View source for Narcisse, ou L'amant de Lui-même

''[[Narcisse, ou L'amant de Lui-même]]'' ("Narcissus, or The lover of himself") is a French comedy in one act by Jean-Jacques Rousseau ()[]. 


==The original text==

Written when Rousseau was ayouth of 18 to 22 years of age, and first performed by the Comédiens du Roi on 18 December, 1752 and published in February of 1753.

==Translations and adaptations==

Translated/adapted into [[Dutch]] as ''[[De Medeminnaar van Zichzelven]]'' (lit. "the co-lover of himself") by M. Westerman and described as a [[vaudeville]] or "blyspel met zang in één bedryf" (a "comedy in one act with singing"), it was published in Rotterdam by J. Hofhout en Zoon, 1800, but ascribed to a "Denis Carolet" only.

Apparently was first performed in [[Dutch]] in The Hague in 1805 and later Westerman's [[Dutch]] version was twice performed at the Koninklijke Nederduitsche Schouwburg (Royal Dutch Theatre), The Hague (in 1820 and 1828).

== Performance history in South Africa ==

1868: Performed in [[Dutch]] as ''[[De Medeminnaar van Zichzelven]]''  in Paarl on 26 May by an unnamed company (referred to by Bosman simply as "plaaslike jong liefhebbers" - i.e. "local young amateurs"), without any author or venue being mentioned either.

== Sources ==

Facsimile version of the 1800 edition of the [[Dutch]] text by Hofhout, Google E-book[https://books.google.co.za/books?id=clUJy4HefZYC&pg=PA1&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=2#v=onepage&q&f=false]

Gerd Aage Gillhoff. 2013. ''The Royal Dutch Theatre at the Hague 1804–1876''. Springer:p.203[https://books.google.co.za/books?id=VLoqBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA203&lpg=PA203&dq=De+Medeminnaar+van+Zichzelven&source=bl&ots=fQa0yhkJU7&sig=ACfU3U2RkvJX2qUbjj4meZyQ2z6JLIaYiA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi239n4itvrAhWQVRUIHZGUCqsQ6AEwAnoECAEQAQ#v=onepage&q=De%20Medeminnaar%20van%20Zichzelven&f=false]

[[D.C. Boonzaier]], 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage",  in ''SA Review'', 9 March and 24 August 1932. (Reprinted in [[F.C.L. Bosman|Bosman]] 1980: pp. 374-439.)

[[F.C.L. Bosman]]. 1980. ''Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912''. Pretoria: [[J.L. van Schaik]]: p.444

Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]

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