CLAUDE BERNARD AS a DRAMATIST* by J
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CLAUDE BERNARD AS A DRAMATIST* By J. M. D. OLMSTED, PH.D. BERKELEY, CALIF. UST one hundred years ago seen there had inspired him to try his a provincial youth, barely own hand, and he had written a twenty-one, armed with the “vaudeville” which was actually put manuscript of a tragedy in five on with success at the theatre des acts, set out from the small FrenchCelestins during the year 1833. This Jvillage where he was born to storm the success and the hundred francs it literary heights of the great capital, brought seemed to him to seal his Paris. Before the end of his life he did fate; destiny had intended him to be attain the highest honors his country not a pharmacist but a playwright. could bestow, but in a field so far He now began a serious work, a removed from the drama that the tragedy in five acts. This was too story of his youthful excursion into much for his employer, and Bernard literature clung to him and cropped returned home. A year of enforced up every now and then as one of those idleness during which he finished his anecdotes which are humorous to play made him long for recognition others, but rather irritating to the such as could be found only in Paris. person about whom they are told. A lady in Villeneuve, where he had The young dramatist was Claude attended the Jesuit college, gave him a Bernard who became the greatest letter to M. Vatout, at that time friend physiologist of the nineteenth century. and librarian to the Bourgeois king, The future Professor of Medicine at Louis Philippe, and in November, the College de France, member of the 1834, Bernard took the diligence for French Academy, honorary fellow of the capital. the Royal Society of London, etc., M. Vatout received the young pro- received all his early schooling from vincial with kindness, and procured parish priests and Jesuit fathers. for him an introduction to M. Saint- Family reverses forced him to leave Marc Girardin, Professor of Literature school in his teens and earn his board at the Sorbonne, then at the height of and lodging as pharmacist’s apprentice his fame as a critic. M. Girardin read in a suburb of Lyons. He was not the manuscript, then said firmly, destined to hold this position long, for “Vous avez fait de la pharmacie, we find the worthy proprietor writing faites de la medecine. Vous n’avez pas to Bernard’s parents in Saint-Julien to le temperament dramatique.” The send for their son. He complained that blow was severe, but the advice was the boy had lost interest in rolling taken. Bernard entered the medical pills and compounding drugs, and school and became the glory of French spent too much of his time dreaming. science. One is reminded of that other The apprentice had been allowed one Frenchman, born about the time that night off a month, and it seems that this incident took place, Victorien he spent these precious free hours at Sardou, whose case was just the re- the theatre. What he had heard and verse of Bernard’s, for Sardou began * Read before the California Medical History Seminar, April 14, 1934. his career with the idea of being a his forte, that he had better turn his doctor and ended by being a dramatist. attention elsewhere. Claude Bernard Did one of Sardou’s instructors in dis- obeyed and thought no more of Charles vi. One of his friends, a doctor who went mad, had the courage and innocence to learn the famous tragedy by heart. He carried it with him to the grave. There is no other copy. We shall see as we proceed how inac- curate was the journalist’s account of the incident. It is true that Bernard himself would never have this early effort published—he referred to it as “this tragedy with which I am reproached” —but shortly before his death he presented the yellowed sheets to the son of an old friend, M. Georges Barral, with the express stipulation that if M. Barral wished to publish it he might, but not until at least five years after the author’s death, and that it must bear the statement that it had been read and refused after numerous corrections by M. Saint- Marc Girardin in 1834. M. Barral waited nine years before publishing the drama, and kept the original section at the old Necker Hospital manuscript in an iron coffer like a perhaps say to him, “You have not precious relic. Because a certain para- the temperament of a physician; try graph in his preface offended the writing plays!”? surviving members of Bernard’s family Yet the story of the rejected manu- —he had referred to the fact that script clung to Bernard. Forty-four Mme. Bernard and her two daughters years later, almost at the moment had left the scientist when he was old that the Chamber of Deputies was and ill—it was withdrawn from circula- voting on a law, till then unexampled tion. The book is now a rarity, indeed in the history of France, to give a great a collector’s piece. Copies are to be scientist a public funeral at the na- found, however, in certain of the tion’s expense, the newspaper, le great European libraries, for instance, Figaro, was informing its readers: in the Bibliotheque Nationale at Paris, Claude Bernard entered Paris empty of and in the Bibliotheque Royale at purse, but with a manuscript, a tragedy Brussels, but not in the British in verse about Charles vi, composed Museum. while compounding medicines. It was The play turns out to be a typical detestable. M. Saint-Marc Girardin told romantic drama characteristic of the the young man that literature was not period, somewhat immature, some- what pedestrian, but by no means heart, heard Arthur’s last cry. Faith- an unworthy effort. Its title is “Arthur ful old des Roches falls dead at his de Bretagne,” and it deals with the daughter’s feet, and Marie with a cry, struggle of young Arthur in 1202 “Oh la mort! a moi aussi la mort!” against his wicked uncle, King John, falls in a faint as the curtain is rung who had not only usurped from him down on the fifth act. the throne of England, but was The years 1833-34 in which Claude planning to deprive him of his French Bernard was writing his play came in provinces as well. The play opens in the midst of the upward swing of the Brittany at the manor-house of des romantic movement. Classic tragedy Roches, for whose young daughter, in its old age had become set, in- Marie, the boy Arthur has conceived a elastic; in fact, Bernard might later deep attachment. Des Roches urges have described it as having been in an Arthur to fight for his rights, and advanced state of arteriosclerosis and the lords of the provinces also urge its demise imminent. The theatre him to defend them. He promises, needed rebirth and Victor Hugo took but the fighting goes against him. upon himself the task of fathering King John proposes peace, but a the new movement. In the preface dishonorable peace, since he demands to his “Oliver Cromwell,” written that Arthur renounce his claims both in 1827, he announced the principles to the English throne and to the which were to guide the new school of French provinces. Arthur refuses; he romantic drama. Away with the old has pledged his word and will not go unities! Away with all rules! Give back on his oath. He is captured and the audience a glimpse of real life. imprisoned. At John’s orders the Introduce historical characters in au- governor of the prison prepares to thentic settings. Refer to actual his- burn Arthur’s eyes out with red-hot torical events. irons, but desists at the victim’s Just about this time Shakespeare pleadings. Des Roches plans for Ar- was discovered by the French. English thur’s escape; the bars of the tower companies were giving performances window have been sawn through; on the Parisian stage with phenomenal Arthur is to lower himself by a rope success. French authors began to when he hears the hymn to the Virgin. borrow freely from Shakespeare. In The song is sung, Arthur disappears fact, de Vigny’s “Le More de Venice” through the window and Marie (who is merely a transcript of “Othello,” as a result of Bernard’s ingenious and Delavigne’s “Les Enfants d’Edou- dramatic construction has penetrated ard,” produced the very year that to her lover’s prison) is left behind Bernard was writing “Arthur de in the dungeon tower. Suddenly her Bretagne,” owes much to “Richard father, covered with blood, together n.” It is no matter for astonishment with the Dauphin of France and a that the young Bernard took as crowd of soldiers, bursts into the his theme the story that Shakespeare room. Treachery! John has learned had already used in “King John.” of the plot through his spies. Des Latourneur’s translation of Shake- Roches gasps out that he saw John speare was available to Bernard, as take his nephew away in a boat, saw there was a complete set in the public him plunge his dagger into the boy’s library of Lyons at this time. That Bernard was familiar with from Shakespeare the idea that the “King John” is suggested by several provinces should choose for them- pieces of internal evidence in his selves between Arthur and John, own play, the most striking of which for the French histories of 1830 is the blinding scene.