The Idol of Paris

"The Idol of Paris" by Sarah Bernhardt is a fictional narrative written in the early 20th century. The story revolves around a young girl named Esperance Darbois, the daughter of a distinguished philosopher, as she navigates her aspirations to become a celebrated actress against the backdrop of familial expectations and societal norms in Paris and Brussels. The opening of the narrative sets the stage in the Darbois family's dining room, where we meet Esperance and her relatives. The dialogue captures a spirited debate about women's rights and the pursuit of individual goals, especially regarding Esperance's desire to choose a career in acting contrary to traditional expectations. As the family discusses life choices, we observe Esperance's passion for the theatre and her determination, despite the challenges posed by her father's philosophical beliefs and her godfather's cynicism about the stage. The chapter concludes with a dramatic turn as Esperance faintly collapses under the weight of the conversation, hinting at the intense emotional journey she will embark upon. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Sarah Bernhardt was a French stage actress who starred in some of the most popular French plays of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas fils, Ruy Blas by Victor Hugo, Fédora and La Tosca by Victorien Sardou, and L'Aiglon by Edmond Rostand. She played female and male roles, including Shakespeare's Hamlet. Rostand called her "the queen of the pose and the princess of the gesture", and Hugo praised her "golden voice". She made several theatrical tours worldwide and was one of the early prominent actresses to make sound recordings and act in motion pictures.