Dom Juan facts for kids
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Dom Juan, or The Feast with a Stone Statue is a famous play written by Molière. It was first shown to an audience on February 15, 1660. This happened at the Theatre of the Palais-Royal in Paris, France. The play tells the story of a character named Don Juan. He is known for not following rules or behaving well. The play ends with Don Juan facing consequences for his bad choices. This play also helped inspire the famous opera Don Giovanni. That opera was created by Lorenzo da Ponte and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Contents
About the Play
Who is Don Juan?
Don Juan is the main character in Molière's play. He is a young nobleman who enjoys doing whatever he wants. He does not care much about what others think. Don Juan often challenges rules and traditions. He also does not believe in many things.
What Happens in the Story?
The play follows Don Juan as he travels and meets different people. He often gets into trouble because of his actions. Don Juan makes many promises but does not keep them. He also tries to trick people. His servant, Sganarelle, often tries to warn him. But Don Juan rarely listens to good advice.
The Stone Statue
A very important part of the story involves a stone statue. This statue is of a commander whom Don Juan had wronged. Don Juan boldly invites the statue to dinner. To his surprise, the statue actually comes to life and visits him. This event leads to the play's dramatic ending.
The Ending
At the end of the play, Don Juan is given a chance to change his ways. He is asked to apologize for his actions. However, Don Juan refuses to admit he was wrong. Because of this, he faces a terrible fate. The play shows that bad choices can lead to serious consequences.
Molière and His Work
Who was Molière?
Molière was a very famous French playwright and actor. His real name was Jean-Baptiste Poquelin. He lived in the 1600s. Molière wrote many comedies that are still popular today. He often made fun of people's silly habits. He also showed the problems in society.
Why is This Play Important?
Dom Juan is special because it mixes comedy with serious ideas. It makes people think about right and wrong. The play also explores themes like honesty and consequences. It was quite daring for its time. Some parts of the play were even changed because they were seen as too bold.
Censorship of the Play
When Dom Juan was first performed, some people found it shocking. Certain scenes or lines were considered offensive. Because of this, the play was sometimes changed. This is called censorship. It means parts of the play were removed or altered. This happened to make the play more acceptable to everyone.
Images for kids
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This image shows how parts of the play Dom Juan were censored in 1665.
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This is the title page of an uncensored version of Le festin de pierre from 1683.
