Politique tragique vs. politique comique ? Richard III de Shakespeare et A Game at Chess de Middleton

This article compares the two dramatic genres, looking at the respective political implications of Richard III and A Game at Chess, and reflecting on the historiographical judgments they construct and the possible political affects they arouse in their spectators. The critical historiographic signif...

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Main Author: Clotilde Thouret
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Centre de Recherche "Texte et Critique de Texte" 2022-01-01
Series:Sillages Critiques
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/sillagescritiques/11632
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author Clotilde Thouret
author_facet Clotilde Thouret
author_sort Clotilde Thouret
collection DOAJ
description This article compares the two dramatic genres, looking at the respective political implications of Richard III and A Game at Chess, and reflecting on the historiographical judgments they construct and the possible political affects they arouse in their spectators. The critical historiographic significance of the two plays lies mainly in the dramaturgic procedures that construct for the audience a generalizing point of view, as well as a process of unveiling. In both cases, the stage performance plays a decisive role. The "comic politics" of A Game at Chess and the "tragic politics" of Richard III differ, however. The former is more of a publication, a revelation than an unveiling. It is not a question of placing the spectator behind the scenes as in Shakespeare's tragedy; nor is it a question of constructing a critical relationship to the historical narrative that is written, but of constructing a critical relationship to the history that is being made. Thus, perhaps one could say that if Richard III is situated upstream of history, Middleton's satirical comedy is situated downstream of it.
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language English
publishDate 2022-01-01
publisher Centre de Recherche "Texte et Critique de Texte"
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spelling doaj-art-a8360776521249d3a6b6a996d450943b2025-01-30T13:47:30ZengCentre de Recherche "Texte et Critique de Texte"Sillages Critiques1272-38191969-63022022-01-013110.4000/sillagescritiques.11632Politique tragique vs. politique comique ? Richard III de Shakespeare et A Game at Chess de MiddletonClotilde ThouretThis article compares the two dramatic genres, looking at the respective political implications of Richard III and A Game at Chess, and reflecting on the historiographical judgments they construct and the possible political affects they arouse in their spectators. The critical historiographic significance of the two plays lies mainly in the dramaturgic procedures that construct for the audience a generalizing point of view, as well as a process of unveiling. In both cases, the stage performance plays a decisive role. The "comic politics" of A Game at Chess and the "tragic politics" of Richard III differ, however. The former is more of a publication, a revelation than an unveiling. It is not a question of placing the spectator behind the scenes as in Shakespeare's tragedy; nor is it a question of constructing a critical relationship to the historical narrative that is written, but of constructing a critical relationship to the history that is being made. Thus, perhaps one could say that if Richard III is situated upstream of history, Middleton's satirical comedy is situated downstream of it.https://journals.openedition.org/sillagescritiques/11632satireRichard IIIscandalShakespeare (William)Middleton (Thomas)A Game at Chess
spellingShingle Clotilde Thouret
Politique tragique vs. politique comique ? Richard III de Shakespeare et A Game at Chess de Middleton
Sillages Critiques
satire
Richard III
scandal
Shakespeare (William)
Middleton (Thomas)
A Game at Chess
title Politique tragique vs. politique comique ? Richard III de Shakespeare et A Game at Chess de Middleton
title_full Politique tragique vs. politique comique ? Richard III de Shakespeare et A Game at Chess de Middleton
title_fullStr Politique tragique vs. politique comique ? Richard III de Shakespeare et A Game at Chess de Middleton
title_full_unstemmed Politique tragique vs. politique comique ? Richard III de Shakespeare et A Game at Chess de Middleton
title_short Politique tragique vs. politique comique ? Richard III de Shakespeare et A Game at Chess de Middleton
title_sort politique tragique vs politique comique richard iii de shakespeare et a game at chess de middleton
topic satire
Richard III
scandal
Shakespeare (William)
Middleton (Thomas)
A Game at Chess
url https://journals.openedition.org/sillagescritiques/11632
work_keys_str_mv AT clotildethouret politiquetragiquevspolitiquecomiquerichardiiideshakespeareetagameatchessdemiddleton