Aristophane révolutionnaire ?

Abstract

Lisistrata ou les Athéniennes, written by François-Benoît Hoffman and adapted from Aristophanes’ Lysistrata, was performed in Paris from 22 December 1801 to 20 January 1802. Although Hoffman had attempted to amend his Aristophanic model, both politically and morally, the Consulate’s censors could not tolerate this play and its fourth performance was its last. Through a study of Lisistrata and of its relationship with its ancient model, the author investigates why this attempt to put Aristophanes on stage was aborted, arguing that it was an instance of collateral damage that occurred as a result of Napoleon’s will «to finish the Revolution».

Keywords

• Lisistrata ou les Athéniennes
• François-Benoît Hoffman
• Lysistrata
• Aristophanes
• censorship
• Napoleon