Logan Connors: Military Theatrical Experiences in the French-Speaking World, 1650-1815

On The December 2, 2019

10h00 to 12h00
26, Place Bellecour - 69002 Lyon
Salle de réunion - Allée A - 1er étage

This talk will provide a general introduction to the diverse relations between the military and the theater in the French-speaking world from Louis XIV’s reign to Napoleon’s final defeat. Grounded in theater and performance studies and in the cultural history of the military, I provide a holistic examination of theater’s roles in creating early modern military cultures and of the military’s influence in changing the norms of dramatic literature and theatrical performance.

From analysis of plays depicting soldiers to historical reconstructions of performances in garrison theatres and in other military venues to theoretical reflection on the role of both theatre and the military as “civilizing” and “urbanizing” forces, this project underscores the anxieties of the military and the ways by which theatrical performance and dramatic literature soothed and exasperated the rigors of a soldier’s life. Ultimately, this project investigates the theater’s role in forging a potent and problematic military culture as France moved into a period of modern global war and rampant colonialism.

Bio: Logan J. Connors is Associate Professor of Modern Languages and Literatures (with tenure) at the University of Miami. He is fellow 2019-2020 of the Collegium de Lyon.