Rameau's Nephew
by Denis Diderot · Le Neveu de Rameau
Assigned by 1 of the 9 reading lists, catalogue entry only
- Written
- written c. 1761-1774, published 1805
- Language
- French
- Length
- Short · 100 ppunder 120 pages
- Difficulty
- Demanding3 of 5 for a first-year reader
We recommendRameau's Nephew and D'Alembert's Dream, translated by Leonard TancockPenguin Classics, 1976Pairs the two dialogues most often assigned; Margaret Mauldon's Oxford version is a good alternative.
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A dialogue in a Paris café between Moi, a philosopher, and Lui, the nephew of the composer Rameau, a failed musician, parasite and mimic who lives by flattering the rich. Lui defends with brilliance and candour a life of sponging, lying and self-interest, argues that genius and virtue rarely go together, acts out whole operas and dinner parties, and unsettles the philosopher's confidence in the reward of virtue without quite defeating it. Diderot never published it; the manuscript reached Goethe, who translated it into German in 1805, and the French text appeared later.
No reading guide yet
The catalogue entry above is complete: the dates, the form, the themes and every program that assigns Rameau's Nephew are verified against each program's published list.
What is missing is the part that takes real work: the summary, the key passages, and a recommended translation. The edition named below is the one most programs assign, so the buy links are useful already.
