In this article, we will tell you about the work that Cornel created. Sid, a summary of which is described below, the author wrote in 1636. In addition to the retelling, you will find in this text an analysis of the work, the history of its creation, and criticism. So, we begin to describe the drama that Cornel ("Sid") created. The summary will introduce you to the main events, after which we will analyze the work.
Action start
Elvira, a teacher, brings the good news to Don Jimene: the girl’s father, Count Gormas, wants to have Don Rodrigo's son-in-law, and not Don Sancho. It is in him that Jimena is in love.
This nobleman is also the subject of sighing of Urraki, daughter of the Castilian king, girlfriend of the girl. However, she is a slave to her position: only by birth she tells Urrake to make her husband a duty. Infanta, wanting to stop her suffering, did everything to ensure that Rodrigo married Jimena. She is waiting for the wedding, which should put an end to her hopes and torment.
Count Gormas and Don Diego, the fathers of Jimena and Rodrigo, are faithful subjects of the king. The count is a reliable support of the throne even now, but Diego’s time of feats is already behind. In his years he cannot lead Christian regiments against infidels, as before.
Duel of Count Gormas and Don Diego
Let us describe the following events of the drama created by P. Cornell (Sid). The summary tells us that Ferdinand, the king, decided to choose don Diego as a mentor for his son, than he tested the long-standing friendship of these two nobles. Gormas considered this choice unfair. Discussions about the merits of each turn into a quarrel. The count ultimately slaps Don Diego, and he takes out the sword that the enemy knocks out of him. But Gormas cannot continue the fight, since it would be a shame for him to kill an old man.
Don Diego decides to send his son to battle
Only blood can wash away the insult of Don Diego. He therefore orders his son to summon the enemy to battle. In the confusion of Rodrigo - he will have to raise his hand at the parent of his beloved. Two debts are fighting in his soul, and filial wins, which Cornel ("Sid") shows us.
Summary continues. Ferdinand was enraged by the act of Gormas. He tells him to apologize to Diego. The nobleman refuses to obey. He is not afraid of any threats, as he is sure that the king cannot hold the scepter without the invincible sword of Gormas.
Jimena complains about the vanity of the fathers. None of the possible scenarios promises the girl good. Kill Rodrigo - her happiness will also die, and if he wins, it will be impossible for her to ally with the murderer of her own father. Even if the fight does not take place, Rodrigo will be disgraced and cannot be called a nobleman anymore.
In consolation to her, Dona Urraca proposes that Rodrigo be with her, and there, perhaps, they will settle everything through the king's fathers. But the infant was late - the duelists had already gone to the place of the duel.
The described circumstances evoke ambiguous feelings in the soul of Urraki. Grieving, she secretly and rejoices, in her heart hope again settles. Mentally, she represents Rodrigo who conquered the kingdom and thereby became her equal.
Rodrigo kills Gormas
The king orders the rebellious Gormas to be taken into custody. But by then he was already hit by Rodrigo's arm. In front of Ferdinand, Jimena appears, praying for death for the killer. The king decides to judge Rodrigo.
He comes to Gormas's house to appear before Jimena. Elvira, the teacher of the girl, is scared to meet him, because Jimena can not return alone, and if they see Rodrigo at her house, a shadow will fall on the honor of the girl. The hero is hiding.
Jimena comes along with Don Sancho, offering to become a weapon of retribution. The girl does not agree with his proposal, relying on the royal court.
Recognition of Jimena
Jimena admits to the teacher that he loves Rodrigo, therefore, condemning him to death, she will go to death with him. He hears these words Rodrigo and leaves the shelter. He prays to execute judgment on him, holding out a sword to the girl. But Jimena drives away Rodrigo.
Glad Don Diego that the son of the meaning of the spot of shame from him. As for Jimena, he says that lovers are being changed. But Rodrigo loves the girl and calls only death.
Rodrigo defeats the Moors
Don Diego offers his son to repel the army of the Moors, standing at the head of a group of daredevils. The outing brings a brilliant victory to the Castilians - two Moorish kings are captured. All extol Rodrigo, only Jimena yearns for revenge.
Infanta persuades the girl to refuse revenge. After all, Rodrigo, the shield and stronghold of Castile, must continue to serve the sovereign. But Jimena insists on duty. However, she vainly hopes for the king's trial - Ferdinand admired Rodrigo. He decides to follow the example of the kings of the Moors, who called this hero Sid in conversations with the king. Sid is the master, master. From now on, he will be called like that.
Jimena, despite the honors rendered by Rodrigo, prays to the king for revenge. Ferdinand, seeing that the girl loves this hero, decides to test her feelings. He reports that Rodrigo died of wounds. Jimena pallidly turns pale, but, having learned that this is a lie, justifies her reaction by the fact that, if Sid died at the hands of the Moors, this would not have washed away the shame from her, she would have been deprived of the possibility of revenge.
