Esther is the name of a play in three acts written in 1689 by the French dramatist, Jean Racine. It premiered on January 26, 1689, performed by the pupils of St. Cyr, an educational institute for young girls of noble birth. From the 1876 translation of Caroline Andrews:
In the reign of Louis XIV, a seminary for young ladies was founded at St. Cyr, at the persuasion of Madame Maintenon, who gave her entire attention to the education of 250 noble young ladies; who were educated free of expense until their 20th year. Racine was requested to compose a poem suitable for their instruction and amusement, and he proposed the subject of Esther; which he dramatized to the satisfaction of teachers and pupils, and which they declaimed and chanted with so much grace and modesty, that this little drama, intended only for the benefit of young pupils, became the admiration of king and court. Grand lords saw and applauded. As the translator has followed closely the original, she hopes to recommend the same to the attention of lady educators. And knowing that the Jews in the celebration of their Purim always read the books of Esther, it is thought the rehearsal of this drama might make a deeper impression on the minds of their youth and contribute to their entertainment.
Testimonial: The following testimonial from Rabbi Wise of Cincinnati, Ohio: “The English version of Esther by Mrs. Andrews is a masterpiece in my estimation, full of magnificent gems and faithful to the original.”
Literary Significance
As with most of his plays, Racine crafted Esther to be a deviation from the popular style of his contemporaries. Racine boiled the Biblical story of Esther down to pure essentials: there were to be no subplots, intrigues or any characters not crucial to the action of the story itself. The playwright also sought to make the drama more realistic, avoiding the extravagant indulgences that made the plays of his fellows (the great Corneille especially) sensational to the point of unbelievable. Ultimately, Racine wanted his audience to be able to relate to the characters onstage. Esther remains one of Racine's lesser known works as it comes from the period of his career when he entered government work and was pressured to return to litrugical drama.
List of Characters
- Ahasuerus, King of Persia
- Esther, Queen of Persia
- Mordecai, Uncle to Esther
- Haman, Favorite of Ahasuerus
- Zeresh, Wife of Haman
- Hydaspes, Officer in the King's Palace
- Asaph, another Officer of the King
- Elise, a Confidant of Esther
- Tamar, of the Suite of Esther
- Guards, of King Ahasuerus
- Chorus, of Israelite Maidens
References
- Andrews, Caroline, trans. Esther: a Drama Philadelphia, 1876
- Jean Racine (1639-1699) Theater Database, Oct. 20 2007 <http://www.theatredatabase.com/17th_century/jean_racine_001.html>.
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| Alexandre, Andromaque, Athalie, Bajazet, Bérénice, Britannicus, Esther, Iphigénie, La Thébaide, Les Plaideurs, Mithridate, Phèdre |
