Pélléas and Mélisande; Alladine and Palomides; Home

Book excerpt: Maurice Maeterlinck's Symbolist play, 'Pelléas and Mélisande', tells the story of the tragic and forbidden love between the two title characters. Although it did not achieve great success on the stage, it was widely read and admired by literary elites and inspired several contemporary composers, including Claude Debussy and Gabriel Fauré. The play follows the love triangle between Golaud, Mélisande's husband, his younger half-brother Pelléas, and Mélisande herself. As their relationship intensifies, Golaud's jealousy grows, and he goes to extreme lengths to discover the truth about their relationship. Despite its controversial reception, Pelléas and Mélisande has remained a beloved work of art and an inspiration for generations.