ÊTRE FEMME/BEING A WOMAN Quelques réflexions sur la condition de la femme dans le roman « La Princesse de Clèves » de Madame de La Fayette
ÊTRE FEMME/BEING A WOMAN Reflexions on Woman’s Conditions in “ La Princesse de Clèves " by Madame de La Fayette

Summary/Abstract: The present research tackles Madame de la Fayette’s La Princesse de Clèves, which is considered the first modern psychological novel. We discuss both the social and historical context of the plot and the unrivalled psychological depths that turn the novel into a masterpiece of French literature. Through an in-depth analysis of the tragic circumstances the heroine faces, we attempt to shed light on the underlying reasons behind her rejecting a love so strong that renouncing it will break her. We look at motives springing from her conflicting emotions, duty towards her husband, her mother and herself, but also from remorse, fear and a possibly misguided understanding of virtue and how it should shape the destiny of a woman. The final part of our analysis places the character’s choices as well as the author’s motivations within the wider frame of how one is constantly torn between societal expectations and the personal, unrelenting pursuit of happiness, and of the implications of giving up on the latter.

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