DU PLAISIR AS THEORETICIAN AND PRACTITIONER OP THE NOVEL FORM by ELLEN JANET HUNTER B . A . , ' U n i v e r s i t y of B r i t i s h Columbia, 1968 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL'FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY i n the Department of FRENCH We accept t h i s t h e s i s as conforming t o the r e q u i r e d standard THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA December, 1974 P_F, In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of B r i t i s h Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the Head of my Department or by his representatives. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Department of FRENCH The University of B r i t i s h Columbia Vancouver 8, Canada Date 20 December 1974 £ Supervisor: Dr. H a r o l d C. Knutson ABSTRACT T h i s d i s s e r t a t i o n seeks t o a n a l y z e two works by the 1 7 t h - c e n t u r y French w r i t e r , Du P l a i s i r , and t o d e f i n e t h e i r r e l a t i o n s h i p t o each o t h e r . through the c r i t i c a l By v i e w i n g L a Duchesse d'Estramene t h e o r y of i t s author as expressed i n Les Sentimens s u r l e s L e t t r e s . we a r e a b l e t o come t o terms w i t h Du P l a i s i r ' s f o r m a l d e f i n i t i o n of the p e t i t roman, nouveau roman or n o u v e l l e as he c o n c e i v e d i t . Because the e n t i r e l i t e r a r y p r o d u c t i o n a t t r i b u t e d t o Du P l a i s i r c o n s i s t s s o l e l y of these two s h o r t t e x t s , the f a c t t h a t the one a n a l y z e s the s a l i e n t f e a t u r e s of the o t h e r i s s t r o n g l y a c c e n t u a t e d . Although the p r e s e n t study devoted more a t t e n t i o n t o the s t r u c t u r a l a n a l y s i s o f La Duchesse d'Bstramene than t o the Sentimens.... the l a t t e r work i s c o n s i d e r e d as a h i g h l y s i g n i f i c a n t r e f e r e n c e . T h i s study i s d i v i d e d i n t o two major s e c t i o n s . I i s e n t i t l e d The Sentimens s u r 1 ' H i s t o i r e : a n a l y s i s of the c r e a t i v e p r o c e s s . Section an a u t h o r ' s The f i r s t c h a p t e r of t h i s s e c t i o n i s devoted t o the background t o the study of the Sentimens...; Du P l a i s i r ' s t r e a t i s e i s c o n s i d e r e d i n the p e r - s p e c t i v e of the r i s e of the p e t i t roman i n seventeenth-century France, and seen t o share many s i m i l a r i t i e s w i t h the content of t h e o r e t i c a l works on the n o v e l w r i t t e n contemporaneously to it. The second c h a p t e r of t h i s f i r s t s e c t i o n concerns Du P l a i s i r ' s t h e o r y of the a n t i - n o v e l as presented i n P a r t I I of the Sentimens.... I n p a r t i c u l a r , he condemns the voluminous and r a m b l i n g h e r o i c n o v e l s w r i t t e n a t the b e g i n n i n g of the ii s e v e n t e e n t h - c e n t u r y i n France; c o n c i s i o n o f form and c o n t e n t comprises the f o c a l p o i n t of h i s t h e o r e t i c a l remarks. S e c t i o n I I o f t h i s study d e a l s w i t h t h e s t r u c t u r a l a n a l y s i s o f L a Duchesse d'Estramene, which c o u l d be s u b - t i t l e d : "The dilemma o f the honnete femme as seen by Du P l a i s i r . " In the f i r s t c h a p t e r o f t h i s s e c t i o n , a resume o f t h e a c t i o n i s f o l l o w e d by a d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e r o l e o f h i s t o r y i n L a Duchesse d'Estramene. Chapters I I ( N a r r a t i v e Technique) and I I I ( C h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n ) concern t h e t e c h n i c a l a s p e c t s o f Du P l a i s i r ' s novel. By examining t h e methods which Du P l a i s i r uses t o present t h e c h a r a c t e r s i n h i s n o v e l , and t h e h i e r a r c h y which he observes i n so d o i n g , we a r e a b l e t o a p p r e c i a t e t h e d e l i b e r a t e s t r u c t u r e o f L a Duchesse d'Estramene. A l l of the per- sonages p o p u l a t i n g t h e work, b o t h major and minor a l i k e , a r e c o n c e i v e d and presented by t h e author w i t h a view t o h i g h l i g h t ing p e r t i n e n t a s p e c t s o f the h e r o i n e ' s complex p e r s o n a l i t y . Du P l a i s i r ' s s k i l f u l use o f t h e t e c h n i q u e o f moving p o i n t o f view s e r v e s n o t o n l y t o make t h e c h a r a c t e r whose o p t i c he adopts more b e l i e v a b l e , but a l s o t o l e n d t o h i s n a r r a t i v e a depth o f p e r s p e c t i v e which i t might n o t o t h e r w i s e have had. succeeds Du P l a i s i r i n conveying t o t h e r e a d e r a nuanced, e v o c a t i v e p o r t r a i t o f a woman who chooses t o subjugate h e r p e r s o n a l wishes t o t h e demands o f bienseance. i n an e f f o r t t o m a i n t a i n her r e p u t a t i o n a t court. I n t h e C o n c l u s i o n , t h e bond u n i t i n g t h e o r y and p r a c t i c e i n t h e work o f Du P l a i s i r i s u n d e r l i n e d , as t h e o r e t i c a l remarks made i n t h e Sentimens s u r 1 ' H i s t o i r e a r e r e l a t e d t o L a Duchesse iii d'Estramene, The l a t t e r work i s seen t o be an almost p e r f e c t example o f t h e i d e a l p e t i t roman as Du P l a i s i r conceived i t . himself iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION • 1 SECTION I : THE SENTIMENS SUR L'HISTOIRE: ANALYSIS OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS AN AUTHOR'S 15 CHAPTER I : . BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY OF THE SSN'TIMENS SUR L'HISTOIRE 16 CHAPTER I I : SENT I. MENS SUR L'HISTOIRE (PART I I OF THE SENTIMENS...): DU P L A I S I R ' S THEORY OF THE ANTI-NOVEL 33 SECTION I I : LA DUCHESSE D'ESTRAMENE: THE DILEMMA OF THE HONNETE FEMME AS SEEN BY DU P L A I S I R CHAPTER I : 75 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY OF LA DUCHESSE D'ESTRAMENE CHAPTER I I : NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE CHAPTER I I I : . CHARACTERIZATION 77 97 117 CONCLUSION: THE RELATIONSHIP OF THEORY TO PRACTICE I N THE WORK OF DU P L A I S I R : THE SBNTIMENS SUR L'HISTOIRE AND LA DUCHESSE D'ESTRAMENE 162 BIBLIOGRAPHY 171 V ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I s h o u l d l i k e t o thank the f o l l o w i n g : - The U n i v e r s i t y o f B r i t i s h Columbia, f o r f i n a n c i a l a s s i s t a n c e i n the form o f a M a c M i l l a n F a m i l y F o u n d a t i o n F e l l o w s h i p and a t e a c h i n g a s s i s t a n t s h i p , and the Canada Council, for Doctoral Fellowships. - Dr. H a r o l d C. Knutson, my" t h e s i s d i r e c t o r , f o r h i s p a t i e n c e and h i s guidance i n the p r e p a r a t i o n and r e v i s i o n o f the m a n u s c r i p t . - Dr. Dorothy F. D a l l a s , former p r o f e s s o r and f r i e n d , f o r h a v i n g i n t r o d u c e d me t o the i n f i n i t e l y r i c h w o r l d of seventeenth-century French L i t e r a t u r e . - My p a r e n t s , f o r h a v i n g p r o v i d e d a f i n e environment i n which t o s t u d y . And l a s t l y , W i l l i a m , w i t h o u t whose c o n s t a n t encouragement t h i s work would no doubt not have reached c o m p l e t i o n . INTRODUCTION In the l a s t t h i r t y - f i v e y e a r s , scholars on both sides of the A t l a n t i c have shown i n t e r e s t i n two r e l a t i v e l y obscure seventeenth-century t e x t s which the e d i t o r of Le Mercure Galant. Donneau de Y±B6, ascribed to a w r i t e r known by the somewhat strange name of Du P l a i s i r . La Duchesse d Estramene 1 was published f o r the f i r s t time i n May 1682 by Claude Blageart i n P a r i s , and the Sentimens sur l e s L e t t r e s . et sur 1 * H i s t o i r e , avec des scrupules sur l e S t i l e was a l s o brought out i n P a r i s the f o l l o w i n g year by the same p u b l i s h e r . La Duchesse d Estramene underwent three, and perhaps 1 f o u r , p r i n t i n g s i n France during the seventeenth century. A Dutch e d i t i o n , published by A. Wolfgang, "suivant l a copie imprimde a P a r i s , was brought out i n Amsterdam i n 1684, 11 according to the Catalogue of P r i n t e d Books of the B r i t i s h Museum. The E x t r a i t du P r i v i l e g e du Roy provides us w i t h the d e t a i l s of the f i r s t and second p r i n t i n g s of the work: Claude Blageart, who brought i t out f o r the f i r s t time i n P a r i s i n the s p r i n g of 1682, passed the P r i v i l e g e on t o Thomas Amaulry, and he i n turn p r i n t e d a second e d i t i o n , without notable v a r i a n t s , i n Lyons the same year. The catalogue of the Bibliotheque de 1'Arsenal l i s t s yet another P a r i s e d i t i o n , 1684. Two volumes from the personal l i b r a r y of the Marquise de Pompadour, housed today i n the Reserve holdings of the Bibliotheque Nationale represent p o s s i b l y a f o u r t h French p r i n t i n g of the work. The f i r s t volume of t h i s s e t , from the press of G a b r i e l Qui.net, P a r i s , bears the p u b l i c a t i o n date of 1683, w h i l e the second volume published by Claude B l a g e a r t , a l s o i n P a r i s , bears the date of 1682 on i t s f r o n t i s p i e c e . These two volumes may not comprise a separate e d i t i o n at a l l , as a f a i r l y common p r a c t i c e of publishers of the time was t o r e p r i n t only the t i t l e page of the work i n order t o create the impression that popular demand n e c e s s i t a t e d a r e - e d i t i o n . I t . i s . of p a r t i c u l a r importance to note i n t h i s regard that the pagination of these two volumes i s i d e n t i c a l to that of the i n i t i a l Paris edition. Although J.-F. de B a s t i d e i n s e r t e d an abridged form of La. Duchesse d' Estramene i n t o h i s Contes^ i n - the eighteenth century, n e i t h e r of the two works a s c r i b e d t o Du P l a i s i r has been republished i n i t s complete form since the seventeenth century. The p u b l i c a t i o n d e t a i l s regarding the Sentimens... present somewhat l e s s of a c h r o n o l o g i c a l enigma f o r the presentday scholar. Offered to the reading p u b l i c j u s t one year a f t e r h i s Duchesse d'Estramene. Du P l a i s i r ' s theoretical treatise-cum-handbook on s o c i a l e t i q u e t t e underwent three p r i n t i n g s i n 1683: two i n P a r i s , a t h i r d i n Lyons. The two t h e a t r i c a l a l l u s i o n s which Du P l a i s i r makes t o "Ariane" and 2 to "Andromede" i n the Sentimens... allow us to date h i s work f a i r l y a c c u r a t e l y , as P. Hourcade has attempted t o show i n h i s recent e d i t i o n of the work. Donneau de Vise' records i n the May and June 1683 e d i t i o n s of Le Mercure G-alant that La, Duchesse d'Estramene was widely read from i t s i n i t i a l date of p u b l i c a t i o n ; the Sentimens.... on the contrary, d i d not meet w i t h the same degree of success. Some three c e n t u r i e s l a t e r , i n h i s 4 a n a l y s i s of the Sentimens.... Arpad S t e i n e r brings to our a t t e n t i o n an important f a c t o r which may serve i n part to e x p l a i n the l a c k of c r i t i c a l acclaim met by t h i s work. He suggests that the Sentimens... could have f a l l e n i n t o o b l i v i o n simply because of the misleading t i t l e , as the author uses the term " h i s t o i r e " t o mean " f i c t i o n " . The prospective reader, g i v i n g the t i t l e a cursory glance, might cast the t r e a t i s e aside merely due to a m i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of Du P l a i s i r ' s intentions. Yet another f a c t o r serves to e x p l a i n the r e l a t i v e l y negligible c r i t i c a l a t t e n t i o n accorded the Sentimens.... Du P l a i s i r i s not an o r i g i n a l t h i n k e r ; from a purely t e c h n i c a l point of view, the s t r u c t u r e and content of h i s t r e a t i s e are n e i t h e r superior nor i n f e r i o r to the numerous works on l i t e r a r y theory published p r i o r to and during the same h i s t o r i c a l period i n France. In Du P l a i s i r ' s t e r s e t h e o r e t i c a l o f f e r i n g we can see the i n f l u e n c e of Madeleine de Scude"ry's Preface d'Ibrahim (1641), C l ^ l i e (1660) and Conversations sur d i v e r s su.iets (1663), as w e l l as Jean Regnaud de Segrais' Nouvelles f r a n c o i s e s (1657). In f a c t the most s t r i k i n g impression the present-day reader r e t a i n s even a f t e r only scanning the Sentimens... i s that of Du P l a i s i r ' s a b i l i t y as an organizer, capable of making s u c c i n c t syntheses, r a t h e r than that of an innovator i n the f i e l d of n o v e l i s t i c theory 4 or s o c i a l e t i q u e t t e . The advice which Du P l a i s i r o f f e r s t o the honnete homme (to whom he addresses h i m s e l f ) was expounded c o u n t l e s s times i n l i t e r a r y t r a c t s and i n l i v r e s de conversation' published p r i o r t o t h e Sentimens.... As f o r b i o g r a p h i c a l and h i s t o r i c a l d e t a i l s p e r t a i n i n g t o Du P l a i s i r , we a r e no more enlightened l a t t e r ' s contemporaries. today than were t h e J u s t who, e x a c t l y , was t h i s e f f a c i n g , u n p r o l i f i c w r i t e r , who was a p p a r e n t l y passing self- successful i n o f f h i s Duchesse d'Estramene as t h e product o f a feminine hand? he frequent, What s o c i a l c i r c l e s o r l i t e r a r y c6teries d i d i f indeed any a t a l l ? These questions of a socio- b i o g r a p h i c a l nature, o f undoubted value and i n t e r e s t i n t h e study o f the p s y c h o l o g i c a l o r i g i n s o f the c r e a t i v e work, c o u l d quite conceivably extant go unanswered i n d e f i n i t e l y . today as proof A l l t h a t remains o f Du P l a i s i r ' s e x i s t e n c e , by c h o i c e a s e c r e t i v e one, a r e the two works a s s o c i a t e d w i t h h i s name. It i s o f some s i g n i f i c a n c e t o note t h a t the u s u a l l y w e l l informed i f not always t o t a l l y r e l i a b l e l i t e r a r y critic, Lenglet-Dufresnoy, wondered, some f i f t y y e a r s a f t e r t h e i n i t i a l p u b l i c a t i o n o f L a Duchesse d'Estramene. whether the a p p e l l a t i o n Du P l a i s i r was indeed a r e a l o r a supposed one. Referring to the two t h i n duodecimo volumes, he has the f o l l o w i n g remarks t o make: On l i t dans l e s 'Oeuvres' de P a v i l i o n une l e t t r e de c e t academicien a M. de Vis£ s u r l e meme roman, que l ' o n a t t r i b u a i t a une femme. L a p r e v e n t i o n p a r a i s s a i t f o n d l e a cause de l a v i v a c i t e des sentiments, de l a d ^ l i c a t e s s e du s t y l e e t de l ' i n t ^ r e t des situations.' I 5 The author's p l e a f o r anonymity, expressed in a letter a t the beginning of La Duchesse d'Estramene. was h i s e d i t o r s ; yet we are a b l e to determine the R ^ g i s t r e des p r i v i l e g e s q s y n d i c a l e des l i b r a i r e s . buted t o Du 8 inserted r e s p e c t e d by from two sources, and the L i v r e de l a Chambre t h a t both works are i n f a c t attri- Plaisir. P. Hourcade, i n h i s r e c e n t a r t i c l e on Du P l a i s i r and the problems of the n o v e l , summarizes b r i e f l y the £tat present of Du P l a i s i r r e s e a r c h , w h i l e o u t l i n i n g s u c c i n c t l y the work which l i e s ahead f o r the c r i t i c , with regard t o La Duchesse d'Estramene i n p a r t i c u l a r . Hourcade "Un nom, "Qu'est-ce que du P l a i s i r ? " , et r i e n que c e l a . D e r r i e r e ce v o c a b l e asks un peu comique, un peu Strange, Stranger p e u t - e t r e , 1'auteur s ' e s t esquive" un d o i g t sur l e s l e v r e s . I I nous r e s t e l ' o e u v r e fermee, s e c r e t e en apparence. . . . T h e study w i l l be devoted present to the a n a l y s i s of t h i s "oeuvre fermee", and, more s p e c i f i c a l l y , t o the r e l a t i o n s h i p of the two works composing i t . The p a u c i t y o f h i s t o r i c a l f a c t s concerning these two c r e a t i o n s and the author w i t h whom they are a s s o c i ated makes a s t r u c t u r a l approach not only d e s i r a b l e but necessary. La Duchesse d'Estramene i s t o be c o n s i d e r e d as an example of the short prose form,. w h i l e the Sentimens... w i l l be viewed as a t h e o r e t i c a l commentary on t h i s specific work and on a p a r t i c u l a r h i s t o r i c a l p e r i o d i n the development of f i c t i o n a l prose i n the seventeenth century i n France. One may w e l l ask why a t t e n t i o n should be devoted to the 6 analysis of these two r e l a t i v e l y unknown works a t t r i b u t e d Du P l a i s i r . to The n o v e l , e i t h e r the grand roman or the p e t i t roman. depending on the c u r r e n t l i t e r a r y vogue, was c o n s i d e r e d i n the seventeenth century t o be an i n f e r i o r genre, and was more o f t e n than not the product of d i l e t t a n t e s whose use of pseudonyms bore witness t o what was endeavour. c o n s i d e r e d t o be a f r i v o l o u s In s p i t e of the low r e g a r d f o r the f i c t i o n a l prose form d u r i n g the seventeenth century, however, t r e a t i s e s on the a r t of w r i t i n g n o v e l s and what l a t e r came t o be known as n o u v e l l e s or p e t i t s romans abound. In f a c t , as D.F. Dallas has noted, " l e chercheur e s t frapp£ de l a q u a n t i t y enorme de ces volumes dont bon nombre sont r e s t d s peu connus ou n'ont 6t6 que vaguement t r a i t e V ' . ^ " Many, and indeed most, of these n o v e l s and t h e o r e t i c a l works a r e , as one might expect, of i n f e r i o r q u a l i t y ; consequently they have almost a l l f a l l e n into oblivion. r e c e n t times. Such was the f a t e of Du P l a i s i r ' s work up t o Yet the Sentimens... m e r i t more than a c u r s o r y glance as a h i s t o r i c a l document, f o r the v e r y reason t h a t i t comprises a l a u d a b l y c o n c i s e account of the s t r u c t u r a l and thematic e v o l u t i o n of the f i c t i o n a l prose form i n France up u n t i l the year 1683. The s e c o n d . s e c t i o n i n p a r t i c u l a r of t h i s t h e o r e t i c a l work i s v a l u a b l e as a key which a l l o w s us t o explore the c r e a t i v e v i s i o n of the a r t i s t who Duchesse d'Estramene. other r i c h l y . produced Du P l a i s i r ' s two works complement La each By viewing La Duchesse d'Estramene through the c r i t i c a l o p t i c of i t s author, we are a b l e t o come t o terms 7 w i t h Du P l a i s i r * s f o r m a l d e f i n i t i o n of the p e t i t roman. nouveau roman or n o u v e l l e as he conceived i t . I n o r d e r t o put i n p e r s p e c t i v e Du P l a i s i r ' s creative and t h e o r e t i c a l c o n t r i b u t i o n s to the f i c t i o n a l prose form i n Prance, one must c o n s i d e r the e v o l u t i o n o f l i t e r a r y forms and the ever-changing t a s t e of. what was a select reading public. One must a l s o c o n s i d e r the metamorphosis b e i n g e f f e c t e d i n s o c i a l s t r u c t u r e s i n Prance up u n t i l the year 1683, the p u b l i c a t i o n of the Sentimens.•. date o f . The bond u n i t i n g l i t e r a r y and s o c i a l s t r u c t u r e s was e s p e c i a l l y s t r i k i n g one i n seventeenth-century France. d i v i s i o n of l i t e r a t u r e i n t o genres, each w i t h i t s own r u l e s , may of the age. an The set of be envisaged as a p a r a l l e l t o the s o c i a l h i e r a r c h y The c o n t r a s t i n the moral c l i m a t e which c h a r a c t e r - i z e s the years p r e c e d i n g and f o l l o w i n g 1660 i s likewise s t r o n g l y r e f l e c t e d i n changing f o r m a l and thematic literary 12 works. As P a u l Benichou, and more r e c e n t l y Jean-Claude 13 Tournand have shown, the moral c l i m a t e i n France a f t e r d i f f e r e d immensely from that of the h e r o i c and 1660 optimistic golden e r a a t the beginning of the seventeenth c e n t u r y , when the p o l i t i c a l power of the a r i s t o c r a c y was at i t s z e n i t h . A f t e r the p e r i o d o f c i v i l s t r i f e i n France d u r i n g the 1640's, the opulent palace of V e r s a i l l e s r e p l a c e d P a r i s and the Louvre as the c e n t r e of s o c i a l and p o l i t i c a l a c t i v i t y . With the removal of the governing body from P a r i s t o V e r s a i l l e s , 8 the s e p a r a t i o n between " l a cour" and " l a v i l l e " , sketched by L a Bruyere, was complete. d e f i n e d borders o f the e l i t i s t so admirably- Within the s t r i c t l y - s o c i e t y thereby c r e a t e d , t h e r e s o u r c e f u l c o u r t i e r was quick t o assume h i s r o l e i n what Peter Brooks has c a l l e d a "world o f v o y e u r s " . ^ The honnete homme. l u c i d and d i s i l l u s i o n e d , had more need o f p e r f e c t i n g his i n t e l l e c t u a l prowess than of c o n t i n u i n g t o observe the e t i q u e t t e o f h i s predecessors p r i o r t o the Fronde; as J.-C. Tournand s t a t e s , i n r e f e r r i n g t o the c o u r t i e r o f L o u i s XIV, "l'escrime q u ' i l pratique, plus d i f f i c i l e est que c e l l e du f e r , c e l l e du mot, du regard, des manieres, ou l e moindre 15 d e t a i l manque" peut d e t r u i r e l e f r u i t d'un l o n g t r a v a i l " . Care should be taken, however, not t o over-emphasize t h i s phenomenon o f r o l e - p l a y i n g w i t h i n the boundaries of a w e l l - d e f i n e d s o c i a l enclave; i t i s not p a r t i c u l a r t o the c o u r t l y m i l i e u which serves as h i s t o r i c a l decor f o r L a Duchesse d'Estramene. As S y l v e r e L o t r i n g e r has i m p l i e d , echoing t o a c e r t a i n extent s i m i l a r statements Bernard Pingaud made by i n h i s study o f Madame de L a F a y e t t e , the d e f i n i t i o n of s o c i e t y and the r o l e which the i n d i v i d u a l p l a y s w i t h i n t h a t s o c i e t y i s e s s e n t i a l l y an a r c h e t y p a l one. R e f e r r i n g t o t h e accepted s o c i a l norm and i n d i v i d u a l d e v i a t i o n s from i t , she w r i t e s ; R i e n ne passe i n a p e r c u c a r tout d o i t e t r e l i v r e a 1 ' a t t e n t i o n publique, o f f e r t a s a participation. Peu importe, au n i v e a u de l a s t r u c t u r e , l a v a r i a t i o n e x p l i c i t e des \ 9 i n s t i t u t i o n s envisage'es: l a cour du r o i Marc ou d A r t h u r e s t a c e l l e d'Henri I I ou de F r a n c o i s I I ce que l e s assemblages p r i m i t i f s ( L e v i - S t r a u s s ) sont aux c d t e r i e s hautement e'labore'es de l a Recherche. Une meme l o i s*y a f f i r m e , c e l l e de l'Echange. R i e n ne peut se s i t u e r en dehors du c e r c l e s o c i a l , t i r e r de soi-meme sa propre v a l e u r ; t o u t d o i t au c o n t r a i r e c i r c u l e r de inaniere a imprimer sur chaque a r t i c u l a t i o n p a r t i c u l i e r e l e sceau du groupe. La norme repose sur un a c t e d'allegeance, q u i e s t avant t o u t a c t e de presence, f j . 7} Le p a r f a i t c o u r t i s a n , que ce s o i t aupres du r o i A r t h u r ou des V e r d u r i n , n'est pas juge en f o n c t i o n de c r i t e r e s p e r s o n n e l s : i l e s t au c o n t r a i r e c e l u i q u i adopte sans r e s e r v e l e code en vigueur; un e t r e 'borne' dont 1'horizon ne depasse pas l a norme. Son i n d i v i d u a l i t e t i e n t seulement a l a maniere dont i l absorbe c e l l e - c i . ? 1 1 As the s u b j e c t of t h i s study i s t o be the a n a l y s i s of a n o u v e l l e or p e t i t roman supposedly presented from a feminine p o i n t of view, a t o p i c of p a r t i c u l a r importance to t h i s merits e l u c i d a t i o n at t h i s point: study the s t a t u s of women and r o l e they played i n the h i g h l y s t r u c t u r e d c o u r t m i l i e u of seventeenth-century mid- France. The t i t l e s of numerous t r e a t i s e s p u b l i s h e d between and 1680 the on the theme of the honnete femme. explored by P l a i s i r i n La Duchesse d'Estramene and by Mme 1660 Du de La F a y e t t e i n La P r i n c e s s e de Cleves, a t t e s t to i t s p o p u l a r i t y as m a t e r i a l f o r f i c t i o n a l works. C h a r l e s S o r e l ' s D i s c o u r s pour et contre l ' a m i t i ^ tendre hors du mariage. of 1663, the Abbe" d'Aubignac's C o n s e i l s d ' A r i s t e k C^limene sur l e s moyens de conserver r e p u t a t i o n , of 1666, and the anonymous f i c t i o n a l work, Amelonde. h i s t o i r e de n o s t r e temps ou l ' o n v o i t qu'une sa honnete femme e s t heureuse guand e l l e s u i t un c o n s e i l sage et vertueux. of 1669, provide e n l i g h t e n i n g documentation on the p l a c e o f women i n s o c i e t y d u r i n g t h i s h i s t o r i c a l p e r i o d . Beginning approximately i n the 1660's, marriage was no l o n g e r regarded as the t r a d i t i o n a l s t o c k ending i n n o v e l s and s h o r t prose works. Up u n t i l the middle o f the seventeenth century, h e r o i c n o v e l s such as L ' A s t r e e , L a C l d l i e and Le Grand Cyrus a l l end w i t h the d e p i c t i o n of n u p t i a l harmony, the supreme recompense accorded mounting seemingly obstacles. the hero a f t e r he has succeeded i n sur- i n t e r m i n a b l e p s y c h o l o g i c a l and p h y s i c a l Authors of the t r a d i t i o n a l roman d'aventures and the p a s t o r a l romance as w e l l seek i n the denouement o f t h e i r a c t i o n a s i m i l a r s t a t e o f harmony. F u r e t i e r e i n 1666, The s i g n a l g i v e n by a t the end o f the f i r s t book o f h i s Roman bourgeois, suggests t h a t the woman a l r e a d y u n h a p p i l y fettered by the bonds of an o f t e n p o l i t i c a l l y and f i n a n c i a l l y motivated marriage, and not h e r unmarried s i s t e r , was t o become one o f the major s u b j e c t s o f n o v e l s and p e t i t s romans i n y e a r s following: " S ' i l s v^curent b i e n ou mal ensemble, vous l e pourrez v o i r quelque des femmes marines". jour s i l a mode v i e n t d e c r i r e l a v i e 1 By the 1670's, f a s h i o n a b l e n o v e l s no l o n g e r r e l a t e the t a l e o f the proud and b e a u t i f u l woman who recompenses h e r l o v e r w i t h marriage only a f t e r he has e x p e r i - enced a l o n g s e r i e s o f t r i a l s and adventures; r a t h e r , we have the s t o r y of the woman unhappy i n marriage, who seeks s o l a c e o u t s i d e the c o n n u b i a l bonds. 11 Du P l a i s i r ' s l i t e r a r y l e g a c y i s a r i c h world which lends i t s e l f tical to multi-levelled interpretation. His theore- c o n t r i b u t i o n s e r v e s , as we have noted, the t w o - f o l d purpose o f an a f t e r - t h e - f a c t commentary on h i s work and a d e f i n i t i o n of the i d e a l p e t i t roman as he h i m s e l f envisaged it. F o r the v e r y reason t h a t h i s e n t i r e p r o d u c t i o n ( o r r a t h e r , that a t t r i b u t e d to him) c o n s i s t s s o l e l y o f these two s h o r t works, the f a c t that the one analyzes the s a l i e n t f e a t u r e s o f the other w i l l be s t r o n g l y accentuated. Although I s h a l l devote more a t t e n t i o n t o the s t r u c t u r a l a n a l y s i s o f La Duchesse d'Estramene than t o the Sentimens..., I s h a l l endeavour t o c o n s i d e r the Sentimens.•. as a h i g h l y significant r e f e r e n c e work. —- The f o l l o w i n g study i s d i v i d e d i n t o two major s e c t i o n s , with a Conclusion. In the f i r s t chapter of S e c t i o n I , I s h a l l be c o n s i d e r i n g Du P l a i s i r ' s Sentimens... i n the p e r s p e c t i v e o f the r i s e o f the p e t i t roman i n seventeenth-century France. In the second chapter o f t h i s f i r s t section, I s h a l l be d i s c u s s i n g i n d e t a i l Du P l a i s i r ' s t h e o r e t i c a l remarks r e g a r d i n g t h i s s h o r t f i c t i o n a l prose form as presented i n Part I I o f the Sentimens.... study w i l l be devoted d'Estramene. chapters. The second s e c t i o n o f t h i s t o a s t r u c t u r a l a n a l y s i s of La Duchesse T h i s a n a l y s i s w i l l be d i v i d e d i n t o t h r e e major The f i r s t chapter w i l l d e a l w i t h the background t o the study of La Duchesse d'Estramene, the second w i t h n a r r a t i v e technique and the t h i r d w i t h c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n . In the 12 C o n c l u s i o n , I s h a l l attempt t o examine the bond which u n i t e s theory and p r a c t i c e i n the work o f Du P l a i s i r , by r e l a t i n g h i s t h e o r e t i c a l remarks made i n the Sentimens s u r 1 ' H i s t o i r e to l a Duchesse d'Estramene. 13 INTRODUCTION: FOOTNOTES ( P a r i s , 1763). 1 (Paris: 2 B l a g e a r t , 1683), p. 181. -^Sentiments s u r l e s l e t t r e s e t s u r 1 ' h i s t o i r e avec des s c r u p u l e s s u r l e s t y l e . E d i t i o n c r i t i q u e avec n o t e s e t commentaire ( D i s s . P a r i s , 1970). " A F r e n c h P o e t i c s o f t h e N o v e l i n 1683," Romanic Review. XXX (1939), pp. 235-43. 4 5 I b i d . . p. 236. ^The f o l l o w i n g " c o n v e r s a t i o n " books, a l l by Rene" B a r y , were w i d e l y r e a d : L ' E s p r i t de cour ou l e s c o n v e r s a t i o n s g a l a n t e s ( P a r i s , 1662). L a F i n e P h i l o s o p h i e accommod^e a 1' i n t e l l i g e n c e des dames " ( P a r i s , 1660). J o u r n a l de c o n v e r s a t i o n ( P a r i s . l673Ti Nouveau J o u r n a l de c o n v e r s a t i o n ( P a r i s , 1675). 7 De 1'Usage des romans (Amsterdam, 1734), v o l . I I , p. 3. % . A . F . 21. 946 (BN) M.N.F. 2. 490 (BN) ^ " D u P l a i s i r e t l e s problemes du roman: E s q u i s s e de 1 * e x p e r i e n c e l i t t e " r a i r e d'un £crivain v e r s 1683," X V I I S i e c l e . 96 (1972), p. 56. 9 i : L L e Roman f r a n c a i s de 1660 a 1680 ( P a r i s , 1932), p. 7. 12 M o r a l e s du grand s i e c l e ( P a r i s , 1948). ^ I n t r o d u c t i o n a l a v i e l i t t e r a i r e du X V I I ( P a r i s , 1970). ~ 1 4 e siecle T h e N o v e l o f W o r l d l i n e s s (New J e r s e y , 1969), p. 72. 15 ^ I n t r o d u c t i o n a l a v i e l i t t e r a i r e . . . . p. 143. 14 16 Madame de La F a v e t t e par elle-meme ( P a r i s , 1965). "^S. L o t r i n g e r , "Le Homan i m p o s s i b l e , " P o ^ t i q u e : Revue de Theorie et d'Analyse l i t t e r a i r e s . I ( 3 ) , 1970, p. 298. 18 De l a Connoissance des bons l i v r e s , p. 168. D.F. D a l l a s , Le Roman f r a n c a i s . •... p. 169. C i t e d by SECTION I THE SENTIMENS SUR L'HISTOIRE: AN AUTHOR'S ANALYSIS OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS 16 CHAPTER I BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY OF THE SENTIMENS SUR L'HISTOIRE Before c o n s i d e r i n g i n d e t a i l the form and content of the Sentimens sur 1 ' H i s t o i r e , l e t us review b r i e f l y the r i s e of what has been r e f e r r e d to as the p e t i t roman (as opposed t o the grands romans) i n seventeenth-century France. With r e g a r d t o the s t a t u s of the n o v e l as a l i t e r a r y form from 1660 on, Georges May's remarks on the r e l a t i o n s h i p of the n o v e l and h i s t o r y are i l l u m i n a t i n g . ^ A l l u d i n g t o an o b s e r v a t i o n made by the e i g h t e e n t h - c e n t u r y w r i t e r , Duclos, who contended because the r e a d i n g p u b l i c found h i s t o r i c a l accounts that too simple i n nature, w r i t e r s d e s i r o u s of s a t i s f y i n g t h e i r r e a d i n g p u b l i c consequently f e l t o b l i g e d to " a l t d r e r May l'histoire", remarks t h a t soon the i n e v i t a b l e happened and w r i t e r s of n o v e l s became c a r r i e d away; as Duclos s t a t e s , " l e s romans 2 d e v i n r e n t s i extravagants q u ' i l s tomberent dans l e m^pris." As a r e a c t i o n t o t h i s , the r e a d i n g p u b l i c of the time "exigea p l u s de v r a i s e m b l a b l e ; et b i e n t o t , pour p l a i r e , i l f a l l u t que l e roman p r i t l e ton de l ' h i s t o i r e et cherchat a l u i ressembler. Ce f u t une espece d'hommage que l e mensonge r e n d i t a l a v6r±t6, et l ' h i s t o i r e r e n t r a presque dans ses d r o i t s sous un nom poseV' y May remarks consequently sup- that a f t e r the p u b l i c a t i o n o f L'Astre'e. and more s p e c i f i c a l l y a f t e r 1660, w r i t e r s of n o v e l s demonstrated a marked p r e d i l e c t i o n f o r v e r i s i m i l i t u d e . T h i s concern f o r semblance of a c t u a l i t y was medium of the t h e a t r e as w e l l : "De e v i d e n t i n the l a meme maniere, apres 17 e n v i r o n 1640, l a t r a g e d i e se p r e t e n d i t de p l u s en p l u s conforme aux donndes des h i s t o i r e s et se p u b l i a a l ' a b r i de l*£pais b o u c l i e r d'une p r e f a c e v o l o n t i e r s pedante e t c i t a n t ses r e f e r e n c e s comme une these de d o c t o r a t . " ^ Because w r i t e r s o f novels wished t o e l e v a t e the s t a t u s of t h e i r c r e a t i o n s from what was c o n s i d e r e d a t t h e time t o be a "genre r o t u r i e r " , they sought t o a t t a c h t h e i r c r e a t i v e works to h i s t o r i c a l w r i t i n g , which, u n l i k e t h e n o v e l form which l a c k e d models from Greco-Roman a n t i q u i t y , had t h e d u a l advantage of guaranteeing v e r i s i m i l i t u d e and h a v i n g produced i l l u s t r i o u s works. Two o f the most p r o l i f i c w r i t e r s o f what G. May r e f e r s t o as "ce genre h y b r i d e qui est a l a fois roman h i s t o r i q u e et h i s t o i r e romanceV^ were the Abbe de Saint-Real and C o u r t i l z de Sandras, both of whom had innum- erable i m i t a t o r s . The d e f i n i t i o n o f " h i s t o r y " f u r n i s h e d by the Abbe de S a i n t - R e a l i n 1671 i n d i c a t e s that the n a t u r a l f r o n t i e r s which separate non-existent Saint-Real, h i s t o r y and the n o v e l were p r a c t i c a l l y a t t h i s time i n France. History, according to i s "une anatomie s p i r i t u e l l e des a c t i o n s humaines": Savoir l H i s t o i r e , c'est connoitre l e s hommes, q u i en f o u r n i s s e n t l a m a t i e r e , c ' e s t juger de ces hommes sainement; etudier 1 ' h i s t o i r e , c'est etudier l e s m o t i f s , l e s opinions et l e s passions des hommes, pour en c o n n o i t r e tous l e s r e s s o r t s , l e s t o u r s et l e s detours, e n f i n toutes l e s i l l u s i o n s q u ' e l l e s savent f a i r e aux e s p r i t s , et l e s s u r p r i s e s q u ' e l l e s f o n t aux coeurs.' 1 One might wonder e x a c t l y what occasioned the p r o l i f i c 18 p r o d u c t i o n of h i s t o r i c a l novels from mid-century onward i n France. An e x p l a n a t i o n of t h i s phenomenon i s provided i n May's c o n c l u d i n g remarks on the r e l a t i o n s h i p between h i s t o r y and the n o v e l ; as the works of h i s t o r i a n s of the time bore s t r i k i n g resemblance to n o v e l s , the reader was i n c l i n e d t o t r e a t them as such and consequently to doubt h i s t o r y . It i s c o n c e i v a b l e t h a t t h i s a t t i t u d e , t h e r e f o r e , guaranteed the p r o s p e r i t y of the n o v e l , and, more p a r t i c u l a r l y , the historical novel.^ Moving from a c o n s i d e r a t i o n of s u b j e c t matter and content to form, one might ask i f the r i s e of the n o u v e l l e or p e t i t roman was considered by seventeenth-century readers t o be a s t o n i s h i n g a phenomenon as c e r t a i n l i t e r a r y c r i t i c s claimed. as had Ren£ Godenhe d e a l s w i t h t h i s q u e s t i o n i n an infor- Q mative a r t i c l e and book. The problem i n v o l v i n g the a c t u a l n o v e l t y of the s h o r t f i c t i o n a l work which r e p l a c e d the v o l u minous productions of such w r i t e r s as Honors d ' U r f e and Mademoiselle de Scudery a r i s e s mainly from a c o n f u s i o n o f t e c h n i c a l terms and a l a c k of c o n s i s t e n c y i n l i t e r a r y t i o n s i n the seventeenth century. As R. defini- Godenne emphasizes, many c r i t i c s f a i l t o r e c o g n i z e t h a t one must not attribute t o the term n o u v e l l e the modern d e f i n i t i o n of the s h o r t n o v e l as we know i t from the n i n e t e e n t h century, t h a t i s "un re"cit q u i exige l a c o n c i s i o n dans 1 ' e x p o s i t i o n et l a c o n c e n t r a t i o n dans l e s u j e t , un r e c i t q u i se developpe s e l o n un p o i n t de totalement d i f f e r e n t de c e l u i du roman". As Godenne has vue 19 demonstrated, and as the u n d i s c r i m i n a t i n g use of the terms h i s t o i r e g a l a n t e , roman nouveau. and n o u v e l l e by Du P l a i s i r shows, the s h o r t n o v e l form a t i t s apogee i n the 1670*s and 80's i n France cannot be conceived o f as a separate n a r r a t i v e genre w i t h r u l e s t h a t apply t o i t a l o n e . 1 1 A gap o f c o n s i d e r - a b l e p r o p o r t i o n s separates theory and p r a c t i c e ; although L a Duchesse d'Estramene serves t o i l l u s t r a t e Du P l a i s i r ' s theory o f the n o u v e l l e . n o v e l i s t s contemporary t o him d i d not f o l l o w h i s precepts r i g o r o u s l y . The f o r m a l and thematic elements c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of the h e r o i c n o v e l a r e s t i l l very much i n evidence i n the s h o r t e r n o v e l o f the 1670's and 1680's. The change n o t i c e a b l e i n the n o v e l form might i n f a c t be termed an i n t e r n a l i z a t i o n and a condensation of structures, f o r writers are l e s s interested i n depicting physical, heroic a c t i o n s than the f e e l i n g s and the i n n e r workings o f the c h a r a c t e r s ' mind. I t must not be f o r g o t t e n t h a t although the focus o f a t t e n t i o n i s moved from p h y s i c a l t o p s y c h o l o g i c a l , a c t i o n , the v e s t i g e s o f the h e r o i c n o v e l a r e nonetheless s t i l l present t o some extent i n t h i s new form o f the n o v e l . Even i n La Duchesse d'Estramene. which i s d i s t i n c t i v e f o r i t s extreme s i m p l i c i t y o f s t r u c t u r e , the Due d'Olsingam bears a s t r o n g resemblance t o h i s k n i g h t l y c o u n t e r p a r t i n the h e r o i c n o v e l and the scene i n which the Due d'Estramene and the l a t t e r meet i n Savoy i s r e m i n i s c e n t of s i m i l a r f o r t u i t o u s events i n the grands romans. What i s important i s n o t t h a t the s h o r t n o v e l i s a completely new genre which has emerged, but, r a t h e r , 20 t h a t i t i s a condensed, r e f i n e d v e r s i o n o f i t s many-volumed heroic counterpart. Du P l a i s i r d e f i n e s c o n c i s e l y the s t r u c t u r a l e v o l u t i o n of the n o v e l form i n remarking t h a t , a t the time he i s w r i t i n g , "on ne cherche p o i n t i n c i d e n s s u r l e s Mers, ou dans l a Cour d'un £./] des Tyran. L'action 12 l a p l u s l e g e r e peut former une One might ask, then, action admirable." j u s t what e x a c t l y are the t e r i s t i c s which serve to d i s t i n g u i s h the new charac- n o v e l from i t s cou nt er pa rt which f l o u r i s h e d i n the f i r s t h a l f of the century. In the second p a r t of h i s Sentimens.... Du P l a i s i r answers t h i s question i n d e t a i l , n o t i n g p a r t i c u l a r l y the structural d i f f e r e n c e s i n the two n o v e l forms; however, the m o d i f i c a t i o n s brought about i n the s t r u c t u r e of the n o v e l of the 1670's and 1680's are not, as we s h a l l see i n p e r s p e c t i v e , as g r e a t the author of the Sentimens... claimed them to be. as In f a c t , as e a r l y as the e i g h t e e n t h century, l i t e r a r y t h e o r e t i c i a n s r e a l i z e d that t h i s e v o l u t i o n was not as r a d i c a l as i t had appeared to be i n the preceding century. a c c o r d i n g to Rene" Godenne, was de formes: r e a l l y "une What took p l a c e , simple s u b s t i t u t i o n 1 ' h i s t o i r e du genre, pendant ce s i e c l e , 1 ' h i s t o i r e du roman q u i ne pretend c'est 13 pas d i r e son nom". c r i t i c p o i n t s to the r e v e a l i n g o b s e r v a t i o n s made i n 1716 This by the author of L ' H i s t o i r e du Marquis de Clemes et du C h e v a l i e r de Pervans i n h i s p r e f a c e : C e l a n'osta p o i n t aux Autheurs de f a i r e des romans, mais i l s tacherent de l e s deguiser. I l s ne se contenterent d'abord de changer de t i t r e s . On ne v i t p l u s a l a t e s t e de l e u r l i v r e s , que Nouvelles 21 du temps, Avantures g a l a n t e s , H i s t o i r e s v e r i t a b l e s . Le P u b l i c n'en f u t p o i n t dupe, i l reconnut l e s romans sous de nouveaux noms.14 Whether the p u b l i c was supposedly indeed not f o o l e d by i n n o v a t i v e c h a r a c t e r of the new novels i s debatable. Du P l a i s i r d e f i n i t e l y envisaged a completely new emerging i n h i s time, as d i d most of h i s the n o v e l form contemporaries. Jean Regnaud de S e g r a i s , i n h i s Nouvelles f r a n c o i s e s (1657) sees as w e l l a d i s t i n c t dichotomy: the l o n g and the s h o r t n o v e l are d i a m e t r i c a l l y opposed, both from the p o i n t of view of form and of content. With the p e r s p e c t i v e of the e i g h t e e n t h century, however, r e a d e r s and w r i t e r s a l i k e c o u l d b e t t e r judge i n r e t r o s p e c t the a c t u a l extent of i n n o v a t i o n in this genre. Du P l a i s i r envisages the n o u v e l l e as an a n t i - n o v e l , as i s evident i n h i s constant use of p a r a l l e l i s m and c o n t r a s t i n comparing the productions o f the f i r s t h a l f of the c e n t u r y w i t h those w r i t t e n by him and by h i s contemporaries, but, i t must be noted, t h i s does not prevent h i s a n a l y z i n g the s h o r t e r n o v e l form u s i n g the c r i t e r i a of the l o n g n o v e l f a s h i o n a b l e i n the e a r l i e r p a r t of the century. In more p r e c i s e terms, the n o u v e l l e . or a n t i - n o v e l as d e f i n e d by Du P l a i s i r draws i t s d i s t i n c t i d e n t i t y from i t s o p p o s i t i o n t o the grand roman. The advantage of temporal p e r s p e c t i v e a l l o w s the twentieth-century reader t o take stock of the e v o l u t i o n o f the n o v e l form i n the seventeenth century, to agree w i t h Godenne t h a t the n o v e l w r i t t e n by Du and Plaisir's 22 contemporaries r e s e r v e s f o r i t s e l f the p r i n c i p a l f u n c t i o n of b e i n g a condensed f o r n of the grand roman, as bear witness 15 the terms n o u v e l l e and p e t i t roman. The remarks of C h a r l e s S o r e l r e v e a l the w i l l on the p a r t of w r i t e r s t o a b r i d g e to s i m p l i f y the complicated and s t r u c t u r e of the grand roman: "Les n o u v e l l e s q u i sont un peu longues et q u i r a p p o r t e n t aventures x des de p l u s i e u r s personnes ensemble sont p r i s e s pour de p e t i t s romans." ^ 1 Several recent twentieth-century l i t e r a r y n o t a b l y F. D e l o f f r e , 1 7 A.K. Varga 1 8 and R. critics, Godenne, 19 have made an e f f o r t to f u r n i s h p r e c i s e d e f i n i t i o n s f o r c e r t a i n literary terms of the p e r i o d designated "classical" i n France, g e n e r a l l y as and p a r t i c u l a r l y those terms used Du P l a i s i r i n h i s Sentimens..