Traduire le queer shakespearien en France au XVIIIe siècle: Roméo et Juliette, Othello, Troïlus et Cressida

In contrast to a disembodied ‘classicism’ idealized by the supporters of regular tragedy, Shakespeare’s theatre does not only pose problems linked to dramatic ‘irregularities’ but also for its allusive and sexually connoted language as well as the protean nature of its heroes which blurs their identities both in the text and in the performance. I will examine a corpus of French 18th century translations / adaptations of Shakespearian works, with a specific focus on the relationship between male friendship, homosocial code and sexual desire. The analysis will focus on three possible meanings that can be linked to the term ‘queer’: I will focus on the reversal of sex roles in Romeo and Juliet and its adaptations; I will then analyze the plastic and ambiguous identity of Iago in Othello and finally a scene from Troilus and Cressida, where this homosocial code takes on even different proportions