Anouilh, Jean, << ah NOO yuh, zhahn >> (1910-1987), was a French playwright. Anouilh’s plays explore matters of illusion and reality and conflicts between the individual and society. Many of them feature a sensitive and articulate young woman struggling to preserve her integrity in a corrupt, greedy world. His works are noted for polished dialogue and tight dramatic action.
Anouilh classified his plays according to their dominant mood. He called his tragic plays “black.” One of his most famous “black” plays is Antigone (1944), a modern version of an ancient Greek myth. Anouilh used “grating” to describe his bitterly comic plays Poor Bitos (1956) and The Waltz of the Toreadors (1952). His lighter comedies were labeled “rose” or “pink” and “sparkling.” They include Thieves’ Carnival (completed in 1932, first produced in 1938), Ring Round the Moon (1947), and The Rehearsal (1950). Anouilh called his historical dramas “costumed” plays. His best-known “costumed” plays are The Lark (1953) and Becket (1959). Anouilh was born on June 23, 1910, near Bordeaux. He died on Oct. 3, 1987.