•. D e l o f f r e maintains term h i s t o i r e as used by Du P l a i s i r r e f e r s to an by t h a t the intermediate 20 genre. sandwiched between the n o u v e l l e and the roman. Research by Varga and Godenne causes one t o q u e s t i o n the validity Du of D e l o f f r e ' s statement; even the f a c t t h a t P l a i s i r uses i n t u r n the three terms, h i s t o i r e g a l a n t e . roman nouveau. and n o u v e l l e i n referring to the same type 'Story, bestows upon them a c e r t a i n e q u a l i t y and changeability. of inter- Varga s t a t e s t h a t i n Du P l a i s i r ' s the terms n o u v e l l e and h i s t o i r e seem t o blend; he treatise, observes t h a t , i n g e n e r a l , a t the time, " l a variete" de l a t e r m i n o l o g i e encore assez f f u s e de d e r des formes 'art t^moigne [~...7d i avant toutc r d'un malaise et d de l a neuves". volonte 21 23 In summary, then, we may agree that the ambiguity i n the d e f i n i t i o n and i n the use of l i t e r a r y terms by w r i t e r s of the seventeenth century i l l u s t r a t e s the f a c t that these d e f i n i t i o n s a r e , f o r the most p a r t , p e r s o n a l , and must be i n t e r p r e t e d w i t h r e g a r d t o each i n d i v i d u a l author's p r o d u c t i o n . I n any event, as Varga has demonstrated, the p o s s i b l e meanings of the term n o u v e l l e f o r d i f f e r e n t authors of the seventeenth century serve to i l l u s t r a t e a c e r t a i n uneasiness f e l t by the w r i t e r s o f the time and a wish to c r e a t e new a r t forms; i n other words, a d e s i r e t o break f r e e from the bondage of the many-volumed romans. M. Varga c o n t i n u e s t o e l a b o r a t e on t h i s problem of d e f i n i t i o n i n s t a t i n g t h a t a t the time n o u v e l l e s were b e g i n n i n g t o be p u b l i s h e d , they were considered an a r t form which expressed a r e a c t i o n a g a i n s t the l a c k o f v e r i s i m i l i t u d e i n the h e r o i c n o v e l of the p r e c e d i n g 22 generation. In the eyes of the contemporaries of Du P l a i s i r , of S e g r a i s and of Madame de La P a y e t t e , the n o u v e l l e r e p r e s e n t e d , then, a r e a c t i o n a g a i n s t the roman h l a Scude'ry. One need only t h i n k of the complaints r e g i s t e r e d by L e n g l e t D u f r e s n o y , ^ by S o r e l ^ and by the Abb£ J a q u i n , ^ among 2 2 2 o t h e r s , to r e a l i z e t h a t the roman a v i d l y read by the contemp o r a r i e s of Mademoiselle de Scud^ry and by the h a b i t u e s of the chambre bleue enamoured of Honore" d'Urf£ had indeed i n t o d i s f a v o u r w i t h the r e a d i n g p u b l i c by mid-century. As Varga p o i n t s out, the term n o u v e l l e may s u b t l e nuances i n meaning. fallen have numerous Considered on the b a s i s of form, 24 t h e n o u v e l l e may be o f t h r e e k i n d s : " i n t e r c a l e V as a d i g r e s s i o n i n a l o n g e r work; "encadree" as a p a r t o f a s e r i e s o f t a l e s , as seen f o r example i n S e g r a i s ' N o u v e l l e s f r a n c o i s e s ...; "independante" as one complete e n t i t y i n i t s e l f , according t o the d e f i n i t i o n o f S o r e l ("Depuis quelques annees o n a compost p l u s i e u r s p e t i t e s H i s t o i r e s detachees qu'on a 27 a p p e l d e s des N o u v e l l e s ou des H i s t o i r e s " ) . y e t a n o t h e r d i s t i n c t i o n , based on tone: Varga envisages the " n o u v e l l e " may be s e r i o u s , a f t e r the f a s h i o n o f Du P l a i s i r , o r comic, a f t e r t h e f a s h i o n o f Donneau de V i s e . Commenting f u r t h e r on the s e r i o u s form, or the " n o u v e l l e g r a v e " , the same c r i t i c makes t h r e e more s u b d i v i s i o n s , these b e i n g " h i s t o r i q u e " ( f o r example, S a i n t - R e a l ' s Pom C a r l o s ) , " t r a g i q u e " ( f o r example, Madame de La P a y e t t e ' s Comtesse de Tende) o r " g a l a n t e " ( f o r 28 example, L I l l u s t r e 1 The G-enoise). Sentimens s u r l e s L e t t r e s . et s u r l ' H i s t o i r e . avec des S c r u p u l e s s u r l e S t i l e , i s d i v i d e d i n t o t h r e e major sections. The f i r s t , i n w h i c h Du P l a i s i r d e a l s w i t h e p i s t o - l a r y t h e o r y , and the second, i n which he p r e s e n t s a d e t a i l e d a n a l y s i s o f the c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of the n o u v e l l e , thereby o u t l i n i n g c o n c i s e l y the e v o l u t i o n o f the F r e n c h n o v e l u n t i l 1683, a r e almost e q u a l i n l e n g t h . up Section three, i n w h i c h he d e a l s w i t h problems of s t y l e , i s s l i g h t l y longer and somewhat more d i f f u s e than the two p r e c e d i n g s e c t i o n s o f the t r e a t i s e . B e f o r e d e a l i n g w i t h the second p a r t o f t h e Sentimens.... the one germaine t o our purpose, l e t us consider 25 i n a summary f a s h i o n the f i r s t and the t h i r d s e c t i o n s . The les first p a r t o f the monograph, e n t i t l e d Sentimens s u r L e t t r e s . i s of i n t e r e s t to twentieth-century readers as a s o c i a l document, r a t h e r than f o r the theory expounded therein. s e c t i o n with Du P l a i s i r i s d e a l i n g i n t h i s f i r s t the a r t o f w r i t i n g l e t t e r s : d e d i c a t o r y p r e f a c e s i n books, b i l l e t s - d o u x , e p i s t l e s t o the k i n g and t o c o u r t i e r s . i n t e r e s t i n g t o note t h a t , although Du P l a i s i r * s p r i v a t e l i f e , It i s we know almost n o t h i n g o f we a r e g i v e n some i n d i c a t i o n o f the s t a t u s o f the s o c i a l group f o r which he wrote, t o which he probably content chapter, £..]] belonged, and which c o n c e i v a b l y c o n d i t i o n e d t h e o f h i s work. In the opening pages o f t h i s Du P l a i s i r s t a t e s : first " j e me borne a ce q u i peut e s t r e connu d'une Dame, ou d'un C a v a l i e r " . (4) Du P l a i s i r i s w r i t i n g , then, f o r the s o c i a l e l i t e o f the P a r i s i a n salons and o f the c o u r t . He i s a d d r e s s i n g the same s o c i o - economic segment of s o c i e t y as d i d h i s predecessor, Madeleine de ScudeVy, who, i n h e r p r e f a t o r y remarks t o Ibrahim, p u b l i s h e d i n 1641, demands t h a t the s t y l e o f the n a r r a t i v e not be i n f l a t e d , and t h a t the c h a r a c t e r s , s t r i v i n g t o a t t a i n i n t h e i r expression "une j u s t e m e d i o c r i t e " , should speak 29 "comme l e s honnestes gens". • The French a r e a s o c i a l l y - o r i e n t e d people, and t h i s i s a f a c t o r which i s conducive t o l e t t e r w r i t i n g , remarks Du P l a i s i r , who observes t h a t the language o f h i s countrymen "se trouve l e p l u s dans une mediocrite" r a i s o n n a b l e " . (4-5) 26 In the t r a d i t i o n of Montaigne and B o i l e a u , the author of the Sentimens... opts f o r a s t y l e that i s simple, without excess, and that i s n a t u r a l , s p e c i f i c a l l y p a t t e r n e d a f t e r t h a t of the A n c i e n t s . (5) Besides d e v e l o p i n g a n a t u r a l s t y l e , the l e t t e r - w r i t e r should s t r i v e c o n s t a n t l y t o be c o n c i s e and t o m a i n t a i n c l a r i t y ; he must a l s o a l l o w h i m s e l f ample time to r e c a s t h i s l e t t e r s , Du P l a i s i r warns. (7-8) He a d v i s e s the p o t e n t i a l w r i t e r of l e t t e r s not to go about h i s task i n a h u r r i e d f a s h i o n , thus reminding the reader of the c l a s s i c a l 30 dictum f e s t i n a l e n t e a l s o touched upon by B o i l e a u . In the t h i r d p a r t of h i s t r e a t i s e , which r a i s e s q u e s t i o n s of a s t y l i s t i c nature, Du P l a i s i r s t a t e s t h a t he w i l l h i m s e l f w i t h speaking and w i t h w r i t i n g w e l l . concern (184-185) 31 Again, he echoes B o i l e a u , and a l s o La Bruyere, i n proclaiming t h a t the a r t of w r i t i n g i s not an easy one, but t h a t , nonet h e l e s s , there i s no excuse f o r w r i t e r s who do not take the t r o u b l e t o f i n d the c o r r e c t e x p r e s s i o n f o r t h e i r (186-187) thought. "Rien ne tombe dans l i m a g i n a t i o n , q u i ne p u i s s e 1 e s t r e exprime" rdgulierement," announces c a t e g o r i c a l l y Plaisir. (190) Du The q u e s t i o n of usage, touched upon b r i e f l y i n P a r t I of the Sentimens.... (24) i s a g a i n d e a l t w i t h i n t h i s l a s t p a r t of the t r e a t i s e ; once more, the r e a d e r i s reminded of s i m i l a r thoughts expressed by the author of the 32 Art Poetique. when Du P l a i s i r condemns i n the p r o s p e c t i v e w r i t e r the use of t e c h n i c a l language known only to a p a r t i - c u l a r group of people i n i t i a t e d to a p a r t i c u l a r a r t . Not 27 everyone understands t h e terms p e c u l i a r t o a g i v e n a r t , c l a i m s Du P l a i s i r : " j e c r o y que l ' H i s t o r i e n ne peut l e s employer qu'autant q u ' i l s sont en usage parmy l e s honnestes Gens". (195-196) The r e s t r i c t e d range o f Du P l a i s i r ' s vision, apparent i n t h e opening pages o f h i s t r e a t i s e , i s r e d e f i n e d i n t h i s statement: writing f o r an e l i t e o f w h i c h he i s perhaps a p a r t , h i s c o n c e p t i o n o f t h e u n i v e r s e does n o t go beyond t h e s o c i a l c o n f i n e s o f t h i s s e l e c t m i l i e u . Quite s i m p l y , t h e w o r l d beyond Du P l a i s i r ' s own s o c i a l e n c l a v e does n o t e x i s t . As t h e s t u d i e s o f Roland B a r t h e s , J e a n - P a u l 33 S a r t r e , E r i c h Auerbach, and P e t e r B r o o k s ^ have demonstrated, - t h i s l i m i t e d s o c i a l v i s i o n was common t o most w r i t e r s i n t h e second h a l f o f s e v e n t e e n t h - c e n t u r y F r a n c e , f o r t h e y i n d e e d were p a r t o f an e l i t e , as t h e c o n t e n t o f t h e i r work p r o v e s . People o u t s i d e t h e i r sphere, f o r example t h o s e o f t h e l o w e r s o c i a l o r d e r s , were p r e s e n t e d merely as o b j e c t s o f c u r i o s i t y ; 34 one t h i n k s , f o r example, of L a Bruyere's Les Caracteres. The r o l e o f t h e w r i t e r , considered i n d e t a i l i n the second p a r t o f t h e Sentimens..., w h i c h w i l l be a n a l y z e d l a t e r , i s redefined i n t h i s l a s t part of the t r e a t i s e ; the a u t h o r must be i m p a r t i a l , h i s task being t o "raconter l e s choses nuement", i n such a manner t h a t he does n o t i n f l u e n c e the reader. (225) In addition t o reconsidering the role of the a u t h o r i n t h e c o n c l u d i n g s e c t i o n o f h i s Sentimens.... Du P l a i s i r e s t a b l i s h e s a d i s t i n c t i o n between t h e spoken and the w r i t t e n word. W h i l e t h e speaker cannot p e r f e c t o r c o r r e c t 28 h i s s t y l e while he i s i n the process of speaking, has u n l i m i t e d time to improve h i s composition, manner that i f h i s usage i s f a u l t y , those who has w r i t t e n have only to conclude w r i t i n g a n y t h i n g more e l e g a n t : the w r i t e r i n such a read what he t h a t he i s i n c a p a b l e of " l ' H i s t o r i e n ne peut ecrire avec t r o p d ' e x a c t i t u d e , parce q u ' i l ne p o u r r a i t t r o u v e r d'excuse a ses f a u t e s " , concludes Du P l a i s i r , i n u r g i n g once a g a i n t h a t the w r i t e r adopt a simple, n a t u r a l v o c a b u l a r y . In s p i t e of h i s apparent the two indebtedness (225) to B o i l e a u i n s e c t i o n s of the Sentimens... which have been b r i e f l y d i s c u s s e d above, the i n n o v a t i v e thought w i t h which Du concludes h i s t r e a t i s e i s worthy of note. Plaisir He g i v e s h i s nod of approval to g r o u p - w r i t i n g ventures, commenting t h a t i f s e v e r a l w r i t e r s were to undertake to produce a work t o g e t h e r i n what has become today's "workshop" environment, u n i f o r m i t y o f - s t y l e would r e s u l t , i n the sense t h a t t h e r e would not be • an i n d i v i d u a l s t y l e f o r each of the w r i t e r s p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n the experiment. (299) i n 1683, This thought i s undoubtedly n o v e l but i t a l s o b r i n g s to our a t t e n t i o n a p o s s i b l e e x p l a n a t i o n of Du P l a i s i r ' s l a c k of a c c l a i m as a c r e a t i v e writer. He takes one step f u r t h e r i n t o anonymity as a w r i t e r by e x p r e s s i n g h i s approval of group-produced work devoid of those s t y l i s t i c p e c u l i a r i t i e s which would b e t r a y the p e r s o n a l touch of each w r i t e r concerned The i n such a venture. three p a r t s of the Sentimens... form a cohesive 29 whole; the themes of c o n c i s i o n , n a t u r a l n e s s of e x p r e s s i o n , s i m p l i c i t y of s t r u c t u r e and p e r f e c t i o n of the f i n i s h e d product l e n d a s t r o n g sense of u n i t y to Du P l a i s i r * s remarks on the epistolary a r t , on the theory of the n o u v e l l e and on s t y l e . F o r t h i s reason, then, the second p a r t of the t r e a t i s e , t h a t which proves of a p a r t i c u l a r i n t e r e s t f o r the r e a d e r of La Duchesse d'Estramene. should he considered as an integral p a r t of the t r e a t i s e as a whole, r a t h e r than as a entity. Although separate each of the three s e c t i o n s of the Sentimens could c o n c e i v a b l y be read s e p a r a t e l y , they are mutually e n r i c h i n g when considered as i n t e g r a l p a r t s of a whole work. 30 CHAPTER I : FOOTNOTES " I * H i s t o i r e a - t - e l l e engendr£ l e roman? A s p e c t s f r a n c a i s de l a q u e s t i o n au s e u i l du s i e c l e des l u m i e r e s , " Revue d ' H i s t o i r e l i t t e r a i r e de l a France. LV ( a v r i l - j u i n 19551, pp. 155-76. 2 " L e t t r e a 1'auteur de Madame de Luz." i n Oeuvres completes ( P a r i s , 1820-21), v o l . I I , pp. 317-19. C i t e d by G-. May, " L ' H i s t o i r e a - t - e l l e engendre l e roman?...," p. 157. ^loc. c i t . ^ " L ' H i s t o i r e a - t - e l l e engendre* l e roman?...," p. 157. -\Loc. c i t . ^ " L ' H i s t o i r e a - t - e l l e engendre l e roman?...," p. 161. C i t e d by a . May, " L ' H i s t o i r e a - t - e l l e engendre l e roman?...," p. 167, who c i t e s G. Dulong, L'Abbe de S a i n t Rj£al. Etude sur l e s r a p p o r t s de l ' h i s t o i r e e t du roman au XVIIe s i e c l e TParis, 1921), v o l . I , p. 105. 7 " L ' H i s t o i r e a - t - e l l e engendre l e roman?...," pp. 167-68. q " L ' A s s o c i a t i o n 'nouvelle-petit-roman' entre 1650 e t 1750," C a h i e r s de 1 ' A s s o c i a t i o n I n t e r n a t i o n a l e des Etudes F r a n c a i s e s . XVIII Tmars 1966), pp. 67-78. H i s t o i r e de l a n o u v e l l e f r a n c a i s e aux XVIIe et XVIIIe s i e c l e s (Geneva. 1970). J ^"L Association 1 1 1 ' n o u v e l l e - p e t i t - r o m a n ' . . . , " pp. 69-70. I b i d . . p. 76. 12 Sentimens s u r l e s l e t t r e s . e t s u r 1 ' h i s t o i r e . avec des s c r u p u l e s sur l e s t i l e ( P a r i s . 1683), p. 104. I am r e s p e c t i n g f u l l y the t e x t of t h i s e d i t i o n . References t o the t e x t w i l l be noted i n the body o f the d i s s e r t a t i o n . 13 •"'L'Association 1 4 Cited 'nouvelle-petit-roman'...," p. 75. by R. Godenne, I b i d . . p. 75. 15 ^ H i s t o i r e de l a n o u v e l l e f r a n c a i s e . . . . p. 120. 31 L a B i b l i o t h e q u e f r a n c o i s e . . . ' . pp. 158-62. R. Godenne, I b i d . , p. 74. 1 6 1 7 La C i t e d by N o u v e l l e en France a l ' a g e c l a s s i q u e ( P a r i s , 1967). "Pour une d e f i n i t i o n de l a n o u v e l l e a l'^po„que c l a s s i q u e , " C a h i e r s de 1 ' A s s o c i a t i o n I n t e r n a t i o n a l e des Etudes F r a n c a i s e s , X V I I I (mars, 1966), pp. 53-65. ^"L'Association 'nouvelle-petit-roman ...". 1 20 L a N o u v e l l e en F r a n c e . . • . p. 44. 21 "Pour une d e f i n i t i o n de l a n o u v e l l e . . . , " p. 54. 2 2 Ibid., p. 56. ^ L ' H i s t o i r e j u s t i f i e e c o n t r e l e s romans (Amsterdam, 1735). De 1'Usage des romans. Avec une b i b l i o t h e q u e des romans (Amsterdam, 1734), 2 v o l s . 2 ^ L a B i b l i o t h e q u e f r a n c o i s e ( P a r i s , 1664). De l a Connoissance des bons l i v r e s . ou examen de p l u s i e u r s a u t h e u r s (Amsterdam. 1672). 2 25 ^ E n t r e t i e n s s u r l e s romans. ouvrage m o r a l e t c r i t i q u e dans l e q u e l on t r a i t e de 1 ' o r i g i n e des romans e t de l e u r s d i f f e r e n t e s especes ( P a r i s . 1755). 26 "Pour une d e f i n i t i o n de l a n o u v e l l e . . . , " pp. 63-65. 27 De l a Connoissance des bons l i v r e s . . . . pp. 183-4. C i t e d i n I b i d . , p. 63. po "Pour une d e f i n i t i o n de l a n o u v e l l e . . . , " p. 64. 29 •'Work n o t p a g i n a t e d . 5 °L'Art p o e t i o u e . Chant I , 1. 170. B o i l e a u , L ' A r t p o e t i q u e . Chant I , 11. 172-73. B r u y e r e , Les C a r a c t e r e s . Pes ouvrages de 1 ' e s p r i t . 3. 5 1 La 32 ^Pr£face, 1701. ^R. Barth.es, E s s a i s c r i t i q u e s ( P a r i s , 1964). J.-P.. S a r t r e , Qu'est-ce que l a l i t t e r a t u r e ? ( P a r i s , 1948). E. Auerbach, Mimesis. Trans. W. Trask (New York, 1957). P. Brooks, The Novel of V/orldliness (New J e r s e y , 1969). 5 4 D e 1'Homme. 128. 33 CHAPTER I I SENTIMENS SUR L'HISTOIRE (PART I I OF THE SENTIMENS...): DU PLAISIR'S THEORY OF THE ANTI-NOVEL Now t h a t we have touched b r i e f l y on the main p o i n t s d i s c u s s e d i n s e c t i o n s I and I I I of Du P l a i s i r ' s treatise, l e t us c o n s i d e r i n d e t a i l the second s e c t i o n o f the work, entitled "Sur 1 ' H i s t o i r e " . I have drawn a t t e n t i o n a l r e a d y , i n my i n t r o d u c t o r y note t o t h i s s e c t i o n , t o the c o n f u s i o n which has r e s u l t e d from an i m p r e c i s e d e f i n i t i o n of terms by seventeenth-century authors, and t o the o b s e r v a t i o n s made on the s u b j e c t by c r i t i c s Varga and Godenne. As Du P l a i s i r uses i n t e r c h a n g e a b l y the terms nouveau roman, p e t i t roman, n o u v e l l e and h i s t o i r e g a l a n t e t o d e f i n e the new n o v e l form which he by i m p l i c a t i o n suggests has d e r i v e d i t s i d e n t i t y from i t s o p p o s i t i o n t o the grands romans, the t w e n t i e t h - c e n t u r y r e a d e r may c o n c e i v a b l y assume that f o r Du P l a i s i r these terms have more or l e s s the same meaning, and t h a t he i s merely trying to achieve v a r i e t y of e x p r e s s i o n . P r a c t i s i n g the c o n c i s i o n which he preaches, Du s t a t e s s u c c i n c t l y h i s purpose: Plaisir because the h i s t o i r e g a l a n t e has become so popular a t the time he i s w r i t i n g , he w i l l undertake t o show the d i f f e r e n c e s as w e l l as the common p o i n t s shared by t h i s new "1'Histoire veritable". l i t e r a r y form and what he calls (86-87) Before the time of Du P l a i s i r , noted l i t e r a r y theoreti- c i a n s such as Madeleine de Scudery"*" and Jean Regnaud de Segrais pondered the q u e s t i o n of v e r i s i m i l i t u d e i n the form, f o r i t was a t o p i c of prime concern novel and i n c r e a s i n g importance as the nouveau roman of t h a t p e r i o d emerged. No l o n g e r enamoured of the super-human e x p l o i t s of the e p i c hero, the reader of f i c t i o n a l prose works i n the middle years the seventeenth of century d e r i v e s v i c a r i o u s p l e a s u r e from b e i n g a b l e to i d e n t i f y w i t h the hero of the "new" n o v e l ; hence the importance of events and c h a r a c t e r s drawn from r e c e n t h i s t o r y . For Du P l a i s i r , v e r i s i m i l i t u d e " c o n s i s t e a. ne d i r e que (96) e s t moralement c r o y a b l e " . between "vraysemblance" and ce q u i I t i s on the d i s t i n c t i o n " v e r i t e " that hinges f o r him d i f f e r e n c e between the h i s t o r i a n and the the w r i t e r of n o u v e l l e s . Let us pause f o r a moment to c o n s i d e r t h i s distinction. In s p i t e of the f a c t that t r u t h , as A r i s t o t l e and Boileau have remarked, i s not always b e l i e v a b l e , the h i s t o r i a n i s not o b l i g e d to modify events i n order to render them c r e d i b l e . A c c o r d i n g to Du P l a i s i r : " I I n'est pas garand de l e u r vray- semblance, parce q u ' i l d o i t l e s r a p o r t e r t e l l e s q u ' e l l e s se sont passers, & parce q u ' e l l e s sont connues de p l u s i e u r s " . (96-97) On the other hand, he continues, the author of "une h i s t o i r e f a b u l e u s e " c r e a t e s both h i s hero and h i s hero's a c t i o n s , t h e r e f o r e he does not l e a v e h i m s e l f i n danger of being repudiated. (97) The c o n c l u s i o n t h a t we may draw from Du P l a i s i r * s d i s t i n c t i o n i s t h a t the h i s t o r i a n i s allowed to r e l a t e u n b e l i e v a b l e adventures because he can prove t h a t they are t r u e , while the t a s k of the w r i t e r of novels i s not such 35 an easy one. ma^ Just because actions considered appear to be morally unbelievable out of context (hence l a c k i n g i n v e r i s i m i l i t u d e , according to Du P l a i s i r s d e f i n i t i o n of the 1 term), these actio is must not be regarded by the reader defects i n the narrative. as The l a t t e r i s required to suspend h i s judgment until.he has read and comprehended the complete work; only then msy he fcrm ah opinion regarding i t s q u a l i t y . On the contrary, l u P l a i s i r f e e l s that i f the writer can successfully incorporate into h i s t a l e events which, considered apart from the ma: n body of the story, are unbelievable, he; w i l l surely demonstrate l i s s k i l l i n the l i t e r a r y a r t . (98--99) Du P l a i s i r ' s remark;:- on " 1 ' h i s t o i r e " , i . e . f i c t i t i o u s history, w i l l be ihs >ased primarily on the differences between "old" and the "new" aovels. "Ce qui a f a i t h a i r l e s anciens Romans, est. ce qie l'on doit d'abord e v i t e r dans 1 3 s Hemans nouveaux". (89) The basis f o r the argument i n favour of a shorter novel form is given here i n a single sentence, ir. which Du P l a i s i r enumerates the t r a i t s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of the "old" novels the following: to be avoided i n the "new" "Leur Icngpsur form, namely prodigieuse, ce melange de tant d'histoires diverses, l e u r grand nombre d'Acteurs, l a trop grands antiquite ce leurs sujets, l'embarras de l e u r construction, leur peu de vraysemblance, l'exces dans l e u r caractere [Z. ZJ " (39-90) S i m p l i c i t y of form i s the key-note in" Du P l a i s i r ' s . t r e a t i s e ; each oi the points t e r s e l y touched upon i n the opening paragraphs of t a i s second section of the Sentimens„.. w i l l be taken up i n d e t a i l i n the pages to follow, often with a pertinent example to serve as i l l u s t r a t i o n . 36 At a time when the h e r o i c n o v e l i s no l o n g e r i n vogue, j u s t how does Du P l a i s i r make h i s d i s t i n c t i o n between t h i s form and i t s a b r i d g e d c o u n t e r p a r t o f the 1660's? Before p o i n t i n g out t h e i r opposing t r a i t s , he touches upon t h e i r similarities. "new" ^The main o b j e c t i v e o f b o t h the " o l d " and the n o v e l forms i s t o p l e a s e the r e a d e r by the manner i n w h i c h the p l o t i s d e v i s e d ( " 1 ' i n v e n t i o n des i n c i d e n s " ) , the c o n s i s t e n c y o f c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n , by the n o b l e n e s s thought expressed by of t h e r e i n and by the a c c u r a c y w i t h w h i c h the w r i t e r d e p i c t s the emotions o f the c h a r a c t e r s . (103-104) The d i f f e r e n c e s i n the two forms a r e , however, m a n i f e s t , i t i s by the use of p a r a l l e l i s m i n d i s c u s s i n g these and opposing f a c t o r s t h a t Du P l a i s i r w i l l succeed i n g i v i n g an a c c u r a t e and d e t a i l e d p i c t u r e of the "new" n o v e l o f the 1660's. A c c o r d i n g t o Du P l a i s i r , the s u b j e c t m a t t e r o f the "new" n o v e l s has changed a p p r e c i a b l y s i n c e the time o f the h e r o i c novels. The a u t h o r no l o n g e r has t o r e l a t e f a b u l o u s o f shipwreck and c o r r u p t i o n i n e x o t i c c o u r t s , f o r , he the s u b j e c t of the "new" n o v e l need no l o n g e r be The success of h i g h l i g h t i n g an a c t i o n w h i c h may tales contends, grandiose. have appeared i n s i g n i f i c a n t i n the l o n g n o v e l s depends, r a t h e r , on the a u t h o r ' s u n d e r s t a n d i n g the m o t i v a t i o n o f h i s c h a r a c t e r s and his a b i l i t y t o g i v e t o each o f them a s t r o n g p e r s o n a l i t y . A word o f c a u t i o n i s i n o r d e r h e r e : l e t us not l o s e s i g h t o f the temporal p e r s p e c t i v e through which we view P l a i s i r ' s statements. Du As t w e n t i e t h - c e n t u r y r e a d e r s of t h i s 37 l i t e r a t u r e , we must not f o r g e t t h a t although p h y s i c a l a c t i o n p l a y s a good d e a l more important r o l e i n the h e r o i c n o v e l than i n the productions of Madame de L a F a y e t t e , Madame de V i l l e d i e u and Du P l a i s i r , D'Urfe and h i s f o l l o w e r s were not unaware of the importance of psychological a n a l y s i s . Madeleine de Scud^ry was a p p r e c i a t i v e of the p s y c h o l o g i c a l s e n s i t i v i t y of D'TJrfd of whom she says, " [T. fj entre t a n t de r a r e s choses, c e l l e que j'estime l e p l u s , e s t q u ' i l s a i t toucher s i delicatement l e s passions qu'on peut l e nommer l e P e i n t r e de l'ame. I I cherche dans l e fonds des coeurs l e s p l u s s e c r e t s sentimens £7. Tj " What happens when Du P l a i s i r and h i s contemporaries come t o produce novels i s t h a t they s t r i p t h e i r works of p h y s i c a l a c t i o n , thus f o c u s i n g t h e i r a t t e n t i o n on the a n a l y s i s of the c h a r a c t e r s ' r e a c t i o n s t o d i v e r s e s t i t u a t i o n s , and e s t a b l i s h i n g an emotional r a p p o r t between the c h a r a c t e r s and the r e a d e r . Du P l a i s i r i s aware of t h i s emotional l i n k which must be e s t a b l i s h e d i f the n o v e l i s t o c r e a t e a l a s t i n g i m p r e s s i o n ; almost A r i s t o t e l i a n i n h i s vocabulary, he s t a t e s c a t e g o r i c a l l y : "ces d i v e r s mouvemes de c r a i n t e ou de p i t i e d pene'treront davantage dans nos coeurs, que quand nous voyons, ou un P r i n c e s e u l attaqud par un grand nombre d'Ennemis, ou une P r i n c e s s e exposee sur l e s a b l e au f l u x des eaux, ou a l a r e n c o n t r e des Bestes farouches". (106-107) Du P l a i s i r f o l l o w s t h i s state- ment by touching a g a i n on the q u e s t i o n of s u b j e c t matter and a c t i o n ; he enumerates the reasons u n d e r l y i n g the s h i f t i n 38 emphasis from p h y s i c a l a c t i o n t o t h e a n a l y s i s o f t h e psychol o g i c a l import o f that a c t i o n . The r e a d e r o f t h e h e r o i c n o v e l cannot p o s s i b l y r e c e i v e t h e p l e a s u r e o f i d e n t i f i c a t i o n , f o r , s u g g e s t s Du P l a i s i r , "nous ne nous a p p l i q u o n s p o i n t c e s p r o d i g e s , & c e s grands excds". (107) On t h e c o n t r a r y , however, an a c t i o n which i s " n a t u r e l l e " and " f a m i l i e r e " s a t i s f i e s a l l r e a d e r s because everyone can p r o j e c t h i m s e l f i n t o t h e a c t i o n about w h i c h he i s r e a d i n g . Another main s t r u c t u r a l d i s s i m i l a r i t y w h i c h Du P l a i s i r draws t o t h e a t t e n t i o n o f t h e r e a d e r i s t i e d i n as w e l l w i t h the theme o f n a t u r a l n e s s . "new" n o v e l , he s a y s : Speaking of the i n t r i g u e i n the "On s u i t {J.^ l e c o u r s o r d i n a i r e de l a N a t u r e ; on n'y avance r i e n q u i ne s o i t fonde, on y f u i t l e s mesmes coups de h a z a r d " . (108) Du P l a i s i r o b v i o u s l y has i n mind here t h e many i n c i d e n t s o f t h e h e r o i c n o v e l t h a t a r e e x p l a i n e d by chance o r f o r t u n e ; what he r e c o g n i z e s as a change of major importance i n t h e n o v e l s b e i n g produced by h i s c o n t e m p o r a r i e s i s an e f f o r t t o pare down t h e a c t i o n t o i t s e s s e n t i a l elements, t h e r e b y a r r i v i n g a t a n a r r a t i v e form w h i c h seems s u f f i c i e n t l y r e a l i s t i c t o f a l l w i t h i n the experience of the reader. I f t h e c h a r a c t e r s must be absented from t h e scene, the s k i l f u l a u t h o r w i l l p r e p a r e t h e i r d e p a r t u r e w e l l i n advance. The example which he g i v e s i s worthy o f our a t t e n t i o n , f o r i t b r i n g s t o mind a s i t u a t i o n commonly evoked i n b o t h t h e h e r o i c n o v e l and i n i t s s h o r t e r c o u n t e r p a r t o f t h e 1660's: £.. pour e c r i r e , qu'un P r i n c e roanqua de se t r o u v e r aupres d'une P r i n c e s s e , parce 39 q u ' i l re?eut ordre du Roy pour se rendre aupres de l u y , on p r e p a r e r o i t de l o i n l e d e s s e i n du Roy & c e t ordre, en s o r t e que l e L e c t e u r ne pust s ' a p e r c e v o i r q u ' i l s eussent este uniquement imaginez pour empescher l ' e n t r e v e u e de deux Amans. (108-109) We see then that as Du P l a i s i r l e a d s i n t o h i s formula f o r w r i t i n g a " n o u v e l l e " and h i s d e f i n i t i o n of " 1 ' H i s t o i r e g a l a n t e " , he emphasizes i n c r e a s i n g l y the f a c t t h a t what i s needed i f the n o v e l form i s to be s u c c e s s f u l i s a p a r i n g down and a refinement of the voluminous p r o d u c t i o n s p r i o r t o mid-century. He expresses astonishment t h a t the t e n - and twelve-volume productions enjoyed such l o n g e v i t y , p o i n t i n g out however that a t the time he i s w r i t i n g , " n o u v e l l e s " have j u s t l a t e l y come i n t o e x i s t e n c e . (108) This abbreviated n a r r a t i v e form i s indeed compatible w i t h the temperament o f the French f o r , he observes, h i s countrymen are by impatient. (89) nature Novels of f o u r to s i x volumes and more i n l e n g t h he c o n s i d e r s e x c e s s i v e ; the w r i t e r i s a d v i s e d t o adopt as h i s s u b j e c t one p r i n c i p a l event and no i n c i d e n t a l a c t i o n s t h a t would make the work s t r e t c h to more than two volumes. (90-91) I t i s a g a i n s t the d e s i r e of the impetuous r e a d e r f o r the author to i n c l u d e d i g r e s s i o n s , and indeed, the v e r y title of the work should exclude a l l that i s not necessary to i t s composition. (91) Again, the n a t i o n a l c h a r a c t e r of the French serves to e x p l a i n the need f o r a s i m p l i f i c a t i o n and a condensation of the a c t i o n , f o r Du P l a i s i r b e l i e v e s t h a t any d i g r e s s i o n which h a l t s the progress of the main a c t i o n annoys 40 the reader. An example s e r v e s t o i l l u s t r a t e Du P l a i s i r ' s b e l i e f i n the n e c e s s i t y of maintaining a simple plot-line. I n a r a r e d i s p l a y o f humour, he p r o c l a i m s : Le melange d ' H i s t o i r e s p a r t i c u l i e r e s avec 1 ' H i s t o i r e p r i n c i p a l e , e s t c o n t r e l e gre" du L e c t e u r . Le t i t r e d'une N o u v e l l e , e x c l u t t o u t ce q u i n'est pas n e c e s s a i r e pour l a composer, en s o r t e que ce qu'on y a j o u t e , a r r e s t e l e cours de l a premiere H i s t o i r e . Les L e c t e u r s se r e b u t e n t , i l s s o n t f a c h e z de se v o i r i n t e r r o m p u s p a r l e d e t a i l des a v a n t u r e s de Personnes pour q u i i l s s ' i n t e r e s s e n t peu, & i l a r r i v e que dans l a c r a i n t e de p e r d r e de veue, & d ' o u b l i e r un commencement de l e c t u r e q u i ne manque p o i n t de l e s a t t a c h e r aux p r e m i e r s Heros, i l s n e g l i g e n t de l i r e ce q u i ne l e s r e g a r d e pas, c ' e s t a d i r e , l e s t r o i s q u a r t s de toute l a Fable. ^ (91-92) By r e d u c i n g t h e number o f c h a r a c t e r s i n t h e n o v e l , c o n t i n u e s Du P l a i s i r , the w r i t e r w i l l avoid causing confusion i n the mind and i n t h e memory o f h i s r e a d e r . By t h e same t o k e n , g r e a t e r u n i t y w i l l be m a i n t a i n e d i n t h e n o v e l s t r u c t u r e , r e a d e r s w i l l n o t c o n s t a n t l y be plagued by h a v i n g f o r g o t t e n the i d e n t i t y o f c h a r a c t e r s mentioned, and every c h a r a c t e r w i l l be b e t t e r d e f i n e d . A l t h o u g h many o f t h e statements which Du P l a i s i r c o n c e r n i n g t h e n o v e l may be t r a c e d back t o M a d e l e i n e Scud^ry's makes de p r e f a t o r y remarks t o I b r a h i m , t o h e r C o n v e r s a t i o n s . . . and t o t h e t e n t h volume o f C i e i i e . we may note i n p a s s i n g t h a t he chooses t o d i f f e r from h i s p r o l i f i c p r e d e c e s s o r on the q u e s t i o n o f s t r u c t u r e i n t h e new n o v e l form o f w h i c h he i s speaking. Mademoiselle de Scudery p r o c l a i m s i n h e r p r e f a c e to Ibrahim that i t i s the d i g r e s s i o n s s u c c e s s f u l l y i n t e g r a t e d 41 i n t o the main a c t i o n which enhance the work. F o l l o w i n g the example o f the Greeks, whom she d e c l a r e s t o be "nos premiers M a i s t r e s " , she a t t r i b u t e s t o secondary a c t i o n s the purpose o f enhancing the main a c t i o n ; she s t a t e s t h a t t h e r e s h o u l d be 1 ' i m i t a t i o n du Poeme Epique [7..] une a c t i o n p r i n c i p a l e , "a ou t o u t e s l e s a u t r e s sont a t t a c h e e s ; q u i regne p a r t o u t 1'ouvrage; & q u i f a i t q u e l l e s n'y 1 a sa p e r f e c t i o n " . 