Esther

play by Racine

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June 26, 2026

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Esther is a biblical tragedy by Jean Racine, first performed and published in 1689. It is one of his later works, written not for the professional theater but for the girls' school at Saint-Cyr, at the request of Madame de Maintenon. The play features substantial musical choral interludes composed by Jean-Baptiste Moreau.12

The plot of Esther concerns the Jewish wife of the Persian king Ahasuerus (Xerxes I), who saves the Jewish people from a massacre plotted by the king's chief minister, Haman. With its three acts, chorus, and a message about the triumph of God and truth, the play marked a departure from Racine's previous tragedies. However, its compelling psychological simplicity, edifying message, and spectacular effects contributed to its success.2

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Jean Racine
Life
…to write two religious plays—Esther (first performed and published 1689) and Athalie—for the girls at the school she cofounded in Saint-Cyr. His other undertakings during his last years were to reedit, in 1687 and finally in 1697, the edition of his complete works that he had first published in…
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…to write two religious plays—Esther (first performed and published 1689) and Athalie—for the girls at the school she cofounded in Saint-Cyr. His other undertakings during his last years were to reedit, in 1687 and finally in 1697, the edition of his complete works that he had first published in…
Read More

Françoise d’Aubigné, marquise de Maintenon
Jean Racine’s dramatic poem Esther was written for performance at the school. At first Saint-Cyr was considered fashionable. There Maintenon often sought to escape the restraints of the court and to put into practice the pedagogical talents she was convinced she possessed. To this day many recognize that she…
Read More
Jean Racine’s dramatic poem Esther was written for performance at the school. At first Saint-Cyr was considered fashionable. There Maintenon often sought to escape the restraints of the court and to put into practice the pedagogical talents she was convinced she possessed. To this day many recognize that she…
Read More