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Women's Writing in Nineteenth-Century France (Cambridge Studies in French)

Women's Writing in Nineteenth-Century France (Cambridge Studies in French)

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Alison Finch
Cambridge University Press, 8/10/2000
EAN 9780521631860, ISBN10: 0521631866

Hardcover, 336 pages, 22.9 x 15.2 x 2.2 cm
Language: English

This is the most complete critical survey to date of women's literature in nineteenth-century France. Alison Finch's wide-ranging analysis of some 60 writers reflects the rich diversity of a century that begins with Mme de Staël's cosmopolitanism and ends with Rachilde's perverse eroticism. Finch's study brings out the contribution not only of major figures like George Sand but also of many other talented and important writers who have been unjustly rejected, including Flora Tristan, Claire de Duras and Delphine de Girardin. Her account opens new perspectives on the interchange between male and female authors and on women's literary traditions during the period. She discusses popular and serious writing: fiction, verse, drama, memoirs, journalism, feminist polemic, historiography, travelogues, children's tales, religious and political thought - often brave, innovative texts linked to women's social and legal status in an oppressive society. Extensive reference features include bibliographical guides to texts and writers.

Acknowledgements
1. Prejudice and reassessment
2. Conditions for women writers
Part I. The Early Nineteenth Century
The Age of Napoleon and the Aftermath of Revolution (1800–29)
3. Overview, 1800–29
4. Foremothers and Germaine de Staël
5. Writing about history
Henriette de La Tour du Pin
6. Mad matriarchs and other family members
Sophie Cottin
7. Rank and disadvantage
Claire de Duras
8. The invisible women of French theatre
Part II. Mid-century
George Sand and her Contemporaries (1830–69)
9. Overview, 1830–69
10. George Sand, presiding genius
11. Confidence and the woman writer
Amable Tastu and Sophie Ulliac-Trémadeure
12. Shame, embarrassment and Sophie's misfortunes
the comtesse de Ségur
13. Adventure and travel
Léonie d'Aunet and Flora Tristan
14. The journalist
Delphine de Girardin
15. Feeling and poetic technique
Marceline Desbordes-Valmore
16. Women and politics
Part III. Naturalism and Symbolism
The Beginnings of a New Era (1870–99)
17. Overview, 1870–99
18. A new boldness
Marcell Tinayre, Louise Ackermann and Gyp
19. Experiment
naturalism, symbolism and Marie Krysinska
20. Cruelty to humans and animals
Louise Michel
21. Rachilde and the horror of gender confusion
22. Postscript
England
23. Legacies
Appendices
Notes
Bibliography
Index.

‘… lucid, nuanced and generous.’ Anne Green, The Times Literary Supplement

‘ … a very readable and immensely useful book.’ Modern Language Review