4 sont employees, que pour l a c o n d u i r e E l a b o r a t i n g f u r t h e r on the q u e s t i o n of secondary a c t i o n s , she s t a t e s : I I e s t t o u j o u r s n e c e s s a i r e , que 'adresse de c e l u y q u i l e s employe, l e s ff ar..l c e t e n i r en quelque f a g o n a. c e t t e a c t i o n p r i n c i p a l e a f i n que par c e t enchainement i n g e n i e u x t o u t e s l e s p a r t i e s ne f a c e n t qu'un c o r p s ; & que l ' o n n'y p u i s s e r i e n v o i r de ddtache n'y d' i n u t i l e . - * C o n t i n u i n g h i s remarks on the h o l d i n g o f the reader's a t t e n t i o n , Du P l a i s i r s t a t e s c a t e g o r i c a l l y t h a t "jamais H i s t o r i e n ne peut a s s e z a t t a c h e r l e s L e c t e u r s " . (93) un With a view t o a c h i e v i n g t h i s g o a l , the n o v e l i s t must a v o i d d r a w i n g his s u b j e c t s from a n c i e n t h i s t o r y , as d i d t h e n o v e l i s t s i n the f i r s t h a l f of the c e n t u r y . E c h o i n g the recommendations of S e g r a i s ' a r i s t o c r a t i c c h a r a c t e r s i n t h e N o u v e l l e s ..., francoises Du P l a i s i r p r o c l a i m s t h a t even i n a w e l l - w r i t t e n s t o r y , "un nom b a r b a r e e s t s e u l capable de L~la] f a i r e h a i r " . Du P l a i s i r a l s o denounces the use of t i r a d e s and (94) confidant c h a r a c t e r s w h i c h a r e , however, s t i l l t o be found i n p l a y s a t t h e time he i s w r i t i n g . I t i s up t o the w r i t e r t o assume greater r e s p o n s i b i l i t y i n t h i s regard to i n s u r e that there 42 will no l o n g e r be c o n f u s i o n a s or the c o n f i d a n t . necessary t o who i s speaking, R e p e a t e d l y , Du P l a i s i r underlines the s i m p l i f i c a t i o n o f f o r m w h i c h must be e f f e c t e d t h e "new" n o v e l . principally in The a t t e n t i o n o f t h e r e a d e r must be f o c u s e d on t h e m e r i t and on t h e c o n d i t i o n o f t h e h e r o ; t h e s e two f a c t o r s , when s u c c e s s f u l l y h i g h l i g h t e d , t h e r e a d e r e a g e r l y a n t i c i p a t e t h e outcome o f Plaisir the w r i t e r develops t h i s will make the s t o r y . i d e a o f a r a p i d and c o n c i s e Du plot d e v e l o p m e n t by c o n d e m n i n g i n t h e new n o v e l f o r m one o f the characteristic theory of the e p i c , traits o f t h e h e r o i c n o v e l b a s e d on t h e namely t h e b e g i n n i n g r e f e r s r a t h e r humorously as 1 the Sentimens... Scude*ry, who l a u d s chooses res, "cette fatigante commencer l o u v r a g e p a r s a f i n " . of i n medias (95-96) t o w h i c h he b e a u t e de A g a i n the author to d i f f e r from Mademoiselle the Ancients f o r beginning de t h e i r works in 7 this fashion. We have a l r e a d y t o u c h e d upon t h e f a c t histoire galante, the terms n o u v e a u roman. n o u v e l l e and p e t i t roman a s u s e d b y Du P l a i s i r may be c o n s t r u e d a s i n meaning because of the f a c t interchangeably. definition Such i s of l ' h i s t o i r e writing a nouvelle. characterizes almost synonymous t h e l a t t e r u s e s them so t h e c a s e when h e e l a b o r a t e s .sealante and g i v e s h i s the t e r s e , almost on t h e formula laconic style the b i n a r y s t r u c t u r e o f the o p e n i n g pages the second p a r t the necessary In that that of the S e n t i m e n s . . . . Du P l a i s i r components o f t h e n o u v e l l e : for which of enumerates the e f f e c t i v e use 43 of the imagination, a simple recounting of f a c t s , the d e p i c t i o n o f n a t u r a l events and c h a r a c t e r s : "enfin d'ecrire & de f a i r e p a r l e r d'une maniere n o b l e , sans e n t r e r dans aucunes r e f l e x i o n s ... " (115-116) The H i s t o i r e galante o r n o u v e l l e a c c o r d i n g to Du P l a i s i r * s d e f i n i t i o n i s an assemblage o f d i v e r s e f e a t u r e s w h i c h a r e h e l d t o g e t h e r by the u n i f y i n g f a c t o r o f t i m e , and by t h e backdrop a g a i n s t which the a c t i o n takes place. (117) The w r i t e r o f t h e H i s t o i r e g a l a n t e i s urged t o d e f i n e i n h i s f i r s t sentence t h e s e t t i n g and t h e r e i g n d u r i n g w h i c h t h e s t o r y w i l l t a k e p l a c e , as w e l l as t o i n d i c a t e whether i t w i l l be i n peace-time o r i n wartime t h a t t h e p r i n c i p a l i n t r i g u e s ( " l e s p r i n c i p a u x noeuds") w i l l d e v e l o p . (117) Du P l a i s i r u r g e s t h e w r i t e r t o provide h i s reader w i t h a d e t a i l e d p i c t u r e of court or of the State's progress i n b a t t l e , depending on whether he has g i v e n h i s t a l e a peace-time o r a wartime s e t t i n g . (118) The p o i n t w h i c h t h e a u t h o r o f the Sentimens... u n d e r l i n e s here i s t h a t i n e i t h e r case t h e a u t h o r must s t a t e i n t h e s e opening l i n e s of h i s s t o r y o n l y t h a t which i s a b s o l u t e l y i n d i s p e n s a b l e t o the p r e p a r a t i o n and u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e t a l e w h i c h i s about to unfold. From t h e c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f such f o r m u l a i c s t a t e m e n t s c o n c e r n i n g t h e w r i t i n g o f t h i s type o f c r e a t i v e work, Du P l a i s i r moves on t o speak o f c r e a t i v e a b i l i t y and l i t e r a r y genius. Once a g a i n , t h e p r e c e p t s s e t down by B o i l e a u i n h i s A r t Po^tique (1674)° f i n d an echo i n the Sentimens.... P l a i s i r proclaims t h a t genius alone can produce the to t h i n k c r e a t i v e l y , and that the i n d i v i d u a l may be n a t u r a l l y endowed. (112-113) Du ability or may not The imagery, r e l i g i o u s i n tone, which Du P l a i s i r uses here i s n o t a b l e simply because it i s rare i n his usually clipped s t y l e . One may become knowledgeable by t a x i n g the memory w i t h thousands of f a c t s , but the t a l e n t f o r c r e a t i v e thought Du P l a i s i r , who i s God-given, qualifies graphically his belief i n stating: "C'est une rosee benigne, c ' e s t une manne d'or, q u ' i l ne re"pand que dans de c e r t a i n e s ames", chosen few contends (113) [God] I t i s t o these that Du P l a i s i r addresses h i s remarks. Du P l a i s i r continues a l o n g the same l i n e s i n s t a t i n g t h a t one must be g i f t e d i n order to p e n e t r a t e the mystery t h a t i s the human h e a r t . He s t i p u l a t e s t h a t a t the time i s w r i t i n g , there are few terms to d e s c r i b e the emotions experienced by man, t i o n , i s recent. f o r t h e i r d i s c o v e r y , hence t h e i r he defini- He i s o b v i o u s l y r e f e r r i n g t o the v e r y r e s t r i c t e d v o c a b u l a r y of the l i t t l e n o v e l s b e i n g produced the 1660's onward; even the acknowledged masterpiece from of t h i s group of n o v e l s , La P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s , cannot be lauded f o r a v a r i e d and v i s u a l l y r i c h v o c a b u l a r y . We must keep i n mind, however, that r i c h n e s s of vocabulary i n a l i t e r a r y work i s a r e l a t i v e c o n s i d e r a t i o n ; by t w e n t i e t h - c e n t u r y standards (not by seventeenth-century ones), i s the v o c a b u l a r y Madame de La F a y e t t e and her f o l l o w e r s poor. of only 45 Du P l a i s i r a d v i s e s those who f e e l t h a t they do n o t have t h i s f a c u l t y o f p s y c h o l o g i c a l p e n e t r a t i o n t o espouse t h e t a s k of the h i s t o r i a n , r a t h e r than t h a t o f t h e c r e a t i v e w r i t e r ; i n the f a c t u a l h i s t o r i c a l verite work " l ' o n s'y c o n t e n t e davantage d'une t o u t e nue, & seulement e m b e l l i e par l ' o r d r e des m a t i e r e s , par l a n o b l e s s e des e x p r e s s i o n s , & par 1 * e x a c t i t u d e du s t i l e " . (115) One o f the g r e a t t a s k s o f a n o v e l i s t i s t o c r e a t e c r e d i b l e c h a r a c t e r s , and Du P l a i s i r g i v e s a p p r o p r i a t e emphasis t o c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n and methods o f p r e s e n t a t i o n . For the g i f t e d w r i t e r , he upon whom God has s m i l e d , the a s p e c t o f the n o v e l which must be g i v e n the most a t t e n t i o n i s c h a r a c t e r ization. General remarks on the p r e s e n t a t i o n o f the hero and h e r o i n e precede a d e t a i l e d c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f o t h e r a s p e c t s o f characterization. I n d i r e c t opposition t o the p r a c t i c e f o l l o w e d i n the h e r o i c n o v e l , Du P l a i s i r recommends t h a t t h e h e r o o f the new n o v e l be n a t u r a l , and not pompous. hero, a c t i o n s o r t r a i t s considered admirable interessement" I n the would be "des- and "d£licatesse", w h i l e t h e i d e a l heroine would be worthy o f her r o l e due t o t h e importance w h i c h she a t t a c h e s t o " s c r u p u l e s " and " r e c o n n o i s s a n c e " . Above a l l , he i n s i s t s , (109-110) the main personages o f the "new" n o v e l must be g i v e n a w e l l - d e f i n e d c h a r a c t e r , one t h a t i s "precis, & sensiblement marqud". (110) of Honore de B a l z a c , Du P l a i s i r i n s i s t s l o n g b e f o r e t h e time that the characters 46 have a dominating t r a i t or f e a t u r e w h i c h w i l l d e t e r m i n e and e x p l a i n t h e i r a c t i o n s from b e g i n n i n g t o end o f the n o v e l . (110) On the o t h e r hand, of c o u r s e , the i d e a of m a i n t a i n i n g d i v e r s i t y and c o n s i s t e n c y of c h a r a c t e r by no means o r i g i n a t e d w i t h Du P l a i s i r . F o l l o w i n g the p r e c e p t s o f Horace, M a d e l e i n e de Scud^ry, i n h e r C o n v e r s a t i o n s . . . , drawn from volume t e n o f h e r C i e i i e . recommends t h a t the w r i t e r adhere s t r i c t l y t o t h e p o r t r a y a l o f d i s t i n c t l y i n d i v i d u a l and consistent 9 c h a r a c t e r s i n the n o v e l . Du P l a i s i r e l a b o r a t e s a t l e n g t h on t h i s a s p e c t terization. of charac- Not o n l y the q u a l i t i e s of c h a r a c t e r as d e p i c t e d i n the n o v e l , but a l s o h i s a c t i o n s make t h e r e a d e r admire t h e h e r o ; but more i m p o r t a n t than these a r e n o b l e n e s s of thought and the a c c u r a c y w i t h which the emotions o f the h e a r t are p o r t r a y e d , f o r these q u a l i t i e s cause the r e a d e r t o admire t h e writer. A c t i o n s and q u a l i t i e s of c h a r a c t e r produce l i t t l e more t h a n c u r i o s i t y , i m p a t i e n c e f o r the outcome o f the s t o r y ; as a m a t t e r o f f a c t , i f t h e s t o r y ends i n the way the reader e x p e c t s , he i s not l i k e l y t o r e r e a d i t ; but Du P l a i s i r maint a i n s t h a t the a u t h o r who i s s u c c e s s f u l i n c u l t i v a t i n g noble t h o u g h t s i n h i s c h a r a c t e r s and who i s a b l e t o express w e l l the emotions f e l t by them i s l i k e l y t o have h i s work r e r e a d . C o n s e q u e n t l y , he who r e l a t e s a t a l e t h a t i s r e a d o n l y once has not much r e a s o n t o be p l e a s e d w i t h h i s c r e a t i o n . (111-112) Moving from a g e n e r a l d i s c u s s i o n of c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n t o more d e t a i l e d c o n s i d e r a t i o n s , Du P l a i s i r e l a b o r a t e s f i r s t of 47 a l l on the d i s t i n c t i o n between main and secondary c h a r a c t e r s i n the n o v e l . Secondary c h a r a c t e r s a r e d e f i n e d by Du Plaisir as those whose o n l y f u n c t i o n i n the s t o r y i s t o t i e t h e i n t r i g u e together. These personages of l e s s e r importance must be d e s c r i b e d as e a r l y on i n the t a l e as p o s s i b l e , i n o r d e r t h a t by the knowledge of t h e i r r e l a t i v e m e r i t , t h e r e a d e r may h i m s e l f determine whether t o a t t a c h importance to t h e i r r o l e i n the i n t r i g u e . (119) I t i s n o t good p r a c t i c e t o p r a i s e the p h y s i c a l a t t r i b u t e s o f t h e s e secondary characters. Du P l a i s i r g i v e s two reasons f o r t h i s o p i n i o n . I n the f i r s t p l a c e , he f e e l s t h a t t h e r e a r e not i n the v o c a b u l a r y o f h i s day terms n o b l e enough t o r e n d e r t h i s d e s c r i p t i o n p l e a s i n g , and, i n the second p l a c e , such l a u d a t o r y remarks would cause t h e r e a d e r t o doubt the t r u t h o f what t h e a u t h o r i s proposing. The r e a d e r , s t a t e s Du P l a i s i r , i s aware t h a t t h e s e t r a i t s e x i s t o n l y i n t h e i m a g i n a t i o n o f the w r i t e r . The d e s i r e t o p l e a s e u n i v e r s a l l y , expounded as a p r i n c i p l e by B o i l e a u , ^ i s e x p r e s s e d a l s o by the a u t h o r o f the S e n t i 1 mens. ... who d i s s u a d e s t h e w r i t e r from employing s u c h f l a t t e r i n g d e s c r i p t i o n s , on the grounds t h a t such a p r a c t i c e would be d e s t r u c t i v e t o the d e s i g n o f the w r i t e r , w h i c h must be t o produce a work t h a t i s p l e a s i n g t o everyone. (120-121) What Du P l a i s i r i s i n f a c t recommending here i s an i n t e r n a l i z a t i o n of the n o v e l form. He i s d e s c r i b i n g a phenomenon t h a t e x i s t e d a l r e a d y a t the time he p r e s e n t e d h i s t h e o r e t i c a l o b s e r v a t i o n s on the n o v e l form; p h y s i c a l d e s c r i p t i o n i s k e p t 48 t o the minimum and l a c k s i n d i v i d u a l i z a t i o n , w h i l e a t t e n t i o n i s drawn t o the h i g h l y s t y l i z e d p o r t r a y a l of mental a t t r i b u t e s and p s y c h o l o g i c a l r e a c t i o n s . Du P l a i s i r contends t h a t the d e p i c t i o n of t h e q u a l i t i e s of the s o u l or the mind g i v e s p l e a s u r e t o a l l r e a d e r s , t h a t these q u a l i t i e s a l o n e d e t e r m i n e c h a r a c t e r , and t h e r e f o r e they a l o n e s h o u l d be d e s c r i b e d in d e t a i l , w h i l e g e n e r a l terms w i l l s u f f i c e f o r p h y s i c a l d e s cription. U n l i k e M a d e l e i n e de Scudery, who, i n her preface to I b r a h i m c o n t e n d s t h a t the h e r o ' s c h a r a c t e r i s u n v e i l e d to the r e a d e r not by r e c o u n t i n g h i s a d v e n t u r e s , but by the cont e n t of h i s " d i s c o u r s " , Du P l a i s i r b e l i e v e s t h a t i n the d e p i c t i o n of the main c h a r a c t e r s a t l e a s t a c t i o n s o n l y must speak. The example which he uses t o i l l u s t r a t e h i s statement i s noteworthy, f o r i t c o u l d apply t o h i s own d'Estramene as w e l l as t o any Duchesse of the p e t i t s romans which may be a r b i t r a r i l y grouped under the r u b r i c of " l e dilemme de 1'honnete femme". Du P l a i s i r s t a t e s : Un Hdros se p e i n t par ses e f f e t s ; & s i on v o i t une femme r a i s o n n a b l e p e r d r e des l e p r e m i e r moment ou e l l e l ' a p p e r g o i t une f i e r t e " , & un repos q u ' e l l e a v o i t conserve aupres du r e s t e des Hommes, i l s e r a b i e n mieux d e p e i n t que par tous ces mots de bonne mine, d'agrement, & de m a j e s t e . (124) Concerned as he i s w i t h v e r i s i m i l i t u d e i n t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n of c h a r a c t e r s , Du P l a i s i r i n s i s t s t h a t t h e r e be c o n s i s t e n c y i n the a c t i o n s and i n the moral make-up of the main c h a r a c t e r s . I n v a i n w i l l the a u t h o r speak of the m e r i t o r i o u s m o r a l 49 a t t r i b u t e s of h i s c h a r a c t e r i f the a c t i o n s of the l a t t e r not conform t o these l a u d a b l e do qualities. H a v i n g d e a l t w i t h the d i f f e r e n t methods which must be employed t o p r e s e n t main and secondary c h a r a c t e r s , Du Plaisir n e x t broaches the s u b j e c t of the o r d e r i n w h i c h t h e s e characters s h o u l d i d e a l l y be p r e s e n t e d . Because of the n e c e s s i t y of r e n d e r i n g the main c h a r a c t e r s p r a i s e w o r t h y , the w r i t e r i s a d v i s e d t o p r e s e n t them o n l y a f t e r he has d e s c r i b e d the secondary c h a r a c t e r s , f o r i f the main c h a r a c t e r s were t o come on stage r i g h t a t the b e g i n n i n g o f t h e s t o r y , t h e secondary c h a r a c t e r s would not be s u f f i c i e n t l y "on s ' a p p e r c o i t peu d'un p l e i n e d'un distinctive: m e r i t e mediocre, quand on a l ' i d e e merite e x t r a o r d i n a i r e " . (126) The m a t t e r of the d i v e r s i t y and the c o n s i s t e n c y c h a r a c t e r s upon which Du P l a i s i r has a l r e a d y touched echoing to a c e r t a i n extent precepts presented of lightly, by M a d e l e i n e de Scud^ry, i s c o n s i d e r e d i n more d e t a i l here i n r e l a t i o n t o methods of c h a r a c t e r p r e s e n t a t i o n . s u c c e s s f u l l y balanced D i v e r s i t y i s the key t o a work; the a u t h o r of the Sentimens... contends t h a t the c h a r a c t e r s must not a l l be o f e q u a l goodness, even though they are a l l of course genereux, b r a v e s " . (126) "supposez r a i s o n n a b l e s , The main m o t i v a t i n g c h a r a c t e r trait must be c o n s i s t e n t w i t h and complementary t o the secondary character traits. A f t e r h a v i n g made g e n e r a l remarks r e g a r d i n g the main and secondary c h a r a c t e r s , Du P l a i s i r devotes s e v e r a l pages t o the 50 s t u d y o f t h e h s r o and h e r o i n e i n p a r t i c u l a r . The main c h a r a c t e r s o f the new n o v e l form a r e n o t t o be superhumani n d i v i d u a l s , m a i n t a i n s t h e a u t h o r o f t h e Sentimens.... 12 Already i n her Conversations..., Madeleine de Scudery was c a l l i n g f o r a balance o f n a t u r a l and marvelous events i n t h e novel. Some twenty y e a r s l a t e r , Du P l a i s i r goes one s t e p f u r t h e r i n a d v o c a t i n g t h e complete e l i m i n a t i o n o f m i r a c l e s w h i c h had beer, t h e trademark o f t h e n o v e l i n t h e f i r s t of t h e c e n t u r y , and opts s u b s e q u e n t l y more n a t u r a l i n c h a r a c t e r . half f o r heroes and h e r o i n e s Du P l a i s i r a d v i s e s t h e w r i t e r n o t t o o v e r - t a x t h e v i r t u e o f t h e female c h a r a c t e r s , while the courage o f t h e male c h a r a c t e r s i s measured by t h e i r e x p l o i t s and by t h e numerous dangers w h i c h they may overcome, a >fosian whose v i r t u e appears t o be i r f e p r o a c h a b l e a f t e r many o n s l a u g h t s i s indeed t o be s u s p e c t e d o f d e c e p t i o n , f o r Du P l a i s i r i s o f t h e o p i n i o n t h a t God a l o n e i s c a p a b l e o f recomp e n s i n g exemplary v i r t u e , "parce que l u y s e u l ne juge p o i n t selon. 1'usage, ou l e s apparences". (101) E l a b o r a t i n g on t h e s u b j e c t o f t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e hero and the^ h e r o i n e a c c o r d i n g t o h i s i d e a l c o n c e p t i o n , Du P l a i s i r a l l u d e 3 t o one o f t h e s t o c k d e v i c e s used by t h e w r i t e r s of the h e r o i c novel, a device which i s c e r t a i n l y s t i l l v e r y much i n evidence a f t e r 1660, c a t e d P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s . even i n t h e s o p h i s t i - The p r a c t i c e o f a b s e n t i n g t h e h e r o i n e from t h e scene s u p p o s e d l y because o f an i n d i s p o s i - t i o n c a l l s f o r t h the f o l l o w i n g observation: 51 Ce p r ^ t e x t e , o u t r e q u ' i l s e r o i t t r o p u n i f o r m e , s e r o i t encor degoutant. Un des grands t r a i t s de beauts dans une Femme, e s t d ' e s t r e p r o p r e ; i l e s t i m p o s s i b l e de 1 ' e s t r e quand on e s t souvent m a l - s a i n e . Une i n d i s p o s i t i o n dans t o u t e une H i s t o i r e , peut donner de l a piti£: mais une r e c h u t e commence a d ^ p l a i r e . (142) The young people o f t h e day h o l d i n h i g h esteem a h e a l t h y body, s t a t e s Du P l a i s i r . One cannot h e l p b u t t h i n k t h a t he i s here making an i r o n i c a l l u s i o n t o t h e p r d c i e u s e s when he p o r t r a y s these young people who, "en h a i n e des P o t i o n s , des Remedes, ou du Regime, (7«^) f u ' i r o i e n t l a Femme de t o u t P a r i s l a plus s p i r i t u e l l e " . (143) Now t h a t we have c o n s i d e r e d Du P l a i s i r ' s c o n c e p t i o n o f the i d e a l s t r u c t u r e o f t h e "new" n o v e l and t h e methods o f p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e c h a r a c t e r s t h e r e i n , l e t us l o o k a t t h e r o l e o f t h e a u t h o r i n h i s work a s he d e f i n e s i t , and t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p he e n v i s a g e s between t h e c r e a t o r and h i s c r e a t i o n . Du P l a i s i r ' s c a r d i n a l r u l e i s t h a t the w r i t e r must remain i m p a r t i a l toward h i s c r e a t i o n s . He may use h i s s k i l l t o p o i n t out t h e f i n e r q u a l i t i e s o f h i s hero a t t h e b e g i n n i n g of the t a l e he i s about t o r e l a t e ; however, such l a u d a t o r y remarks are permitted o n l y b e f o r e t h e a c t i o n b e g i n s because t h e y form as i t were a n e c e s s a r y p o r t r a i t . Once the w r i t e r b e g i n s t o r e l a t e i n d e t a i l t h e a c t i o n s o f t h e h e r o , he must n o t e x p r e s s h i s opinion concerning his character. (127-128) We n o t e i n p a s s i n g t h a t t h e a u t h o r of t h e Sentimens... has a v e r y strong sense o f t h e importance o f t i m i n g i n the n o v e l ; t h e p e r f e c t i o n 52 of the shor ; n o v e l form as he c o n c e i v e s i t i s based upon an - a c u t e awareness of chronology and the arrangement of time sequences i n the development o f the a c t i o n . Making use once more of the metaphor of p a i n t i n g , Du P l a i s i r contends t h a t once the p o r t r a i t of the h e r o has been o u t l i n e d , no r e t o u c h i n g i s p e r m i t t e d , f o r such a d d i t i o n a l b r u s h - s t r o k e s would i n d i c a t e t h a t the w r i t e r had e i t h e r n e g l e c t e d t o f i n i s h h i s p a i n t i n g p r o p e r l y i n the f i r s t p l a c e or t h a t he i s making unnecessary and redundant a l t e r a t i o n s . Du P l a i s i r c o n t i n u e s h i s d i s c u s s i o n o f the r o l e o f the a u t h o r by r e l a t i n g i t to t h a t of the r e a d e r . I n s i s t i n g upon the n e c e s s a r y i m p a r t i a l i t y of the a u t h o r , he contends, t h a t the l a t t e r .should not use a f l a t t e r i n g e p i t h e t even chough such a remark made, i n r e l a t i o n t o the hero might be justified; entirely oy so c o m m i t t i n g h i m s e l f , the w r i t e r would v i o l a t e h i s necessary "indifference". (129-130) I t i s not t h e author's p l a c e t o judge the m e r i t of the hero; w h i l e the a u t h o r ' s only t a s k i s t o i e p i c t the hero's f e e l i n g s and conduct, i t i s the r e a d e r alon-3 who due t o him. may can r e m i t t o the hero whatever p r a i s e may be Du P l a i s i r does however concede t h a t the w r i t e r be p e r m i t t e d to show h i s complaisance toward h i s c h a r a c t e r s a f t e r what he terms a sad and d i s t r e s s i n g d e s c r i p t i o n . Concerning the a t t i t u d e which-the (130-131) w r i t e r should, adopt, t o - ward h i s r e a d e r , Du P l a i s i r demands t h a t he be p o l i t e , but n e c e s s a r i l y always w i t t y . (134-135) The w r i t e r i s n o t not per- m i t t e d t o e n t e r i n t o l e n g t h y r e f l e x i o n s ; the one p o s s i b l e exception ;o t h i s r u l e o c c u r s when t h e w r i t e r i s a t p a i n s t o p r e s e n t t h 3 a c t i o n from t h e hero's p o i n t o f v i e w . may be not ;d t h a t , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e p r e c e d i n g (135) I t statement, a l t h o u g h t i e a u t h o r does n o t make h i s presence o b s t r u s i v e i n h i s wor.c, he ±3 n o n e t h e l e s s t h e r e m a n i p u l a t i n g t:ie c h a r a c t e r s who a r e h i s puppets, f o r he s k i l f u l l y would adopt t h e i r p o i n t o f v i a w , and p r e s e n t i t t o t h e r e a d e r . The w r i t e r siaould not be e n t i r e l y s u b m i s s i v e , maintains Du P l a i s i r ; he s h o u l d show h i s s k i l l i n s e t t i n g up a n a t u r a l c o n v e r s a t i o n between h i s c h a r a c t e r s , i n s t e a d o f d e s c r i b i n g t h e i r thoughts. his The s k i l f u l w r i t e r i s c a p a b l e o f l e a d i n g readers t o b e l i e v e that i t i s a c t u a l l y the character h i m s e l f s p a a k i n g , and n o t t h e w r i t e r who has g i v e n l i m l i f e . (137) Onei t h e w r i t e r has i n i t i a t e d a c o n v e r s a t i o n between c h a r a c t e r s , he s h o u l d f i n i s h i t w i t h o u t i n t e r r u p t i o n , pauses being generally disagreable.'to the reader. (137-138) I f the author h i m s e l f should not i n t r u d e i n the conversations of his c h a r a c ;ers, inclusion n e i t h e r s h o u l d he break t h e i r momentum by t h e )f f o r t u i t o u s events.^ The b r e a k i n g o f t h e l i m p i d and r a p i d movement o f t h e n a r r a t i v e i s a grave e r r o r , a c c o r d i n g t o Du P l a i s i r ; t h e r e a d e r who a w a i t s i m p a t i e n t l y t h e outcome of t h e s t o r y w i l l f e e l o n l y contempt, e i t h e r f o r t h e w r i t e r , o r f o r t h e person i n t e r r u p t i n g t h e c o n v e r s a t i o n . (140) One f a c t o r w h i c h s e r v e s t o d i s t i n g u i s h t h e a u t h o r his from c h a r a c t e r s i s t h a t they do n o t n e c e s s a r i l y e x p r e s s them- s e l v e s i n t h e same manner. As t h e hero i s supposed t o be i n 54 the a c t u a l presence o f the p e r s o n t o whom he i s s p e a k i n g , his tone w i l l as a r e s u l t be c o n v e r s a t i o n a l . On t h e o t h e r hand, t h e w r i t e r composes i n s o l i t u d e , and can p o l i s h h i s speech and e x p r e s s i o n a t l e i s u r e . Whereas t h e e x p r e s s i o n o f the w r i t e r may,, and s h o u l d , be s t u d i e d , t h a t o f h i s h e r o s h o u l d a t a l l c o s t s be n a t u r a l , and a v o i d what Du Plaisir c a l l s "Etude, P o e s i e , D e c l a r a t i o n , langage c o n t r e l e n a t u r e l " . (148) S i n c e Du P l a i s i r e n v i s a g e s i t as t h e a u t h o r ' s d u t y t o observe a t a l l times t h e r u l e s o f M e n s e a n c e and s i n c e r i t y , t h e hero as he c o n c e i v e s him w i l l have c e r t a i n p r i v i l e g e s which h i s c r e a t o r does n o t . (150) These p r i v i l e g e s a r e e f f e c t e d p r i n c i p a l l y i n speeches d e a l i n g w i t h the s u b j e c t s of l o v e and c o u r t e s y , i n which the hero i s p e r m i t t e d might be c o n s i d e r e d what excesses i n the mouth o f t h e w r i t e r . The r o l e o f the a u t h o r i n h i s work, the r e l a t i o n s h i p w h i c h e x i s t s between the c r e a t o r and t h e work w h i c h he has c r e a t e d and between the c r e a t o r and h i s r e a d e r , l e a d s t o a d i s c u s s i o n o f d i g r e s s i o n s and t h e i r p l a c e i n t h e n o v e l . Du P l a i s i r devotes a number o f pages t o t h i s s u b j e c t . Du P l a i s i r argues t h a t d i g r e s s i o n s must n o t d e t r a c t from the main a c t i o n , and t h a t vague o r extraneous s u b j e c t s must n o t , t h e r e f o r e , be i n t r o d u c e d i n t o c o n v e r s a t i o n s i n the new n o v e l . He r e f e r s I n d i r e c t l y t o t h e l o n g d i s c u s s i o n s o f p r e c i e u x g a l l a n t r y which had encumbered t h e movement o f the grands romans: 55 On n ' e c r i t p l u s r i e n dans une H i s t o i r e q u i ne l u y s o i t i n d i s p e n s a b l e m e n t n e c e s s a i r e , & j e c r o y q u ' i l s e r o i t d i f f i c i l e d'y i n t r o d u i r e une Q u e s t i o n a d e c i d e r , quelque g a l a n t e q u ' e l l e pust e s t r e . (162) U s i n g e f f e c t i v e l y the image of the v o i d ("des espaces v u i d e s " , 163), Du P l a i s i r argues t h a t these d i g r e s s i o n s a r e infinitely t i r i n g ; t o the r e a d e r , and t h a t the end r e s u l t . i s d e s t r u c t i v e , f o r wh.en they do not make him l o s e s i g h t of the main c h a r a c t e r s , t h e y weaken ~hexr presence and s e r v e t o suspend the reader's s a t i s f a c t i o n a t b e i n g a b l e t o proceed, u n i n t e r r u p t e d , t o denouement. (162-163) Adamant on t h i s p o i n t , Du the Plaisir contends t h a t the main o b j e c t i v e of t h e s e workn i s t o make the r e a d e r aware of the p l i g h t of the c h a r a c t e r s . Du opts :.'or the most d i r e c t r o u t e t o the denouement: "les plus beaux chemins par l e s q u e l s on m a r c h e r o i t v e r s ce but fatigrms, s ' i l s n'estoient l e s plus courts". conversations (164) Plaisir seroient Those a b s o l u t e l y n e c e s s a r y t o the n o v e l must t h e r e f o r e •be s h o r t , f o r the v e r y reason t h a t i t i s d i f f i c u l t t o culti- v a t e a t l e n g t h a n a t u r a l , b e l i e v a b l e c o n v e r s a t i o n between peopl.j'. Because the r e a d e r d e r i v e s v i c a r i o u s p l e a s u r e two from i d e n t i f y i n g w i t h the c h a r a c t e r s , the c o n v e r s a t i o n s must be n a t u r a l enough t o enable the r e a d e r t o b e l i e v e t h a t were he i n the same p o s i t i o n as the c h a r a c t e r s , he would e x p r e s s the same : sentiments. How t h e n should the w r i t e r go about h o l d i n g the a t t e n t i o n of the r e a d e r ? near r.he end The recommendation which Du P l a i s i r makes of the second s e c t i o n of the Sentimens... would 56 appear t o be a c o n t r a d i c t i o n o f e a r l i e r remarks. He i m p l i e s t h a t the w r i t e r must d i r e c t , and t h e r e f o r e p l a y an a c t i v e p a r t i n s e t t i n g up the c o n v e r s a t i o n s i n h i s work, which must not, however, be w r i t t e n i n the form o f an every-day The w r i t e r must make h i s presence dialogue. f e l t from time t o time i n the course o f these c o n v e r s a t i o n s t o make comments and t o m a i n t a i n the f i r s t impression which he has sought t o c r e a t e . By showing us the mental o r p s y c h o l o g i c a l a t t i t u d e o f t h e c h a r a c t e r s , he w i l l succeed replies. (165-166) i n p r e p a r i n g us t o accept their What Du P l a i s i r c o u l d be s a i d t o be commenting upon here i s the technique of the s h i f t i n g view- p o i n t p r a c t i s e d by Madame de L a F a y e t t e i n h e r P r i n c e s s e de 13 Cleves and by h i m s e l f i n La Duchesse d'Estramene. I t must not be f o r g o t t e n that h i s theory o f the n o v e l appeared just one year a f t e r the p u b l i c a t i o n o f the c r e a t i v e work a t t r i b u t e d t o him. A f t e r having provided a lengthy example t o i l l u s t r a t e h i s statement, Du P l a i s i r comments t h a t the c o n v e r s a t i o n a l p a r t s o f the e x t r a c t quoted a r e n o t l o n g , but t h a t they would be b o r i n g i f not p r e f a c e d by remarks which, he contends, the a t t e n t i o n o f the reader. capture (177) The author o f the Sentimens... envisages two d i s t i n c t types o f c o n v e r s a t i o n s s u i t a b l e f o r i n c o r p o r a t i o n i n t o the novel. The short ones, to which he has made r e f e r e n c e i n the p r e c e d i n g pages, a r e those which serve t o h o l d the i n t r i g u e together; the second type must c e r t a i n l y not be 57 l e n g t h y , because the r e a d e r i s not a t t h i s p o i n t w e l l enough acquainted w i t h the hero t o i d e n t i f y w i t h h i s language. the o t h e r hand, when a d i s c u s s i o n r e p l a c e s an On important adventure or when i t i s i n the denouement, i t may S t i l l concerned w i t h v e r i s i m i l i t u d e and w i t h the be l o n g . maintaining of a n a t u r a l tone i n the n o v e l , Du P l a i s i r argues t h a t i n conversations of t h i s second t y p e , " c ' e s t l a . que a b e s o i n d'une grande adresse l'Historien pour i m i t e r l a Nature dans l e d i s c o u r s , & pour r e n o u v e l l e r t o u t e 1 ' a t t e n t i o n , & t o u t 1'attachement des L e c t e u r s " . (179-180) I n a more g e n e r a l v e i n , Du P l a i s i r ' s apparent l a c k o f esteem f o r books of conversation"*" 4 seems t o stem f r o m t h e f a c t t h a t such works are not n a t u r a l i n t h e i r expression. I n t e l l i g e n t people take l i t t l e p l e a s u r e i n r e a d i n g works of t h i s t y p e , because, he s t i p u l a t e s , c o n v e r s a t i o n s s h o u l d r e l a t e d to a n a r r a t i v e context. be Banning maxims, remarks o f a p o l i t i c a l n a t u r e and m o r a l i z i n g speeches from t h e n o v e l , he p o i n t s out t h a t , a f t e r a l l , one does not n o r m a l l y o n e s e l f i n such a manner. express E c h o i n g once more M a d e l e i n e de 15 Scudery, Du P l a i s i r argues t h a t the i d e a l n o u v e l l e only i n s t r u c t s i n a p l e a s i n g manner, and t h a t a m o r a l commentary w h i c h would have a p r o p e r p l a c e i n a work o f i n s t r u c t i o n should not be appended t o any work of a d e s c r i p t i v e n a t u r e . He q u a l i f i e s h i s statements on t h i s m a t t e r by r e m a r k i n g t h a t i f n o v e l s do c o n t a i n g e n e r a l i n s t r u c t i o n , i t i s t o be found i n the s i t u a t i o n s which the author r e c o u n t s , r a t h e r than i n 58 meditations or i n p r e c e p t s extraneous t o the n a r r a t i v e . t h i s r e g a r d , Du P l a i s i r * s i n s i s t e n c e upon u n o b t r u s i v e In moral i n s t r u c t i o n c o i n c i d e s w i t h the d e f i n i t i o n o f the n o u v e l l e as g i v e n by R i c h e l e t , t h a t i s , " l e r£cit i n g e i i i e u x d'une a v a n t u r e agreable". 1 6 As w e l l as r e f r a i n i n g from making m o r a l commentaries on the a c t i o n , the a u t h o r must c o n t r o l r i g o r o u s l y the momentum of h i s t a l e . A c c o r d i n g t o the author o f t h e Sentimens.... a c e r t a i n d i f f u s e n e s s i s p e r m i s s i b l e at the beginning o f the s t o r y ; i n f a c t , i n the opening pages of h i s t a l e , the author may p r e s e n t h i m s e l f t o h i s own advantage and demonstrate h i s knowledge of human emotions or o f l i f e i n g e n e r a l . The must n o t , however, be a l l o w e d t o become t o o i m p a t i e n t ; reader there- f o r e the a u t h o r must permit h i s n a r r a t i o n t o g a i n momentum f a i r l y rapidly. He must "peu a. peu o u b l i e r sa p r o p r e s a t i s f a c t i o n , & se s o u v e n i r davantage de [".. j) marquer de l a c o m p l a i s a n c e " toward h i s r e a d e r s . he c o n c l u d e s , (156-157) For t h i s reason, the w r i t e r must not s t r i k e p o r t r a i t s n e a r the end of h i s s t o r y , f o r a t t h a t p o i n t the r e a d e r d e s i r e s o n l y a c t i o n l e a d i n g t o the denouement. (157) I n c o n t r a s t t o the g e n e r a l l y l a c o n i c s t y l e o f Du t r e a t i s e on the n o v e l , h i s c o n c l u d i n g remarks p r e s e n t f r e s h i n g metaphors and s u r p r i s i n g images. Plaisir's re- F o r example, when Du P l a i s i r contends t h a t the s t o r y must a l w a y s have a c o n c l u s i o n , he employs a commonplace n a u t i c a l metaphor: " l e plus grand p l a i s i r que p u i s s e gouter 1 ' e s p r i t a p r e s t o u t e s l e s 59 i n q u i e t u d e s , & t o u t e s l e s i m p a t i e n c e s que donne une longue s u i t e d ' i n t r i g u e s & d'evenemens, e s t de v o i r e n f i n l e s Heros, ou e n t r e r au P o r t , ou f a i r e n a u f r a g e " . (180) always t o p l e a s e h i s r e a d e r , the a u t h o r o f t h e Careful Sentimens... seeks t o c r e a t e a f e e l i n g of r e s p i t e a t t h e end of the n o v e l , o b t a i n e d perhaps by t h e heros* d e a t h , o r , p r e f e r a b l y , t h e i r union i n marriage. (181) w i t h the h e r o i c n o v e l . Du P l a i s i r shows here h i s t i e s 17 For Madeleine de Scudery as w e l l , t h e end r e s u l t o f a l l the a c t i o n s d e s c r i b e d i n the n o v e l i s marriage. I t i s perhaps because Du P l a i s i r m a i n t a i n s t h a t one s h o u l d l e a v e n o t h i n g t o the i m a g i n a t i o n o f one's r e a d e r t h a t h i s t h e o r y w i l l not be put i n t o p r a c t i c e by the w r i t e r s who f o l l o w him. The t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y i n p a r t i c u l a r has w i t n e s s e d the r i s e o f the n o v e l i n which more r e s p o n s i b i l i t y i s p l a c e d on the s h o u l d e r s of the r e a d e r w i t h r e g a r d t o the p o s s i b l e denouement o f the a c t i o n . The c o n c l u d i n g l i n e s o f the second s e c t i o n of the Sentimens... s e r v e t o c o n f i r m us i n our judgment of i t s v a l u e as a h i s t o r i c a l document r a t h e r than as a f o r m u l a f o r a n o v e l form t o be adopted by w r i t e r s a f t e r 1683. Du new Plaisir p l a c e s the n o v e l i n the same c a t e g o r y as the t h e a t r e , s t a t i n g t h a t the o b j e c t o f both genres i s e d i f i c a t i o n ; t h e n o v e l must t h e r e f o r e have a c l e a r l y expressed moral i n i t s c o n c l u s i o n . E c h o i n g once a g a i n Madeleine de Scudery, who i s quoted almost v e r b a t i m by Huet i n t h e p r e f a t o r y remarks t o Madame 19 de L a F a y e t t e ' s Zayde. Du P l a i s i r demands t h a t v i c e be 60 punished and that v i r t u e triumph. (183) So ends part two o f the Sentimens.... a l b e i t on a somewhat u n o r i g i n a l m o r a l i s t i c note. We must not, however, judge t h i s work too h a r s h l y , f o r u n l i k e i t s author and h i s contemp o r a r i e s , we have today the advantage o f three c e n t u r i e s o f c r i t i c a l perspective. We w i l l e n r i c h t h i s p e r s p e c t i v e by examining what the contemporaries o f the author thought o f the Sentimens.... f o r t h i s w i l l serve t o g i v e us an i n d i c a t i o n o f the c r i t i c a l awareness of the time, as w e l l as t o add yet another dimension t o our a p p r e c i a t i o n o f the work. Three e n t r i e s i n the Mercure Galant o f February, A p r i l and May 1683 a r e p e r t i n e n t , f o r they r e v e a l the f a c t t h a t the work was being d i s c u s s e d i n manuscript form. has by the l i t e r a t i w h i l e i t was s t i l l I n the February e d i t i o n , Donneau de V i s e the f o l l o w i n g t o say about the manuscript: Je me s u i s inform^, Madame, comme vous l ' a v e z voulu, du manuscrit i n t i t u l e Sentiments sur l e s l e t t r e s e t l e s h i s t o i r e s galantes. Ce sont des preceptes j u s t e s pour e c r i r e les-unes et l e s a u t r e s . On d i t q u ' i l s sont tournes d'une maniere q u i f a i t c r o i r e que l e u r auteur n'est pas un homme seulement de c a b i n e t . I I y a grande apparence q u ' i l s seront b i e n recus du p u b l i c , p u i s q u ' i l s f o n t une r e g i e , ou pour E c r i r e ces s o r t e s d'ouvrages, ou pour a i d e r l e s personnes q u i l e s l i r o n t , a c o n n a i t r e quel en sera l e m<§rite. On m'a p a r l e d'un t r o i s i e m e a r t i c l e de ce manuscrit. I I t r a i t e de l a c o n s t r u c t i o n des mots, et ne c o n t i e n t que d i x ou douze observations qui expliquent l e s s c r u p u l e s de 1'auteur sur quelques manieres d'e"crire. 61 S i ces observations passaient pour l o i , e l l e s p o u r r a i e n t f a i r e quelque beaute dans l e s t y l e , mais je doute que l a p r a t i q u e en f u t f o r t a i s e e . V o i l a tout ce que j ' a i pu en apprendre. Quand 1'ouvrage p a r a i t r a , j e vous en a v e r t i r a i . 2 0 A s i d e from g i v i n g us a s l e n d e r s t a t u s of Du P l a i s i r i n d i c a t i o n o f the s o c i a l ( o b v i o u s l y Donneau de V i s e sees him as a mondain r a t h e r than a pedant) t h i s statement provides i n s i g h t i n t o p u b l i c t a s t e i n 1683. an Based on i t s p o s s i b l e use e i t h e r as a s e t of r u l e s f o r p r o s p e c t i v e w r i t e r s or as an explanatory t o o l f o r readers, the e d i t o r of the Mercure Galant seems able to p r e d i c t the success of the Sentimens.... must not, however, take h i s judgment We too s e r i o u s l y , f o r e v i d e n t l y he i s only r e p o r t i n g on the work from second hand knowledge. The second of the reviews devoted t o the Sentimens... appears two months l a t e r , i n the A p r i l 1683 e d i t i o n of the Mercure Galant, immediately p r i o r to i t s p u b l i c a t i o n . second a r t i c l e i s of c o n s i d e r a b l e This historical interest, for i t i n d i c a t e s t o us t h a t i n 1683, Donneau de V i s e was not aware of the l i n k between the a u t h o r s h i p apparently of La Duchesse d'Estramene and that of the Sentimens..., as the concluding l i n e s of the a r t i c l e i n d i c a t e : Dans h u i t ou d i x j o u r s , Madame, j e vous e n v e r r a i l e l i v r e i n t i t u l e Sentiments sur l e s l e t t r e s et sur l e s h i s t o i r e s . dont j e vous p a r l a i i l y a deux mois. Le s i e u r B l a g e a r t l e d e b i t e r a en ce temps-la. On en a l a i s s e £chapper quelques copies q u i l u i ont donne de l a r e p u t a t i o n . Je c r o i s vous a v o i r deja marque ce q u ' i l c o n t i e n t . 62 Ce sont des p r e c e p t e s t r e s u t i l e s pour E c r i r e avec j u s t e s s e des l e t t r e s g a l a n t e s e t ces s o r t e s d ' h i s t o i r e s que nous a p p e l o n s n o u v e l l e s . On y t r a i t e a u s s i de 1 ' h i s t o i r e v e r i t a b l e . Tous l e s exemples d o n t se s e r t 1'auteur pour prouver ce q u ' i l a v a n c e , s o n t t r e s agreablement t o u r n e s . I I y a meme s u j e t de c r o i r e que dans q u e l q u e s uns i l e n t r e un peu de s a t i r e , dont l e s personnes q u i voudront 1'entendre p o u r r o n t p r o f i t e r . Les s c r u p u l e s q u ' i l propose s u r l e s t y l e nous f o n t c o n n a i t r e l a d e i i c a t e s s e de s o n e s p r i t , e t i l s e r a i t f o r t a. s o u h a i t e r q u ' i l nous donnat quelque ouvrage ou i l se s e r v i t de ses p r o p r e s r e g i e s . On l e l i r a i t avec grand p l a i s i r . 2 1 I t i s somewhat a s t o n i s h i n g t h a t any w r i t e r a s aware o f l i t e r a r y t r e n d s and c o t e r i e s as was Donneau de V i s e s h o u l d not have r e c o g n i z e d t h e p o s s i b l e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f t h e two works attri- buted t o Du P l a i s i r , L a Duchesse d'Estramene h a v i n g appeared one y e a r p r i o r t o t h e t h e o r e t i c a l work w h i c h can be a p p l i e d almost p e r f e c t l y t o i t . The e d i t o r o f t h e Mercure G a l a n t does, however, b e l i e v e h i m s e l f t o be on t h e r i g h t t r a c k i n c o n n e c t i n g t h e o r y and p r a c t i c e i n a n o t h e r way, f o r i n t h e paragraph f o l l o w i n g t h e above s t a t e m e n t , he i n t r o d u c e s t h u s t h e p u b l i c a t i o n o f the L e t t r e s g a l a n t e s d u C h e v a l i e r d'Her I I p a r a i t r a dans l e meme temps u n a u t r e l i v r e q u i vous donnera l i e u d e x a m i n e r s i l e s r e g i e s que p r e s c r i t I ' a u t e u r . d e s Sentiments y sont o b s e r v e r s ff.. /j ^2 1 The f i n a l r e v i e w devoted t o the Sentimens..• appears i n the May 1683 e d i t i o n o f t h e Mercure G a l a n t : Je vous e n v o i e un a u t r e ouvrage q u i se vend au meme l i e u . C'est c e l u i dont vous m'avez p l u s i e u r s f o i s demande des n o u v e l l e s , e t q u i a pour t i t r e Sentiments s u r l e s l e t t r e s e t s u r 1 ' h i s t o i r e , avec des s c r u p u l e s s u r l e s t y l e . I I semble que ce d e r n i e r a i t e t e : f a i t pour donner l e s moyens d examiner 1'autre p l u s f a c i l e m e n t . Cependant, c ' e s t par un pur e f f e t dU h a s a r d que ces deux l i v r e s q u i s o n t de deux d i f f e r e n t s a u t e u r s , ont e t e mis en v e n t e l e meme j o u r e t p a r l e meme l i b r a i r e . Dans l a p r e m i e r e p a r t i e de ce d e r n i e r , on v o i t beaucoup d'exemples des choses que 1'auteur avance, t i r e e s de l e t t r e s q u i ont f a i t du b r u i t dans l e monde. I I y en a d ' a u t r e s s u r l e s m a t i e r e s q u ' i l a i n v e n t d e s . I I p a r l e a u s s i dans c e t t e premiere p a r t i e des b i l l e t s e t des e p i t r e s d d d i c a t o i r e s , e t l ' o n y t r o u v e des manieres de r e g i e s , q u i peuvent e t r e d'une grande u t i l i t e a ceux q u i v e u l e n t e c r i r e dans ce genre. L a seconde p a r t i e c o n t i e n t l a maniere d ' e c r i r e l e s h i s t o i r e s que l ' o n a p p e l l e n o u v e l l e s . On y v o i t des exemples de c h o s e s , q u i peuvent s e r v i r de r e g i e s e t de c e l l e s qu'on d o i t e v i t e r , avec une maniere de s a t i r e t r e s a g r e a b l e c o n t r e l e s romans. Le t r a v a i l de l a t r o i s i e m e p a r t i e e s t d ' a u t a n t p l u s grand, q u ' i l f a u t a v o i r pour c e l a une p a r f a i t e c o n n a i s s a n c e de l a l a n g u e . I I y a dans c e t t e p a r t i e un grand nombre de p e i n t u r e s pour s e r v i r d'exemples. Ce s o n t des morceaux qu'on ne c r o i t pas sans mystere. Toutes ces choses sont a s s e z c a p a b l e s d ' e x c i t e r l a c u r i o s i t y , sans que j e cherche a vous en donner. J e ne vous d i s p o i n t s i ce l i v r e e s t b i e n <£crit: ceux q u i se melent d ' e n s e i g n e r une s c i e n c e , l e d o i v e n t s a v o i r p l u s p a r f a i t e m e n t que ceux q u i l e p r a t i q u e n t avec succes.23 1 I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o note that i n s p i t e o f the s t r o n g r e l a t i o n s h i p which Donneau de V i s e sees between t h e Sentimens... and the L e t t r e s g a l a n t e s du C h e v a l i e r d ' H e r g 3 £ X . he i s aware t h a t t h e two works, one t h e o r e t i c a l , t h e o t h e r c r e a t i v e , a r e by d i f f e r e n t a u t h o r s . C a r e f u l not t o judge t h e i r literary v a l u e , as t h e l a s t l i n e s o f t h i s r e v i e w i n d i c a t e , the e d i t o r o f t h e Mercure G a l a n t seems n o n e t h e l e s s t o deem t h e Sentimens J^J^ worthy o f n o t e ; h i s s t a t e m e n t s would have c a r r i e d more weight f o r t h e t w e n t i e t h - c e n t u r y r e a d e r were t h e y not r e a d 64 i n conjunction with the other two references i n the Mercure Galant, f o r these indicate, as we have noted above, that Donneau de Visd quite probably gleaned h i s information from a second-hand source. The only other contemporary c r i t i c a l review devoted to the Sentimens.