"Misanthrope" Sonnet

[David Ross Whiteley]

Public message follows, but first things first:


Salut M. Bourassa,

J'espère que vous allez bien.  Je me souviens toujours très bien d'avoir
étudier avec vous à l'UQAM.  Et voilà que maintenant CANDRAMA sert comme
lieu d'une espèce de réunion, avec deux de vos étudiants qui viennent
d'envoyer des messages dans une seule journée -- Daniel Mroz ayant fait sa
maîtrise là en même temps que moi.

*  *  *

On seeing the reference to Mascarene's "Misanthrope" translation, I'm afraid
I couldn't help but offer not the next earliest North American-used
translation as requested, but the most recent one I know of, being my own.

Knowing some will be revulsed by it's irreverence and distortions as much as
others may enjoy the same, I offer here with trepidation my treatment of the
famous sonnet, with a bit of lead-in for those who could use a bit of
context (bonus context:  Alceste has previously accused Philinte of
sycophancy, and in my transadaptation Alceste has caught him--in a
metatheatrical addition purely my own--in an anachronism where Philinte has
referenced a writer born only after The Misanthrope was written):

ORONTE

As for you, you’re so cultured, I’m awfully keen
To get your opinion on a wee bit of rubbish

It’s a poem I wrote, that I’m tempted to publish.

ALCESTE

Oh, Oronte, I’m not sure that you want to subject
Your creation to my eye—

ORONTE
				Why?

ALCESTE
					I’m too direct.
I’m more honest than most people seem to desire.

ORONTE

That’s precisely the critical view I require!
I’d be downright insulted if you were to blunt
Your critique and mince words—it would be an affront
To artistic integrity.  No holding back!
Just say truthfully if I’m a pro or a hack.

ALCESTE

Well, if that’s what you want then let’s give it a whirl.

ORONTE

“Sonnet One”—it’s a sonnet—“On Hope”— there’s this girl
Who’s named Phillis, she made me feel hope (and despair).
Well, here goes. Hem, “On Hope”—this is no Beaudelaire
Just bittersweet irony, a tear and a grin


ALCESTE

Beaudelaire’s not born either.

PHILINTE

					Just let him begin.

ORONTE

Hem.  “On Hope”  I don’t know if you’ll find that the style
Is too over-simplistic, a little facile

I’m afraid that the rhymes might—

ALCESTE
					Just give us a taste.

ORONTE

I should warn you the poem was written in haste.

ALCESTE

How you wrote the thing isn’t the slightest bit relevant:
Quick or slow, in your bed, or while riding an elephant.

ORONTE

	Oh Hope, ’tis true thou dost relieve the soul,
	And stayest our worries for a little time;
	But Phillis, this sweet gift is but a hole
	In which we sink, when promise proves a crime.

PHILINTE

Oooh! Iambic pentameter!  Boy, it’s sounds nice!

ALCESTE

Don’t you start!  Have you not cured yourself of that vice?

ORONTE

	Thou hadst much kindness, this Hope thou bestowest,
	And yet ’twere kinder to bestow much less:
	To buy this Hope, thou wrotest “I Thou Owest”;
	No follow-through save unfulfillèdness.

PHILINTE

“Unfulfillèdness”!  Genius!  How brilliantly written!

ALCESTE

[Aside] Have you no fear of God?  You deserve to be smitten!

ORONTE

	Howe’er, should Time bring Hope to its fruition,
	And justify the ardour of my zeal,
	This fardel that I bear were a tuition
	That I would pay as gladly as eat veal.
	But Phillis, when Hope knows no end but Hope
	’Tis best to die, say, slipping on the soap.

As per my previous CANDRAMA message, I would welcome responses on the text.
Particularly any considerations with regard to steps I should take leading
to eventual future productions or publication. Though perhaps your advice
will be that which my Alceste gives to Oronte a page or so later:  

“Friend,” I said, “It’s important to master the urge
To write poetry, and if it’s possible, purge
All desire to go public with what you compose.
If you really must publish—at least stick to prose.”


DW

-----Original Message-----
From: Canadian Theatre Reserach [mailto:CANDRAMA at LISTSERV.UNB.CA] On Behalf
Of BOURASSA ANDRE G
Sent: January 25, 2007 10:17 PM
To: CANDRAMA at LISTSERV.UNB.CA
Subject: Critical edition of Mascarene's "Misanthrope"

Bonjour,
I should finish in april the critical edition of Paul Mascarene's 1743/44
translation of "Le Misanthrope" that I was preparing with Patrick O'Neill.
He had finished, before he died, his part of the introduction and finished
the decyphering and transcription of the folios.
But I have ohe minor problem. One folio has never been found in the British
Museum, where Mascarene's papers were at first, and at the British Library
where they are now. Unfortunately, it includes the famnous scene of the
sonnet. I suppose Mascarene was often asked to recite it. Since we had
decided to place, alongside the English trabslation, the 1741 Netherland
edition of the French original, I may simply fill the blanks with
Madcarene's frriend watercolour view of Annapolis Royal as it looked in
those days. But I may also use part of an Enclish version of that time, but
which one? Which was the first English version played in Noth America after
Mascarene's one? And where can I find a copy?
For those qho wouldn't know about Mascarene, he was a British officer of
French huguenot origin named governor of Nova Scotia. He signed treaties for
the king of England with the Indians and the Adadians. Accused of being too
mild with the Acadians, he was replaced by Cornwallis, and his treaty
rejected. He then  quit Fort Anne/ Annapolis Royal and retired in Boston,
where his family has stayed.
Best regards,
André G. Bourassa
professeur associé, Éçcole supérieure de théâtre, UQÀM; président, Société
québécoise d'études théâtrales.

P.S.: By the way, Patrick O'Neill is still on Candrama list. Ethernet,
linked to heaven, instead of internet, I guess.