Des difficultés d’une véritable tragédie de propagande au XVIIIe siècle : le cas de deux tragédies patriotiques et « antiphilosophiques »

Abstract

Tragedies of the 18th century are often accused by scholars of being texts of propaganda, written by philosophes and antiphilosophes to persuade the public of the goodness of their own ideological positions. Through the analysis of two plays written by antiphilosophers, De Belloy’s Le Siège de Calais and Poinsinet de Sivry’s Briseis ou La Colère d’Achille, this article aims to review this interpretive model. These tragedies reveal to be riddled with several internal tensions which complicate their message, and are an opportunity to rethink and deepen their main theme: patriotism which, during the Seven Years' War, assumed a central importance in the monarchical rhetoric. The tragic theatre of the 18th century, far from being a public forum from which to spread the ideas of both groups, is in fact a means of reconsidering their validity.

Keywords

• Poinsinet de Sivry (Louis)
• Briséis ou La Colère d’Achille
• De Belloy (Jean-Baptiste)
• Siège de Calais (Le)
• tragedy
• 18th century