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mentalbunny
4th September 2002, 21:36
I've read the first two acts of this incredible play by Camus, in original french of course. I've only really understood the first one properly, I'm back at school so I am now drained of energy and have no time to continue :angry:.

Anyway I love the first act, the thoughts and feelings that Camus expresses and I agree with him completely. If a revolution takes place it must be careful not to undermine itself by killing innocent people in the name of the cause. I am also a pacifist, but I know in this world that sometimes violence is necessary, and this play agrees. I really have a thing against Stepan, but that's not suprising, I hope there is no one here who sympathises with him and his ideas.

Kaliayev is the typical romantic revolutionary who wants to change the world. "The Poet" as he calls himself is also a bit naive in my opinion, but I think Dora steadies him. Perhaps this play is where the stereotypes come from, but I do think mopst of the characters are stereotypes. I would be in terested to read some material on the assasination attempt by people of Kaliayev and his comrades, in the introduction to my copy there is a quote form Kaliayev at his trial, I'll dig it out in the next few days.

So what do you people think of it all? I'd like your opinions, considering how much more intellectual you all are (well some of you anyway!!).

mentalbunny
5th September 2002, 18:28
Important quotes, do you agree?

"Only the bomb est revolutionary"-Stepan, Act 1

"It does not sffice to denounce injustice, you have to give your life to fighting it"-Voinov, Act 1

"A true revolutionary can't love himself"Stepan, Act 1

"I am in the revolution bacause I love life" - Kaliayev, Act 1

"I don't love life, but the justice above life" - Stepan, Act 1

"We ill to build a world where no one is ever illed" Kaliayev, Act 1

"To die for an idea, that's the only way to be at the height of the idea. It's the justification" - Kaliayev, Act 1

"It is not [the grand-duke] i kill, I kill despotism" - kaliayev, Act 1

The translations aren't great cos they're mine, sorry.

Felicia
7th September 2002, 00:03
I like those quotes. I'd read the play in french but my french isn't the greatest. The only book I've read en francais is 20,000 leagues under the sea, lol, and that was years ago! :) But it does sound like a good play.

(Edited by felicia at 8:04 pm on Sep. 6, 2002)

deadpool 52
7th September 2002, 20:43
The true post-modernist act is to go out in a crowd with a six-shot randomly shooting people.