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cklqdelvne  Stmsotr 


UNIVERSITY  OF  TORONTO 
SCHOOL  OF  GRADUATE  STUDIES 


PROGRAMME  OF  THE  FINAL  ORAL  EXAMINATION 
FOR  THE  DEGREE  OF  DOCTOR  OF  PHILOSOPHY 


of 
MADELINE  GRACE  STINSON 

B.A.  (University  of  Toronto)  1925 
M.A.    (Syracuse  University)   1926 


FRIDAY,    DECEMBER   20th,    1935,    AT   3.00    p.m. 
IN  THE  SENATE  CHAMBER 


COMMITTEE  IN  CHARGE 


Dean  G.  S.  Brett.  Chairman 
Professor  J.  S.  Will 
Professor  F.  C.  A.  JEANNERET 
Professor  J.  G.  Andison 
Professor  H.  L.  Humphreys 
Professor  H.  E.  Ford 
Professor  V.  de  Beaumont 
Professor  A.  Lacey 


Professor  F.  H.  Walter 

Professor  L.  J.  Bondy 

Professor  M.  A.  Buchanan 

Professor  J.  E.  Shaw 

Professor  E.  GOGGIO 

Professor  G.  C.  Patterson 

Professor  J.  Cano 

Professor  H.  J.  Davis 


BIOGRAPHICAL 

1904      — Born,  Minden,  Ontario. 

1925  — B.A.,  University  of  Toronto. 

1926  — M.A.,  Syracuse  University 
1926     — Fellowship,  Syracuse  University. 
1931-2  —Graduate  Student,  University  of  Paris. 
1932-35 — Graduate  School,  University  of  Toronto. 

1935      — Professor  of  French,  Western  College,  Oxford,  Ohio. 


GRADUATE  STUDIES 

Major  Subject: 

French  Literature,  under  Professor  Will. 

Minor  Subjects: 

Romance  Philology,  under  Professor  Ford  and  the  late  Professor  L.  Allen. 

Spanish  Language  and  Literature,  under  Professor  G.  C.  Patterson. 


THESIS 

Symbolism  in  the  Practice  and  Theory  of  the  French  Novel 
OF  THE  Romanticist  Period 

(Abstract) 

The  novel  offers  one  of  the  most  fruitful  subjects  of  study  in  the  field  of 
speculative  criticism.  Such  a  study  discloses  not  only  the  development  of  the 
whole  spiritual  life  of  the  period  under  discussion  but  also  throws  light  upon  the 
relationship  between  that  spiritual  evolution  and  the  development  of  aesthetic 
theory,  the  relationship  between  that  aesthetic  theory  and  its  formal  expression 
in  art.  The  subject  which  a  speculative  criticism  poses  for  itself  is,  therefore, 
the  search  for  those  underlying  aesthetic  truths  exemplified  through  a  series  of 
works  produced  under  the  same  general  social  and  intellectual  conditions. 

The  field  of  inquiry  of  the  present  thesis  limits  such  a  search  to  the  study 
of  the  novels  of  seven  writers  of  the  romanticist  period;  Chateaubriand,  Mme. 
de  Stael,  Hugo,  Vigny,  George  Sand,  Balzac,  and  Gautier.  It  is,  moreover, 
especially  directed  toward  the  study  of  the  relationship  between  the  personage 
as  portrayed  in  the  novel  and  the  general  idea  which  the  novel  expresses.  It 
becomes,  therefore,  necessary-  to  discern  each  author's  characteristic  method  of 
creation;  to  establish  the  relationship  which  exists  between  that  method  and 
the  philosophic  and  aesthetic  theory  which  his  work  reveals;  to  discover  in  that 
theory  the  explanation  of  the  prevailing  s\mbolism  which,  as  this  thesis  will 
seek  to  demonstrate,  is  the  key  to  both  the  form  and  matter  of  his  art. 

In  romanticist  practice,  the  careful  analysis  of  certain  well-known  figures 
clearly  demonstrates  the  fact  that  the  personage  in  romanticist  literature  is 
constructed  as  a  homogeneous  unit.  Classicism,  through  its  method  of  character 
creation,  dignifies  man  by  the  concession  of  personal  responsibility  and  limits 
man  by  the  affirmation  of  a  collective  ideal.  For  classicism  man  was  animal  and 
human  at  the  same  time.  For  the  romanticist  man  is  natural;  that  is,  the 
dividing  line  between  nature  and  humanity  ceases  to  exist.  As  a  result,  the 
unrestricted  expansion  of  a  natural  feeling  becomes  the  criterion  of  personality 
for  the  romantic  personage.  It  is  a  natural  corollary  that  such  a  personage  lives 
only  in  the  mode  of  feeling. 

The  personage  is  chosen  not  because  of  his  character  interest  but  because 
he  corresponds  to  a  certain  desired  formula;  the  secondary  personages  appear 
only  as  repetitions  of  one  of  the  formulas  demonstrated  by  the  principals;  the 
women,  as  a  general  rule,  appear  only  as  the  incarnation  of  dream  or  as  the 
embodiment  of  an  ideal  love.  The  choice  of  a  personage  in  accordance  with  his 
value  as  type  of  formula  is  reflected  in  the  manner  of  his  presentation.  He 
appears  only  under  one  aspect  and  as  the  extreme  of  the  particular  passion  or 
feeling  he  reveals.  No  question  of  individual  free  will  or  psychological  develop- 
ment intervenes. 

A  correspondence  is  established,  moreover,  between  the  spiritual  element 
which  the  personage  represents  and  the  physical  world  of  nature  in  which  he 
moves.  The  result  is  that  the  inanimate  and  the  animate  world  form  one  indis- 
tinguishable unity. 

The  conclusion  is  inevitable.  The  romantic  personage  is  a  "type",  not  an 
individual.  The  study  of  the  romanticist  use  of  this  word  makes  it  evident  that 
to  describe  a  personage  as  a  "type  "  is  to  describe  him  as  the  symbol  of  one  element 
of  life  to  the  exclusion  of  the  rest.  The  romantic  personage  can,  indeed,  only  be 
properly  understood  if  he  is  understood  as  symbol. 

If  the  romanticist  writer  is  using  the  generally  accepted  experience  of  reality 
as  his  starting  point,  the  exact  import  of  his  symbol  will  be  immediately  and 
universally  recognized.  If  he  is  not  doing  so,  he  must  have  discovered  his  symbol 
by  virtue  of  some  private  faith  which  he  holds.  Its  acceptance  as  valid  symbol 
depends  upon  the  acceptance  of  the  author's  personal  point  of  view.  To  deter- 
mine the  true  meaning  of  the  symbols  used  by  the  romanticists  involves,  there- 
fore, the  recognition  of  the  philosoph\-  which  dictated  that   meaning. 

The  romanticist  almost  always  explains  the  value  of  his  symbol  either  im- 
plicitly or  explicitly.     A  detailed  study  of  the  symbolic  presentation  of  society 


and  nature  through  personage  shows  society  to  be  contrasted  unfavourably  at 
every  point  with  the  elements  of  virtue,  love,  religion,  beauty,  and  art  as  they 
are  found  in  nature. 

if  character  presentation  is  made  through  symbols  and  characters  may  all 
be  reduced  to  types,  then  the  development  of  the  plot  necessarily  involves  a 
constant  interpretation  of  the  relationships  subsisting  between  the  different 
symbolic  elements  involved.  The  action  of  the  romanticist  novel  becomes, 
accordingly,  symbolic. 

The  study  of  definite  plots  makes  obvious  the  various  conventional  devices 
by  which  certain  plots  are  made  to  indicate  certain  ideas.  It  becomes  obvious 
also  that,  stripped  to  their  essential  elements,  the  novels  of  each  of  these  authors 
may  be  reduced  to  one  significant  theme  repeating  itself  through  different  case 
histories.  Just  as  the  personage  may  be  seen  to  lack  individuality  and  to  live 
only  as  a  "type",  so  does  the  romanticist  plot  lack  individuality  and  appear  only 
as  a  "type". 

The  forinal  structure  of  the  romanticist  novel  depends,  in  fact,  on  the  use 
of  three  conventions  whose  value,  in  turn,  depends  upon  their  symbolic  inter- 
pretation: contrast,  repetition,  and  the  use  of  the  eternal  triangle.  Echo,  con- 
trast, and  choice  meet  and  blend  and  the  novel  may  be  analyzed  in  mathematical 
formulas,  drawn  in  geometrical  pattern,  or  reduced  to  syllogistic  terms.  Such 
a  statement  is  only  another  indication  of  the  fact  that  romanticist  art  is  more 
responsive  to  a  convention  than  it  is  to  reality. 

Moreover,  the  minor  incidents,  the  milieu,  the  language  of  author  or  per- 
sonage, all  share  the  same  symbolic  quality. 

A  study  of  the  theories  of  the  novelists  under  discussion  only  serves  to 
confirm  the  evidence  of  the  novels  themselves.  All  of  them  regard  the  novel 
as  a  means  of  propaganda  and  themselves  as  prophets  of  a  new  religion.  Their 
emphasis  is  on  intuition  rather  than  observation,  on  creation  rather  than  re- 
production, on  the  idea  rather  than  on  the  fiction  that  clothes  it. 

It  is  evident,  however,  that,  with  Gautier,  romanticism  has  entered  a  new 
phase.  In  his  work  romanticism  shows  itself  once  more  to  have  become  con- 
scious of  the  existence  of  distinctions.  Unity  is  once  more  broken  up  into  variety. 
Man  is  no  longer  identical  with  infinity.  With  Gautier,  the  possibility  of  a 
new  type  of  subjectivism  may  be  foreseen. 

The  whole  sociological  ethics  of  the  nineteenth  century  is  what  tends  to 
make  its  literature  so  inextricably  mingled  with  philosophy,  ethics,  and  religion. 
Faced  with  the  tremendous  task  of  re-preseniing  a  world  according  to  his  ow-n 
vision,  the  romantic  novelist  can  treat  only  the  great  fundamental  elements  of 
life.  Since  the  source  of  his  work  is  in  his  own  mystical  feeling  and  its  expression 
is  through  such  generic  symbols  as  virtue,  evil,  beauty,  death,  the  art  of  the 
romantic  novelist  may  be  judged  more  clearly  if  it  be  judged  as  a  form  of  lyric 
poetry  rather  than  as  novel. 

Finally,  it  is  evident  that  not  only  must  the  mode  of  creation  in  the  romantic 
novel  of  the  early  nineteenth  century  be  clearly  understood  in  order  that  its 
significance  and  its  results  may  be  properly  judged,  but  also  a  comprehension  of 
this  mode  is  necessary  in  order  that  the  continuity  of  the  aesthetic  tradition  in 
the  French  literature  of  the  ninteenth  and  twentieth  centuries  may  be  properly 
evaluated. 


vn«  «  I  f 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  TOROBTO 


SKJBOLISM  IS  THE  PRACTICE  AHD  THEOHY  OF  THR  PRBNCH 
SOVEL  OF  THE  ROwAHTICIST  PERIOD, 


A  DI33EliTATI0N  SUBMITTISD  TO 
THE  PACtJI/TY  OP  THS  DIVISION  OP  THE  HmiAlTITIES 
Jfl  CAKDIDAOY  FOR  TiUi  mBSCBF.  OF 
DOCTOR  OP  PHILOSOPHY 


DEPARTMENT  OF  ROt^AKCE  LANOtJAGBS 


BY 

MADELINE  STINSON 


TORONTO,  ONTARIO 
JANUARY,  l$3i> 


<T.'^   r*:r 


»<» 


■^j 


The  author  wiahds  to  acknowXed^o 
a  special  debt  of  gratitude  to 
Profeasop  J«  ^*  v.iii  who  first 
tiimed  the  auUior's  studies  in 
the  field  of  French  literature 
into  the  con8ldex»ation  of  the 
rblatlonalilp  between  charaoter 
and  Idea  as  ezpz^saed  In  the 
French  novel  and  idiose  tmfalling 
encoiirageueut  waa  a  constant 
inspix>ati(»i  to  the  continuance 
of  those  studies. 

K.  a.  s« 


a 


TABLE  OP  C0!JTE!3TS 

ZHTEODOCTXON •  •  .1. 

Chapter ••  Page* 

I.  CilAi^AG'UZH  PKSoiKTATION   —  TiiaOiiY  .lilD  PHACIXCE  IH 
CMoSICXSM U 

II.  CHARACTEH  PRESEHTATION  —  PRACTICE  IK  THE 
ROMAi^TICXST  NOVEL 26, 

III*    CilAHACT3R   ?Ru3KliTATI0K  THROU^   SYMBOL 121. 

rv.      3B«B0T^  OF  VJJIAT? 133. 

V.      SYMBOLISM  iii  PLOT ..asa. 

VX«      SYMBOLIC  .Ui'TKKa o66. 

VII.   SiaiBOLISM  IN  IKCIDVUT,   MIUEU,   L.'iN0UAaE.,..,588. 

VIII. THEORY   IN  KOIAi^TIOiiJM 427. 

CONCLUSION • <17G. 

BIBLIOQHAPHy. 493. 


Introduction, 

5he  distinction  betv/cen  the  hlatory  of  literature  and  the 
criticisTi  of  liternt»rre  is  too  often  i£-nored  or  entirely  over- 
looked by  those  ccnrentators  ;.'i  o,  clainiin£i  to  give  a  critician 
of  a  work  of  art,  all  too  frequently  ilo  little  else  t:^ian  throw 
a  certain  amount  of  ll£-ht  on  the  external  sources  of  the  work  or 
tiie  circumstances  surrounding  its   nroduction,   the  life  of  the 
author  who  produced  it,  or  the  sijpposed  models  fr<»n  which  the 
author  worked.     Any  criticism  of  literature  should,  before  all 
else,   establish  a  distinction  between  the   inner  and  outer  study 
of  literature.     The  outer  stxidy  of  literature  concerns   itself 
largely  with  ques^tions  of  blograpiiy,  history,  fomal  style,  and 
linguistics*     S\ich  critical  study  docs  not  apnroach  the  vfork  of 
art  directly.     Rather  it  cii'clcs  about  it  —  explaining  and 
t}irowine  into  high  relief  all  the  accesaoi'y  circumstances  which 
accompany  the  work  without  ever  actually  getting  iiast  these 
circuntstances   in  oi'der   to  arrive  at  the  work  itself,     ?hls  fonn 
of  criticism  should  be  doslenuted  as  historical  rather  than 
literary,   (1) 

Hor,  on  the  other  hand,   can  the   type  of  criticism  which  is  known 
as  impressionistic  '  '••      ■nitt'^rl  to  tJio  citeiory  of  true  criticism. 
It  is  much  less  concei'ned  with  the  work  of  art  luider  discii.sslon 
than  it  is  with  the  revelation  of  the  personality  of  the  critic. 

Kie  truly  valuable  literary  criticism  —  wlmt  I  have  called  the 

(1)   Seo  Moulton,  The  Modem  3tudy  of  Literature. 


inner  stiidy  of  literatiiro  —  nu... t  come  tram,  a  dlract  approach 
to  the  mirk  of  art  itself*     Such  criticism  will  seek  to  establish 
an  interpretation  of  a  particular  niece  of  literature  from  a 
study  of   its  inner  logic  and  its  absolut<e  value.     The  validity 
and  the  beauty  of  any  worlc  of  art  sViould^  by  the  general  adnlssion, 
be  absolute.     i\ny  appreciation  and  judjonent  of  such  a  ?fork  of 
art  ceases  to  be  aesthetic  when  it  leaves  the  lapersonal,  objective, 
inhuKian  world  v^hida  is  the  world  of  art  and  enters,   instead,  the 
limnan,  iX)38ip-lovin£;,   impressionable  world  which  is  the  world 
of  sentiment.     Tlie  aesthetic  study  and  criticisra  of  literature 
should,  therefore,  seek  to  concern  itself  only  with  the  piece  of 
literature  in  its  unity  and  intention. 

Suei  a  critical  atudy  will  BHiko  apparent,  however,  of  necessity, 
other  rrmtters.     It  will  olJiwst  inevitably  disclose  tJ-ic  aesthetic 
theory  ?fiiich  governs  the  artist  in  nis  creation.     Secondarily, 
It  will  reveal  the  relationship  which  exists  between  his  theory 
and  his  art.     In  liis  theory  there  will  be  latent  a  philosophy  not 
only  of  art  but  of  lire  and,  accordir^Tly,  from  the  artist's  theory 
will  CTwe,   in  Pll  probability,   the  liatter  of  his  work.     The  Fom 
will  be  detcrm!.ned  by  his  art.      In  any  great  worl-  of  art  the 
Matter  and  Botv.  will  be  irreducible  to  separate  coctponents.     liach 
will  seem  the  ir^vitablo  corollary  of  the  other.     Yet  nothing 
could  be  raore  instructive  for  literary  criticisn  nor  for  the 
fouiklation  of  a  theory  and  philosophy  of  literature  tlmn  the  study 
of  the  relationship  which  exists  between  a  writer's  philosophy 
of  life,  his  nhllosoi*iy  of  art,  and  his  expression  of  those 
philosophies. 


In  tills  field  or  :jTeciilatiV3  criticism,   there  is,  pertaps,  no 
noro  fimitTul  subject  of  study  tlmn  the  novel,     llicre  are  various 
reasons  for  tiiis.     On  the  whole,   it  is  eenwally  adaittod  that, 
wltii  tile  inception  of  the  ninettientii  centviry,  the  novel  becane 
tkiB  most  typic^a  fonTi  of  literary  art.    (1)      ifliis  is  tinio  not  only 
of  one  co\mti»y  but  of  all  tiiose  ccnmtrioB  uhioh  belong  to  tlie 
European  civilization.     Accordingly*   i'i'  vfould  soeii  evident  timt 
a  study  of  the  novels  of  a  ^:iven  r>eriod  vsouid  disclose  not  only 
the  developcient  of  the  vviiolc  soiritual  life  of  tlmt  poriod  but 
would  also  t'lrovf  li^jht  upon  tlie  relationship  betvfoen  that  spir- 
itual evolution  and  tiie  develo;Tient  of  aesthetic   tlieory;     tJie 
relationship  r;et«een  that  aestiietic   theory  and  its  formal  expression 
In  art*     Such  a  study,  it  would  seem,  should  disclose  sorae 
enduring,'  ratio  between  the  natter  and  t;he  spirit,   the  material 
of  art  which  rmst,   in  sorae  forw,  re-create  ioa  age,  and  taiat 

which  eowBplifles  the  varying  reactions  to  one  same  T3robl«)Bi« 


Tbm  subject  vtiich  a  speculative  crixiicimi  poses  for  itself,   is, 
in  reality,  tiierefore,  the  search  for  those  underlying  aosthetlc 
trutlia  e:ser)ipi.iried  tm^ou^h  a  series  of  works  'woduced  un^ier  x.iie 
MBie  generiil  social  and  intcllecuial  conditions*     Such  a  seai^ch, 
it  seesis  to  iie,  could  find  no  group  of  writers  of  greater 
Independent  interest  or  of  aore  liiatoricel  Inporxjince  tiian  that 
girmp  lAiose  nsunes  nade  fknous  the  «irly  years  of  ttie  nia»%o»alh 
tteaitu3*y  in  Frencii  literary  history.     I  have,   therefore,  cliosen 
for  the  field  of  aiy  InqLiiry  tiiat  jieriod  which  sees  the  rise  in 
A*ance  o£  the  movenent  gMMvally  known  as  rooaiitiielttni     tl»t 

(1)    See,    for  example,    the  discussion  in  Moulton,   The  Modern 
Study  of  Literature,   Bk.    III. 


period  which  seas  the  faia©  of  Chateaubriarid,  Mrae*  de  ^taSi,  Hugo, 
Vlgny,  George  Sana,  Balzao,  axvl  Qautier,     In  the  study  of  their 
laavGlu,  on  the  liaca  ali'eady  desi^iated,  some  aigniTicant 
sinllarities  cannot  fail  to  be  estaoliahed  awi  sorae  conclusioiis 
in  recard  to  the  relationship  between  their  aesthetic  theory  and 
trieir  art  nust  oo  r^cogniiiod.     In  this  study  and  in  these 
oonoliMtlona  preoonceivcd  ideas  ;nust,  laowever,   jo  discarded  if 
such  ideas  ai'o  found  to  be  in  opposition  to  the  autiiOr's  oTra 
testimohy  a£  evidenced  in  his  art* 

Many  and  variously  successful  attQEir>ts  imvo  fjoen  riade  to  define 
tixe  novel  rom  biit,  for*  r?Ty  purpose,  exact  and  inclusive  definition 
la  viDaftM0saz*y«     It  is  necessary  only  to  airigMnrledge  —  as  is 
generally  aclaiowlod£:od  —  tliat  the  novel  is  valued  as  a  nork  of 
art  because  it  is  an  interpretation  of  lii'e.     Such  an  inter*  pre  tat  ion 
is  Kiado  by  means  of  the  representation  of  various  per  oo  nacres,  of 
the  world  in  wnich  they  live,  and  of  the  series  of  relationships 
lAiich  are  established  betireen  the  personages  And  in  rofermice  to 
that  world*     The  pei'£:on..cc3  in  the  novel  ore  of  supr<jiae  Importance 
for  it  is  throu^a  the  olenonc  of  humanity  thus  introduced  that 
the  ^ap  is  bridged  bctxeea  art,  vaich  is  liBuwmi^  «id  the  beauty 
which  it  must  contain  for  asmanity*     It  is  obvious  that  it  will 
frequently  ije  iraijossible,  if  not  illoitical,   to  »en>arate  the 
paacaeoftge  frata  that  world  of  fiction  in  which  ha  jooves  and  witb 
which  he  must  Imrwonlse*     It  niay  likewise  be  difficult  to 
separate  the  element  of  plot  —  which  is  developed  tj-iroxigh  th« 
personages  •»  froii  the  eleinent  of  cliaractei*  iBteoNifit  embodied  In 
those  personage fl*     »«hat  Etersa  Bovary  does  Is  an  exact  reflection 


or  whcit  a*^  Bovary  Is,  and   U-sla  will  :.  .rii./  "bo  the  case 

ifiierc  tho  oereonages  rcisala  consistent  wltii  th^usolvsa*     But  it 
is  in  the  stwdy  of  tJie  ;t  rid  -rfhlcli  the  autlior  creates  for  his 
S^rsooai^ofi,  of  the  actions  which  he  pejsilts  th©a  to  ccrai.it,  tlmt 
Uio  natui'e  or  the  '>eraorKise  is  no&t  fully  revealed*      "jad  it  is 
tSie  aatairc  of  the  personages  which  is   the  cleT.rc:;t  revelation  of 
the  anther's  philosopailcal  and  aesthetic  onlnions»     I  do  not 
mean  "by  tiiis  tlmt  the  -^rsonages  will,  necessarily,  voice, 
directly,  tiie  author  •s  idea»»     They  laay,  on  the  contrary^  voice 
ideas  to  which  lie  is  ca-iplctely  hostile*     nevertheless,  it  is  a 
fallacy  to  believe  that  the  artist  is  not  mirrored  in  his  art 
zio  matter  hos-   objective  that  art  Tnay  purport  to  be.     IT,  on  the 
Otlier  liKnd,  the  art  r:iay  be  shoim  to  be  preponderantly  subjective 
and  self-conscious,   it  will  not  only  be  poasiulc.  It  vrill  be 
inevitable  that  the  author  be  revealed  by  ilie  peraonagoc  he  l»s 


cre:ii.C!'I» 


The  nineteentli  coiiturj  author©  wlioaa  I  have  nientioned  belong  to 
period  in  n^iich  art  ims  highly  self<-corffirioas«     TbBit  it  was  a 
period  of  heated  controversy  in  regard  to  aecthetic  theory  had 
much  to  do  with  tliis  txit  one  Ms  only  to  read  any  of  the  long 
apologetic  T7>efh(ws  which  served  as  the  almost  inevitable  prelude 
to  novel  or  olay  'n  order  to  be  convinced  of  the  trutii  of  this 
statement*     But  aestliotic  theory  azui  philosophic  theory  cr/n  be 
separated  by  no  hard  and  ffest  line  for  these  writers,       o  ;untici£Si 
was  not  only  a  form  of  art;     it  was  also  essentially  an  attitude 
towfj^d  life"*     The  ror^Lntlclsts  v/ere  concerned  trith  politics  and 
BocioloQr  as  v.ell  as  with  rolicion  and  art.     In  tlielr  prefaces 


these  natters  ;:icet  and  TxLn^le^     In  ;iieir  novels,   the  wrii.erB 
Clve  e:spresslon  througli  a  sicjto  ci^  less  conventional  forra  to  their 
vai^'-inc  attltiidee.     That  ther*  cnnsclciisly  clo  so  t/ill  "bp.jsdPiR 
evident  as  wc  stAjdy  pi^eiuac  cr-ucr    .reJ  o^    ..■  creln  the  &ut>ior 
axmounees  his  ec^il  bcrore  he  bogins  hla  T;x:i'k,     It  Is,   therefore, 
n."parentl7  ^-  ^^t  st'.ljjectlvs  anci  self-conscioiis  f«rs  of  nrt  that 
we  arc  to  tstaidy  x.ac  >\oV.-,(^.  cf  cSmT^-CteT*  'iv-Ji*t?^ltui^©«     It  Is  toward 
tiie  relationsliip  bctrccn  the  per-sonairo  as  '>ort3-'ayocT  in  the  novel 
and  the  coccral  Idea  rhlcli  the  ncTcl   exnres  :es  that  mv-  attention 
Is  ozpcclBllv  directed* 

