Madame X (original title La Femme X) is a 1908 play by French playwright Alexandre Bisson (1848–1912). It was novelized in English and adapted for the American stage; it was also adapted for the screen twelve times over sixty-five years, including versions in Tagalog, Greek, and Spanish as well as English.[1] The play has been cited as an example of the literary tradition of portraying the mother figure as being "excessively punished for slight deviation from her maternal role".[2]
First edition of the novel adaptation by J. W. McConaughy illustrated by Edward Charles Volkert
The protagonist is a woman who has been thrown out into the street without any money by her jealous husband, when he discovers she has been carrying on an affair. She is not even allowed to see their young son. She sinks into depravity.
Twenty years later, she has become the mistress of a criminal. When he finds out that her husband is now the attorney general, her lover decides to blackmail him. Desperate to shield her son from her disgrace, she shoots and kills her lover.
By chance, the lawyer assigned to her turns out to be her own son, on his first case. He is puzzled and frustrated when she refuses to defend herself in court, or even to provide her name (which forces the tribunal to identify her as "Madame X"). During the trial, her husband shows up in support of his son. When the defendant sees that her husband recognizes her and is about to speak out, she makes an impassioned plea, not for mercy but for understanding of what drove her to murder. As she had intended, the hidden message silences her husband. When she faints from the strain, she is carried into a private chamber. There, she kisses her still-unaware son and dies.
Adaptationsedit
Madame X, 1910 play, translated to English by John Raphael
Madame X: A Story of Mother Love, 1910 novelization by J.W. McConaughy
^Gibbons, William (2013). Building the Operatic Museum: Eighteenth-Century Opera in Fin-de-siècle Paris. Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press ISBN9781580468152. p. 211.
^Kaplan, E. Ann (2013). Motherhood and Representation: The Mother in Popular Culture and Melodrama. Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK: Routledge. ISBN9781138169760. p. 77.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Madame X (play).
Madame X at the Internet Archive 1910 English language prose adaptation
January 01, 1970
madame, other, uses, disambiguation, original, title, femme, 1908, play, french, playwright, alexandre, bisson, 1848, 1912, novelized, english, adapted, american, stage, also, adapted, screen, twelve, times, over, sixty, five, years, including, versions, tagal. For other uses see Madame X disambiguation Madame X original title La Femme X is a 1908 play by French playwright Alexandre Bisson 1848 1912 It was novelized in English and adapted for the American stage it was also adapted for the screen twelve times over sixty five years including versions in Tagalog Greek and Spanish as well as English 1 The play has been cited as an example of the literary tradition of portraying the mother figure as being excessively punished for slight deviation from her maternal role 2 First edition of the novel adaptation by J W McConaughy illustrated by Edward Charles Volkert Contents 1 Plot 2 Adaptations 3 References 4 External linksPlot editThe protagonist is a woman who has been thrown out into the street without any money by her jealous husband when he discovers she has been carrying on an affair She is not even allowed to see their young son She sinks into depravity Twenty years later she has become the mistress of a criminal When he finds out that her husband is now the attorney general her lover decides to blackmail him Desperate to shield her son from her disgrace she shoots and kills her lover By chance the lawyer assigned to her turns out to be her own son on his first case He is puzzled and frustrated when she refuses to defend herself in court or even to provide her name which forces the tribunal to identify her as Madame X During the trial her husband shows up in support of his son When the defendant sees that her husband recognizes her and is about to speak out she makes an impassioned plea not for mercy but for understanding of what drove her to murder As she had intended the hidden message silences her husband When she faints from the strain she is carried into a private chamber There she kisses her still unaware son and dies Adaptations editMadame X 1910 play translated to English by John Raphael Madame X A Story of Mother Love 1910 novelization by J W McConaughy Madame X 1916 film starring Dorothy Donnelly Madame X 1920 film starring Pauline Frederick Madame X 1929 film starring Ruth Chatterton Madame X 1937 film starring Gladys George The Trial of Madame X 1948 film starring Mara Russell Tavernan Madame X 1952 Filipino film starring Alicia Vergel Madame X 1954 Greek film Madame X 1955 Mexican film The Unknown Woman 1959 Egyptian film Sino Ka Madame X 1966 Filipino film starring Amalia Fuentes Madame X 1966 film starring Lana Turner Madame X 1966 novelization by Michael Avallone of the 1966 film s screenplay Madame X 1981 film starring Tuesday WeldReferences edit Gibbons William 2013 Building the Operatic Museum Eighteenth Century Opera in Fin de siecle Paris Rochester NY University of Rochester Press ISBN 9781580468152 p 211 Kaplan E Ann 2013 Motherhood and Representation The Mother in Popular Culture and Melodrama Abingdon Oxfordshire UK Routledge ISBN 9781138169760 p 77 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Madame X play Madame X at the Internet Archive 1910 English language prose adaptation Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Madame X amp oldid 1115737982, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
