Narrative Transformation from l'Astree to le Berger extravagent (Purdue Studies in Romance Literatures, V. 24)

In this comparative study of Honore' d'Urfe's L'Astree' and Charles Sorel's Le Berger extravagant, the author examines the historical transition from the idealist, pastoral romance to the more realist anti-romance. By analyzing the literary conventions shared by both works, Hinds traces the transformation of poetic forms, courtly language, polemics, emblematic representation, and character depiction in Sorel's parody of pastoral. Basing his enquiry on Mikhail Bakhtin's and Julia Kristeva's theories of discourse, he focuses on the linguistic transformation of source texts in d'Urfe's pastoral and the altering of d'Urfe's language in the hands of Sorel. Narrative themes, such as the echo myth, verbal disguise, discursive travesty, and cross-dressing are studied to demonstrate their adaption in the pastoral romance and its parody. Hinds considers the figure of the tomb and the motif of death as means to figure a Baroque notion of authorship and to express pre-Classical literary criticism. Finally at issue is the influence of this romance and anti-romance on the development of criticism of the novel and the formation of seventeenth-century French fiction. Leonard Hinds received his doctorate in French from Emory University in 1995. Currently an assistant professor of French Language and Literature at Indiana University, he is preparing a critical edition of l'abbe' Francois de La Mothe le Vayer's Parasite Mormon, histoire comique. He is also studying the influence of free-thinking on French women writers of the seventeenth century. In This Comparative Study Of Honore D'urfe's L'astree And Charles Sorel's Le Berger Extravagant, Leonard Hinds Examines The Historical Transition From The Idealist, Pastoral Romance To The More Realist Antiromance. By Analyzing The Literary Conventions Shared By Both Works, Hinds Traces The Transformation Of Poetic Forms, Courtly Language, Polemics, Emblematic Representation, And Character Depiction In Sorel's Parody Of The Pastoral. Basing His Inquiry On Mikhail Bakhtin's And Julia Kristeva's Theories Of Discourse, He Focuses On The Linguistic Transformation Of Source Texts In D'urfe's Pastoral And The Altering Of D'urfe's Language In The Hands Of Sorel.--jacket. Echoes Of Desire And Intention: The Mirroring Of Utterances In Romance And Antiromance -- The Distortion Of Voice In D'urfe's L'astree -- Sorel's Voices In Le Berger Extravagant -- D'urfe's Echo -- Sorel Echoes D'urfe -- Verbal Travesty And Disguise: Parody And Citation Of Typified Languages -- D'urfe's Clowns -- Verbal Disguises In L'astree -- Verbal Travesty And Disguise In Le Berger Extravagant -- Sorel's Clowns -- Debates Of Convention And Debates On Convention -- Debates Of Convention In D'urfe's L'astree -- Debates Of Convention And On Convention In Le Berger Extravagant -- Experiments With Multiple Agency And Intention Through Emblematics -- D'urfe, Sorel, And The Emblematic Tradition -- Emblems In L'astree -- Sorel's And Crispin De Passe's Emblematic Portrait -- Transvestism And Specularity: Transformations And Travesties Of The Self -- Specularity And Physical Disguise In L'astree -- Narcissistic Cross-dressing As Parody In Le Berger Extravagant -- D'urfe's And Sorel's Tombs: The Question Of The Death And Birth Of Literature -- D'urfe's Tombs -- Sorel's Tombeau Des Romans -- Conclusion: Narrative Transformations And Critical Appraisal. Leonard Hinds. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 181-194) And Index. "In this comparative study of Honore d'Urfe's L'Astree and Charles Sorel's Le berger extravagant, Leonard Hinds examines the historical transition from the idealist, pastoral romance to the more realist antiromance. By analyzing the literary conventions shared by both works, Hinds traces the transformation of poetic forms, courtly language, polemics, emblematic representation, and character depiction in Sorel's parody of the pastoral.". "Basing his inquiry on Mikhail Bakhtin's and Julia Kristeva's theories of discourse, he focuses on the linguistic transformation of source texts in d'Urfe's pastoral and the altering of d'Urfe's language in the hands of Sorel."--BOOK JACKET.