{"product_id":"four-french-plays-9780141392080","title":"Four French Plays","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis new Penguin volume includes the ''greatest hits'' of French classical theatre, in vivid and acclaimed English translations. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe plays in this volume - \u003ci\u003eCinna\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Misanthrope\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eAndromache\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003ePhaedra\u003c\/i\u003e - span only thirty-seven years, but make up the defining period of French theatre. In Corneille''s \u003ci\u003eCinna \u003c\/i\u003e(1640), absolute power is explored in ancient Rome, while Molière''s \u003ci\u003eThe Misanthrope \u003c\/i\u003e(1666), the only comedy in this collection, sees its anti-hero outcast for his refusal to conform to social conventions. Here also are two key plays by Racine: \u003ci\u003eAndromache\u003c\/i\u003e (1667), recounting the tragedy of Hector''s widow after the Trojan War, and \u003ci\u003ePhaedre \u003c\/i\u003e(1677), showing a mother crossing the bounds of love with her son.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJohn Edmunds'' translation of \u003ci\u003ePhaedra\u003c\/i\u003e was originally broadcast on Radio Three with a cast including Prunella Scales and Timothy West, and was subsequently praised by Harold Pinter. This is the first time \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRacine's plays...create in performance a terrifying and inescapable velocity - they are grippingly exciting -- Alan Hollinghurst\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51017577857367,"sku":"9780141392080","price":11.69,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780141392080.jpg?v=1750774006","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/four-french-plays-9780141392080","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}