Ubu Roi

Merdre !

Ubu Roi ("King Ubu") is an absurdist burlesque written in French by Alfred Jarry and premièred in Paris in 1896. Set in "Poland – that is to say, nowhere", the play satirises European philosophies and their absurd practices.

First Act

• Merdre !
  • King Ubu
  • Opening line of the play; French expletive merde ("shit") with an extra "R", variously rendered into English as "shittr", "pshit", "sheeyit", "shitteth", "shikt", "shrit", etc.

Fifth Act

• S’il n’y avait pas de Pologne il n’y aurait pas de Polonais !
  • If there was no Poland, there would be no Poles!
  • King Ubu
  • Final line of the play

See also

• Alfred Jarry

External links

• Ubu Rex, English translation by David Copelin (1977)