Hernani (drama)  

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The play opened in Paris on February 25, 1830. Today, the drama is more remembered for the demonstrations and riots which accompanied the premiere which are now called the Battle of Hernani, than it is for its own merits. In writing the play, Hugo violated the artificial rules of classicism, including the unities of time and place, in pursuit of a more naturalistic drama.



The plot is extremely convoluted. Set in a fictitious version of the Spanish court of 1519, it is based on courtly romance and intrigues.

Act I

  • In the very first scenes Hugo introduces Doña Sol, a young noblewoman of the court of the fictional Don Carlos, King of Spain. The King has come to her room to seduce her.
  • At this point, her Uncle (and fiancé) Don Ruy Gomez de Silva enters, and demands to know why both other men are in Doña Sol's private chambers.


Act II

  • In Act II, Don Carlos learns of a midnight rendezvous between Doña Sol and Hernani. He decides to interrupt it in the hope of abducting the object of his lust.

For the first time, the King (a bit thick) becomes aware of Hernani's true identity as a bandit, rather than a nobleman, and refuses a duel. Hernani, although he could charge the King with a crime, allows him to go free.



Acts 4-5

In the end, The king pardons Hernani and gives him Doña Sol. The two are married, but as they enjoy their wedding feast, Hernani hears the distant call of the horn blown by Silva, and kills himself by drinking poison to retain his honour. Doña Sol drinks his poison as well and they die together.





Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Hernani (drama)" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on original research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.

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