•. known to us appears i n the Journal des Savants of June 1683; i t i s not a p a r t i c u l a r l y favourable one, as the following extract indicates: Quand on veut donner des regies sur ces t r o i s sortes de sujets, on doit avoir une s i grande delicatesse d'esprit, tant de penetration sur l e s a f f a i r e s du monde, une s i profonde i n t e l l i g e n c e des historiens qui nous ont devances, et enfin un gout s i p a r t i c u l i e r sur l a maniere d'e"crire, qU'on peut dire que dans tous l e s s i e c l e s i l s'est toujours trouve peu de personnes capables de donner la-dessus des regies certaines et immanquables. On jugera aisement de c e l l e s qui sont i c i prescrites, mais peut-etre l e s sentiments de 1'auteur et l e s exemples q u ' i l propose pour modeles, ne seront pas du gout de tout l e monde.24 Again we might ask ourselves i f the reviewer had a c t u a l l y read the Sentimens... himself, f o r , l i k e Donneau de Vise (or perhaps through having read him), he f a i l s to quote the correct t i t l e of the work. I f Du P l a i s i r ' s theoretical work was not favourably enough received by the reviewers to be read first-hand, and i f i t did not provoke as l i v e l y a discussion amongst h i s contemporaries as did La Duchesse d'Estramene, i t s influence was unquestionably f e l t i n the eighteenth century. In 1702 Morvan de Bellegarde plagiarized major segments of i t , hardly b o t h e r i n g t o change the w o r d i n g , i n h i s Deuxieme l e t t r e 25 c u r i e u s e de l i t t e r a t u r e et de morale. Two ." more e i g h t e e n t h - c e n t u r y r e f e r e n c e s t o the Sentimens.. , cause the s c h o l a r t o wonder i f the r e v i e w e r s i n q u e s t i o n even r e a d t h e work, f o r b o t h quote the erroneous t i t l e as g i v e n by Donneau de V i s e i n the Mercure G-alant. des Romans, L e n g l e t - D u f r e s n o y I n h i s Bibljotheque i d e n t i f i e s Du P l a i s i r as t h e a u t h o r , and makes the f o l l o w i n g remarks: S e n t i m e n t s s u r l e s l e t t r e s et l a s h i s t o i r e s g a l a n t e s , par l e s i e u r du P l a i s i r , i n 12. P a r i s 1683. Ce n'est pas un l i v r e b i e n recherche. Le s i e u r du P l a i s i r , s i ce nom e s t v r a i ou suppose, a p u b l i e encore q u e l ques ouvrages mediocres.26 T h i s statement c e r t a i n l y shows no evidence of an unbiased, c r i t i c a l judgment o f the Sentimens. • . , f but i s o f n o t e because of i t s h i s t o r i c a l v a l u e , L e n g l e t - D u f r e s n o y b e i n g the f i r s t t o a t t a c h t h e name of an a u t h o r t o the work. This discovery i s however ox l i t t l e h e l p t o the r e s e a r c h e r , f o r the c r i t i c fails t o quote the source of h i s i n f o r m a t i o n . I n t h e f i r s t volume o f the B i b l i o t h e q u e U n i v e r s e l l e des Romans, p u b l i s h e d i n 1776, d'Estramene was notice: an a b r i d g e d v e r s i o n o f L a Duchesse p r i n t e d w i t h the f o l l o w i n g i n t r o d u c t o r y • On a s u , d e p u i s que c e t a u t e u r n ' e t a i t a u t r e que du P l a i s i r q u i p u b l i a un an '-. a p r e s , 1'ouvrage i n t i t u l e : Sentiments sur l e s l e t t r e s et l e s h i s t o i r e s galantes.2 < : A g a i n the m i s q u o t a t i o n o f the t i t l e of Du P l a i s i r ' s theoretical work l e a d s us t o b e l i e v e t h a t the Sentimens... was not w i d e l y 66 r e a d ; from the time of Donneau de V i s e , one wonders, i n f a c t , i f i t was The read a t a l l ! only nineteenth-century r e f e r e n c e t o e i t h e r of Du P l a i s i r * s works i s the s h o r t n o t e found i n B a r b i e r ' s 28 D i c t i o n n a i r e des ouvrages anonymes; a g a i n the misquoted t i t l e of the Sentimens... l e a d s us t o s u r m i s e t h a t the m a t i o n was o b t a i n e d by B a r b i e r second-hand, p r o b a b l y infor- from lenglet-Dufresnoy. 29 Arpad S t e i n e r was t the f i r s t c r i t i c i n the present c e n t u r y t o acknowledge the v a l u e of the Sentimens.... and to s i t u a t e Du P l a i s i r ' s t r e a t i s e i n a p r o p e r h i s t o r i c a l p e r s p e c t i v e by showing i t s r e l a t i o n s h i p t o the l i t e r a r y t h e o r i e s o f M a d e l e i n e de Scudery and Jean Regnaud de S e g r a i s . While p o i n t i n g out t h a t Du P l a i s i r cannot be c r e d i t e d w i t h e x p r e s s i o n of o r i g i n a l thought, S t e i n e r m a i n t a i n s may the that he indeed be p r a i s e d f o r p r e s e n t i n g what i s t o some e x t e n t the f i r s t g e n e r a l p o e t i c s of the modern n o v e l . Commenting on Du P l a i s i r ' s i n d e b t e d n e s s t o S e g r a i s , S t e i n e r q u a l i f i e s statement made by W. T i p p i n g , who contends t h a t the Segrais founded "the p o e t i c s of the n o u v e l l e by s e p a r a t i n g i t from the n o v e l " ; S t e i n e r adds t h a t "Du P l a i s i r has h a v i n g g e n e r a l i z e d S e g r a i s ' p r i n c i p l e s and the m e r i t of h a v i n g of applied 30 them t o a l l f i c t i o n " . I t i s a l l v e r y w e l l t o show Du P l a i s i r ' s i n d e b t e d n e s s t o Mademoiselle de Scuddry, but the p o i n t of major importance which S t e i n e r r i g h t l y b r i n g s t o our a t t e n t i o n i s t h a t the l a t t e r ' s w r i t i n g s comprise l i t t l e more 67 t h a n a t h e o r y n o t put i n t o p r a c t i c e , w h i l e t h e f o r m e r ' s i s i n f a c t an a c t u a l commentary on, o r account o f t h e e v o l u t i o n w h i c h has taken p l a c e i n t h e s t r u c t u r e o f t h e F r e n c h n o v e l : Sappho's i d e a s were j u s t t h e o r y , w h i c h , i n p r a c t i c e , were t u r n e d i n t o as many c a r i c a t u r e s ; here, i n t h e Sentimens... we a r e c o n f r o n t e d w i t h e m p i r i c a l e x p e r i e n c e deduced from a t l e a s t one a c t u a l n o v e l , t h e P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s , w h i c h c o u l d i l l u s t r a t e v i r t u a l l y every s t a t e ment and every demand o f Du P l a i s i r . 3 1 The o n l y f a u l t o f which we might perhaps a c c u s e S t e i n e r i s h i s l i n k i n g o f Du P l a i s i r ' s t h e o r e t i c a l work t o Madame de L a F a y e t t e ' s P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s r a t h e r t h a n e x c l u s i v e l y t o Du P l a i s i r ' s own c r e a t i v e endeavour. contending Steiner i s j u s t i f i e d i n t h a t L a Duchesse d'Estramene i s "the f i n e s t echo o f the P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s " , and t h a t " a l t h o u g h D.F. D a l l a s may have been r i g h t i n c o n c l u d i n g t h a t Mme de L a F a y e t t e ' s master- p i e c e marked r a t h e r t h e end than t h e b e g i n n i n g o f i t s g e n r e , i t may be s a f e l y s t a t e d t h a t w i t h t h e p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s t h e modern n o v e l was b o r n n o t o n l y i n •52 p r a c t i c e but i n t h e o r y as w e l l " . A r n a l d o P i z z o r u s s o acknowledges h i s i n d e b t e d n e s s t o 33 S t e i n e r i n h i s s e n s i t i v e book and a r t i c l e of t h e n o v e l i n France from 1660 t o 1685. on t h e p o e t i c s I t i s of importance t o n o t e t h e p a r a l l e l which P i z z o r u s s o draws between Du P l a i s i r ' s predilection for natural, believable n o v e l , r a t h e r than m i r a c u l o u s Fontenelle. events" i n t h e happenings, and t h a t shown by P i z z o r u s s o p r e f a c e s h i s e x t r a c t from F o n t e n e l l e ' s L e t t r e de M. F o n t e n e l l e s u r l e L i v r e i n t i t u l e L e s Malheurs de 68 l Amour, ou Ele"onor d'Yvr£e, w i t h t h e f o l l o w i n g a l l u s i o n t o 1 Du P l a i s i r ' s p o e t i c s : La concezione d e l romanzo e s p r e s s a n e i Sentimens d i Du P l a i s i r s i r i s o l v e n e l l a e l a b o r a z i o n e d i un meccanisimo p s i c o l o g i c o r a f f i n a t o ed a s t r a t t o . L a ' s c i e n z a d e l cuore' conduce a l gusto d e l l ' i n g e g n o s i t a , a l i a ricerca della singolarita, e dell'eccezione n e l l ' o r d i n e d e l sentimento.34 He then quotes a passage from t h e Mercure G a l a n t o f September 1687, showing t h e s i m i l a r i t y between F o n t e n e l l e ' s and Du P l a i s i r ' s poetics of the novel. coeur" w h i c h i s m a n i f e s t R e f e r r i n g t o t h e " s c i e n c e du i n t h e P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s , F o n t e n e l l e ' s words echo t o a c e r t a i n e x t e n t t h e t h e o r y o f Du Plaisir: Je vous p a r l e d ' E l ^ o n o r e d'Yvr^e que j e vous envoye. C'est un p e t i t s u j e t peu charge d ' i n t r i g u e s , mais ou l e s sentimens sont t r a i t e z avec t o u t e l a f i n e s s e p o s s i b l e . Or sans p r d t e n d r e r a v a l e r l e m e r i t e q u ' i l y a a b i e n nouer une i n t r i g u e , e t a d i s poser l e s evenemens, de s o r t e q u ' i l en r e s u l t s de c e r t a i n s e f f e t s s u r p r e n a n s , j e vous avoue que j e s u i s beaucoup p l u s touche" de v o i r r ^ g n e r dans un Roman une c e r t a i n e s c i e n c e du coeur, t e l l e q u ' e l l e e s t , p a r exemple, dans L a P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s . Le m e r v e i l l e u x des i n c i d e n s me f r a p p e une f o i s ou deux, e t p u i s me r e b u t e , au l i e u que l e s p e i n t u r e s f i d e l l e s de l a n a t u r e , e t s u r t o u t c e l l e s de c e r t a i n s mouvemens du coeur presque i m p e r c e p t i b l e s a cause de l e u r d e l i c a t e s s e , ont un d r o i t de p l a i r e q u ' e l l e s ne perdent j a m a i s . On ne se sent dans l e s a v a n t u r e s que 1 ' e f f o r t de 1 ' i m a g i n a t i o n de l ' A u t e u r , e t dans l e s choses de p a s s i o n , ce n ' e s t que l a n a t u r e s e u l e q u i se f a i t s e n t i r , quoy q u ' i l en a i t coftte a l ' A u t e u r un e f f o r t d ' e s p r i t que j e c r o y p l u s grand.35 P i z z o r u s s o a l s o b r i n g s t o l i g h t an e q u a l l y i m p o r t a n t criticism 69 o f Qu P l a i s i r ' s l a Duchesse d'Estramene. made i n 1685 P i e r r e Bayle. P o i n t i n g out t h a t "non by t u t t i i contemporanei erano p r o n t i ad a c c e t t a r e q u e s t a p a r t i c o l a r e v i s i o n e d e l l a 'natura'" and ( i . e . t h a t shared by Du P l a i s i r and Fontenelle), r e f e r r i n g t o the a n a l o g y drawn by B a y l e between La P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s and La Duchesse d'Estramene, Pizzorusso c i t e s B a y l e ' s c r i t i c i s m of Du P l a i s i r ' s c h a r a c t e r s stemming from t h e i r o v e r l y - v i r t u o u s , and hence u n b e l i e v a b l e , nature. I t i s on Du P l a i s i r ' s m e r i t as a s e n s i t i v e o b s e r v e r of the e v o l u t i o n of the n o v e l i n France r.hat s c h o l a r s have r e c e n t l y applauded him. R e f e r r i n g t o the Sentimens•.., Henri Coulet s i t u a t e s Du P l a i s i r s t r e a t i s e i n h i s t o r i c a l perapective, and 1 has the f o l l o w i n g remarks t o make: S e u l ce d e r n i e r t e x t e o f f r e une d o c t r i n e c o h e r e n t e de l a n o u v e l l e (appelee h i s t o i r e ) : ses ressemblances et ses d i f f e r e n c e s avec l e roman h e r o i q u e sont methodiquement a n a l y s e e s ; on peut r e p r o c h e r a. Du P l a i s i r d'etre trop systematique, trop theorique, d'un c l a s s i c i s m e (au sens l a r g e du mot) t r o p d e p o u i l l e , et d ' e c r i r e un roman i d e a l en n e g l i g e a n t l e s tendances c o n f u s e s e t c o n t r a d i c t o i r e s du roman i d e a l . Mais en f a i t , l e genre nouveau, c e t t e ' i n v e n t i o n de nos j o u r s ' comme 1 * a p p e l l e l'abbe de Charnes, s'oppose b i e n p o i n t par p o i n t au genre a n c i e n , et ce q u i r a p p e l l e t r o p l e roman h e r o i q u e , meme dans des oeuvres a nos yeux c a r a c t e r i s e e s par l e u r n a t u r e l , e s t denonce.,comme une t a r e par l e s contemporains. T h i s b e l i e f t h a t Du P l a i s i r ' s work i s v a l u a b l e as a documentary account i s shared as w e l l by Jean Rousset and Frederic Deloffre. l i k e S t e i n e r and by I t i s t o be noted t h a t b o t h t h e s e c r i t i c s , Pizzorusso, i n s i s t upon the e v i d e n t relation- 70 s h i p between t h e o r y and and p r a c t i c e i n La P r i n c e s s e de Cleves the Sentimens..., r a t h e r than upon the l i n k between t h e o r y and l i t e r a r y c r e a t i o n i n Du P l a i s i r ' s own output. Rousset contends t h a t Du P l a i s i r has been too much v i g n o r e d , and l a u d s h i s p e r c e p t i v e n e s s that " i l e s t , parmi l e s c r i t i q u e s du annees 80, c e l u i q u i a l a c o n s c i e n c e as an o b s e r v e r , stating 'nouveau roman' des l a p l u s n e t t e des caracteres q u i l e d i s t i n g u e n t de l ' a n c i e n roman, i l degage avec s a g a c i t e l a t h e o r i e de l ' h i s t o i r e £.. rj ".38 D e l o f f r e i s of the same o p i n i o n as R o u s s e t c o n c e r n i n g t h e v a l u e o f t h e Sentimens... as a h i s t o r i c a l document r a t h e r than as a t o o l f o r p r o s p e c t i v e w r i t e r s of n o v e l s ; h i s g e n e r a l remarks comprise i n f a c t a c o n c i s e summary of the a t t i t u d e of t w e n t i e t h - c e n t u r y critics from S t e i n e r onward toward Du P l a i s i r ' s c o n t r i b u t i o n t o the t h e o r y of the n o v e l i n France. D e l o f f r e t a k e s Du P l a i s i r a t h i s word and c o n s i d e r s the Sentimens... an unassuming but s u b s t a n t i a l work: "Ouvrage sans p r e t e n t i o n , q u i pretend p r o p o s e r e t d i s c u t e r p l u s que l e g i f ^ r e r , l e t r a i t e de Du P l a i s i r e s t s u r t o u t a nos yeux un b i l a n i n t e l l i g e n t du genre 39 n a r r a t i f b r e f en France a 1'epoque c l a s s i q u e " . P r e c i s e l y because l i t e r a r y c r i t i c s have not insisted upon e s t a b l i s h i n g a p a r a l l e l between the Sentimens... and La Duchesse d'Estramene, b u t , r a t h e r , between t h e Sentimens... and La P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s , the s t r o n g t i e s w h i c h b i n d P l a i s i r ' s t h e o r e t i c a l statements and h i s own have not been f u l l y e x p l o r e d . Du c r e a t i v e output A c l o s e a n a l y s i s o f Du Plaisir's 71 c r e a t i v e i m a g i n a t i o n , seen i n p a r t through a study o f La Duchesse d'Estramene, w i l l enable us t o o b t a i n y e t another e n r i c h i n g p e r s p e c t i v e of the Sentimens.•., f o r we s h a l l have d e l v e d i n t o the c r e a t i v e p r o c e s s which gave b i r t h t o t h e work of a r t which was t o s e r v e , we b e l i e v e , as a b a s i s f o r Du P l a i s i r ' s t h e o r y o f the n o u v e l l e or h i s t o i r e g a l a n t e . us t h e n , i n the f o l l o w i n g s e c t i o n of our s t u d y , l o o k i n d e t a i l a t t h i s p e t i t roman too l o n g i g n o r e d by the wide reading public. Let 72 CHAPTER I I : FOOTNOTES ^Conver sat ions s u r d i v e r s s u j e t s ( P a r i s , 1680). ou l ' l l l u s t r e Bassa (Rouen, 1665). Ibrahim 2 Les Nouvelles f r a n c a i s e s ou l e s d i v e r t i s s e m e n s de l a P r i n c e s s e A u r e l i e ( P a r i s , 1722). •^Preface t o Ibrahim. •.. not paginated. ^ I b i d . . not paginated. 5 I_bid., not paginated. ( P a r i s , 1722), v o l . I, p. 1 9 f f . 6 'Preface t o Ibrahim.... 8 9 C h a n t I , 11. not paginated. 1-6. V o l . I I , p. 471. L ' A r t Poetique, P r e f a c e , 1701. "^Not paginated. 1 Q 1 2 V o l I I , pp. 460-68. 13 "Tor a d i s c u s s i o n o f t h i s technique, see J . Rousset, "La P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s , " i n Forme et s i g n i f i c a t i o n : essais sur l e s s t r u c t u r e s l i t t e r a i r e s de C o r n e i l l e a C l a u d e l ( P a r i s , 196*47T~PP. 17-44. ^See I n t r o d u c t i o n , n. 6. 15 ^Conversations.... v o l . I I , p. 482. " ^ C i t e d by Varga, "Pour une d e f i n i t i o n de l a n o u v e l l e . . . , " p. 64. 17 18 Preface t o Ibrahim.... I b i d . , not paginated. not paginated. 73 1 9 ( P a r i s , 1670). 20 p p . 325-27. 2 1 p. 361. 2 2 p. 361. 2 3 p p . 332-35. 2 ^ l u n d i 14 j u i n , p. 173. An extract o f t h i s Lettre. .. i s c i t e d by P. Hourcti.de, sentiments sur l e s l e t t r e s et sur l ' h i s t o i r e avec des scruttules sur l e s t y l e : edition c r i t i q u e avec notes et commentaire (Diss. Paris, 1970), pp. 155-66. The r e l a t i o n ship of the Abbe de Bellegarde's work to Du P l a i s i r ' s i s also discussed by H. Coulet, Le Roman, .jusqu'a l a revolution (Paris, 1967), v o l . I, p. 209, and by P. Deloffre, La Nouvelle en P r a n c e . . . p . 57. 26 Vol. I I , p. 3. Cited by P. Hourcade, Sentiments : ur les l e t t r e s . . . . p. 167. 2 7 p. 166. ( r p t - . Hildesheim, 19=3), v o l . I, pp. 1127-28: "Duchesse (la) d*Estramene. (Par Du P l a i s i r , auteur des 'Sentiments sur l e s l e t t r e s et l e s h i s t o i r e s galantes'.). Lyon, Thomas Anaulry, 1682, 2 parties in-12. Voy. un e x t r a i t de ce roman par Eastide dans l e s douxieme et treizieme volumes du 'Choix des Mercures' et dans l a 'Bibliotheque universelle des romans', octobre 1776, premiere volume, p. 166 et suiv. On l i t dans l e s 'Oeuvres' de P a v i l i o n une l e t t r e de cet aeademicien a M. de Vise sur l e meme roman, que l'on a t t r i b u a i t a une femiue. La prevention paroissoit fondee a cause de l a v i v a c i t e des sentiments, de l a delicatesse du style et de I'interet des s i t u a t i o n s . " 28 OG XXX A French Poetics of the Novel i n 1683," Romanic Review. (1939), pp. 235-43. 3 0 I b i d . , P- 237. 5 1 I b i d . , P. 243. 5 2 I b i d . , P. 243. 74 La P o e t i c a d e l romanzo i n Franc i a , 1660-1685 (Rome, 1962). "La Conpezione d e l l ' a r t e n a r r a t i v a n e l l a seconda meta d e l seicento francese," btudi M e d i o l a t i n i e v o l g a r i , I I I (1955), pp. 149-57. ^ "La 4 Concezione d e l l ' a r t e n a r r a t i v a . . . , " pp. 155-56. 35 - ^ " L e t t r e de M. de F o n t e n e l l e sur l e L i v r e i n t i t u l e Les Malheurs de 1'Amour, ou Eleonore d'Yvr£e," Le Mercure g a l a n t , septembre 1687 (Premiere P a r t i e ) , p. 324ff. C i t e d by A. P i z z o r u s s o , I b i d . . p. 156. 36 "La Concezione d e l l a r t e n a r r a t i v a . . . , " p. 156. 1 37 Le Roman .jusqu'a l a r e v o l u t i o n , pp. 209-10. Forme et s i g n i f i c a t i o n . . . . p. 31. 39 La Nouvelle en France.... p. 51. SECTION I I LA DUCHESSE D'ESTRAMENE; HE DILEMMA Of THE HONNETE FEMME AS SEEN BY DU PLAISIR 76 "La Duchesse d'Estramene a l a d e s t i n e e des L i v r e s heureuses [ s i c ] on prend p a r t y pour et c o n t r e , e t e l l e s e r t d ' e n t r e t i e n dans l e s Compagnies que l ' o n c r o i t l e p l u s en d r o i t de d e c i d e r souverainement de l a beaute des Ouvrages." Donneau de V i s e Le Mercure G a l a n t , j u i n 1682, p. 27. 77 CHAPTER I BACKGROUND TO THE' STUDY OP LA DUCHESSE D'ESTRAMENE " J a m a i s l a F r a n c e n'a p a r u a v e c t a n t de g r a n d e u r , que pandant ces dernieres guerres." (..I, l ) W i t h t h i s b e g i n n i n g , r e m i n i s c e n t o f t h e h y p e r b o l i c s t y l . e u s e d b y Madame d e L u F a y e t t e i n t h e o p e n i n g l i n e s o f L a P r i n c e s s e d e C l e v e s , * Du Plaisir sketches r a p i d l y , i n the f i r s t Duchesse d'Estramene, sentence o f h i s t h e h i s t o r i c a l framework which will s e r v e a s a m o r a l d e c o r f o r t h e drama a b o u t t o u n f o l d . d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e c o u r t s e t t i n g i n L a Duchesse is Che d'Estra.aene l e s s s p e c i f i c t h a n Madame de L a F a y e t t e ' s d e p i c t i o n i f the g l i t t e r i n g court of Henri I I . N e v e r t h e l e s s , t h e reader i s a b l e t o s i t u a t e t h e work w i t h i n a f a i r l y framework. precise historical Du P l a i s i r h a s c h o s e n a s t h e b a c k d r o p f o r tae t a l e he i s about t o r e l a t e t h e z e n i t h o f L o u i s X I V ' s career. Judging from the h i s t o r i c a l a l l u s i o n s , military t h e wars mentioned a t . t h e b e g i n n i n g ox t h e n o v e l w o u l d p r o b a b l y oe t h e campaigns w h i c h L o u i s X I V waged a g a i n s t t h e S p a n i a r d s i n t h e N e t h e r l a n d s i n t h e e a r l y 1670's; the young E n g l i s h noblemen d e p i c t e d as having crossed t h e Channel t o j o i n t h e French armies would t h e n be t h e t r o o p s o f C h a r l e s I I o f E n g l a n d . We a r e f u r t h e r a b l e t o s i t u a t e Du P l a i s i r ' s d e c o r f r o m t h e r e f e r e n c e h e makes t o " l e s d e r n i e r s d'Angleterre" d'Olsingam's historically troubles ( I , 1 0 ) , i n t h e c o u r s e o f w h i c h t h e Due f a t h e r s u p p o s e d l y d i e d t r y i n g t o a i d Madame d'Hennebury*s husband. Du P l a i s i r i s probably a l l u d i n g here t o the c i v i l wars i n England, begun i n 1642, of C h a r l e s I , and ending i n 1649. d u r i n g the r e i g n He mentions the K i n g and Queen o f England without naming them s p e c i f i c a l l y ; t h e models f o r these c h a r a c t e r s a r e e a s i l y enough r e c o g n i z a b l e as C h a r l e s I I and h i s w i f e , C a t h e r i n e of Braganza. Prom the a f o r - mentioned h i s t o r i c a l d e t a i l s , the reader i s a b l e then t o s i t u a t e t h i s p s y c h o l o g i c a l drama i n the years 1672 t o 1673. La Duchesse d'Estramene i s , then, l i k e La P r i n c e s s e de Cleves, a h i s t o r i c a l novel. But a s i s the case f o r Madame de La F a y e t t e , h i s t o r i c a l decor i s important only insomuch as i t serves as a backdrop f o r the p s y c h o l o g i c a l a c t i o n , which occupies s t a g e - c e n t r e i n the moral drama. I n both L a P r i n c e s s e de Cleves and L a Duchesse d'Estramene, comments o f h i s t o r i c a l import prepare the moral c l i m a t e of the work. Jean Fabre has observed c u l a r r o y a l household that i t i s not important what p a r t i - c o u r t s e t t i n g Madame de L a F a y e t t e chooses t o d e p i c t i n La P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s . it He s t a t e s t h a t i s a n o v e l which r e f u s e s h i s t o r y , and t h a t "a p a r t l a •magnificence', Madame de La F a y e t t e ne demandera r i e n a l a r e a l i t e de l ' h i s t o i r e " . The same may be s a i d of Du P l a i s i r , who does not even t r o u b l e h i s reader with the names of the French and E n g l i s h r u l e r s d u r i n g whose r e i g n s the a c t i o n takes p l a c e . But apart from t h i s p a r a l l e l , one must take care not t o a s s i m i l a t e completely the use of h i s t o r i c a l a l l u s i o n i n La P r i n c e s s e de Cleves and i n L a Duchesse 79 d'Estramene. In a perceptive a r t i c l e , J e a n R o u s s e t has shown t h a t f o r Madame de L a F a y e t t e , h i s t o r y a c t s a s a c o u n t e r point to the n a r r a t i v e . I t i s e v i d e n t , b e f o r e we r e a d past the f i r s t paragraphs o f L a Duchesse d'Estramene, t h a t Du P l a i s i r does n o t make o f t h e h i s t o r i c a l setting a carefully o r c h e s t r a t e d c o u n t e r p o i n t w i t h t h e m o r a l dilemma o f h i s heroine. As t h e s t o r y o f M a d e m o i s e l l e d'Hennebury develops, the d e s c r i p t i o n o f e x t e r n a l events g i v e s way almost e x c l u s i v e l y t o t h e d e p i c t i o n o f an i n t e r n a l c r i s i s , whereas i n L a P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s , t h e study o f Madame de C l e v e s ' m o r a l dilemma a l t e r n a t e s w i t h a commentary on t h e r o l e she must p l a y i n society. I n L a Duchesse d'Estramene, h i s t o r y w i l l n o t s e r v e , then, as an r h y t h m i c a l s y n c o p a t i o n t o t h e m i r r o r - l i k e c o n f r o n t a t i o n of t h e s e l f , but, q u i t e s i m p l y , as a p o i n t o f d e p a r t u r e the p s y c h o l o g i c a l a d v e n t u r e . for I t i s o n l y t h e presence o f t h e u n s c r u p u l o u s Madame d ' H i l m o r r e , an e n t i r e l y fictitious c r e a t i o n ( l i k e t h e o t h e r main c h a r a c t e r s i n t h e n o v e l ) , which serves t o r e i n f o r c e during the r a p i d u n f o l d i n g of the moral dilemma t h e w a r l i k e atmosphere o f c o u r t i n t r i g u e suggested i n t h e i n i t i a l paragraphs o f L a Duchesse d'Estramene. Both Du P l a i s i r and Madame de L a F a y e t t e a r e concerned w i t h a study o f t h e c o n f r o n t a t i o n o f p r i v a t e and p u b l i c m o r a l v a l u e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y as seen i n a h e r o i n e whose a c t i o n s , innocent i n themselves, a r e e v a l u a t e d by a s o c i a l group whose prime o c c u p a t i o n i s t o observe and t o i n t e r p r e t . Madame de 30 La P a y e t t e ' s for c r e a t i o n i s o f course t h e more r i c h o f t h e two, by t h e use o f h i s t o r i c a l o r f i c t i o n a l commentaries d i g r e s s i n g from t h e main p l o t - l i n e , she i s a b l e t o show e f f e c t i v e l y t h a t t h e dilemma o f h e r h e r o i n e i s not without p r e c e d e n t ; t h e c u m u l a t i v e e f f e c t o f t h e s e d i g r e s s i o n s and h i s t o r i c a l a l l u s i o n s serves t o r e i n f o r c e the f a c t that the dichotomy between appearance and r e a l i t y i s i n e v i t a b l e , f o r no member o f such a s o c i e t y i s a b l e t o succeed f o r l o n g In f u s i n g t h e two s k i l f u l l y . One c o u l d o n l y w i s h t h a t D i P l a i s i r had made more e f f e c t i v e use o f h i s t o r i c a l a l l u s i o n t o ?cho i n • chronological perspective of h i s h e r o i n e . t h e m o r a l and p s y c h o l o g i c a l dilemma An e x p l a n a t i o n o f t h i s s t r u c t u r a l weikness may perhaps be found i n t h e Sentiment...; Du P l a i s i r , as a t r u e exponent o f t h e a n t i - n o v e l . o p t s ^ f o r t h e s t r a i g h t - l i n e ; theory i n p l o t s t r u c t u r e , i n r e a c t i o n t o the often extraneous, b a d l y i n t e g r a t e d d i g r e s s i o n s fo-.md i n t h e n o v e l s preceding The of t i e generation. . war s e t t i n g , d e p i c t e d ever so t e r s e l y i n t h e o p e n i n g pages o f L a Duchesse d'Estramene. l e a d s u s t h e n t o i n n e r p s y c h o l o g i c a l t u r m o i l as t h e s t o r y u n f o l d s ; t h e campaigns o f Turenne and t h e F r e n c h K i n g w i l l p l a y a minor, a l t h o u g h supplementary r o l e t o t h e i n t e r n a l c o n f l i c t o f t h e h e r o i n e . The a c t i o n w i l l unfold p a r t i a l l y at the court of Louis XIV, p a r t i a l l y at the court of Charles the c i v i l wars i n England. n o b i l i t y , impatient II i n the years f o l l o w i n g The young men o f t h e E n g l i s h because t h e i r homeland i s a t peace once 81 more, and eager t o take p a r t i n m i l i t a r y combat, a r e c r o s s i n g the Channel t o j o i n t h e F r e n c h a r m i e s . Among t h e s e young men come t o i n s t a l l themselves i n P a r i s a r e t h e Due d'Estramene, accompanied by h i s mother, Madame d ' H i l m o r r e , and t h e Comte d'Hennebury, t o g e t h e r w i t h h i s mother, Madame d'Hennebury and h i s s i s t e r , Mademoiselle d'Hennebury. Madame d'Hennebury has p e r m i t t e d t h e Queen o f England t o choose a husband f o r h e r d a u g h t e r , f o r t h i s a s t u t e monarch "ne v o u l u t pas s'exposer a p e r d r e ce q u i e s t o i t l e p l u s c a p a b l e de f a i r e honneur a. s a Cour". ( I , 12) Even b e f o r e the a r r i v a l o f t h e Due d'Olsingam, whose m o r a l q u a l i t i e s a l l a t c o u r t admire, M a d e m o i s e l l e d'Hennebury f a l l s i n l o v e w i t h h i s p o r t r a i t w h i c h , as t h e a u t h o r w i l l l a t e r r e v e a l , does n o t i n f a c t do j u s t i c e t o t h e p h y s i c a l a t t r i b u t e s o f t h i s o r d i n a r y young man. extra- M a d e m o i s e l l e d'Hennebury i s , however, e x t r e m e l y s e n s i t i v e on t h e s u b j e c t o f h e r r e p u t a t i o n , h e r " g l o i r e " , and i s ashamed t h a t she s h o u l d l o v e a man t o whom she has n o t y e t been f o r m a l l y i n t r o d u c e d — a f r a i d too that she might be s u s p e c t e d by o t h e r s o f h a r b o u r i n g an i n c l i n a t i o n f o r t h e Due d'Olsingam, an i n c l i n a t i o n c o n t r a r y t o t h e p r e c e p t s o f bienscjance e s t a b l i s h e d by t h e s o c i e t y i n t o w h i c h she has been p r e c i p i t a t e d s i n c e h e r i n t r o d u c t i o n a t c o u r t . These two a t t r a c t i v e young people see each o t h e r f o r t h e f i r s t time i n t h e J a r d i n du Roy under f o r t u i t o u s c i r c u m s t a n c e s r e m i n i s c e n t o f t h e a n c l e n s romans. the We cannot deny, however, importance o f t h i s scene where each e s p i e s t h e o t h e r and 82 experiences point feelings i n the u n f o l d i n g of p s y c h o l o g i c a l The i n i t i a l will of for i t import takes not l o g i c a l ; Due d ' O l s i n g a m " c r u t born strolling choisir t o u t e s nos q u i nous subsequently Princesse plays to conduisent In de C l e v e s , the r o l e of this addition, (I, que 35) consent she i s for is the marriage taken i l l f i g u r e who of chosen as who i s as afraid her son-in-law soon a s of the a f t e r h e r r e c e n t b e r e a v e m e n t , begs h e r f i a n c e to r e t u r n to the ranks to obtain possible. In unflattering r o l e as desires obedient l o v e r , of his t o obey r a t h e r t h a n go t o c o u r t t o c a r r y out Madame d ' H e n n e b u r y ' s his La simultaneously o p i n i o n w h i c h would be g e n e r a t e d by s u c h a p r e c i p i t o u s orders and m o t h e r t o t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m a s k s the marriage her daughter, the mother o f the h e r o i n e , saintly surrogate for heart a scene once a g a i n r e m i n i s c e n t t h e y o u n g man whom she h a s r o y a l permission of the pour des d e s s e i n s t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m , dies. does c h o i s i t - i l p a r un de t h e Queen o f E n g l a n d ' s of her daughter As humeur c e t t e l u m i e r e s ne p e u v e n t p e n e t r e r " . to obtain action. i n the J a r d i n du Roy, par mauvaise B e f o r e Madame d ' H e n n e b u r y , able action instantaneously, the reasoning promenade e c a r t d e ; m a i s p e u t - e s t r e l a c e s mouvemens this the i n t e r n a l o v e r by t h e h e r o i n e . suggests that while p r e c i s e l y at precedence over p h y s i c a l e n c o u n t e r , when l o v e i s Du P l a i s i r is t h e drama t h a t be r e l i v e d many t i m e s Pascal, is of l o v e , the union Turenne's English death-bed wish. t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m s u b m i t s f i a n c e e , who w o u l d be ashamed t o have In to given the 83 h e r s e l f t o him "sans g l o i r e & sans r e p u t a t i o n " . I t i s immediately a f t e r the departure ( I , 87) o f the Due d'Olsingam t h a t Madame d ' H i l m o r r e s e t s out t o .aarry h e r s o n , the Due d'Estramene, t o Mademoiselle d'Hennebury, who has come t o s t a y w i t h h e r f o l l o w i n g t h e d e a t h o f Madame d'Hennebury. The Due d'Estramene i s by no means o f t h e same mind as h i s scheming mother w i t h r e g a r d t o m a r r i a g e , v r a y e i n c l i n a t i o n que pour l e s armes. f o r " i l n ' a v o i t de l a galanterie l u i p l a i s o i t sans l ' a t t a c h e r , & i l a v o i t une avert i o n i n v i n c i b l e pour t o u t ce q u i demande de longues e x a c t i t u d e s " . ( I , 9) A f t e r h a v i n g r e f u s e d t h e o f f e r o f t h e Comte d ' E n g l a s t r e , whose daughter " e t o i t d e j a dans s a v i n g t i e m e annee" ( I , 70), and whose c h a r a c t e r i s ? s a r e s u l t a l r e a d y t o o f i r m l y moulded t o p l e a s e t h e devious Madame d ' H i l m o r r e , the 3 a t t e r envisages the p o s s i b i l i t y o f m a i n t a i n i n g t h e good r e p u t a t i o n w h i c h she has e s t a b l i s h e d a t c o u r t by m a r r y i n g d'Hennebury. h e r son "o Mademoiselle Madame d ' H i l m o r r e i s c e r t a i n l y n o t unaware o f her s o n s a t t i t u d e toward- m a r r i a g e , 1 but, as Du P l a i s i r h a s t e n s t o u n d e r l i n e , "ce F i l s e t o i t unique. se d i s p e n s e r d'une a l l i a n c e . " I I ne p o u v a i t ( I , 68) I n o r d e r t o e x t r i c a t e h i m s e l f from a marriage t o Mademoiselle d'Englastre, the prospect o f which f i l l s h i m w i t h h o r r o r , and i n o r d e r t o m a i n t a i n h i s r e p u t a t i o n a t c o u r t , the Due d'Estramene f e i g n s an. i n c l i n a t i o n f o r Mademoiselle . d'Hennebury, and "sans aimer, i l ne n e g l i g e o i t r i e n de t o u t ce q u i p o u v o i t j u s t i f i e r l e p r e t e x t e de son r e f u s " . ( I , 95) 84 He p e r s u a d e s h i m s e l f that " l e temps, l e hazard, ou s o n lui d o n n e r o i t des moyens de s o r t i r de s a f e i n t e a v e c (I, 92-93) s o r t e d out D e s t i n y would n o t , honneur". u n f o r t u n a t e l y , have the m a t t e r i n s u c h an i d e a l f a s h i o n . In the course of Madame d ' H i l m o r r e r e v e a l s h e r c a r e f u l l y c o n c e i v e d p l a n Mademoiselle d'Hennebury, of the marriage royal A l t h o u g h t h u n d e r s t r u c k by news, that is Mademoiselle d'Hennebury i s mother w i l l an a c c o m p l i c e t o the n a r r a t o r , is, unfortunately, not As a r e s u l t , Du P l a i s i r ' s b a s e d upon a under the for this impression him The r e a d e r , this so. t h e Due d ' E s t r a m e n e Mademoiselle d'Hennebury t h e Due d ' E s t r a m e n e , is not In t h e o n l y one order to believing herself assure safe an inclination in'donning she assumes t h a t Madame d ' H i l m o r r e w i l l a r e c o n d i t i o n e d by t h e s o c i e t y of f o r t h e Due simulates have t o l d h e r son of the planned m a r r i a g e . actions misunder- knows i n a d v a n c e t h a t c h a r a c t e r s to f e i g n l o v e . mask, f o r The s u r e l y have t o l d her p e r s o n a l triumph over her t r u e f e e l i n g s d'Olsingam, original the o t h e r . o f h e r p r o p o s e d m a r r i a g e w i t h t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m . as her t h e s e two y o u n g p e o p l e who h a v e events which ensues t h e Due d ' E s t r a m e n e ' s to l e t and t o f o l l o w h e r a b s o l u t e l y no i n c l i n a t i o n w h a t s o e v e r one f o r unhappy c h a i n o f gain Mademoiselle Madame d ' H i l m o r r e c h o o s e s n o t of u n i t i n g i n marriage standing: to o n l y t o be t o l d by t h e y o u n g woman s o n know o f t h e y o u n g woman's p l a n s , project time, f o r w h i c h Madame d ' H e n n e b u r y had h o p e d t o approval. d'Hennebury's adresse certainly Marionnettes of which they are whose a 85 p a r t , b o t h Mademoiselle d'Hennebury and t h e Due d'Estramene respond l i g h t h e a r t e d l y t o each o t h e r ' s c o u r t s h i p , c o m p l e t e l y unaware o f t h e consequences of t h e i r behavior; i t i s t h i s u n f o r t u n a t e m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g which w i l l l e a d them i n t o a m a r r i a g e based n o t on l o v e , b u t on t h e d e s i r e t o keep honour and r e p u t a t i o n i n t a c t . When t h e Due d'Olsingam r e t u r n s t o P a r i s a f t e r t h e b a t t l e s f o u g h t under Turenne, Mademoiselle d'Hennebury b e l i e v e s h e r s e l f f r e e t o c a r r y out t h e proposed m a r r i a g e arrangements, f o r she deems h e r s e l f t o have been s u c c e s s f u l i n d i s s i m u l a t i n g from t h e c o u r t t h e d i s r u p t i n g e f f e c t s o f u n s a n c t i o n e d p a s s i o n . But t h e u n s c r u p u l o u s Madame d ' H i l m o r r e c o n t i n u e s t o p r o s e c u t e her plan w i t h vigour. A p e r s p i c a c i o u s o b s e r v e r , she b e l i e v e s t h a t Mademoiselle d'Hennebury i s e x p e r i e n c i n g a r e n e w a l o f i n t e r e s t toward h e r son — a t l e a s t she uses t h i s p r e t e x t f o r t i f i e d w i t h c o n s i d e r a b l e bad f a i t h t o j u s t i f y t o h e r s e l f the s t e p s which she has j u s t t a k e n i n o b t a i n i n g r o y a l approb a t i o n f o r t h e m a r r i a g e o f h e r son w i t h M a d e m o i s e l l e d'Hennebury. A f r a g i l e pawn w i t h o u t w o r l d l y e x p e r i e n c e i n t h e hands o f such a c a l c u l a t i n g woman, Mademoiselle d'Hennebury r e a l i z e s t h a t h e r d e c i s i o n t o marry t h e Due d'Olsingam i s doomed. Love, j u s t i f i e d by t h e v e r y i n s t a n t a n e i t y o f i t s c o n c e p t i o n , l o s e s t o a s e l f - c o n s u m i n g d e s i r e t o keep up appearances. So ends the f i r s t volume o f t h i s f a s t - m o v i n g n a r r a t i v e , on a tone o f mutual d e s p a i r , h o r r o r and even h a t r e d , w i t h t h e u n i o n o f 36 Mademoiselle d'Hennebury and the Due d'Estramene. "Ils t r o u v e r e n t que 1'importance des maux q u ' i l s avoient v o u l u e v i t e r , n ' a v o i t aucune e g a l i t e avec ceux ou i l s e t o i e n t tombez". ( I , 200) T h e i r d i s t a s t e one f o r the other does not, however, stop them from g i v i n g others "quelques p r e t e x t e s " ( I , 200) mauvais So e x p l a i n t h e i r immediate estrangement. The c h o i c e of the word " p r e t e x t e s " t o end the n a r r a t i o n of the f i r s t volume of La Duchesse d' Sstramen.i i s indeed f e l i c i tous. Du P l a i s i r has chosen h i s vocabular;/ with care, consequently u n d e r l i n i n g the f a c t t h a t i n ;he b a t t l e waged c o n t i n u a l l y between 1 ' e t r e and l e p a r a i t r e i n t h i s frivolous and somewhat shallow s o c i a l m i l i e u , i t i s always l e p a r a i t r e which emerges as v i c t o r . The d e s p a i r i n g tone w i t h which the f i r s t volume of La Duchesse d'Estramene ends continues to be .jehoed i n the opening pages of the second volume. I t i s of importance to note t h a t as we progress i n t o the second h a l f of the n o v e l , a l l u s i o n s to decor and to h i s t o r i c a l events become i n c r e a s i n g l y s c a r c e ; as the drama u n f o l d s , the a c t i o n becomes more i n t e r n a l i z e d , more p s y c h o l o g i c a l — ressemblances another of the many w i t h La P r i n c e s s e de Cleves. Mademoiselle d'Hennebury and her husband are thus u n i t e d i n aeternam, although they h a r d l y know each other and are completely unaware of the f a c t that t h e i r a v e r s i o n i s mutual. Madame d'Estramene can only l o o k upon h e r s e l f w i t h h o r r o r : "sans cesse e l l e avOit devant l e s yeux c e t t e foy q u ' e l l e 87 a v o i t accordee a un a u t r e qu'au Due d'Olsingam". ( I I , 3) S i n c e r e and v i r t u o u s , she c o n s i d e r s as c r i m i n a l h e r t h o u g h t s concerning t h e man she l o v e s ; she t h e r e f o r e b e g i n s t o make an e f f o r t to recognize i n h e r husband "des s o i n s & des c o m p l a i s a n c e s dont l e c o e u r l e p l u s porte" a 1 ' a s s u j e t i s s e m e n t & a. l a p a s s i o n , n ' a u r o i t jamais ete" c a p a b l e " . ( I I , 5-6) Soon, however, b o t h t h e Due and t h e Duchesse d'Estramene r e a l i z e t h a t n e i t h e r o f them i s happy i n t h i s new arrangement, and each b e l i e v e s h i m s e l f t o be t h e cause o f t h e unhappiness of the other. Due Unable t o c o n c e a l any l o n g e r h e r l o v e f o r t h e d'Olsingam, Madame d'Estramene throws h e r s e l f a t h e r husband's f e e t , prepared t o r e v e a l h e r p a s s i o n . This confes- s i o n i s , however, s t i f l e d by t h e Due d'Estramene's a d m i s s i o n t h a t he i s i n c a p a b l e o f l o v i n g h e r , o r any woman, f o r t h a t matter. The s t a r k scene which ensues i s r i c h l y e v o c a t i v e ; a c e r t a i n p o e t i c beauty c h a r a c t e r i z e s t h e t r e m b l i n g remarks o f the Due d'Estramene, a l l t h e more s i g n i f i c a n t and p o i g n a n t since the author i n f r e q u e n t l y allows t h i s character t o express himself i n direct discourse. G r e a t l y d i s t u r b e d , t h e Due d'Estramene sees no s o l u t i o n t o h i s p e r s o n a l problem t h a n t h a t o f f l e e i n g t h e presence o f h i s w i f e . other "Je p a r s " , he d e c l a r e s , "& j e p a r s Egalement penetre" de l a d o u l e u r , & de vous a v o i r rendu malheureuse, & de ne p o u v o i r moy-mesme e s t r e heureux de vous posseder". ( I , 25) The immediate r e a c t i o n o f Madame d'Estramene upon h e a r i n g t h e unexpected c o n f e s s i o n i s one o f j o y i n t h e a s s u r a n c e t h a t h e r husband 88 i s not, as she had f e a r e d , aware o f her l o v e f o r the Due d'Olsingam. Such i s her r e l i e f i n t h i s regard that she i s s c a r c e l y aware of h e r husband's l a c k o f f e e l i n g and attachment f o r her and f o r women i n g e n e r a l . Madame d'Estramene's reasoning The n o t a b l e aspect of i s t h a t she no l o n g e r , f o r the moment, regards her i n c l i n a t i o n f o r the Due d'Olsingam as a crime, a c o n c l u s i o n c o n d i t i o n e d by the f a c t t h a t her husband does not l o v e her. Due S e c r e t l y , i n an apostrophe t o the absent d'Olsingam, Madame d'Estramene u t t e r s w i t h a c e r t a i n relief: "Je pourray me souvenir de vous, £ •U J® pourray y penser sans c r a i n d r e q u ' i l m'en coute des crimes". The news of the Due d'Estramene's departure however, e q u a l l y p l e a s i n g t o Madame d'Hilmorre; ( I I , 28) i s not, she sees i n her son's r a s h a c t i o n the imminent d e s t r u c t i o n of the r e p u t a t i o n which she has b u i l t up f o r h e r s e l f a t c o u r t . completely She i s unconcerned by the unhappiness which she has caused; n e v e r t h e l e s s , as Du P l a i s i r remarks, " 1 ' i n t e r e s t de sa r e p u t a t i o n l u y donnoit pesante". encor une s o r t e d ' a f f l i c t i o n plus ( I I , 35) The heroine soon r e a l i z e s however that the e r r a t i c conduct of her husband does not r e l i e v e her o f her r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s as a w i f e . She consequently asks h e r mother-in-law to l e a v e P a r i s and t o accompany her back t o the E n g l i s h c o u r t , "puis qu'apparement son Mary y r e t o u r n o i t " . ( I I , 37-38) In s p i t e of her s c r u p l e s r e g a r d i n g v i r t u e , and her acceptance o f the r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s of marriage, Madame d'Estramene does not 89 r e a c t toward t h e s i t u a t i o n e n t i r e l y . i n good f a i t h . Upon l e a r n i n g t h a t h e r husband i s n o t i n England, she " s e n t i t quelque s o r t e de r e p o s , d ' a v o i r s a t i s f a i t s a v e r t u , sans e s t r e a une veue q u ' e l l e a v o i t e n t i e r e m e n t apprehende". exposde Madame d ' H i l m o r r e , n o r m a l l y calm and c a l c u l a t i n g , demonstrates a l a r m : " e l l e t r o u v o i t q u ' e l l e n ' e t o i t revenue a l o n d r e s que pour e s t r e p r e s e n t e a. l ' e n t i e r e r u i n e de s a g l o i r e , & de l a reputation qu'elle avoit acquise". ( I I , 41-42) Not l a c k i n g i n e x p e r i e n c e o f c o u r t l i f e , Madame d ' H i l m o r r e i s e x t r e m e l y s e n s i t i v e t o t h e way i n which a c t i o n s may be m i s i n t e r p r e t e d by o t h e r s . B e f o r e l o n g , Madame d'Estramene becomes aware t h a t she has n o t succeeded i n k e e p i n g s e c r e t t h e p r o j e c t e d m a r r i a g e t o t h e Due d'Olsingam; i t i s t h e p e r s p i c a c i o u s Queen of England who (not u n l i k e t h e Dauphine i n L a P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s ) remarks upon t h i s f a c t , and who succeeds i n making the young woman drop h e r f e e b l e d e f e n c e s and b e t r a y h e r t r u e f e e l i n g s by a d i s p l a y o f u n c o n t r o l l e d weeping. the Once a g a i n , e x p e r i e n c e d Madame d ' H i l m o r r e comes t o t h e r e s c u e , t o c a r r y o f f s u c c e s s f u l l y y e t another of her c a r e f u l l y worked- out schemes; t h i s hardened woman o f t h e c o u r t succeeds i n s t i f l i n g any h i n t o f p a s s i o n between h e r d a u g h t e r - i n - l a w and the Due d'Olsingam. S t i l l i n t e n t on p r e s e r v i n g h e r own r e p u t a t i o n , Madame d ' H i l m o r r e does n o t h e s i t a t e t o t e l l t h e Queen o f h e r son's a t t i t u d e toward women and m a r i t a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y , which has caused him t o l e a v e h i s w i f e of a few days. To t h e Queen, n o t so e a s i l y d i s s u a d e d from h e r i n i t i a l 90 o p i n i o n , Madame d ' H i l m o r r e p o i n t s out t h a t t h e sadness o f t h e Duchesse d'Estramene i s o c c a s i o n e d o n l y by " l a c o n d u i t e de son Mary, l a d o u l e u r d'en e t r e h a i e , & d'en e t r e d e l a i s s e e " . ( I I , 70) So c o n v i n c i n g i s t h e argument o f Madame d ' H i l m o r r e * t h a t t h e Queen ceases t o pursue f u r t h e r t h e q u e s t i o n and r e v i s e s as a r e s u l t h e r i n i t i a l o p i n i o n ; once more, Madame d'Estramene i s n e c e s s a r i l y i n d e b t e d t o , and hence i n c r e a s i n g l y r e l i a n t upon, h e r u n s c r u p u l o u s m o t h e r - i n - l a w . A f t e r b e i n g concerned p r i m a r i l y w i t h t h e dilemma o f t h e w i f e , t h e a u t h o r now s h i f t s h i s f o c u s o f p s y c h o l o g i c a l a t t e n t i o n t o t h e husband and t o t h e d e s e r t e d fiance\ In a small I t a l i a n v i l l a g e , t h e Due d'Estramene and t h e Due d'Olsingam meet. The e f f e c t c r e a t e d i s s t r u c t u r a l l y and v i s u a l l y dyptical: t h e i r r e s p o n s i b l e husband e n s l a v e d by h i s egocen- t r i c i t y i n one p a n e l o f t h e p a i n t i n g , p o u r s out t h e d e t a i l s of h i s p e r s o n a l dilemma t o t h e n o b l e young c o u r t i e r i n t h e o t h e r p a n e l , who, arms o u t s t r e t c h e d i n understanding, o f f e r s a p o s s i b l e s o l u t i o n without r e v e a l i n g t o the other h i s i d e n t i t y o r h i s i n t i m a t e i n v o l v e m e n t i n t h e a f f a i r a t hand. The Due d'Olsingam, who has consented t o l i s t e n t o t h e Due d'Estramene: o n l y because he f e a r s f o r t h e h e a l t h o f M a d e m o i s e l l e d'Hennebury, wisely advises t h e Due d'Estramene t o r e t u r n t o h i s w i f e and to accept the r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s o f marriage, i n order t o avoid the i n d i g n a t i o n o f K i n g and c o u r t i e r a l i k e . The fianc£ p o i n t s out t o t h e husband "tous l e s malheurs £.