Zaïre - Voltaire

Summary

Voltaire's tragedy "Zaïre" (1732) tells the story of Zaïre, a young Christian slave girl, believed to be Turkish, who has been raised in the seraglio of Sultan Orosmane of Jerusalem. Orosmane deeply loves Zaïre and plans to marry her, a union she accepts out of genuine affection and gratitude.

However, a French knight, Nérestan, arrives to ransom Christian captives. Among them is the elderly Lusignan, a former French prince and King of Jerusalem, who was thought long dead. Through a series of revelations, Lusignan discovers that Zaïre and Nérestan are his long-lost children, separated during a Crusade battle. Zaïre, now aware of her Christian lineage and noble birth, is torn between her love for Orosmane and her duty to her rediscovered family and Christian faith, which requires her to reject a marriage to a Muslim.

As Zaïre tries to navigate this impossible situation, seeking a delay for her baptism and reconciliation with her family, Orosmane's deep love transforms into furious jealousy. Misinterpreting her secretive meetings and correspondence with Nérestan (who is actually her brother arranging her baptism), Orosmane believes Zaïre is betraying him with another man. In a fit of rage, he murders Zaïre. The tragic truth is revealed immediately after, leading to Orosmane's profound remorse and suicide. The play explores themes of love, duty, religious conflict, and the destructive power of jealousy and misunderstanding.

Book Sections

Section 1 (Act I)

The play opens in the palace of Sultan Orosmane in Jerusalem. Orosmane, a powerful and respected ruler, is deeply in love with Zaïre, a beautiful Christian slave whom he believes to be Turkish, as she was raised in his seraglio from a young age. He expresses his intention to make her his empress, elevating her above all others. Zaïre, while initially hesitant due to her slave status, genuinely loves Orosmane and accepts his proposal, moved by his devotion and kindness. Her closest confidante, Fatima, encourages her.

Meanwhile, a French knight named Nérestan arrives in Jerusalem. He has been granted leave by Orosmane to ransom and free a hundred Christian captives. His primary goal is to find and free his aged father, Lusignan, a former French prince and King of Jerusalem, who was captured during the Crusades and has been presumed dead for many years. Nérestan reports that Lusignan has been found among the oldest and most suffering captives, barely clinging to life.