misanthope-addison
so, as for most translated plays the first thing i thought was "i wish i spoke french". i hate reading rhyme in translation, not that i don't appreciate the work of the translator, but know things are being altered and I'm missing out on some wordplay.
anywhoo, alceste as a character rather annoys me instead of making me laugh. i certainly admire is frank honesty. his idealism is certainly something I myself am constantly subject to. however, his total scorn for society is so completely over the top; he just sound whiny and angsty and whatever respect one has for his idealism is defeated by his love for Celimene. This manufactured love is the most shallow of all the relationships in the play. when people extend one another kindness in greeting, there is no shame in that. The gossip and backstabbing displayed is quited detestable, but his falling in love with a woman that embodies all that he hates makes him just pathetic and difficult to sit through.
posted by Lord Addison @ 2:04 AM
6 Comments:
I completely agree with you that reading a translation of a play does not do the original justice. There are just certain expressions and phrases that do not translate across languages. Like you, I constantly wondered while reading the play what Moliere was REALLY saying. I fully intend on reading the original french play someday. In addition, I agree with you that Alceste's character was a little over the top. I commented on Lauren's blog saying that I think that his inappropriate comments could provoke nervous laughter; but nonetheless, I found his honesty aggravating at times.
I agree that Acleste is often an annoying rather than laugh out loud character I wonder sometimes if Moliere set off to make a comedy and thoght that backstabbing and etiquite were good material, or whether he set off to cover the issues of backstabbing honesty and human relations and knew that the only way he could make it be swallowable was by comedy.This is clearly a rather black and white distniction that's artifcal.But as a playwright I know I chose to put alot of comedy in my plays but my priority was the values not the comedy.I think that Alcestes is rather like Angelo in Measure for Measure.On one hand I agree that
On one hand I agree that his love for Celimente contradicts his values and makes you lose what respect for him you have,but on the other hand like with Angelo Alcestes love for Celimente didn’t make him human, or change reality, it simply showed he was human. The fall did not cause the flaw rather the flaw the fall.Also as you pointed out his contempt for the world and his whinniness is not admirable.Personally where I truly loose all respect for Acelstes is his end speech. He still blames everyone else rather than learning from his love for Celimene. Act 5 line 370“Meanwhile, betrayed and wronged in everything,I’ll flee this bitter world..where I’ll be free to have an honest heart.”I am an idealist, but ideals are only good when your willing to use them recognize reality but strive for something better.What good is honesty with no one is there to hear it? Alceste no longer has any morality with this speech his ideals (if they ever were true) are now just selfish vanity.
Personally, I thought Alceste was very humorous. My question to you is do you think that how you react to his character might reflect your own personality? I think it does. I am a very forward and "frank" person myself, so seeing someone else being that way is funny to me. I love seeing someone be different from people I know today. He is honest, people don't like that. He tells people to their faces how he feels, people today don't want to seem mean or rude. And I think it was wonderful that he was in love with Celimene. Opposites attract, right? Well, obviously she was a challenge for him, and he wanted to win that challenge. She was his contest, and the only way to fight and win this contest was to fall in love with her. At least, thats my opinion.
Yeah the ryhming is a little weird in english, and I wish i as well had an aptitude for the French Language. Though the ryhming really helps in learning lines. The pointing out of the manufactered love being shallow is a good point, but I believe Moliere did that on purpose to show the failings of society.
I would have to assume that all translated works have some meaning of it left out due to translatin. I agree with you on wanting to know what the author meant during a few scenes. I wonder why Alceste annoies you, rather than makes you laugh? You say that he sounds whiny and that all of his actions are over the top. During this time period, a lot of plays were considered to have characters that were over the top. Something that would support your argument even more would be a comparison to another character from another play during this time period.
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