La Hollande Malade: Exeter French Texts

The book is a critical edition of La Hollande Malade, a comedy in one act by Raymond Poisson. La Hollande Malade, written in 1673, is a satirical and allegorical comedy.

 

The historical context of this story relates to Louis XIV, who wanted to benefit from the prosperity of the Netherlands.  This prosperity, derived from trade, fishing and publishing, threatened other European countries.  Louis allied with England to help fight the war against the maritime “Hollande”.  The symbolic way in which this story is told takes the form of a countess suffering from illness, while those around her, symbolising other countries, wish to give her medicine in order to cure her.