Tristan and Hardy: A problematic legacy

It was a major gamble for Tristan to follow in Hardy’s footsteps by borrowing two subjects for tragedies from him. At a time when “feu Hardy,” as Corneille calls him, had long been perceived as archaic, this meant going against the general current. But, far from being enslaved to his elder, the author of La Mariane and then Panthée manages to promote his personal brand. Claiming an outdated model thus enabled him to win a spot in the foreground of the stage of the time.