Bérénice
by Jean Racine · Bérénice
Assigned by 1 of the 9 reading lists, catalogue entry only
- Written
- 1670
- Form
- Tragedy
- Language
- French
- Length
- Short · 70 ppunder 120 pages
- Difficulty
- Moderate2 of 5 for a first-year reader
We recommendAndromache, Britannicus, Berenice, translated by John CairncrossPenguin Classics, 1967Three of Racine's major tragedies in a clear blank-verse translation.
These links go straight to Amazon and Bookshop.org and earn this site nothing today. Prices are the same either way. How this works.
Titus has just become emperor of Rome. For five years he has loved Berenice, queen of Judaea, and promised to marry her, but Roman law and opinion will not accept a foreign queen as empress. His friend Antiochus, king of Commagene, also loves her and has kept silent. The whole play is Titus finding the will to tell Berenice, and Berenice finding the will to accept it. No one dies. Racine's preface argues that majestic sadness is enough for tragedy.
No reading guide yet
The catalogue entry above is complete: the dates, the form, the themes and every program that assigns Bérénice 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.
