History Theatre / RuyBlas

* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Completely averted with King Charles, who spends his time hunting and sulking at the Escurial. Subverted with Queen Maria, who has no effective power and can only do something by subtly promoting [[TheGoodChancellor Ruy Blas]].

Madrid, 1698, during the reign of Charles II. Ruy Blas, an indentured commoner and valet to Don Salluste de Bazan, dares to love the Queen. The play is a thinly veiled cry for political reform.

* {{Anvilicious}}: Very politcally involved, Hugo uses the play to denounce corruption, most famously in Ruy Blas's 101-verse tirade to the Grandees of Spain.

'''Ruy Blas''' is a French tragedy in five acts written by Victor Hugo. It was the first play presented at the Théâtre de la Renaissance and opened on November 8, 1838. Though considered by many to be Hugo’s best play, it was initially met with only average success.

* {{Anvilicious}}: Very politcally involved, Hugo uses the play to denounce corruption, most famously in Ruy Blas's 101-verse tirade to the Greats of Spain.

--> '''Salluste:''' You exiled dear [[EvilChancellor Priego]], one of the Greats? You have forgotten that you are kin. [...] This is no way to treat a kinsman.

Don Salluste returns to take his revenge. The Queen and Ruy Blas are betrayed into a compromising situation by Don Salluste, who, when Don César threatens to frustrate his revenge, ruthlessly sacrifices his cousin to his injured vanity. Don Salluste discloses the masquerade by cruelly humiliating Blas – he commands Blas to close the window and pick up his handkerchief, while trying to explain the condition of Spanish politics. Blas kills him and decides to commit suicide with poison. Upon his death, he is forgiven by the queen who openly declares her love for him.

* InSpiteOfANail: When Don Salluste tries to compromise him and the Queen, Ruy Blas has a message sent to the Queen not to live the palace for any reason for the next three days. The message doesn't go through. The Queen receives Salluste's forged invite to Ruy Blas's house, and takes care to send a chaperone to confirm the invitation. Unfortunately, the chaperone is met by the real Don Cesar, who eagerly agrees to receive a pretty woman for a secret rendez-vous, even if he doesn't know what it is about.

* MadeASlave: When Don Cesar refuses to help him with his plan, Don Salluste has him sold to Algerian c

* InSpiteOfANail: When Don Salluste tries to compromise him and the Queen, Ruy Blas has a message sent to the Queen not to live the palace for any reason for the next three days. The message doesn't go through. The Queen receives Salluste's forged invite to Ruy Blas's house, and takes care to send a chaperone to confirm the invitation. Unfortunately, the chaperone is met by the real Don Cesar, who eagerly agrees to receive a pretty woman for a secret rendez-vous.

* MeaningfulName: Ruy Blas's name is a compound of a noble name (Ruy is short for Rodrigo) and a common name.

* NotSoOmnicientCouncilOfBickering: In a country on the decline, losing war after war and province after province, where misery and hunger rule unchallenged and a bandit has an army larger than any baron's, all the ministers care about is which tax will be going into their pockets.

* FisherKing: Invoked with Charles II. According to the Queen, he often watched his NotSoOmnicientCouncilOfBickering tearing the kingdom apart, and, unlike Ruy Blas, never reacted.

* {{Anvillicious}}: Very politcally involved, Hugo uses the play to denounce corruption, most famously in Ruy Blas's 101-verse tirade to the Greats of Spain.

''Ruy Blas'' is a French tragedy in five acts written by Victor Hugo. It was the first play presented at the Théâtre de la Renaissance and opened on November 8, 1838. Though considered by many to be Hugo’s best play, it was initially met with only average success.

* Anvillicious: Very politcally involved, Hugo uses the play to denounce corruption, most famously in Ruy Blas's 101-verse tirade to the Greats of Spain.