The Cenci

"The Cenci" is a verse drama by Percy Bysshe Shelley written in the summer of 1819, and inspired by a real Italian family, the Cencis (in particular, Beatrice Cenci). The play was not considered performable in its day due to its themes of incest and parricide, and was not performed in public in London until 1922. In 1886 the Shelley Society sponsored a private production at the Grand Theatre, Islington. Though there has been much debate over the play's stageability, it has been produced in many countries including France, Germany, Italy, Russia, and the United States. It was included in the Harvard Classics as one of the most important and representative works of the western canon.

Antonin Artaud attempted to stage "The Cenci", but his extensive use of surrealism in the performance meant that the production was shown only 14 times before closing. Antonin Artaud used highly graphic and disturbing images that were meant to release the audience from their current state of mind, especially during the murder scene where the main character Count Cenci (the role that was played by Artaud) is murdered by his two servants. These images were supposed to release the 'Savage under the skin', an aim that was commonly used by Artaud in many of his performances.

Other works titled "The Cenci" include a true crime story by Alexandre Dumas, père and a novella by Stendhal.

External links

* [http://www.bartleby.com/18/4/ Text at Bartleby]
* [http://www.bartleby.com/139/shel1170.html Introductory Note at Bartleby]