A Comparision of Andromache and Hernani

The French Revolution turned society upside down and, as many times before, literature and theater reflected the new society and way of life that came after the fall of the Bastille. The nineteenth century Romantic Movement looked to find ways to release poetry as well as theater from the binding rules of the previous centuries and Victor Hugo was at the forefront of this movement. His tragedy, Hernani, is very different from Racine’s Andromache written in the seventeenth century when the absolute authority of the king and the focus on duty were the guiding forces not only in society but in literature and theater as well. Differences between these two plays can be noticed through several elements, such as in their subject matters, religious ideas, staging and the presence or absence of the three unities, which reflect life before and after the French Revolution as well as how much it has affected society and traditions.

One of the most significant differences between Andromache and Hernani occur in their subject matters (1). Racine’s play is based on ancient Greek mythology that was part of the classical education of the seventeenth century; hence the audience was familiar with the characters and story line. In addition, the focus on duty in the play was meant to encourage the aristocratic audience to make compromises and follow what duty dictates in life, just like Andromache did, who, at the end of the play, is the only victor. On the other hand, Hernani is not based on classical mythology and would not have been known to the audience when it was first presented. Unlike Andromache, it takes place in the recent past in the sixteenth century, presenting a fictitious depiction of the Spanish court with the only real character as ...

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... and Hugo’s Hernani present several differences that represent the changes in society after the French revolution. The subject matter of plays and stories no longer focuses on the classical world but instead it presents a fictitious story in the near past. Christian ideals replace the classical view of the fates or gods driving one’s destiny. People are more complicated, they are able to change and redeem themselves according to the Christian. Action and death now occur on stage and staging directions are given, which were not present in earlier plays. Finally, the storyline becomes more complicated, it takes place in more than one location and over several months, allowing the writer to follow more than one storylines. Overall, Hernani shows the need for freedom not only in society but in literature and plays as well in order to truly reflect the human experience.