''Captain Fracasse'' (French: ''Le Capitaine Fracasse'') is an 1863 novel by the French writer

Théophile Gautier Pierre Jules Théophile Gautier ( , ; 30 August 1811 – 23 October 1872) was a French poet, dramatist, novelist, journalist, and art and literary critic. While an ardent defender of Romanticism, Gautier's work is difficult to classify and rem ...

. It is an adventure novel set in the seventeenth century. The story has been adapted for film and television numerous times. An 1866 edition of the novel was illustrated by

Gustave Doré Paul Gustave Louis Christophe Doré ( , , ; 6 January 1832 – 23 January 1883) was a French artist, as a printmaker, illustrator, painter, comics artist, caricaturist, and sculptor. He is best known for his prolific output of wood-engraving ...

Plot

The novel recounts the story of the baron of Sigognac during the reign of

Louis XIII of France Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown ...

(reign 1610-1643), a destitute nobleman who decides to abandon his castle to join a theatrical troupe out of love for a young actress. Leaving his castle in the care of a faithful old steward, he travels with the actors to Paris; his aim being also to meet the king in Paris to ask for financial help in memory of services rendered by his ancestors. When one of the actors dies, the baron replaces him in the company's productions, taking the stage name of Captain Fracasse and, against his proud nature, acting the part of a bumbling military man. He develops humility through the experience, and this in turn deepens his loving relationship with the ingénue.

Adaptations

List of film adaptations: * '' Captain Fracasse'' (1919) * '' Captain Fracasse'' (1929) * '' Captain Fracasse'' (1940) * '' Captain Fracasse'' (1943) * '' Captain Fracasse'' (1961) * ''

Captain Fracassa's Journey ''Captain Fracassa's Journey'' ( it, Il viaggio di Capitan Fracassa) is a 1990 Italian comedy film directed by Ettore Scola. The film is based on the 1863 novel '' Captain Fracasse'' by Théophile Gautier. It was entered into the 41st Berlin In ...

'' (1990)

References

External links

Bibliography

* Goble, Alan. ''The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film''. Walter de Gruyter, 1 Jan 1999. 1863 French novels French novels adapted into films Novels about actors Novels about nobility Novels by Théophile Gautier Novels set in the 17th century Novels set in Early Modern France {{1860s-novel-stub