Danton's DeathA revolutionary himself, George Buchner was 21 when he wrote the play in 1835, while hiding from the police. With its hair-raising on-rush of scenes and vivid dramatization of complex, visionary characters, Danton's Death has a claim to be the greatest political tragedy ever written. In his newly-revised translation, Howard Brenton captures Buchner's exhilarating energy as Danton struggles to avoid his inexorable fall. In 1794 the French Revolution reaches its climax. After a series of bloody purges the life-loving, volatile Danton is tormented by his part in the killing. His political rival, the driven, ascetic Robespierre, decides Danton's fate. A titanic struggle begins. Once friends who wanted to change the world, now one stands for compromise the other for ideological purity as the guillotine awaits. "This is your rhetoric translated. These wretches, these executioners, the guillotine are your speeches come to life. You have built your doctrines out of human heads... ""Why should an event that transforms the whole of humanity not advance through blood?" |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
accused appear aristocrats arms BARÈRE beautiful better BILLAUD blood body Buechner CAMILLE CITIZEN coat COLLOT Committee Convention created CROWD DANTON Danton's Death dare death DEPUTY DILLON dreams earth enemies enters executioners eyes face fall feel fingers follows FOUQUIER France freedom friends frighten GENTLEMAN give goes grave guillotine hands head hear HÉRAULT hold human It's Jacobin John JULIE justice keep kill LACROIX ladies LAFLOTTE laugh leave LEGENDRE light live look LUCILLE MARION murder nature never night ourselves PAINE passed PHILIPPEAU play poor prisons Public pull Republic Revolution ROBESPIERRE ROSALIE running SCENE September SIMON sing sleep SOLDIER speak stand street talking tear Theatre things thought tribunal virtue virtuous walk whole whore WIFE window WOMAN YOUNG
References to this book
Psychology's Territories: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives from ... Mitchell G. Ash,Thomas Sturm No preview available - 2007 |