Richelieu (play)

Richelieu; Or the Conspiracy (generally shortened to Richelieu) is an 1839 historical play by the British writer Edward Bulwer-Lytton.^[1] It portrays the life of the Seventeenth Century French statesman Cardinal Richelieu. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden on 7 March 1839.^[2] The original cast featured William Macready as Richelieu, Edward William Elton as Louis XIII, James Prescott Warde as Baradas, Frederick Vining as Sieur De Beringhen, Samuel Phelps as Joseph, George John Bennett as Huguet, Henry Howe as Francois and Helena Faucit as Julie De Mortemar.

First edition title page

The play has become best known for its line "The pen is mightier than the sword", spoken by the Cardinal in Act II, Scene II.^[3]

Adaptation

The play formed the basis of a 1935 American film Cardinal Richelieu directed by Rowland V. Lee and starring George Arliss as Richelieu.^[4]

References

1. Richelieu: or, The conspiracy : A Play, in Five Acts. To Which are added, Historical Odes on The last days of Elizabeth; Cromwell's dream; The death of Nelson by the Author of the "Lady of Lyon", "Eugene Aram" & c. (1 ed.). London: Saunders and Otley, Conduit Street. 1839. Retrieved 8 December 2016 – via Internet Archive.
2. Nicoll p.339
3. Richelieu: or, The conspiracy : A Play, in Five Acts. To Which are added, Historical Odes on The last days of Elizabeth; Cromwell's dream; The death of Nelson by the Author of the "Lady of Lyon", "Eugene Aram" & c. (1 ed.). London: Saunders and Otley, Conduit Street. 1839. p. 39. Retrieved 8 December 2016 – via Internet Archive.
4. Fells, Robert M. (2004). George Arliss: the man who played God. Filmmakers series. Lanham, Md: Scarecrow Press. p. 165. ISBN 978-0-8108-5160-3.

Bibliography

• Nicoll, Allardyce. A History of Early Nineteenth Century Drama 1800-1850. Cambridge University Press, 1930.
• Stanton, Sarah & Banham, Martin. The Cambridge Paperback Guide to Theatre. Cambridge University Press, 1996.

External links

• Media related to Richelieu (play) at Wikimedia Commons