French Literature Reviews - 2026

A. Petitjean, Linguistic Studies of Stage Directions
Theatre and Performance

André Petitjean, Linguistic Studies of Stage Directions

Limoges : Lambert-Lucas, "Linguistique" series, 2012.

EAN 9782359350562.

Price 12 EUR

120 p.

Publisher's description :
The increasingly complex status of stage directions in contemporary theatre makes it difficult to define and delimit these textual units, which have long been considered secondary to dialogue. Hence the value of examining their functions and operation in linguistic terms, depending on whether they belong to a past or present state of dramatic production. After clarifying the nature, forms, and functions of stage directions, the book explores the voice expressed through them. Is it that of the playwright, or does it belong to a narrator—the didascale—internal to the fiction? It then examines different categories of stage directions: spatio-temporal directions, whose primary function is to specify the context and setting of character interactions; and gestural directions, which allow readers to infer the characters' identities, qualities, and emotional states, thereby shedding light on the meaning of their relationships and interactions. The second half of the book focuses on analyzing the stage-direction style of Bernard-Marie Koltès, followed by an analysis of the syntagmatic relationships between the different categories of stage directions in Beckett's Waiting for Godot.

Dealing with both poetics and stylistics, the work is aimed at both linguists and literary scholars.

By applying rigorous linguistic and stylistic tools to theatrical texts, this study addresses the complex status of didascaliae in dramatic literature. The work examines how these textual units establish spatio-temporal contexts, convey character psychology through gestural cues, and shape the overall dynamics of performance. Through detailed investigations of major modern dramatists, including Bernard-Marie Koltès and Samuel Beckett, the volume bridges the gap between theoretical linguistics and practical theatrical analysis, illuminating the intricate relationships that govern contemporary dramatic writing.

This scholarly resource will prove particularly valuable for literary researchers, linguists, and theatre scholars seeking a deeper understanding of dramatic poetics. It offers essential methodological frameworks for analyzing the shifting boundaries between dialogue and stage directions across different historical periods. By questioning the identity of the narrative voice behind the text, the book contributes to ongoing debates in narrative theory and stylistics, making it an indispensable tool for advanced students and academics specializing in modern theatre.

You can download the table of contents for this volume.