SOURCE: Hubert, Judd D. “Two Crowned Feminist.” In Corneille's Performative Metaphors, pp. 154-64. Charlottesville, VA: Rookwood Press, 1997.

In the following essay, Hubert discusses the defining characteristics of Titus and Bernice and Pulcheria.

Tite Et Bérénice

Admiration and sublimity, as Marie-Odile Sweetser has shown, reach a climax at the dénouement of Tite et Bérénice even though the name characters, with the possible exception of Bérénice, remain at a further remove from plenitude than Othon and Plautine.¹ Like Don Sanche d'Aragon, this play richly deserves its classification as a comédie héroïque; and its lack of success, dating all the way back to its first run, may have resulted from reluctance on the part of audiences and readers to recognize its humorous and satirical aspects. If he had indeed wished to compete with Racine, Corneille might have served his cause far...