Venice Saved

Simone Weil's play Venice Saved, which examines the realization of her ideas on tragedy, is presented here in English for the first time. The play depicts the plot by a group of Spanish mercenaries to sack Venice in 1618 and how it fails when one conspirator betrays them to the Venetian authorities. The edition includes notes on the play by the translators and introductory material on Weil's life, the genesis and purport of the play, Weil and the tragic, and the issues raised by translating it.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 144 pages
Publication date: 13 June 2019
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Towards the end of her life, the French philosopher and mystic Simone Weil (1909-43) was working on a tragedy, Venice Saved. Appearing here in English for the first time, this play explores the realization of Weils own thoughts on tragedy. A figure of affliction, a central theme in Weils religious metaphysics, the central character offers a unique insight into Weils broader philosophical interest in truth and justice, and provides a fresh perspective on the wider conception of tragedy itself. The play depicts the plot by a group of Spanish mercenaries to sack Venice in 1618 and how it fails when one conspirator, Jaffier, betrays them to the Venetian authorities, because he feels compassion for the citys beauty. The edition includes notes on the play by the translators as well as introductory material on: the life of Weil; the genesis and purport of the play; Weil and the tragic; the issues raised by translating Venice Saved. With additional suggestions for further reading, the volume opens up an area of interest and research: the literary Weil.

Weight: 166g
Dimension: 198 x 151 x 10 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350043909