It  is  certain  that  every  art  has  in  the  Gonrse  of  its  developrient 
CTTOlved  certain  conventions  which  are  h«aeejDo<i*tb  tacitly  accerjted 
botJi  by  the  artist  and  his  audience •     Cuch  conventions  bcccriC 
so  fr.riiliar  that  they  are  no  longer  distlneuisl?cd  as  suoiw     They 
ii£.^i^c  beccac  universal  Bjmlxjls  and,  as  such,  need  no  lntcrtjretation» 
Gucli  a  convention  —  now  rarely  used  —  oade  it  possiijle  for  tbe 
mriters  of  the  rid  r.orality   ^lays  to  dosl^iKite  their  pc;raonar;es 
as  Greed,  **3ivy,  Eoncsty,  and  so  on»     Bie  fudlcnoe  r©co^ils©d  the 
syBbolic  ciiBlity  of  these  rjcrscnacos  and  made  no  effort  to 
idcr.tiTy  tJiaa  with  roality  or  to  disooss  th^n  as  htanan  indlvidoals. 
It  Is  little  less  unlVBi*aally  rccocnised  that  the  imposslhly 
virtuous  heroine  of  melodrama  h'lS  no  nore  identity  rrith  reality 
than  ins  the  ersggorr-tcdly  villainous  "•ilia in.     The  heroine's 
final  triuraph  is  liappily  identified  Kith  the  iiievitahle  trttEnrfti 
of  virtAie  over  vieo  anil  the  symbolic  oor.venticn  govei^ns  tli© 
laterprstatton  and  the  enjoyment  of  the  nelodrana,  whether 
corusciously  oi-  otliercrise.      In  those   cases,   it  is  ti:se  obvioiu© 


jjLiw.-i^ruity  ti;.-u;i  t>i-evalls   v  .t  .uen  obaei^ed  r-cality  and  the 
world  port-rsiyed  in  the  fictional  i-e^^Tsontatios  uhlch  cialcos 
critics  a^fxeo  as  to  its  conventiorKLl  s^jfEibolis;;!.     There  nrc, 
hovro'/cr,   cases  T.-iiei'^  the  dlscrc'iancy  b©t'T©en  tho  o -uux/ua  reality 
of  buraan  peraoniility  and  the  cox^.ventioiial  iieraion  of  its 
ropi^csontation  is  not  ^is  ii^iedintely  evident^     Kor  cioos  the 
discrepancy  sprliig  aj.waya  fi'cra  tiie  sane  caxiSQ.     T^ie  diati»ictloii 
"between  the  art  which  preserves  the  iroycho logical  t?:^th  of  the 
pcrsona(^cs  sind.  the  artlfieo  vi-hlch  distorts  It,  eruiggcrataa  it, 
convcGtionallsGS   it,  or  falsifies   it,   is  not  an  easy  distinction 
to  inako»     It  is,  h€»rGVor,  highly  illuninatin;^  to  steidy  the 
technique  of  tho  artist's  character  croatlon  in  this  reg'ard.     It 
ia  n^  contention  that  siich  a  study  aa  applied  to  the  novelists 
«f  the  rosantlclst  period  Trill  reveal  the  tfcole  basis  of 
chaiT-ctcr  creation  in  thoir  work  to  bo  more  or  lasc  conscimaly 
dapcndoEt  on  sy:aboliaBi;     will  reveal  how  freqiwnt,  hOT?  Inevitable, 
is  the  necessity  of  interpreting  their  personagos  by  reference 
to  the  ideas  they  incarnate  rather  than  in  ror.'jcct  to  thslr 
iaanan  personal ity»     It  is  my  Intention  to  try  lo  .^l^cc.::  c   • 
author's  characteristic  method  of  creation;     to  ostabllsh  tiie 
relationship  which  exists  battfaen  that        .      .  and  tijo  philosophic 
and  aesthetic  theory  which  bis  work  reveals;     to  discover  in 
thn.t  theory  the  explanation  oi   the  '-!rovallla0  S'^'^'.ljollsa  which.  It 
is  my  belief.  Is  tlie  key  to  both  the  foi^  and  matter  of  thrir  art* 

Let  ne  recapltoiatc*  The  study  of  the  relationship  between 
character  ar»d  Idea  in  a  novel  is,  I  believe,  the  Ircy  to  Its 
uiaiei'staijdine  r.s  an  artistic  rmity.     SiMJh  a   study  conducted  In 


reftart!.  to  the  raoveliB-;,^  o..'  "^vjs  ^i^'i^w  rialx   oi  lac  nlneioeEiuJi 
cenfexr^,  Icnda  ni/^iont  Irjiefilatcly  to  tho  r>ei*o©ption  that  tliese 
noTellcts  e-'-ircns  thoir  Idcna  thr'^'rh  their  "»c'-307ia.f-es  not  nefrely 
bj"  the  ideas  ^h?-cr.  ■:  "';c   -:    "'o:   .ovr     ■       .c)ia.  Jut,  uy  "ihe  laoiis  ^^hloh 
they  f-Tie;     that,  moreover,  such  ^craoxttiges  rjivcily  I'rav^   Individiml 
life  —  es""tr.inl7  not  tBilTr.r>scl  va.Va©  —  Imt  aJjaost  al'ri";s  a 
syrtbollc  vivl^io  c  nferred  on  t  an  by  the  author*  In  a(5eo:.'.-ance  with 
an  iiKliYichml  theory  of  IlTe  1*5  ich  lie  is  seeking  to  expcrcGB.     Sow 
does  st-ch  syra^ooliam  rsp-ke  Itscir  nor.  If  est?     Is  It  an  Inevitable 
conconitant  of  roRtanticisn?     '.ilsxt  aro  Its  typical  foina?     Ito'^' 
does  the  author  amke  the  personage  of  his  norel  express ivo,  in 
ffect,  nartlally  o:-  ^.olly,  of  rc:-mntic!.sn  and  of  t}i«i  rartlcitlr.r 
sJade  of  ro^sinticlr.       '  Ic'r  is  >ii£?  r»;ni?     Thcae  are  the  que"!tla>-23 
with  TThldi  I  nTrrroach  the  nork  of  those  novelists  rhi$a  I  'mve 
waited,     I  czocpt  fvnr.  ny  Et-'J-r  of  the  well-lrnOT'n  novelis-".r,  cf  tli« 
roFT.cjitleiEt  r^eriod  S^mncotur  ancL  ntonflhal;     S^r»incaar  booauso  liis 
slTigle  no'/ol  OboiTuxnan  iR  tlie  roprosoatation  of   oho  gixiwtli  of  tii© 
clr.ssic  rathor  tlian  the  rorrantic  snirit  'n  l^ot>  autlior  ?Uid 
fictlr»nRl  perscnajTo;     r>tenfihr.l  bcc-auoo  the  liouo  of  his  i^T.anticiam 
ehowa  c.  closer  affinity  In  rsraiy  rosT»ccts  t^  that  of  oitiKjr  tiie 
late  eight^nth  ot  the  late  ninotcontli  cghUhv  tlxjin  it  do^  to 
that  of  his  cor.tomararies» 

It  if?,  perhaps,  necerocary  to  udcl  thit,  nlf-rtrh  c^-tisln  of  the 
critics  frho  Imve  written  of  the  r-o'/exs  oi    ■v.;ie  r  v,*xuticis^  poriod, 
bRve  reeocnirod  Uie  ui^e  of  s^bol   in  caio  or  ano-Uior  of  t}i(Ks,  rso 

one  of  ^'''r5T:"  'ns  sf^®ie<?.  to  feel  .-t  necncs-'--*'/  —  In  c-rtto  of  this  — 
either  to  qu<i>tinn  the  reason  foi^  aicn  a  rowi  of  cx:a^:s£i'>n,  t^ 


reflate  It  to  the  ot>K5r  work  of  the  sasic  mtthor,  to  obocrvc  Um 
oJirTious  aralO£:lo©  shich  exist  oot??Qen  fltturoe  In  one  novel 
roco{^nf  ?f*cl  to  be  s^mlx*?.  ai3d  fl£i2res  in  arK>lih©r  dlscriEeecl  tjs 
- — ^rin  CitHi  ictcre.     Hor  '^•lave  niich  critics  l>ecn  cioncemod  vrith  tlie 
r^lr.  ■;*    -ship  between  Trbatevei*  liar  -"T-gj  de  rccogaire  to  be 

pfrescnt  and  the  aesUictlc  theories  sponsored  "by  its  Rxithcr. 
Critics,   for  example,  vho  adrait  the  fi-'cqu^nt  c7!gboli,K:i  ci  Irr.;"-*." 
peltry  either  ©"^rlcotl:  entirely  the  question  o.f  cbar^^etRr  creation 
in  his  novels  cr  di.nlss  tbe  quciitlon  "uy  a  critxclsr:  of  his 
pcrrers  in  that  ul:"'.  ction  or  possibly  "b:/"  a  ue-crlrtion  of  tiie 
"caet"  of  the  ao?ela  r  iUa  brief,  explanatory  captions,     \  uiodcrn 
critic  of  lane,  de  Stacl  «-  ravlcT  Clasa  Larg  ~  sialoos  s'-.-;h  r. 
at'iteraent  as  the  folloisrlEg  in  regard  to  Delphlne;     "II  so  t        -; 
qrie  la  i>.nto.lGie  n'est  point  fantaisifite.  ::    i^et}i&t^-icA:e» 

I«s  evener^rts  c'eclwr^es  de  toutc  rosponsrblllte'lTirts.in^,  Rcoueont 
letjr  iixis-llx^G  cic  sv.iboles."   (1)     Of  Oorinne  ho  irrltes:     "On  n*airr<ilt 
rl«a  conpris  a  ce  iviaon  si  I'on  n'adiiettait  pas,  e.vec  I&ie#  flecker 
dc  r^axinsiirc ,  cv.c  see  oont  tout  d*a"bor5  des  s^tiIxjIcs..., 

Gcs  pci:.-  a  sont  forccr.icnt  cic."i  s;;,-'ibolr'3,  nRrco  qii*ilf: 

c*nrrlveant  pas  a  etre  dec  perscnim^^."   (2)     rmt  lils  aatjswiuent 
conccTTi  ir  not  trlth  the  ranner  nn:'.  rothod  of  th's  s-Tibo?LlsE  nor 
Its  esi.eiitial  cigniflcaxicc  Ixit  rr.thcr  Trithtiic    jin.-cr  in  ^Ich. 
iase»  de  Stiicl's  life  and  the  persons  whcr.i  she  ret  '.Iht  be  proved 
tc  h*"c  f*',^'nishc:'  -•.c's-lc  for  l.cr   lr-*.tation.     rCz'iCnC  L'etevi^ 
cl-^r-isccc  tuc  ciiiCiiLiJii  of  Vlgny'c  s;^boliaBi  in  his  novels  ^Ith 
alT^oat  equal  li^iatneoc  although  it  becojncs  necessn-y  for  him 

(1)  Larg,  David  Glasa,  liae.  de  Gtfiol.    il.,  45. 

(2)  Ibl£.,    II.,    283.      — — — — 


repeatedly  to  refer  his  poetry  to  a  syr^ibolie   internretatlm.     It 
Ifi  trwe  that  Ilstevc  reco£;nlj'es ,  as  any  render  of  Vigny  mist,   the 
8^.bollc  nature  of  his  prose  as  well  as  of  his  ooetov*     Sut  he 
docii  not  '.Tite  of  Vl^ci^  frora  the  nolnt  of  view  '/hich,   taking 
account  of  Vi^ny's  aestlietic  tiieory  and  hlo   -Philosophical  views, 
rinds   in  tills  prcvtillinc  sTmbollsm  a  si^-nificant  corollary*     llost 
critics  of  Gnntier  and  histories  of  literature  in  general  dismiss 
gadeaaoiselJe  etc  llaupin  as  a  rathei*^  darli^  account  of  the  d':;l?igs 
of  a  yotme  wonan  trho  5md  actually  a  historical  existence  and  In 
lihosc  life  for  some  imaccountaljle  reason  Gauticr  liad  become 
interested.     The  lone  discussions  in  rorard  to  the  nature  of 
beauty  which,  according  to  such  r-   view,  arc  Tnc-^e  excess  baggars, 
do  not,  aonarentl^-,  sugcest  finother  noint  of  view  nor  yet  do  they 
seen  to  rind  it  sur-nrising  that  an  author  who^adnittodl^f,  nlaces 
such  hich  valixe  on  beauty  of  form,  should  have  Tiritton  the  story 
of  Hlle*  de  Kaupin's  adventures   in  such  a  haphazard  fashion. 
Partner  ex£inT>les  wicht  be  adduced  in  order  to  indicate  the  paucity 
of  literai'y  criticism  at  all  ner-tinent  to  the  subject  in  liand 
but  the  index  of  the  most  highly  rconi'ded  critical  works  treating 
of  this  ocrlod  will  n  ovc  sufficiently  ^^vealine*     The  question 
of  ch-ar'^cter  creation  Is  either  disrecai^ed  or  t>^  ated  entirely 
from  the  hurtnn  and  irtpressionistic  ooint  of  view.     The  strlltlng 
ftiilure  in  ccc.prchension  of  a  supremely  interesting  nhenonenon 
is  only  equalled  by  the  fttiltiro  to  appreclato  its   intxjrtancc , 
a  failure  so  rnanlmously  evidenced  in  those  few  critics  vrho 
rccocnlEO  thiit  the  natxire  of  the  rnT'axntlcist  liternry  creation 
Is  alraost  excli/'sivGly  syxabolic. 


Tlic  v/liolc   tiviost-on  of  liter-' r:/  s.,'^tiijuj.iti.j  iuis,   in  fact,  boen 
coiisistently  neglected.     Aside  fron  a  -massing  refer^erKse  here,  a 
careless  remark  there,  one  nay  scr.n  the  histot^ios  of  Uteri ture 
and  the  treatises  on  literary  questions  in  vain  eitl>er  aa  to  the 
extent  or  nature  of  its  use,  or  as   to  what  Imollcatiot^  inay  be 
made  fr<»i  its  use.     Tlils  is  true  to  such  an  extent  that  the 
oiKjyclopedias  will  refer  syraS^ol isni  eitlier  entirely  to  relieious 
art,   to  a  nodern  school  of  painting,  or,  S'^ecifically,   to  the 
syratoollst  sch-ol  of  poetry  in  i?'rancc.     'ihc  very  existence  of  tills 
syrabolist  poetry  usually  finds  u     0';rlier>  anccsto  s    l 
Baudelaire,  G«'ai'd  de  Herval,  a2:id   "ragner,  no  later  descendants 
t'lan  Maeterlinck  and  Cla\idel.     Books  Iiave,  howevei',  I'ecently 
api^eared  in  Prance  and  clsev.- iie  e  which  reoe^paize  the  faet  that 
rofnantlcisn  as  a  apirltiial  an  i  .  ental  attitude  did  not  disappear 
lAien  the  r  rmntlclst  school  gave  way  to  f.e  realist.     It  is  now 
eocnonly  admitted  that  rcsnantlcisn  ic  the  d    -.it^ant  note  in  all  the 
art  or  the  nineteenth  centni'y  and  of  this  early  nsirt  of  the 
twentieth  conttn»y.     Ronantlcism  is  a  mood,  mt  a  school.      It  Is 
a  laood  which  has  had  :^iany  nodes.       liether  the  no  e  be  called 
roBanticlaBi,  realism,  natui'alism,  or  sTribllsn,  it  remains  the 
exporcssicxn     f  an  attitude  which  afreets  the  vrhole  •"ihllosophy  of 
life.     Once  we  imve  reoogniaed  on  "underlyintj  e^mtlnulty,  the 
«»acntial  resenblance  which  bincla  all  the  various  forras  of  art 
slnee  tlie  Ramntic  Revival,   it  ■  ©cones  easier,  doubtless,  to 
acknowledce  that  the  imnrier  in  w?^ich  syribollsn  nakes  its  aooeawince 
in  the  early  novels  of  tlie  century  roay  sex*ve  to  cast  li;;ht  on 
the  later  literary  developi:Msnts  in  tliat  century  and  to  suggest 
a  method  for  Uieir  study* 


Cliamcter  "^^^sentctlon  —  l^ieory  and  Practice  In  Glassiclsn, 

In  orde "   the  Tnoro  c.le-u--ly  to  catr.blish  Um;  distii:!g\ilshing  qualities 
of  tiic  literature  of  ror-antlciiii:,   it  is  advlc  bl«  to  recall  tl-iosG 
ciiarac tor lii tics  of  the  iitcrattii^e  of  clctsslclssi  oortlncnt  to  the 
question  of  chai'ncti^r  prcs€ntat3.on.      For,  undoubtedly,   the  easiest 
appr(Xxc>i  to  ai^  disciiseion  of  v^c    technique?  of  ci^eation  as  it  may 
he  observod  In  the  novels  of  tJie  «iiT»ly  ninetoenth  C'pntur'y  Is  tl^t 
*liich  utiC3   the  oynllnanr  procovltire  of  claasioiyrri  ns  a  basis   for 
ecsnparlKon^ 

In  any     iscuosion  oi"  the   teclmirue  of  creation,  \ie  'nay  distinguii3h 
a  variety  of  si^jnificcnt  oit;mx>sts,  any  or  ell  of  sblch  oboiild 
serve   to  thro-/  cons Iclerabio  llfht  uncm  tho  ocsthetio  tenets  of  the 
creator.     Of  these  sitnr.osto   tlif  most  Imn-^rtant  iii   tliat  vrfiich 
deterriint>s   the  choice  of  the  ?5Csrsonageu  who  y.vc  to  act  out  the 
dras»»     Vsucii  a  choice  ic,    in  nuuiy  inatanccs,  tlie  sole  clue  iiecoo- 
£t;.ry  in  CKPaer  that  wo  nay  nroohoay,  thcrcaftGr,  the  uanncr  of  the 
charact(^r  presentation,  the  structuro^  plot,  railieu,  anO  Itu^iruane 
which  Jiui^.t  correspond  to  such  a  choice.     To  f.hat  conclusiotis  la 
regard  to  Uio  claoolciet's   conception  of  chiu^ictor  shall  •  <j     <; 
able   t")  come  rae^^ly  fropi  a  atxi^y  of  his  choice  of  txif-sonafres? 

3\ich  a  sUidy,  i;lnco  it  li,  undertaken,  prlTia^lly,  for  the  grounda 
of  cowi^arltion  rmlch  it  iiay  off-  ;•,  aorivcii   its    >oint  of  -/le-c*, 
necest-arily,   tr-jm  re-;  untie is'.i,     ^e  classic  "•oreoiiafre  will  be 
discuased  only  Ui  so  far  aii   the  rescnbianceo   t'^,  or  the  disci^o nancies 


from,    tbB  rorr.iintlc  pcrsor.aii'e  r-:ay  serve   to  clarify  art!  define  the 
nntvu^  Of  the  "charactnr**  in  the   novol  o!*  .ticlGM* 

I'lOrGOv^r,  since   the  d:^ar.a  :loniriax.ej.   iho  iit:;r^itu2\;  of  seventeenth 
century  classic isra,  ns  ^tm  novel  dominated  th-it  of  nlixcieentli 
oontui*:/  rc^nr-ntisici?*,  -he  tnsis  of  can.Dt.-'-'lcorx  nay,  isJvIy  enaagii^ 
be  derivt'-;  chiefly  frnn  aevcntcoiith  cout^.-'^'  01*2x11  rather  than 
novel  ■     *jlic  no\^l  wns  not  eons  Idee  I,         the  seventeenth  cent«ry, 
to  be  cr.r;  c**  the  genre's  rrhlch  :x:lcr!?^eU    tX>  serioijs  lit""  rntnre. 
It  developed,  ther- rorc,  sonevriui!;  outolde  the  :  iiin  literary  c\m»ei:t 
and  is  IcfcE  rcTTesontativc  of  the  classic  l-leal,     llev-rthelesB, 
it,   ic   v'^DS^ntiMl   to  TVYiicrihrr  that  the.   irrrm  nf>kns  ^iso,  neceSiiarlly, 
of  its  oun  pce^illar  conventions,   c^nvcnii'ms  v.'};lch  nro  ilffei^ent 
froT';  those  of  the  novel*     It  v.'iil,   tivcrcrorc,  he     ^niflent  to  ■''of©r 
a  crmpai'Sitiv'    study  not  cnly  to  covr  nt^ontV:  centiiiy  tragedy  and 
conody  hut  nluo    to  ouch  a  chaructcriiitlc   production  as  L?    ?!"'iricesac 
de  cic  .•■■:•  i,.     ilor  inuct  it  b     for{:ol   en       mt  clasElelsTfr  I3  not 
entirely  confined  to  any  '^ro  centi'""  '^^  ••^•''••■,      In  certain  or  the 
eonten^orary  Fr-ench  novels,   for  exca^lr,  r.ome  imix^r-tant  canocts 
of  the  clr.ssicEl   tradition  rcanpear.     To     oint  Out  the   Ideal  to 
which  thcs'-^   nnvrla  confo-^^'-   in,    ■^t   *■  n  najnc   tijio,   to   indicate  the 
manner  in  which  they  dlv  rijo  fs-r'    the   lieal  of  roMantlclsra  and, 
from  a  nega-ci/e  point  of  vi*>w,  to  define    that  ideal* 

The  :"irinci',;'le  wiilch,   in  seventeenth  centAiry  clasolenl  literatiire, 
(juideii   tt-vc  c'ijolce  of  'X'rsonaees  may  be  afnriled  In  _2]£dve.     Here 
there  ire   four  vntiin  pereonagoa,  o.ll  of  vnyal  birth,     "'.ch  of  the 
other  throe  finds   tr^.£r-iXY  bee  nine  of  iliodro  *o  unlmpny  msaion  for 


Ilippolytc.      Tni-tT-o^nrKi,   n  Ithniiih  tboy  live    "r '<^  Tf'n  ;<>'-My  -^r  ^©dro, 
t"'C7  enter  Ujo  i>i.ay^  Tn:'ii-ariiy,i  becaiise  or  i*i*^  oici,e  •eiai.ionshlp 
which  ":.  ;lnd£>'.  tbOBi  to  T'heclPG  and  so  binds  their-  fate   to  har-  decision. 
In  tlili:  'saj,  I'hbd.ro'a  lifo   Is  reprcse.niC'i  tlir-out-h  itii  vario«is 
relictions  in  uociciy  a*athc2'  tiian  absoiiit'jiy#     Yet  uono  Oi    tbe  other 
per£iori£it;cs  acti-/cly  influences  Piiedre'a  :li:cision«     Tholi*  p^^esence 
oorvci. ,  ho^revcr,   to  rr^ike  noro  ur^ftit  t.rw.'   interest  in  tV.o  nioi'ci 
choice  which  r^i^GdVG  ^ill  vivJkc*.     The  choice  or  •r^'^T'sona^-es  appears, 
therefor^.,   to  ^e  d.c:t"?TOinf;:l  by  Utc    Caot  Lhut  the  fhnjr'aotoi    of  rhsdro, 
as  it  vlc^jolops  in  tha  cotirs<"  c  '  i-hc    ^la:/,   1g  at-Eoi'bed  in  an  inner 
8tini^,-I,lc,     A  I'iijht.  no^-^l  choice  ^.-ill  leave  Uje  worla  in  v.ltlch  £>he 
lives  lUJ.Ll&ttirVfJci  anct  triimiTiil  as  it  has  brcn  Tor  yeartj»     Yieldir4< 
to  bcr  T>?.s&lon  ?.'ill  ciiuse  ti-^it  V/orld  to  be  '/destroyed.     Phcdro'a 
world  ii^  r  epreLcntccL  airecLly  .oy  nor  iai*L"And,  hur  s  Le{>»sonj  her- 
rivcl,     liach  of  UiCSG   characters  la  directly  inioi-  sued  in  tlio 
result  cf  the  inner  stinigole  througJj  which  Hie  : re  iti     v.^air^m     'i^o 
whole  interect  of  the  drQif.ia  is   attached,   thorofore,  to  thia  coa- 
flict  Tfitliin  }^icdre*3  ncit-ars,     ^Ciie  mmbcv  of  the  r>ei'Soria/j:os  is  soen 
to  bo   iimltci  uy  tiie  necoseity  of  c  wicentratinfr  arid  intensifying: 
tho  ccntrjil  intc?"03t»     Tliis  centra i   Interest  is  easeatitiliy  an 
interest  in  htimanlty,    in  indlvldvtii  character,   in  the   iiti-ucolo 
"botv.'oen  rraaonablo  condwct  .md   thnt  dictated  \*j  a  selfiah  nussicn* 
The  intoroat  in,  accordlnj;:1y,  paych-ilogicf-l.      In  oi^der  that  tho 
psycholOtricnl  ctudy  should  be  hc^th  valtiablf  and  interesting,   tho 
r«0rsonaj,'cc  R'-g  re""ronnnted  ns  hijjhly  civilized  bc-ir\rs,   :.iving 
lntclllgontiy»     As  suc'n,  they  are  tinily  h^sr^an. 


But  can  Hie  die  be  said   to   be   tyj>ical   of  clr.iiGical   practice  in 


t^cnovul?     It   io  evl-^-- "t  -  ..  f  .nu  •,■>?>■,,   *;f->t  r^edre  c-'.nnot  serve  uo 
-ur  ux^ivi'uc   W-.;clii»wono»     ."uiLiJi^  inuv/ae,  aaotiier  or  "seine's  best 

"  ■iirr  -j  I   1    "I     ■!  1  "■■■i  tfi    r 

kno«n  tragedies,  v. ill  l\irnis>\  t}\c  stiBie  gene^'al  picture.     The 
nuEibcr  o"  t^-i^*  'io7--iio«i*»isea  la  row*     Tliolr  _'\jitnre    lestlnies  aorjend 
upon  •/ari.nis  sioi-al  dticleioiiij  .^.ilcli  tliey  nua-t  iialce,     ^leso 
dijcialons  ikivolve   JJi  oadi  or  tivjm  a  cmaclous  cholao  bet;<&en 
moi'ai  rT'.Qiicm  and  isoi^ii  slavery,   ulawr'y  uo  thel:^  passionate  naturo 
Oi'  ocintroJ.  or  this  imtm-fe  by  tho  liusuin  intelli^rcnce  T;;hiGh  ccmsti- 
tutoa   iu  then  theli"  siUptrloi'ity  to  tho  sialisai  •aorld*     Tho  tragedy, 
there fo3^0,  i^f^s^ilts  i>«a  the  »md  unreason  iihich  io  the  fi-uit  of 
paaaionate  love  r*utliop  tiiau  of  iiiorul  i-oiisonal:)ioiies&«     slavery  to 
natTi:'o,   in  thon,  JTera]©  the    ionLnl  of  froo  nlll,   that  la,   tlis 
ultiiAte  uonim    o"  fill  i^io  -allty» 

2lic  tiniti'jdy  Itere  lios  not  la  ono  oharactor  aXonQ.     :.n  innei'  con- 
flict   mke»  iho  r>sycholo{jlc.il   iiitorcst  centro   in  ttn-n  U;X>n 
-u^Ii^cciaque ,   I'yi  ".Oiua^  OiH/iite,  ajiu  H'Ji^'.iionc»     'tTijc  bonds  of  fiuty  or 
love  uxiich  bind  tbcte  ch.aractei'S  zo  -me  another  and  ^rhich  cloeely 
Uiiita   t>ielr  dostlnies  r.:'il:e  the  clioice  of  oeriicnagos   inevitable 
artcr  tl'ie  choloo  of  the  central  pi  obltjm  has  been  mado.     In  ITiedre 
tiic  conriict  Inyoxvtiu  aor  husban..  ana  tihildion  as  sot  against  hor 
love,     l2i  An  1roi!ia.yAe  the  c  'nfl'.ct  "iakes  the  sr.nD  opixisition, 
AndroKiaquc     ust  ^lake  a  etwlco  bet\-cen  her  loyal \^y  t,o  husband  and 
child  and  hor  7>'=trsonnl  feeling*     Pyti'liue  mist  -oke  u  choice  bo- 
tf/oen  hio    ivitj  aa  kinfc:  and  his  ■  asslon  for  Androniaque.     Oro:>to 
Kiuat  cnoose    jii^Lwoen  i)ia  duty  as  ambass^idor  of  the  Grcoics  and  his 
passion  for  Eoiniione*     Her'iioiie  vaiut  choos3  between  the   ileal  of 
conduct  to  .jhicii  a  Greek  p-  Incesa  should  confom  and  her  passion 


for  P^'^Phxis*     The   conflict   in  each  cise   5-3  a  poraonal  one*     /.nd 
In  no  inuti'nce  does  the  pcruoiiago  glorify  the  lovn  wtilch   is  a 
form  -^'f  p©r:i   aftl  satief action  ut  the  ejcpenco  of  tho  lovo  whJxh  is 
a  fcm  of  social  expreas:lon» 

^"ho  As  tree  of  Honor  c'' ci 'Urfe  suijgr'jts  a  similar  concl-usion*     Ceiadon 
does   not  exi>ect  to  find  Morsfmcil  Batisfaction  in  his  lovy  oxeopt 
as  that  love  confoj^ts  to  tho  s:K*i£>.l  code  nnd  corresponds  to  a 
social   idool.     IIo  —  and  all   the  rest  of  the  shenhei-ni  cc?f»iwnity— 
re£nilat,o  tiicir  lives  accordinj^  to  a  list  oi  rules  vmich  set  forth 
tho  conduct  boccrilns  in  a  lover, 

neither  in  the  .\stiKQ  nor  in  Andronarue  arc  tho  i-Tatn^^ial  '-©ans  to 
satisfy  -Tfission  witlihold.     They  aro,   in  fact,  reaJy  to  hand.     Tlie 
consiBar'iition  of  '^elndon's  lo7c,   t>ie   tragedy  in  Andronaquc  >  'aoiild, 
therefore,  be   inevitable   if  the  .ictlon  -ffer^  to  aeixind  only  on 
Inatinct  (man's  anirnal  nature)  and  matter  (external  nature )♦     Yet 
ncitiior  conclTisian  is   inevitable  aince  dramatic  susixjnse   is  rmin- 
tained  to  the  ve?."*y  end.     Since  vre  ar*c   no/cr   in  doubt  as   to  tho 
raatei'ial  ?x>ssibility  of  Uic  actual  ooncluoion,   Uic  r.'h-alo  Interost 
Hiust  be  and  is  ccntJ^d  upon  its  norol  T'>o8£;ibility«      It  iii   in  this 
vaj  that  '^.he   concession  of  unlinitod  natoria"'.   power  lli-iilta   the 
interer^t  entirely  to  the  roa?jn  of  the  spiritual. 