\} q u i d o i v e n t estre ( I I , 85) Thus d v i t e z p a r un Homme d'honneur e t de q u a l i t y " . 91 reminded o f h i s duty as a husband, t h e Due d'Estramene leaves I t a l y prepared t o p l a y h i s r o l e i n t h e show o f appearances i n w h i c h he i s engaged w i t h h i s w i f e . In spite of f a i l i n g health, the Due d'Olsingam i n t u r n l e a v e s p o s t h a s t e t o ensure t h a t the Due d'Estramene does n o t renege on h i s promise o f c o n j u g a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y and f i d e l i t y . setting f o r the action. Once more, London becomes t h e I t i s i n t h e home o f t h e h e r o i n e ' s b r o t h e r , t h e Comte d'Hennebury, t h a t two scenes t a k e p l a c e , r i c h i n pathos l a r g e l y because o f t h e use o f d i r e c t d i s c o u r s e , a t e c h n i q u e r a r e l y employed i n t h i s n o v e l . I n t h e f i r s t o f t h e s e two s c e n e s , Madame d'Bstramene a r r i v e s a t h e r b r o t h e r ' s home t o f i n d , t o h e r g r e a t s u r p r i s e , t h e Due d'Olsingam i n bed, g r a v e l y i l l and n e a r d e a t h . A l l r e s o l u t i o n s o f r e n u n c i a t i o n a r e broken as soon a s t h e h e r o i n e ' s eyes p e r c e i v e once a g a i n t h e Due d'Olsingam. We w i t n e s s t h e re-enactment o f t h e scene i n t h e J a r d i n du Roy. In spite of the p h y s i c a l changes brought about i n t h e Due d'Olsingam by h i s r e c e n t i l l n e s s , Madame d'Estramene recognizes i n her f i a n c e "ces mesmes t r a i t s , dont l a p r e m i e r e veue 1 ' a v o i t touched pour l e r e s t e de s e s j o u r s , & dont l e s o u v e n i r t r o p n a t u r e l & t r o p a i m a b l e , l u y c o u t o i t sans c e s s e t a n t de combats, c r u e l s & i n u t i l e s " . ( I I , 104-105) The young w i f e speaks t o t h e Due d'Olsingam o f t h e " p r o f o n d e u r de l'abysme" ( I I , 118) i n t o which she has been p r e c i p i t a t e d because o f h e r i n c l i n a t i o n f o r him. S t i l l concerned w i t h h e r p e r s o n a l r e p u t a t i o n and t h e e s t i m e i n which she i s h e l d a t c o u r t , 92 Madame d'Estramene f e a r s t h a t t h e i r l o v e , w h i c h s t i l l persists, and t h e f a c t t h a t they have seen each o t h e r , w i l l be found o u t . "Vous pouvez vous r e p r e s e n t e r fj. ce que me peut couter v o t r e veue du cote de ma g l o i r e ; mais vous ne pouvez ce q u ' e l l e me c o u t e r a du cote de ma t e n d r e s s e " , concevoir she e x c l a i m s . ( I I , 121) The o n l y p o s s i b l e s o l u t i o n w h i c h Madame d'Estramene e n v i s a g e s a t t h i s time i s f l i g h t . She t h e r e f o r e a s k s t h e Due d'Olsingam t o l e a v e England as soon as he has s u f f i c i e n t l y regained h i s strength. When t h e l a t t e r r e p l i e s t h a t he w i l l not have need t o l e a v e the c o u n t r y , f o r h i s d e a t h i s imminent, Madame d'Estramene breaks once more h e r r e s o l u t i o n n o t t o g i v e i n t o h e r f e e l i n g s and throws h e r s e l f upon him " t o u t e eperdue", a d r a m a t i c g e s t u r e , e f f e c t i v e because i t i s r a r e i n t h i s v e r y r e s t r a i n e d work. The Due d'Olsingam r e a d s i n t o t h i s f r e n e t i c , d e s p e r a t e movement a s i n c e r e d e s i r e on t h e p a r t o f Madame d'Estramene t h a t he should n o t d i e , and, more importantly, the r e v e l a t i o n that h i s love i s reciprocated. B u r n i n g w i t h f e v e r and f e e l i n g d e a t h draw ever c l o s e r , he a s k s Madame d'Estramene n o t t o p i t y him: " j e ne s u i s p l u s malheureux p u i s q u e j e s£ay que vous ne m'avez jamais hay; & s i j e ne p u i s vous aimer longtemps, au moins e m p o r t e r a y - j e l a c o n s o l a t i o n de vous a v o i r aimee jusqu'au d e r n i e r moment de ma v i e " . ( I I , 139-140) F e a r i n g t h a t h e r presence w i l l augment t h e s u f f e r i n g o f t h e Due d'Olsingam, Madame d'Estramene l e a v e s h e r b r o t h e r ' s house, l i t t l e aware o f t h e f a c t t h a t she has seen h e r former f i a n c e f o r t h e l a s t time. 93 S h o r t l y a f t e r the departure of Madame d'Estramene, the Comte d'Hennebury sees h i s b r o t h e r - i n - l a w a r r i v e on the scene. The Due d'Sstrarnene i s of course s u r p r i s e d t o see i n England, and e s p e c i a l l y a t the home of the Comte d'Hennebury, the melancholy, a i l i n g c o u r t i e r w i t h whom he had r e c e n t l y talked i n Savoy. explains Without naming h i m s e l f , the Due d'Olsingam to the Due d'Estramene his. engagement w i t h Mademoiselle d'Hennebury. emphasizes Magnanimous and s e l f l e s s , the Due d'Olsingam again the n e c e s s i t y of keeping up a pretense t o Madame d'Estramene, and counsels the Due d'Estramene that h i s only task i s the f o l l o w i n g : toute l a t e r r e adore". "aimer, & aimer une Personne que ( I I , 149) Content i n the knowledge t h a t Madame d'Sstrarnene w i l l no l o n g e r s u f f e r as a r e s u l t o f u n j u s t conduct on the part of her husband, the Due d'Olsingam d i e s i n a s a i n t l y f a s h i o n which harmonizes w i t h the i d e a l i z a t i o n of h i s c h a r a c t e r . The r e l i g i o u s vocabulary which Du P l a i s i r uses t o n a r r a t e the death scene serves t o u n d e r l i n e the pious d i g n i t y of t h i s c h a r a c t e r , more pure perhaps than any common mortal could hope t o be. A f t e r h i s death, "ses yeux, sans a v o i r c e t a i r a f f r e u x de l a mort, demeurerent e l e v e z au C i e l avec une douceur q u i temoignoit b i e n que son ame dans c e t t e s e p a r a t i o n n ' a v o i t p o i n t e t e t r o u b i e e par l e remords d'une conscience malheureuse". ( I I , 152-153) The ending of the second volume i s u n f o r t u n a t e l y by the m o r a l i z i n g a t t i t u d e of the author. marred The Due d'Estramene, we a r e t o l d , begins t o accept h i s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y toward h i s 94 w i f e , who i s i n t u r n g r a t e f u l t o him f o r t h e e f f o r t which he makes, and f e e l s c o n s e q u e n t l y t h e b e g i n n i n g o f "une v e r i t a b l e a f f e c t i o n " f o r him. The r e a d e r i s l e f t w i t h t h e d i s t i n c t i m p r e s s i o n t h a t t h e a u t h o r f i n d s more worthy a m a r r i a g e based on mutual esteem than a u n i o n based on a coup de f o u d r e ; t h e Due and t h e Duchesse d'Bstramene, a c c o r d i n g t o Du P l a i s i r , "par c e s mutuels egards f o r m a i e n t dans l e u r s coeurs une a m i t i e e g a l e a l ' e s t i m e q u ' i l [ s i c ] a v o i e n t l ' u n pour 1 ' a u t r e . C e t t e a m i t i e augmentoit tous l e s j o u r s , & e l l e e s t aujourd'huy en un e"tat q u i peut b i e n montrer que l a r a i s o n & l a v e r t u peuvent former des noeuds a u s s i f o r t s que ceux q u i sont formez p a r 1 ' i n c l i n a t i o n l a p l u s v i o l e n t e & l a p l u s n a t u r e l l e " . ( I I , 185-186) The work thus ends on a somewhat honeyed n o t e , w i t h a d e p i c t i o n o f t h e happy c o u p l e l i v i n g n o t a t c o u r t , b u t , s i g n i f i c a n t l y , i n a house i n t h e London suburbs, "avec cette douceur & c e t t e p a i x que l ' o n goute dans l e s Mariages q u i sont 1'ouvrage du C i e l " . R a t h e r than take h e r p l a c e i n s o c i e t y , and t h e r e b y r i s k h a v i n g h e r every a c t i o n observed and m i s i n t e r p r e t e d , Du P l a i s i r ' s h e r o i n e chooses t h e i s o l a t i o n o f c o u n t r y l i f e , where t h e presence o f h e r husband w i l l , she t h i n k s , prevent h e r from p o n d e r i n g on a p a s t which has f o r h e r c r i m i n a l implications. I t i s t o be noted t h a t t h e l a s t p o r t r a i t we have o f Madame d'Estramene i s t h a t o f a young woman l a n g u i s h i n g away. The author a t t r i b u t e s t h i s l a n g u o r n o t t o "quelque r e s t e d ' a f f e c t i o n " f o r t h e Due d'Olsingam, b u t , r a t h e r , t o " l a honte d ' a v o i r 6t6 un temps sans aimer son Mary". ( I I , 190) On t h i s n o t e , not e n t i r e l y c o n v i n c i n g , the n o v e l ends. 96 CHAPTER I : FOOTNOTES "•"(Paris, 1678). 2 "L'Art de 1'analyse dans L a P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s . " C a h i e r s de L i t t e r a t u r e . mai 1966, pp. 15-17. 'La P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s . " Forme e t s i g n i f i c a t i o n : e s s a i s s u r l e s s t r u c t u r e s l i t t e r a i r e s de C o r n e i l l e a C l a u d e l ( P a r i s , 196477 pp. 17-44. 97 CHAPTER I I NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE We might b e g i n our d i s c u s s i o n of n a r r a t i v e t e c h n i q u e w i t n a remark by Georges P o u l e t r e g a r d i n g L a P r i n c e s s e de Cleves. to He contends t h a t the aim o f Madame de L a F a y e t t e i s e s t a b l i s h the r e l a t i o n s h i p between p a s s i o n and existence,"*" and t h a t the main q u e s t i o n f o r w h i c h she endeavours t o f i n d a r e p l y i n L a P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s i s the f o l l o w i n g : Comment e t a b l i r ou r e t a b l i r une c o n t i n u i t y dans 1 ' e x i s t e n c e parmi 1 ' i r r u p t i o n a n a r c h i q u e et d e s t r u c t i v e , l a d i s c o n t i n u i t e r a d i c a l e ^ q u i e s t 1'essence meme de l a passion? P o u l e t ' s remarks c o u l d p e r t a i n as w e l l t o L a d'Estramene. Duchesse The h e r o i n e ' s m o r a l dilemma c o n s i s t s essentially i n h e r h a v i n g t o come t o terms w i t h h e r f e e l i n g s f o r the Due d'Olsingam, f e e l i n g s which have so t o speak broken the cont i n u i t y o f h e r e x i s t e n c e and r e n d e r e d h e r u n a b l e t o f u n c t i o n i n a s o c i e t y b u i l t on e x t e r n a l . d i s p l a y . Thus, L a Duchesse d'Estramene i s , l i k e La P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s , a n o v e l o f " v i s i o n " i n w h i c h the element of time p l a y s a d e c i s i v e r o l e : l o v e born of the i n i t i a l g l a n c e shared by two persons i s i r r e v e r s i b l e and w i t h o u t a p a s t . The drama o f M a d e m o i s e l l e d'Hennebury about t o u n f o l d i n Du P l a i s i r ' s two t h i n volumes c o u l d be c a l l e d a drama of o b s e r v e r and observed, f o r once l o v e has i n s t a l l e d i t s e l f i n the h e a r t of the h e r o i n e , no l o n g e r w i l l i t be p o s s i b l e f o r h e r t o hide i t from o t h e r s any more than from h e r s e l f , f o r j>assion which o v e r - r u l e s r e a s o n d i s o r g a n i z e s on the p h y s i c a l l e v e l as w e l l . J.-P. S a r t r e has 98 d e f i n e d h e l l as omnipresent observers, "others". I n La Duchesse d'Estramene h e l l i s u n q u e s t i o n a b l y the caged f e e l i n g e x p e r i e n c e d by man forced to play a r o l e i n a r e s t r i c t i v e s o c i a l s e t t i n g , but more s p e c i f i c a l l y , i t i s t h e absence o f o t h e r s , f o r s o l i t a r y confinement i n s t i g a t e s on the p a r t o f Du P l a i s i r ' s h e r o i n e an u n c o m f o r t a b l y n a r c i s s i s t i c descent the s e l f . A comparison into w i t h P a s c a l ' s conception of d i v e r t i s s e - ment i s p e r t i n e n t i n Du P l a i s i r ' s n o v e l ; the h e l l o f Madame d'Estramene i s p r e c i s e l y t h a t o f man as P a s c a l d e f i n e s him: v an e x i l e who becomes aware o f the m i s e r y of t h e human c o n d i t i o n the moment he i s w i t h o u t d i v e r s i o n s . Du P l a i s i r p r e s e n t s us i n the opening pages o f h i s work w i t h the p o r t r a i t o f a young woman who love: has never experienced " i l l u y e t o i t a i s e de r e p o s e r confidemment s u r l e n a i s s a n t e t a t de son coeur. E l l e i g n o r o i t encore l a f o r c e des i n c l i n a t i o n s , & e l l e eust ete b i e n e l o i g n e d de c r a i n d r e que l ' o n pust a v o i r p l u s que de l ' e s t i m e pour un Homme qu'on n'a p o i n t veu". (I, 21) He q u e s t i o n s i n f a c t the p r e c i e u x l o v e e t h i c , a c c o r d i n g t o which r e a s o n , c h o i c e and o f the b e l o v e d determine connaissance the b l o s s o m i n g of p a s s i o n . As P o u l e t p o i n t s out, f o r the P.ambouillet group " l ' o n n'aime que ce qu'on admire, et l ' o n n'admire que ce que l ' o n c o n n a i t deja". Such i s not the c o n t e n t i o n expressed by Du Plaisir. From the moment h i s h e r o i n e r e a l i z e s the overwhelming s i g n i f i c a n c e o f f e e l i n g s aroused when she f i r s t sees the Due d'Olsingam, the l i n e a r movement of La Duchesse d'Sstrarnene i s 99 c h a r a c t e r i z e d by what c o u l d g r a p h i c a l l y spiral descent i n time. series o f c i r c u l a r movements t h a t the s t r u c t u r e of h i s impart to his It by t h e r e p e t i t i o n o f Du P l a i s i r is a this able to fuse work and t h e meaning he e n d e a v o u r s to reader. One c a n n o t t h e n speak events is be i l l u s t r a t e d a s i n L a Duchesse of a c h r o n o l o g i c a l p r o g r e s s i o n d'Estramene. Bernard Pingaud's of remarks on t h e u s e o f t i m e as a l i t e r a r y t e c h n i q u e by Madame de L a F a y e t t e a r e a p p l i c a b l e a l s o t o Du P l a i s i r ' s of the h e r o i n e ' s first gradual self-discovery e n c o u n t e r w i t h Nemours, he n o t e s work. Speaking i n r e l a t i o n to her that: I I n ' y a u r a pas de p r o g r e s a p r o p r e m e n t parler: Mime de C l e v e s n ' a i m e pas d a v a n t a g e Nemours a. l a f i n du l i v r e q u ' a u debut. S e u l e m e n t , e l l e se c o n n a i t m i e u x . Au l i e u de se p r e s e n t e r comme un i t i n e r a i r e j a l o n n e p a r des a c q u i s i t i o n s successives q u i p r o v o q u e r a i e n t a u t a n t de changements dans l e s p e r s o n n a g e s , l ' h i s t o i r e de 1*amour s e r a done c e l l e d ' u n e d ^ c o u v e r t e que 1 ' h e r o i n e a c c o m p l i t en q u e l q u e s o r t e s u r place. Chaque e f f o r t q u ' e l l e f e r a p o u r a b o l i r l ' e v e n e m e n t i n i t i a l ne s e r v i r a qu'a l e rendre plus p r e s t i g i e u x . L'amour n ' y g a g n e r a r i e n , s i n o n l a c o n s c i e n c e de p l u s en p l u s e f f r a y a n t e de s e s f a i b l e s s e s . L e s E p i s o d e s s u c c e s s i f s de c e t t e d ^ c o u v e r t e sont l e s etapes d'une descente h e s i t a n t e , d o u l o u r e u s e ; chacun d ' e u x r £ p e t e exactement c e l u i q u i l ' a p r e c e d e , a un n i v e a u p l u s profond.4 A c l o s e d , c e l l u l a r t i m e , i n which the o r d e r of events less importance than t h e i r r e p e t i t i o n , such i s w h i c h Madame D ' E s t r a m e n e , t h e Due too, is is of the p r i s o n c o n f i n e d by h e r l o v e to for d'Olsingam. W h i l e we c a n n o t trace a chronological progression of the 100 development o f l o v e i n L a Duchesse d'Estramene, we c a n , as G. P o u l e t has done f o r L a P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s , d i s t i n g u i s h an a c c u m u l a t i o n of successive experiences on t h e p a r t o f t h e c e n t r a l c h a r a c t e r . and s e l f - d i s c o v e r i e s P o u l e t remarks t h a t i n L a P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s t h i s s i m u l t a n e o u s movement "s'accomplit en une double s e r i e d'etapes d i s t i n c t e s , dont chacune a son c a r a c t e r e propre mais q u i ont t o u t e s pour t r a i t commun l a p r i o r i t y du movement du coeur s u r c e l u i de 1 ' e s p r i t " . time t h e h e r o i n e r e - e x p e r i e n c e s w i t h the beloved, t h e moment o f i n i t i a l Each encounter she d i s c o v e r s something new about h e r f e e l i n g s while simultaneously r e a l i z i n g t h a t she i s p o w e r l e s s t o c o n t r o l t h e s e f e e l i n g s which she i s e x p e r i e n c i n g : C'est c o n n a i t r e que l ' o n ne peut pas ne pas aimer, c o n n a i t r e qu'on n ' e s t pas m a i t r e de s e s s e n t i m e n t s , p u i s qu'on n ' e s t p l u s m a i t r e de s e s g e s t e s , n i de son v i s a g e , . n i de s e s p a r o l e s ; p u i s c ' e s t c o n n a i t r e qu'on ne peut p l u s c o n n a i t r e , que l a c o n s c i e n c e se t r o u b l e , que l e c e n t r e de l a c i t a d e l l e e s t d e j a comme l e r e s t e , e n t r e l e s mains de l ' e n n e m i . " There remains b u t one road open t o t h e woman condemned because of h e r i n c l i n a t i o n t o h e r own p r i v a t e h e l l : s e c r e t t o h e r husband. the h e r o i n e s confession of the T h i s i s t h e s o l u t i o n adopted by b o t h o f Madame de L a P a y e t t e and Du P l a i s i r , i n an attempt t o r e g a i n what P o u l e t c a l l s " c e t t e c o n t i n u i t y de s o i , c e t t e f i d e l i t y a. s o i , q u i f o n t de l a v i e , non un chaos 7 d ' i n s t a n t s mais une u n i t e t e m p o r e l l e " . The o n l y means by w h i c h t h e h e r o i n e can a r r e s t h e r s p i r a l d e s c e n t i n t o t h e m o r a l abyss t o which she r e f e r s w i t h t r e p i d a t i o n i s t o f o r b i d 101 h e r s e l f v i s u a l a c c e s s t o the b e l o v e d . i s the o n l y guarantee T h i s s o r t of d e p r i v a t i o n f o r the t r a n q u i l l i t y o f the s o u l . The q u e s t i o n of the use o f time as a t e c h n i c a l d e v i c e by Du P l a i s i r i s r e l a t e d t o t h a t of a u t h o r i a l presence. For t h i s r e a s o n , i t s h o u l d be f u r t h e r examined i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h the c r e a t i v e p r o c e s s and the work c r e a t e d , Du P l a i s i r a u t h o r and the personages who B e f o r e examining the inhabit h i s c r e a t i v e world. the s p e c i f i c methods w h i c h Du P l a i s i r uses t o p r e s e n t h i s c h a r a c t e r s and t o h i g h l i g h t t h e i r inter- r e l a t i o n s h i p s , l e t us l o o k a t two a s p e c t s of n a r r a t i v e t e c h n i q u e which m e r i t e l u c i d a t i o n : the r o l e of the author and h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p t o h i s work, and, f o l l o w i n g t h i s , p o i n t o f view and temporal Two awareness. terms which should be d e f i n e d a t t h i s p o i n t a r e "summary" and "scene". A c l e a r d e f i n i t i o n o f "summary" and i t s purpose i s g i v e n by F i e l d i n g i n Tom Jones: We i n t e n d i n i t [ t h e novel] r a t h e r t o pursue the method of those w r i t e r s who p r o f e s s t o d i s p o s e the r e v o l u t i o n s o f c o u n t r i e s , than t o i m i t a t e the p a i n f u l and voluminous h i s t o r i a n , who, t o p r e s e r v e the r e g u l a r i t y of h i s s e r i e s , t h i n k s h i m s e l f o b l i g e d t o f i l l up as much paper w i t h the d e t a i l s of months and y e a r s i n which n o t h i n g remarkable happened, as he employs upon those n o t a b l e eras when the g r e a t e s t scenes have been t r a n s a c t e d on the human s t a g e . Such h i s t o r i e s as these do i n r e a l i t y v e r y much resemble a newspaper, which c o n s i s t s of j u s t the same number of words, whether t h e r e be any news i n i t or n o t . . . Now i t i s our purpose i n the e n s u i n g pages t o pursue a c o n t r a r y method: when 102 any e x t r a o r d i n a r y scene p r e s e n t s i t s e l f , as we t r u s t w i l l o f t e n be the case, we s h a l l spare no p a i n s n o r paper t o open i t a t l a r g e t o our r e a d e r ; b u t i f whole y e a r s s h o u l d pass w i t h o u t p r o d u c i n g anyt h i n g worthy o f h i s n o t i c e , we s h a l l n o t be a f r a i d o f a chasm i n our h i s t o r y , but s h a l l h a s t e n on t o m a t t e r s o f consequence. (Book I I , c h a p t e r i . ) Good w r i t e r s w i l l , i n d e e d , do w e l l t o i m i t a t e the i n g e n i o u s t r a v e l l e r . . . who always p r o p o r t i o n s h i s s t a y a t any p l a c e t o t h e b e a u t i e s , e l e g a n c e s , and c u r i o s i t i e s which i t a f f o r d s . o (Book X I , c h a p t e r i x . ) "Summary" i s then t h e method o f a u t h o r i a l commentary used when a n o v e l i s t wishes t o convey t o h i s r e a d e r events which took p l a c e over a r e l a t i v e l y l o n g space o f t i m e , b u t w h i c h , i n themselves, do n o t m e r i t a p r e c i s e d e s c r i p t i o n . A further r e f i n e m e n t o f t h i s term i s p r o v i d e d by P h y l l i s B e n t l e y , who p o i n t s out t h a t summary can go "down t h e s l i d i n g s c a l e o f q s p e c i f i c i t y towards t h e scene", q u o t i n g as an example t h e f o l l o w i n g passage from Storm Jameson's The L o v e l y S h i p : Mary spent h e r f i r s t week i n London v e r y q u i e t l y . She v i s i t e d a few shops, but f o r t h e most p a r t she s t a y e d i n h e r rooms, and r e a d , o r thought o f John. . . . A t t h e end o f a week she wanted a c t i o n . She ordered h e r s e l f a plum-coloured h a b i t and h i r e d a horse and a groom t o r i d e w i t h h e r i n the P a r k . 1 0 As B e n t l e y p o i n t s o u t , we see t h a t t h e f i r s t two sentences i n t h e above e x t r a c t p r e s e n t a h i g h l y condensed summary, t h e f o l l o w i n g sentences l e s s so. I n t h e sentence immediately f o l l o w i n g t h e l a s t sentence quoted above, a s p e c i f i c time i s g i v e n by t h e a u t h o r , and a "scene" i s d e s c r i b e d ("The morning 103 of h e r f i r s t r i d e was c o l d . . . " ) . • A s i m i l a r t e c h n i q u e i s used by Du P l a i s i r as he begins h i s tale* and i n t r o d u c e s h i s c h a r a c t e r s t o the r e a d e r : Jamais l a Prance n'a paru o.vec t a n t de grandeur, que pandant ces d e r n i e r e s g u e r r e s . Ses succes ^ g a l o i e n t ses dessexns. E l l e s e u l e f a i s o i t s a f o r c e c o n t r e 1'Europe presque e n t i e r e ; & l e s Couronnes q u i ne s ' e t o i e n t p o i n t d e c l a r e s , ses <;nnemies, ne l a r e g a r d o i e n t qu'avec i n q u i e t u d e . D ' A n g l e t e r r e j o u i s s o i t a l o r s d'un repos que ses V o i s i n s n ' o s o i e n t p l u s e s p e r e r . Ce repos ne f a i s o i t pas un bonheu* aux jeunes S e i g n e u r u . L ' A d m i r a t i o n que l o u r d o n n o i t l e b r u i t de nos conquestes, le** i n t e r e s s o i t pour n o u : 5 ; & honteux de v i v r e o a i s i b l e s en un temps ou. i l s pouvoient acqu ,>rir de I'honneur, i l s b r u l o i e n t d ' e s t r e dans nos Armees. Ce n ' e t o i t que t r i s t e ^ s e a. l a Cour dans 1 ' e s p r i t de l a p l u s jrande p a r t i e des Meres, l a t e n d r e s s e d e p l o / o i t a. l e u r i m a g i n a t i o n t o u t e s l e s a s s i s t a n c e s dont l e u r s P i l s p o u v o i e n t a v o i r bes \>in p a r l e s dangers de l a g u e r r e ; & quelques-unes de c e l l e s q u i e t o i e n t demeurees Ve i v e s , r e s o l u r e n t de l e s accompagner jusqu'oii l a bienseance p o u r r o i t l e permettre. L a Contesse d'Hennebury, & l a Contesse d ' H i l m o r r e , f u r e n t de ce nombre. (I, 1-4) Du P l a i s i r f i r s t of a l l s e t s the scene h i s t o r i c a l l y , i n a s u c c i n c t i n t r o d u c t o r y paragraph. He t h e n becomes more s p e c i - f i c i n d e s c r i b i n g the f e e l i n g s e x p e r i e n c e d by the young E n g l i s h noblemen w i t h r e g a r d t o the s i t u a t i o n , and a l s o the f e e l i n g s o f sadness which the mothers of t h e s e young were u n d e r g o i n g . soldiers Then s p e c i f i c c h a r a c t e r s a r e mentioned, and i n the paragraphs which f o l l o w , t h e s e two mothers a r e described i n d e t a i l psychologically; eventually, other characters are i n t r o d u c e d , and t h e i r p a r t i c u l a r r e l a t i o n s h i p t o e i t h e r 104 m a t r i a r c h a l camp i s d e s c r i b e d . We see t h a t "summary" as used by Jameson and by Du P l a i s i r i n h i s opening pages a r e not' i d e n t i c a l b u t , r a t h e r , p a r a l l e l i n form. Whereas Jameson d i r e c t s h e r summary toward a "scene" i n v o l v i n g one c h a r a c t e r , Du P l a i s i r summarizes t h e background c f h i s t a l e c h r o n o l o g i c a l l y and h i s t o r i c a l l y i n o r d e r t o go.on.to t h e d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e a c t i o n s end a t t i t u d e s o f s e v e r a l c h a r a c t e r s w i t h i n t h a t h i s t o r i c a l framework. Du P l a i s i i does however use summary i n a s i m i l a r way t o Jameson when he i n t r o d u c e s scenes o t h e r then t h i s i n i t i a l p r e s e n t a t i o n of general s e t t i n g . Numerous examples may be found i n the t e x t . Lr-.t us t a k e f o r i n s t a n c e t h e b e g i n n i n g pages o f volume two. The p a i n f u l e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e young c o u p l e d u r i n g the e a r l y day:' o f m a r r i a g e i s summarized, i n t h e f o l l o w i n g f a s h i o n by Du P l a i s i r : Le Due d'Estramene 8c s a Femme p a s s e r e n t ensemble quelques j o u r s ; mair. i l s l e s p a s s e r e n t dans un accablement p i r e m i l l e f o i s que l a p l u s c r u e l l e - d e s - - u n i o n . L a t r i s t e s s e donx i l s e t o i e n t p n n e t r e z * l e s empeschoit d ' a v o i r de 1 ' a t t e n t i o n 1'un pour 1'autre, & i l s ignoroiei'.t que l e u r a v e r s i o n e t o i t m u t u e l l e . Madame d'Estramene a v o i t h o r r e u r d'elle-meme. Sans c e s s e e l l e a v o i t devant l e s yeux c e t t e f o y q u ' e l l e a v o i t accordee a un a u t r e qu'au Due d'Olsingam; mais e n f i n , quelque d i s s i p e e q u ' e l l e f u s t par sa d o u l e u r & par s a t e n d r e s s e , e l l e r e v i n T ; b i e n t o s t a ces sentimens de sagesse & d ' a u s t e r i t e qui l u y etoient s i naturels. E l l e v i t q u ' e l l e e t o i t e n t r e e dans un e t a t q u i l u y f a i s o i t un crimn de l a moindre d i s t r a c t i o n de son e s p r i t envers l e Due d'Olsingam, &.qu'apres a v o i r t a n t a p p r e hende d ' e s t r e soupgonnee de peu d ' a f f l i c t i o n pour l a mort de s a Mere, & de peu de r e s p e c t pour l e s v o l o n t e z de l a Reyne, 105 e l l e p a r o i t r o i t a v e c une v i o l e n t e i n c l i n a t i o n p o u r un a u t r e cue p o u r un . M a r y . E l l e t a c h a de se l i r e q u ' e l l e ne d e v o i t p o i n t s'estimer malheureuse d ' a v o i r e p o u s e l e Due d ' S s t r a m e n e . Elle se s o u v i n t que l a d i s t i n c t i o n qu'il a v o i t eue p o u r e l l e a v o i t e t e s o u t e n u e p a r des s o i n s & des c o m p l a i s a n c e s d o n t l e coeur l e plus porte a 1'assujetissement & a. l a p a s s i o n , n ' a u r o i t j a m a i s e t e c a p a b l e ; mais sur t o u t e l l e admira l a c o n s i d e r a t i o n q u ' i l a v o i t eue de ne l u y a v o i r p o i n t marque de r e s s e n t i m e n t p o u r l e peu d ' a g r e m e n t & de t e n d r e s s e q u ' e l l e l u y a v o i t temoigne d e p u i s l e u r mariage; & c e t egarci l u y p a r u t d'un p r i x i n f i n y en v e u e de I ' e m b a r r a s ou. e l l e s e r o i t tombee, s i e l l e a v o i t e t e e x p o s e e a. des r e p r o c h . e s . A u s s i t o s t q u ' e l l e cemmenga a se c c n t r a i n d r e s u r une a f f l i c t i o n q u i I ' e l o i g n o i t t r o p de l u y , e l l e s ' a p p e r - , c e u t q u ' i l e t o i t luy-mesme m o r t e l l e m e n t aiflige. E l l e s e n t i t a l o r s 1'imprudence q u ' e l l e a v o i t eue de s ' a b a n d o n n e r a i n s i aux •mcuvemens de son c o e u r ; & p e r s u a d e e d ' a v o i r c a u s e p a r l e t o r r e n t de s a t e n d r e s s e & de s a d o u l e u r l ' e t a t ou. e l l e l e v o y o i t , e l l e se t r o u v a m a l h e u r e u s e d a v o i r c o n n u l e Due d ' O l s i n g a m , & i l s'en f a l l o i t peu q u ' e l l e ne c r u s t l e h a i r . E l l e ne put s u p o r t e r l a p e n s e e que son M a r y e u s x l i e u de c h e r c h e r l a c a u s e q u i l a r e n d o i t s i t r i s t e . ; & d a n s l e s r e m o r s que . . l u y d o n n o i t son i n c l i n a t i o n , e l l e c r u t q u ' e l l e p o u r r o i t sans p e i n e prendre aupres de l u y des a p p a r e n c e s p l u s f a v o r a b l e s & olus obligeantes. • ; (II, The n a r r a t c r then mentions a s p e c i f i c "une lettre ecrite" cue son ( I I , 8-9) Erere luy v i t pleurer eu un d e l u g e de event, the arrival [Madame d ' E s t r a m e n e ] w h i c h s e r v e s as a p o i n t d e t a i l e d n a r r a t i v e of a s p e c i f i c "on 2-8) avoit of d e p a r t u r e f o r s a i s i s s e m e n s & des a. r e p a n d r e , & e l l e p a r u t a v e c transports a a c t i o n , or scene, i n which ["Madame d ' B s t r a m e n e ] a u t a n t que. s i e l l e pleurs of q u i d o n n e r e n t de cruels avoit des remors 106 au Due d'Sstrarnene." (II, 11) As wa examine more f u l l y t i e s t r u c t u r e of l a Duchesse d'Bstrameae, we see that Du P l a i s i r uses a l t e r n a t e l y scene and summary ( o r what Percy -Bub .lock c a l l s " r e t r o s p e c t " ) to move hack and f o r t h i n time as he r e l a t e s h i s t a l e . Any i n f o r m a t i o n r e g a r d i n g a c h a r a c t e r ' s past h i s t o r y i s g i v e n i n a t e r s e , schematic sketch i n v o l v i n g the bare minimum of detail. Perhaps the most s t r i k i n g example of t h i s stark n a r r a t i o n i s found i n Du P l a i s i r ' - s a l l u s i o n to the of the Due d'Olsingam, who i s i n t r o d u c e d i n two background sentences: l e Due d'Olsingam, apres a v o i r perdu son Pere & sa Mere dans ui_ age ou. a peine i l pouvoit e s t r e s e n s i b l e a c e t t e . p e r t e , e t o i t venu en Prance, & a v o i t t r e s - p e u repas3e a. l o n d r e s . Son Pere" mourut pendant l e s d e r n i e r s t r o u b l e s d ' A n g l e t e r r e , dans un danger d' ou. i l v o u l o i t o t e r l e Mary de Madame d' fienneburv,. 1 ( I , 15-16) Sumiiary, then, as used to convey h i s t o r i c a l background i s employed i n f r e q u e n t l y as a n a r r a t i v e technique by Plaisir. Du It. i s used r a t h e r to form a t r a n s i t i o n between events experienced contemporaneously by the c h a r a c t e r s , and a l i n k between these events i s a u t o m a t i c a l l y c r e a t e d i n the mind of the reader. A d i s t i n c t i o n must be made between these two d e f i n i t i o n s of summary, f o r the second could more p r e c i s e l y be l a b e l l e d " d e s c r i p t i o n " , w h i l e the f i r s t only the i d e a of the i m p a r t i n g of h i s t o r i c a l or data. conveys background 2he balance between scene and summary ( i n the sense of " d e s c r i p t i o n " ) i s l e s s harmonious as the n o v e l draws to a 107 c l o s e , f o r at the end of the second volume i n p a r t i c u l a r , Du P l a i s i r uses more and mora frequently, d i r e c t d i s c o u r s e to convey the thoughts of h i s c h a r a c t e r s . Having evaluated to what extent or i n what p r o p o r t i o n Du P l a i s i r uses commentary ( d e s c r i p t i o n ) , summary and we w i l l now concern o u r s e l v e s with the p o i n t of view scene, from which he presents these scenes, and what techniques he uses i n so doing. one may For an e n l i g h t e n i n g d i s c u s s i o n of p o i n t of view, t u r n to Wayne C. Booth's Point-of-View: essay e n t i t l e d An Essay i n C l a s s i f i c a t i o n . " ' " 1 1 "Distance and The first p o i n t d e a l t w i t h by Booth concerns the n a r r a t o r of the t a l e . The narrator,' a c c o r d i n g to Booth, may or undramatized; always be e i t h e r dramatized the d r a n a t i z e d n a r r a t o r ("I" or "We") (and the undramatized is narrator usually) d i s t i n c t from 12 the i m p l i e d author who gi ves them being. The i m p l i e d author i s i n f a c t a s o r t of "second s e l f " , d i s t i n c t from and more kncwledgea.ble than the r e a l man. But most important of a l l , as Booth continues to e l a b o r a t e , are the "unacknowledged narrators": many dramatized n a r r a t o r s are never l a b e l l e d as such, yet are used by the author to impart knowledge t o the 13 reader w h i l e seemingly a c t i n g out t h e i r r o l e s . person "centres of consciousness" ( c a l l e d Henry James) f i l l These t h i r d - " r e f l e c t o r s " by the f u n c t i o n of avowed n a r r a t o r s ; i t i s through them that the author f i l t e r s h i s n a r r a t i v e . ^ " 1 Following Booth s^terminology, 1 the n a r r a t o r of l a Duchesse d'Estramene can be s a i d to be undramatized. 