Regarded as one of the masterpieces of French theatre, Pierre Corneille’s Le Cid [The Cid, an Arabic title meaning “Lord”] enjoyed immense and immediate success both on the stage of the Marais theatre in Paris, where it was premièred in early January 1637, and in the bookshops, where three quarto editions appeared in that same year. Contemporaries coined a catchphrase which long survived, “beau comme Le Cid” [beautiful like Le Cid], and down the centuries the play has remained one of the most frequently published and performed works of French drama. Generations of theatregoers and readers have been moved and charmed by Corneille’s depiction of the feelings and conflicts of t…
3227 words
Citation: Howe, Alan. "Le Cid". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 22 June 2010 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=4092, accessed 21 November 2024.]