A  compariaon  be^v.con  tho  personareo  of  Andrcraaquo  and  of  As  tree 
is  valuable    in  thir.  regard*     It  nakco    ipparxjnt   tlie  coraMai=atively 
sliioht  isinortance  tiiat  niuat  be  attacbcd  to  the  exteriial  attributes 
of  I'ank,  wealth,  or  nouor.     The  sheplierds  or  the  novel  are  as  far 


renovrd  from  tlie   cora'AxlsloriG  of  material  ncccsaity  as  o.rc   tha 
klncrs,   princos,  and  noiblos  of  the  tragedy.     I'oreovrr,   thoy  are, 
in  spite  of  their  htaable  callinfc,  quite  as  highly  civil ir.od  as 
arc   the  I'oyal  jxsi^sonages  of  tlic  tragedy.     The  external  social 
condition  is,   in  fact,  unimportcint  in  the   classicnl  i-^pr-esentation 
1)ecause   its  material  connotations  r.re  -uniriportr.nt.     That  3hake- 
QryQavc  placcs  kiiigs  and  nooles  on  the  stare  does  not  r>ake  his 
tre.gedy  classical.     That  d^TJtrfc  v,'rltes  of  so-Cilled  ohe7">herds  does 
not  make  his  novel  g   prototype  of  the  rcxr.antic  novels  of  p6R.sant 
life.     13ie  pi' Irviry  interest  —  in  I^^dr c ,   ■■ndrons.que,  or  the 
As  tree  --  is  not  the  stri.igrrlc  for  sxirvival  nor  Uie  aonlnation  of 
natoj^G  nor    tiie  a  cquisition  of  power.     Rather  it  is  the  struggle 
for  sftlf-oontrol  —  the   Tim'ely  hurian  stinii^tJlo  toward  a  moral 
Ideal  «•-  Uxfit  takes  the  conti''e  of  the   cta^o.     For  this  reason 
the  ,>er8onage8  nust  ^e  Ipuk  di-itt  ly  i^ecocjnized  to  be  livii^  In  a 
sphere  ?/horc  rRxro  necessity  iocs  not  govern,  v;here   the  moi^al 
consclousnoas  is  hi^^hly  dcvciO'X^d^  and,  acco2'dint:ly,  where 
intelligence  seeks  to  doniinate  and  dij^ect  feeling. 

This   is  true  likewise  of  the  concdy  of  the  period.     Ixi  Moiiero's 
most  sviccessful  cormdies  the  comedy  is  bised  on  character  just  as 
the  essential  tragedy  of  aacine  or  Corneille  is  a  tragedy  Implicit 
In  the  inner  life  of  the  personage.     That  Koliore    -laces  the 
wnphasls  at  all  times  on  the  moral  attribute  r'.thor  than  the 
■later ial  jDerquisitoG  is  oviient,   for  cxamplG,   in  L*Avare,  Le 
Kisontln^o >^e .  Le  Taruiffe,  Le  Dottrseoia  (jontilhornoa  Le  tialada 
imaginairc.     Ilie  nlser  ciocs  not  need  to  struG^ilo  for  .vealtiu     He 
is  already  wealthy.     Aiceate  is  not  forced  to  lose  his  lawsuit. 


•SSiG   Inrcr-once  is   tlifit.   If  ho  so  desired,  lie  oouli  '.Tin  It  witliout 
dirtlcultjm     'ZJie  difficuitlec   ^unto    rhicli  Crgon  falls  in  l£ 
Tar  tuff  Q  -.iopond  entirely  upcai  hla  KeukKoscea.     E«  Jourcialn  Ikis 
apparently  unlimited  niatc^ricil  noans  nt  his  carwuiiil.     In  Lo  Mn.iade 
ii:inLiT^aire  tho   Infeix^nco  is  that  tlie   aick  nma's  iiealtli  dci^J&nds  on 
hio  mental  rathnr  than  on  his  physical  na\Aire. 

It  is  a  factor  in  the  oraetico  of  claiisician,  in  their  clioico  of 
choi'actor,  which  is  of  gi-Oit  signlf icr^ice  —  this  disrei^nrd  of 
necenoity.     Tl-i©  ariatocr    t  of  the   trajrcjdlor,  is  axiporior   to  it« 
The  bour^ceois  of  the  corfjcdies  c=in  conriand  his  material  cimfort  at 
will.     Ilie  eherherd  of  the  nastoral  novels  can  foi^sct  his  flocks 
without  fear  of   evil  conoequcnco3»     Tlie  char^^ctei"  in  claasicisn  is 
never  at  close  i^rlps  with  extei'nal  necessity  and  it  ia  only  when 
be  pciTiita  hinwelf  to  succitah  to  ttie  dcff-ilnion  of  an  iinpc:'lous 
iniitinot  ihcit  he  Iogos  control  of  hla  fate  at  the  simic  ttoe  tlir.t 
he  loses  control  of  tho  uiatcrial  forces  oi>eratin(^  arotind  hSjii* 

In  P.acine  the  loss  of  self-control   is  the  tragedy*     T\ie  tragedy  of 
Phhvlrc  ©rv:»->aslsoc  loss   the  death  of  Hippolytc   than  tho  fact  tlmt 
It  is   Hicdre's  failtrre  in  woral  airenfeth  ?rhich  brings  it  about* 
fhe  ti'agedy  ijccurs  in  tho  course  of  the  ylay.     In  lioliore,  when 
the  pci^onfiKes  appear  at  tlie  bCLimiint;  of  the   -lay,   the   tra^'ody 
]»s  ali^iidy  occ\ir:'od.     Ilaey  are  no  longer  n6i>le   indi'/iduals 
atrivin£:   to  live  un  to  an  i  leal  v/hich  a  nassion  undeiTnlnes.     Thoy 
are,  from  the  very  beginning,  oersoriapes  in  T?han  sone  pai^ticiilar 
vlco,  some  ins^iactive   rsiscion,  has  boon  carried  to  an  oxtrente 
which  vltltites  t}io  v/hole  citii^actor,  and  has  aire  dy  undotTtined  in 


t.:' -i  tn-    ;       /  -itloniil   iuc-:i  by  v,r.i'w;i   li^v  other   -pa:  i-OiY-i^cs.  cont-lriue 
to   j'-idge  them*     The  oy^pathy  which  the  pt^o* agonist  of  the  tra^^ocly 
co^TTXin.'s  is  n  sympathy,  thc'©roro,  tinged  ^ith  tho  I'cenect  of 
wl.   t  tlicj  rete  and  with  the  so:'ro:7  for  wliat  the;/  i:avG  Vcocno,     '£he 
RyniT^thy  which  the  nrota  -nist  of  the  ciTrsictly  c-  a   is  not  of 

the  sane  call^'»e»     He  nc^/er  npiwaf^  T>efore  ns,  as  the  t-j^fic 
per so.iti;,e  docs,  at  tlic  noricnt  v;hcn  he  is  beyond  iHjpj'c^cri,   at  tlie 
KOBJient  v7hen  lie  is  still  in  harmony  with  the  universal  ileal, 
cofrnanuln"  t'lc  Viniver-sal  love,  res  nee  t,  and  jkIri!  ration  of  the  other 
pci'VOtiv-i^C3,      i^ric  c     X:  :y    ,iersona£:o  has   faller   ucxcn;   that   ideal   oy 
a  lack  of  ^leaEure  in  his  conchict* 

B\it,  uher€«ijB  paasionc.tfr  love  —  the  nost  universal  and  Irresistible 
of  all  the  instincts  —  is  the  force  i.'hich,   in  the   tragedies, 
attaclro  the   ileal  of  moral   frcedon  nost  i'requently,    the  coss^y 
character  uai.  yiolde<.l  tc-  ii  nt;   :.:„ssion  which  is  c  leas  universal 
fa5.1in£j  and  is,  Uiereforo,  xnoj-e  open  to  ridicule  an  J  less  susceptible 
to  nation,     IH^c  'leruonage,  oithoT'  in  ^rneille  or-  Rja.clno,    loes 
ncL.  r-i«ays  Mike  a  choice  hetTs^cen  duty  and  rmssioi^     Tn  Comeillo's 
drJHiaa  the  choice  rmy  l?e  between  tv?o    'utles.     ""olyeucte,  for  oxonple, 
nruEt  choose  loetvTeen  his  duty  to  his  rollKlon  and  his  duty  to  his 
wife,     Tlius  the  Qifflculty,  for  Comoille's  protagonists,  is  tho 
difficulty  of  I'ijht  reasoning^,     Cnco  tho  final  decision  -{as  to 
which  duty  is  tho  hlghor)     hns  'ocen  nado,  there   Is   iievcr  any  doubt 
as  to  the  concliision#     Cornoillo's  nersona^os  recognize  the 
necessity  of  a  difficult  choice  but  thoy  do  not  coiicoiv*    the 
possibility  of  -y.king   rh-t  choice  accordinrt  to  a  Twrsonal  riither 
tlian  a  cocial  ideal.      In  Hacinc,  on  tlio  contrary,  the  choice  nay 
be  bett/een  two  passions,     llius  Anch'oiwaQue  ymict  choose  ix^tv/eon  her 


love  for  her  at:  -d  n-izh-.^-'  and  ;ter  love    Tor  he"^  C'lild.     Tltiis 
wast  choos*3  botseen  his  nassioi^te  love  fen'  Berenice  and  his 
passionate  Icvg  for  his  ca^ntry*     It  is   the  'personal  triianrj^i  of 
rlrbt  choice  that  £l-rc:i  to  the  Old  a  luiooy  concl-asion  Juat  an  it 
Is  t  ;©  tragedy  of  her  s^trronder  to  a    mrely  ;ier*£»nal  passion  that 
laaliee  the  catG.stc*on:.ie  of  Huidre*     Lovo,  honou-^^,  l?at2»iotisn,  religion, 
tbesc  are  the  vuiivsraal  pasniono  v/hoso  cr>nrii::t  nay  work  th© 
tragic  ravages  on  hunan  seif-dctonairiati'rjn  tlint  are  tKjrtrayed  In 
niedrc,  AnlroraquG,  and  Bertfnice.     But  in  La  !lis?nthr'or>GB  L  *A-7ia*e , 
Le  Tartuffe,  on  the  crjntrai"/,   it  is    "'srLnthroinr,  avrvrice,  and 
hy'tXKJrisy,  nhicli,  at  tlieir  most  cxtr-eno  Tnanifestatlon  in  the 
protaponistB  of  the  conody^  lay  these  protagonists  o;x:n  to  ridioil© 
and  so  furnish  laatter  for  concdy. 

La  Prinoei^se  do  Cleves  makes  r^inifcst  in  novel   :ons     t\v3  srun©  point 
of  \'iew  aji  th.<it  revealed  by  tlie  clisslcnl  tragedy  a«£l  conedy. 
The  TH^i^'sonarres  arc   fe"  in  nuriber  and  a 71  thos«  who  ent':'r  the  action 
of  tiie  novel,  even  in  the  most  aiborciinate  capacity,  do  so  "because 
of  tiicir  uscxol  rclationshiT3S  with  liadaoe  do  Clevos*     r>irK5e  her 
aost  lja{X)rtant  relations   in  society  are  th-!sc  v/ith  lK5r  notixer, 
her  'wsband,  and  her  r<G\ild-bc  lovcv,  those  are  the  other  imln 
pe^-'sonagcc  of   ;  ho   ixscalc*     /^a  is   t,ho  cr  ae   in  B^.cdi''o »   it  io  the 
decision  of  the  ;^rotan*^nia t  which  ^rill  procervo  or  destroy  hor  social 
world*     Uo  riatf;rlal  factor  connels  or  nrr-vents  har  choice'#     Hence 
tiie  whole  intoi'cst  of  th.c  novel   is  attachrd  to  tlic  conflict  \7ithln 
Itedamo  de  Glevcs's  nature.     The  subject  of  the  novel  is,  therefore, 
the  SEUBio  as  the  suhjcct  of  the  cl".ssicn.l  drama:      the  ?}Sycholv^ical 
study  of  iTunan  charactcx»»      '  n    *3   the  o.^se   in  ihe  drana,  ouch  a 
subject  determines  the  soiritual  cliarect^r  of  the  action  and  the 


problesi  t*hlch  the  novjl  resolveii   In  not  acTendent  on  plot 
oonp]  Ic^^tlins  but   Is  entiiv  ly  concerned  i.itli  tlie  hxanan  ©ffort  to 
retmJ-n  i-jnie  to  a  given  sccial   idetil,  rlth  the  ^-jersoTial  ofrort  to» 
TOAPJ  cori;T,)?i.cte  self-control,   -ith  the   3tr;ii:gle   '■■''   ■-'-ie  Intc^l.lrenco 
to  dominate  feeling  anci  direct  It, 

The  '^ycbolo.,:ical   interest  -^hlcb  1^  the  bus  la  of  Froncli  olasaical 
litsiature  makes  or'i£:inaiioy  of*  plot  uatsiportant.     Hence  Uia  sasno 
atib^oct  fron  clr^rjaical  antiquity  Tsl^ht  rufnish  move  tlian  oao  oi'i^riia 
to  the  Fr^.nch  stngo  una  the  ranillarlty  of  'cha  loi^and  hvoOi^it  no 
dijiiinutioa  of  interest*     Tho  sltuution  ni^jht  bo  xiuaillai^  but  th© 
hunian  motivation  which  iicul  ci»entotl  the  altiKitlon  siuat  be  revoalocl 
and.   In  tho  st^idy  of  Incnttn  cbfii'ftctor,   the  extornol  action  vrm  of 
little  :ioi^tent#     ']!h.Q  coni:rast  isliich  tlic  French  clcasical  literature 
offers  in  tills  i^ospect  to  tiie  C^hakospoaroan  Ortma,  for  exr.inple, 
is  c riL it'll  ion ias»     Tho  desii-e  for*  oi*ljijialily  sras  o.a  urfeno.fa  to 
Staakospeare  as  to  t\ie  Jir-ench  writ<'>i»a  of  tbo  time.     Have;  theloss, 
th©  ijitereat  of  bis  playa  dei^encls  L-irgoly  on  plot  and   tho  connict 
is  exter^nai  ?rf!-^reQ.s,    in  ?r»cnch  cl-nssicis^i,  tho  erryaasis  is  on 
ch£iraetf;r  and  the  conflict  io   internal*     The  riechciiicaJL  iViaiiti  ^ilch 
ShalcoBpoare  utilises  so  constantly  —  disguises,  oavosdi^oppinoa* 
and  other  such  convxjntiomil  for.'Ti;  ol"    Uie  deus  ex  aacliina  —  ai^tj 
entirely  a"i--ucnt  from  the  Eponch    ii=«^na.     In  Gimkospcare  tii©  drartai  of 
action  riiokea  fen?  eraotiojial  ompiiasls;     in  Fixinch  claasicisri,  tJie 
drama  of  analysis  nakcs  for  •.>3ychological   (npliaslii.   (1) 

(1)     Read  Gtoll's  Ar<       ■"   '•'"tific?   ir'  "iioi-^^r  ,v^,^,^   for  an  excellent 
expocioion  of  r..  0*^2  tec'  act^r  creation* 

Cf  Anto;]y^nd  Uluo,>ut-^a,    for  cxati'^lo,   :»«   ivrites;      ". ..there   is 
a  contract  bctvfeen  cha  actcn*  and  cond^iot  aj^ain,  ''jut  \;ithout  any 

raeclianlsn  to  support  it. In  all  the   tragedies  of  ^lialcespoare 

the  e   is  imich  stoiy;   in  oil,   the   conflict  is  lai^cly  extcinmi  — 
against  Pate,   periicus,  or  circimstanccs;  and  here  it  is 
alnost  entirely  so," 


I^hc   ciiotiv;   !•!  i..ur- -ir.ii-H  -   'j-'.l.  Vu'oeri  such  apparontly 

diostillar  works  aj)  L  *A v  >^o ,  An.li'ontigiio  ,  and  La  Pi'lncesso  do 
Clevrej  "  cKiomes  enRi?v  exrlA'^aVjl  Vic  aboTc  rcnarks. 

i;5:tcrnal      '/-.t^i-i  .l  ..-    pic.    r^j  .r-^-.-.--^  :^^  ^,-1, :;.  :,lu-  i-etmins  tlio  some 
an-1  the  lamnn  a:>plration  ir>   similarly  directed  totmrd  a  slr»ilap 
ldO-'.l»     SUkiy  IiolieT'»*s  work,  fov  Instfinco.     Bot!i  Harparon  and  his 
c'lUtiPGii  recocnise  a   -^  -      :>n  iacil  of  cnnduct  ovon  -;h.lle  they  "both 
re  -1  against  If*     Earixigoji  tricG  to  iTrosor^'*5  the  appearance  of 
conroi'nlty  v/ith  the  usual  otartiards.     Slrill^-rly,  his  children 
siirionnce  t"-.eir  rospect  Cov  the  sociiil  cuiiv.  ij^.^ ons   in  rogaixl  to 
marriage  even  thoii^h  t}iv"y  rebel  a^ainat  them  in  their  own  particular 
oaao*     I.52ceT7ise   in  I^e  To.rt\itfe  the  nersonngr^s  ar*^  those  of  one 
ho-asehoiu  ,,,.o  •OiivilaV!   t'loir  coiyhiot  'iccordiiig  to  a  coiinori  co<.ie* 
Or^rn'a  rospoct  for  Tartuffo  de'r>cnds  on  Tartuffo's  apparent  con- 
fonalty  ?fith  thin  code*     Tno  scorn  that  ♦Ilfe.rttiff-^   l?Tsr>lre3  in  the 
other  cluiracterii  u.'i-li^i^  r:-->:(  -  iO  i>:^:h;  ...   iii-iio  —   V  z-lr-  rcnT^ect 
for  the  lecoi^nlzcd  standardB  of  cond-tict*     Since   the  chai»actcrs  are 
those  of  an  ordinjiry  bom^ireols  ho-uso>iold,   these  stanciards  rray  be 
supposed  to  uc  i|enor::il»     Moi'oO'/cr  the  clmractors    lay  Ijo  supposed  to 
be  soon  in  their  oixlina^.-y  daily  scttlog  and  the  C:»iterion  of 
Jndi^ncnt  trhioh  tlioy  ap-ly  appeal's,   therefoar'e,  appllcfihle  to  daily 
life  in  every  detail.     In  liC  i:is..nt}iro-:)c  the  p<;rsonatrer.  no  lon^rer 
ocmstitute  a  bourgeois  household  but  represent  Parisian  arictocratlc 
society  in  miniature.     The  caric  rem'iiics  rvay  be  rtp.de  of  these 
charact  :rs,  however,  ri:.  ;.ave  "'leen  ..uit   of  the  bourgeois  characters. 
The  ]tX>rtraits  which  C^llrlbne  '-lakos  of  various  ':crabers  of  arts  to- 
ci'atic  society  are  portraits  cre':tted  fr^r'  the  reca'ni-od  nclnt  of 
vIctt:     that  idiosyncmuy  of  conduct    lu.jujxiing  on  .personal  feeling 


Is  a  vice  O]-'  v/eakness  which  ne?'7:ilts  of  ridlotilo  or  scorn.     Exagger- 
ation away  rvom  tho  eoldon  mean  exists  In  every  one  of  the  charac- 
ters who   is  ridiculed.     On  tlie  otiior  imnd,  l]lio.nte   poaaessos 
noltlicr  an  exaggoratod  virtue  such  as  is  Alceste*s  nor  an  exagger- 
ated conplaloance  ci.ich  -r,   fc;   r»i>rT  tntc  *o.     And  Slianto    la  recognized 
by  all  the  oUier  f^hnractoi  s  to  oorr^ancl  reanect,  love,  and  Tr.>ole- 
hearted  adnirntion#     T^ie  anno  standajxi,  therefoi'e,  r-ovorns  tliose 
who  confoiTft  to  It  as  th  oe  v;hc  do  not.     Tho  criterion  o.C  Judgment 
is  universal  ond,   in  tho  case  of  Lo  I.!iGontl-TO'->o,  this  universal 
Ideal   is  represented  as  exictcnt  in  the  aristocracy  as.   In  other 
e€»wlles,   it  appears  to  he  reco£:niEed  -y  the  houroeoisle  and  as, 
in  the  tragedies  arKi  in  ii\ich  a  novel  r.s  La  PrincecsG    '.c  Gleves, 
it  appears  as  the  touchstone  for  tho  princes  and  mlers. 

