermione is the daughter of Helen and King Sparta Menelaus , the bride of Pyrrhus.
- Pilad is a friend of Orestes.
Story
The action takes place in the capital of Epirus after the Trojan War . Orestes arrives with a message for King Pyrrhus: the Greeks are offended by the fact that the son of Achilles sheltered the widow of Hector and his little son Astianax , and did not kill the captives. However, Orestes himself is attracted to the palace of Pyrrhus not so much by duty as by passionate love - he is madly in love with Hermione, who has become the bride of the king. Orestes learns that Hermione, who rejected him, lives unhappily, as the groom still “does not offer her either a heart or a crown”. Pyrrhus, having forgotten the bride, unsuccessfully achieves the love of Andromache, the same yearn for Hector and lives only for her son. Pyrrhus threatens to betray Astianax to the Greeks, if Andromache does not replace anger with mercy.
Orestes meets Hermione and sees that despite the humiliation, she still loves Pierre. Hermione herself claims that only hatred is alive in her heart, that she agrees to leave with Orestes, but cannot do this without the permission of the king. Orestes with a light heart goes to Pyrrhus, knowing that his bride is not dear to him and that he will let Hermione go. And Pyrrhus, beside himself after a conversation with Andromache, declares that he decided to give the child to the Greeks and finally marry Hermione. Orestes in despair. He wants to kidnap Hermione with the help of his friend Pilad, who knows the palace well. Hermione completely forgot about him, is happy and believes that Pyrrhus returned to her.
Andromache sees that the king is seriously going to give Astianax to death. She humbles her pride and goes to ask Hermione for help, then falls to her knees in front of Pyrrhus himself. He announces that he will give up the child if Andromache does not marry him today: “I hope to become his father and husband to you. And if not, I’ll give it to you for execution. ” Andromache is forced to agree to the wedding, and she comes up with a plan:
| may the king promise the temple Before the altar I will give him a son, And the life that I have ceased to appreciate, Instantly rip off with a dagger. |
Jubilant Pierre prepares for the wedding, and again rejected Hermione yearns for revenge. She persuades Orestes to kill Pyrrhus and then promises to leave with him.
Orestes returns and reports that he killed the king. Hermione has come to her senses and curses him for his "low deed":
| You are guilty alone, an insidious creator! .. The killer is vile to me. Get out of sight! |
Maddened, she stabs herself with a dagger over Pierre's body. Orestes' friend, Pilad, appears. He says that a whole crowd of furious Epiruses is led by them under the leadership of Andromache, who "prompts them to avenge their new husband." Orestes refuses to leave, but upon learning of Hermione's death, he loses consciousness. Pilad takes him.
See also
- Ancient Greek mythology
Links
- Full text (Russian) in the Maxim Moshkov Library .