108 A l t e r n a t i n g h i s commentary w i t h scenes or summaries i n w h i c h t h i r d - p e r s o n unacknowledged n a r r a t o r - a g e n t s t a k e p a r t , he i s a b l e t o p r e s e n t from v a r i o u s p o i n t s of v i e w and from v a r i o u s d i s t a n c e s the dilemma of h i s h e r o i n e . What d i s t i n g u i s h e s the undramatized n a r r a t o r from the n a r r a t o r - a g e n t s i n La Duchesse d E s t r a m e n e i s the e x t e n t t o which t h e i r knowledge of the 1 situation i s limited. The undramatized n a r r a t o r of L a Duchesse d'Estramene i s o m n i s c i e n t , t h a t i s , he has complete p r i v i l e g e t o know b e f o r e h i s c e n t r a l c h a r a c t e r does what she o r the o t h e r c h a r a c t e r s c o u l d not l e a r n by s t r i c t l y means. The observers natural or n a r r a t o r - a g e n t s , on the o t h e r hand, have t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n l i m i t e d t o probable v i s i o n and The most important inference. s i n g l e p r i v i l e g e of a l l , t h a t of o b t a i n i n g an i n s i d e view of the workings of the c e n t r a l c h a r a c t e r ' s mind, belongs t o the undramatized n a r r a t o r a l o n e . L e t us l o o k more c l o s e l y a t some examples of Du Plaisir's use of moving p o i n t o f view t o h i g h l i g h t s y s t e m a t i c a l l y a p s y c h o l o g i c a l dilemma which c o u l d best be d e s c r i b e d as a s e r i e s of moments of awareness, p a i n f u l because t h e y come as a p o s t e r i o r i acknowledgements of the v i c t o r y of p a s s i o n over reason. The c h a r a c t e r whose p s y c h o l o g i c a l dilemma w i l l f i l l volumes i s f i r s t presented by the undramatized n a r r a t o r , two who n o t e s the r e a c t i o n caused by the young woman's p h y s i c a l beauty i n the eyes of the Queen who, "quelque accoutumee q u ' e l l e f u s t a v o i r des Beautez p a r f a i t e s , n ' a v o i t jamais pu regarder 109 Mademoiselle d'Hennebury sans un extreme etonnement." ( I , 11-12.) Du P l a i s i r c o n t i n u e s t o m a i n t a i n a c e r t a i n d i s t a n c e between h i s c e n t r a l c h a r a c t e r and h i m s e l f and between h i s c e n t r a l c h a r a c t e r and h i s r e a d e r by next commenting upon h e r r e a c t i o n s , a g a i n as a p r i v i l e g e d o b s e r v e r , t h e undramatized narrator. B e f o r e t h e p o r t r a i t o f t h e Due d'Olsingam, t h e n a r r a t o r remarks, " e l l e e n t r a dans un e t a t q u i l u y eust donne de s e n s i b l e s d e p l a i s i r s , s i e l l e se f u s t examinee. aimoit l a g l o i r e . Elle E l l e a v o i t travaill£ a s ' a c q u e r i r une p a r f a i t e e s t i m e , avant mesme q u ' e l l e en pust c o n n o i s t r e l e p r i x ; & e l l e e t o i t d e l i c a t e sur l a r e p u t a t i o n , jusqu'a t r e m b l e r & e t r e embarassee dans l e s a c t i o n s l e s p l u s i n d i f e r entes C i c 3 . " s (I» 20-21) Because Du P l a i s i r has d e l e g a t e d t o t h e undramatized n a r r a t o r t h e power o f o m n i s c i e n c e , he i s a b l e t o know and t o i m p a r t t o t h e r e a d e r , b e f o r e t h e h e r o i n e h e r s e l f i s c o n s c i o u s o f i t , t h e e f f e c t which p a s s i o n has a l r e a d y had i n h e r h e a r t . Moving from t h e p e r i p h e r y o f t h e p o r t r a i t which he i s g r a d u a l l y b u i l d i n g up o f Mademoiselle d'Hennebury, Du P l a i s i r next adopts t h e o p t i c a l . p o s i t i o n o f an o b s e r v e r whose comments r e g a r d i n g t h e h e r o i n e ' s r e a c t i o n s a r e c o n s i d e r a b l y more p e r s o n a l than those o f t h e Queen, namely Madame d'Hennebury. Du P l a i s i r has n o t y e t endowed h i s c e n t r a l c h a r a c t e r w i t h d i r e c t d i s c o u r s e , o r even w i t h thoughts expressed t h r o u g h s o l i l o q u y , y e t he i s a b l e t o convey h e r g r a d u a l awakening t o l o v e by v i e w i n g h e r from t h e a n g l e o f the mother whose thoughts 110 he i s a b l e t o p e n e t r a t e because he i s o m n i s c i e n t : Madame d'Hennebury remarqua b i e n - t o s t quelque chan^ement dans 1'humeur de s a F i l l e & peu a peu ,\a causa d'ou i l p a r t o i t . Elle eust b i e n v o u l u l u y apprendre que ce q u ' e l l e s e n t o i t , e s t o i t un panchant; mais e l l e c r a i g n o i t qui; s a t e n d r e s s e & s a p i t i e ne l u y l a i s s a s s o n t pas l a f o r c e de l e c o n damner. E l l o c r a i g n i t de l u y f a i r e p e r d r e de s a c o n f i a n c e & de son a m i t i e , p a r l a d o u l e u r de s a v o i r qu'on l u y a v o i t remarque une f o i b l e s s f ; . I I l u y sembla, dans l a c o n n o i s s a n c e q u ' e l l e a v o i t de s o n humeur, que l a c r a i n ; e de p o u v o i r e s t r e blamee d e t r u i r o i t c o t t e i m p r e s s i o n avant l e r e t o u r du Due d' 01s;.ngam. Enf i n e l l e r e s o l u t d ' a t t e n d r e ei.cor, & de d i s s i m u l e r . ( I , 22-24) The above mentioned f o c a l a n g l e s o r p o i n t s o f view adopted by t h e a u t h o r have om- common a s p e c t , a l t h o u g h t h e y d i f f e r i n t h e d i s t a n c e which, the n a r r a t o r m a i n t a i n s between h i m s e l f and h i s c e n t r a l c h a r a c t e r ; i n a l l o f them, t h e n a r r a t o r ' s p e r c e p t i o n i s g r e a t e r t h a n t h a t o f M a d e m o i s e l l e d'Hennebury, i n t h a t she h e r s e l f i f n o t y e t aware o f t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f the f e e l i n g s w h i c h she i s e x p e r i e n c i n g She f o r t h e Due d'Olsingam. i s c o n s c i o u s t h a t she ..is u n d e r g o i n g a change p s y c h o l o g i - c a l l y , , but s h e does n e t y e t comprehend t h e i m p o r t o f t h a t change f o r h e r s e l f . Constantly and moving toward a p o i n t a t which c o n s c i o u s n e s s comprehension w i l l c o i n c i d e i n t h e mind o f Mademoiselle d'Hennebury, Du P l a i s i r uses t h e d e v i c e o f t h e l e t t e r t o evoke t h i s f i r s t moment o f awareness f o r t h e h e r o i n e . i n h i s c a p a c i t y as o m n i s c i e n t commentator, t h e n a r r a t o r us: Acting tells Ill L'exces de t r i s t e s s e & de f r a y e u r avec l e q u e l Mademoiselle d'Hennebury l u t c e t t e L e t t r e , l u y donna l i e u de penser pour l a p r e m i e r e f o i s a s'examiner. Ses c r a i n t e s & ses larmes ne l u y p a r u r e n t p o i n t e s t r e uniquement pour un F r e r e . E l l e se s o u v i n t de t o u t e 1 * a t t e n t i o n & de t o u t 1 ' i n t e r e s t avec l e s q u e l s e l l e a v o i t n o u v e l l e m e n t p o r t e ses pensees v e r s l e Due d'Olsingam. Toutes choses e n f i n l u y marquerent l a pente que son coeur a v o i t deja, p r i s e . ( I , 29-30) The o p p o s i n g adverbs ( " e n f i n " , "de"ja") w i t h w h i c h the above commentary ends s e r v e t o h i g h l i g h t t h e p r o f o u n d e f f e c t w h i c h t h i s i n i t i a l moment o f t e m p o r a l awareness has f o r M a d e m o i s e l l e d'Hennebury. What measures w i l l she t a k e , now t h a t she i s aware o f the s i g n i f i c a n c e of h e r f e e l i n g s f o r the Due d'Olsingam? The n a r r a t o r o b s e r v e s , s h o r t l y a f t e r t h i s scene, t h a t " e l l e p a r l o i t peu. II l u y sembloit q u ' e l l e ne p l u s sans l a i s s e r v o i r quelque d e s o r d r e . " The n a r r a t o r has now f o c u s s e d parloit ( I , 33-34) on the c e n t r e o f t h e p o r t r a i t which he i s p r e s e n t i n g from d i f f e r e n t a n g l e s ; he has conveyed t o t h e r e a d e r the p s y c h o l o g i c a l awareness w h i c h the c e n t r a l c h a r a c t e r has of h e r p a r t i c u l a r s i t u a t i o n and, subsequently, the measures which she knows t h a t she must t a k e i n order not t o have her f e e l i n g s d i s c o v e r e d At t h i s p o i n t i n the development Duchesse d'Estramene. by t h e c o u r t . o f the a c t i o n of La a d e f i n i t e " p a t t e r n " , t o use E.M. 15 F o r s t e r ' s terminology, structure. becomes apparent i n the novel's By " p a t t e r n " , F o r s t e r means t h a t i f we compare the n o v e l t o a p i c t o r i a l o b j e c t , a t a n g i b l e s t r u c t u r e , which 112 draws i t s after nourishment from the p l o t , the p l o t "pattern" itself has which develops remains "visible" even gone f r o m t h e r e a d e r ' s m i n d . ^ The 1 i n Du P l a i s i r ' s n o v e l may, to take 17 a n image d e v e l o p e d a b o v e , series of c i r c l e s , be g r a p h i c a l l y s p i r a l l i n g downward a s e a c h moment o f a w a r e n e s s a l s o a n acknowledgement the p l o t of powerlessness, a develops; which the h e r o i n e e x p e r i e n c e s c o n t a c t w i t h members o f t h e o b s e r v a n t a i l l u s t r a t e d as is repeated a f t e r each s o c i e t y o f w h i c h she is part. let us l o o k more c l o s e l y a t time segments, one o f t h e s e and t h e moments w h i c h c o m p r i s e i t . one o f t h e most s t r i k i n g of these scenes a f t e r Madame d ' E s t r a m e n e becomes aware t h a t has left f o r t h e c o n t i n e n t , has loving her. "circles" She a p o s t r o p h i z e s takes or Perhaps place shortly her husband, always been i n c a p a b l e who of t h e a b s e n t Duo d ' O l s i n g a m in t h e s o l i t u d e o f h e r room: J e p o u r r a y me s o u v e n i r de v o u s , Q • *3 J p o u r r a y y p e n s e r s a n s c r a i n d r e q u ' i l m'en c o u t e des c r i m e s . L ' a f f e c t i o n d ' u n Mary a u r o i t deu r e c u e i l l i r pour l u y s e u l t o u t e s mes p e n s e e s . Son a v e r s i o n m'en d e g a g e ; & ce que j e me d o i s a moy-mesme, ne p e u t m'empescher de p l a i n d r e v o s m a l h e u r s & l e s miens. (II, 28) e But she q u i c k l y r e a l i z e s let these f e e l i n g s connut b i e n t o s t s o n Mary ne l a that she c a n n o t , be known t o o t h e r s : p a r s a v e r t u que l e s dispensoient conforme a l ' e t a t as a m a r r i e d woman, "Madame etranges d'Estramene sentimens de p o i n t de p r e n d r e une c o n d u i t e ou e l l e se v o y o i t engaged." (II, 36-37) 113 She then r e s o l v e s t o l e a v e f o r E n g l a n d , accompanied by Madame d ' H i l m o r r e , " p u i s qu' apparemment son Mary y r e t o u r n o i t . " (II, 37-38) A f t e r a c o n v e r s a t i o n w i t h h e r b r o t h e r , she i s aware of t h e conduct she must adopt, and makes r e s o l u t i o n s accordingly: ([Son f r e r e j e n t r a dans l e mesme e s p r i t que s a Soeur, & i l demeura d'accord avec e l l e , que sans e s t r e o b l i g e e de f o r c e r son coeur a aimer' l e Due d Estramene, e l l e d e v o i t d'autant p l u s o b s e r v e r une conduite exacte & rigoureuse, q u ' e l l e a v o i t a. apprehender que l ' o n ne v i n s t a c o n n o i s t r e q u ' e l l e a i m o i t encor l e Due d'Olsingam. 1 (II, 57-58) But h e r r e s o l u t i o n s a r e t o no a v a i l , f o r a t t h e mention o f the Due d'Olsingam's name by t h e Queen, Madame d i s p l a y s uncontrolled anguish. d'Estramene She r e a l i z e s o n l y a f t e r this p u b l i c d i s p l a y o f emotion t h e i m p o r t which h e r a c t i o n s have for o t h e r s , and i s g r a t e f u l t h a t Madame d ' H i l m o r r e , u n l i k e h e r s e l f , i s a b l e t o perform i n p u b l i c w i t h o u t l e t t i n g t h e mask o f appearances s l i p . We have come f u l l c i r c l e i n t h e p a t t e r n o f b e h a v i o u r which c h a r a c t e r i z e s t h e c e n t r a l personage whose m o r a l and p s y c h o l o g i c a l dilemma forms t h e m a t e r i a l o f La Duchesse d'Estramene: a f t e r h e r s e l f becoming aware o f a s i t u a t i o n , she makes a r e s o l u t i o n t o h i d e from o t h e r s t h e e f f e c t which t h a t s i t u a t i o n has had on h e r ; she s u b s e q u e n t l y l e t s h e r p r i v a t e l y c o n c e i v e d defence mechanisms f a l l i n p u b l i c ; t h e n , once a g a i n , i n s o l i t u d e , she becomes aware t h a t she has n o t succeeded i n m a i n t a i n i n g t h e facade o f appearances, 114 and vows c o n s e q u e n t l y t o s u c c e e d i n so d o i n g encounter with court s o c i e t y . England, 6t6 l'effet d'Estramene tries d'elle-mesme, pour p o u v o i r it, "elle avoit esperer q u ' i l Ses qu'elle que s a p a s s i o n devoit precedente that Sharing although de s o n p r e m i e r about dependoit d ' e l l e en p u t r e c e v o i r , i l l h e a l t h has fut de considerably, Madame d ' E s t r a m e n e d'Olsingam "ces mesmes touched pour l e r e s t e traits, de s e s n a t u r e l & trop aimable, luy a g a i n the terminology recognizes dont l a jours, coutoit cruels & inutiles." o f E.M. physical qu'elle sienne." again appearance, behaviour comments that, i n t h e Due p r e m i e r e veue 1'avoit souvenir sans c e s s e (II, 104-105) in appearance & dont l e Porster, plus puis fail the n a r r a t o r aimer connoitre que d a n s l a does for maitresse & le t h e same c h a r a c t e r i s t i c altered his Madame de ne p l u s l u y d o n n e r peu de h o n t e , t o be d i s p l a y e d ; - engagement, soins etoient i n u t i l e s , that assez to act t r o p peu et6 B e f o r e Madame d ' E s t r a m e n e aware to n'avoit (II, 99) t o h i d e t h e b r e a c h between r e a l i t y and the reader i s combats, return toward h e r husband, dans l e s v o l o n t e z du C i e l , (II, 100-101) next l e monde, powerless comments dans l a n a i s s a n c e grand, a v a n t a g e although is t o show t e n d e r n e s s l e Due d ' O l s i n g a m . pattern is reason the n a r r a t o r she f e e l s he m e r i t s her e f f o r t que s a t r i s t e s s e the b e l i e f that against passion, plus paroltre a tout que de 1'absence de ce D u e . " with Pascal etoit Upon h e r h u s b a n d ' s " e l l e t a c h a de f a i r e de j o y e p o u r p e r s u a d e r i n her tant de To a d o p t the o v e r a l l trop once "pattern" 115 or c h a r a c t e r i s t i c when v i e w e d as orchestrated structural a whole, commentary that supports the s t r u g g l e quently repeated, while futility of quickly a cesse" o f Du P l a i s i r * s "inutiles" d'Estramene, carefully rhythms. and i n d e e d s u g g e s t s "sans t h e s e r e p e a t e d moments by a r e s o l u t i o n as of repeated i d e n t i c a l i d e a of r h y t h m i c a l r e p e t i t i o n ; impression of L a Duchesse c a n be e n v i s a g e d p i e c e composed The n a r r a t o r ' s movement serves to creates the the heroine is emphasize of i n n e r t u r m o i l frethe followed b r o k e n and t h r o w n once more i n t o chaos. 116 CHAPTER I I : ^"Etudes s u r l e 2 Ibid., p. 126. 5 l_bid., p. 122. FOOTNOTES temps huinain ( P a r i s , 1950), ^Madame de L a F a y e t t e p a r e l l e - m e m e ( P a r i s , p. 122. 1965), p. 91. 5 ^ E t u d e s s u r l e temps h u m a i n , p. 6 Ibid.. p. 127. 7 Ibid., p. 128. 126. 8 Quoted by P h y l l i s B e n t l e y i n "Use o f Summary," The T h e o r y o f t h e flovel ( e d . P h i l i p S t e v i c k ) (New Y o r k , 1 9 6 7 ) , p. 4 7 . 9 "Use o f Summary," "^loc. in: i : L p. 48. cit. The T h e o r y o f t h e N o v e l ( e d . P. Stevick), pp. 1964), 154. 87-107. 1 2 Ibid.. p. 92. 1 5 Ibid., p. 94. 1 4 loc. cit. 15 ^Aspects of the Novel (Harmondsworth, p. "^loc. cit. See a l s o a s i m i l a r v i e w e x p r e s s e d by J . R o u s s e t i n Forme e t s i g n i f i c a t i o n . . • , I n t r o d u c t i o n , I - X X I I I . 1 7 p. 99. 117 CHAPTER III CHARACTERIZATION A d h e r i n g t o t h e p r e c e p t s w h i c h he was f o l l o w i n g year i n h i s develops h i s Sentimens characters to advocate sur 1'Histoire, to v a r y i n g degrees on a d i s t i n c t l y h i e r a r c h i c a l s c a l e . c h a r a c t e r i n the development, or to her W h i l e Du P l a i s i r gift his The l e s s as populate h i s novel, strictly characters, Yet, his story sparely while is of be his remarkable imagination, of the c h a r a c t e r s certainly striking. There i s conception of elements of the p h y s i c a l free who nothing character c o n t e m p o r a r i e s , he g i v e s leaving himself l a b y r i n t h of t h e i r i n the r e a d e r ' s observer l i k e his necessary detail will does n o t a d m i t t e d l y p o s s e s s a on t h e o t h e r h a n d , i n presentation for, the portrait. a sensitive work i s important e x p o s i t i o n and r e s o l u t i o n f o r creating r i c h tableaux talent Plaisir psychologically t h e m o r a l dilemma o f t h e h e r o i n e , t h e l e s s devoted to h i s Du the only portraits to explore the the of his complex minds. t h e economy w i t h w h i c h Du P l a i s i r develops an improvement o v e r t h e h e r o i c n o v e l s , the s k e t c h e d m i n o r c h a r a c t e r s w h i c h he draws f r o m r e c e n t French h i s t o r y certain lack s u f f e r nonetheless f r o m a s h a l l o w n e s s and a of presence t y p i c a l of t h e i r c o u n t e r p a r t s t h e many-volumed exploits r e l a t e d by w r i t e r s de S c u d e r y and G o m b e r v i l l e . The h i s t o r i c a l Duchesse the only d'Estramene are not s u c h as in Madeleine characters ones t o s u f f e r as in a La 118 result other of l a c k of letail i n presentation. "flat""'' secondary characters who There a r e p l a y no also other role than t h a t of sounding-boards i n the development of the heroine' character. Du P l a i s i r maies o c c a s i o n a l r e f e r e n c e F r a n c e and t o M o n s i e u r de Turenne w i t h o u t with distinguishing physical t r a i t s . a c t e r s are presented with the first to the K i n g of endowing e i t h e r T h e s e two of a l l to the reader minor in char- connection sons: CLe Due d ' E s t r a m e n e , l e Comte d ' H e n n e b u r y ] s e r e n d i r e n t l ' u n & 1 ' a u t r e en de d i f e r e n t e s •• Armees du Roy. Le Due d ' E s t r a m e n e r e m p l y , comme t r a n s p o r t s d ' a r d e u r p a r l a r a p i d i t e des s u c c e s que l ' o n a v o i t d e j a eus en F l a n d r e , c h o i s i t c e l l e qui etoit destinee a l e s c o n t i n u e r ; & l e Comte d ' H e n n e b u r y , d o n t 1 ' e s p r i t • modere l u y a v o i t t o u j o u r s donne . de 1 i n c l i n a t i o n p o u r M o n s i e u r de T u r e n n e , s e d e t e r m i n a d ' a u t a n t p l u s a a l l e r en A l l e m a g n e , que l e s T r o u p e s A n g l o i s e s y servoient. 1 (I, 13-14) E s s e n t i a l l y , t h e r o l e o f t h e F r e n c h K i n g and fold: these h i s t c r i c a l f i g u r e s serve Turenne-is'two- t o embody on the p h y s i c a l l e v e l the m e n t a l i t y of a w a r r i o r s o c i e t y which i s t r a n s f i g u r e d , i n t o a s t a t e o f p s y c h o l o g i c a l t e n s i o n as a c t i o n u n f o l d s , and,, as w e l l , traits in of the s o n s , who the they h i g h l i g h t s a l i e n t . c h a r a c t e r have each b e e n . d i f f e r e n t l y motivated t h e c h o i c e : o f t h e army i n w h i c h . t h e y - w i l l s e r v e . , / The : French king disappears a l m o s t e n t i r e l y f r o m t h e n a r r a t i o n .. a f t e r h i s b r i e f i n i t i a l appearance, but p l a y a minor but .• structurally Turenne c o n t i n u e s significant role. "Monsieur to 119 de T u r e n n e a s s i e g a N . . . & i l avertit l e Due d ' O l s i n g a m de s e r e n d r e a u p r e s de l u y a f i n de se t r o u v e r a une Bataille q u ' i l m e d i t o i t de d o n n e r a l a ( I , 82) f i n de c e S i e g e . " o b e y i n g T u r e n n e ' s o r d e r , t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m i n f a c t m o t i o n t h e whole t r a g e d y , for, acquiesing simultaneously d'Hennebury's demands, England t o ask absenting point in A l t h o u g h Turenne i s t h e drama, "flat" off however i n d i s p e n s a b l e f o r he p r o v i d e s a means focal a crucial the a c t i o n . or one-dimensional personages. be c a t e g o r i z e d Both E n g l i s h w h i l e t h e Queen embodies f o r an i n s t a n t point o f t h e a u t h o r as he a d o p t s h e r a n g l e t o observe the workings to of r e p r e s e n t t h e power o f t h e c o u r t and o f a c c e p t e d p u b l i c values, for a cardboard character The K i n g and Queen o f E n g l a n d may a l s o as return Mademoiselle t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m f r o m t h e s c e n e a t the u n f o l d i n g of in p e r m i s s i o n f o r t h e y o u n g woman's w i t h no p s y c h o l o g i c a l d e p t h , he i s the development o f to he .would have b e e n a b l e t o s e t the Queen's hand i n m a r r i a g e . sets had he n o t a c c e p t e d t o to the f r o n t , By o f Madame d ' E s t r a m e n e * s monarchs moral the moving of vision mind: L a Reyne a p r e s s e s p r e m i e r e s c a r e s s e s , e n t r a dans s o n C a b i n e t , & r e g a r d a n t en s u i t e Madame d ' E s t r a m e n e a v e c a t t e n t i o n ; Vous r e v e n e z p l u s b e l l e que v o u s ne l ' a v e z j a m a i s e t £ , d i t - e l l e ; mais i l me s e m b l e que j e m'en d o i s p e u r e j o u i r , & j e s u i s tromp^e s i c e t t e n o u v e l l e d o u c e u r que j e v o u s v o i s n ' e s t p o i n t l ' e f f e t de quelque t r i s t e s s e . £~. . rj Je n'en d o u t e p l u s r e p r i t - e l l e , vous e s t i e z d e s t i n e e a u Due d ' O l s i n g a m , & t o u t e ma v i e j ' a u r a y done a me r e p r o c h e r de v o u s a v o i r rendu malheureuse? Pourquoi avezv o u s s o u f f e r t que j e v o u s aye a r r a c h e e 120 a. c e que v o u s a i m i e z ? A v o i s - j e un a u t r e d e s s e i n que de v o u s r e n d r e c o n t e n t e ; & e t o i t - c e du b o n h e u r de v o s t r e Mary que j e ra'etois chargee? A h , ma F i l l e , que v o u s a v e z eu t o r t de me l a i s s e r i g n o r e r v o s sentimens! (II, 62-65) The s k i l f u l u s e o f d i r e c t d i s c o u r s e in this scene l e n d s t h e Queen a l o n e a v e r i s i m i l i t u d e w h i c h t h e o t h e r personages do n o t share. The s t a c a t t o to historical rhythm of h e r sentences, a c h i e v e d by t h e t e c h n i q u e s o f i n v e r s i o n and r e p e t i t i o n ("Avois-je", distinctly "etoit-ce") i n t h e above e x e r p t e m p h a s i z e human t o u c h w h i c h Du P l a i s i r has succeeded i m p a r t i n g t o h e r a l o n e among t h e m i n o r h i s t o r i c a l to that p l a y e d by t h e D a u p h i n e P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s . Plaisir of physical manifestations to highlight such a r i g i d l y of p a s s i o n . that In defined social of those in a more g e n e r a l system, personal desires daughter: to honour intact the i n d i v i d u a l is and t o s u b m i t to characters i n d ' E s t r a m e n e whose r o l e s a r e l i m i t e d b e c a u s e are not developed p s y c h o l o g i c a l l y and h i s work s e r v e a r e t h e Comte the sense, power. Two o t h e r m i n o r a l t h o u g h n e c e s s a r y Duchesse aspect to suppress i n order to preserve h i s obliged to s a c r i f i c e his the wishes Fayette's an i m p o r t a n t t h e E n g l i s h K i n g and Queen i n Du P l a i s i r ' s in notably i n Madame de L a t h e h e r o i n e ' s d i l e m m a , namely h e r i n a b i l i t y the f a c t is B o t h Madame de L a F a y e t t e and Du u s e t h e Queen f i g u r e underline in characters. The Q u e e n ' s r o l e i n r e l a t i o n t o Madame d ' E s t r a m e n e similar the La they d'Englastre 121 Le Comte d ' E n g l a s t r e , fameux p a r s a f i d e l i t e envers son P r i n c e , dc p a r m i l l e preuves de v a l e u r & do prudence, . TJ a v o i t p l u s i e u r s f o i s f a i t entendre a Madame d ' H i l m o r r e q u ' i l l u y d o n n e r o i t s a F i l l e avec p l u s de j o y e , qu'a aucun Seigneur de l a Cour. Mademoiselle d ' E n g l a s t r e e t o i t d'un sang q u i en r e c o n n o i s s o i t peu de p l u s i l l u s t r e . Elle e t o i t unique, & e l l e a t t i r o i t p l u s encore l e s yeux p a r l e m e r i t e de s a personne, que par s a n a i s s a n c e & s a f o r t u n e . (I, 7-9) But, as Du P l a i s i r l a t e r adds: Mademoiselle d ' E n g l a s t r e n ' a v o i t pas a l'£gard de Madame d ' H i l m o r r e , l e m e r i t e de l a beaute & de l a douceur q u ' a v o i t Mademoiselle d'Hennebury. E l l e e t o i t d e j a dans s a v i n g t i e m e annee. Son e s p r i t forme se f u s t d i f f i c i l e m e n t soumis a. l a c o n d u i t e & aux c o n s e i l r s i c j d'une B e l l e mere. Son Pere v i v o i t encor; s a f o r t u n e a i n s i n ' e t o i t ny p r e s e n t e ny c e r t a i n e . E n f i n Madame d'Hilmorre ne se t r o u v a aucune d i s p o s i t i o n pour 1 ' o f f r e du Comte d'Englastre. (I, 70-71) The r o l e o f these two personages, whose words a r e never d i r e c t l y r e p o r t e d by Du P l a i s i r , i s t w o - f o l d . They s e r v e f i r s t o f a l l , i n t h e i r f u n c t i o n as f o i l s , t o h i g h l i g h t undes i r a b l e c h a r a c t e r t r a i t s i n Madame d ' H i l m o r r e , who "espera neanmoins t i r e r de c e t t e o f f r e [ t h a t o f t h e Comte d'Englastre] un usage f a v o r a b l e a son d e s s e i n . " (I, 71) They a l s o i n f l u e n c e f u n d a m e n t a l l y t h e development o f t h e p l o t , f o r , had Madame d ' H i l m o r r e seen f i t t o accept t h e " o f f r e " o f t h e Comte d ' E n g l a s t r e , she would n o t have had t o impose on Mademoiselle d'Hennebury a u n i o n based e n t i r e l y on h e r own egocentric desire t o maintain her reputation a t court. The E n g l i s h Ambassador f u l f i l l s as w e l l t h e f u n c t i o n o f 122 psychological foil; like t h e Queen, who s e n s e s the h e r o i n e ' s unhappiness, spicacious is c o u r t i e r , suspects displaying brother's. In his restricted social r o l e as t h a t he d e v e l o p s enclave. yet We must h e r e c r e d i t Du Ambassador is and Madame When he a s k s M a d e m o i s e l l e avez veu Monsieur qu'il aimast d'Olsingam, sans e s t r e a i m e ? " , on t h e s t a g e i n a s h o r t more croyez-vous but tense scene d e v o i d o f laisser cette pensee". Madame d ' H i l m o r r e and t a k e s & une i n g e n u i t y detailed A good (I, 110) deal Mademoiselle pas l u y (I, characters [.the 109) embraces t h e With a young physical over the c o n v e r s a t i o n w i t h "un admirables", upon impossible woman who has a l r e a d y b e t r a y e d h e r e m o t i o n by h e r comportment, foil point-blank there are only three 1 gesture, a sophisticated d'Hennebury "Madame d H i l m o r r e ne v o u l u t ambassado£J inter- d'Hilmorre more c o n c e r n e d w i t h h e r own r e p u t a t i o n t h a n w i t h theatrical Plaisir i n the but i n f i n i t e l y r i c h p s y c h o l o g i c a l l y . d ' Hennebury' s, of a e v o l v e i n o r d e r t o throw l i g h t of a p s y c h o l o g i c a l l y "vous English the once more t h e theme of the t h e a t r i c a l , f o r i t c h a r a c t e r who d o e s n o t backdrop, c o n c e r n when t h e Due e f f e c t i v e l y the technique of u s i n g aspects per- d'Hennebury a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e member o f highlights p l a y between t h e E n g l i s h character. Mademoiselle and b r e a c h between r e a l i t y and a p p e a r a n c e i n w i t h a keen sense pertinent b e i n g a seasoned of mentioned i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h h e r t h e Ambassador the constant that more t h a n s i s t e r l y d ' O l s i n g a m ' s name i s court, he t o o , the cause sSrieux i n s u c h a way t h a t she 123 erases any s u s p i c i o n harboured. which the E n g l i s h statesman The q u i c k - w i t t e d woman o f e x p e r i e n c e i n m a k i n g t h e E n g l i s h ambassador Mademoiselle believe that t h e same t r o o p s This dramatic safety, as for the a c t i o n s scene s e r v e s , his incidentally, follows closest Upon r e a d i n g t h i s episode, i n the A r i s t o t e l i a n theory that of the c h a r a c t e r s sur will 1 'Histoire. p i t y and f e a r f o r physical the Plaisir's need n o t n e c e s s a r i l y by t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f v i o l e n t in friend. t h e p r e c e p t s w h i c h he we a r e r e m i n d e d o f Du of fear to i l l u s t r a t e down i n t h e s e c o n d s e c t i o n o f hi,s S e n t i m e n s well-being succeeds t h e y o u n g man had e n l i s t e d t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m , c a r e w i t h w h i c h Du P l a i s i r belief have d ' H e n n e b u r y a r e i n d e e d c o n d i t i o n e d by h e r f o r her b r o t h e r ' s set might actions, be the aroused but rather 2 by t h e s u b t l e s t of psychological As was n o t e d e a r l i e r , nuances. the s o c i a l h i e r a r c h i c a l m i l i e u w h i c h Du P l a i s i r structure is of the depicting is reflected i n t h e o r d e r e d method a c c o r d i n g t o w h i c h t h e c h a r a c t e r s presented; it is not u n t i l a l l of these secondary w i t h the e x c e p t i o n of the E n g l i s h Ambassador, d e s c r i b e d or at appear on s t a g e . least In alluded this to that respect, characters, have t h e two main Du P l a i s i r been characters follows closely/ t h e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n w h i c h he w i l l make t h e f o l l o w i n g y e a r his Sentimens sur 1 ' H i s t o i r e , namely that if the are in main c h a r a c t e r s were t o be p r e s e n t e d b e f o r e t h e s e c o n d a r y ones, t h e l a t t e r would make l i t t l e the reader, for lasting t h e y would r e m a i n i n i m p r e s s i o n upon t h e shadow o f the necessarily 124 more i n t e r e s t i n g main c h a r a c t e r s Now t h a t we have c o n s i d e r e d initially depicted. 3 t h e r o l e s and t h e f u n c t i o n a l importance o f t h e secondary c h a r a c t e r s i n L a Duchesse d'Estramene, l e t us examine t h e f u n c t i o n o f t h e main characters i n t h e n o v e l and t h e methods which t h e a u t h o r uses t o p r e s e n t them. I t w i l l become e v i d e n t have t h e same e x t r a o r d i n a r y t h a t Du P l a i s i r ' s main characters p h y s i c a l a t t r i b u t e s a s do t h o s e i n the w r i t i n g s o f h i s contemporaries. T h e i r extreme beauty i s i n tune w i t h , and p a r a l l e l s , t h e extreme m o r a l r e s o l u t i o n s which t h e y w i l l be o b l i g e d t o make. and Du P l a i s i r ' s p h y s i c a l l y psychologically exceptional characters twentieth-century remind t h e r e a d e r o f a p a r a l l e l e s t a b l i s h e d by S. Doubrovsky between O o r n e i l l e ' s and Madame de La F a y e t t e ' s creations: b o t h a u t h o r s embody b e l i e v a b l e human f e e l i n g s i n i d e a l i s e d l i t e r a r y personages. 4 This observation could also be a p p l i e d t o L a Duchesse d'Estramene; i n f a c t one might argue t h a t Du P l a i s i r " s c h a r a c t e r s t h a n those o f Madame de L a F a y e t t e . the hero and t h e h e r o i n e , a r e even more m o r a l l y ideal I n our d i s c u s s i o n o f we w i l l see t h a t a t l e a s t one s e v e n t e e n t h - c e n t u r y c r i t i c , E t i e n n e P a v i l i o n , found them t o be t o o f l a w l e s s t o a l l o w i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w i t h t h e r e a d e r . L e t us b e g i n w i t h t h e mothers, Madame d ' H i l m o r r e and Madame d'Hennebury. presentation, his By t h e use o f p a r a l l e l i s m i n t h e i r Du P l a i s i r e s t a b l i s h e s i n t h e f i r s t pages o f work an e x p l i c i t o p p o s i t i o n between t h e two f a m i l y groups. I n t h e one m a t r i a r c h a l l y - o r i e n t e d camp, we f i n d t h e 125 Kennebury f a m i l y , c o n s i s t i n g o f the widowed Madame d'Hennebury, her daughter end her.son, the Comte d'Hennebury. In the other camp, even more dominated by the mother, we f i n d Madame d'Hilmorre, a widow of some c o n s i d e r a b l e means, and p o l i t i c a l i n f l u e n c e , anu her f o p p i s h son, f o r whom she has a c q u i r e d , at an e a r l y a*;e, the t i t l e o f Due d'Estramene. . Madame d'Hennebury, up u n t i l the time o f h e r death it), (and even a f t e r and Madame d'Hilmorre, who subsequently takes up r e s i - dence a t the E n g l i s h country home of her son and d a u g h t e r - i n law, w i l l , un-:il the l a s t pages of the n o v e l , a l t e r n a t e l y h o l d the s t r i n g s w i i c h determine like the movements o f t h e i r m a r i o n e t t e - offspring. The i n i t i a l r a p i d sketch which Du P l a i s i r g i v e s o f the c h a r a c t e r o f Madame d'Hilmorre c o n s i s t s o f a s h o r t , balanced sentence, h i g . i i y suggestive p s y c h o l o g i c a l l y , which s e r v e s as a s u b t l e foreshadowing of the r o l e which the f u t u r e mother- in-law w i l l , p l a y i n the l i f e of Mademoiselle She i s , a c c o r d i n g t o Du P l a i s i r , d'Hennebury. "de ces Meres t e n d r e s , mais h a b i l e s , & q u i s'accusent de f o i b l e s s e quand i l l e u r echappe un mouvement de l a nature." ( I , 4-5) I f t h i s experienced woman of the court i s u n w i l l i n g t o show h e r t r u e f e e l i n g s . , f r e e l y t o her own son, as i s suggested i n t h i s q u o t a t i o n , she w i l l be even l e s s i n c l i n e d t o r i s k the l o s s . o f her r e p u t a t i o n f c r the sake of. her best f r i e n d ' s (Mademoiselle d'Hennebury). daughter C a r e f u l above a l l not t o t a r n i s h the r e p u t a t i o n which she has so c a r e f u l l y e s t a b l i s h e d f o r 126 h e r s e l f a t c o u r t , Madame d ' H i l m o r r e g l o s s e s over t h e a c t s sn c o m p l i s h e d w i t h a view t o h e r own betterment w i t h a t h i n veneer o f m a t e r n a l a f f e c t i o n . . She i s t h e l e a s t likeable personage i n L a Duchesse d'Estramene because o f h e r c o n s i s t e n t bad f a i t h towards t h e o t h e r c h a r a c t e r s . She succeeds per- f e c t l y i n w e a r i n g t h e mask n e c e s s a r y f o r s u r v i v a l i n a s o c i e t y w.Lose v e r y essence i s d i s g u i s e and r u s e ; ae t h e a u t h o r remarks, a i d i n g y.*t more d e f t and e v o c a t i v e b r u s h - s t r o k e s t o h e r p>rtrait. " [ e l l e ] n ' e t o i t pas h a b i l e seulement dans s a f a m i l l e ; e l l e a v o i t encor a c q u i s p a r une c e n d u i t e t o u j o u r s a-iairabl-T un p u i s s a n t c r e d i t dans 1 ' e s p r i t du Roy, & c ' e t o i t a c e t t e haute- f a v e u r que son f i l s d e v o i t l'honneur d ' e s t r e d-jja cre<4 Due d 'Estramene." . ( I , 6) By t h e use o f a d v e r b i a l m )d.ifie-rs which a p p r o x i m a t e l y b a l a n c e and complement each oaher w i t h i n t h e sentence ( "seulement"/"encor" ; " t o u j o u r s " / "ueja") .Du P l a i s i r . i s a b l e t o suggest t h i s p o w e r f u l c h a r a c t e r ' s awareness o f t i m i n g w h i c h e n a b l e s h e r t o reap optimum, b e n e f i t s s o c i a l l y and p o l i t i c a l l y . The a g g r e s s i v e c h a r a c t e r o f Madame d ' H i l m o r r e l e n d s itself to an i n t e r e s t i n g a r c h e t y p a l i n t e r p r e t a t i o n . She i s o:." t h e same r a c e o f women as R a c i n e ' s A g r i p p i n e , t h e type o f 5 woman R. B a r t h e s p l a c e s under t h e h e a d i n g o f "maratre": h e r . sex i s determined by h e r s i t u a t i o n , -by t h e r o l e which she ~ : -plays i n an e x t r e m e l y h i e r a r c h i c a l s o c i e t y , w i t h o u t a husband, she a p p r o p r i a t e s t h e power o f t h e f a t h e r , towards h e r son who i s l i t t l e - p r e p a r e d t o a c c e p t t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s o f h i s age 127 or h i s rank i n s o c i e t y . desire t o d o m i n a t e and hence s u b j u g a t e underlining Du P l a i s i r the opposing traits of highlights the mother's h e r f e e b l e s o n by t h e i r two c h a r a c t e r s . Madame d ' H i l m o r r e n e e d s t o be t h e more p o w e r f u l p a r t n e r such a r e l a t i o n s h i p i s Mademoiselle after demonstrated i n her a c t i o n s d ' H e n n e b u r y , whom she s u c c e e d s That in toward i n cowing totally t h e d e a t h o f t h e o t h e r d o m i n a n t m o t h e r , Madame d'Hennebury. The two y o u n g p e o p l e , M a d e m o i s e l l e and t h e Due d ' E s t r a m e n e , i n the o p e n i n g pages o f to t h i s worldly, whose c h a r a c t e r s a r e n o t y e t the n a r r a t i v e , inevitably e x p e r i e n c e d woman o f t h e c o u r t ; b e c a u s e he r e a l i z e s t h a t he w i l l n e e d h i s financial aid if d'Hennebury he i s t o k e e p up h i s the f u t u r e d a u g h t e r - i n - l a w where h e r r e p u t a t i o n i s capitulate the mother's existing because her h e a r t i s formed son ample life-style, vulnerable concerned. F o l l o w i n g t h e d e a t h - s c e n e o f Madame d ' H e n n e b u r y , Plaisir develops h i s Du i n i t i a l s k e t c h o f Madame d ' H i l m o r r e with s e v e r a l r i c h l y s u g g e s t i v e remarks r e g a r d i n g h e r p r o j e c t s . B u t b e f o r e she c a n e x e r t h e r b e n e f i c i a l i n f l u e n c e on t h e heroine's "toutes f u t u r e , Madame d ' H e n n e b u r y d i e s , ses d'Hilmorre pensees v e r s l e C i e l " is (I, Meanwhile, 66). d ' H e n n e b u r y and h e r s o n . o p p o s i t i o n o f t h e two movements s u g g e s t e d a t t e n t i o n o f Madame d ' H e n n e b u r y , ties; turned a l r e a d y r u m i n a t i n g t h e m a r r i a g e w h i c h she planned f o r Mademoiselle earthly having has subtle (heavenward who w i s h e s materialistic attitude The Madame to renounce all o f Madame d ' H i l m o r r e ) is 128 h i g h l i g h t e d by t h e adverb b e g i n s h i s remarks " a u s s i t o s t " , w i t h w h i c h Du P l a i s i r c o n c e r n i n g Madame d ' H i l m o r r e : A u s s i t o s t que Madame d ' H i l m o r r e e n v i s a g e a c e t t e i n f i n i t e de g r a n d s P a r t i s d o n t •Madem o i s e l l e d'Hennebury s e r o i t b i e n t o s t r e c h e r c h e e , e l l e m e d i t a de l a f a i r e epouser a u Due d ' E s t r a m e n e . E l l e n ' i g n o r o i t p a s 1 * a v e r s i o n que s o n F i l s a v o i t p o u r t o u s l e s er.gagemens d u r a b l e [ s i c ] ; m a i s . e e . F i l s e t o i t unique. II ne p o u v o i t s e d i s p e n s e r d'une a l l i a n c e , & d a n s c e t t e n e c e s ; i t e d'un j o u g o d i e u x , e l l e n e v o y o i t p o i n t e n c o r une P e r s o n n e q u i p u s t a u t a n t que M a d e m o i s e l l e d'Hennebury.le l u y ac.oucir p a r l a douceur & p a r l a beauti-. (I, 67-68) The image o f t h e y o k e , d e n o t i n g m e t a p h o r i c a l l y t h e r o l e o f t h e s u b s e r v i e n t c o u r t i e r , who i s b y d e f i n i t i o n a s l a v e t o his reputation u n d e r l i n e s a s w e l l on a more i n d i v i d u a l t h e e x t r e m e c o n c e r n w h i c h Madame d ' H i l m o r r e d e m o n s t r a t e s level with regard t o h e r personal reputation. I t i s mainly, by t h i s d e p i c t i o n o f t h e mother-son tionship- rela- t h a t t h e a u t h o r e l a b o r a t e s on t h e m o r a l p o r t r r - . i t o f Madame d ' H i l m o r r e . Homan r e l a t i o n s h i p s (even m a t e r n a l and- i n d i v i d u a l f e e l i n g s h a v e no p l a c e i n t h e s y s t e m ones) which Madame d ' H i l m o r r e e s t a b l i s h e s t o a s s u r e h e r s u c c e s s a t c o u r t . As t h e author suggests, i t i s o f s m a l l consequence indeed t o Madame d ' H i l m o r r e t h a t h e r s o n i s l i t t l e prepared t o accept the r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s of a w i f e : Le Duo d ' E s t r a m e n e r e v i n t a. P a r i s , & l a i s s a r e v o i r t o u t e s a premiere repugnance pour l e Mariage. Madame d ' H i l m o r r e e n e u t p e u d'inquietude. E l l e avoit deja ses projets pour l e f a i r e i n e v i t a b l e m e n t tomber dans s o n d e s s e i n : m a i s e l l e a v o i t b e s o i n de 129 l e l u y c a c h e r e x a c t e m e n t , de c r a i n t e q u ' .1' n'y f i s t n a i t r e d e n o b s t a c l e s ; & e l l e s e c o n t e n t a de l u y f a i r e e n v l s a g e r l a n e c e s s i t e oil l ' o n e s t de r e d o u b l e r s e s s o i n s a u p r e s d'une b e l l e P e r s o n n e a f f l i g e e , quand on l a possede chez s o y . (I, Onee a g a i n , Du P l a i s i r 89-90) i s a b l e t o u n d e r l i n e one o ! Madame d ' H i l m o r r e ' s main s t r e n g t h s , namely h e r e x q u i s i t e sense o f t i m i n g , by t h e use o f a d v e r o i a l m o d i f i e r s "inevitablement"). and the verbs C o u p l e d w i t h t h e u s e o f t h e nDun "tomber" and 'cacher", adverb placed'to the a r r i v a l f o r her son t o f a l l laid the technique o b t a i n optimum e f f e c t p e r m i t s suggest the metaphorical anticipated ("deja", "dessein" of the t h 3 author t o s i t u a t i o n o f t h e h u n t e r who h a s of l i s prey: Madame d ' H i l m o r r e waits i n t o t h e t r a p which she has c a r e f u l l y f o r him. 'The b a d f a i t h and s e l f - l o v e o f Madame. d ' H i l m o r r e a r e f u r t h e r brought out i n the f o l l o w i n g e x t r a c t , i n which the author she a l l u d e s t o the observer-observed r e l a t i o n s h i p which shares w i t h M a d e m o i s e l l e d'Hennebury. feigned R e f e r r i n g to the i n t e r e s t w h i c h t h e a e r o i n e d i s p l a y s f o r t h e Due d'Sstrarnene, Du P l a i s i r notes: Madame d ' H i l m o r r e a p p e r c e u t c e t t e n o u v e l l e conduite. E l l e l a r e g a r d a comme l ' e f f e t d'une i n c l i n a t i o n n o u v e l l e . I I l u y parut que s a n s i n j u s t i c e e l l e p o u v o i t r e c e v o i r . l e f r u i t d'une l e g e r t e , o u CsicTJ e l l e n ' a v o i t c o n t r i b u e d'aucunes p e r s u a s i o n s ; & c e f u t p o u r e l l e une s a t i s f a c t i o n s e n s i b l e , de r e m a r q u e r que c e t t e s a c o n d e a f f e c t i o n j u s t i f i e r o i t e n t i e r e m e n t a l a Cour & dans l e monde, l e p r e t e x t e d o n t e l l e s ' e t o i t s e r v y p o u r r e f u s e r l a P i l l e d u Comte d'Englastre. ( I , 121-122) 130 The r e a l actions motivating f a c t o r of Mademoiselle is of l i t t l e the author leads d'Hilmorre i s w h i c h Madame d ' H i l m o r r e Mademoiselle d'Estramene, enrich this serve to l'assortiment a passer of the t h e u s e o f t h e noun " p r e t e x t e " cerning both p a r t i e s , que f u s t 1 la vie young indicates. experiences con- d ' H e n n e b u r y and t h e Due moral p o r t r a i t . de deux P e r s o n n e s "Quelque si peu e n s e m b l e , Madame d ' H i l m o r r e q u i t t a p o i n t l e d e s s e i n de l e s and t h a t Madame w e l l aware o f t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e The f e e l i n g s disposees 1 c o n s e q u e n c e t o Madame d ' H i l m o r r e , the reader to understand woman's c o n d u c t , a s triste d Hennebury s unir". (I, ne Constantly 136) aware o f t h e n e c e s s a r y b a l a n c e w h i c h she must m a i n t a i n b e t w e e n reality and a p p e a r a n c e , Madame d ' H i l m o r r e laisser p a r o i s t r e a Mademoiselle la c o n t r a i n d r e , & de l u y "ne v o u l u t d'Hennebury l e faire violence." (I, t h e i m p o r t a n c e w h i c h t h e young woman a t t a c h e s gloire court and p u b l i c a p p r o b a t i o n , knows t h a t d'Hennebury with make h e r a c t a s she h a s only d e s s e i n de to personal to provide the Mademoiselle (I, 137) in order Following another dramatic i n which Mademoiselle d'Hennebury f i n d s Madame d ' H i l m o r r e has a l r e a d y gone ahead and a s k e d a p p r o v a l o f t h e Queen and r e l a t i v e s , will Knowing 137) t h e e x p e r i e n c e d woman o f "de grands s c r u p u l e s " she w i s h e s . pas out t i o n e d r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m , scene to her h o r r o r and r e a l i z e s c o n s e q u e n t l y be p u b l i c l y shamed b e c a u s e to that the that of her she unsanc- we a r e t o l d that "Madame d ' H i l m o r r e ne put se d e f e n d r e de q u e l q u e mouvement de pitie. Neanmoins d'appuyer ce q u ' e l l e a v o i t demonstrates adverb e l l e demeura f o r t e m e n t a t t a c h e d a u once m o r e , h i s "ndanmoins" this 141) Du Plaisir of l i t e r a r y technique; his the statement about moment o f human c o n c e r n d i m i n i s h e s any o f a d m i r a t i o n w h i c h t h e r e a d e r m i g h t have f e l t for personage. actions:, " . r scrupules, Madame d ' H i l m o r r e . .J e l l e v o u l u t easily bien, se d i r e que M a d e m o i s e l l e e s t r e malheureuse, (I, sense (I, w i t h w h i c h he q u a l i f i e s Madame d ' H i l m o r r e ' s feeling commence." dessein d'avoir justifies pour d i m i n u e r ses d ' H e n n e b u r y ne p o u r Mary l e Due her pouvoit d'Estramene." 