Strictly  spoaklni-,  classicl  l?ternture  offers  the  re  dev  a^ither 
heroes  nor  villains •     IlieBo  are  teiTW  which,  properly,  l)elong  to 
the  phraoeolOjjy  of  ronanticiarr.      It  Is,  hov/evcT',  of  interest  to 
ik>to  that,   in  classic-l   literature,    the  "villain"  of  th.e  piece   Is 
not  a  ixjrsonajTc.     'Die  "villain"   Is  represented  ns  a  vice  or  defect 
of  character  vjhlch  brings   suffer int;   or  ridicule  to  '^.     '^^ -"sonage 
who,   in  spite  of  s»,7ch  vice  or  defect,  still  anpoars  an  worthy  of 
pity  or  intereot.     Thus  Alcoste  rrmains  a  supremely  symmtlietic 
pcrsona{fe  even  nhlle  he   is  ridiculed.     'Jvon  Harpagon   is   no  villain 
for,   in  hin,  the   fund  of  h\imanlty  1ms  not  yet  been  quite  sucked 
dry.     Tlio  aario  reraai^ks  may  be  nade   in  regard  to  other  personages. 
Tiic  element  of  evil   Is  not,   therofor'e,  incarnnted  In  n-nr.  noroonace, 
the  elencnt  of  £;oo<l  in  anot^acr.     On  tiie  contrary,  tlie  ele^^nt  of 
evil  attacks  alnost  all  o#  tho  ixjrsonaees   indiscriiiinately.     It 
is   inlierent  in  iiurian  natuie  and  raises  Its  hydra  head  in  different 


foma  within  dirferont  ciia;  .:ct:  ■  .-•     Gone  o_   ^;xGse  peraciia^oG  can 
feel  confident  of  perfection  nor  is  any  of  them  x>lacQcl  bex'orici 
hvsaarjxty  by  UiO  fact  that  r.  ccrtiin,  lrrrjttib?.r  -^rrrscti-Tn  is 
ixttributcd  to  tl^m*     DooLt,  aii-  l^ideciai.T.  lin--.   -ric  i.ti-Uti^ie  ti^;xi.i: :.. t 
the  cHiKsy  which  Is  within  thCTi  c}ir.i^ctc*'5.^e3  the    ^ersonaros  of 
cl  ■.3::?-C  ti^gedy*     TSio  trholc  natt^rial  of  olnsaic  comedy  snrliigs  tixa 
t  c  '.lu^vival   in  evory  chitractcr,  no  nattei'  hov/  vjeddod  to  vico,  of 
another  standard  of  conduct  iihich  occnsionclly  prevails  agaijiet 
his  vice*     1310  balance  is  nicer  in  zone  casos  than  otJiers  —  th& 
doKtinatlcHi  of  o    :ia3sion  jaova  Spci'adic   in  eoiiio  ">  a  in 

other i.,  thd  appearance  of  virtne  less  infraqucnt.     But   Lhe  oxtresna 
whlc'i  confutes  reality  by  elteinating  ontiroly  one  elowent  of 
nan '3  dual  nat^tre  Ices  not  aT>pear  In  classical  character^*     (kx>d 
az^  evil  is  tise  olmre  of  every  nan  and  ori^tinal  sin  lo  tSio  villain 
of  tho  piece  ao  it  1^  also  uie  clonn» 

fonen  appear  in  the  gallery  of  cJ-Kir-acU'rs  quite  ?.s  fi»eqaently  as 
laon.     'fhey  unuer(:0  tlic  s  j^.  norul  atru^it^ea;     thoy  succxaab  to  the 
same   .cxasaions   or  difi:)2x:y  lIxo  ii:\ne  horoio':  ao  tho  neru     Tims  Hci^lonft 
l3  r.  iwoy  to  the  sane  .lealorislcs  ;ind  Lidecisions  c  3  ie  Pyn'lrus, 
Thus  Colli:i\no*Ji  coqueti'y  i^  ridiculed  at  the  aaote  tJne  as  is 
Alccctc*ii  mlsanthroiiy.     On  the  oth«r  hand,  .'ndrogMque^a  loyalty 
to  Hector  is  only  eqiu.llod  by  Bajaret's  loyaty  to  Atalide*     Tliora 
Is  no  oasontlal  d  iff  -  rent  la  t  ion  of  ^"^lo.  nor  of  chaitict'^,ri5tlcs» 
2he  i.  3  c:->,  liho  the  r'cn,  crt;  ^xirroEontod,  nrl?r»arlly,  ac  nenbers 
of  '2ie  hvrap.p  ruce  and,  thoi'efore,  ns  a'-mring   in  its  tiniveroal 
attributes,      it  lo   ~nly  Docondarlly  or  incllontully  that  ti^ 
feminine  role   is  di3tin£uished  fi»om  the  nicsculine;     foi*  the  classical 


..  io^j--  i-oi;ar'dcd  nv   :-.,  1-.-^  wan,    li;    -:.;.    il,,i-.:.   -J     t    ^  :iain  Tactat 
thi'.t  ^nankind  tas  burdened  by  ori£;iniil  sin  as  it  T?no  "blessed  "by 

TliO   incidO-it%L  eharactors   In  clai>r>ical  ATOsga.  n^re  fsw  arkl  lii   '^jbiboaat 
dc  Cl^-^rea  will  serve  to   ill\i3trnte  the  mim  toncloncy  trOirard 
the  Goucontration  o£'  tiie   latereat  on  a  i.  aill  nmibo:    o.?  r>c3*sonci£:o3 
"bcniad  by  social  ties.     Tlio  c^nvsntionul  personage  of  the    1:  irm  — 
the  cojifidaiit  —  makes  clearly  ovldoiit,  hoTfjver,  tli-^t  f-io  s'sno 
prinoiplea  or  choice  apply  to  t:-c   tiocondary  oeraoim.ve  -^a   to    :ho 
pvot:'roal^l*     T^iri  confidant  sei'voa  \o  give  tin  expos Itlcji  of  ovezits 
or  n  des<n»lptlon  of  chamctor  vrhich  the  c.uthor  emll  nat  othoinjlBo 
give  so  quickly,     £.iGh  porsonoiiu,    lowevt-.r.   In  equally  favoured  In 
this  y^ai^xjct  and  the  conrid:int  is  an  echo  T^itiior  Uinn  a  c/iaracter 
in  ills,  OTAi  I'ijht.     He  oha:'ci:  t>ie  qitality  or  tho  rscrsoi^iago  -fnnta  lie 
acrvas  -m^  als  rsTnaiks  tcnu.,  uieroforo,  to  throu  ft:rrther  illTsalmitlon 
on  thf^.t  pc-raoniige.     /.Ithoti;;!!  not  an  iuicTjendont  oha^.»actijr^  ha  Is 
not  a  VBTpe  &pectr.tor  f c:^  hia  fate  dopontis  upon  tho  fate  of  his 
Kiat.ter«     He  is  not,  tncrerorcj,  disintereatod  and  "he  doea  not  rufleet 
tlK3  a-uthor  ".JUt  i*ut-u  r  lie  reflectf*  one  of  Uio  chamcters  inTOlvod 
in  tho  action.     He  arco  tiir-^u-M  ills  rtaster'a  eyaa  and  ia  sa^igmbd 
with  iciSii  v.Itido  .   I.. ..Hi  ini  lauyjr   -;itin  ir.Ji-e.     Ho  c:m  In  no  SK^nse  "bo 
aald   lo  inter  lire  t  the  events  or  pc;r5iona£es.     He  Is  ot'/loualy  not  the 
author 'a  ncaxthpieee  since  eacli  confidant  is,  on  the  contrary,  his 
raastoi^'ii  roouthplcoo.     "Ilho  preccnco  of  'Jxo  confidant  —  ecrio  of 
his  tiaatfcJi'  —  conpletos  tlic  ocale  o£  life  nhich  tlio  di'aiia  i^e\>re6©nta • 
It  udua  ijio  eei'^/ant  to  •?-.h''   ■faster  p.nri  shcifs  the  aano  cor/cntlou 
niling  bctli  dike*     Hen^u.    Ja;  pic-i..'ncG  o.^    u^.o  conTic-.-at  in  clacsio 


a  — .:-L  _u   ;iot  Oiily  ti  u.c.^\:l  c:.nvc  nt-iosj  ^li;,  licrvou  t..:   c: i,;ii2.SiUic   tl:i« 
general  licaa  sv.i,i.*eotod  Ijy  ■ti;:c  nci;.!!  pcrcoriaGcs* 

UovQOvr.T,  cratsiuc  of   uio  ;  .aiii  ttctors   In  "tl?-  d-  -   a,   tiioi^a  c  -.'xclants 
ar?  t.v:    .-^nly  acceasoi*^  x'l^es.     Slnca  t  x?Ty  a.'<    no/er  investod 

with  any  nrophctic  role,   tJicre  r  rtalnu  nc  poaolbility  that  tl*e 
GUtliop  hlsfiiiQlS  will  Intorv  iiG  tirro-.\?:h  Uie  •■•ccliiaa  or  p-..v-o  xuo. 
It  iij  even  nor     illti.  dj;a.tia^:  to  riotc   that  tlk;  author  does  not  apjjear 
in  tlxe  novel  \?hci*c  such  -mi  -r-r^avcnoc  wotild  'o     Iccc  op':jos<?d  to 
conV':jntion,      In  La  ?i-..::cl^-.c  d^    .Jle/ce   tUc     'vii^.c^wv:- u  i,-cceiTe  u 
parei7  objective  preaentation.     aiicy  serve  cs  tliolr  o/na  interpreters, 
Tiielr  words,  their  s^ctlrns,  the   rcp^rciisoi^ns  ^fhlch  tViCSO  occasion 
In  tlie  otiier  oerooi.a^.  s,   thc^-i  ^re   ch,    ^o_e  ;,na  iiuiricient  intei^ 
pretcrs  of  occh  cliaract  :•♦     Sae:x;   Is   tuo  apparent  desire   to  intro- 
duce c:;ain^ctri:s  xsho  arc  r.zx.  Ir.v^.Uvcd  in  t:^c  action  c.n.1  t,hoae  only 
ranctl-'i.,   L.xjerororo,   ..'oula  i>:.   ^-^  u-..  u^  c_: :  -ii-w^woi'  u  ."'cai  it  in 
05r-:er-   Uv  .1  tiic  roithor't;  -ing  TJii^^bt  b^jocic  ovldent.     ffiiere 

is  no  hlri^ion  ..    ^nintj  in  the  claii-Jlcul  U)xt«     Vho  tiuUior's  interect 
u^i .  ui<.  :.  or   Lilt-  ;jpt;ct~uOi''s   Int' .  s  l.  «  -~r-c  xraoesa^rlly 

iuentlcil  slarc  both  by-c  sutching  the  tyafoldljjf;  of  chai'actcr  in 
action  ana  rx:id  Ir.  tlK  tr-a^.-ic  or  c-ralc  rriic  or  tiieso  porsonagea 
an  li^ipliclc  .' :0  ui  l_  1:1  ..h-ci:  liucdo  U'^  .itar/* 

^v    c:::iCG  of  ^-^cvcr^narcG    InV/lvee   n  cer'taln  cOi.ec;-;ti  n  or  character, 
notal?ly,   that  cii.-.i'iic  oOi-    _w  lna^;^-■^i-ou.  an.    uox'olopi-   tiii  .  .  .nifold 

social  !'eiatlon£ihir'S,       ~     Lhor   ■.  nage  is  of  nrlmary  or 

secondary  Inportarwe -  tb.c  c3no_'*act'^r  reprc.::entou  ir.  never  conl'inod 
tC'  Q  singlo  facet*     Let  us  .^etui'n  to  Hiedre.     I^edi'c  iicrsclf  inforrafl 


tliC5  au.lienCG  or  tht-  long  years   In  ^faich,  n.s  Thecoma *s  wife,   libe 
lys  ^l'/f\cl  In  ooiifomlty  "Ith  ci.vty  v.lth  no  thou;jiit  o?  doing  otlicr- 
"rlse»     But  she  has  SMltevod  and  hn.s  succeed       in  livl^":  ut?  to  her 
o\:n  i'e.l  o'"  '^-^iKltiot  v,nl;/  "by  having  Hippolytc  —  vfliorvi  „:>*  lc^73^— 
exiled  from  her  ncl  ':l»1:oo1«     TTot;,   in  15ies«us's  absence,  isith 

Hlppolyte  cr^-o  nore  nenr,  Phbdr^'s  :>aaalon  tnreatcns    io  doRinate 
bci'  and  sjlie  1b  -losper^^tely  'iShiir>*Kl  o?  tlila  fact#     She  lias  dectdcti 
that  hc-r   leith  alone  can  expiate  lior  -^ral  faitlilG3sn«s«*     Thus 
''hcdro  shows  nn  n   charDCt-"?*  whos*?  ?«'5'?^.l   lienl   la   in  '?'"*«  ^oi:^nlty  srith 
t'lat  of  all    I.U-.    other-  r>erscnagoe  —  -in   idiil  Jeter- .';«: .  by  fixity. 
an.-  ronsoir.,  ^  c  vsisiler-s  death  tho    ^nly  ?^3\»lt  of  tli« 

violation  o;?  nuc>i  tin   iieal'.     !!f»7'  cstl  <rm  conduct  If? 

not   t.ie   Ji_ly  •■    " -j  ■  ;jl<;h  RAeitw  ^tiv^jb  her  hURianl'.y.     ^c  att»»ll«ites 

q^icilitios  to  hor  "by  weans  o''    ll»e    te  ".t'-rony,  conoclmir.  O"'^  itnconn clous, 
of  tlte  ot>i<%i»  ^er'^^orti\(f*iH\     Ho  dioi^s  us  hei"  nui'so  and  confidant  bo 
devotcv  tc  }V3T-  tbbii  she   iti  u  auxiwcd  wltli  grief  at  tho  tha^ht  of 
hor  aorTTcachii^  doath  and  uses  any  rieana   to  turn  hor  oaiae  txKm 
her  pTojcct.     Tie  allows  thir,   I'ln':   mrr'se   (Oenono)  ari  rtnal)!:    to 
aux^vivo  Phr^dre'a  conlcnnstlon  of  hor  c -nduct*      Tlila  c">ixio^:»nation 
Hiodro  rogards  as  l-vjvi table  cmn  "a  tb^-  nurso  tjaa  aetiiiij'   In 

her  Intcrc^ct.     InllvGctly,  '^acino  .  akos  Pri^dre's  vl-Uious  e':'ru:>act 
ev'.^n  ino.-.      -vide:!'-  ^.^    the  facts   iciich  he  elucldatca  fvar-:  the 
mR.»8o  and  Ilip.Kilytes     t>iat  th^  nr<»3.'»no  "^s  15.v^d  ""'he'lro  for* 

yearrj  a       .e      ■•(Tjta^.r'^d   ig  '">f  "aer  'vission,   Uiut  Hippolyto 

believes  hinoeir  ■'..la?   <^jjcct  o.^  her  Lirlaca'olo  Imtvod*     Thteaeus's 
unquestioning  faJ.th  5u  ho:,  n  .-n  hla  ii»  attosta  also  to 

JTiedre'B  '•'T'c'?!-'*'''??  no'^f.l  "  c^a-r\ct'^:--,      '  :•. ^      i-    '-'tv:':*  attrrc»uiod 

qualities  as  nel".   c-S    Ui'.:^e   i:ji._it;iL   in  ntr  ■.".;u  ..  ;.)yeai  .aicc   and 


aGtions,   Fhed -G   is  ix-TK^csontc'^^   ■  go       riistresG,  a  falt^^f*?!  wife, 

a  rond  rtotijer.     She  has,  twreov  r^  co-.-r  and  oi:  Uie  kingdom  in 
TIjeseus's  abricnc©  (xnd  haa  apparently  inilod  well  slzice  Athens,  at 
the  news  of  TLieserna  *s  cLecitb,  declni^s   itself  in  favonoi"  of  her  rule 
rather"  tlian  for  the  excellent  HlfT-olyte.     It  is  not  fra-i  any 
single  aspect,  thcrefoi'-e,  that  Racine  ^jreacnts  her  but  fi^jw  evo3?y 
BOrt  of  eiticle  and  every  typo  of  human  relatlnsmiilo. 

Siat  ll-ja  char-nctcre  }mwf  :>ill  anU   intlepeiident  llX'e  oven  i.hon  thej 
are  cf  secondary    j:i  oj^tancc  ie  apparent,   for  exain:>le,   in  the  case 
of  TheucMi'.     li-la  ;iclayed  apptjai>a.n(je  in  tnc   play  doe^*  not  nrevcnt 
tije  dparK^-tiat  fvom  presentlnt  hirv;  also  laidox'  a  railtlT^licity  of 
aspects^     He  Is  not  only  the  Iwavo  klnt",    Jiir.  tt^j.  of  ^^allant  exploits, 
he  is  also  the  tnaiiderer-  und  piiilaixlerer.     Eg  a:^?ears  '~^s.  1ms ty 
and  irascible  with  Hippolyto,  'i«  ctoi  n  i^ith  Aricic,  as  ccsjaplctcly 
crodtiloxib  and  t^^l•  tint'  with  ^iedre»     He  apr^nrs  n<-i  only  as 
Phedre's  iaisband  but  a  a  Ei-polyto's  f^ithor,  as  M^iclo'G   oncs:iy,  as 
his  people's  king.     He  is  a  r>iin  In  hlo  own  rifht,  recctmlEed  In 
h5Ls  ■wirioiis  qualities  a«  r^n  and  as  king  by  ■"'heurG,  Hlppolyto, 
Arlcie,  Oennne,  by  all  who  speak  of  him. 

Since   •"'>'    cl  >asicul  perisonajje  npix;n.pe  alvrays  tixr^JUgh  sianifold 
asixjctG  of  hia  life,  he   it:  nevoi'*  represented  ae  coci  letcly  good 
or  cora>lGtcl"  evil.     CojisidOi-  Hai'pa(jon«     IIo  is  u  niser  ~  concerned 
vlth  his  c^^iitiren  only   In  co  fr,r  as  tlu-y  are  exti'iivagnnt  or  in 
re£cai»d  to  the  qiieation  of  ;?iK>fl table  ntt>j:»riages  foi'  tVicxi.     He  starves 
his  horses  and  siispoots  his  seinrants  of  cheating  hie  and  lends 
aoncy  at  un  exorbitiint  rute  or  inoe.^>-tst#     Yet,  althoti^rh  ho  is   tl:ie 
cample  oC  nisor,  he  iiJ,  nevci'tbeleiis,  Ijuman.     Ho  Is  :  iacrly  in 


cvopythin^  ho  ::oo3  but  his  life  coni'o-r'.a,   to  cior-ic  Csxtent,  to  the 
oi^clnary  bourgeois  standard  of  comfort*     V.o  keoT>8  ^ip  a  cei't&ln 
catn"bli£i3ncnt,  >>as  five  Bervar.t^;,  Roo^®  .'!   r.oacb  and  IiorsssV     He 
ti\llG  In  love  tiud  iiitewls  to  nan:^  -or  love  in  snite  of  the  yoimg 
glrl^o  -xjverty.     Ho  is  efrald  th^.t  his  nppoaj-incc  nr^y  oeti^ict  fr«a 
hc"  rcn^ircl  fc?r  hir.  cinrl  Ir  '^atl'Kittc  1II7  delighted  xilth  I-Voslne'a 
flcttoz'y.     He   i:5t-Uw3   z-o  give  ti  dinner,  ?:lthoagh  an  eccnanler-l  one* 
Altogether, he   is  a  miser  -ho  tries   to  conform  to  the  conventi'ns.1 
end  tmivcraal  ider.l  cf  tlic  ''aniicr   in  v?hic}i  an  "honiKjto"  bowr'goois 
shoui'i  livct.     He   la  v.  riisor  yet,   t.han  ho  Inarac  that  Cloante  haa 
provided  fruite  and  confitures  en  tiio  occaalon  of  liariane's  call, 
he  dees  no  more  tlian  cc!n.;laln  Mndor  his  brer-Uu     He  is  c-.  lisor 
yot,  vhen  01en.ntc  forces  hin  lo  preticat  Jiariano  wltl-i  hia  aianond 
ring  as  a  gift,  he  secretly  ragos  but  does  not  rrttfidmn  V^e  s^trt^ 
He  beprudpcs  all  that  be  civcs  or  -^ayn  p.r,c1  ho  is  ee^onortionl  even 
In  the  T ratter  of  e-ndlcs  biit  he  is  a  viser  Duse^ntible   to  lovo, 
to  flattery,  and  to  convention*     •Fne  very  fact  tliat  lila  iwrvi^xnto 
o»jt?7lt  hl^  an^i  triat  his  child^-'fin    lefy  hlia  nakos  lilsi  a  allghtly 
pathetic  figure  In  our  cyc2  —  :xitli(tlc  and  ^Idleuicms,  Ijut  Inuian, 

T^iere  is,   in  other  *.ords,  constant  attention  to  T>r>ycholo;*lcal 
pTObabl.1  ■'.ty  and  coustant  allotranoo  for  tho   lncorK5lst«^ncios  of 
hawKin  nature*     It  r.il,;Tht,     ornaos,  be  raoro  locrlcal  onl  consistont 
t3mt  Alo^rte  In  Le  liisantiiyo'iJp  should  love  Sliante*     But  the  fact 
that,   in  despite  of  lo^  ic,  lie   lovou  Uie  ciiai^ting  coquettish 
CeT^J^ene,  at  once  rt>inovos  Alceste  frcm  the  sphere  of  vionermnia 
cuod  chorfs  hliR  to  he  exerciclnc  anoUicr  criterion  of  jnd<ment  In 
her  case  iii&n  that  r/hich  corjstitutcs  his  weakness*      It  rciwveu  hin. 


there: fo)'e,  fixs:-  the  ijpltere  of  abotrtic-t  loEic  and  nslceo  hix.  part 
or  Ui.a  iitsian  rrorlci  where  sxzch  ^n    incorir.t8tcncy  r.n«a  euch  a  dviilisaa 
ia  l\i(^y  ni^obfa^le*     r>3jnlls.rly,    \n  ArKlror?cir\to^    it   is  pcycihol epical 
pi-obubllity  t:-ttit  detfn'wirtee  the  repr.sr^ntatioc  of  Horwlono'a 
liiconclsteiiclcc-.     r;he  deman'^B  thnt  Orest©  sbooilcl  avenge  Pyrrla?.s*s 
li^tJlv;.  to  her  by  accot^ipllsliiiis  l\lv.  death.     But  trhen  ^jfoote  retui'na 
to  umjounce  thia  death,   she  tiu-ns  upon  h-r:  Kith  hon^or  and  demands 
why  he  lias  cosaralttecl  sxich  an  i^jnoblo  decxi.     ^t^iing  could  he 
paychclogiicalf-y  truer  end  nothing  is  leas  In  coiiToi^^ilty  nith  lonie» 
nctTilout  re  -u ins  :'c«ponGive  to  the  tiio  different  aapccts  of  life, 
tJie  liiatcrlr,!  and  Iho  &pli'lt»i£il«     "TiilG  eontiTidlction  pr^evonts  loii'lc 
Uit  confoiTss  v,ltli  pix»bahllity. 

Tlici-e  m-c  certain  other  ;iclf •evident  factors  tl^it  cannot  fail  to 
ho  conaldci-^d  in  any  ntwly  of  tJie  crharecter  m^cjcntf.ti -n  in 
cli.i:^i.ic     .-actico.     Ilic 30  factora  concern  the  dig?Xig".rd  of   ube 
material  cincl   ohycictil  —  a  disi^of: -pd  «/hlCii  haa  e.lr'rr.dy  lieen  montion- 
efl  In  ■refnrenco  to  the  oontro  of  Intr-'ct  5.n  the  clrmsKi.     This 
dlsro^ircl  extondc  to  the  dctj.ila  of  presentation.     There  are  few 
if  any  alius  ions  to  physicol.  appciirancc,  no  diffp'>-*entiation  of 
material  bfcckfpi'cnind,  no  concern  for  local  detail*     This  lack  of 
conccii;    .itl:  oxtci'ior  i»<.iality  is^  of  course,  a  corollary  of  the 
flact  tlmt  the  Inte'^ost  is  in   chc  inner  rouiity,  tiuit  reality  ?.hich 
Ic  trii'y  bu'ian  Mtl  ±l  not  subo  ted  to  the  animl  piiase  of 

nan*3  existence  nor  dett^rminei  Dy  lt»     ifnon  Phbdi'e  hittcj'ly  denounces 
htrr  jsn  giiilt,  Che   is   .lonoiincing  her  lr.ck  of  self-conti'ol.     She 
docij  not  nlaTiC  circM£ii:tarxos  or  sov-iie-cy  oa='  her  faulty  ei:iucation» 
Sho  hlaKtes  hersclfw     She  does  cry  out   t}iat  she  :.  oloiigs  to  an  ill- 


fs-tc-l  fanil;:,  sv.bjcct  t-c  unnatural   n-issionfi,   Uit  she    Iocs  not. 
deny  li<3r  ^^^*  iruei'ty  of  chclc8»     Tiie  frecdara  of  the  tvili  Is  iripliclt 
in  the  vcri'-  conriict  v/hicb  iu  the  uutgcct  of  t>ie  -n&y*     Hence 
CJiterlor-  nat.ur-e  —  sj.nce  1.    U.    .oc,    in  aii^  T?a7,  eon§icl«r-ecl  t-o  "bo 
d^tTmlning  of  the  iiaier  nature  or  sr>iritt>&l  ^nr  —  Is   nngleoted 
irtth  impfunity. 

Shis  noc-lect  or  tbc  detailed  liidividual  cl iirac tor-la tica  directs 
attention  to  the  ^mivcrsr.l  and  eternal  rathor  tlma  to  the  particular 
and  superf leal   in  ran#     !5iin*3  tmivor-sal  "nd  atmiol   dti-niggle 
towrird  tiic  freed ".ni  of  self-control  r^rtalria   the  vital  int;5r«st  In 
the  cl'\S3icil  litoratiiro*      It  Is   tills   sti'u.-rgls  and  thio  trlrmph 
tint  o":-^i;ititutos  cha\^actGr»     TliQ  ideal   cilmrnctci  ,  as  Ariatotl© 
had  afri>^ed,  w-.s  tluit  \riiich  isopt  in  all  tliingf*   to  txio  t^'idon  aiean. 
This  ^oldon  rieaa  rnust,    in  ev^ry  caoc,  lo  dete."Hl»ad  tsy  reivaon; 
that  ia,   Irj  comnoii  sonss.     liiu   idcril  night  ooTtr  U>  attaint  biit, 
ia  S9V3ntoonth  century  Pr'nnco,  t.iiu  ideal  una  unlVGraally  acocptod 
arid  the  vrritera'  intere:;t  ley  In  x.he  rtaprosontntlon  or  cl-«vnctors 
ohsf-rvod  Li  :■.   .tirticulnr  sJtnation  wliere  tlio  effoi't  :it  the  I'ocon- 
cilli^-tloa  of  the  \?ar-'lni;  olononta  ?fithln  nan's  3o«.il  vxo  "being, 
auccoasrully  or  imsuccosafiilly,  nade. 

In  cithtcGnt^n  rent^iry  Prcnco    uhere  evicted  all  the  arenas  of  the 
roiifcintlciur!  which  was    .o  u<>r>dnato  the  ninotoeritli,  am   to  oaot  ita 
strttnslo  b-ol(l  ovei"'  tiie  Oiirly  t\.eatleth  contury»     Yet  tho  I?ronch 
'••In ?*3 icttl  tradition  pcjrsists  and  >iay  ho  studied  Iji  eerie  of  Its 
raorc  isodoi'n  r.rpects  in  the  work  of  cuch  Oathoiic  tjn.dittontiilst« 
as  Eauriac,   Claudel,  and  I:eoa  Blcy.      It  .lay  jo  iroadiod  wiUi  oven 


more  rrpoflt^   porlians.  In   the   ;rork  of  s».io'h  n  ??riter  as  Jultss 
Rojralns  —  a  vn'iter  7;bo  is  n:<>t  ostensibly  eit^icr  nco-^lascicist 
€>■/••  traditional iat  in  riXt:lti"'o» 

It  1-  ciiarriCtcrictic  of  o.l"?    tJv-o©  witfir»o  that  the  lntor«>st  ta 
concontratcd  itpon  o.  -i'.'^^"'    c". -Ico    -.Mc'-.  'Tint  l-r>  r-n.de»     Tho  ext<r:'lor 
drfiu.ia  •^.tay  T3C  slight  or-  oav^jationr.l  (as   in  Lo^  Btul-.::;-^-  au.  iGtyrouK) 
ov^  it  nay  aeeri  fa-ntuiitic  and  tiTireal  (ac    in  ]>■  ?cra''o    'auvrc)* 

aaccntua^t-^s  i-K    iTi:K^r  c"?n*^int  vith'n  o-ic  or  the  psi'Sionagoij.      Whether 
It  Iz  the  stni^rglo  twrord  err  lete  abno^atlon  of  tho  self  (L£ 
Jsmu-   Fil  o  7iolu.inc)   or  the   -  ! -■^^^ -r»io   tf^w: '»'l         pletc  'idant^.tion 
to  the  social  creed  of  the   tiine   (;7D.J-0!TffiO3   Iri  Loi:,  Ha^i'ies   lo  ypT^^o 
v'^lorxto },      the   interost  is  uniforjaly  concontrated  on  the  nemonai 
clioicc  an"'   -^a  the  '■}-rr>.7   (■'.-^^r-'Vi-ffiop':.    -'"  m  ;:,     Tlio   in;iivlif.ual  1g 
reyroscnted  nc  a  tmlt  in  '.i   ooclety  to  which  he   is  i-eatiotislhle  for 
the  rvxrt  lie   playo,     'Kie  dUv^l5J?^  of  nan's  nn.t\\re  »a<:i:cG  of  ovry 
aspect  of  'v'.n    le'/clf^rroe'v'-   -^    rt5T'T»5v-  •'•>''"ia, 

•^•^  I*^  PvOhc  i'>re.tnxt3   the  •:n-'ota^;oniGt  is  a  youth  whose  sti'tu^rle  tor/ard 
nanhood  1#  the  spivitxial   Ht'i^xiijclc  to:Tnrcl  c^rjfOT-nity  trlth  the 
Cleric ticLn  idet.^1*     'Hio   ideal  "^hi«h  itovenifod  the  seventeenth  contoi^y 
nilcr,  ^Ki'.n^i'eois,  ov  s'^T»VT:nt  nliho  was  rmlvorsnl*     The  idool  "nliich 
conatwiini?  Jto-coueo  to  r  -riilinf:'  ^'m»ni  discipline  hno,   if  not  a 
vuiiveranl,  at  least  an  absolute,   atmction  in  that,  for  Jacques, 
thD  ide?xl  is  suauisGion   U>  tlio  cy    :andnonts  of  God*     Lll:c  "liodrc 
or  1I2.G  !'-"'•*  no  du  Cle.'r,    •T^.C';'"©'    i-^   3\irrN>uiidcd  by  n  society  nhlch 
rocOt^iils^^  a   c:>r.i;7ion  code  or  coiidnct»     The  duty  tlmt  Phedro  or 


Uo.l:'iG    Ic  Clovca  xlrth.   -.n  Uie  social  veln.tXons..L :   of  r^arriage, 

Jacques  finds   in  hli;  social   rcafitionahio  tc  hio  fiuntly*     The   innor 

sti'Uij't^le,  the  'rTuran  cffoi't  to^M'xl   the  rcaconahlc,   li:   the  Y?bDle 

story  of  JaccTUcu 'vj  ^;}. 'ov; !;.'a  iuiu  titat  Jacc;ues   is   aonGclcnit    of  life 

6S  Of  a  series  of  moral  choices  nppears  clearly  in  s\ich  a  passage 

as  the  following: 

Gontre  le  pechc,  .'.'icu  r.-*a/-.lt  '\nio  u';i'';c-"d  :o  .,i;!iclite,de 
de£:out,  do  sciiiptilcs  rell,  ioux  et  familiaux*  A  I'lnatant 
de  la  c?nute,  to^is  les  dof;nea,  toiis  les  coET.^andGricnts  de 
Dieu  etaicnt  Gnudain  pronul^rues  au  fond  do  rion  §tre  par 
iiiic  7oix  intiffiein-'e*  Un  ex  is  oil  de  farillle,  conrjrenant 
les  norts  et  les  vivtmts  de  ria  race,  autonaticiuenent  se 
reunissait  pour  ne  j'i£:er. 