King's decision
Jimena announces that overpowering Rodrigo will become her husband. Don Sancho is called to fight him. This is not to the liking of the king, but he agrees to allow a duel, while putting forward the condition that Jimena's hand will go to the one who leaves him the winner.
Is Rodrigo say goodbye to Jimena. She is perplexed, because don Sancho is not at all strong. But the young man says that he is sent to execution, and not to battle. Not wanting his death, the girl says that it is impossible for this hero to die at the hands of Sancho, because this will damage his fame, and Jimena is more joyful to realize that one of the greatest knights killed her father. But in the end, the heroine asks to defeat Rodrigo so that she does not marry the unloved.
Confusion reigns in the soul of Jimena. She does not want Rodrigo to die, but another alignment does not bring relief to the girl. Before her appears Sancho with a drawn sword, talks about the duel. But she does not listen to him, hurries to the king, asking not to force her to marry the winner. The girl is ready to give all the fortune to him, and herself to go to the monastery.
What actually ended the fight?
However, it turns out that Rodrigo knocked out his sword from the hands of the enemy, but did not want to kill him. The king says that the fight washed away the stain of shame from Jimena and hands the girl Rodrigo’s hand. But she cannot become the wife of the man who killed her father. Then Ferdinand decides to wait - he postpones the wedding for a year. During this time, the girl will forgive Rodrigo, and he will perform many feats for the glory of the king and Castile.
So ends Cornel’s Sid.
History of the work
The author himself defined the tragedy by the word "tragicomedy", thus emphasizing the happy ending, which is impossible in the tragedy. Cornel's "Sid" was written in 1636, when the author was in Rouen. Rodrigo Diaz, the hero of the Reconquista in Spain, became the protagonist of this play. He was known by the name of Sid Campeador. Cornell used the drama "Sid's Youth" by Guillen de Castro, as well as Spanish romances as literary material. He borrowed 72 verses from the above play. In the era of classicism, such borrowings were no exception. The first production of this work took place at the Mare Theater in 1636, in December (according to some sources, it was made the following year, in January).
Conflict in the work and portrayal of heroes (Pierre Cornell, Sid)
An analysis of the work shows that the conflict before us in this drama is very characteristic of the drama of the classical period. It was in the tradition of classicism that this author worked. The conflict between personal and universally significant values is carried out in the play by Pierre Cornell. The Sid, a summary of which we have reviewed, presents these values as different. Many times the heroes of the play are faced with a choice, their every motivation and action is different. Such situations of choice are of interest to such an author as Cornell (Sid). A brief summary of the chapters shows that there are a lot of such scenes in the play.
In the 17th century, it was believed that personal insult could be passed on to the relative of the insulted, so Rodrigo was sent to the duel.
Sid is the first play in French literature to show the anguish of a hero making a choice between feeling and duty. The author resolves the conflict between personal happiness and honor by introducing into the work the idea of a duty even higher than the patrimonial honor - to the monarch, to the country. It is he who is interpreted in Side as the only genuine one. Rodrigo is turning into a national hero the fulfillment of this duty. Ethical feudal norms do not become dominant over him, since they are replaced by state necessity.
The portrayal of heroes in Side is also characteristic of classicism. They cause admiration and admiration for heroic integrity. A similar style of image, in one ink (either entirely positive or completely negative), is typical of the work of this author.
This drama was created using the Alexandrian verse, which in French is a six-legged iambic, written with a pair of rhymes.
Criticism of Sid
Despite the fact that the basic requirements of classicism were observed in Side, Cornell rethought them, and the result was the first theatrical work in this style. For example, the principle of "unity of the palace" was interpreted as "unity of the city", and the duration of the action was 30 hours, not a day. Such retreats became an occasion for criticism of this drama, which was also reproached for Jimena's "immodest" behavior, the side line of the Infanta in love with Rodrigo, as well as many events that are implausible.
The attacks, however, lay in the realm of politics, not art at all. The Spaniards, as heroes shown by noble and courageous people, were out of place for Cardinal Richelieu . He fought with Spain for influence in Europe, so he did not want to see a play showing rivals in a positive way. Concerned and the rebellious nature of Rodrigo. In addition, Cornell was accused of plagiarism. However, the audience accepted the work so enthusiastically that even the expression “beautifully like Sid” appeared. But for Cornell, this tragicomedy was the last. After that, he worked in accordance with the accepted canons, and in the reprint of 1648 he called the tragedy Cornel "Sid".
Summary of actions, analysis of the work were presented somewhat superficially. After reading the original, you will understand why there is the expression "beautiful, like" Sid "." The work is written brilliantly. The drama created by Pierre Cornell (Sid) is still admirable. Its analysis was carried out by many researchers. N.P. Kabanov, who created excellent articles on this work. Cornel's Sid in summary is, of course, far inferior to the original of this drama.