"La Dame aux Cam?lieas"

Paper Summary:

This paper examines three productions of Alexander Dumas' "La Dame aux Camelieas" in their respective social atmospheres. The three versions of Camille that are discussed are by Dumas, Matilda Heron and Charles Ludlam. The paper explores how each version is distinguished by the differing socio-geographical and chronological locations, each questioning different cultural conventions.

From the Paper:

"La Dame aux Camelias, by Alexander Dumas, is a critical play in the history of theater. Despite the fact that La Dame aux Camelias has been condemned by critics for having scenes that "are sometimes thin... ragged... and ... out of date" (Archer), among other discredits, the work is still considered to be an indispensable cornerstone in the evolution of realist theater - "although consistently described as a work of inferior artistic craftsmanship, its longevity testifies to its status as a story of superior dramatic interest" (Hamilton). La Dame aux Camelias is a product of many theatrical and literary influences, which include the tight construction of Scribe's "well made" play, the insight of the sociological novelist Honore de Belzac, and the literary devices of melodrama. However, La Dame aux Camelias differs from Scribe's well made play in that it raises the moral thesis of the play -- at most, it is considered "something to be disparaged as a sentimental by-product of the well made play" (Stanton). It is unlike Belzac's work in that his observations are restricted particularly to his own social milieu. "

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