• 


H  HO  "na  rcstait  nOine  r»a3  la  consolation  do  la  t'ovolte 
Cctte  loi  qiil  pocait  sxir  nol,   jo  la  sen"*  -  "      '     cenent 
rr-lsonnable*     ULIo  oti^.lt  axiot^rc,  non  ."..  ,     Tien 

loin  de  tn'interdire  la  voluptc,  eile  savait  iui  donner 
miQ  discipline,  des  llptitos.   (1) 


The  interest  in  tho  other    x^rconages  is  of  a  alnilar  nature*     Of 

Jacquos  *£  [^;7^andniother  hs  nritea : 

Ainsi  £,:rand •tsorc  e'offorcait  do  rondre  ,j"".atice  a  cet 
horr!0  qu'elle  &vt.it  dca  raicons  dc  ne  c^a^re  aimer,     A 
iaes^'^cvu<  exerccs  de  petit  cntholiqiic,  ce  trava^.l^do  rofoi'Tne 
int^-ieure,  de  disciolino,  chcz  la  vieillc  diuic  etait 
pereeptihle  et  rm  divei^-tlt,   (2) 

Such  a  ehai^cteristic  obsei-vp-tion  shOTTS   the  rr^nner  in  ??hich  the 

emphfisis  is   constantly  thi'ovm  on  the  psycholo^jical   conflict. 

Bie  essential  dualism  which  sets  ren's  htnanity  warring  a^jainst 
his  anl^ial  instinct  ic  the  whole   avblcct  of  Le  Balscr  au  lepreux. 
Even  as  Titus  dlucovcia  the  necoiialty  of  renunciation  In  order 
that  he  T^uiy  conform  to  an  ideal  that  he  caanot  deny,  so  does  nbcrii 

(1)  Llauriac,   La  ?obo  nvot-crXo^  27f', 

(2)  rcid».   56Z 


diacovcr  that,  for  :ie:  ,  ;i  higher  1^.^;  ass  ion 

cxlets  a.id  reqiiiroj^  of  her  a  cleliberute  rerpinciatlon  aiH  a  moral 

diaclplino, 

S:af.£.  d^^   ^ci^.    .■;• —i.cl   ;-,   I'lnctinct  do  V.oe-l  :ic   Ic;^  e^at-ll 
balay«fs,  si  no  I'avalt  ms  Jugulee  xuio  autre  loi  plus 
haute  rno  son  J.nstlrxt?      Petite,  ollf=  ctalt  cond.-annee  a 
la  jn^ndenr;     esdayo,  11  fallalt  qa'elle  regnSt,     Cette 
lxx'.T£p.oisr;  rm  pea:  c^-aisso  rie   pc«.?vnit  pas  r^c  go   -t-.s 
depasoer  clle^si^nc :     toute  route  lul  etalt  fc7T^©,  hors 
lo  rcnonccraont*   (1) 


•'I'iic  splrlt.unl  '^n'^hasis  Is  evou  nore  R??rked  nrrl  the  hunan  choice 
Ljccones  c:  Dice  heU-Gen  the  flesh   ?.nd  Vnc  u    i:  it  in  In  Konno 

naiTvi^e*     Here  thp  dualisw  is  resolved  by  a  ccranleto  re.  nunc  is.  t  ion 
of  the  material  acceGGoriss  of  life  and  Glo tilde,   in  or5er  to 
attain  to  the  highest  ideal  posoiblo  to  hvirmnlty,  nal':es   every 
sacrifice.     In  the  end,  she  gives  asxay  all  she  owns  aiKi  tolls 

her  interlocutor:   " II  n*y  a  qu*UT^  triotesse, c*ont  da 

"'*ETR..-   i^.vs^  i^^o  .->i.I"'-" "    (8) 

The  eTif^haals  on  -lan's  dunlisri  Is  c'^""'?.ctcd  "by  the  orr'-^'fiiDln   on 

nan's  -toi-^J.   lihorty*     Like   iticlre,  Qi:i>ile,   in  Lo  Pleuvo    :o   f.i.n. 

Judges  herself  hy  an  ideal   to  T,-')ich  she  lias  fr.ilod  to  conforr?!* 

Like   ITiedi^e,  she  recocnilr.es  her  hinan  responoihility: 

Tel  ctalt  son  dciiowt   que   s'abaisccrniit  Ics   coins  C,q  sa 
houcho,     Mais,  ^  1 '^cole  de  Luclle,  cllc  avalt  acquis 
ce  rerrrd  terrible  qui  blcn  peu  osent  rotcurner  contro 
ettx-n^es  ~  ce  regard  perforant,  ce  regard  cathollque» 
.    LUlc  ne   oarlait    ris  de  scs  drolts^a  I'arioTir,  ni  ne  oe 
t'lorlfiait  ae  chercher  I'nnour  ideal  d'hoRnne  en  hainme« 
ITou:     clle  :o  sura  It  d*\m  oeil  lucide  sa  doch^ance 
Inflnle.   (3) 

(1)  Mavii'iuc,  Le  Balser  au   lepreux.   173. 

(2)  moy.  La  j^^-.j:  pHiv-c,  ^;'^?.  ~ 

(3)  Mauriac,  Le  Flouve  .lo  feu,  165. 


It  Is   in  Jules  ixcxmina's  work  that  the  preoccu;x'.ticn  v.ltli  man  in 
ail  tii€ -manifold  a.'ipects  oi'  his  life    *iy  noat  oticily  be  stiKiiGd* 
iiach  personate  appears  not  tfom  one  point  of  viev?  but  frcst  rmny; 
not  in  ono  type  of  social  relationship  but  in  jKuiy;     not  v/ith  one 
single  interest,  im&sion,  or  idea,  '.Ait  v«ith  viany*     Ttoa,  Mario  da 
GiiaiaiJcenai©  is  rapi^'oscnted  tia^ough  her  r^espoct  roar*,  anti  her 
aut&goiiiwi  to,  aer  nualxind,  her  pityinti  tendemesa  for  tlieir 
unackiKKviediied  ciiild,  her  passionete   friemlGhip  and  love   for 
:.>ar-aaeca\id,  her  shr'inkinL   c3uriosity  in  regaled  to  the  poor  peoplo 
of  i^iris.     She  appears  aa  an  aristocrat,  a  Catholic,  a  >notlier,  a 
trift,  ard.  a  riistrci>3,     SiMiloiay,    .azcrtttjs  appearj;  in  tho  varying 
attitu'itii.  revealca  by  hlti  social  rclationchipe   in  the  i'anily,   in 
btisiatius,  anu  in  love.     Louia  Basiide  ai^pcars  tin^otj^jh  his  I'elation- 
i*iiips   to  school,    to  fnrtily,  to  church,   to   tlio  social  oystt^sn  which 
opprtoues  ala  fatiier,  aivi   co  tiio  buiiintua  woi'la  unere  he  scoks 
iodopendonce.     Other  cxanpies  ni^:ht  bo  adduced  iJiit  tho  technique 
of  HoBiuins's  lon£  novel  series   (Les  Homes  do  bcmne  volonte)   is 
sxifficient  proof  of  his   intention  in  rojTard     to  cljaraetor  ci  eation* 
It  la  because  he  wants   to  rjake  pocr.iVile  tho  repi'eaentation  of  the 
multi.)le  aspects   of  i;an*s  life  that  he  adopts  a  nct-hod   of  i-ocix^~l 
"by  :iK3ans  of  which  ho  may  avoid  the  limitfitions  of  "un  nonde 
labor ieusemont  rotrcci  aux  dinonsions  d*un  hc^ciio'\   (1)     By  sub- 
iiuiUitliit,  a     xiAk,i  le  action  for  a  aln^-le  action,  by  pror.enting  a 
world  of  individuals  rather  t>mn  an  individual's  world,  Ronains   Is 
atteinptli^  to  represont  each  of  his  personages   in  his  totality 
rathfir  t>ian  f^i-^jm.  u  oin£:le  asyxjct.     To  proccnt  r^n  In  his  totality 

(1)  Remains,  Lea  Ilcrriea^  de  bonne  volonto.   Preface,  xviii. 


is  necess",rily  to  p!^r-3«^zit,   as  c?-:"'.ngici3rt  does,  the   liwian  stnig^gle 
towai-u   UK-   i^-oui  equilibrivi-i  o,    o:tu   u  .irilctiutj  forct^sy  '.<  i.onin 
every  nan* 

Since   the  ide^u.   '>i    the  sevenieenUi  cuauui-i'  ^^eiiJieated  evcx'y  elaau 

of  life  and  iras  a  social  code  as  woll  as  a  reliclous  ethic,   it  is 

not  to  be  exixjctcd  that  the  eontenvjorary  novelist,  living  in  a 

society  tfhich  no  ionfter  recogni:.ou    ^ny  such  uiiivurs,al  code  oi'  ethic, 

should  (^phciiiise  exactly  the  arijae  uapocts  of  the  xanivei  sal  object 

of  man's  aspirtition.     whereas   in  Claudol  and  Bloy,  for  exuraplo, 

the  eiii:>imsls  io  on  the  T/iyi>tio  .1  aspecu  of  life,   in  Hauriac  tlie   tone 

tends  to  bocone  Jrociseniiitlc  ^/liile  Ros^iains  most  fi^eqnontly  pi">osonts 

the  point  of  vicn  of  -..he  avcru^je  nan  v4ioso  Cathoilclsn  is  only 

one  of  several  elcrients   that  deteiTOino  his   practic:  1   iuocil  of 

conduct*     Yet  the  attitude  revctiled  in  such  a  passage     s  the 

follov.'lne,  miij'ht  iiave  been  rTanifestcd  equally  v?ell  In  the  classicion 

of  the  seventeenth  contui^  as   in  the  neo-olnssicisTrj  of  to-day, 

L'abbc  Jennne   priait  done  blcn  since T*er;iont    -oui'  que  le 
tcraps  dos  epreuvos  ce  tmin^'.  sans  retom-*.     n  le 
demaraiait   pour  I'llglise  eile-n^ae,  ei  p^ar-ce  <^ue,  lor-squ*ll 
s*agit  d'un  Int^vf^t  q">il  nwis  depaci>e,  la  raison,  la 
justice  doiv  at  1 'exporter  en  nous  sm^  les  sxiggetitions 
dc  noti'e  natu>'e.   (1) 

For  the  factor  that  makc£>  it  possible  to  c^out  In  a  cotrtrKm  st^^temont 

such  dissimilar  ?;rlters  as  Gorneille,  Ronr.iTis,  and  Ma\irlac  le  this: 

tliat  each  of  Vncm,   throuj-h  his  ?-^etho<l  of  enaractor  crontion, 

dignifico    .m  by  the  concession  of  personal  reG'>onsibility  and 

limits  ruvn  by  the  affirriation  of  a  collective  ideal. 

(i)  Ronalns,  Lea  Horarica  de  bonrxe  volontc ,  VI^  173, 


I 


ClK<.ptcr  !!♦ 
Chai'actcr  Presentation  —  T^octice   In  the  H'-XKLTiticist  ?tovel» 

ThQ  dirfcrenccs  botv  eon  cl  .solcisra  and  roimnticiaan  are  differences 
vhlch  are  reflected  very  exactly  ia  tlie  ti*e~itn©nt  of  clmi^ctcr  ard. 
In  tiiG  quality  of  the  ir^tcrect  attaclicd  to  tlie  cliamcteru  "fho 
«^a?ry  the  Ifui'den  of  Uxe  ac'-ion.     In  this  remyBax,   «i^u  ^iujw-^iua  of 
choice  will   once  again  provide  aurpi'isizifc  enli£:htenraent»     Tvjo 
typical  e:-2in"leG  of  the  ior.anticist  novel  will  serve  to  illustrate 
tlie  inpllcatlonti  whicix  tlie  choice  of  nej'sonages  :iecessai--ily  carries 
with  it*     In  liu^^nlo  Grandet.  uxid  Ifotre-Dame  -le  ?ai'is  -ao  Imve  tso 
of  the  Rost  fonlliar  novels  of  the  rcrianticiat  period,  tuo  novels, 
Eioreovor,  uliich  are  superficially  -o    ;i3sinilar  in  coneeptl.n  and 
exocutlan  that  whatever  slmilaritloc   in  method  aptxsar  raay,  porlmps, 
be  <K)nceded  to  be  uimllaritieD  ccfunon  to  ronnnticisn  and,  therefore, 
ooCTnon  to  rrriters  as  widely  seixirated  as  are  Ba^o  and  Balzac,     'Those 
two  novels  offer,  noreovor,  a  further  advantage  for  purposes  of 
illtistratiou  inaanmch     s  it  io    in  >osiilble   tliat  the  central  personage 
should  fail  to  he  recognised  aii  uuch.     The  novels  are,  obviously, 
huilt  around  liigenio  and  Esraoralda.     v;o  nuat  xnquii^e,  therefore, 
into  the  ai£;nificance  of  such  a  chciice*     V/e  rmiat  co-^sidor  also  the 
factors  vrhicli  apnarently  detcrnincd  the  entrance  into  their  respec- 
tive stories  or  the  remaining  personajjos. 

Let  us  turn  firct  to  IXigcnic  3randct»     It  nill  ho  i»8call€)d  tlrnt,   in 
the  case  of  Haedrc,  the  Interest  oi  liacine  and  his  audience  centred 
on  a  highly  civilised  an.:!  ccrTictoly  solf-coasclous  v?a.-an,  fully 
awai'e  of  tiic  nature  of    uae  riorui     oclsion  sue  raust  r^ake«     Eugenie 
Is  of  quite  a  dirrercnt  calihi  e.     Yoxm^  ,  iinrcflectino.   Inarticulate, 


A 


in  i:\igGnle  Balr.ac  presents  tlic   ideal  of  innocence  and  instinctive 
purlty#     tSiis  iunocoiice  lives  entli-^iy  Uu-^ouf^  sentlaent  and  is 
ignoraiit  of  the  ratorlal  reality  of  ltfy«     jsalzac  T?rltos: 


existence,  en  f^lsaient  des  exceptions  curlmisos  clans  cette 

:-'elai.l  •     "  ;;•  i^evJi  dont  la  vie  etait  p-aroiuont  ■,  ,etcri-3llG»    (1) 

The  iia:^ortance  of  Uie  :.bove  quota t5jon  rmast  be  strecsod  for'  it  seta 
the  uliole  Rioaiilng  of  Dif-on'e  aa  a  narsor^ge  aal  tjirown  1  l^^ht  on 
tJie  focr.l     'Oint  of  Br.lj:ac*c    Intcrrr^t*      It  in  sijjnlfic  ...  ^    .;nat,  out 
of  oil  the  aBrx)cts  of  reality  v/iilch  naUn^e  offcru,  Balgac   siiotild 
choocc  to  centre  his  and  the  rearler  a  attention  on  t^iat  one  which 
haa  leasit  coiricem  nlth  rratcriAl  reality  and  is  noot  concontratod  in 
the  ideal.     ^Tiiat  ?>alE£ic'G  pictiD'o  of  a  "Jeuno  fillo  aien  elevee" 
has  a  substantial  V'sis   in  the  reality  of  Pl'ench  life  is   indisputable 
aiivl  io  it;   Uiio  basis  of  obi,orvatlon  in  his  c.oil:  v/hicli  tri.-cs  it 
the  aui.iion£.icity  Umt  not  nil  of  Uic  ror-^anticlsta  poscosa*     But  it 
ii;  ear.ential  to  reiaeciber  tlKtt  tho  ch~ico  of  su>Joct    ^r^t-^tn  to  the 
cc.-.citicion  tiiat  3alEac*t.    ;.„i,>, -^  .>.. -lo   intej^r.  i.  I-  uu'^u-^    i3  directed 
tovrard  its   ideal,  as  distingMiohccI  frai  its  :-Xiterial,  asi^ect. 

The  rcforcncerj  1;   iXifionlc  cuv   ■  ■>    ■  :;<•    '-    '■■     -anc  vein,     'ho  is 
instinctive  ixirity,   instinctive  ocntL*^iont«     3ho  is  not  reiTreoentod 
GJi  &  corj^clotie  latclliijent  being  xiYtO  thinks  and  reaoono'.     Balsac 
w*rites  t 

Lc  peintre  (lui  cherclio  ici-br.s  Tin  tyixj  a  la  celeste  pureto 

(1)  Balsac,  :gu{;enlo  Grc.ixlot,   ZiJ7 ,  308. 


de  KarlG, cc   .^e^tre, snt  trmivc   t-^ut  a  couo 

dans  Ic  visace  C^I^cnlc  la  ric'blcseo  lnn<5e  c^\x±  s'ignoro.   (1) 

Her  actloaa  arc  ini:tinctlve«     "tlajC^n  ct  vraie,  die  sc  lalcsait 

allcr  a  sa  naturo  aagcllqvc  sans  sc  deTior  ni  -Ic  ses  Snprocsions, 

ni  de  ses  scntlrtcnts."   (2) 


Reality  enters  Duc^nie's  liTc   anly  tln»cti£:h  centii'icnt*     BcilzvAt  refers 
to  her  as  he  wrlteo : 

Quand  les  cnfunts  cotr'oncent  a  voir,  lis  oourlisnt;     quand 

wac  iille  entrovolt  ie  serXimont  dans  la  ;ia.t-iir-o,  olle 

:t  conriQ  elle  soixrlait  enTant*     SI  la  limierc  est  le 
„er  Cii.v-rr  .lo  la  "^1-,  i'^x-^icur  n'or,t-il   r^x  la  liini^re 

dti  cogrir?     Le     cmcnt  do  voir  clalr  atix  cliosos  d*ici-ba.s 

^tait  arrive  pour  Da^eniem   (5) 

Aooordlneiy,  it  ii  feeling  5?hlch  directs  her  attitude  to^fard  r«ility« 

It  is  LXigenle's  focling  for  Clsaa^les  thnt  tleterminas  lier  Toeling 

toward  Gi'anuct,   th.it,   i:a  f^ct,  -..iikcs  lier  conaci  -islj  aii^j^o  of  Grande t 

as  a  detoraiaint;  el'-'ncnt  in  Iigt  existence^     Talruc  vrites: 

I'our  la  T^reI^lere  Tele,   jllc    Mt  dans  lo  coQ-jr  dc  la  tcrr0>ir 
a  l*aapect  de  son  pe:o,  vit  en  lul  le  naftro  de  son  sort 
tt  "c   ni^t  c.TUTxxtiLG  .l*unc  fautn  en  lul  tai^iant  ruelquoo 
pensdcB.   (2) 

It  is  her  synuxithy  for  Charles  *  f-ricf  that  causes  her  antipathy 

to  her  father •s  attitude;     "Dec  ce  nc^ont,  olle  conr»enqa  a  juger 

sen  per*e#"   (4) 


IXigcnic  appears,   in  fact,  as  an  Individual  entirely  unaffected  by 

eonteoi'Torary  society;     an  indivlAial,  therefore,  v/liose    'osition 

in  tiiat  society  is  as  yet  ixncioUrtiinod*     "Pr-ohc  autant  qu'une  flour 

i?)  i-i-..  ;^r. 

(4)  iror>,  5OT. 


aoc  au  fond  d*une  Torct  o-v  a^ilcr.te,  elle  rx-  cor.,  ais salt  ni  les 
Eiaxiiies  d\2  monde,  nl  sea  x^aS-soix-entsits  captl«u:r,   nl  ses 
sophii2ios,»«»"   (1)     'BtB  only  acpocta  of  thiit  aocicty  irhlch  she 
cceies  to  !a;K>i/  asswio  reality  for  V.or      .      ..iolrrjont:     slie  Ijaows 
society  thix^agh  Cliarles  alio,   to  licr,  rtjprosGnts  lovo  anl  throuejh 
her  fatlier  irl?o,  t^  hor,  ap^x^ara  as  rrsatcrial  pouev  vjod  go  as  the 
Soiii*cc  of  ..',   :  ■•     ralzac  .n^ltnc :     ^Tojy  la    rranlM"^ 


JXij   Uvvllij 


^>w^ 


■ )  ."^ 


» 


ses  cen^rciix  pctMshnntc  codoiTiis,  cor»prl''ios,  vmis  ta-iLita:  t.iit  evellleay 
©taicntli  toxit  noiJKjnt  ft»olcsen-»"    (2) 

It  car.riot  l>e  too  froqxiently  cr.n  ii-sise'l  that  IXj^enlQ  arjpe:.rs,  as  the 
quotations  T^ialce  evident,  only  as  the  oxprcssion  of  instLictlve 
fe-elirii.,  only  iS  txie  vlctiia  cf  u  pasaiori*     Balr^c  -.rrite^ : 


?eat-ctrc  la  pi*ofc:viO   ;v-S3ion  d'^o^onie,  doTiViit-<3Ho  etare 
^~   -— -   -ea  flcrillea  "'--     Itis  dcllc  ^      ;     cr  elle 


ar— ^ 


u.^  ^   d  ;.  q.^clquo::.  r:  :'c,   uno  -'i   et 

influenca   tr/iite  Bcm  existence  — ~  Ici  done,  Ic  nncse 

d^-^  ^.Ic  sci'Vlr:., ■•     -   •,■■'.:.  S  la      ^  -   ■ ''   ■      ;  ,^ 

1:     ^      .xion  frt  n  If-  s  >v.,  j  crfuci  '^  o, 

Plar.  sa  vie  GV.:.it  (jtc   trr.n.-x^illo,   plus  vi.  la  pitle'' 

f^lnin«,^le  plus   insenle/ax.  dcs  senttaenta  uc  deploya 
dfuio  go::  c:-:ic«    (3) 

iio  vii.iJi.e->u3.i-  uoiii^.i'i .  toii  i.L^    -.i,   LLe   l-^eiimatlon  or    ".aviOCiriCOJ 

''LMniiocence  ooc  coulc  do  tellcs  imrdleasos,"    {t)     Ho  c:    lains  hor 

only  I"  i'*erciXjnco  to  her  tyne  and  to  her  focllr.rr:     ".'.ixn  Jminea 

fiXiv/i.  i-^li^l&\:. .  :■  i  ni,  clovcca,    l^n02'*^ui -^ji:    Jt  ;tu:';-:^,    -crat  ost  amour 

d©6  qu'olles  mottent  le     -led  danc  les  rcgionc  onchantces  do 

l»a:iicui%"   (C) 

(1)  BaliJuc,  ntGOnie  G:'andet,  358, 

'  O  \      T"^  T '""  ':•  ■'"■^'^        "    ""    "  ■  -IN I        ■     I       I    ■  ■ 

[5)  JhSS*'  ^'^■'»  ^^^* 
(5)  TBTcT,,   504, 


Dug^iiio's  life  is,   tlici*cf oi'c ,  a  life  ciotorrairxjd  by  nat\32-«e;     t>mt 
ic,  Ijy  her  Inctinctivc  riattrpc.     Since  tills  Icstinctivo  life  forma 
t2ie  cutsject  or  the  ncvol.  It  1g  oT?Trl'^^c  that  the  centre  of  Interest 
he~.s  shifted,   in  reality  if  not  in  appearance,  from  xihat  rr&j,  ra^operly, 
bo  chilled  character  Ir.tcrect*     The  entiro  action  of  tho  noTol,  since 
it  dopcndc  on  foellnc,  not  en  jucl^pnent,  can  L>e  meroly  the  v^ocrM  of 
the  ins  tine  tlvG  reaction  of  a  given  cubjoct  urkler  vai'ylnc  co.jditions. 
Where  tho  choice  of  riiodro  as  tl:c  central  flp:ure  of  a  draraa  nacle 
it  inr-cdtntcly  r.nnai^nt  v.hat  the  Interest  r,9Q  concentrated  on  & 
qtiocticn  ol"  Imnian  norclit-T,  t^ic  choice  of  Liigonlc  ns  a  central 
fi^nire  sucgocts  tlitit  the  novel  to  rrhich  she  clvon  her  nano  cnn  b« 
nothing  else  than  r.  esse  history  or  a  cert-nln  vni'lety  of  fintoal  life. 

