Article VII of the Charter of 1830 declared that “censorship could never be re-established.” Taking advantage of the ambiguity of the article, the theatre could put everything and anything on stage. The theatre represented at that time a unique focus of collective interest: it was a place of social criticism and moral instruction as well as of entertainment. As a result, the theatre deeply threatened the regime in power and governmental control over theatrical subject was always much stronger than over written work. Le Roi s’amuse, written by Victor Hugo during the political and social tumult of June 1832, provides us with an opportunity to observe the force of emancipated theatre and the authorities’ reactions. It was performed at the Comedie-Francaise on November 22, 1832. Hugo upset profoundly the social hierarchy in this play. Francis I, considered one of the greatest kings of French history, is depicted as a cheap philanderer; even worse, as a simple marionette controlled by his buffoon. In fact, the real protagonist of the piece is the buffoon, not the king. It is Triboulet, the ugly buffoon, who appears to be the only person with a psychological depth: he certainly provokes repulsion, but his monologues are soul searching and soul wrenching. He is the grotesque hero with the sublime soul. Le Roi s’amuse was suspended after the first night because of its “immoral” aspects. Actually, the author was accused of being a regicide apologist. Hugo brought an action against the Comedie-Francaise for withdrawing the play without his consent. Even though he lost the lawsuit, it propelled him into celebrity as a defender of freedom of theatre in France. Due to the intense public interest aroused by Le Roi s’amuse case, the government hesitated to practice the censorship. However, the attempted assassination of the king by Fieschi in 1835 led to the implementation of the notorious laws of September, which included theatrical censorship.
La Charte de 1830 declare que “la censure ne pourra jamais e?tre retablie.” Le thea?tre, emancipe gra?ce a la redaction imprecise de l’article 7 de la Charte, entre en pleine possession du droit de monter tout sur scene. A cette epoque ou le thea?tre demeure non seulement une forme privilegiee de divertissement mais aussi un mode de critique sociale et d’instruction morale et civique, il est considere comme plus dangereux que l’ecrit. L’histoire de la censure autour du Roi s’amuse, drame de Victor Hugo ecrit au milieu de l’emeute de juin 1832, montre bien la force du thea?tre libre et la peur du pouvoir en place devant cette liberte. Le 22 novembre 1832 a lieu la premiere du Roi s’amuse a la Comedie-Francaise. La mise a mal des hierarchies sociales, trait commun a tout le thea?tre de Hugo, atteint des sommets dans cette piece. Hugo presente au public une image degradee de Francois I<SUB>er</SUB>, celle d’un roi debauche. Pis encore, il est reduit au statut de marionnette: il est sous l’influence directe de Triboulet qui l’incite aux pires debauches. Le veritable heros du drame, c’est le bouffon et non le roi. Triboulet provoque certes la terreur et la repulsion, mais il offre aussi le visage du tourment: il souffre de sa condition physique et sociale. Avec lui, convergent le grotesque et le sublime. La piece est suspendue des le lendemain pour “cause d’immoralite.” En realite, l’auteur est accuse de faire l’apologie du regicide. L’oeuvre, censuree par un pouvoir politique, devient un acte politique. Hugo intente un proces a la Comedie-Francaise. Il perd le proces d’ou il est pourtant sorti vainqueur, car, a cause du bruit provoque par Hugo et son Roi s’amuse, les autorites hesitent de pratiquer la censure, preventive ou repressive. Cependant le gouvernment profitera de l’attentat de Fieschi en 1835 pour convoquer les Chambres et leur faire voter les fameuses lois de septembre qui restaureront la censure thea?-trale en me?me temps qu’elles reduiront la liberte de la presse.