Les Enfants Terribles
Encyclopedia
Les Enfants Terribles is a 1929 novel by Jean Cocteau
, published by Editions Bernard Grasset. It concerns two siblings, Elisabeth and Paul, who isolate themselves from the world as they grow up; this isolation is shattered by the stresses of their adolescence. It was first translated into English by Samuel Putnam
in 1930 and published by Brewer & Warren Inc. A later English translation was made by Rosamond Lehmann in 1955, and published by New Directions (ISBN 0811200213) in the U.S., and Mclelland & Stewart in Canada in 1966, with the title translated as The Holy Terrors. The book is illustrated by the author's own drawings. It was made into a film of the same name
, a collaboration between Cocteau and director Jean-Pierre Melville in 1950, and inspired the opera of the same name by Philip Glass.
The game devised by Paul and Elisabeth often involves the siblings trying to hurt each other's feelings, where the winner is the one that leaves the contest with the last word, a sense of superiority and ideally having caused a display of angry frustration from the other. This game continues after Paul recovers and their mother has passed away.
Elisabeth is first to get married to a wealthy young man who dies on his way to a business meeting before the married couple can even enjoy a honeymoon. The result of the marriage is that the siblings inherit a large house which they move into. After moving into the house Elisabeth, who has worked in a store, brings home another orphan (Agatha) and Paul falls in love with her. Elisabeth cannot stand to see her brother happy, but there is also an element of it being a game to see how much hurt she can inflict. She manages to bully Gerard, who is in love with her, into marrying Agatha and as a result helps break her brother’s heart.
However Gerard meets with Dargelos, now a collector of poisons, and sends one of these poisons to Paul as a gift. That poison is taken by Paul to end his life after writing of his love to Agatha. As Paul lies dying he is attended to by Agetha and Elisabeth. In her final moments, knowing that Paul is dying, Elisabeth senses that this is yet another twist in the game and by dying he has beaten her to the final move. She then shoots herself and by a matter of seconds beats Paul, leaving a frightened Agatha with two dead bodies.
Jean Cocteau
Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau was a French poet, novelist, dramatist, designer, playwright, artist and filmmaker. His circle of associates, friends and lovers included Kenneth Anger, Pablo Picasso, Jean Hugo, Jean Marais, Henri Bernstein, Marlene Dietrich, Coco Chanel, Erik Satie, María...
, published by Editions Bernard Grasset. It concerns two siblings, Elisabeth and Paul, who isolate themselves from the world as they grow up; this isolation is shattered by the stresses of their adolescence. It was first translated into English by Samuel Putnam
Samuel Putnam
Samuel Putnam was an American translator and scholar of Romance languages.His most famous work is his 1949 English translation of Miguel de Cervantes' Don Quixote...
in 1930 and published by Brewer & Warren Inc. A later English translation was made by Rosamond Lehmann in 1955, and published by New Directions (ISBN 0811200213) in the U.S., and Mclelland & Stewart in Canada in 1966, with the title translated as The Holy Terrors. The book is illustrated by the author's own drawings. It was made into a film of the same name
Les Enfants terribles (film)
Les Enfants terribles is a 1950 French film directed by Jean-Pierre Melville and based on Jean Cocteau's novel of the same name...
, a collaboration between Cocteau and director Jean-Pierre Melville in 1950, and inspired the opera of the same name by Philip Glass.
Summary
This story concerns the siblings Paul and Elisabeth who start this story without a father and with a bed-ridden mother, whom Elisabeth looks after. At school Paul is obsessed with the feminine looking Dargelos, while Paul’s school friend Gerard is enthralled by the siblings. However after Paul becomes ill when Dargelos throws a snowball with a stone inside thrown at him, Elisabeth cares for both him and their mother. While nursing Paul they start an incestous love and begin playing the “game”.The game devised by Paul and Elisabeth often involves the siblings trying to hurt each other's feelings, where the winner is the one that leaves the contest with the last word, a sense of superiority and ideally having caused a display of angry frustration from the other. This game continues after Paul recovers and their mother has passed away.
Elisabeth is first to get married to a wealthy young man who dies on his way to a business meeting before the married couple can even enjoy a honeymoon. The result of the marriage is that the siblings inherit a large house which they move into. After moving into the house Elisabeth, who has worked in a store, brings home another orphan (Agatha) and Paul falls in love with her. Elisabeth cannot stand to see her brother happy, but there is also an element of it being a game to see how much hurt she can inflict. She manages to bully Gerard, who is in love with her, into marrying Agatha and as a result helps break her brother’s heart.
However Gerard meets with Dargelos, now a collector of poisons, and sends one of these poisons to Paul as a gift. That poison is taken by Paul to end his life after writing of his love to Agatha. As Paul lies dying he is attended to by Agetha and Elisabeth. In her final moments, knowing that Paul is dying, Elisabeth senses that this is yet another twist in the game and by dying he has beaten her to the final move. She then shoots herself and by a matter of seconds beats Paul, leaving a frightened Agatha with two dead bodies.