At  tills  point  it  is  noGossary  to  recall  xrhnt  other  fl£jureo  take  a 
prominent  place  in  the  hoo!:'»     '^n  ^Jnocliately  saggcat  tho??iscl"7G3  — 
Grandct  and  Charles,     T!to  conliraat,  t^lth  _';giodro  is  again  strllrlng. 
In  the  tragedy  the  othor  .^rl;mv  ch^iT'^ictora  w!io  appeared  wei*e  tl;x>so 
ii1»  were  hound  to  T=hedre  *  -^  isocL'^l  tio^  and  trhooc  lives  v/.yuld 
necessarily  be  affected  cy  l:ier  decision,     ^o  interest,  therefore, 
reisKiins  one  closely  com:iectcI  T.itli  r.an  anl  his  place  in  aocisty. 
But  Eugenic  Is  an  unlriT>ortant  factor  In  the  11^  of  either  Charlos 
or  Graiiict,     ^I'hoy  are  not  r.>aterially  affected  ^y  her  exir,tcnce^ 
!Hiere  niust,  therefore,  jo  eoiae  other  explanation  for  thoir  prcBiiaenoo 
In  the  novcl#     The  explanation  l3  81'',v>1g,     Grandct  and  GlKirlea 
Inlk  lar^'o  in  liugenle's  llfy.     TiiQ^  ^t^»  succcasively,   tiie  deter- 
mining factors  of  liar  esletencc*     Tlioy  foiin,  that  is,  auccoasivo 
conditions  of  her  envli'oiiaent  and  are,  for  a  long  ^xjriod,   the  only 
naterial  x»oallties  of  lier  existonco.     They  are,  in  her  life,  the 


two  repixiscntatlvos  of  v  ,g  outer  r/orld,  of  cons titiited  society. 


riliGir  IntrocLuctlon  Into  the  novel,   tiiercfove,   seers  to  "ba  dependent 
on  tills  fact:     that,  for  Eueenle,  all  society  Is  resumed  in  thera» 
Their  introduction  depends,  therefore,  on  thel?''  representative 
quality,  not  on  the  social  relationshlpG  which  bind  tiicsn  to  Diigenie. 

As  Esay  be  easily  gatlierod  n^on  the  quotations   in  the  pi^ecetiing 

paragrapl^.  Char-leu  and  Grcalct  represent  to  Uagenie  absoltitely 

opposite  aspects  of  society.     Tlic  ideal  love  she  flniis  in  Cltarles 

■akes  her  fear  and  ccndorai  Grandet.     7,liat  she  findc  in  Charles, 

Balat-c  describes  as  "taus  les  liens  dc  bori -eur  qui  unlssent  les 

fla«s^'.   (1)     As  for  Crcaidct,  his  nroTriiience  in  the  novel  his  already 

been  ex^^laiiied  by  Dalcac.     He  Ic   t.'ic  -undisputed  ro prose ntiitive  of 

tji©  conten(X>rary  society  and  Balrac  places  hln  in  the  novol  in  the 

duaj-nating  :>ositlon  irrhlch,   in  this  representative  oa  -aclty,  he 

cannot  fail  to  liavc.     Balzac  cxprecsly  dcsl;;nates  Gi'andet's  Place 

in  iJugenio's  v/orld: 

K*esl-cc  ms  d'allloiirs  une  scene  de  tous  les  terms  et  de 
tous  les  ileux,  rials  ranonee  ^  sa  nlus  single  expression? 
La  fifc-uic  df;  Orandct  ex-^loito.nt  le  fa\ut  attcc'  ^t  dcs 

deux  famlllc^,   en  tlrant    ■^ 'cnoTT'.GS   nrofits,  d  ...it  co 

draiao  et  l*oclalrt:it.     K'etait-ce   pcxs  le  setil   llcii  modern© 
aurncl  on  alt  foi,  1*"  ...   toute  so     \\i  -, 

expi'icio  par  une  sexilc      -  —1 le?     L«s  doux  c...  i^ents  de 

la  vie  n'occtirmiont  la  qu*\inc  place  secondairc;     lis 
anlmaiont  tiKiic  coeurc  piirs,  ccux  de  Iftxnon,  d*::ugonie  et 
de  sa  mere .    {2) 

Thus,   in  a  fe^  sentences,  Balzac  nakes    ^loin   tlie  whole  ]:>rincl!^le  of 
hla  choice  or  r^ors orates.     IXigonie,  ?7hose  life  is  yet  to  be  lived, 

(1)  BttlLuc,  i^^eale  Groadet,  S/^2, 

(2)  Ibid..  5W,  m\. 


is  repff'es':  ntatl/c   --i   xiu.        ,  riature  untouched  oj  wycit;t,y»     Gr^ndet 
rcpiHjaents  the  dominant  influence  in  timt  iioclGty,   "l*Areent"»  'TiM) 
secondary  fl^rures  belong  to  one  oi-*  the  otlier  aspec::  of  life  and 
enter  the  novel  only  to  qIvq  deptii  to   l:;_      iuvoii;.     It  iG,  perhaps, 
nccossary  to  add  that  tlie   advent  of  Cimrlos   Is  oquivalwiit  to  the 
advent  of  sontiirtcnt  in  Eugenie*a  l?.fe»     As  ire  have  seen,  IXigonle 
Is  cofisciouc;  of  Grande t  u.u  a  Kiiw^iial   ^Oi^oo   j:i_y  after  ahe  perceives 
him  in  Ujc  liirht  of  this  sentiirient*     Since  l>2genle  apiXKirs  only 
iii  her  inotlnctivc  aspect,  Balzac  cai,   in  fact,  "leonlo  c  v;orld  for 
her  only  b:/  ncanc  of  repi'Gi.jni»int.  diffci^nt  3anti..:vjai,a  oi*  ptitjoiono; 
for  it  is  only  thr  xigh  aich  sentLnonts  or  passions  that  reality 
can  ever  inpinge  upon  the  im:tinctivc  ego,     "The  choice  of  ncroonar^os 
in  'Jn£]r^r;i,^       '  -  '- 1,  doi'jeni.ls  outiiely,   ti'icx'^_  vjxo,  en  the  fu-jia  of 
jCugonie  *s  l^ristlnctive  cojificiotisiicos*     This  field   incliiueo  love, 
and  thei^eforo  Cliailes;     fear,  aiiil  tlicrefore  Gr:indct;     religious 
sentiruent,  aiiu  -iiuix_uiu  ..Uijonic't^  i.iOthor«     ^u-ie  contract  between 
tlie  oversiiadowi^jt;;  (a»andct  and  the  cffacencnt  of  I^eixle'a  rx)ther 
is  the  contract  t?hich  exists  in  i:usenie*c  cnvli'oraacnt     (rm  envlron- 
nent  :.ii.i^^ar  to  ui-;.-  ui   liny  oontenporuiy  i^ouicty)     bctv.'ecn  an  all- 
powciful  I2arj.ic.n  and  an  ineffectual  Catliollc  rellt-ion.     "That  Eugenie's 
Eiotlier  dies  r.s  a  result  of  Grande t's   t:-Tr'anny  is  to  rcpri3sont  the 
death  of  ^'ei^^.i-^n  undci'   «:ic   pui'd.*"  i;ia"ic-'iudi-.ti>:;   ^iilo*     I"Hit,  since 


the  Church  Is  essentially  an  institution,   it  cc.;itinues  to  exist, 
t<3T  Bugonle,   thoujrh  the   individual  vrho  represents  it  dies.     On 
txio  otiicr  litiuv-,  since   the  oontei:i:>orai'y  society  is  ossentlally 
individualistic,  cont«n; horary  society  filways  appears   to  I'Juuonlo 
thi'ouijh  I'xjrsonal  sentir.ient  not  as  an  Impersonal  force. 


I^  we  refe?'  to  j^atyire  or.ac  rtcre  In  order  to  eval\iatc  oixp  results. 
Be  arc  better  able  to  per-cetve  t'le  ab^ss  which  lies  between  the 
pvocQrluPG  Of  classlcisn  rr*i   tlmt  of  rocnaiiticlatt.     n:iedi  e  appears  as 
a  peraonatio  who  is  to  rsoke  a  Jecielon.     Tho  oth©?  personages  do 
xjot  affect  hor  aecision  but  her  decision  affects  them  oiiKJc  their 
fates  arc  bound  "jy  a  ccr^ion  aoclal  utmictiU'c.     On  the  otlioj--  baM, 
Uugenio  io  the  ezpi-essicn  of  instinctive  feeliiig*     Ghe  does  not  act 
on  "Uie  otlior  personages   introdticod  into  the  novel.     She  is,  on  iinB 
oon'oT'-ivy,  ^iibj[£ct  to  successit^e   influences  and  the  direction  of  her 
life  depends  on  the  nature  of  these  influences*     Tlio  whole  interest 
in  r^hodre  lies  in  the  force  Uiat  is  j£  Pheclre  l:icraelf •     Tlio  lE^hole 
interest  in  Sugenio  Grai^ot  lies   in  forces  workloj:  on  I)ug^3ie«   The 
central  interest,   therefore,  is,  essentially,  an  interest,  not  in 
huiTKinity  but  in  the  forcos  exterior  to  htaianlty;     that  is,  in  the 
forces  oxtorior  to  Dugenie.     The  interest  is   in  the  Pieclionlatic 
•©tirces  of  hei'  cliaro-ctt^r;     in  exterior  environment  not  in  inner 
conflict*     Ptoedre's  decision  t/111  alter  her  i7orld  lj*u.t  It  ia  rXigenio's 
world  vrhich  will  alter  her»     ?he  centre  of  c^ttontion  shifts  inevi- 
tably, thoi^eforo,  rro?i  the  psycho lo{jy  of  huimn  cha.Taoter  to  tiie 
analysis  of  the  cbai^act(;r  of  tlie  dorilnant  forces   in  the  vjorld*  The 
result  is,  as  wo  have  seen  above,   that  diffe^^ent  elencnts  or  aspects 
In  Uiat  v;orld  oi'c  cliaractcrized  by  neans  of  oor-sonageo.     It  scarcely 
■atte2>8,  tmder  these  cii^imistancos,  wliether  such  elorients  work 
blindly  or-  consciously.     The  interest  is  not  in  the  intelligence 
which  produces  tiie  action  but  in  its  result.     In  oi-der  to  sliow  what 
■ay  bo  considered  clmractoristic  result,    the  subject  is,  in  the 
beglnnine,  neutral;      is,  tlicreforo,    :>ut^lde  of  society;     is,   in 
fact,  t7hr>t  Salzac  describes  Uugenie  as  being,—  pure  natJirc*     *?• 


ht  Guiffisarii^  Balzac's  iHtolCQ,  thei'Gfore,  as  th©  choice  of  a 
cont7"*al  f.lctn'e  reprcssntlnfi.-  -pxrc  ir^tiiictlve  feeling  in  its  Meal 
aST>ect  aiiil  of  tiio  forces,  Gliaraetcrictlc         " ontenporary  society, 
which  SGcl:  to  donlnato  this  feeling*     Such  a  choice  of  persoijago 
con  tin:.-:"  lets  an^  IntGrcat  In  Hassan  persotialitT  and  adsiczios  aa 
interest  in  the  abctract  study  of  nat'orc  -xia  society* 

Let  Its  ctvxly  lIotro«>Dcgie  ao  Paris  fron  the  snwe  ^>oiiit  of  '.rlcnr.     Blaat 
ap.  tii-'ciii.  iixvi^iHoltiant  CiUi  "bo  aaid    .<u  ..c-.^u  i>ii4i;;t;i^  jl-u  I^'o'l,   u-ioioc 
hci^c?     ?;liat  ii:,  for  l5\startcc,  tJio  ciioraoter  of  the  coatral  fisuro? 
£.3Gier;ilda  appoara  firat  as  the  centre  of  'attraction  to  VhQ  Paris 
C3?owd«     In  tho  r.Lidst  of  a  cliDi'i.;uu  oii-ulu,  -...:c   ^u  ^^i^  oanaiiTie* 
Hor  IxKvuty  la  ao  dafsnlii^  that  fo3'  Uu>  casual  spectator  It  ?.a  bard 
to  decide  i/hetSicr  Gho  is  ixunan  'bcint;,  fairy,  ot  rjn|jcl«     Hugo  gooe 
or:  to  describe  hoi'  pliyoical  boau-by  lii  dei.ail  and  to  suggoat  tlxxt^ 
whllo  slito  la  dancln{;,  aho  appoai»G  to  the  (srowd  «i3  sc«net}iiixs  laoo?© 
t^.an  Ir-r'i^n*     Hor  'roicc  too  h:is  vie  atiric  cM'^.ctor  ?.3  hor  drxnolcis 
..-.-:  ac-'  'joaut^,—  an  -iiacJ-najLi;;  c:;iu.iV.i,   v.  Qv.i^JiiJil  i;_X!.cc»     .;.iio 
slrjgs^as  she  dancsea ,fi'c»i  ;iaro  llchl^iGss  of  hoart  and  hcoaxiao  it 
is  her  natural  foiT;i  of  oxorousion*  (1) 

Essaeralda's  first  appcarcjico  la  follotTod  briofly  by  ot^.iera  btst,  in 
O'/ory  Instance,  tho  rif. trirc  of  Hugo's  yroacntatlon  la  tho  sarac.  He 
roiifrcsonts  iaci-   -ij-^-  c:i^viii^ii  ulio  effect  alio  oiiOi'oi^o^  upon  otiioro  — 
arid  thtxt  effect  is  dotomliied  by  her  phyaicil  tiapGCt  aal  her  natural 

ciEir.u       ..an  -jlw  anpc.irr-  tsn^yai;  tine  tinxatida,  they  re<»gnlse  the 
s^jay  of  YiiiX'  {xi'aco  :iuu  Oiftiu^y  a.iiu,   on  hor  pacaa^iO,  theii"  bi'Utality 

(1)  Hugo,  llotro-r-ajne  do  Paris ^  Oiapter  Dim 


coconcc  a  uui.ion'tar^"  4-\;:io„'^ii\;w>u»    i^_)     Upon  tljc  r'eu™u^v>  -o.    ~au 
•^oui^-r.ollond  arxl  n^xm.  I^ollo  die  cserciaoe  a  fuBcination  ?7hich  Is 

c^  -^11  -^woinnaeat   _r   ^..iu  ..-;.:_  "    TutccLt  f5?0Ei  (ajs?istian  -jociety,   (2 

jn  I?iOc"bni2  int^^oducec  bcr  into  on  rji^lctOirtitiG  d;  -i^oaeri,  'ibe 

radla:ncc  or  her  beauty  dcssles  the  conpany*     But  tiio\!gl>  t^^ey  cannot 

^iicy  ceck  to  rind  arKiccr-ient  by  tortm--ir^  tijs  dencing  glri  aal  they 
recognise  licr  proccnco  only  ua  txie  r-reiJonce  of  coTrotjilr^'^    ?hich  — 
in  c:-itc  cf  itij  accidentiil  boauty  —  I'craains  out-c£.u\,  l^u^  ^u:iu:.jiui.    (3) 
TIzac  it  iG  tbc  corio  ^ality  in  mr  -^  Ikj:-  physicel  beauty  —       ich 
i'!?rrcc  trie  iTca!:lo  to  del^-t:ht  ^laid.  rovei'ence,  tho  priest  v.r^l  tlio 
rc-i,^;--ii-;  -cuj.iuio  to  iiati'od,  tlie  a.rla1x>crats  to  exijj  o..^..  ijrnj^ty* 

It  i3  --^nLy  indlrcctl^r  tln'^  v.,  "'i  her  tie t ions  v.iid  t'lcai  ^J'ery  "H'lofly 
tiii^t  i^.ig'o  c.^.-  cjuu-i^ri.-  ,vi^-'----'   -iiio  piettis'G*     ZsiaQi'alda  in 

charity  jjivos  to  tho  toi»ttc?od  (juasl^rKyio  the  drinik  Tor  v/liich  ho  begs 
the  "!:KsartlosG  crotfd  In  v^-in«     3ie  {ji'e.co  of  tho  frcst^i^rc  rcr.soes  the 
c-'u^'u  'wO  a.pple.uao  aiid  iiu^  deriiiec  the  iwDi^essi^.ni  t>^hj  ..^^^&  oa 
this  ocoasion  as  tliat  of  frcolmcos,  yurity,  aritl  clmiti»  (-i)     "lie 
Intorvcnoa,  -riUi  sinllar  i^r.t'r^-^l  criarit?,-,   in  orclcr  to  cnvo  Gi^lngo ire's 
life  onu    Uiii:   acuioa  uurvc;-  ^jll;;:;    jj  i-c/u-l   tuic   _a_  ui^jt-i-i/j  find 
supers titiofus  quality  of  hei'  virtue •   (5)     In  tlio  subooquont  scries 
TTlth  nioelTvir.,   in  the  trial  ticeiics,  ami  at  tlte  gallosra,  ::3i:iei:»aiida 

■1)  II^VjO,  Hoti^-r-ctnc    ic  .!^r>.lSy  Clnptcr  XII^ 
'5)  lSrir>,  Chflpter  XIIX. 


la  represcatod  as  beijog  so  a'aaorbeu  iu  hor  oxm  emotioua  aa  to  b© 
ocGTcaly  cciisclous  or  tlie  cutur  world*     Her  virtue  ai^pdars^  there* 
foro,  a3  i«roly  precarious  aril  auoject  to  the  c^iprioe  of  ner 
fG©lint,«     liUiCO  i^jpa^eaents  xior-  as  ouro  iiatm^ei     that  is,  lie  i^eiypoaonts 
h.QT  as   i-ijnocoiit  of  -lorai  or  PGiitji">U3   ideas  iuid  ao  eutli'fjly  iritiiout 
eduoaiJ-xOii,     r^copt  i.i  tlie   fow  inabaacoo  cj-iiod,  sao  roKiaina  iimctive 
vhile^  Qi'oiind  hev,  the  prieat^  tlic  gallons,  anrl  trw  trriaatla  ae«k 
to  claim  her  and  Qoaai^aodo  veolka  to  keop  her  aanotwai^  inviolate* 

Altiiouc'a  til©  vtnlty  of  tlie  iK>vel  is  obtained  throufrh  awei^alda  and 
tlic  interest  ii:   cojitred  cai  ho;--  fate,  it  io  not  an  interest  aa  to 
tiie  fate  of  iicx-  cmiraeter  (foi-,  as  we  bave  eoen,  aho  oosi^oasea  no 
i^iarQcter)     but  only  as  to  her  Physical  Tate?     fm'  I2araercilda*s  life 
la  r^^japeaonted  in  ryhyalcal  tei-ias  and  her  tragedy  ia  aii  exterlai» 
»iront  not  ac  iniior  failure*     Her  fate  la,   iiideed,  iiot  dependent  en 
ber&elf  but  or\  tlio  attitude  tairen  towai^  lior  "arj^  the  outer  world* 
dia  outcp  »orld  la  repirescnted  not  only  in  genei^al  toiioa  but  alao 
through  three  main  pei'aciiasoa:     Pl^ollo,  s^uixsiiriOdo ,  and  Tiioebua* 
ilisit  happeno  to  liasiioi^alda  depandc  on  tlio  reauit  of  the  conflict 
betxTcen  theae  pcri>oua£j-^  and  en  the  lorcea  they  can  coEwiand*     Hioobus 
onJoyL   the  r"i'i?"ll©rGa  of  tlie  iirlatocracy,  Prollo  the  po;?er  of  tlM 
Chui'ch,  but  ("oasliaodo  lias  no  force  but  tliat  of  binzte  atrone:tli* 
©^t  tJie  c'.latircuiiihine  r.iark  of  each  nay  bo  atatod  in  such  teiTiffi 
aa   L'le  above  is  vvniy  possible  bcoauae,  once  noro,  liugo  ia  dealing 
in  purely  ja&terial  tciros* 

So  stMdy,  horrovoi',   in  detail,  one  of  theae  three  peracnagec  la  to 
discover  even  moi-e  clearly  tlie  isanner  in  trhich  each  of  thera  airis 


I 


up  a  particular  a3?:«ct  of  r.edloval  so^jiety,       '     o  intx^xjduaes 
QunslnsDclo,  Tor  exaraplo,  \rj    '    "'<"-c<^-^lntion  oP  hiG  dofoi'^iitT  ■ '?  ^.rxl 
concliKles  Iiy  this  soiitencs :      "Tel  otait  1©  rxi^  qxio  loa  foua 
voaaient  de  se  donnGr."   (1)     CuanisiOvlo  appears,  tlioj?ef c3re ,  initially, 
xs>t  in  Ills  oljseoi^o  iiidi^/ldxial  llfo  irat  as  tho  ropircsontativs  chosen 
"by  tjao  "fouij",  t-nt  is,  "by  ':iiG  peo^^lo  or  Paris.     IIo  is  cliosea 
becatise  of  his  very  linitationa,     'HhasQ  llnitatioas  Ixvr  Mjn  frxya 
pfhS^ioal  'bGaxitr/*     Kc  is  doscribod  in  tlicse  tci^s :  ^—  II    >>v»att, 
c'cot  voi  boaau.     II  T^viKiho,  c'cat  uii  banctil*     II  vtoz  reganlej  c'est 
voa  boi'gne,     Youa  lui  paries;     s'cct  un  somxl^"   (2)     tSiis  doacription 
is  ccKiplctod  ";>y  a  fiirtSier  obsorvritlon:     "n  est  certain  crue  l*csprit 
s'ati'opbie  dans  nn  corps  nanquo.— —  Lc  ivrcnicr  offet  dc  cett© 
fa  tale  organisation  c'cti-it  do  troubler  lc  regard  qu'il  ;Jetait  svtr 
lea  clioocs*     n  n*on  2-occvriit  preaquc  aucune  pcreepti'^n  icriodiate."   (3] 
Physically  vix-ly,  raonL-illy  luidovGlo-'ed,  Q.\ia.c  irnodo  io  acclalnied  by 
ttoe  people  as  their  representative  and  is  ccolalr.iod  pi'ocisoly 
beomise  cf  tho  very  extent  of  Mo  riisfortunoG. 

J«st  am  BMWEpalda  is  rcproscnted  oiily  tiii'oufth  iiistiiictive  action, 
oo  it  ifl  a  purely  instinctive  life  -issribod  to  tliose  peraonaecc  who 
«ntor  the  no\»cl  In  tholr  capacity  as  representative  of  sotie  portion 
of  the  world  which  i^ir rounds  tSie  central  figi;r-o»     Ber«  too  Qaao3*odo 
may  serve  r.o  an  exi^nnio^     Hii£;o  notes  the  instinctive  qu:.lity  cf 
his  life  on.  tnany  occasiosis.     He  nritos:     "H  ctait  trop  loin  do 
l*etat  de  societc  ot  ti'op  pi^es  de  I'etat   le  ^lature  poui*  savoir  ce 

(1)  ISogo,  Kotro-Dcjiie  de  Paris.  I,  D6, 

h)  xbid;,  I,  ns. ^ 


Z)  TuTu.,    I,   17L.» 


quo  c'eot  quo  In.  hotito,"   (1)     An-.   in    lGacrx_x;;t>  nxii    v'j :     "sorte 

de  deral-haane  Instliictif  at  3atiVEi£;e.»»"   (2)     He  ima  Quasisnodo  say: 
"—  j4on  rmlbeui^,  c'cst  quo  Je  rcasoviblo  oncore  tJ£^^n  a  I'liaratae.   Je 
vou-drais  'ctre  to-;t  a  fait  ^jnc  "b^ic  ccrmo  cotte  Glibvro.''    (o) 
VJhatOv-er  intor-est  is  attached  to  f.^uaulnodo,  tiioi'e-Tor'o ,  ic  not  tlie 
interest  attaclicd  to  a  i^asonirig  li\:Enan  hclo^^     It  ia  not  an  interest 
in  hta^in  d^^raoter,     Quuiiinoclo  liveo.   In  fact,  in  tlx)  scasie  mode 
as  Saaetralda.     LUro  l^er  ho   Is  "pres  de  I'otat  de  ncturo'^. 

It  vtust  bo  noted,  noroovor,  that  WiG  attitude  s?hicli  acicli  of  the 

tiireo  r.ialn  perssonacos  asourics  is   i:ilioront  in  his;  ejctcmmi  attributes 

i»i\t^K>r  Uban  in  inner  jud^yients*     R?ollo,  as  a  p!:»let;t,  dli; trusts 

physical  bomity  and  oo  cories  to  liato  it»     Hugo  chowo  Pi^ollo  as  he 

beconos  e.^raro  of  this  result: 

11  rerwa  an  fond  do  son  coour  touto  sa  bainc.  tcnte  sa 
Biocimncetd,  ot  il  i^econiriL  — .—  que  cette  lialne,  que  c6tte 

BK^cJiancote  n'ctaiont  quo     ::   I'annu-  "icio,    iiic  I'Luaour, 
cetto  source  d©  toutc  vortu  clics  I'hor'xio,   toumait  en 
chosco  horribles  dans  -jn  coour  de  pr^tre,  ce  fcicalt 
d<3bion«  (4) 

Ilioebos^  as  an  nristocrf  t,  enjoys  physical  beauty  coj^oledsly  and 

lndifrercntly#     Quiiuirwxlo,  the  man  of  the  peo-^le,  reveres  it» 

aigo  vn'ites  of  Qjiasiiaodo 'a  attitule  to  Csrieralda:     "On  cut  dit 

qu'll  sentait  c^o  c'otait  uno  chose  delicate,  cxquiso  et  pi^ecicuse, 

faitc  pour  d  *autrec  riaina  quo  les  sien.'ies*"   (5) 

It  is  apparent  that  the  entire  intcroot  of  the  novel  is  concentrated 

(1)  Bi^o,   Ilot^'O-rnno  do  Ptu'in,   I,  CCkl, 

(2)  Ibid.,  -i,  itic; — ■^'~' — " 
(4)  ^r:«,  II,  ivio. 


upon  the  vai'lety  of  attitudes   inspired  tij  Saneralda»     But,  sinoc 
LSEim^alda  appears  only  in  hor  pi3yalcj.1l  aapoct^  in  tbo  aspect,  that 
iG,  or  ntituT^il  beautj,  the-  attlt^fele  ">"  '"-^    -^Icst,  >K.sl^K)do,  01? 
Ftioolxis  naj  be  coon  as  iiisji^lrocl  not  by  Iii3i£itji\ilda  au  a  mrilcular 
person  "but  'aj  SsxieiTvlda  as  tin  alxstract  idea  present  in  their 
iBB^inations*     Ho  one  of  these  Rien  i3«r;/s  SsRcar-lda  as  a  person* 
^Efcey  13MW7  her  only  as  nlvit  she  B^bolisee  to  th«»s»     It  is  to  be 
jwted  too  that  t}io  coEtj-aon  tstandard  oC  Judgraent  v/hich  prevailed  in 
such  a  classical  cork  as  Androigac^ue  and  detcnnlncd  the  attitude 
of  every  one  of  the  charactoinj  in  desoitc  or  his  rartieular  paeslMi 
has,  in  Botre^Damc  le  Paris,  been  ci^nplctely  Torgotten*     The 
universal  standard  is  replaced  hy  t?ic  separate  standards  applied 
by  Prollo,    ^uasinodo,  and  T'iK>oau3«     Ginco  ai£:o  jiakos  Esaeralda  a 
synpathetic  ri^tirc  and  since  her  ruin  is  aocoiapliohed  Ijy  Phoebus 
and  Prollo,  tlie  re  mil  t  «ill  bo  to  discroiit  tho  ctandoi^  of 
Jtidgnient  ijhicli  actuated  theci  and,  at  'Joe  saac  tinie,  to  exalt  t^hat 
Instinct  ^ilch  m'gcsi  v::ua3 iLtodo  to  save  Irier. 

