Pierre Corneille’s tragedy Horace was first performed privately for the Cardinal de Richelieu in 1639, and publicly at the Théâtre du Marais in 1640. Horace was the playwright’s second great success, and his first play written after the quarrel surrounding Le Cid (1637). Previously challenged for having failed to respect both the rules of “bienséance” (propriety), and the unity of time, space, and action in Le Cid, Corneille clearly responds to these challenges in Horace. Despite these formal attentions, however, Horace arguably pushes the limits of familial, amorous, and political conflict even further than those portrayed in Le Cid. The comQplex relationships and …
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Citation: McConnell, Kelly. "Horace". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 20 August 2015 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=4687, accessed 21 November 2024.]