Article: La séduction de la vertu dans le roman libertin français : Crébillon, Laclos, Duclos
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Date
2024
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Authors
Tureková, Andrea
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Abstract
Le roman libertin français met en scène la société aristocratique occupée principalement au « jeu » de la séduction. Dans ce jeu, la gloire du libertin se mesure non seulement au nombre de conquêtes ; le plus grand défi consiste à triompher de la vertu, à séduire une femme attachée à l’honneur et au devoir. S’engage alors un « combat » entre le séducteur cynique et la femme vertueuse : mais au travers de ses manipulations, le libertin se prend parfois à son propre piège. Le présent article se propose d’étudier trois romans appartenant aux chefs-d’œuvre du roman du libertinage du XVIIIe siècle français, en mettant en avant les parallèles et les contrepoints entre les personnages du lord Chester (Les Heureux Orphelins de Crébillon) et du vicomte de Valmont (Les Liaisons dangereuses de Laclos) d’un côté, et celui du comte de *** (Les Confessions du comte de *** de Duclos) de l’autre. Entre le cynisme, le déni et la conversion, se dessine le même pessimisme des romanciers sur la possibilité d’atteindre la vérité des sentiments.
The seduction of virtue in the French libertine novel: Crébillon, Laclos, Duclos. The French libertine novel depicts aristocratic society, mainly engaged in the “game” of seduction. In this game, the glory of the libertine is measured not only by the number of conquests; the greatest challenge is to triumph over virtue, to seduce a woman committed to honour and duty. A “fight” ensues between the cynical seducer and the virtuous woman: but through his manipulations, the libertine sometimes catches himself in his own trap. This paper examines three masterpieces of the 18th century French novel of libertinage, highlighting the parallels and counterpoints between the characters of Lord Chester (Les Heureux Orphelins by Crébillon) and the Vicomte de Valmont (Les Liaisons dangereuses by Laclos) on the one hand, and the Comte de *** (Les Confessions du comte de *** by Duclos) on the other. Between cynicism, denial and conversion, the novelists’ pessimism about the possibility of attaining the truth of feelings emerges.
The seduction of virtue in the French libertine novel: Crébillon, Laclos, Duclos. The French libertine novel depicts aristocratic society, mainly engaged in the “game” of seduction. In this game, the glory of the libertine is measured not only by the number of conquests; the greatest challenge is to triumph over virtue, to seduce a woman committed to honour and duty. A “fight” ensues between the cynical seducer and the virtuous woman: but through his manipulations, the libertine sometimes catches himself in his own trap. This paper examines three masterpieces of the 18th century French novel of libertinage, highlighting the parallels and counterpoints between the characters of Lord Chester (Les Heureux Orphelins by Crébillon) and the Vicomte de Valmont (Les Liaisons dangereuses by Laclos) on the one hand, and the Comte de *** (Les Confessions du comte de *** by Duclos) on the other. Between cynicism, denial and conversion, the novelists’ pessimism about the possibility of attaining the truth of feelings emerges.
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Subject Headings
francouzská próza, 18. století
Keywords
Roman français du XVIIIe siècle. Roman libertin. Séduction. Libertin et femme vertueuse, 18th century French novel. Libertine novel. Seduction. Libertine and virtuous woman
ISBN
ISSN
DOI
10.15452/SR.2024.24.0004
License
CC BY-NC 4.0
Citation
Studia Romanistica 24(1), 2024, 75-85