The canonization of the Racinean tragedies at the Republican School

Abstract

The critical reception of Racine during the French Third Republic reflects a shift from the Christian/monarchical view of the "tender Racine" to the secular/republican image of the "Racine cruel." The importance of Racinian tragedy in the literary pedagogy of this period can best be grasped by examining the transformation of university criticism (Nisard, Brunetière, Lanson) into school discourse (Albert, Calvet, Longhaye). The official canonization of the dramatic poet as the paragon of traditional French esthetic values (clarity, good taste, and elegance) gave way to the decanonization of his oeuvre since the early 1970s. © 2013 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Publication Title

Romance Quarterly

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