But  these  t^ersonagcs  do  not,  as  we  mve  seen,   judge  as  liviividualsW 
5Biey  act  innt.lnctivoly  as  Reraberc  of  a  given  clasa.     ihcy  accept 
tho  conventions  Tihic'n  dotomlne  tlieii^  lives,     Kiis  is  tr^io  even 
of  Q^aslKodo  sinco  Inctinct  nay  be  s-.id  to  bo  the  coir/cution  vrtiich 
usually  detcmlneel  the  people  to  action.     \I!hc  ix;3iilt  is   Uunt  the 
Judgment  Jhich  tlie  reader  nakes   In  reg^i'd  to  any  one  of  tho  tliree, 
in  regard  to  Frollo,  for  exariTile,   is,  actually,  a  jud^aent  of  the 
abstract  sentlnent  ho  i^epreaents  —  the  sentirient  of  tlie  priest, 
not  the  sentiment  or  the  Kan>     It  beco  ics  plain,  therefore,  tlmt 
Bkigo*a  cboico  oi   personages  is,   in  realty,  a  choico  of  ideas.  His 


personages  are  Interesting,  not  is  hurmn  beings,  but  becaiiso  of 
theli*  repine wfcjai/utiVe  cjitalitlt^b* 

Jxx  c-'itc  of  the  irxRiexIlate  cliffei^^nces  1x.tv/e©n  Eijg^enie  Gr£>ndet  and 
TiOtrO'pQv.Q  -le  I\xrlG,   It  seoriz  ovident   u...o  two  ftnctcrs  of  choice 
arc  cca:Bnon  to  botI^  Bolsae  and  IKi(jo»     Iji  the  fipot  place,  the 
cliarc-ctei'  interest  has  ceasod  to  repa'KJGent  an  saitSwntlc  interest 
in  human  cl-iarr,ctcr  oiii(x.    'S^.^  ;^r•oU\iJoniiJt  existe       "'■  '  •"    -lvt?ie  of 
in::;tinct.     In  tiie  accoixl     lace,   the  !>orso::jG.gea,  being  denied 
pGyc^iolo^'icrd   lntc?'OGt,  are    'cltbcrcitoly  endov;cd.  Instead,  with 
i-w^yi>^-i^^^u^.v..    ••  .:.v<u»      ..l;>.-y    .)econe,   in  f-f"- ,  -'0-=^-  a^trib^ites  of  a 
slnc'lc  individviai'c  v;orlcI,   tJiat  t^oi'ld  whioa  lnipi:^e:      n  the 
consciausnoca  of  t1^  ccntr^il  fii:»ire»     They  are  no  lonsoi'  In^lependent 
ar^l  to  "be  Juui^cu     o  Guch,     !I!lic;,  placed  in  i-oL/.tion^      "a 

cin^e  centi^al  fltnu-e  aija   it  is  Ijy   these  relations  that  they  are 
jxxdged,     I'^.ist  as  it  la   itt  their  rolatl'Jns  ulth  '^ijronl'^  tJTat  Charles 
or  Gruii-c  i*  is  characterised,  oo   't  io   in  ^tiu-..:  :v  ■-".-■   -'-'-ris  that 
all  the  porGonases  arc  judged  \y^  l>heii'  i^lationa  fitli  Ilaaieralda— 
by  tholr  relatiokio,   that  is,  rlt!i  a  flGui^e  ^ho  is  almost  a  plmnton.d 
It  i'-   to  be.   ©n\^iasiacd,  noroo  7  v,   tliat  suo-i  i,  .  oas^uri. .^      od  la 
not  tjr?t  ccjnrmon  to  society;     for  Engenio,   in  Bolsae  *s   i.'>rosentatlon, 
ii»  specifically  set  "mtslde   the  cocloty  which  :3tirro>.inds  her  (2) 
p.nd  rsnior-.l:''-;".   f.r>  an    nitcast  (au  ^r.s  TTonan  In  riedioi-il  Clu-istlan 
tiicory)»     llie  Hicaoxirinc  i^od  —  r>.ie;onle  or  nssierolda—  has,   in 
citlior  case,  all  the  tcmaousnccs  of  idea  and  little  real  hunan 
s\jbstance* 

<1)  £f ':":.■!    a  it  referred  to,  by  HtifiO  as  well  as  by  the  other 

ag  y,  Igsj:  often  ':&  c   .■.■'■'''l   ymn  as  f'\lr7,   '   -f.  "1,  vision, 

s&iaamnder,  apms'ition,  goddeiis,  sylph,  and  in  otlier  analagous 

terns. 
(2)  See  above,  p.  29,  quotation  cited  frc^n  liXigCTiie  grandot,  dro. 


Can  Dxigcnlo  Grind;  t  mid  Hotro-r/rirte  go  Paris  be  said  to  be  typical 
or  v>oiTtanticist  practlao  in  goaoral?     It  :.nr>uld  "bo  easy  to  answor 
tills  qjiostio;i  ii'  \70  iiavs  resard   to  t.ia  in  eta  vmica  Imve  been 
suites  ted  i"raa  a  study  of  theae  two  nov«ltt»     tn  the  first  place, 
is  it  tmio  "Uiat  lamnticisn  dGala  aX'noat  ©ntij^oly  i.'ith  ncr^sonagos 
who  live  on  the  iiuitlnctive   piano?     A  gonernl  cmrvay  of   x-cio  no-vcls 
•uiilGi'  discussion  t.III  roquii'o  us  to  jiako  an  afflniKiti'/o  reply* 
Seme  of  tho  most  mcnorable  fijnrt^cs  in  tho  rwiantlciiit  no"«/els  include 
the  eavage  Chactas,  tiie   Ixiptilsive  Dolphino,  the  contlmontal  ^xaSJUum.^ 
the  SGrai-sava^:e  Gilliatt,   the  paiisicwiatc  i^iortunio;     Stollo,  who 
is  pui^G  intuition,  end  Vautrin,  v/ho  is  dcfiarice  and  hatred,     liore- 
over,  where  claiisicissn  placoo  ito  pixstagonis^  in  relations  trith 
society,  rorianticisri  usutlly  preiientG   its  protagonist  as  artificially 
8epai>ated  rrom  society',     "Kiis,  as  we  have  seen,   is  true  of  Dug^nio 
as  it  is  true  of  lUaneralOa.     It  is   trrio,  likeirlse,  of  Vicny's  poets 
and  coldiors,  of  Reno  and  Chactas,  of  Corinna  and  Joan  Valjoan, 
of  Gautior's  egocentric  artlots  i^od  Balsac's  nonoiiimiacs.     It  is 
true  of  Gar^'a  Lelia,  Lucrozia,  aiicL  Jacques,     it  io,  appai^ntly,  the 
typical  oit^iQtlon  uhetiicr  or  not  apparent  exceptions  nay  ariso'. 
It  uciina  tliat  the   intcrcat  In  -:.hc  novel  of  vo-iantlclsn.  neither 
centres  around  raan./in  his   individual  no:-   In  his  social  deteminatlon. 

The  conflict  wiiich  inak&G  the  drrana  in  classicism  is  sinclo  or 
Railtiple  but  is  always  tiio  saaae  conflict:     that  bott?eon  the  dual 
aspects  of  each  E»n*s  chaiv.cter.     The  coni*lict  vhich  makes  the  draiaa 
in  roimnticisia  1g  externalized     nu  ocoui'S  betv?eon  t..o  t^  nore 
pas*scnagos«     Bie  trfigG>.>y  or  eofriody  in  classic  oractice  in   thnt  of 
clmracterj     the  sad  or  rmppy  ending   in  lorianticiara  appears  as 


oxteimal  event  and  rxjt  as  any  dcvelorsacnt  of  character.     ThQ 
ujiiversal  staaiai^  o-   .tuclgiaant  ^nich  oach  perr^onage  in  tba  classic  is  t 
liter*•Jlt^Jj:^3  ap-^lied  to  Ills   oirn  iprobleri  ia  re  Uacod  in  :^omaatlolst 
litcrattn^e  by  aa     any  dlTiCrent  ah-.nd'ir^s  aa  tJiorc  ai-e  p^ii?«onage3« 
Gmnacit  jvtc%cs  as  a  raltior-,  i^olio  as  a  priest,    ^uaairuado  as  instinc- 
tive r.ian  of   the  i^ople*     It  la  evident,  the/'ofore,  tliat  wlieroaa, 
111  claasicisri,  the  choice  o£  pe.v&onaije   i-,  in  no  "lay,  detxjndout  on 
the  exterior  ci?'cn«nat£mCG8  of  station,  cluas,  or  ctillini^,  since 
tlao  standard  o.t*  hunan  jiid(jrient  is  not  dependent  tiiereon,  in  roiaanti- 
cism,  the  variation  in  the  atiindrird  of  juJgiTient  is  an  Qxcopticsoally 
liaportant  factor.     Titii  auch  variation  tiie  autlior*s  choice  of 
pSPamOL^e  ^ist  inevitably  suggoot  one  criterion  to  bo  superior  to 
another;     it  t.'III  bo  apt,  indeed,  as  in  Heti-'e-Doae  de   Pax" is ^  to 
set  the  etr.ndards  of  one  clues  againct  tiiose  of  anotlierj     thus  it 
w5.11  cavtSG  tlie  choice  of  personage  to  be  dependent  on  type  rather 
than  ciu,racter,     Grande t,  for  exniaple,   is  a  type  deliberately  chosen 
as  such,  as  roay  be  seen  frosa  the  quotation  cited  above*   (1) 

Borocver,  the  lack  of  any  universal  ci  Iter  ion  is  not  confined  to 
tiie  author's  cdaoficn  iTsrooaftfles  "tjiit  is  true  of  tiie  author  &s  hoU* 
BftXzac  reprenenta  Gi^ndet  as   imi>ort£int  In  IXigenio'a  life  bocatiae 
he  is  typical  of  **le  eeul  die*;  Modeviie".     TtrnQ  he  is  using 
contonporary  aocicty  as  his  |>oint  of  refe^'once^     3u^o  lias  Trollo 
oeadwm  his  oun  attitude  because  it  la   tint  of  the  prlci.^,  not  tliat 
of  the  ctTKiQon  man*     Baso  intoads,  api>areirlly,  t^a  \ise  tlic  cccffiion 
»an  as  his  point  of  reference*     ,.liat  la  true  in  tv;o  cases  Trill  be 
true   in  i>mtjmorable  Ciuies*     Reread  ttio  quotations  v/lilch  refer  to 

(1)  See  abovo,  p,   51,     Kefoi^jnco  is   to  quotation  fron  IXirenle  Grande t. 
507,  303* 


nugenio  or  to  QiiaBiraodo,  for  Instrrcoi^  and  oufcoinr©  hc^  aonetantly 
tiie  auUjOi'  intcivcno45   In  omcr  "Lo  QXplein  }>iB  personage*     uh^a. 
I;5iii:uc  rcJLaicc  one  oi   lX2i;ciii€ 't.^  c-ctiftu*,  lic  4.'eoli»,  at  Vhb  s^^fae  tliie, 
tii^  necessity  oX   Jj.torpretlrifc  it  and  £a<i&;     "L *iu:iocoiieo  ose  seule 
«.4.6  telies  i:e.rcliesses»"   (1)     l&igo  describes  'xi:r;a3EK>do*&  p3iyeical 
cleroi^itlea  acu  at  once  pi^occodn  zo  In. Uiv i't^ \.  theto  verorsiities 
in  tb&  llt:ht  of  his  own  bcllcX";     '11  ect  certain  v:tiq  i 'esprit 
B*atrcpbiG  dans  un  corps  iMuaqa^*''    {£)     Thus  the  author  actimlly 
beccsacs  a  .>c3.'ocEe.t;C  In  tlio  .irai.iu»     It  rnay  be  st^gostoU  that  the 
difrcronce  betucen  cluaaicisa  and  rojaintitsitsjf   in  this  r^spaot  is 
€»xplain^  by  the  diTroi  oiice  in  tiie  conventions  jHilutin*-  to  dvama. 
(xsofl  novel*     Cortainiy,  tlic  diTferoxice  la  even  rur»tjier  accoutiiatod 
ahGii  tiie  coniXirison  is  inadc  botwtion  classic  di'ama  and  ra  tan  tic  novel 
but  tlK'-t  diiTeroncu  still  eoiiattj,  nevortbol^so,  v.-^jen  tho  ccy-iparison 
la  .  '-idu  uotAVcen  tlitf  clacaic  jjiid  i^oi^in tic  novel*     lixdca.io  do  La  layette 
relates  iiaiJartially  the  Koriente  of  .ioakixjso  und  atreneth  as  tSiey 
auooood  OV&  unotlior  in  tlxQ  comioiousnfitSct  of  l&^jC^eme  do  Cloves*     I&igo 
or  Balsac,  as  tiie  quotations  ahov:,  explajjq  the  genoaia  of  a  certain 
riia^  ^tttitaJe  in  each  or  tlieir  noreonagcs  c-.n-l^   In  tiiiit  oxplRnation, 

;  auUiOi-*&  t-.a.s  la  revcalod  "y  tho   very  ncijoctlv^s  'k-  nsos  or 
Uio  an£t.lo^:ics  he  asaploys*     By  choosing  for  himself  ono  o«t  of  all 

stanuai'ds  poseiblo   the  anciior  is  choosing;  not    inly  a  reforczwse 
foi'  hiaiselT  iii  hiii  life  but  also  c:  rcfci'once  for  tho  popoonaces 
..lio  iippear  in  his  ca-t*     'oSao  iinportanco  of  tlio  uisappcv.i^ncG  of 
.Iversal  standard  of  jud^pont  cannot,  tixos^oforv^  be  ovoi*- 


(1)  Biilsrc,  E-.i-^criio  Gi-.Mxlct.   30» 

(£)  mco,  I^   ['/._  o  ,c   a;rit>,   I,  175, 


As  lidS  beon  siifrg^sted,  one  of  ..;evitab.le  i»esults  of  S'leh  an 

vxio'MQ:f^^l ,  unre^'ulaio^i  >mlvo7'oo  is   tlrtt  iTMch  Introcbtces   the  atitlwr 
Iilrtsel?  as  the  interp:^eter  of  h       fictlcnial  citation.     E^t  there 
Is  a  socorsS  fona  of  intoriTJ'ot^iclon  anr.l  It  Is  lihig  j^ict  \;hlch 
esplntns  the   lntr<Dtt«cv.ior8  iii-Lo  ^nny  of  tlic  ro:jantlcist  noirGlG  of 
peiraona^s  wlio  do  iiot»  in  any  way,  affect  tlio  action.     Cluitoaioriand, 
fca?  ©»:(niple»  .lntz»oduceo   Into  Atala  a  v^rieat  ^ho,  altiiough  his  I'ole 
Is  given  considerable  iiaportancc,  appears,  novortliclous,  osily  cus 
a  Sis  in  tor  Gi:;  tort  si">octntor  of  'ilnu  actlcew     Thic  ic  also  true  of 
pere  Souol's  a:^i)e£u?ance  In  Keno*     Tlieir  s^el^tion  to  the  otiior   -ior^ 
sonages  le  neither  social  rov  sentiirental»     Tnoj  ar5E>e£c=  only  In 
order  to  jUiiGe»     Siey  hear  the  otor-/»  welch  the  ovldenco,  cxsl  give 
Vae  verdict.     Yno^  act  soneu-hat  In  the  nannor  of  the  old  Greek 
olK>i^^»     ISielr  function  beoceos  even  nore  obviotis  in  Dolphino  ^rhere 
Stee*  de  StaSl  Introdueos  a  is^ole  series  of  ^/oiaen  peruoxmgos  who  ore 
entirely  Dutside  of  tlie  rm.hi  s^ctl(.>n  and  in  no  rray  effect  Uio 
develo^xient  of  tlie  '"lot.     "Trioi  '  inti*oditctlm  trould  accm,  therefore^ 
to  be  TTuroly  gratuitous".     Further  study,  however,  reveals  the 
fact  thit  each  of  theoc  rrcncn  is  offerin;   the  naric  inter  pre  t^r-t  ion 
of  tiio  ooi'Tont  nttitU'.le  tOHr.rd  life  and  is  siJi:C'^«t'i-'^  dlffci'ont 
solutions  of  the  problem  7/hlch  this  attitiiao   in^rolves.     Mile* 
d*Alb»aar,  line*  de  Belmont,  Ifeio*  do  Lebcnscl,  I5-:o.  do  Cci'l^bes, 
present  to  Del^hine  hi  tuim  Uieir  piiiio-io  -i^ca    'f  life   :::xl  t":cir 
succosaive  interj^retatdorio  accordinL-   to  tlieir  varying  standards  of 
^Jderaent  serve  v.s  interludes   in  the  '^jaiti  act  1cm;.     liore  obviously 
timn  any  otJier  of  the  romanticists,  Vicny  introducos  into  his  Hork 
the  per3<vnti£:o  rfhose  r^c  is  \>lalJily  llsaited  to  that  of  comentator. 
3^  Cinc;~Kars  Comelilo  and  Mil  ton  fulfil  tliio  rolej     in  Ctollo 


to. 


ar*a  ZyC.  vSin;3a  ^telio  and  Boctem'-Iloir;     ami  in  "_ ^  ;  f  iliore  aiwer^rs, 

a£  ncU,   tlio  Jew  wlio^s  letters  fori  fir  matrt  r.ov? i.  1 '^--i  of  tbe  ^x><^ 
Eic  FtG'elj  accidental  relatlcn^-ilp  ,."'iiji:  ;x;iiicna^oij  sxich  :.s  tlicse 
■bc7J*  to  the  action  la  not  loss  evident  "in  the  aoTcls  into  Tihicli 
Sand  lntfod-ic">G  V\W!m     'nan^  thonr    -^orsonagos  wlioso  only  rgason  for 
esistenc'j  i<h..;'  ix?  ©r.id  -;^  xi^.  iip..n  their  funotion  o  ciionic  and 

tbeli^  T'illinfnoas  to  offer  apjiarently     iaintDPesls*.!  testin^ny  uxid 
liatsrprctatlon,   hq  v^ay  montlnn   the  ^  t.5.B»ice  of  Ilatiix-'at,  Jean  Japi)e- 
loup  of  Le  l^alae  Co  l.:«  ;        "   o,  the  "iiive"  of  liivoiior  ot  ^  ). 

/jQGcl  of  Spi:  ,^  Jacques  and  Gli""  Kalpli  of  Le  Z-laalo  aux  c.'m^^^a. 

the  nasT:»r.tor  of  Hora.",e,  ojlvla  of  Jacguea,  dan  Aleo         Leone  Leoni» 
On  tiic  other  i^iand,  or.ception  ?nade  of  tiic  Aro^-rt  oi:  Go1j.c-c1  ot 
cello*!:.,  Iluijo,  Balzac,  ami  Gautisr  offer  no  exr^ipls  of  tlio 
lntrod.iiotlr?n  of  o   norgona^io  i-»er-ely  In  oi^de-'  t'lat  he  itay  sei^-^re  as 
jud^:©  and  Interpreter* 

Yet  the  '^rcGcnce  of  s'^'.eh  ix^ri^-oniiires  In  tliG  r-nortory  of  rariantlcisaa 
is  a  significant  uugiiry.     The  ncrt  tliey  play  is  qiilte  distinct  rroo 
that  o^*  the  "confidant"  '«ho  a  ncu\-'&   In  classical  ai^iria*     Bio 
"confidant'    was   Involved   in  the  r.ction  ttt'OLtgli  his  loya3,ty  to  his 
TCfiSte?*.     15k;  rvs^antlc  "intcroi-etev"  has  a  llfn  entirely  apart  froai 
tJiat  of  v/hlch  he  is  spectator*     Moreovor,  each  of  the  ixj^incipal 
eirxraGiXi'"S  JUi  cliicsiictet  dixirna  ni^ht  liave  a   "coiifL.lr.nt"  wlisj^oao      the 
"Interpi'cter"   la  a  -xirtlSHii  T.'liose  voice  recoivos  autl^ority  frora 
tbe  mere  fact  that  ho  is  represented  as  a  di;iint>Grest©d  speetc.tor» 
211©  iw^ser^cje  of  tJie  '* confident"  wns  <i\  o,   in  fact,  to  the  erisencles 
of  tlie  dt^na  oiiil  the  claesiclot  novel  uoco  av/oy  with  even  this 
BiiOjeotion  of  c^sanentary.     The  nero  existcnco  of  llie  "interpreter" 


In  the  fOTTontiolat  novel  ln<3.1&'^t©5,  •there.fo:?^,  plainly  onon^,  the 
dlTfitnilty  sliicli  the  T^riter  r?.cod  "hen  he  attempted  to  lnteriH»©t 
tl2ro\i^  lltGixitnre  a  world  'jhicli  Imd  lost  its  fixed  bisls  for 
inter  pro  tatlon£» 

So  close  Is  the  x^lntionship  that  necessarily  oxints  betr;eon  tlio 
choice  or  r^vsoiiaiios  anti   the  rmnner  of  tt:oii'    "^egonVition  tha.t  to 
dlscutiG  one  Is  Incvitahly  to  fliaGtit;s  the  othe3-»       o  aiiv^,  for  instance 
already  o"bS€T*ved  tlKj  fact  thr\t,   in  the  ronantic  novf;l,  the  natur« 
of  the  fate  in  V7}iich  the  personr^oc  is   involve<l  dononds  upon  oxtornal 
causes.     ISio  Iocs  of  a  vmivarcril  Idor^l  io  directly  petioonsiolo  for 
tills*     ^-"o  trc^edY  in  clasEtcla^  is  tlie  loss  of  :aclf-control,  tlio 
failuro  to  rioasure  xip  to  tlio  ideal.     In  rcHaantioisri  each  individual 
Is  folloifinij  his  oi7n  ideal  nnd  1"  ho  does  not  att-ain  to   it,   it  is 
only  hecaiise  or  the  lr3;>ossi"bility  of  eillo'.ilar  free  :^lay  to  the  Ofro 
and  the  ecolstic  irapiilsefl*.     This  is   tlic  nature  of  the  tragedy  in 
poimntlclsii:.     Tliis  in   tsKJ  iH>ason  Cov  ita  oxteinmlijiation*     "Pot,  if 
the  obstacle  can  never  lie   in  the  individual  ec;o.  Intent  on  its 
individual  ideal,   it  miot  lie  bcycHaJ  the  oso,  in  tlio  material  world 
outeide. 

Consider,  for  ox'tn-^lc,  the  -manner  in  ^hich  T^enc   is  ->rc3ontod.     Rono 
ascrlbeo  directly  to  God  the  !iat?ire  which  he  is  rcpr-jucutod  to 
posscsG:     **— G*33t  toi,  .Utr-ft  supr^no,   snirce  d*ancrar  et  vie  beaute, 
c*G3t  toi  scul  cpoi  me  orcas  tel  quo  je  ouio,   at  tol  sooil  me  pettx 
coaprontli^ r*   (1)     Ko  fcclc   the  ©nl  of  riio  lifs  appo.-'oachinc  aai 

(1)  Cliateaubriand,  Les  Hatches;,  Z'.'-?., 


"uoo  Joluta  in  tiiose  tciTisi 

— Ja  a*Ga.;t^G  do  la  vloj     l*Giiiiul  n*a  tCRijouvo  devor^: 

ce  qui  Ij"  :ie   Ic         '  ly^?rr?es  no  nio  tov.cl^         '.Int. 

— — :^i  ...  _-...  ^    ..ii  A   ''     _     ,  l:i  c:ooi.&l6  ot  la     ri'ont 

las^^»     Je  sulG  vertuGiix  sans  plalsir;     3:1  j^otals  crl.Tilnel, 
jc  ic  acraia  l.  uxia*— '-- Qmo   ^^  '       ^  "-^^ 

adlGU,  oil  rjue   „v        „  ^   v  >'a3,  2?ovolr       .  ,    ,,      ...        ,    .  alqv»e 
ciiose  no  dit  que  :m  destiiioc  a*acc<xipii%  (1) 

Sals  ic  --nc  cf  Eeno'c  noDt  cli:\i*actGrlctlc  opeocl-tosv     TTctXr.o  tliat 
tiio  oirTipathy  ;;hich  he  hopec    co  iaspii*^  In  Celuta^  toid,  at  the  same 
tfcie,  i3?iicli  Chatoaubrland  expects  to  Inaplre  In  tlie  reader.  Is  a 
s^aipatiiy  occo2\Iod  liim  bocauso  of  the  adverse  c  ircutititancos  wlil<^ 
he  iias  GiiCount.<5rocl»     It  io  quiU;  otiici-^ilse  in  classicist  practice 
where  '^liatevcr  QjP'ii'iatlr^  the  prota^joiiist  ecuiraands  Is  due  to 
adjiilratlon  of  his  CiKirc.ctnr»     At  VAa  ac^rao  tlr^e,  '^ene*3  tragedy  may 
socragi  £"UiX)rf  iciaily,   to  Ix.  a  U^agudy  or  Cijaractfei'^*     Iflils  ia  not 
true,  hoffovor,  in  the  classicist  oons^*     ?hedi^e*s  tragedy  is  due 
to  tlie  ravi.£-cs  uorkcd  on  her  cliarc.cter  hy  riaGsion.     Eeise  I«  destined 
to  oniiui,  dositincd  liOt  to  la'ioy  iovo»     Tii.it  is  Vila  ta'agedy.     Biit^ 
since  it  is  evident  tint  r>.eno  aclaiotiled^es  hliviGoir  to  be  the  jaippet 
of  cii^ctoustarices  and  iiicapablo  c"  ciodlfjrinc  hlo  .-im  ^t^-,  *he 
tra^oo^"  ic  pui'cly  ■•x-ciianliitic  lii  liatui^e*     In  a  siiillar  .  iiniier, 
Q'uai;i!:uDdo'£;  tragtxly  isi  cviden-iiy  due  to  physical  rat3ier  tlKan  spiri- 
tual cii'rnr^rr:v-;nccs#     In  hie  cas*;,   the  "^hycicnl   eaune  llec  in  i.tie 
appeai-auow  ;..;_ic,  in  IlcKie's  dso,   tlic  pliyslcal  caiise  is  revealed 
tlirouf^  hia  ixiiisions,  and,  in  IXigonic  Grande t.   It  is  revealed  tlirough 
tlie  natcrifilisEi  of  Gi^ndct  and  Clmrlos. 


