Paris, Pierre Ribou ; au Palais, Pierre Huet, Jean Mazuel et Antoine-Urbain Coustelier, 1719.
8vo of (4) ll. and 131 pp. Full red morocco, triple gilt fillet around the boards, arms at the center, finely ornamented raised-band spine, decorated edges, inner dentelle, gilt edges over marbling. Contemporary armorial morocco binding.
183 x 108 mm.
Original edition, rare and very important in the literary history of the 18th century, published in 1719.
First work by Voltaire, this tragedy appeared during Voltaire’s first exile at Châtenay. It was received with extreme favor and marks the beginning of the author’s success in his theatrical career.
“Voltaire’s Œdipe (François-Marie Arouet, 1694–1778) attempts to rediscover Greek simplicity. It focuses principally on the love of Philoctère for Jocaste.”
The Epistle to S.A.R. Madame is signed Arouet de Voltaire; the approval is dated 2 December 1718, and the privilege 19 January 1719.
Œdipe was performed for the first time on 18 November 1718. Quinault-Dufresne played Œdipe, and Melle Desmares Jocaste. The play had, in its novelty, forty-five performances. It was revived on 7 May 1723, with Melle Le Couvreur and Quinault-Dufresne (Mercure de mai, 1723, p. 966).
Following the play are 6 Letters written by the author, containing the critique of the Œdipe of Sophocles, that of Corneille, and his own.
Precious copy bound in contemporary morocco with the arms of François VIII de La Rochefoucauld, Duke of La Rochefoucauld and of La Roche-Guyon, Prince of Marsillac, Marquis of Barbezieux, Count of Duretal, son of François VII, Grand Huntsman of France, Grand Master of the Wardrobe and Governor of Berri, and of Jeanne-Charlotte du Plessis-Liancourt. He was born on 17 August 1663; he obtained the elevation of the land of La Roche-Guyon to a duchy-peerage and the survivorship of the offices of Grand Huntsman and Grand Master of the Wardrobe on 18 and 20 November 1679, and became maréchal de camp on 3 January 1696. Following the death of his father (1714), he was received as duke and peer under the title of La Rochefoucauld on 2 September 1715, then Chevalier of the King’s Orders on 3 June 1724; he died in Paris on 22 April 1728 after resigning his office of Grand Huntsman. He had married, on 23 November 1679 in Paris, Madeleine-Charlotte Le Tellier de Louvois.
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