Clair de Lune / A Play in Two Acts and Six Scenes

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

23257

Title

Clair de Lune / A Play in Two Acts and Six Scenes

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Set in a surreal court, this play explores themes of deception, destiny, and forbidden love. Featuring eccentric characters like the blind dancer Dea and the clown Gwymplane, the narrative weaves a dreamlike tapestry of intrigue and emotional turmoil against a backdrop of grotesque beauty and poetic absurdity.

Summary up to 500 words

Michael Strange's *Clair de Lune* presents a melancholic fantasy set within the opulent yet unsettling court of a Queen. The narrative unfolds through a labyrinth of lies, political maneuvering, and twisted affections. The central conflict arises from a marriage of convenience arranged between Prince Charles and his half-sister, Josephine, intended to secure financial gain for the Crown. However, Charles harbors a secret passion for the Duchess, Josephine's sister, while the Queen herself covets Charles, viewing him as a prize to be won. The plot thickens with the arrival of Gwymplane, a mountebank clown who is secretly the Prince of Vaucluse, and Dea, a blind dancer who loves him. Their relationship is manipulated by Phedro, a shifty lackey who serves the Queen's neurotic whims and attempts to control the court's dynamics. The tension escalates as the Queen's erratic nature clashes with the Duchess's refined despair. The characters navigate a world where reality is often indistinguishable from performance, framed by Victor Hugo's musical inspiration. The tragedy culminates in a devastating revelation: the true Prince of Vaucluse, Gwymplane, has died after throwing himself into the sea following the death of Dea during an escape attempt. Consumed by grief, Gwymplane joins her in death. The play concludes with the Queen and Charles sharing a bittersweet farewell. They acknowledge the futility of their schemes and the enduring power of their complex, twisted affections. The tone remains one of melancholic fantasy, exploring themes of deception, the nature of love versus duty, and the destructive capacity of obsession within a rigid social hierarchy.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Drama