Denis Diderot: The Paradox of Actors

Denis Diderot's treatise on art, *The Paradox of the Actor* (translated by Jumisa), by the chief editor of the *Encyclopedia*—which is regarded as a culmination of 18th-century Enlightenment thought—has been published as part of the newly revamped "Munji Spectrum" series. Denis Diderot, well known to us as a thinker and philosopher, was also a novelist, playwright, and art theorist who explored themes of philosophy, aesthetics, and ethics in a unique format. He had a particular interest in theater; in his youth, he even considered becoming a professional actor. He wrote and performed the plays *The Bastard* and *The Mourner*, while expounding his theatrical theories in *Essays on Dramatic Poetry* and *Dialogues on *The Bastard**. *The Paradox of the Actor* is a valuable resource for understanding Diderot's theories on acting. In this book, Diderot develops his discussion by focusing on the actor's performance on stage itself. In his view, a great actor is someone who can transcend their own subjective emotions and become a "continuous observer of the senses." In other words, good acting does not stem from sensibility, but depends on how well one grasps, masters, and expresses the actions, speech, facial expressions, voice, and movements appropriate to the role. Therefore, what perfects an actor's talent is not only a natural voice or delicacy, but also the ability to imagine an ideal model of the role they are assigned and to imitate it properly. The idea that artificial study, calculation, and technique create natural acting is precisely the paradox of the actor that Diderot speaks of. Diderot's thoughts contained in *The Paradox of the Actor* align with his view of humanity. Diderot believed that humans must become their own masters within the contrasting structures of reason and emotion.

Korean title: 배우에 관한 역설

Korean author: 드니 디드로

Korean publisher: 문학과지성사

ISBN-13: 9788932038308