Le Cid by Pierre Corneille (Book Analysis)

This practical and insightful reading guide offers a complete summary and analysis of Le Cid by Pierre Corneille. It provides a thorough exploration of the play’s plot, characters and main themes, including love and duty. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.

This clear and detailed 25-page reading guide is structured as follows:

• Biography of Pierre Corneille
• Presentation of Le Cid
• Summary of Le Cid
• Character study
  • Don Rodrigue
  • Chimène
  • The fathers: Don Diègue and Don Gomès
  • Don Fernand
  • The disappointed lovers: the Infanta and Don Sanche
• Analysis of Le Cid
  • The ‘Querelle du Cid’
  • Royal power
  • The cornelian hero

About Le Cid

Le Cid was first performed in 1637. It tells the story of Rodrigue and the dilemma he faces of what to put first: his love for a woman named Chimène or the defence of his father’s honour.

Although it stirred up a great deal of controversy, Le Cid was incredibly successful. Its influence can even be seen on language – the term “Cornelian dilemma”, which refers to having to making an impossible choice between two options, originated with the play.

About Pierre Corneille

Pierre Corneille, along with Molière and Racine, was one of France’s most important 17^th playwrights. He wrote a varies of works spanning both tragedy and comedy, although he is primarily known as a tragedian.

Although he was rejected by the Académie Française for not respecting the classical unities of theater, Voltaire supported the playwright, claiming that Corneille had had the same influence on French as Homer had had on Greek. However, Voltaire later revised his opinion of Corneille and began to be more critical of him, although many considered that he was just jealous of the other writer’s success. Corneille’s fame was furthered increased when Napoleon announced that he preferred his works to those of Voltaire.