Hernani

About Hernani

Who cares about a four-way love affair between a babe, a bandit, the most powerful man in the world, and an old man? Download and read Hernani, a play written by Victor Hugo and translated by Pierre Bedard.

Click here to download / view the first act of Hernani.

This is a scanned copy (in pdf) of the first act of the translation. It is not searchable but it is bookmarked by Act and Scene.

To buy a read-only, non-printable version of the entire play...

If you'd like to purchase a non-printable copy of the translation, the cost is US$5.

I will send you a pdf version of the play that you can view (but not print) within 1 business day via email. Simply click on the Buy Now button below and you will be directed to deposit US$5 into my Paypal account.

To buy a printable version...

If you'd like to purchase a printable copy of the translation, the cost is US$15.

I will send you a printable pdf version within 1 business day via email. Simply click on the Buy Now button below and you will be directed to deposit US$15 into my Paypal account.

If you are interested in purchasing multiple copies, or you have any questions, feel free to email me at hernani@bedard.com.

Background

Hernani is an historically significant play. On his way to Les Miserables, a young Victor Hugo staged Hernani in 1830 and revolutionized a constipated French theatre scene. One of the scandals of Hernani was its use of common terms like handkerchief, or "mouchoire." Fights broke out at performances as the audience polarized between the young Hugo and the old guard. When I think of Hernani and its significance, I think of Wells' Citizen Kane, Coppolla's Apocalypse Now, Scorcese's Taxi Driver, and (arguably) De Palma's Scarface. Of course, this was almost two hundred years ago in a France emerging from a Revolution followed by Napoleon. As you know, Hugo went on to greatness, as prolific as Stephen King is today.

For a great historical perspective on the play check out theatrehistory.com or google Hernani.

I began translating Hernani in 1979 as part of a special project at the University of California at San Diego under the direction of Dr. Jonathan Saville, who is now a professor emeritus at UCSD and a the longtime theatre/arts critic for the San Diego Reader. Having just returned from a year abroad studying at the Faculte de Lettres in Poitiers, I needed a challenge. Dr. Saville was kind enough to oblige me. I continued to refine the draft into the 80's.