Essay on "Le Cid the Infanta and Social Standing"

Quoted Instructions for "Le Cid the Infanta and Social Standing" Assignment:

Using only the literature os Le Cid

Corneille, Pierre, Le Cid, a Study Guide, London England: Oxford University Press, 2001. Print

Please answer the following

The Infanta is a secondary character in this drama, and some stage productions have frequently excised the role. Explain why she is pivotal in understanding the demands of one*****'s standing in society and one*****'s sense of personal integrity.

Primary Characters

Don Rodrigue (The Cid): Young cavalier in love with Chimène, the daughter of one of the king of Castile*****'s most accomplished warriors. After Rodrigue distinguishes himself in battle as the scourge of Moorish enemies, the Moors dub him the Cid (French, Le Cid; Spanish, El Cid). Cid is derived from the Arabic word for lord, sayyid (transliteration).

Chimène: Daughter of Don Gomès. She is Don Rodrigue*****'s beloved but becomes estranged from him after he kills her father in a duel.

Doña Urraque,L*****'Infante: Daughter of the king. L*****'infante is French for the Spanish term la infanta (princess).

Below are the parts in the play regarding Infante

Act II, Scene 3

INFANTA

Chimène, my dear, don*****t grieve and suffer so;

Don*****t let yourself be shattered by this blow.

Calm will return soon, after this little squall;

A passing cloud has dimmed your bliss, that*****s all,

And you*****ll lose nothing by a brief delay.

CHIMÈNE

My heart has lost all hope in its dismay.

The sudden storm that shook my calm has made

Me certain of our shipwreck, and afraid

That we shall founder in the port, indeed.

I loved, was loved, our fathers were agreed,

And I was giving you that happy word

Just at the moment when their quarrel occurred.*****

Which, when the news was brought you, made it plain

That all sweet expectations were in vain.

Cursèd ambition, lunacy which rules

In noblest hearts, and turns men into fools!

Honor, which wrests from me my dearest prize,

What shall you cost me now in tears and sighs!

INFANTA

Their quarrel*****s nothing to be troubled by:

*****Twas a moment*****s flare-up, and as soon will die.

It*****s made a stir that quickly will be ended.

The King already bids the breach be mended;

And you well know that I, who feel your grief,

Will spare no pains to bring your heart relief.

CHIMÈNE

Such things won*****t vanish at the King*****s behest,

A mortal insult cannot be redressed.

Neither to force nor reason will men yield;

Only in semblance can the wound be healed.

THE HUDSON REVIEW

The hatred that men*****s hearts contrive to hide

Grows hotter still for being kept inside.

INFANTA

Your sacred tie with Don Rodrigue will be

The solvent of your fathers***** enmity,

And you will feel your love the stronger for

Its power to make them harbor hate no more.

CHIMÈNE

I wish for that, yet doubt it can be so.

Don Diègue*****s too proud; my father*****s mind I know.

I can*****t hold back these tears of grief I shed.

I mourn the past; the future*****s full of dread.

INFANTA

Is it a frail old man*****s revenge you fear?

CHIMÈNE

Rodrigue*****s courageous.

INFANTA

He*****s too young, my dear.

CHIMÈNE

Brave men, at any age, are always such.

INFANTA

You mustn*****t fret about Rodrigue too much.

He loves you, and he*****ll do as you require.

A word from you, and he*****ll suppress his ire.

CHIMÈNE

How crushed I*****d be, if he did not obey!

And if he obeyed me, what would people say?

PIERRE CORNEILLE

Would a good son suffer such indignity?

Whether he heeded or resisted me,

I*****d either be ashamed of his compliance

Or deeply troubled by his just defiance.

INFANTA

Your soul, Chimène, is noble, and in spite

Of your own interest, sees with honest sight.

But, till the quarrel*****s settled, what if I were

To make your perfect knight my prisoner,

And stand between his courage and his foe?

Would you be happy if I acted so?

CHIMÈNE

Oh, Madam! I would then be free of fear.

Act IV Scene II (The Infanta, Chimene, Leonor, Elvire)

Infanta

I come not to console you now; be clear,

Rather I come to mingle sigh with tear.

Chimene

You should rather take part in all this joy,

Blessing the grace the Heavens employ,

Madame, no one but me deserves to suffer.

Rodrigue has saved us all from great danger,

And kept the people safe, the nearest way,

Leaving me alone to weep, on this day:

He*****s saved the city: he has served his king;

Only to me his blade*****s a fatal thing.

Infanta

Chimene, it*****s true he*****s performed miracles.

Chimene

I*****ve heard the painful news of these marvels.

And heard him proclaimed loudly everywhere,

As brave soldier, and unlucky lover.

Infanta

Why should this public notice so pain you?

This young Mars, they praise, once pleased you;

Possessed your soul; was subject to your law;

Praise his valour: honour your choice the more.

Chimene

Others can praise him with a true intent,

Praise of him to me is but more torment.

His greatness only adds to my sorrow,

Seeing his worth I see what I forgo.

Ah! Cruel vexation to a loving *****!

I love the more, the more I know his merit:

Yet my duty ever is the stronger,

I*****ll seek his death though he is my lover.

Infanta

Yesterday, duty brought you great esteem;

Noble that struggle which you waged did seem,

So worthy of great hearts: our courtiers

Admired your courage, pitying the lovers.

Yet will you take a faithful friend*****s advice?

Chimene

Not to obey you would appear a vice.

Infanta

What was right then is not so today.

Rodrigue is now our sole support, I say,

Our hope, the man the people all adore,

Pillar of Castile, terror of the Moor.

Even the King agrees, the truth is plain,

That in Rodrigue your father lives again;

If you*****d have me explain it in a breath,

You pursue public ruin through his death.

What? To avenge a father are we free

To deliver our country to the enemy?

Is your cause against us legitimate?

Are we part of his crime, to share his fate?

After all you are not obliged to marry

Him whom a father forces you to harry:

I*****ll help you quench your desire, this strife,

Erase your love, but leave us yet his life.

Chimene

Oh! I am not worthy of such kindness;

This duty that embitters is limitless.

Though I still feel love for the conqueror,

Though the King may flatter, crowds adore,

Though he*****s among others born to quarrel,

Beneath my cypress I*****ll go scorn his laurel.

Infanta

It is noble, to avenge a father,

Attacking, out of duty, one so dear;

But it*****s a deed of a higher order

To put the public good before a father.

Believe me, it*****s enough to quench your fires:

He*****s punished who loses what he desires.

Let the good of the country be your law:

Besides can the King now grant you more?

Chimene

Though he refuses, I will not stay silent.

Infanta

Think carefully, Chimene, of your intent.

Adieu: alone you may reflect at leisure.

Chimene

I*****ve no choice, on the death of a father.