Mélancolie du moraliste
Melancholy of the moralist
Author(s): Éric TourretteSubject(s): Philosophy, Language and Literature Studies, Literary Texts
Published by: Classiques Garnier
Keywords: François de La Rochefoucauld; self-portrait; maxim; moralist; pessimism
Summary/Abstract: This paper emphasizes the importance of a detail from La Rochefoucauld’s self-portrait: the « black eyes » symbolize the melancholy of the moralist, and announce the tone of the Maxims and their commentaries. Some critics denounce a bias towards pessimism, but melancholy seems to be a rule for moral analysis.
Journal: ALKEMIE. Revue semestrielle de littérature et philosophie
- Issue Year: 1/2017
- Issue No: 19
- Page Range: 195-207
- Page Count: 15
- Language: French
- Content File-PDF