Tragédie baroque et exégèse ovidienne
Niobe de Nicolas Frénicle (1632), tragédie de la vaine gloire et de la vanitas
Abstract
Nicolas Frénicle is mainly remembered in literary history for his pastoral works. His tragedy Niobe has been largely overlooked; yet it constitutes an interesting case of intersection of different exegetic, poetic and theatrical models. Drawing on the Renaissance and Baroque mythographic tradition, Frénicle conceives the figure of Niobe as an allegory of vanitas; he interweaves into the main plot a romantic episode reflecting the growing interest in the gallant element observed in the 1620s-30s; also, he develops a dramaturgical framework that draws on humanist theatre, on Théophile’s innovations, and on contemporary debates on the règles.
Submitted: June 18, 2026 | Accepted: July 2, 2026 | Published Oct. 12, 2026 | Language: fr
Keywords Niobe • Ovid • Vanitas • Tragedy • Frénicle
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