141) In c o n c l u d i n g our remarks Madame d ' H i l m o r r e , either we n o t e that character. adopting because . The a u t h o r has as h i s she s h a r e s to commentary character her actions facets in exploration which is ideally precisely because demonstrated o f Madame d ' H i l m o r r e ' s a r e d e v e l o p e d on a c a n v a s perspectives, Madame d ' H e n n e b u r y , sense. choice her T h i s method i s personage, are in interactions. the d i v e r s e psychological inherent i n on t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p the p r e s e n t a t i o n of t h i s of Duchesse main method o f p r e s e n t i n g h e r t h e the s e l f - l o v e which motivates While of La made a f e l i c i t o u s w i t h the other c h a r a c t e r s . personal the p r e s e n t a t i o n more c r e d i b l e t h a n of the c o n t r a d i c t i o n s o f and t h e s u b s e q u e n t these she i s o f t h e two p r i n c i p a l p e r s o n a g e s d'Estramene suited regarding The o p p o s i t e is with m u l t i p l e moral the c h a r a c t e r of relatively evolving "flat", o f Madame d ' H i l m o r r e the other i n E.M. and mother, Forster's i n e v e r y way, the m o t h e r o f t h e h e r o i n e "au c o n t r a i r e a v o i t elev-e s e s E n f a n s a v e c un - c o n t i n u e l epanchemens [ s i c ] d e s o n a f f e c t i o n ; & ' • a u s s i t o s t q u ' e l l e c r u t v o i r en eux t o u t l e me-rite q u ' e l l e p o u v o i t l e u r donner, i l sembla Mere p o u r d e v e n i r l e u r A m i e . " qu'elle cessasb d'estre l e u r The f u n d a m e n t a l opposition of t h e c h a r a c t e r s o f t h e two m o t h e r s i s s u g g e s t e d l>y t h e n u a n c e s in Du P l a i s i r ' s d e s c r i p t i v e v o c a b u l a r y . c o n t r i v e d conduct The artificial, o f Madame d ' H i l m o r r e c o n t r a s t s directly w i t h t h e n a t u r a l s p o n t a n e i t y c f Madame d ' H e n n e b u r y . verb i n t h e i n i t i a l moral p o r t r a i t The k e y o f Madame d ' H i l m o r r e , "echappe", s u g g e s t s a c o n s t a n t d i s s i m u l a t i o n o f n a t u r a l maternal- f e e l i n g s . T h i s forms a s t r i k i n g c o n t r a s t with t h e noun "epanchement", w h i c h i n t u r n g o v e r n s portrait o f Madame d'He.mebury. the i n i t i a l I n another evident moral ressem- b l a n c e w i t h . L a P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s , t h e m o t h e r o f t h e h e r o i n e in Du P l a i s i r ' s D u c h e s s e d ' E s t r a m e n e , l i k e Malame de C h a r t r e s , plays a s t r i c t l y one-dimensional f u n c t i o n a l r o l e . her death, which occurs f a i r l y Without early i n the unfolding of the a c t i o n , t h e s t o r y w h i c h Du P l a i s i r n a r r a t e s o b v i o u s l y c o u l d .not h a v e t a k e n p l a c e . d'Hennebury .Also, l i k e Madame d e C h a r t r e s , Madame p a r a d o x i c a l l y e x e r t s an i n c r e a s i n g over h e r daughter a f t e r h e r death. influence The s i m i l a r i t i e s shared b y t h e s e two w o r k s d i d n o t i n f a c t go u n n o t i c e d b y t h e contemporaries of t h e i r respective authors. century l i t e r a r y critic, Etienne P a v i l i o n , .The s e v e n t e e n t h " l o u e e t blame en meme terns L a D u c h e s s e d' E s t r a m e n e de r e s s e m b l e r a. l a P r i n c e s s e 133 de C l e v e s " . ^ subtleties t h e sane i n both works: he s t a t e s de l a He f i n d s that r e f e r r i n g to i n La Duchesse Princesse c o n c i s i o n and de C l e v e s " . these d'Estramene, Indeed, evocative two "tout these qualities, cela a similarities u n d e r l i n e d i n t h e c h a r a c t e r o f Madame d ' H e n n e b u r y : m a i s a u s s i c e q u i a un peu t r o p l ' a i r " , le c a r a c t e r e de Madame d ' H e n n e b u r y , l'air " . •} he c o n t e n d s , & sa mort, are qui "c'est tiennent 8 b e a u c o u p du c a r a c t e r e & de l a mort de Madame de Chartres". A comparative of mothers study of the r o l e s i n L a P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s and L a D u c h e s s e g i v e s weight de C h a r t r e s to P a v i l i o n ' s t o an i n g e n u e daughter choose not bond o f This whose a w a k e n i n g to l o v e of initially, lest principal character t r a i t the e s s e n t i a l l y novels. is However o b v i o u s t h e mother i s necessary heroine's greatest of of d'Sstramene,•for f r i e n d and mentor s e r v e s t h e y o u n g woman who w i l l contemplating of relationship they observe they break with the their of maternal sensicomment the u n f o l d i n g though, to the s t r u c t u r e and L a D u c h e s s e Madame i n t e r n a l i z e d a c t i o n of the p a r a l l e l , de C l e v e s d'Sstrarnene and Madame de L a F a y e t t e of major importance i n psychological, two the a t t i t u d e parent i n w h i c h b o t h Du P l a i s i r upon e x p l i c i t l y , solitude adopt of dominating t o speak the Both mothers, c o n f i d e n c e w h i c h t h e y have e s t a b l i s h e d daughters. tivity, accusation. and Madame d ' H e n n e b u r y , f r i e n d r a t h e r than that but and c h a r a c t e r s both the death both La of of Princesse the absence of to h i g h l i g h t the the e x p e r i e n c e the dismay f r o m t h e edge o f a m o r a l p r e c i p i c e h e r of impending 134 loss of s o c i a l status. even more s t r i k i n g l y than i s stage, of significant from a s t r u c t u r a l is viewpoint t h e r e m o v a l o f Madame de L a F a y e t t e ' s m o t h e r f r o m t h e for it serves t o e m p h a s i z e as w e l l t h e t o t a l t h e o r p h a n e d Due d ' O l s i n g a m , d'Hennebury (I, The d e a t h o f Madame d ' H e n n e b u r y solitude who had l o o k e d upon "comme une Mere p l u t o s t Madame que comme une A m i e " . 59) F o r Du P l a i s i r , figure is bility i n marriage. as f o r Madame de L a F a y e t t e , t h e the i n c a r n a t i o n of r e l i g i o u s Her l a s t words values and mother responsi- to her daughter are the following: J e ne v o u s r e p r e s e n t e p o i n t c o m b i e n v o u s devrez e s t r e a t t a c h e e a v o s t r e Mary. Je connois toute vostre r a i s o n ; & d ' a i l l e u r s j e s u i s c e r t a i n e s [ s i c ] que l ' a m i t i e d ' u n e femme n ' a u r a p o i n t b e s o i n a u p r e s d u Due d ' O l s i n g a m d ' e s t r e s o u t e n u e du d e v o i r & de l a s a g e s s e . (I, 62) T h e s e words o f Madame d ' H e n n e b u r y w i l l resound i n the mind and c a u s e h e r t o remember w i t h r e m o r s e t h e b e f i t t i n g a d u t i f u l w i f e worthy of r e s p e c t . o f Madame d ' H e n n e b u r y and h e r d a u g h t e r of that s h a r e d by Madame de C l e v e s expresses herself in the f o l l o w i n g is of The conduct relationship course and h e r m o t h e r , way b e f o r e heroine's reminiscent who dying: I I y a d e j a l o n g t e m p s que j e me s u i s a p e r c u e de c e t t e i n c l i n a t i o n ; m a i s j e ne v o u s en a i pas v o u l u p a r l e r d ' a b o r d , de p e u r de v o u s en f a i r e a p e r c e v o i r vous-meme. Vous ne l a c o n n a i s s e z que t r o p presentement; vous e t e s sur l e bord du p r e c i p i c e : i l f a u t de g r a n d s e f f o r t s e t de g r a n d e s v i o l e n c e s p o u r v o u s r e t e n i r . Songez ce que v o u s d e v e z a v o t r e m a r i ; 135 s o n g e z c e que v o u s v o u s d e v e z a. v o u s meme, e t p e n s e z que v o u s a l l e z p e r d r e c e t t e r e p u t a t i o n que vous v o u s e t e s a c q u i s e e t que j e vous a i t a n t s o u h a i t e e . ° • Indeed, the death scenes s k e t c h e d by Du P l a i s i r f o r us of t h e two m a t e r n a l f i g u r e s and Madame de L a P a y e t t e a r e t o o t o p a s s o v e r them w i t h o u t Chartres comment. B o t h Madame and Madame d ' H e n n e b u r y r e f u s e t o a l l o w t o be p r e s e n t d u r i n g t h e l a s t death of moments t h e mother i n b o t h c a s e s become aware of the f a c t moral support or a d v i c e , that, their lives. forces the daughter i n d e p e n d e n t o f any she must either risk r e p u t a t i o n by e n t e r i n g i n t o a r e l a t i o n s h i p terous, o r keep h e r h o n o u r i n t a c t acceptable marriage What i s using remarkable, is felt rather, simple vocabulary, is to not de C l e v e s g a i n s p r o m i n e n c e as conduct her only a f t e r of l i t t l e have s u c c e e d e d i n a motivating a socially- in love. plagiarism evoking the assumed In d'Estramene, f o r c e i n the a role in her consequence. beyond d e a t h . and L a D u c h e s s e she has of t h e way i n w h i c h t h e two bond u n i t i n g mother and d a u g h t e r Princesse to t o be a d u l - by c o n s e n t i n g in fact The the l o s s t o a man w i t h whom she i s o f Du P l a i s i r children external Whether we a r e d e a l i n g h e r e w i t h an example o f on t h e p a r t alike de their of as authors, strong both La the mother heroine's t h e memory of daughter. As i n the case Du P l a i s i r gives of the sons, Comte d ' H e n n e b u r y , m o r a l as of the mothers, are almost to the p h y s i c a l the i n i t i a l sketches t h e Due d ' E s t r a m e n e as traits and nebulous with respect described. The Due which the to the d'Estramene 136 is c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n the f o l l o w i n g way: Ce Due a v o i t une e n t i e r e d i s p o s i t i o n p o u r l e s grandes choses. On l u y v o y o i t en t o u s s e s e x e r c i c e s une a d r e s s e p r e s q u e i n c o m p a r a b l e ; & son c o u r a g e r e p o n d o i t a s o n adresse. Peu d Homines p o u v o i e n t l u y o s t e r l a g l o i r e d e s t r e l e mieux f a i t du monde. II c h a r m o i t dans l a c o n v e r s a t i o n . 11 e s t o i t ne a v e c une f a c i l i t e de p e r s u a d e r qu'on n ' a v o i t point encor veue. II etoit i n a g n i f i q u e , l i b e r a l , p l e i n de f e u , p l e i n d'esprit. (I, 6-7) 1 1 As f o r t h e Comte d'Hennebury: II e t o i t de c e s Hommes q u i i n t e r e s s e n t d ' a b o r d , & que l ' o n ne p e u t r e g a r d e r a v e c indifference. On l u y v o y o i t une c o m p l a i s a n c e & une s i n c e r i t e q u i s e u l e s l ' e u s s e n t f a i t aimer. II a v o i t de l a v a l e u r , & c e t t e v a l e u r e t o i t j o i n t e a une s a g e s s e b i e n p l u s a v a n c e e que s o n a g e . Sa r e c o n n o i s s a n c e estoit vive & agissante. II e t o i t t o u j o u r s r a i s o n n a b l e , t o u j o u r s f i d e l l e a ses Amis, t o u j o u r s a r d e n t a marquer s o n a m i t i e . (I, 10-11) Though b r i e f , highly suggestive, preview of t h e two w o r d - p o r t r a i t s nonetheless and s e r v e t o p r o v i d e t h e r e a d e r w i t h t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c c o n d u c t o f t h e Comte and t h e Due d ' E s t r a m e n e . sentation are The f i r s t of a d'Hennebury the s u b t l e t i e s of o f w h i c h t h e r e a d e r becomes i m m e d i a t e l y aware the v a r i a t i o n portraits. i n d e t a i l with which the author Du P l a i s i r t h e Due d ' E s t r a m e n e underlines the g r e a t e r by d e v e l o p i n g h i s fully t h a n t h e Comte d ' H e n n e b u r y ' s . tions are laudatory, Du P l a i s i r d'Estramene Estramene's makes h i s initial paints preis the importance i n i t i a l portrait two of more Though b o t h c h a r a c t e r i z a - c l e a r l y stands out. presentation of immediately a f t e r d e s c r i b i n g the the c h a r a c t e r Due of 137 his mother, Madame d ' H i l m o r r e . two p o r t r a i t s remarks is not with regard This fortuitous. Du P l a i s i r ' s t o Madame d ' H i l m o r r e prepare the reader f o r the p o r t r a i t demonstrates i n his juxtaposition of Madame d ' H i l m o r r e r e c e i v e s from the K i n g serve it is due t o t h e that "devoit l ' h o n n e u r d ' e s t r e dSja (I, O n l y t h e n does Du P l a i s i r proceed to In Due's his pour l e s t o be somewhat i n keeping with the n o v e l i s t i c vocabulary merits a closer d e p i c t i n g a high-powered i n which r e p u t a t i o n s sacrifices. tives "grandes", "magnifique" in this in this style the that of the The u s e initial it atmosphere, quite the Du Plaisir a court setting t h e most p a r t substantives d e s c r i p t i o n of appear Plaisir's highlights to u n f o l d . "incomparable", first the e x t r a c t would for about of all and c o n s e q u e n t l y examination, social he h a s the about "une o f t h e t i m e , Du are preserved f o r extraordinary s u c h as Although general, d e c o r o f t h e m o r a l drama w h i c h i s is d'Estramene." present grandes choses", of the p e r f e c t c o u r t i e r . glance c r e e Due young b e i n g endowed w i t h d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e Due d ' E s t r a m e n e first this which y e t g i v i n g any p r e c i s e d e t a i l s c o n c e r n i n g women: entiere disposition at faveur" the p e r t i n e n t moral aspects character, without qualities the t h e e x t r a c t q u o t e d a b o v e , we s e e pens r a p i d l y attitude to husband. considering Du P l a i s i r in fact "haute gallant future closing l i f e s t y l e a certain insouciance: that heroine's the t h e y o u n g nobleman who a u t h o r r e m i n d s us 6) of "gloire" t h e Due by and adjec- and d'Estramene 138 serves t o foreshadow effort which t h i s to repress his on t h e l e v e l c h a r a c t e r w i l l be r e q u i r e d t o make i n natural feelings and i n a more a b s t r a c t sense, r e g a r d i n g women and the extreme n a t u r e o f d e c i s i o n which the h e r o i n e w i l l On t h e l e v e l of language the c o n c e r t e d o f l a n g u a g e as w e l l , Du P l a i s i r "on l u y v o y o i t the en t o u s ses uses e f f e c t i v e l y the admirable image w h i c h t h e Due d ' E s t r a m e n e h a s maintain: marriage, s e e h e r s e l f f o r c e d t o make. the technique of r e p e t i t i o n to h i g h l i g h t public been a b l e e x e r c i c e s une c h a r m o i t dans l a une f a c i l i t e de p e r s u a d e r liberal . 7j ". Du P l a i s i r (I, 7; o u r adresse II e s t o i t . rj magnifique, d'Estramene c e s s a neantmoins d'Englastre aussitost femme. II n ' a v o i t galanterie luy one, by p o i n t i n g out h i s and h i s daughter. [T . 7] sans l ' a t t a c h e r , Mademoiselle devenir La avoit une ce q u i demande de is relation- armes. et i l This b r i e f a l l u s i o n pre- d'Estramene w i l l an i m p o r t a n t a s p e c t namely h i s lack of take, for it an throws o f t h e Due d ' E s t r a m e n e ' s interest i n women and h i s sa longues important and d i r e c t l y r e l a t e d t o t h e movement w h i c h t h e p l o t the Duchesse avec " L e Due regarder d ' i n c l i n a t i o n que p o u r l e s (I, 9) of h i s q u ' i l pensa q u ' e l l e p o u v o i t plaisoit ne underlining) de a v e r s i o n i n v i n c i b l e pour t o u t exactitudes." II e t o i t concludes the second paragraph t o t h e Comte d ' E n g l a s t r e adresse. conversation. s e n t a t i o n o f t h e Due d ' E s t r a m e n e ship outward to p r e s q u e i n c o m p a r a b l e ; e t son c o u r a g e r e p o n d o i t a s o n j~> • order light of upon character, unwillingness 139 to accept the r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s station the in society. Is t h a t accompany h i s the n a r r a t o r in fact suggesting Due d ' E s t r a m e n e has h o m o s e x u a l t e n d e n c i e s ? later point his that He d o e s , i n t h e n o v e l , have t h e Due make t h e c o n f e s s i o n to h i s age and at a following wife: F a i t e s - m o y s e u l e m e n t l a g r a c e de c r o i r e que 1 ' i n j u s t i c e q u i v o u s p a r o i s t en moy, n ' e s t p o i n t a t t a c h e d a vous p a r t i c u l i e r e ment. S i l a rigueur d'un joug e t e r n e l , & d ' u n j o u g i n v o l o n t a i r e , me f a i t manquer de p a s s i o n p o u r v o u s , e l l e m ' a u r o i t donne de l ' h o r r e u r p o u r t o u t e a u t r e . ( I I , 21-22) The character t r a i t s d'Estramene are not, throughout w h i c h Du P l a i s i r however, consistently t o t h e Due enough m a i n t a i n e d t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e a c t i o n t o e n a b l e us t o make such a c a t e g o r i c a l statement. As approaches, Du P l a i s i r that significant c h a r a c t e r change w h i c h , i f inference attributes relates t h e denouement o f t h e tale t h e Due has u n d e r g o n e we a c c e p t t h e o f h o m o s e x u a l t e n d e n c i e s , seems somewhat take i n t o account the f a c t of course, possible f o r t h e a u t h o r t o be more o u t s p o k e n w i t h o u t proprieties. The D u c h e s s e d ' E s t r a m e n e her true f e e l i n g s r e g a r d i n g t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m , that having initial unrealistic. We must, the a it was not breaking confessed the narrator comments: D e p u i s ce j o u r i l ne p o u v o i t p r e s q u e p l u s l a r e g a r d e r , sans l a i s s e r s u r p r e n d r e ses y e u x p a r q u e l q u e s l a r m e s , ob i l p r i t une h a b i t u d e de s ' a t t e n d r i r , q u i peu a. peu f i t n a i t r e dan3 s o n c o e u r une s o r t e de s e n s i b i l i t e dont i l a v o i t t o u j o u r s paru i n c a p a b l e . I I s ' e n apperceut avec j o y e . I I employa m i l l e r a i s o n s p o u r f o r t i f i e r c e s commencemens, 140 & i l eust b i e n s o u h a i t e p o u v o i r a c q u e r i r une a s s e z g r a n d e p a s s i o n , p o u r c o n s o l e r Madaine d ' S s t r a r n e n e de l a p e r t e q u ' e l l e a v o i t f a i t e , cb pour g o u t e r t o u t l e b o n h e u r de p o s s e d e r une P e r s o n n e comme e l l e . (II, 181-182) The Due d ' E s t r a m e n e ' s c h a r a c t e r must have been somewhat o f an enigma f o r t h e a u t h o r ' s c o n t e m p o r a r i e s as w e l l , Pavilion's T h i s a u t h o r , whose c r i t i c i s m remarks i n d i c a t e . L a D u c h e s s e d ' E s t r a m e n e has perplexed: as a l r e a d y been t o u c h e d u p o n , of is " L e Due d ' E s t r a m e n e me p a r o i t un homme b i e n extraordinaire. Ne p o u v o i r pas s e u l e m e n t s o u f f r i r s a femme, 10 elle, qui etoit s i Pavilion is for his aimable! Cela est of the o p i n i o n t h a t etrange." Yet t h e Due d ' E s t r a m e n e ' s aversion w i f e p r o d u c e s what he c o n s i d e r s t o be a d m i r a b l e [J. . 7) e t p a r l ' e m b a r a s r e c i p r o q u e , ou i l s s o n t t o u s deux, et p a r l e s c o n s e i l s g e n e r e u x e t d e s i n t e r e s s e s que l e Due d ' O l s i n g a m donne a u m a r i de l a P e r s o n n e q u ' i l a i m e . Ces deux t r a i t s sont a d m i r a b l e s . Le p r e m i e r f a i t un j e u f o r t f i n , e t donne l i e u a. d e m e l e r des sentimens t r e s d e l i c a t s , et t r e s n a t u r e l s . Le second pousse j u s q u ' a u p l u s haut p o i n t l a g r a n d e u r d'ame d u Due d ' O l s i n g a m . II n ' a p a r t i e n t qu'a. v o u s , Madame, de f a i r e d e s H £ r o s e t des H e r o i n e s . H W h i l e P a v i l i o n m e r e l y c h i d e s Du P l a i s i r Due d ' E s t r a m e n e Pierre Bayle, an i n c o n s i s t e n t for giving character, another does n o t e i n t h e husband "S'il of the h e r o i n e a f a u t de 1'amour dans un Roman, y en i n e t t e , mais q u ' o n y m e t t e a u s s i l e s o r d i n a i r e s de 1'amour. the critic, c h a r a c t e r d e v i a t i o n w h i c h he terms u n n a t u r a l , as he categorically: effects: states qu'on effets naturels et Pour r e v e n i r au p e r s o n n a g e de c e m a r i 141 d e g o u t e , s o n c a r a c t e r e e s t s i e x c e s s i f , q u ' o n n'a p u s'empecher 12 de s'en p l a i n d r e The friend, publiquement." Due d ' E s t r a m e n e i s t h e o p p o s i t e t h e Comte d ' H e n n e b u r y . i n e v e r y way t o h i s The a t t i t u d e o f t h e Due d'Estramene c o n t r a s t s w i t h t h e r e a s o n a b l e , s t y l e o f t h e Comte. even p r o s a i c F o l l o w i n g t h e p r o c e d u r e w h i c h he a d o p t s for t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e Due d'Estrar-iene, Du P l a i s i r his initial by life- begins d e s c r i p t i o n ( s e e p. 136) o f t h e C o n t e d ' H e n n e b u r y c o m m e n t i n g upon, t h e m o t h e r - s o n r e l a t i o n s h i p . The s o n i s c l e a r l y l i t t l e more t h a n a d o c i l e r e f l e c t i o n o f . h i s m o t h e r . H i s l a c k o f d a s h i s s u g g e s t e d by t h e use o f s u c h b a n a l t i v e s and nouns.as " c o m p l a i s a n c e " , . " i n d i f f e r e n c e " , "sagesse", "raisocnable", and " f i d e l l e " . repetition adjec- "sincerite", The t e c h n i q u e s of ( " I I a v o i t de l a v a l e u r , e t c e t t e v a l e u r . our u n d e r l i n i n g ) and t e r n a r y rhythm ( " t o u j o u r s " ) constitute n u a n c e s i n a. p a s t e l p o r t r a i t w h i c h l a c k : ; t h e s p l a s h e s of colour, b r i l l i a n t b y c o m p a r i s o n , f o u n d i n t h e Due d ' E s t r a m e n e ' s description.The Comte d ' H e n n e b u r y f u l f i l l s a single function i n c o n t i n u i n g h i s mother's m o r a l i n f l u e n c e over t h e h e r o i n e a f t e r Madame d'Henne-bury' s d e a t h , a n d d o e s n o t u n d e r g o a n y character evolution during represents, homme. • t h e c o u r s e ox the, a c t i o n . by ..his . r e a s o n a b l e n e s s , the i d e a l o f the H i s l o v e o f moderation and h i s i n h e r e n t h i g h l i g h t e d b y Du P l a i s i r ' s u s e o f o p p o s i t i o n : : He honnete- sagacity are t h e Due d ' E s t r a m e n e a n d t h e Comte d ' H e n n e b u r y " s e r e n d i r e n t l ' u n e t 142 l'autre en de d i f e r e n t e s arrnees d u R o y . " ( I , 13) The n a t u r a l m o d e r a t i o n o f t h e Hennebury f a m i l y and t h e i m p u l s i v e , ego- centric a t t i t u d e d i s p l a y e d by t h e Due d ' E s t r a m e n e his mother, already rapidly-penned i n the l e s s e s t a b l i s h e d by t h e o p p o s i t i o n sketches obviously of the mothers, of the two thus r e i n f o r c e d contrasting water-colour portraits t h e Comte d ' H e n n e b u r y and t h e Due However " f l a t " are and his of d'Estramene. c h a r a c t e r , though, t h e Comte is n e c e s s a r y i n L a Duchesse d ' E s t r a m e n e to h i g h l i g h t of the f u t i l i t y calls o f what B e r n a r d P i n g a u d "les d'Hennebury t h e theme bonnes 13 resolutions". novel, ^ At Du P l a i s i r d'Estramene the b e g i n n i n g of t h e s e c o n d volume o f p r e s e n t s a s c e n e i n w h i c h we s e e Madame p a s s i n g o v e r i n h e r mind t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e i n c l i n a t i o n f o r t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m . b e l i e v e s h e r s e l f t o be f u l l y husband a c o n v i n c i n g mask, plus obligeantes." (II, apparences plus for the r e c e n t marriage of serves t o c a n c e l any e f f o r t on t h e p a r t she her qu'elle elle at point t h e two y o u n g p e o p l e , of the heroine passage, for psychological dans encor mariee, l u y se c r o y o i t c a p a b l e . " this real n'etoit l u y a\Doit e c r i t e , in it (II, 8-9) to "Une l'esperance ota cette force L e t u s l o o k more dont closely t h e a u t h o r comes t o t e r m s w i t h dilemma f a c i n g t h e h e r o i n e , n a m e l y problem of r e p u t a t i o n versus love. et d'Hennebury, h i d e f r o m h e r husband h e r l o v e f o r t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m : que s o n f r e r e her favorables A l e t t e r f r o m t h e Comte unaware o f of of remorse, capable of adopting "des 8) Full who i s Lettre the The b r o t h e r : the the 143 £*. . 7] l u y p a r l a i t er. des teriaes p l e i n s d ' a f f l i c t i o n et d'amisie. I I l u y p r i o i t de v c u l o i r b i e n t r o u v e r quelque d i f e r e n c e e n t r e l e Due d 0 1 sing;;,.in, e t c e l u y q u ' e l l e luy preferoit. I I lu;: r e p r e s e n t o i t l e d e s e s p o i r d'un Homme r.ont e l l e e t o i t aimee jusqu'a 1 ' a d o r a t i o n . E n f i n i l l u y f a i s o i t entendre q u ' i l d e p e n d t i t d.'elle d ' o b t e n i r de l a Reyne un commanuement de se r e n d r e au Due d'Olsingam. J u s q u e - l a Madame 11' Estramene a v o i t s u p o r t e son mariage avec quelque p a t i e n c e , parce q u ' i l l a m e t t o i t hors d ' e t a t de r i e n f a i r e c o n t r e s a g l o i r s ; mais quand e l l e connut que s i e l l e l*;:ust d i f ere j u s q u ' a l o r s , e l l e a u r o i t pu sans a icune honte se c o n s e r v e r au Due d'Olsingam, e t se r e n d r e heureuse elle-mesme, e l l e f u t . i n c o n s o l a b l e . On l a v i t p l e u r e r a u t a n t qu ; s i e l l e a v o i t eu un deluge de p l e u r s a. r e t a n d r e , et e l l e p a r u t avec des s a i s i s s e m e n s et des t r a n s p o r t s q u i donnerent de c r u e l s remors an Due d'Bstramene. 1 (II, 9-11) W h i l e b e i n g e n s l a v e d t o h e r r e f u t a t i o n s Madame d'Estramene i s as w e l l , a v i c t i m of t i m e . 'The v e r y t h i n l i n e which separates h a p p i n e s s w i t h o u t l o s s of honour and m i s e r y i n a u n i o n , a l b e i t h o n o u r a b l e , w i t h an i n c o m p a t i b l e p a r t n e r i s e v o k e d by f P l a i s i r ' e . use of the adverb Du " ' j u s q u ' a l o r s " . The p r i c e t o pay f o r an i m p u l s i v e attempt t o pro-serve r e p u t a t i o n i s p a i n t e d i n a v i v i d f a s h i o n by the use of- a b s t r a c t nouns ("saisissemens", " t r a n s p o r t s " ) and by the e v o c a t i v e a l t h o u g h somewhat b a n a l image c f the "deluge de pleurs''. The p r o s a i c Comte d'Hennebury does s t r i k e t h e r e a d e r as l a c k i n g i n v e r i s i m i l i t u d e because o f h i s e x c e s s i v e goodness. Du P l a i s i r never adopts h i s o p t i c a l a n g l e as he moves h i s p o i n t of view t o comment on the h e r o i n e ' s moral dilemma, nor does he ever a n a l y z e h i s thoughts t o convey them.to the r e a d e r . 144 He g i v e s him t h e power o f d i r e c t speech o n l y when he has hie, c o n f r o n t h i s s i s t e r a t t h e moment o f the Due d'Olsingam'sdeath. Had Du P l a i s i r e x p l o r e d more f u l l y t h e l a t e n t p o s s i - b i l i t i e s o f some o f h i s more prominent c h a r a c t e r t r a i t s , anc. had he g i v e n him a l e s s s e l f - e f f a c i n g p e r s o n a l i t y , t h e Comto d'Hennebury would have a c h i e v e d as a f i c t i o n a l personage a more d e s i r a b l e b a l a n c e between b e i n g merely a s t r u c t u r a l t o o l and r e m a i n i n g an i n d i v i d u a l i n h i s own r i g h t . I t i s o n l y a f t e r t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f the mothers and the sons t h a t Du P l a i s i r i n t r o d u c e s h i s two main c h a r a c t e r s to the r e a d e r . .He thus succeeds i n u n d e r l i n i n g , i n t h e ver; r s t r u c t u r e which he has g i v e n t o h i s wprk, t h e f a c t t h a t , the hero and t h e h e r o i n e ' s mutual a f f i n i t y d i v o r c e s them f r o m e i t h e r o f t h e two main groups o f c h a r a c t e r s ( t h e mother-son groups). By v i r t u e o f h e r b i r t h , Mademoiselle d'Hennebury c o u l d be p l a c e d , i n . t h e o r y , alongside h e r mother and h e r b r o t h e r ; t h e d e a t h o f h e r mother, however, puts h e r i n t h e c a t e g o r y wher>; we f i n d d'Olsingam from t h e s t a r t , he h a v i n g "perdu s o n p e r ? et s a mere dans un age. ou a. peine i l p o u v o i t e s t r e s e n s i b l e k cette perte." ( I , 15-16)' By the use a g a i n o f p a r a l l e l i s m , t h e n , t h e author succeeds i n h i g h l i g h t i n g the unique r e l a t i o n s h i p shared by t h e hero and t h e h e r o i n e . As b e f i t s t h e p r i n c i p a l c h a r a c t e r s o f t h e n o v e l , t h e Duo d'Olsingam's and Mademoiselle d'Hennebury's e n t r y onto s t a g e 145 centre i s prepared w e l l i n advance. the h e r o i n e i s The p h y s i c a l announced i n d i r e c t l y t o t h e r e a d e r b e f o r e c h a r a c t e r makes h e r i n i t i a l a p p e a r a n c e . court is portrait r e f l e c t e d i n that of of the The r e a c t i o n o f the t h e Queen: l a Reyne, quelque acc6utum£e q u ' e l l e f u s t a v o i r des B e a u t e z p a r f a i t e s , n ' a v o i t j a m a i s pu r e g a r d e r M a d e m o i s e l l e d ' H e n n e b u r y s a n s un extreme e t o n n e m e n t . E l l e c r a i g n i t que c e t t e jeune personne dont l e coeur n ' e s t o i t p o i n t e n c o r a t t a c h e ne t r o u v a s t en P r a n c e q u e l q u e c h o s e de t r o p a i m a b l e . (I, The f i r s t d e s c r i p t i o n of the h e r o i n e i s c o u n t e r p a r t i n L a P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s , traits. regard No p r e c i s e d i s t i n g u i s h i n g to Mademoiselle The v o c a b u l a r y , f l a t t e r i n g and somewhat the h i g h l y conscious which the superfluous first arrangement the dominant technique d'HenneburyJ donnoit t o be overly illustrate work, of in rapidly crisis. d'Hennebury is one of the n a r r a t o r . q u i t e d e l i b e r a t e l y uses a p r e c i s e l y that with i m p r e s s i o n c r e a t e d i n t h e Queen's mind i n adopting the point young E n g l i s h appears o f Du P l a i s i r ' s of view of upon s e e i n g the h e r o i n e f o r the f i r s t is its description. n e v e r mars t h e c o n c i s e and by t h e p r e s e n c e o f M a d e m o i s e l l e "etonnement", to individualistic are given s e r v e s however t o f l o w i n g account of a p s y c h o l o g i c a l As devoid of physical glance banal, rather similar details d'Hennebury's which at 11-12) t h e Queen. aristocrat In d'Olsingam Por h i s the [Mademoiselle etonnement p r o d i g i e u x a. ceux de q u i e l l e p o u v o i t reaction the J a r d i n du Roy, "l'appergeut aux marques d ' u n time. t h e Due parallel estre veue." (I, qu'elle 36) 146 T h e s e examples serve to i l l u s t r a t e a u t h o r of La Duchesse Rather d'Estramene than announcing-in the heroine surpasses has chosen h i s a d i r e c t manner t h a t that vocabulary. t h e b e a u t y ..of o f any y o u n g woman a t d o e s Madame de L a P a y e t t e , route for the care with which the Du P l a i s i r chooses court, a more i n d i c a t i n g to the r e a d e r the remarkable attributes of Mademoiselle d'Hennebury, subtle physical by s p e a k i n g of the r e a c t i o n e x p e r i e n c e d by t h o s e who see h e r f o r the f i r s t A g a i n the importance of v i s u a l stressed. To a p p l y Plaisir's once more E.M. Forster's n o v e l , Mademoiselle character, impressions is terminology d'Hennebury i s one who e v o l v e s p s y c h o l o g i c a l l y of the a c t i o n . Du P l a i s i r is a to time. Du "round" d u r i n g the able to insure as the course complexity o f h e r c h a r a c t e r by v i e w i n g h e r e v o l u t i o n f r o m d i f f e r e n t vantage points, narrative as we have s e e n i n o u r g e n e r a l d i s c u s s i o n technique. d'Hennebury's An o v e r - a l l v i e w o f psychological t h e same way t h a t Mademoiselle d e v e l o p m e n t p e r m i t s us h e r p r e s e n c e , h e r v e r i s i m i l i t u d e as the l e v e l s observes t h e m a i n c h a r a c t e r t e n d as w e l l t o scenes it In develops t h e m o r a l dilemma o f heroine, or p e r s p e c t i v e s from which the r e a c t i o n s r a t h e r t h a n on p h y s i c a l Du P l a i s i r assess internalized, h i s t o r i c a l references g i v i n g way t o t h e d e p i c t i o n o f logical to a literary creation. the a c t i o n o f the s t o r y as becomes i n c r e a s i n g l y of maintains focus the author on psycho- actions. authorial distance i n these o f t h e n o v e l by t h e t e c h n i q u e o f commentary, opening while 147 a c h i e v i n g at t h e same t i m e a c e r t a i n c o m p l i c i t y w i t h r e a d e r who, as a result, d o e s what i s happening d'Hennebury, at portrait duced, of will able to see b e f o r e the to her p s y c h o l o g i c a l l y . t h e moment o f f i r s t catching t h e y o u n g man t o whom s h e w i l l does n o t y e t u n d e r s t a n d p h o s i s w h i c h has itself is —remorse come o n l y as heroine Mademoiselle sight of the shortly be intro- the meaning o f begun t o t a k e p l a c e the metamor- i n her h e a r t , f o r h a v i n g y i e l d e d t o such an a delayed r e a c t i o n . love inclination Du P l a i s i r anticipates t h e imminent r e a l i z a t i o n w h i c h t h e y o u n g woman w i l l by r e m a r k i n g t h a t "quand elle e n c o r 1'Homme du monde l e vertu, e l l e e n t r a dans un e t a t si e l l e se f u s t undergo p e n s a que c e t Homme s i etoit deplaisirs, the plus beau remply d ' e s p r i t qui luy examinee." eust (I, & de donne de 20) sensibles But: E l l e i g n o r o i t encor l a f o r c e des i n c l i n a t i o n s , & e l l e e u s t e t e b i e n e l o i g n e e de c r a i n d r e que l ' o n p u s t a v o i r p l u s que de l ' e s t i m e p o u r un Homme q u ' o n n ' a p o i n t v e u . Sans c e s s e l e Due d ' O l s i n g a m se p r e s e n t o i t a son e s p r i t . E l l e l u i a p p l i q u o i t , avec c e t t e imprudence d ' u n coeur nouveau, l e s t r a i t s de s o n P o r t r a i t ; & e l l e a v o i t de l a j o y e de p o u v o i r se d i r e q u ' e l l e n ' a v o i t r i e n veu encor q u i pust l u y e s t r e comparable. (I, 21-22) Mademoiselle d'Hennebury is, without realizing it, trembling on t h e edge o f a p r e c i p i c e ; t h e t w i c e - r e p e a t e d a d v e r b i n the paragraph o f l o v e up t o through h i s its c i t e d above h i g h l i g h t s t h e moment o f portrait, mark i n h e r h e a r t , encounter with a l o v e which has as her t o t a l ("encor") inexperience the Due already l e f t d'Olsingam forever u n d e r l i n e d by t h e a d v e r b i a l expression 148 "sans c e s s e " . In a l e i t - m o t i f as fact, this expression takes the a c t i o n develops for, anticipate, t h e dilemma o f M a d e m o i s e l l e d'Estramene is p r e c i s e l y that as How i s introduced? she m i g h t of being unable to erase Du P l a i s i r and i n t e r i o r monologue effectively, i f the i n t r i g u e inability t o c a r r y out i n p u b l i c , p r e s e n c e o f t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m , develops, L e t us discourse heightens scene i s thus g He t h e drama a b o u t views s e t t i n g and her in w h i c h she h a s t a k e as the made a n example scene i n The u s e o f to u n f o l d . in increasing which t h e home o f h e r b r o t h e r t o s e e t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m n e a r d e a t h . the discourse o r more i m p o r t a n t l y , a l t e r n a t i n g p r e s e n t a t i o n the poignant at what mainly sparingly. resolutions i n t h e p r i v a c y o f h e r own room. arrives the initially though he a l s o u s e s d i r e c t noting, Madame d ' E s t r a m e n e been shows h e r e v o l u t i o n u s i n g central character alternately i n a s o c i a l as will take. solitude, this no m a t t e r t h e h e r o i n e p r e s e n t e d once she h a s t e c h n i q u e o f commentary, his the reader of d*Kennebury/Madame Due d ' O l s i n g a m f r o m h e r mind and h e r h e a r t , d e s p e r a t e measures on t h e v a l u e only direct This prepared: . rj quand [Madame d ' E s t r a m e n q ] e n t r a hez s o n frere} e l l e trouva q u ' i l dtoit a u p r e s d ' u n Homme couched & q u i s a n s l e r e g a r d e r l u y t e n o i t une m a i n . S i son c o e u r ne l u y d i t pas p a r a v a n c e q u i e t o i t c e t Homme, s e s y e u x ne l e l u y l a i s s e r e n t pas l o n g t e m p s i g n o r e r ; & m a l g r e 1'extreme changeraent q u i p o u v o i t e s t r e en l u y , e l l e r e c o n n u t b i e n t o s t c e s mesmes t r a i t s , d o n t l a p r e m i e r e veue 1 ' a v o i t t o u c h e e p o u r l e r e s t e de s e s j o u r s , & d o n t l e s o u v e n i r tense of 149 trop n a t u r e l & trop aimable, luy c o u t o i t s a n s c e s s e t a n t de c o m b a t s , c r u e l s & inutiles. (II, 104-105) Madame d ' E s t r a m e n e but, allows h e r eyes t o s e t t l e on t h e d y i n g man, t h e moment she becomes aware t h a t he knows she i s gazing at him, " e l l e c e s s a a v e c p r e c i p i t a t i o n de l e r e g a r d e r . rougit; e l l e f u t h o n t e u s e de p a r o i t r e d e v a n t un Homme, 1 inclination & la 1 exposoit elle sa g l o i r e ; & f o r c e e par s a honte & par son i n q u i e t u d e , The s c e n e becomes even more i n t e n s e as discourse. Hurt at q u e l q u e p u n i t i o n " , he s a y s , of t h i s (II, haine?" 111-112) introduces d'Estramene, c e t amour meritoit que j e (II, d e s p e r a t e p l e a , Madame d ' E s t r a m e n e t o l e a v e t h e room, f o r r e a s o n i s for "si " s e r o i t - c e de v o u s recevoir, & m e r i t e r o i t - i l vostre result the author t h e r e a c t i o n o f Madame t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m begs h e r t o s t a y : la dont p r e s e n c e l u y r e p r o c h o i e n t l e h a z a r d ou e l l e se l e v a p o u r s o r t i r du l i e u ou e l l e e t o i t . " direct Elle devrois 115) is As not p o w e r l e s s where h e r a able feelings t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m a r e c o n c e r n e d : Madame d ' E s t r a m e n e e t o i t comme d S c h i r e e p a r ces r e p r o c h e s . E l l e r e g a r d a l e Due d ' O l s i n gam a v e c des yeux q u i n ' a v o i e n t p r e s q u e p l u s de v i e ; & s a n s s g a y o i r s i e l l e a v o i t d e s s e i n de d e m e u r e r , e l l e s e t r o u v a dans une s o r t e de f o i b l e s s e & d ' e p u i s e m e n t q u i l ' y f i r e n t consentir. (II, 115-116) In one o f t h e l o n g e s t Madame d ' E s t r a m e n e passages spells of d i r e c t speech i n the n o v e l , out t o t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m exactly i n what way h e r good r e p u t a t i o n would be d e s t r o y e d were i t be known t h a t she had s p e n t s u c h t e n d e r moments w i t h h i m : to 150 "ne v o y e z - v o u s pas la torribee, que j e n ' e n deplorable sortiray jamais: c o n j o n c t u r e ou j e s u i s , sommes v e u s , & que v o u s reputation!" her p r o f o n d e u r de l'ab'ysm'e (II, m'aimez 118) & si dans on s y a i t encor, je suis cette que nous nous q u e l l e a t t e i n t e a ma The y o u n g woman i s c a l m e x t e r i o r , and begs ou [ s i c ] unable t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m to to maintain leave England: H e l a s , s ' e c r i a - t - e l l e , a v e c un t r a n s p o r t q u i l u y echappa malgre l e d e s s e i n q u ' e l l e a v o i t de ne t e m o i g n e r que du calme & de l a f o r c e , d e p u i s l e moment q u i m ' o t a l ' e s p e r a n c e de v i v r e avec vous, i l s r n ' a u r o i e n t f a i t m o u r i r c e n t f o i s , s i ma d e s t i n e (jsicT) p a r une s u i t e v i s i b l e de s a c r u a u t e , ne m ' a v o i t nalgre" moy a t t a c h e e c o n t i n u e l l e m e n t a l a v i e . C* • D Vous t r o u v e r e z a i s e m e n t dans t o u s l e s e n d r o i t s du monde q u e l q u e c h o s e de p l u s a i m a b l e que ce que v o u s a v e z p e r d u ; mais s ' i l m ' e s t e n c o r p e r m i s de v o u s demander d e s g r a c e s , ne l e c h e r c h e z p o i n t en A n g l e terre! Je s e r o i s t r o p malheureuse d ' e t r e s o u v e n t e x p o s e e a. v o u s v o i r . (II, The l a s t sentence i n Madame d ' E s t r a m e n e m o r a l dilemma — this is that quotation underlines no l o n g e r well true feelings aware of f o r him show. the measures her reputation i n t a c t , near death causes fallut rien unaware Ironically, she must t h e mere s i g h t her such p a i n that pour l e take of if will hot although she i s t h e Due "c'est la that particular of her r e s o l u t i o n s peu q u ' e l l e mesme n ' e x p i r a s t , epargner of her the f a c t b e h o l d i n g t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m s e r v e t o undo e v e n t h e f i r m e s t her 127-150) to only to'let she is preserve d'Olsingam qu'il s'en & q u ' e l l e c r u t ne d e v o i r faire revivre. ' Elle se jetta a luy 151 t o u t e eperdue . . . .'