Significance of Topaze by Marcel Pagnol from structuralist theory perspective
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Date
2019-10-31
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Abstract
Topaze is an eponymous play written by Marcel Pagnol, at the beginning of the 20th century to portray conditions prevailing in the French society.
At the start of the play, Topaze was a school teacher with a moderate salary. He was sacked for being too honest in his profession as a teacher when he refused to change the grade of a wealthy student. He became dishonest and corrupt and was happy to be so, when by the influence of a woman and an unscrupulous municipal official, he became a wealthy businessman.
By his style of analytical approach to literature genre, liberal humanist would classify the play as an educative piece which depicts the power of money and denounces the corrupt nature of men, and, as a result, this literary work of Marcel Pagnol is a canonic material for literature study in schools. But would the structuralist, by his literary theory and analytical to literary text hold the same view/opinion as the liberal humanist?
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Seminar
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Topaze, French society, moderate salary, wealthy student