Octave Feuillet
Octave Feuillet was a prominent French playwright and novelist active from the 1850s to the 1880s, known for his works that explored themes of love, identity, and societal expectations. He was a contemporary of notable literary figures such as Emile Augier and Victorien Sardou, and he successfully adapted several of his novels for the stage while also transforming his plays into novels. Feuillet was well-regarded at the court of Napoleon III and was honored with the Legion d'Honneur and membership in the French Academy in 1862.
His early career was marked by financial struggles and familial conflict, as his father initially opposed his literary ambitions. However, after some time, his father supported him, allowing Feuillet to establish himself as a writer in Paris. His works are characterized by a blend of idealism and realism, often set against the backdrop of rural Normandy and Brittany. Feuillet’s narratives frequently delve into the complexities of romantic relationships, featuring plot twists that revolve around concealed identities and marital fidelity. Notable works include "Le Roman d'un jeune homme pauvre" and his renowned plays "Dalila" and "Julie," which examine the consequences of misunderstandings and the redemptive power of love. His final play, "Le Divorce de Juliette," revisits these themes, ultimately celebrating enduring love amidst deception. Despite a decline in popularity following the Franco-Prussian War, Feuillet continued to produce work until his death in 1890.
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Subject Terms
Octave Feuillet
Author
- Born: August 11, 1821
- Birthplace: Saint-Lô, France
- Died: December 29, 1890
Biography
Octave Feuillet was a major figure in the French theater from the 1850’s to the 1880’s, considered at the time a rival to Emile Augier, Victorien Sardou, Eugène Scribe, and Alexandre Dumas (fils). Simultaneously he was well known as a novelist. In fact, he adapted several of his novels for the stage and turned some of his plays into novels. He was also a favorite at the court of Napoleon III, an honoree of the Legion d’Honneur and a member of the French Academy, initiated in 1862. With the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870 and the subsequent establishment of the Third Republic, he lost favor, although he continued to see his new plays produced up to the year before his death in 1890.
He was the son of Jacques Feuillet, a well-to-do lawyer and politician in Normandy, who saw a career in the diplomatic corps for his son. The son had other plans: He informed his father that he wished to make a literary career for himself, with a special interest in writing for the stage. The announcement angered the father, who promptly cut off all support.
Octave by then was living in Paris. He had to eke out a living by writing short pieces for journals and newspapers and by moving in with the family of his friend Paul Bocage. The two of them collaborated on their first plays. They wrote four plays between 1845 and 1848, and Bocage’s uncle helped to secure their productions and even acted in two of them.
By then, Octave’s father forgave his son and reinstated a monthly stipend, allowing him to live independently in Paris. In 1850, the father fell ill and Octave returned to his home in Saint-Lô to care for him. He spent the next ten years there, continuing to write plays and novels. Meanwhile he also married Valerie Dubois, with whom he had three sons (one of whom died at a young age). During this time his brother, Eugène, looked after his affairs in Paris and helped to see that several of his plays and novels appeared.
An interesting mixture of idealism and realism is evident in the novels and plays of Feuillet. On one hand, he made ample use of local color by using the rural worlds of Normandy and Brittany as settings. The characters, whether from the country or the city, are drawn with a realistic eye for detail. On the other hand, the situations Feuillet devised almost invariably demonstrate one way or another the necessity for honesty and devotion in love and marriage. The plot complications arise from concealed identities that test relationships. Of course, when the relationship is found to be solid, the masks come off.
A good example is Le Roman d’un jeune homme pauvre (The Romance of a Poor Young Man), a story that appeared as both a novel and a play. The poor young man is an impoverished marquis who takes a position with a wealthy family and falls in love with the daughter. Because of his reduced circumstance he feels he must hide his identity until a sudden twist of fortune puts all things right.
A variation of this motif appears in many of the early plays: A marriage is in danger because of a husband’s inattention and the temptation of another man, but all ends well when the husband realizes the error of his ways and the wife resists the temptation. Later plays allow tragedy to occur because the realizations come too late. This is true of his two most famous plays: Dalila and Julie. His last play, Le Divorce de Juliette (Juliette’s divorce), returns to the earlier theme as deception is practiced to expose the abiding love of husband and wife and all is put right.