The French language as the main pivot of the world represented in the short story Mademoiselle O by Vladimir Nabokov and the novel Madame by Antoni Libera Cover Image

La langue française comme pivot principal du monde représenté dans la nouvelle Mademoiselle O de Vladimir Nabokov et le roman Madame d’Antoni Libera
The French language as the main pivot of the world represented in the short story Mademoiselle O by Vladimir Nabokov and the novel Madame by Antoni Libera

Author(s): Juliusz Cęcelewski
Subject(s): Studies of Literature, Recent History (1900 till today), Polish Literature, Russian Literature
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
Keywords: Twentieth-century slave literature; French language; French governess; French language teacher; Vladimir Nabokov; Mademoiselle O; Antoni Libera; Madame;

Summary/Abstract: The article seeks to show that the French language is the central element in the world represented by the short story Mademoiselle O by V. Nabokov and by the novel Madame by A. Libera. Through the main character, the narrator of Mademoiselle O renews with French, which has a chance to become his language of literary expression. The evocation of the memory of his childhood serves as a pretext to describe a complex relationship between the Russian writer, the French language to which he was formerly initiated by his governess and the writing he undertakes in this borrowed language. The background of the novel Madame is Poland and its dark political and social climate of the communist era. The protagonist’s attraction to the French language and culture is the condition and result of his journey as an intellectual and writer, as well as his first emotions of love towards his French teacher.

  • Issue Year: 19/2019
  • Issue No: 4
  • Page Range: 247-256
  • Page Count: 10
  • Language: French