Questions of Interpretation in La Princesse de ClèvesPeople are so divided about La Princesse de Clèves' they're ready to devour each other.' So reported Mme de Lafayette, to whom his landmark of French fiction is traditionally attributed, when it first appeared in 1678. Over three centuries the initial divisions have widened into large areas of critical disagreement. Questions of interpretation in La Princesse de Clèves' outlines the main areas of controversy and confronts the radically divergent critical responses that have been made with the witness of the text itself. Without seeking to advance easy solutions, it suggests plausible readings and possible approaches in the light of the evidence provided by language and ideas more uncertain and ambiguous than might at first appear. Offering as it does a wide-ranging review of recent critical opinion and providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date bibliographical tool at present available, this important new work is an invaluable tool for all readers and students of this famous novel. |
Contents
5 | |
Relationships | 72 |
Appearances | 107 |
Home Truths | 136 |
72 | 162 |
84 | 168 |
The right decision? | 180 |
Postscript | 223 |
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Common terms and phrases
17e siècle aimé ambiguous amour autre aveu avoir bien c'est chose classique Clèves's cœur confession Coulommiers Couprie cour Court critical d'une daughter Dauphine Delacomptée desire devoir douleur elle Esprit ethical être eût fait femme française Francillon French Studies galant galanterie Haase-Dubosc heroine heroine's homme husband Inimitable Example interpretation jamais jealousy judgement l'amour L'Œuvre La Rochefoucauld Lafayette's language Lettres Littéraire littérature Madeleine de Scudéry maîtresse Malandain mari marriage Mesnard Mme de Chartres Mme de Chartres's Mme de Clèves Mme de Lafayette Mme de Sévigné Mme de Tournon monde moral mother n'avait n'est narrative nature Nemours Nemours's novel paradoxically paraître Paris passionate love pensée person peut PFSCL phrase plaisir pouvoir Princesse de Clèves qu'il qu'on question raison reality refusal relationship repos rien Rochefoucauld roman romanesque Sancerre seems seen sense sentiments seule Seventeenth-Century sexual sincérité social suggests tout truth Valincour vérité vertu Vidame vocabulary voir words XVIIe siècle