La tragedie grecque - architecture poetique. Une analyse formelle de la composition d'euripide dans les oeuvres hippolyte et medee

Greek tragedy, or the architecture of poetry. A formal analysis of the composition of euripides in his plays hippolytos and medea

• Auteur / Autrice : OLIVER PFAU
• Direction : Jean Irigoin
• Type : Thèse de doctorat
• Discipline(s) : Études grecques
• Date : Soutenance en 1998
• Etablissement(s) : Paris, EPHE

Mots clés

Mots clés libres

Euripide (0480-0406 av. J. -c. ) hippolyte

Euripide (0480-0406 av. J. -c. ) medee - tragedie

Résumé

La tragedie grecque se constitue, sur le plan formel, d'elements fixes qui se succedent dans un ordre determine (prologue, parodos, episodes et stasima, exodos). La creation artistique du poete consiste alors a assortir les elements donnes de sorte que l'ensemble presente une composition harmonieuse et equilibree. Or, selon la conception grecque, la beaute reside dans l'ordre et le calcul,comme l'atteste la production artistique dans le domaine de l'architecture et des beaux-arts. Deux tragedies d'euripide, hippolyte et medee, sont analysees dans leur composition formelle afin de savoir si elle releve d'un calcul du poete. Pour etablir des quantites determinees, il convient de distinguer entre les deux formes de discours, le vers parle et le vers chante. Ainsi, les parties parlees se laissent mesurer par la simple addition des trimetres iambiques tandis que la composition des parties chantees demande une methode qui respecte la diversite des metres. En prenant les quantites etablies comme base, il est possible d'observer les rapports et les proportions des parties ainsi que l'agencement de l'ensemble. L'analyse strictement formelle conduit en meme temps a une lecture technique du texte qui permet de mettre en lumiere des liens thematiques, des references et des jeux de reprise et de variation. C'est la lecture technique qui donne acces a l'auto-commentaire par lequel l'auteur fournit des indications sur son travail technique. L'agencement des parties, le grand nombre de proportions interieures de meme que les rapports entre les parties et l'ensemble qui s'etablissent sans que l'on doive recourir a la suppression ou a la reconstitution de vers semblent enfin etayer la theorie d'une conservation extremement fidele du texte.

As to its formal plan greek tragedy consists of a series of established elements following one another in a predetermined order (prologue, parodos, episodes and stasima, exode). The poet in his artistic creation has to arrange these elements so that the whole presents a harmonious and well-balanced composition. To the greek mind the idea of beauty is linked with that of regularity and calculated precision as it is attested by the architectural and artistic production of his time. Two euripidean tragedies, hippolytos and medea, are examined in view of their formal composition in order to find out if the latter is based on a calculated plan. For the establishment of measurable quantities it is necessary to distinguish between the two forms of text, spoken and sung verse. The spoken text can be measured by the simple addition of the iambic trimeters, whereas the sung parts require a method respecting the polymetric composition. Once the quantities are established, it becomes possible to observe their relations and proportions as well as their placement in the entire play. This strictly formal analysis also leads to a technical reading of the text illustrating thematic links and parallels or plays of repetition and variation. Furthermore, this technical reading reveals the author's commentary on his own art. The arrangement of the parts, the considerable number of proportions between the parts, as well as between the parts and the whole that appear without any deletion or addition of inauthentic or lost verse seem to confirm the theory of a highly faithful preservation of the text.