The Madwoman of Chaillot by Jean Giraudoux
"The Madwoman of Chaillot" is a play by Jean Giraudoux, first performed in 1945, that critiques the destructive nature of capitalism and the indifference of society towards beauty and humanity. The narrative unfolds in Paris, where a group of financiers plots to exploit the city's untapped oil reserves, disregarding the interests of its inhabitants. Central to the story is the titular Madwoman, who, along with her fellow madwomen, embodies a whimsical yet determined spirit. They recognize the threat posed by the capitalists and devise an unconventional plan to confront them. Through a mock trial, they expose the greed and moral corruption of the syndicate, ultimately sentencing them to oblivion by sending them into the city's sewers. The play highlights themes of social justice, individualism, and the power of collective action against oppression. With its blend of satire and fantasy, "The Madwoman of Chaillot" celebrates the resilience of ordinary people and the transformative power of compassion and creativity in the face of societal challenges.
On this Page
The Madwoman of Chaillot by Jean Giraudoux
First produced:La Folle de Chaillot, 1945; first published, 1945 (English translation, 1947)
Type of work: Drama
Type of plot: Parable
Time of plot: A little before noon in the spring of next year
Locale: Chaillot district of Paris
Principal characters
Countess Aurelia , the Madwoman of ChaillotMme Constance , the Madwoman of PassyMlle Gabrielle , the Madwoman of St. SulpiceMme Josephine , the Madwoman of La ConcordeThe Ragpicker ,The President ,The Baron ,The Broker ,The Prospector ,
The Story:
A mighty syndicate of financiers wishes to exploit the untouched deposits of oil under the streets of Paris, and they ignore humanity, beauty, and truth in the process. The free souls of Paris oppose the men and eventually triumph by literally removing the syndicate from the scene.
On one side are the President, the Prospector, the Baron, the Press Agent, the Broker, and the Ladies of the Street. On the other side are the Waiter, the Little Man, the Street Singer, the Flower Girl, the Shoelace Peddler, the Ragpicker, and other folk. In the middle, and significantly devoted to the gentle souls, is the Madwoman of Chaillot, aided by her compatriots, the Madwomen of Passy, St. Sulpice, and La Concorde. The capitalistic forces function as well-oiled machinery; they are devoid of characteristics that set them apart or elicit for them the least bit of empathic reaction. The people of Paris are all recognizable types, but each possesses some quality of individuality.
The Madwoman encounters the President, the Baron, the Prospector, and the Broker at a sidewalk café in the Chaillot district. Her friends are all aware that something terrible is afoot and inform her of the plot to drill for oil beneath the streets. The Prospector sends his agent with a bomb to destroy the city architect, the only obstacle to the drilling. Pierre, the young assassin, is rescued by the Policeman as he is about to throw himself into the river rather than carry out his task. He is revived and convinced by the Madwoman that life is really worth living.
It is apparent to the Madwoman that the only way to combat the materialistic interests is to annihilate them. She and her friends have little chance of opposing them if commonly interpreted methods of justice are used, so she decides upon an infallible plan and sends her confederates scurrying about on errands to help her carry it out.
The Madwoman retires to her quarters in the rue de Chaillot to receive the delegation of capitalists. They answer her invitation because she has informed them that a large deposit of oil rests under her basement. To prove it, she prepares a sample; a bottle of mixed kerosene and mange cure is waiting for the Prospector, who professes to be able to detect the existence of oil deposits by merely sniffing the air.
Some years before, the Madwoman had rescued a Sewer Man who had promised to show her a secret entrance from her basement into the sewers of Paris. She summons him and he presses the stone concealing the entrance. The other Madwomen, Mme Constance, who takes her invisible lap dog with her everywhere; Mlle Gabrielle, who talks to nonexistent friends; and Mme Josephine, who is an expert at jurisprudence because her brother-in-law is a lawyer, all arrive for a delightful tea scene. They are mad, but that fact in no way prejudices the trial that follows.
Mme Josephine is called upon to conduct a court, for it is only just and proper that the financiers have a fair hearing before they are sent to oblivion. The Ragpicker agrees to speak in their defense, and a damning testimony it is, with money at the root of their materialistic evil. The verdict of the tribunal is unanimous; the accused are guilty on all charges. The Madwoman is authorized to proceed with the extermination.
The guests begin to arrive, and in a wonderful scene of comic irony each group in turn is sent through the door into the sewer. First comes the President, next the Prospector, then the Press Agent, and so on until all, like sheep, have followed the infallible nose of the Prospector down the dark stairway, never to return again.
Immediately, all the wrongs of the world are righted. The pigeons fly again; the air is pure; the sky is clear; grass sprouts on the pavements; complete strangers are shaking hands. Humanity has been saved, and the friends of friendship thank the Madwoman, the triumphant feminine force.
Bibliography
Body, Jacques. Jean Giraudoux: The Legend and the Secret. Translated by James Norwood. Rutherford, N.J.: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1991. A fascinating series of essays draws important connections between the author’s life and his major plays, especially The Madwoman of Chaillot. Offers a wealth of facts regarding the play’s composition and posthumous production.
Cohen, Robert. Giraudoux: Three Faces of Destiny. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1970. An excellent analysis of Giraudoux’s dramatic works and their philosophical implications. The chapter on The Madwoman of Chaillot is especially helpful for its discussion of how the playwright’s dramatic style and techniques fit his plays’ intellectual and emotional content.
Korzeniowska, Victoria B. The Heroine as Social Redeemer in the Plays of Jean Giraudoux. New York: Peter Lang, 2001. Focuses on Giraudoux’s female characters, describing the gender politics in his plays and his heroines’ roles in both the domestic and public spheres. Places his heroines within the context of the French idealization of women during the interwar years.
Lemaître, Georges Édouard. Jean Giraudoux: The Writer and His Work. New York: Ungar, 1971. A good overview of Giraudoux’s career. Offers an accurate picture of how the playwright was regarded until the early 1970’s.
Raymond, Agnès G. Jean Giraudoux: The Theatre of Victory and Defeat. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 1966. Particularly notable for its assessment of the playwright’s political ideas and the historical context in which his major works were developed. The chapter on The Madwoman of Chaillot examines how the German Occupation affected the writing of the play.
Reilly, John H. Jean Giraudoux. Boston: Twayne, 1978. A comprehensive survey of Giraudoux’s dramatic works. Reilly sees The Madwoman of Chaillot as one of the high points of the playwright’s career.