"M. Jordan: What a miserable song! It's sending me to sleep. Couldn't you liven it up a bit, here and there?
Music Master: Monsieur, the key and tempo must fit the sentiment expressed by the words.
M. Jordan: I learnt a good song once. Very jolly, it was. Let me see…how did it go?
Music Master: Good grief! How should I know?
M. Jordan: There was definitely a sheep in it.
Music Master: Sheep?"
From The Bourgeois Gentleman by Moliere
The Bourgeois Gentleman by Moliere
Course: Aesthetics and Modernity I: The Question Concerning Experience
Description: A wonderful comic satire poking fun at 17th century French society. A wealthy tradesman, Monsieur Jourdain, yearns to become a gentleman in order to win the hand of a marchioness even though Jourdain is already married. He ends up making a fool of himself. (From barnesandnobles.com)
Type of Literature: Farce Play
Why I Liked It: Maybe after reading French philosophy for two weeks I was just relieved to read something I could come away from and be able to explain what it's about. However, much like when reading The Importance of Being Ernest, I found myself laughing out loud when reading this play. At the same time it deals with serious issues regarding where people place value and how the trappings of something are present doesn't mean that it is real.
No comments:
Post a Comment