Hernani (English spelling)

A five-act verse drama by the French author Hugo, first performed in 1830. It tells the tragic love story between Hernani, a former aristocrat turned bandit and rebel, and Doña Sol, an orphaned aristocrat's daughter. One of their love rivals, King Don Carlos of Spain, shows mercy after ascending to the throne and allows the two to marry, but she is driven to suicide by unrequited love from the old Duke Don Llull Gomez (Doña Sol's guardian). Hugo's play brilliantly develops romantic themes and chivalrous morals in flexible twelve-syllable verse (alexandrine), and won official recognition as a romantic play at the National Theater. Prior to this, he had declared his criticism of classical theater and the development of new theater in the preface to "Cromwell," so the premiere of "Hernani" became a battleground between the classical and romantic schools. The name "The Battle of Hernani" is so famous that in later generations it was sometimes used metaphorically to refer to this type of shocking theatrical event.

[Mie Sato]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

フランスの作家ユゴーの五幕韻文劇。1830年初演。もと貴族で山賊に身をやつす反徒エルナニと、貴族の娘で孤児のドニャ・ソルとの悲恋物語。恋敵(こいがたき)の1人だったスペイン王ドン・カルロスが皇帝即位をきっかけに仁慈を示して2人の結婚はいったん許されるが、ドン・リュイ・ゴメス老公爵（ドニャ・ソルの後見人）の横恋慕で心中に追い込まれる。ロマン派的主題と騎士道風モラルを柔軟な十二音綴詩句（アレクサンドラン）で華麗に展開して、国立劇場でのロマン派劇公認をかちとった。彼はこれに先だち『クロムウェル』序文で古典主義演劇批判と新演劇の展開を宣言したため、『エルナニ』初演は古典派、ロマン派の決戦の場となった。「エルナニ合戦」の名は後世、この種の演劇上の衝撃的事件を比喩(ひゆ)的にさすこともあるほど著名である。

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