Theatre as a Reflection of Languages

Véronique Lochert, Marc Vuillermoz, Enrica Zanin (eds.), Theatre Reflected in Languages: France, Italy, Spain, 16th–17th Centuries, Geneva, Droz, ‘Travaux du Grand Siècle’, 2018.

Theatre in the Mirror of Languages explores key theatrical concepts through a lexicological study focusing on three geolinguistic areas: France, Spain and Italy in the 16th and 17th centuries. Divided into eight chapters (Theatrical Genres, Paratexts, Dramaturgy, Characters, Aesthetic Concepts, Trades and Techniques, Theatrical Venues, Reception), the book offers a comparative study of the essential components of theatre based on how they are designated in the three languages. Drawing on a vast corpus of plays, prefaces and treatises, these analyses enable us both to identify correspondences and common practices across countries and to highlight national specificities. This book was produced as part of the ANR project ‘IdT – Les idées du théâtre’.