2016 Theses Bachelor's

Le Paternel: Une Force Omniprésente Dans Le Théâtre Classique Français

Flink, Amanda V.

A literary thesis on paternal power and presence in classical French theatre, this essay analyzes the following concepts: the father's role separate from the father himself, the mobility of the paternal/the ability of the paternal to exercise its power through characters other than the father, and the omnipresent, omnipotent characteristics of the father's influence on other characters (namely those in his family). A main inspiration for this analysis is the work of Sigmund Freud, specifically his theory on the augmentation of paternal power after the father's death. This thesis focuses primarily on Le Cid by Pierre Corneille, Le Malade imaginaire by Molière, and Jean Racine's Phèdre.