Orientalism in French Classical Drama. Michèle Longino
the genre. In spite of the balanced approach evinced by the chapter division, it must be stated that Le Theatre francais de la Renaissance is weighted in favor of the tragic genre, whose origins and evolution are carefully retraced. This is due partly to the success which sixteenth-century tragedy enjoyed on its own terms and in its own time, and partly to the fortunes to which it was later destined. Pride of place is also accorded to the major practitioners of the craft: Theodore de Beze, Etienne Jodelle, Jean de La Taille, Robert Garnier, and Antoine de Montchrestien. It goes without saying that a topic of this volume's scope requires that significant ground must be covered, but one never gets the sense that the discussion is hurried or truncated. On rare occasion, treatment of specific plays is relegated to a footnote, perhaps so as not to interrupt the narrative flow. If truth be told as well, because of the overlap of the subject matter in chapters 1-4 with respect to the legacy of certain medieval traditions, the multitudinous auto-references to the first volume of the series are a minor irritant, and one realizes both volumes must be read in tandem to be fully appreciated. It is, though, a smooth and satisfying ride the rest of the way. The prose is as lucid as it is elegant, hence eminently readable by the non-specialist. Consistent with the twofold aim of the series — to introduce specific texts of the given period and to locate them within their particular historical and cultural setting — Mazouer is ever equal to the task. Whether to some modern eyes sixteenth-century French theater succeeds as drama or not, it is never a dull read, for its tale intersects at every turn with the major powers and polemics, men and movements of the times. French humanist theater can reflect popular culture and daily life, providing acute social or political commentary; and it can be the unwitting agent of change, fostering a new worldview as it channels pagan philosophy through its imitation of the subjects and works of antiquity. But if Mazouer's work shows us anything, it is that sixteenth-century French theater has finally come into its own. There was a time when theater was treated as the unwanted stepchild of French Renaissance studies. The sheer abundance and diversity of the stagecraft of the period give the lie to such notions. The field can boast of a number of true masterpieces as well, which recent scholarship and more sensitive readings have brought to light. Special emphasis must be laid here upon Mazouer's exhaustive bibliography, which also attests to the burgeoning importance of the field. It is destined to be a necessary point of reference for all future research. As such, this volume is an indispensable addition to institutions with graduate programs in French or Comparative Literature. DAMON D I MAURO Gordon College