* a c l i m a x as Madame d ' S s t r a r n e n e for the l a s t time. addresses tense scene t h e Due reaches d'Olsingam The d r a m a t i c a c t i o n o f h e r t h r o w i n g s e l f a t him " 1 ' e m b r a s s a n t douleur" This ( I I , 136) expresses a v e c de v i o l e n s transports on t h e p h y s i c a l , v i s u a l l e v e l , d e s p e r a t i o n t o which she g i v e s her- de the the f o l l o w i n g u t t e r a n c e : Ah, Monsieur, l u y d i t - e l l e d'une v o i x e l e v d e , v o u s ne m'aimez p l u s , v o u s v o u l e z m o u r r i r , & v o s t r e v i e est l a s e u l e chose q u i s o u t i e n t l a mienne. S p a r g n e z - m o y t a n t d ' h o r r e u r , & de remords. L a i s s e z - m o y 1 ' i n n o c e n c e de m o u r i r a v a n t v o u s ; o u , s i mon i n t e r e s t ne v o u s t o u c h e pas a s s e z , au moins p r e n e z s o i n d u vostre. R e v e n e z a f i n de me v o i r v i v r e p o u r vous. R e v e n e z en e t a t de m ' e n t e n d r e d i r e t o u s l e s j o u r s que j e vous aime p l u s que toutes choses. Mon c o e u r e s t a v o u s ; v o u s v i v r e z a u p r e s de moy. Vous mesme v o u s s e r e z j u g e d e s c o m p l a i s a n c e s que j e v o u s d o i s , e n f i n j e ne t r o u v e r a y j a m a i s de d i f f i c u l t y dans t o u t c e que v o u s p o u r r e z souhaiter. (II, 136-138) By t h e now f a m i l i a r Du P l a i s i r t e c h n i q u e s o f r e p e t i t i o n and r e f l e c t s i n Mademoiselle d'Hennebury's outpouring her complete l a c k when she f e a r s that reflected also This lack about to die f o r he i s she t o o may as takes her l e a v e . a<j r e s u l t self is the short o n l y c a u s e t h e Due cognisant because of concern f o r a t o t a l of twelve times i n t h i s Aware t h a t h e r p r e s e n c e w i l l that is i n the f r e q u e n c y w i t h which she uses pronoun " v o u s " , f u r t h e r worry, breathless o f c o n c e r n f o r h e r own r e p u t a t i o n t h e man she l o v e s of h e r apparent c a l l o u s n e s s . fears parallelism, speech. d'Olsingam now o f h e r l o v e f o r h i m and fall i l l , Madame Y e t one more s i g n i f i c a n t action is d'Estramene described 152 by Du P l a i s i r ; as t h e y o u n g woman i s toraber s u r £ h e r b r o t h e r ] " that (II, he b e f r i e n d h e r h u s b a n d , Madame d E s t r a m e n e ' s 1 with those leaving, 141-142), if f o r him w h i c h a t merits, of c h a r a c t e r i n L a Duchesse d ' E s t r a m e n e , The r e a d e r i s of t h e Due novel. In suggests that Du P l a i s i r ' s the m o r a l as w e l l as be i s work, as shared when introduces d'Estramene i n Madame de L a Fayette's i n Madame de L a F a y e t t e ' s , the p h y s i c a l p o r t r a i t of the husband-to- c o m p l e t e d b e f o r e t h e more d e t a i l e d d e s c r i p t i o n o f lover, well o f Nemours prin- d'Olsingam. d'Estramene the p r e s e n t a t i o n of the l o v e r i n La Duchesse obviously whose a r r i v a l i n advance. lookout for this a u t h o r has on s t a g e , on t h e o t h e r h a n d , The r e a d e r r e m a i n s is since physical attributes prepared c o n s e q u e n t l y on t h e surprise as an o b s e r v e r i s about courtiers. i n the r o y a l c i r c l e Although the intense o f t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m a r e i n d e e d g r e a t e r t h a n t h o s e s u g g e s t e d by t h e p a i n t e d p o r t r a i t s passed the e x t r a o r d i n a r y c h a r a c t e r t o whose m e r i t s a l l u d e d , and h i s to their the other e x a m i n i n g i n d e t a i l t h e manner i n w h i c h Du P l a i s i r him; has, a g a i n r e m i n d e d o f t h e many s i m i l a r i t i e s by L a P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s -and L a D u c h e s s e of respect. L e t us now c o n s i d e r t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f cipal favour, been a b l e the b e g i n n i n g b o r d e r e d on h a t r e d i n t o f e e l i n g s a comparison i n t h e n o v e l ; she t h r o u g h b e c o m i n g aware o f h e r h u s b a n d ' s marriage as laissa The e v o l u t i o n r e m a r k a b l e by of the o t h e r personages transform feelings and a s k s , possible. character is " e l l e se the a r t i s t ' s and by t h e r e m a r k s likeness of of t h e Due far being the d'Olsingam 153 g i v e s r i s e t o f e e l i n g s of l o v e i n M a d e m o i s e l l e d'Hennebury, it i s not u n t i l she i s a c t u a l l y i n ' t h e p h y s i c a l presence of the young man t h a t she w i l l f e e l f o r him t r u e p a s s i o n , which i s , a c c o r d i n g t o the c o n v e n t i o n s of the t i m e , b o r n of t h e i r i n i t i a l glance shared. J u 3 t as the Due d*Olsingam's r e a c t i o n upon s e e i n g M a d e m o i s e l l e d Hennebury f o r t h e f i r s t time i n t h e J a r d i n du Roy i s one of ''etonnement", so the h e r o i n e ' s a s t o n i s h m e n t b e f o r e t h e p o r t r a i t of the Due d'Olsingam i s a m p l i f i e d when she f i r s t , sees him i n the J a r d i n du Roy. By h i s use of temporal p a r a l l e l i s m (the p r e s e n t a t i o n of Mademoiselle d'Hennebury anr the Due d'Olsingam b e i n g s i m u l t a n e o u s ) end by what we m i g h t c a l l p a r a l l e l i s m of r e a c t i o n as w e l l , caused by t h e i n i t i a l view of the b e l o v e d , Du P l a i s i r succeeds i n h i g h l i g h t i n g t h e unreasoned, spontaneous l o v e of t h e Due d'Olsingam and M a d e m o i s e l l e d'Hennebury. "demeura. iuy-mesme etrangement The Due d'Olsingam s u r p r i s " and " q u o i q u ' i l l a v i s t confusemerit, ce- q u ' i l v i t . passa t o u t d'un coup juscu'a. son coeur-. e t h i c o n c e u t d'abord des sentimens d'amour e t d'estime que 1 on n'exprime p o i n t , parce q u ' i l s s u r p a s s e n t l a croyance." (I.. 36-37) identical: Du P l a i s i r n o t e s t h a t she "apperSeut a u s s i £"le d'OlsingamJ a c e s marques e g a l e s p e u t - e s t r e a c e l l e s q u i l a The r e a c t i o n of the h e r o i n e i s luy avoient f a i t appercevoir." Due ( I , 37) Du P l a i s i r uses c o n t r a s t as h i s main t e c h n i q u e i n p r e s e n t i n g t h e Due d'Olsingam. The r e a d e r i s c o n s t a n t l y aware 154 t h a t t h i s c h a r a c t e r i s i m p l i c i t l y compared w i t h the husband, wh? heroine's i s seen t o be c h i l d i s h and i r r e s p o n s i b l e u n t i l h i s somewhat f o r t u i t o u s meeting w i t h the Due d'Olsingam. In the s m a l l I t a l i a n v i l l a g e , of N . . . the scene w h i c h ensues s e r v e s to h i g h l i g h t the e f f i c a c y w i t h which Du P l a i s i r i s a b l e t o suggest the i n h e r e n t goodness of the Luc f o r he a l l e y s the Due d'Olsingam, d'Estramene t o speak of h i s p e r s o n a l dilemma, a l t h o u g h he has every reason to r e f u s e to l i s t e n to a t a l e which can o a l y cause him a n g u i s h . r e a c t i o n i t , understandably, one The Due d'Olsingam's of "etonnement" and "rage" ( I I , S 3 ) , g i v e n the f a c t t h a t he i s s p e a k i n g w i t h a man who, "apres 1 *'a\oir d e t r u i t , e t o i t encor a Mademoiselle' d'Hennebury un Ennemy ete'rnel rc s o u v e r a i n . " as Du P l a i s i r h a s t e n s to add, "il ( I I , 83-84) Nevertheless, connut a u s s i t o s t par "les mouvemens c r d i n a i r e s de son amour, l e p a r t y q u ' i l d e v o i t prendre", ( I I , - 8 4 ) and proceeds t o a d v i s e the Due on the conduct he. should adopt w i t h r e g a r d to h i s wife, p o i n t i n g out "tous l e s malheurs e n f i n q u i d o i v e n t e v i t e z par un Homme d'honneur & de q u a l i t e . " Due d'Estramene estre ( I I , 85) The d'01sir.gam does l i m i t here the e x t e n t of h i s a d v i c e ; f o l l o w s up t h i s i n i t i a l c o n v e r s a t i o n by a v i s i t t h e next and " i l l u y p a r l a dans une f o i s , .& i l une day, plus grande etendue que l a premiere acheva de l u y f a i r e c o n n o i t r e l e s m a l h e u r s , - q u i s u i v r o i e n t one the Due he p l u s l o n g u e - i n j u s t i c e . " . ( I I , 87) Pear that d'Eetramene w i l l go back on h i s word t o " e f a c e r par conduite plus raisonnable, l e s impressions qu'il pouvoit 155 a v o i r donnees" up t h i s (II, 88) causes t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m t o second meeting w i t h a t r i p to England to insure t h e woman he l o v e d and s t i l l loves "quelque a f f o i b l y p a r l a v i o l e n c e de s a il r^solut etre de p a r t i r sur l e s t e m o i n d u changement ou p o u r l e It that q u ' i l fust is w i l l not pas de ce Due, suffer mainly w i t h t h e Due dealings t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m d i s p l a y s i( his gically vient Du P l a i s i r His in je a f f i n i t y with the indignation is . qu'il etoit heros psycholohe f) d ' ou Mademoiselle pour l a p e r s u a d e r , des Vous d i t e s r The c r i t i c shown as que l e Due d ' O l s i n g a m q u i aime eperdument t r o u v e , b i e n , moi? u d'Estramene t h e f o l l o w i n g way: d ' H e n n e b u r y , ne t r o u v e pas o inspire, him " t r o p v e r t u e u x " ^ and t o o s i m i l a r to the h e r o i n e . addresses P 89-90) genereux of the p r e c e d i n g g e n e r a t i o n of w r i t e r s . Pavilion finds douleur, favorable q u ' i l luy avoit (II, that unduly: £s D ou p u n i r de s a r e c h u t e " . in his follow raisons, sounds que et 15 d^sinteresse mais j e vous reponds q u ' i l e t o i t amant." t h e added p e r s p e c t i v e o f reader i s hero, as h i s like It the a b l e t o r e a l i z e t h a t Du P l a i s i r ' s present-day docile, t h e m e d i e v a l c h e v a l i e r , who w o r s h i p s his submissive beloved g o d , w o u l d h a v e r e c e i v e d a more c o r d i a l a p p r o v a l the .readers of the f i r s t still three centuries, With half of t h e s e v e n t e e n t h c e n t u r y , who b e l i e v e d i n t h e supremacy o f m a n ' s w i l l must be remembered, however, was w r i t i n g , remained, manservant w h i l e the forms the s p i r i t that of t h i s had a t r o p h i e d . warns him t h a t from at over the t h e t i m e Du Plaisir courtly etiquette The Due passions. still d'Olsingam's the journey to England could prove 156 t o be f a t a l f o r him, and the Due, aware o f t h e f u t i l i t y o f reason i n matters o f the i e a r t , r e p l i e s : "ce que vous me d i t e s , j e me l e s u i s moy—aesme d i t c e n t f o i s ; a u s s i e s t - c e malgre moy que ma d o u l e u r c o n t i n u e t o u s l e s j o u r s . J'ai employe t o u t e ma r a i s o n pour l a d e t r u i r e £7 . JJ E n f i n j'ai de grandes c o n n o i s s a n c e s , mais j ' a y encor p l u s de f o i b l e s s e ; . & quelques e f f o r t s que j e f a s s e pour n ' e n v i s a g e r M a d e m o i s e l l e d'Hennebury que comme une Personne q u i m'a t r a h y , j e l a r e g a r d e t o u j o u r s comme une P e r s o r a e que j ' a y perdue." (II, 94-95) W h i l e P a v i l i o n acknowledges t h e magnanimity o f t h e Due d'Olsingam, he m a i n t a i n s t h a t Du P l a i s i r would have been w e l l a d v i s e d t o show i t i n a n o t h e r way: b i j e l i s o i s C l e o p a t r e ou C i r u s , e t que j e v i s s e un h e r o s p a r t i peur f a i r e v o i a g e , j e s e r o i s b i e n s u r q u ' i l ne manqueroit pas de r e n c o n t r e r tous ceux des Romans q u i s e s e r o i e n t e g a r e s , ou dont on n ' a v o i t p o i n t de n o u v e l l e s . I I n ' e s t pas meme permis aux Personnages de ces gros L i v r e s - l a , de f a i r e une promenade, q u i se t e r m i n e sans a v e n t u r e , e t q u i ne s o i t qu'une s i m p l e promenade. Mais i i n'en v a pas a i n s i dans . l e s p e t i t e s N o u v e l l e s , q u i sont devenues a. l a mode. On y a ramene l e s choses a. un v r a i s e m b l a b l e p l u s n a t u r e l . Un Heros s'y peut promener, e t v o i a g e r sans f a i r e aucune r e n c o n t r e ; e t meme i l l e d o i t pour ne pas r e s s e m b l e r aux Heros a n t i q u e s . A u s s i e u t i l p e u t - e t r e ete mieux de c o n s e r v e r l a g e n e r o s i t e du Dvc d'Olsingam, e t de f a i r e t r o u v e r ensemble l e s deux R i v a u x p a r une v o i e p l u s simple.16 In s p i t e of h i s unfortunate a f f i n i t y with the l e s s natural,' l e s s b e l i e v a b l e character t r a i t s o f h i s counterparts i n t h e e p i c romance, t h e Due d'Olsingam remains n o n e t h e l e s s ; 157 a t t r a c t i v e as a f i c t i o n a l c h a r a c t e r p r e c i s e l y because of h;..s i n h e r e n t g e n e r o s i t e and s e l f l e s s n e s s . . A l t h o u g h he f e e l s h<-) cannot bear t o remain i n P a r i s when he l e a r n s o f Mad e mois e l . . l e d'Hennebury's m a r r i a g e p l a n s , h i s • fl.Lght i s not a c o w a r d l y . , i r r e s p o n s i b l e one, as i s t h e Due d'Estramene s. 1 I f he p r e f e r s n e t t o be "temoin d'une chose dont l a vu'e ne l u y p o u v o i t e s t r e s u p p o r t a b l e " , (I,.177) he does n o t harbour any f e e l i n g s of i l l - w i l l o r even j e a l o u s y toward the h e r o i n e and t h e man scon t o become h e r husband. P-ather, he a c c e p t s h i s .misfortune by r a t i o n a l i s i n g t h a t t h e h e r o i n e "se d e v o i t a. elle-mesme son crangement," and t h a t he was unworthy o f h e r a f f e c t i o n . I i h i s mind, t h e beloved woman i s w i t h o u t f l a w . d'01singam.even The Due c a r r i e s h i s nobleness of s o u l t o the point of demanding o f the h e r o i n e ' s b r o t h e r t h a t he a l s o s h o u l d n o t l o o k d i s a p p r o v i n g l y on M a d e m o i s e l l e d'Hennebury's c o n d u c t : "Souvenez-vous que dans l ' e t a t ou. j e s u i s , s i j ' e t o i s c a p a b l e d'une n o u v e l l e a f f l i c t i o n , ce s e r o i t pour l u y a v o i r a t t i r e vostre haine. (I, Aimex {Jsicj - l a comme vous 1'aimiez r j . ". 173) Du P l a i s i r e x p l o r e s f u r t h e r h i s hero's magnanimity i n commenting upon h i s a t t i t u d e t o t h e Due d'Estramene. 3 ich a s e l f l e s s a t t i t u d e does, however, reduce t h e v e r i s i m i l i t u d e of Du P l a i s i r ' s personage: t h e complete absence o f any f e e l i n g of j e a l o u s y o r d e s i r e f o r revenge p u t s t h e Due d'Olsingam i n t o the morally irreproachable' category of the f a i r y - t a l e prince. However, u n l i k e t h e hero o f t h e f a i r y t a l e , whose 158 character usually remains evolve psychologically imperceptible death, change as is static, Du P l a i s i r ' s the a c t i o n u n f o l d s . underlined just a s he d e m o n s t r a t e s a s l i g h t as h e r o i n e d i d i n d e e d l o v e him a l t h o u g h total t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m on h i s "Paut-il qu'apres je avoir tant j ' a y e encor plus sorsl childish refusal t o know t h a t Que ne s u i s - j e psychological proclaims: par 1'opinion e n c o r dans un b o n h e u r ; le de v o s t r e the adverb de desespoir d'ou e t q u ' i l me s e r o i t doux d ' e s t r e m i s e r a b l e p a r une h a i n e c e r t a i n e que a i m £ au p r i x de c e q u ' i l en c o u t e . " (II, to of a s o u f f r i r par l a connoissance J e m'en f e r o i s r e p e t i t i o n of the in a state death-bed souffert d'estre 123-124) " e n c o r " demonstrates plus The on t h e p a r t t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m an e x p r e s s d e s i r e t o r e t u r n t o a ' p a s t i n w h i c h he s u f f e r e d l e s s heroine's the h e r o ' s b e c a u s e he was unaware real inclination. actions moments o f h i s The l a t e n t i n b a t t l e manifests l i f e as "lassitude" to The she m a r r i e d a n o t h e r d e n o t i n g extreme despair, vostre amitie? he h o v e r s - n e a r t o t h e h e r o i n e , who i s physical disarray haine, almost s h a r e w i t h t h e woman he l o v e s . Due d ' O l s i n g a m would have p r e f e r r e d n o t preserve her honour; This does t e n d a n c y toward what we t o d a y would c a l l masochism and a somewhat f a c e a f u t u r e he c a n n o t personage of death-wish itself (II, state the conditioning i n the and."ennui" of last 108), or, 17 a s modern c r i t i c s would put i t , a d e s i r e not The Due d ' O l s i n g a m t o o may t h u s character, to a past state 'become'. be d e f i n e d a s i n t h a t he does n o t r e m a i n s t a t i c , the d e s i r e to regress to but a "round" expresses i n w h i c h he had known 159 happiness. He i s Madame d ' S s t r a r n e n e less complex p s y c h o l o g i c a l l y or her husband, presence of structural the problems t h e Luc d ' O l s i n g a m . n o t however b e " r e g a r d e d o n l y as creation increases as caused a psychologically His d'Estramene. v e r i s i m i l i t u d e as the s t o r y d o e s he e x p r e s s h i m s e l f by shallow In o t h e r two c h a r a c t e r s , he d o e s a b e l i e v a b l e personage. precisely The Due d ' O l s i n g a m must convenience i n La Duchesse l i m i t e d way t h a n t h e s e either b o t h o f whom e v o l v e b e c a u s e t h e y have each t o d e a l w i t h the than exist for never direct discourse he d o e s when c o n f r o n t e d by Madame d ' E s t r a m e n e as a literary draws t o a c l o s e , so f u l l y u s i n g a more at as t h e home of her b r o t h e r . Having present examined t h e methods w h i c h Du P l a i s i r the c h a r a c t e r s i n h i s he o b s e r v e s berate in so d o i n g , populating we a r e a b l e to a p p r e c i a t e the d'Estramene. t h e work, All of personality. comprises narrator of pertinent aspects b o t h m a j o r and m i n o r The m o r a l dilemma o f the c e n t r a l f o c a l p o i n t is, t h e work: groups serves alike, of this the d i v i s i o n y o u n g woman w h i c h o f t h e t a l e r e l a t e d by of the c h a r a c t e r s i n t o t o p o i n t up Madame d ' E s t r a m e n e ' s a s o c i a l mask and t o b r i d g e a p p e a r a n c e and r e a l i t y . the t e c h n i q u e o f moving p o i n t to complex as we have s e e n , r e f l e c t e d i n t h e v e r y wear s u c c e s s f u l l y separates of the h e r o i n e ' s deli- the a r e c o n c e i v e d and p r e s e n t e d by t h e a u t h o r w i t h a v i e w highlighting to n o v e l , and t h e h i e r a r c h y w h i c h s t r u c t u r e of La Duchesse personages uses structure two m a j o r inability t h e gap Du P l a i s i r ' s of view s e r v e s the which skilful not to only use to 160 make t h e c h a r a c t e r whose also to lend to h i s might not n a r r a t i v e a depth of o t h e r w i s e have h a d . L a Duchesse historical however, d'Estramene suffers t h a t Du P l a i s i r , i n conveying to court. it through h i s it may be a r g u e d of must be mastery it that non-linear of agreed, narrative succeeds evocative p o r t r a i t her p e r s o n a l wishes i n an e f f o r t but p e r s p e c t i v e which of character presentation, to subjugate of bienseance, more b e l i e v a b l e , from a l a c k the r e a d e r a nuanced, a woman who c h o o s e s at Although and a n e c d o t a l d i g r e s s i o n s , t e c h n i q u e and methods demands o p t i c he a d o p t s to maintain her to of the reputation 161 CHAPTER I I I : ^"In pp. E.M. Forster's sense. FOOTNOTES See A s p e c t s of the N o v e l , 75-85. " O n t h e A r t o f P o e t r y , " C h a p t e r XIV. Quoted i n : C l a s s i c a l Literary C r i t i c i s m . T r a n s . T . S . D o r s c h (Harmondsworth, 1967), pp. 49-51. See p. 3 6 , a b o v e . 2 5 (Paris, 1683), ^Corneille p. pp. 125-26. e t l a d i a l e c t i q u e du h e r o s (Paris, 1963), 432. ^Sur R a c i n e ^Qeuvres (Paris, 1963), (Amsterdam, p. 1750), 25.. p. 52. 7 loc. cit. Oeuvres, pp. 52-3. •Romans e t n o u v e l l e s "^Oeuvres. ^rbid., pp. pp. (Paris, 1961), pp. 277-78. 53-4. 55-6. 12 N o u v e l l e s L e t t r e s de 1' a u t e u r de l a " C r i t i q u e ge"nerale de l ' H i s t o i r e du C a l v i n i s m e du Mr. MaimbourgT" (Villefranche, 16*85), v o l . I I , pp. 658-59. C i t e d by D . F . D a l l a s , L e Roman f r a n c a i s de 1660 a 1680 ( P a r i s , 1 9 3 2 ) , p. 233, n . 2 . 13 •^Madame de L a F a y e t t e p a r e l l e - m e m e , p p . • ^ O e u v r e s , p. ^Ibid.. l 6 Ibid.. p. pp. 90-101. 47. 48. 56-7. 17 F o r an e l a b o r a t i o n o f t h i s theme, s t u d i e d i n r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h e c h a r a c t e r o f t h e P r i n c e de C l e v e s , s e e S. D o u b r o v s k y , C o r n e i l l e e t l a d i a l e c t i q u e d u h e r o s . p p . 445-51. 162 CONCLUSION THE RELATIONSHIP OF THEORY TO PRACTICE I N THE' WORK OF .DO P L A I S I R : THE SBNTII'iBNS SUR L'HISTOIRE AND LA .DUCHESSE D'SSTRAMBNB The. g u l f b e t w e e n n o v e l i s t i c t h e o r y and p r a c t i c e i s g e n e r a l l y c o n c e d e d t o be g r e a t i n t h e s e v e n t e e n t h c e n t u r y . As a number o f rapprochement,'; i n t h e p r e c e d i n g pag-as. h a v e h i n t e d a t , h o w e v e r , t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f L a D u c h e s s e d ' E s t r a m e n e and t h e Sentimens s u r 1 ' H i s t o i r e i s u n u s u a l l y close,. i s m a i n l y because o f correspondences l i k e In fact, i t the o.ies noted that c r i t i c s c a n f i n d some j u s t i f i c a t i o n in/ a t t r i b u t i n g t h e two w o r k s t o t h e same a u t h o r . methods a r e c f l i t t l e B i b l i o g r a p h i c a l and historical c o n s e q u e n c e i n an e f f o r t t o justify t h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p ; a comparison of the theory developed i n P a r t Two o f t h e S e n t i m e n s , . . and t h e s t r u c t u r e '".if L a D u c h e s s e d ' E s t r a m e n e d o e s , on t h e c o n t r a r y , s e r v e t o h i g h l i g h t t h e f a c t t h a t t h e one work e n r i c h e s i n f i n i t e l y the understanding of the o t h e r , and t h a t t h e y were v e r y l i k e l y w r i t t e n by t h e same, person. W i t h a few n o t a b l e e x c e p t i o n s , Du P l a i s i r o b s e r v e s f a i t h f u l l y i n h i s c r e a t i v e w o r k t h e p r e c e p t s w h i c h he a d v o cates i n h i s t h e o r e t i c a l t r e a t i s e . La Duchesse d'Estramene, a n a l m o s t p e r f e c t e x a m p l e o f what t h e a u t h o r o f t h e S e n t i m e n s s u r I ' H i s t o i r e d e f i n e s as a n . h i s t o i r e g a l a n t e , a nouveau or a nouvelle, i s , roman, by v i r t u e o f i t s t e c h n i c a l c o n s t r u c t i o n and 163 its subject matter, an a n t i - n o v e l , s t r u c t u r a l and . t h e m a t i c voluminous opposite heroic novels and m i d d l e o f Almost of the anciens every major c h a r a c t e r i s t i c is absent from L a Duchesse in two t h i n duodecimo v o l u m e s heroine i s concisely The e x t e r n a l s t r u c t u r e is a linear basically of the i n t r i g u e . romans, Plaisir whimsically r e f e r s as the p h y s i c a l setting stage-centre of L a Duchesse the p r i n c i p l e s of h i s for is setting characters any and a l l There a r e , The or of moreover, t o w h i c h Du beaute" the moral problem about d'Estramene. in to Adhering the g r e a t e r at part his a time i n faithfully which might o b s t r u c t the notably action history times of nor overcoming their r e l a t i v e l y few c h a r a c t e r s is sur the p u b l i c a t i o n date of of occupy of thus not from c l a s s i c a l and t h e c o n f i d a n t the r e p l a c e d by a r a p i d s k e t c h situates is chrono- rapid earmark a "fatigante related d'Estramene t h e l i m p i d and res story two h u n d r e d digression superhuman b e i n g s c a p a b l e obstacles d'Estramene, sur and s u c c i n c t l y i n medias w h i c h p r e c e d e s by o n l y a few y e a r s are h i s anciens t o be e n u n c i a t e d i n t h e S e n t i m e n s Du P l a i s i r his the of La Duchesse n o v e l i n F r a n c e and i n E n g l a n d t h e work; of Sentimens The s t r u c t u r a l the beginning sur 1 'Histoire"*", l'Histoire, the beginning d'Estramene. one; not a s i n g l e r e t r o g r a d e movement impedes anciens to the roraans, the of approximately pages e a c h . Sentimens at trait denounces i n h i s t h e eponymous unfolding to say, which f l o u r i s h e d of logical is the s e v e n t e e n t h c e n t u r y . romans w h i c h Du P l a i s i r 1'Histoire that progress. i n La absent. Du Duchesse Plaisir is above a l l concerned with being related; i n fact, the v r a i s e m b l a n c e La Duchesse the d e f i n i t i o n of v e r i s i m i l i t u d e Sentimens sur i.e. the d'Hstraniene perfectly 1'Histoire, of tale illustrates given in an a c t i o n w h i c h i s the "moralement 2 croyable". As we have s e e n above i n o u r d i s c u s s i o n s e c t i o n of the Sentimens Plaisir takes issue with his frequently in their tions. La Duchesse In sur 1'Histoire. (p. predecessors tale with personal d'Estramene, tale c a r e f u l l y to f i n d o f Madame d ' E s t r a m e n e ; c e d i n g p a g e s , he i s skilfully as I manipulating facet of equal importance to note down i n t h e S e n t i m e n s clear distinction that, of view faithful sur 1 ' H i s t o i r e , more e v i d e n t undoubtedly critics i n the p h y s i c a l as pre- scenes creations, secondary salient It is own d e l i b e r a t e of set language of the " s t y l e his du c o e u r " of the the author a statements t r u e t h a t what h a s comportment t h a n i n t h e i r manner o f s p e a k i n g , the t h e n a r r a t o r makes is is action. to the precepts characters. t o by l i t e r a r y the of a reader a h e n c e more n a t u r a l , referred the in main c h a r a c t e r . o f t o n e between h i s it of of h i s and t h e l e s s - s t u d i e d , While explana- presence there behind the elucidate for his of h i s part or t h e a u t h o r who r e l a t e s the g u i d e - s t r i n g s the p e r s o n a l i t y Du who i n t e r v e n e d the a u t h o r ' s a d o p t i n g from time to time the p o i n t character i n order to second 51ff.) have s t r e s s e d nevertheless the commentary completely u n o b t r u s i v e d u r i n g the g r e a t e r We have t o l o o k of been is characters of La Duchesse 165 d'Estramene their succeeds inner psychological he a l l o w s as nevertheless them t o speak a creative author, rendered a l l in highlighting t u r m o i l i n the r a r e scenes using direct discourse. obviously realizes t h e more moving f o r that Du As r e g a r d s style, Du P l a i s i r we r e c a l l the r e a d e r i f w h i c h he condemns in his he quality, the r u b r i c of l'agreable"^ Duchesse as w e l l as "reflexions that "les was a n insistence of the writer. expressions sur 1 ' H i s t o i r e statements rule for their w h i c h he l i s t s ne m o n t r e n t 1 ' u t i l e i n f a c t make any s t a t e m e n t s justifiable Sentimens statements fact que of sur 1 ' H i s t o i r e , however, par a f o r Du P l a i s i r The theoretically the contends t h a t of a m o r a l i z i n g nature are p e r m i s s i b l e fulfill such and must the r o l e of c o n c l u d i n g element i n the n o v e l i d e a l l y be e n v i s a g e d t h e component neat knot. is, a c c o r d i n g to the p r e c e p t s enunciated i n ending should all d'Estramene under The t h e o r e t i c i a n who m o r a l i z i n g n a t u r e u n t i l t h e f i n a l pages o f t h e n o v e l . e n d i n g o f L a Duchesse are the detached d'Estramene, generales". nouvelles does n o t Plaisir, comments the c a r d i n a l on t h e p a r t i n the Sentimens maxim-like maintains that sur 1 ' H i s t o i r e of expression avoids, which observer-commentator. expounded i n t h e S e n t i m e n s upon n a t u r a l n e s s in such scenes upon them i n a measured t o n e o f v o i c e , a d o p t i n g view of the omnipresent brilliantly strings of as a focal point the a c t i o n converge is left whose which to form a The r e a d e r h a v i n g r e a c h e d t h e c o n c l u d i n g o f L a D u c h e s s e d'Esjtramene at in sentence with the i m p r e s s i o n that 166 there is absolutely nothing l e f t dilemma o f t h e h e r o i n e . evocativeness While and m y s t e r y a t say c o n c e r n i n g the moral one c o u l d have d e s i r e d more t h e end o f t h e n o v e l , t r a d i t i o n o f l e a v i n g no l o o s e s e v e n t e e n t h c e n t u r y and i s to ends is this very evident in the p a r t i c u l a r l y noteworthy i n classical theatre. With regard Duchesse to character p o r t r a y a l , d'Estramene observes down i n t h e S e n t i m e n s and h e n c e h i g h l i g h t e d , Du P l a i s i r portraits In order that from the secondary provided his Du P l a i s i r should e n d e a v o u r t o d e p i c t man i n a g e n e r a l way; he d e s c r i b e s m a i n and s e c o n d a r y ideals i n L a Duchesse d'Estramene t h e a u t h o r as rapidly neither is his traits the circonstances", theo- personages specified The h e r o o f female counterpart a morally which the a u t h o r the La irreproach- under the of by seven-league The m o r a l d i l e m m a be c l a s s i f i e d aspects individualized n o t a super-human b e i n g i n t h e y must r e s o l v e may i n f a c t his Like their a r e c h a r a c t e r i z e d and a b l e woman o f Amazonian p r o p o r t i o n s . "petites in writer the p h y s i c a l b e i n g p e c u l i a r t o them a l o n e . is the sur 1 ' H i s t o i r e , r a t h e r t h a n by p h y s i c a l Duchesse d'Estramene of that characters. i n the Sentimens by t h e i r a c t i o n s , boots, prescribes by important characters. retical t h e y may reader with word- of v a r y i n g d e t a i l d e s c r i b i n g the l e s s of both h i s set t h e h e r o and h e r o i n e a r e d e s c r i b e d o n l y a f t e r he has d'Estramene, La characters, 'foil' Duchesse of to the l e t t e r the p r e c e p t s sur 1 ' H i s t o i r e . be c l e a r l y d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e the author which rubric Sentimens 167 sur 1 ' H i s t o i r e fictional work. maintains is ample s u b j e c t m a t t e r f o r a 5 F o r t h e most p a r t , then, d'Estramene to the Sentimens Du P l a i s i r , h o w e v e r , has he c o n s i d e r s arguments In the r e l a t i o n s h i p of l a sur 1 ' H i s t o i r e been c r i t i c i z e d for is the use of f o r t u i t o u s to e x p l a i n or to support particular, Duchesse quite close. committing t o be one o f t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s i n s a n c i e n s romans: short events or of what the specious the a c t i o n b e i n g r e l a t e d . t h e scene i n which he d e p i c t s the encounter of t h e husband and t h e r e j e c t e d l o v e r i n a l i t t l e I t a l i a n was singled logically, out by P a v i l i o n i n t h i s this scene has, from our p o i n t however, a p o e t i c meaning. a c t i o n takes Du P l a i s i r p l a c e i n an i s o l a t e d o f t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m , and y e t a t us gratuitous today, that l o n e l y as the the h e a r t t h e same t i m e we a r e made the a r r i v a l of s p r i n g t i m e reflection on t h e d e s c r i p t i v e l e v e l hopes f o r Though of view tells spot, aware t h a t o f t h e Due d ' O l s i n g a m , regard.^ village who h a r b o u r s is imminent — again a of the p s y c h o l o g i c a l state perhaps of the f a i n t e s t the f u t u r e . R e l a t e d t o t h e i n t e r v e n t i o n o f somewhat insufficiently irrational p r e s e n t e d e l e m e n t s i n t h e n o v e l a r e Du comments i n t h e S e n t i m e n s . . . i n . w h i c h he d e n o u n c e s or Plaisir's arguments 7 which are "peu specieux" c h a r a c t e r s from the stage. should prepare h i s i n e x p l a i n i n g the absenting W h i l e he m a i n t a i n s r e a d e r i n advance f o r that of the w r i t e r the disappearance a c h a r a c t e r , t h e d e a t h o f Madame d ' H e n n e b u r y as depicted in of 168 L a D u c h e s s e d ' E s t r a m e n e t a k e s t h e r e a d e r somewhat b y s u r p r i s e , as s h e i s n o t shown t o be a i l i n g f o r a l o n g w h i l e b e f o r e t h e somewhat a b r u p t d e a t h s c e n e . and subsequent understanding removal the heroine's discovery o f s e l f a r e dependent upon t h e o f Madame d ' H e n n e b u r y f r o m t h e s t a g e , Du P l a i s i r c a n a g a i n be a c c u s e d this While of invraisemblance i n the presentation of scene. To r e c a p i t u l a t e b r i e f l y t h e arguments j u s t p r e s e n t e d i n t h e p r e c e d i n g p a g e s , we s e e t h a t , w i t h f e v e x c e p t i o n s , t h e o r y and p r a c t i c e c o i n c i d e i n t h e w o r k o f Du P l a i s i r . I n form, as w e l l as i n c o n t e n t , t h e Sentimens s u r 1 ' H i s t o i r e r e p r e s e n t a remarkably p e r c e p t i v e a n a l y s i s and t h e o r e t i c a l d e s c r i p t i o n o f La Duchesse d'Estramene. The q u e s t i o n then a r i s e s , of course: i f L a Duchesse d ' E s t r a m e n e and L a P r i n c e s s e - de C l e v e s b o t h i l l u s t r a t e , more or l e s s p e r f e c t l y was the formula f o r the i d e a l n o u v e l l e as i t c o n c e i v e d i n 1663, unqualified literary is why i s t h e l a t t e r > 0 r k c o n s i d e r e d a h success, a masterpiece, w h i l e the former only a t the present time a t t r a c t i n g the a t t e n t i o n o f a s m a l l scholarly public? A p a r t i a l answer t o t h i s question i s i n f a c t s u p p l i e d by t h e a u t h o r o f t h e S e n t i m e n s s u r 1 ' H i s t o i r e ; Q we r e c a l l t h a t , e c h o i n g a s i m i l a r s t a t e m e n t Du P l a i s i r contended that true creative genius 'learned', f o r i t i s a divine g i f t , While Du P l a i s i r made b y B o i l e a u , succeeds c o n f o r m s t o h i s own i d e a l , "une r o s e e cannot be benigne". i n p r o d u c i n g a c r e a t i v e work 9 which t h e f o r m o f Madame de L a P a y e t t e ' s 169 Princesse Rousset de C l e v e s maintains," " 1 described Fayette follows too, the p a t t e r n of 0 i n the Sentimens is, awareness, i n t o what of c o u r s e , sur the g r e a t e r essentially retrospective t h e most part, as the i d e a l n o u v e l l e 1'Histoire; s p e c i f i c a l l y an a b i l i t y is critical for writer. as b u t Madame de L a An i n t e n s e to i n t e g r a t e a linear unfolding of temporal successfully the action chronological allusions, justifies the high o p i n i o n i n which La P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s has been h e l d b y most l i t e r a r y critics: S i c e t t e o e u v r e e s t r e s t e e j e u n e a cote" d e s c e n t a i n e s de b o u q u i n s tombes dans l ' o u b l i , c ' e s t p a r c e que s a c r e a t r i c e a p p a r t i e n t a ces ' e x c e l l e n s G-enies', comme d i t S o r e l , ' q u i s g a v e n t composer des l i v r e s , l e s q u e l s , p o u r e s t r e a l a mode ne l a i s s e n t pas de s u i v r e l e s bonnes e t e t e r n e l l e s r e g i e s du v r a y a r t d ' e c r i r e et l e u r merite s e r a t o u s i o u r s d i s t i n g u e de 1 ' i m p e r t i n e n c e des m a u v a i s e s c r i t s . 'H To c o n c l u d e : Princesse best of depict is cant L a Duchesse t h e . m o r a l dilemma o f standards Du P l a i s i r ' s genius it de C l e v e s , shortcomings t h e numerous a t t e m p t s society's that Whatever i t s is not a Princesse should a work w h i c h g a i n s backdrop of i t s is, it be made a v a i l a b l e in it own t h e o r y . To say without contrary, must signifibe to a w i d e r ' r e a d i n g i m p o r t a n c e when v i e w e d a g a i n s t author's to by f o r the extremely a work w h i c h , the a f t e r 1678 de C l e v e s on t h e la probably relationship. l i t e r a r y worth; it of t h e h o n n e t e femme g u i l t y creation is c r e a t i v e work t h a t is made by n o v e l i s t s t o r e c o g n i z e and t o a c c e p t emphasized, d'Estramene of an a d u l t e r o u s t o deny i t s i n the l i g h t the public, 170 CONCLUSION: 1 2 5 ( P a r i s , 1683), p p . 95-6. p. 96. p . 150. V 5 153. p . 105. ^Oeuvres 7 FOOTNOTES (Amsterdam, 1750), p p . 56-7. See p. 156, above. p . 141. 8 L ' A r t p o e t i q u e , Chant I, 9 1 1 . 1-6. p . 113. Forme et s i g n i f i c a t i o n : essais sur l e s structures l i t t e r a i r e s de C o r n e i l l e a C l a u d e l ^ P a r i s , 1964), p. 31. 10 "^D.F. D a l l a s , -Le Roman f r a n c a i s de 1660 a 1680 ( P a r i s , 1932), p p . 244-5. Quoted from: C h a r l e s S o r e l , De l a Connoissance des bons l i v r e s ( P a r i s , 1671), p. 17. 171 BIBLIOGRAPHY I . PRIMARY SOURCES Anonymous. Academie g a l a n t e . . en 112 Paris, 1682. B i b l i o t h e q u e u n i v e r s e l l e des vols. P a r i s , 1775-85. romans. 224 tomes La Corntesse de S a l i s b u r y , ou 1' Ordre de l a J a r e t i e r e . £s J> ^ ol historique. Paris, 1682. ic . Les . Pom historique. Q u Piferens v l e c a r a c t e r e s de 1'amour. S e b a s t i e n , Roy P a r i s , 1675'. de P o r t u g a l . . 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Sentiments sur l e s l e t t r e s et sur l ' h i s t o i r e avec des s c r u p u l e s s u r l e s t y l e : e d i t i o n c r i t i q u e avec n o t e s et commentaire, D i s s . P a r i s , 1970. H u b e r t , J.D. " L e s Nouvel:.es f r a n c a i s e s de S o r e l e t de S e g r a i s . C a h i e r s de 1 ' A s s o c i a t i o n I n t e r n a t i o n a l e d e s E t u d e s F r a n c a i s e s , mars 196o (XVI111% pp. 31-40. • J o n e s , S. "Examples of S e n s i b i l i t y i n t h e L a t e S e v e n t e e n t h Century Feminine Novel i n Prance." The M o d e r n L a n g u a g e R e v i e w , L X I ( 1 9 6 6 ) , pp. 1 9 9 - 2 0 8 . K a p a , E.K, M o r a l P e r s p e c ; i y e i n l a P r i n c e s s e de C l e v e s . E u g e n e , O r e g o n , 1968, L o t r i n g e r , 3. "Le Roman i m p o s s i b l e . " / P o e t i a u e : R e v u e T h e o r i e e t d ' A n a l y s e l i t t e r a i r e s , I ( 3 ) , 1 9 7 0 , pp. 321. -r • L u b b o c k , P. 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"The L a n g u a g e o f V i s i o n i n L a P r i n c e s s e de Cleves; The B a r o q u e P r i n c i p l e o f C o n t r o l and - R e l e a s e . - " l a n g u a g e and S t y l e , I X ( 4 ) , F a l l 1 9 7 1 , pp. 279-96. P i c a r d , R. Pes, Salons l i t t e r a i r e s e t l a s o c i e t e f r a n g a i s e , I 6 l 0 - 1 7 l 9 . Lev York, 1943. Pingaud, B. Madame de l a F a y e t t e par elle-meme.. P a r i s , 1965. Pizzorusso, i\. "La Goncezione d e l l . ' a r t e n a r r a t i v a n e l l a seconda oieta. d e l s e i c e n t o f r a h c e s e . " • S t u d i M e d i o l a t i n i e V Q l g a r i . I l l (1955), pp. 149-57. l a P o e t i c a d e l roman zo i n F r a n c i a , 1660-1685. Rome, 1<62, P o u l e t , G-. 'Madame de L a F a y e t t e . " . Btudes s u r l e temps humain. v o l . I , P a r i s , 1950, pp. 122-32. P r a z , M. St' d i e s i n Seventeenth-Century Imagery. 1939. R a y n a l , M.-A. 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Du Plaisir as theoretician and practitioner of the novel form Hunter, Ellen Janet 1974
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Title | Du Plaisir as theoretician and practitioner of the novel form |
Creator |
Hunter, Ellen Janet |
Date Issued | 1974 |
Description | This dissertation seeks to analyze two works by the 17th-century French writer, Du Plaisir, and to define their relationship to each other. By viewing La Duchesse d'Estramène through the critical theory of its author as expressed in Les Sentimens sur les Lettres, we are able to come to terms with Du Plaisir's formal definition of the petit roman, nouveau roman or nouvelle as he conceived it. Because the entire literary production attributed to Du Plaisir consists solely of these two short texts, the fact that the one analyzes the salient features of the other is strongly accentuated. Although the present study devoted more attention to the structural analysis of La Duchesse d'Estramène than to the Sentimens...., the latter work is considered as a highly significant reference. This study is divided into two major sections. Section I is entitled The Sentimens sur l'Histoire: an author's analysis of the creative process. The first chapter of this section is devoted to the background to the study of the Sentimens...; Du Plaisir's treatise is considered in the perspective of the rise of the petit roman in seventeenth-century France, and seen to share many similarities with the content of theoretical works on the novel written contemporaneously to it. The second chapter of this first section concerns Du Plaisir's theory of the anti-novel as presented in Part II of the Sentimens.... In particular, he condemns the voluminous and rambling heroic novels written at the beginning of the seventeenth-century in France; concision of form and content comprises the focal point of his theoretical remarks. Section II of this study deals with the structural analysis of La Duchesse d'Estramène, which could be sub-titled: "The dilemma of the honnête femme as seen by Du Plaisir." In the first chapter of this section, a resume of the action is followed by a discussion of the role of history in La Duchesse d'Estramène. Chapters II (Narrative Technique) and III (Characterization) concern the technical aspects of Du Plaisir's novel. By examining the methods which Du Plaisir uses to present the characters in his novel, and the hierarchy which he observes in so doing, we are able to appreciate the deliberate structure of La Duchesse d'Estramène. All of the personages populating the work, both major and minor alike, are conceived and presented by the author with a view to highlighting pertinent aspects of the heroine's complex personality. Du Plaisir's skilful use of the technique of moving point of view serves not only to make the character whose optic he adopts more believable, but also to lend to his narrative a depth of perspective which it might not otherwise have had. Du Plaisir succeeds in conveying to the reader a nuanced, evocative portrait of a woman who chooses to subjugate her personal wishes to the demands of bienséance, in an effort to maintain her reputation at court. In the Conclusion, the bond uniting theory and practice in the work of Du Plaisir is underlined, as theoretical remarks made in the Sentimens sur l'Histoire are related to La Duchesse d'Estramène, The latter work is seen to be an almost perfect example of the ideal petit roman as Du Plaisir himself conceived it. |
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Thesis/Dissertation |
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Text |
Language | eng |
Date Available | 2010-02-06 |
Provider | Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library |
Rights | For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use. |
DOI | 10.14288/1.0100103 |
URI | http://hdl.handle.net/2429/19732 |
Degree |
Doctor of Philosophy - PhD |
Program |
French |
Affiliation |
Arts, Faculty of French, Hispanic, and Italian Studies, Department of |
Degree Grantor | University of British Columbia |
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UBCV |
Scholarly Level | Graduate |
Aggregated Source Repository | DSpace |
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