On  tiic  otlicr  \^nl,  it  «111  Ik;  I'oaemhcred  t}K\t,   in  clans  icist 
(1)  ChrtGaubrland,  Lcc  i:  ,  • 


pi'jxctice,  the  conody  nho^a  the  extronjc  of  any  passion  as  subject 
to  T'ldidilr*     But  i*o"iuntlclGin  shorrs  tiic  cxti^oic  n.a  nonriarsding 
adnlratloxi,  reaiioct,  or  fear,     nrj:'pr.£Ton  Is  mocked  Ijut  Gi^r.Met  Is 
respected  l7y  his  follow  torrnsricn  and  feai'od  Ijy  Eugonie*     It  is  the 
perfection  or  ■.y*aBixio6o*:^  ii^liiiesa  tlia^  c-rrtmda  the  acfcriration  of 
tliC  people  of  Purls,     /.leeatc  ta  rldieuiod  out  JJacquos,  v/b.o  Is 
likatT3.SG  tho  c'3n'^l0t.o  nisantl^i'Oi-'iBt,  Is  prcoentod  as  a  nodal  of 
perfection.     Siis  Is  the  obvloue  corollai';?/  of  the  lock  of  any  sot 
standaixl  of  values*     Jr.ccucs  is  c  nvinced  of  tho  justice  of  his 
own  convlctl  ins  and  follous  U  xm  to  tx  logical  conclijolnn,  that  is, 
to  the  cxtr'OTTO  dlct-ated  ]yj  sentiment  anil  tmcorvected  'jy  any 
x^cusoimhlo  J"v'd^,riont«     Tlie  presentation  of  clioi^acter  roduced  to  tli© 
x»^e3cnti;tion  of  tlie  extroiaes  of  different  points  of  view  appears, 
tiieiHJf'X'^e,  as  I'lo  coixrrn  j^i'cctice  in  jvTnanciclsn,     In  such  a  novel 
as  Sand's  r  2^  Q  trhere  Lucie  Is  surroimdod  by 

boi'  fatlior,  iier  ijrandf  ither,  her  flnncc,  an'A  hor  cpiritiial  adviser, 
it  can  LCr;!Xjely  seer:  onti-'^ely  fortnlto^is  tlint  <^.ch.  of  thOi-j©  per- 
sonages iirosents  different  -and  hi  "•ily  conti»a3ting  rcllGi' <is  idoals 
carried  to  tiicir  absolute  e:xtroRie«     In  tliese  ctrciBastancos  tlie 
fact  th't  csach  T>e"i*rsonasc  presents  a  dlf fe^^ent  ide^il  of  conduct 
b€>Cv:i:;oa  sisnlfioant  and,   indeed,  stAt^iiests  t"mt  tlxo   Introdiietion  of 
a  poi^oonaro  corresponds   to  the  inti»odiiction  of  one  of  the  \mriou6 
abstract  examples  of  idetils  tiriono  K}iich  a  choleo  rtay  be  nade. 
Such  a  choice  of  pei^conti^e  is  die  tn ted  Ijy  t}ie  desire  to  nvoseat 
an  ideal  of  r^llj-ion  anul  la  dotoTTn'ned  by  tlic  fact  tliat  riich  an 
ideal   1:;;  no  loiicor  aeoepted  unquesti  minijly  as    mo  and  indisputable. 
In  I5alj;;ac'G  L'lntcrdl'.tlon  tho  nsaj^cuis  d'rspard  and  his  %-lfe  live 


soparate.1  fron  one  cnothor  because,,  tyhllc  l^ie  marquis  Uvea  by 
ideal  of  a  vanlchcxl  cacicty  o,""  fixed,  standards,  tho  maansalQe  Uvea 
by  tlie  Idoal  of  tiic  contompoi^arj-*  riaterlalistlc  society.     Here  once 
more  tiie  prosGntation  of  iJerson;ige  becofios  act\ially  tlio  presentation 
of  an  ideal  and  the  fact  t^iat  there   Iv,  no  longer  £'.ny  ainfjlo 
accented  convention  as  to  tlio  perfect  social  systcmi  is  at  the  root 
of  the  presentation  of  tlie&o  Balzexsian  fifxuxssW 

Bie  question  Imcdiatcly  arl.ae£ :     if  one  roemntic  peraoimoe  laresont* 
the  extrerae  of  a  glvoii  ideal,  rnotijer  personage  the  extreme  of 
anotiuo*  ideal,  and  so  with  each  of  tl\o  personages  of  a  novel,  is 
this  virt^ially  to  ory  that  tJse  i  crmntic  ijersonage  ia  iJi^eoeutt^d 
only  tlirot^h  one  ^in^jle  aspect  of  l>ein£:?     It  is  o£  inooiaparablo 
importance  for  the    nax'^KHios  of  our  utady  to  doterm^.ne  to  what  extent 
SQCh  an  assunption  is  true  since  tJie  key  to  tlie  uhole  problee?  of 
efasraeter  creation  in  ronantlciisra  lies  in  the  conclusiona  Ijaplicit 
Sb  meSi  a  question* 

An  ansvcr  can  only  be  raode  oy  refc!>onee  to  definite  rcT^ttonages'* 
And,  because  Balzac •s  Grande t  fonaa  jriJch  an  interesti:ig  contrast  to 
lloliero's  Et.rpayon,  he  way  mill  servo  as  one  of   lur  references  j 
while.  In  order  to  shov;  Yxnvt  c^iaracteristic  Balzac's  procodurt,  Is^, 
It  will  bc:  nccGnar.-i-^j  to  trace  cai  efully  sc»ne  otlier  typical  Tnethod 
such  as  tlmt  of  i|nc*  do  Htacl  In  her  'presentation  of  one  of  her 
princiiml  pci^conacoB :     Srfeu.il* 

It  lioa  been  shojm  tliot  Qranc?.et  anpeara  in  2uGei"Jie'o  ^/orll  as  the 


doalnant  force,   avjniiiiie  up  in  hljnaoir  the  whole  spli'lt  of  t2ie 
contcniX)ra2*i   oo^ioty.   (1)     It  i:.     -ily  iiatur-al,  tiierefoi'o,  tlmt,   in 
tlie  COGS tr-v'-ct Ion  of  the  uorld  in  wiiich  lM£<^nlQ  mist  rkjv©,  Balsac's 
..ttcntioQ  £lioiild,  as  ap-jeoi-a  to  b©  tlio  c&8e«  be  alriosi  entirely 
concentrated  an  the  riij-ui'©  or  Grandet*     The  eai'ly  pagoo  of  tho  lx>ok 
do  little  iao:^9  tlian  Tnentlcai  2ut;cnie*s  naaae*     On  the  ot.ii©i'  haai^ 
tliose  pCiQes  ure  concerned  -..itli  a  sttitenient  of  Gi^andet's  financial 
stcitus  ar^  a  dOQcription  oJ  tlie  nothods  by  Tihich  Grandot  sucaoeded 
In  inpr ovine   that  stat-us  and  in  incrocalng   L-iie  value  of  his 
possess lci:3*     One  such  ricthod  is  trie  acquliiitioa  q^  u  uiffi  for  Vm 
sake  of  her  acsTY  a»i  tiiC  procpectlvo  Iniiei  Itances*     Of  caothey 
motJjod  Balzac  vn-ltesi     "H  avj:,lt  fait  fJiire  dans  I'intorot  de  la 
ville  d'excellonts  choiain£i  qui  nenalont  a  aes  pi^pritTtea*"   (2) 

Sixiilarly,  Grandet'a  imputation  asione  the  inliahitantii  of  oaiaav 

le  in  direct  i-elation  tc  the  value  of  liia  poaseosions*     It  is  a 

reputation  rhich  Icsoo  sittht  of  tlie  rmn  ©ntii'ely  and  pays  heod  only 

to  the  :aonci'  which  he  ropreeents:     "tlonsioui^  Grandet  obtlnt  alors 

le  nouveau  titrc  dc  ncbleose  q.\ie  noti'e  imr.le  d'^gollto  n*effaco3?a 

Jainals,  il  devjnt  Ic  r>lMS   l-^'Ose  dc  l^arrondisseracnt,'^   (2) 

n  n*y  avalt  dans  Sa'^psur  poi^oonno   (;ui  ne  fut  persuade  ciue 
r    -  ■ ' -rur'  Grandot  n'cut  \m  tr^sor-  pia-biciallor',  xmo  c  te 

-de  loxiia  et  ne  se  dori;iat  nuiu:jnniont  les   iiiei.  .    -.^ 
jc6,iiC3n.nCG3  rue  procure  la  vue  /. 'ima  ^jrande  liiaooo  d*oa*» 

Lc3  avr.rlcteux  en  avalcnt  unc   oo   "      '  .  voyant 

lo::  youx  du  ':jon"-^^;.r  o,   :a:xj.uc1o  1^      ''^   __    .,  .  _._    ;it 

avoir  cor.r  ainiqu(^  sec  teiates*  — »—  Zionsleui^  Graiidet 
inspirait  ":  I'caiimc  I'ec.^oc'  o  h  laq^  c""  it 

droit  vin  c,-ui  n^  da /alt  rien  a  ..  ••.•(^^) 

(1)  Gee  abov^,  p«  31«     reference  is   to  quotation  fr<sa  I^ugenio  Graiidot- 

307,   300.  -^^^'* 

(£)  Balf:ac,   DiK-'nio  Crandot-  2^1. 


It   .t.:.     nly  fron  the   rir-Qnclcl  point  of  vicvT  wiax  iiis  actions  ar« 

cnviiiagecl  and  It  Is  the  financial    ">:int  of  vtev*  that  inaplj'eo 

v.'hatovcr  rc'^^ti^'f'^'*-  ^"'•^  nr'^imos   In  others: 

Flnr-     "^     :-!nont   •^ar'-xi-.l-j  tpo      "  ■"        "    "  '6 

et  u_  .-,_:     il  oavait  cc  c     .     ..-,     „     -— ,   -  -- .,-,'--" 

longtcnr^j  aa  pi^io,  sautcr  cicssus;     rjoia   il  o'uv_'*ait  la 
giiciilG  ■  '        '        "     unc  '  J  d*ecus, 

et  CG    -    ^--    -  „  -    „    -^ .-  ->  .   le  &..      .  -.  qxii 

dioe^^o,   inposslolc^^froM,  ;  i^-Uaodique.     Personno  no  Ic 
^onrtiit  ^oaDGor  sans  c  zontlr.\Q-       ••    ■    •        -  :  .v^ 

aela^GO  tlo  roapoct    .  .      _    ^_         ii*"*     Cbav  .„  _.^  n' 

n'ai'-ait-ll  pas  scat!  lo  dechir.srioat  :x>li  do  aea  ^'riffes 
d»aci0r?   (1) 

Accorcllncly,  from  the  point  of  view  of  tho  srtoll  ?;o:>ld  of  Sa-oamrp, 

:;also.c  show©  Gmndet  to  s'crR'"^SGnt  no  nr-rQ  t^ion  a  ncasc,  a  r&jm&  not 

alcnif5.caat,  5ji  any  way,  of  rriicnivy   juz  oqiiivalcnt  vmly  to  tlie 

sitrn  of  gold:     "XJne  si  gran.lc  fortime  couvrait  d*xm  r.m.ntca\x  d*or 

totitee  Ics  QCtioriB  cic  cot  bc«B?c«"  (2) 


To  indiccte  Gmncct's  relations   to  ihc  craaller  i'orld  of    :i8  own 
haae,  Bolsac  r.- la  toe  the  Tntinrer*  n "  >i*r:  rl-.^rntic  oconoray  rod  details 
the  chcrrctpr  and  extent  of  his  only  Inrjo-v/n  cxnenses*     In  those 
paragraplio,  ho  rmy  1>o  snid,   f.ndecd,  not   to  bo  -iOEcribing  a  nan  Imt 
an  econoriic  s^-stcm. 

Finally,  Balcac  treats  the  qiiestion  of  the  relation  betvreon  tho 
outer  rianner  end  the  inner  r.nn*     He  ^Tritos;     "Los  aanici-ec  de  cot 
hoamc  dtaiont  fort  aiiaples»"   (o)     Once  Taoro  rJ.1  trace  of  liLrsanlty 
Is  noelectod  and  tJiore  erTcrGos  only  o   cyst^OT  of  economy  althorugh, 

(1)  Bale  no,   ii3pon?.o  G'*anJet-   28o« 

(s)  Tl^r,,  ea.. 


In  this  case,  Omndet  orxs'-'clsc^  t*'"^  ec'nony  not  in  thn  mttei»  of 

ana  social   intercoiiroc* 

H  jKirlait  pcu. r'r.illcnH'S,  quatix  3os  c:2ictos 

aut&nt  que  des  fo  aUsC^brlquoc   lui  Qoy^^/ric'v.: 

1.  ■'c-    t:o\i^o3  lea 

d:  ^  . (1) 

n  n'cLllait  j  ana  Is  cbec  pcrronno,  n«  -vron  la  it  nl  I'ecevoip 
n?  a  d^       S     11  nc   '    *     :'•     •       °      '     "     .it-  qx> 

L.  "  r  tc-at,     ^  .  .    .    ) 


Tip  to  tills  point,  Qrandct,  rernalni;,  tlKjrcforc,  TJhat  iio  was  wlicn  1^ 

t  o.T-TCtircd:     a  r-ici^  nnnc  r.ttaclicd  zrbltrririly  to  o.  T/oodon 

.  aiiT-tjc*     .dic  iiaiic  licio  cjne  to  rcprc^aat^  firstly,  the  gold  for 

wiilch  tl:ic  vll3figei'£  inspect  jind  fear  hliri;     secciKliy,  the  eeoncm^ 

rrlilch  -TTcccrnrco  t'ruit  cold  and  liven    ::nly  In  rclntlcainlilp  to  lt» 

iiici'^c  I'cmiiiii,  :.ov;c"'J'Gi',   die  piyr^ieai  '-Ciicriptioa  o-'   Uio   ixr.-Gon  of 

Cr-cntiGt»     Sils   pliyslCT-l  dcGcrlptlon  It.  Given  at  l.:'iigt:i«     TIio  reader 

iicJ:cc   -Jic  t''nn'  of  Gmnact  Jt2i;t  r.o  he  n!"ht  noire  tlic  toxir  of  sane 

iiipo.  :..-g    -    :  : lent  crti,  uhui  i:e  ptiujct.    .o  aal:  the-  r.ioaniiig  cf  tills 

ulk  rind  Ox   theco  ■tn'-onaod  Sov.turcij,  Df*lLac  licictens  to  givo  his 

£;uidn.ncG.     lie  c:'pi::in5:   tiic  ptiycic.l  sl^-nifl'-^-^nce  of  Grandot's  "bwlk 

in  -w^iTiic  of  L-.v'^r-ice: 

Ccttc  fiijUTQ  arnoDi^jiit  ttiie  finocsc  daacci'CAioo ,  xino  jTroTjitQ 
sanr     '    "        ,  I'tfeolome  d  *       "^mo  ^^  '  * p    "^  ^  2' 

ooc  _         ,  .  :%Q  danc  J.U  j.  .      ..   .ice  dc  „' _    ie 

scul,  etre  qui  l"ui  fut  rebllo  v  nt  do  cjielqtie  ehoae^  sa  flllo 
Dufjenie,  mi.  Boule  udi'itiei'o.   (3) 

Even  tlTc  luioaii  scntlrxint  v.-hich  rolatoc  a  rsxn  to  hlo  dauti'liter  Is 

tTfinalatotl  try  I3ai^.ao  into  tijc  mterlal  scntSrient  r:!~:lc1-!  relates 

(1)  Bairac,  ISinenic  Graiidct-  235, 
(5)  "TTId^,  np;. 


calth    >o  It  i?iitm^  de.posttcoY*     Evon  uie  ciothii^'  v/hich  Gi'andet 
veaps  ia  a  tr.V£wit.e  to  h?.s  syster.  of  ©conony:     "Tcaijoin^s  v^iu  d© 
lu  iicijc    nn.'.ore^   cnl  j.r  vr-nnit  "».' 1'^iv.rl»"'tnl  ir    voyr.it  t^l  ru'il  otalt 
dopAla  1701."   (1)     aoGi'^j.  iii'o,  -^c^iJGJtic  iix'o,  persoijoi   lire,  ia 
GraiidGt,  all  havo  ■bocu  s-ai'ToyGd :     "fiattius'  ne  sftvt^.it  i»ien  de  plus 
„  ._    CO   "»G3:*ao''snp.'-c'«"   (2) 


A  s-usmar-y  of  t^io  knoi?ledge  whieh  oatzEtus*  o.nd  tiiQ  i'Ott<2)9P  nou 

nill  o'lorr  t^-ic  IcnoRledfe  to  -pcnvo.zcnt  one  Hiri'jle  jiassloji,     !?o  naiw 
Granacw  .'c  lc  nnnc  a  ilviiiij-  f^t^Iou  ror  ti'^i^l*     Aside  ri^am  "tills 
pai5slon,  n- thing  else  le  known  or  rovoalocl  of  hij3»     !?hat  Grar*let 
hnr:   n"T.^r^  tf5  r-r?T"ir.ont  a  slnglo  roasslon  unci  a  oi»! -Ifli   '^haao  of  being 
to  j.irfin\n^,  in  gcnci^al,  is  urxleniable*     His  nasi©  la  not  tli©  synbol 
of  :  feut  the  oyffiool  of  ens  of  tho  .laisy  ppasions  tii&t  exiot  in 


Yet,  3r   t^-ls  c:  tlTJucB  to  b*^  true  for  S-^wapjr,  dceo   it  contlotte  to 
"h"  tr^-T^   f^cr  P.'">.lr-'"?^*G  r-"""' ■'<*""^     Does  the  Aut'i'^-p^  if^rhaps,  exerciee 
hiG  crTiiacicrvCo   in  cur  iavour  ?. nd  rr-lato  Gi^n-iei  to  nonie  otliex*  arorld 
aiid  so  to  so!ae  litcEaR  complertlty  of  life?     Bal;^rtc  goes  on  to  descrlbo 
ti'jo  STsall  £OCictr-  nblc>i  n-jn^rcmKla  OrandGt*     But,  t>}ls  sooioty  Is 
att3?a«tGd  to  hiLi  crxly    rj  t^ic  f^ct  of  lils  wealth  *iaa   jy  Uic  ?~y.3pQ  of 
Itn  acquicltion*     Di^jenie  Giij-nirioB   to  the  s  of  thle  -joeiei^ 

what  cliG   cl  nicies  to  Tr-'findot  jilr-telf.     Ghc   is  tho  h#irG8ii  and  toe 
acans  or  approaci)  to  ai'uc^ot's  «^.aiu)#     Hence  Uic    'ivali^  in  toe 
society  rliicli  suri^cniade  tvi-j^nrJ.ot  is  a  rivalry  for  i:?ugcnio*3  rionul  aal 


(2)   Ibi^.,  £.-/. 


''  _^  2S6. 


the  Eixj<r.ilatlO!is  as    ,  "vlt  are  GT^eculatloms  in  s»o^rrd  to 

tiic  t!l£5T>ot3itlon  of  Gimiidct^s  woalth  ami  not  In  rogard  to  I3iii;^enie*s 


coiicluocc  :7j  tiic  ractoi^iCui  c■uec^ions     'v^g  nc  dii^ai-u-on  r^-ii  ci'tme 
lici'ltierc  dent  oa  imrlalt  a  virig-t  lieues  a  la  ixsnSe  ot  Jiasqii©  dans 
les  vijltv^pcc-  pu'>llcitor:>,   ii'*nn©T'<3  ri  Blolr.   inn'^T-'nlvT-^nnt?"    (1)     In 
tills  '^ray,  UiO  society  of  iiaTjnrur,  c:-nccntratGd  iii  ois:  porrons.  Is 
Boen  to  revolve  2??ct5nd  G!.''ani©t*o  wealth.     Just  so  dpcs  the  life 
rithln  <?i-^.*"^ict*c  hri^cc  revolve  nbctit  tlie  snjn-'o   p'?r.""»r    nnr-"^t  of  "fils 
I5.fe»     Gi^rsict  is  ncitiicr  iiusboxa  nor  fe.tiicr;     Lc   it;  :i(;Vv.;./  anything 
hut  rais<^r,    Balsac  '.T^itea:     "Dop-'-ls  icnctonpa  l^airare  dlsiri'bv.alt 
Id.  ch'^.nclGl'.e  a  cr.  flllc  ot  a  la  Grtindc  ?Jr.!icn,  dn  rr^o  qri'il 
dl2U"iAmf.t       s  le -m  tin  Ic  pain  ct  Ics  c.cnrcec  ::ecoGauii'oa  a  la 
C'ri  omma    " ->n  Jo»y»naller'e»"   iP)     It  is  not  SRnon,  tho  s~r-7nnt,  tlmt 
Q-^-arrlf't  r -^  rcolater.   It  Is  only  the  rrialit—  *rt  ITancn  rhlo'i  eoii*e- 
aponcit.  te  Grandct'a  vinit^e  oliaracteriijtic:       i^  neccGDlto  T^nSLlt 
cottc  pauvi»o  flllc  si  avare  qtto  Grai-jdct  avalt  flni  par  I'airscp 
ccmj-.e  tm  a5xx,  vtn  chion,"   (5)     S-rrn  the  -^Itv  t?hlch  n?TLnc':ot  fcRln  for 
Honon  la  not  an  oi'dlnnry  Ironan  Licntzrici  '  .      ~      ":.:  ^'cotwG  atrocG 
pltic  d»avar-e«"  {•!) 


Already  Balsac  lias  rdoi^ted.  that  sariie  -attltuclc  •Uj'.mr'ci  Gran-lot  if'alch 
he  has  previously  ascrlhei  to  the  people  of  Saimir*     Ho  Ins  failed 
to  dlccovor  in  Grandot  aright  hut  tho  nioor,     Hv^i^r  Gr.oar'jit^  elcsnont 
of  his  prclliiiinapy  Ooacrlptlon  cojifltr.^^  Uic  alii^,lo  asixict  of  tliia 
so-callod  personage  and  confines  the  rrlatlonohlp  which  he  hoars  to 

(1)  Balsao,  ii    289* 

V2)   Ibi:,x  2^—  — 

(3)  TdIxT,.  29'i. 

(4)  TOT,,  29C, 


tliG  rest  of  tijc  ^orld  to  t,hat.  aspect:,     TJalgr-ac,   lixltjed,  r-ealinea 
that  Iio  ima  ppcaentod  Grande t  laot  fron  Uio  sIkinclpoiBt  o"  Vaziuxn 
claai'actGr  Irut  from  ths  standpoint  of  al^ti'act  Ideti,  of  Siapertional 
force,     152e  actlan  of  the  r.ovol  bG."ins  i/ith  the  entrance  of  ClMxrles'. 
Juat  pr-eviouc    uo  tiiia  cnti^anco  all   Iho  otltcv  actOi'a  in  tb®  dF«aa 
aro  ciGseiEbled  at  the  Graadct  hoiisc»     Bali%ac  drawo  hi&  I'eader's 
attention  to  the   taolosii  .vhlch  they  nposent  and,   in  ao  doing,  h© 
Qiiona  (^'audet's  preaciice  in  tiil£i  u.raiia  to  ue  tiio  acioinatii^  presonoe 
of  tlse  idea  v?hleh  he  iiiciirnatcs.     Grandet  is  n-Dt  an  actual  person) 
he  is  the  T^sPsonificcticn  of  a  cienlficant  fcjrco:     "K*otait-o«  pas 
Ic  sGui  diiiu  rruadcrnc  auquel  ca  ait  foi,  l';*rgont  dans  tou'to  sa 
i>uiscanc©,  expi'irie  par  unc  aeule  physionornio?''   (1) 

ThoauGi02''iaa'd,  Ci'a.iidGt  appears  as  a  necessary  oleriGnt  in  tha  action 
of  the  £t02^»     His  role  does  not  cimhuO^  howevoi*.     To  Eugenie,  ho 
oovox'  bcccncs  the  fatlicr,     Ca  the  contrary,  g!x.  lieccmea  ariai^  of 
Grandot  only  aa  one  niiij'lit  bcconc  iiwai^o  oi    the  stiiltiTying  tyranny 
jf  the  material  conditions  which  rule  in  hor  ^rofrld.     I^ilsac  wi^itca: 
"Poiir  la  rireralerc  fois,  cllc  cut  dans  lo  cooui"  de  la  tori»©up  a 
l*ai3p3UL.  de  -ion  i^re,  vit  oii  lui  le  :xixti-c  do  sen  sort,.,."   (2) 
G2?andct*G  judgnient  of  Clmrlos  lo   the   Jail^jcnt  of  the  ralaor  and 
Eugenie's  fSclin^  tovraitl  Grandot  ds'>cnda  m  an  avcrsxcn  to  tJio 
materialiatic  aiuitudu   llius  diapiayod*     Gpandot  iT^oakss      "— !.;ais 
CO  Jeune  hoisiie  n'cst  hon  a  plcn,  11  3*oocuno  pliio  dos  riKsr-ts  qtie  d© 
1  •argent,*   (o)     .'IXat^'cnle  aad  Iicr  rratlior  "bofJh  find  this  c.ttiti'.t'.o 

(1)  BalJ3ac,  EiKjenie  Grandet,  307, 


opprcGGlvo  aincc  it  cons-ur-.iiic  tiic  riO. tural  ccatitaGnt  In  tncsa.     "II 
■JortiW     s^2aiia  Grandot  eut,  tire  ia  pOK'tc,  Eugenic  3t  ca  n^e 
rcspii^roat  a  leur  aiso»"   (1) 


Bhat  lAigeiile  and  lior  notlior  iK-ails©  Ixit,  do  not  esjI^q  c::?piicit  in 

statcr-iGiit,  Dolsiic  hiixieir  augtjcata^     His  rurtiior  rcforcaces  to 

Grande  ii  are  alaost  witbDut  exception  GS:-?lalncd  by  refcreiKJc  to  the 

abstract  typo  i?lii{5li  iK>  oeuodlos^     TH^on  Qraiidet  gmicibles  against 

religion,  Dalcac  writcaj     "Ia^s  avarcs  nc  croicnt  iToiiit  ^  taie  vio  a 

vonli^...,      (-";)       hen  Bra^jac  i^clatos  Grandct*o  nocturnal  actlvitloa, 

1^  avMiS:     "2ou'ir  ixmvoii-  iatmialn  eat  un  scrattxjso    i-o  pationco  et  de 

teia->a»     L^s  gens  ixiisoants  vcilcnt  ot  veillontf*     La  vIg  do  I'aTare 

eat  tin  eonctant  eacrclcc  vie  la    ^  iGsancc  iRTriaine  nii^u  ^•-■.  o  rvice  de 

la  pQr-&omia.lltc»*    (C)     !K>  explain  the   Importance  of  Grandet's  x*^« 

ajid  the  Intcpest  vjhloli  tljiG  rclc  connands,  i3al2ao  iTrltocs     "Ou  ©st 

l^lKXsviG  oaiiG  desir,  ot  quel  d^ii*  aoclal  oo  i-dactid.i-'a  conr.  GJgont?"   (3) 

To  givG  a  i:ioro  oapliclt  picture  of  tho  absti^ct  idoa  ^liich  Grandet's 

I'Jlo  ooutaina^  Bal£;au  ^ch^  ous 

n  se  reacontrait  on  lui^  corr^e  cliss  tcau  _         "    ^^o,  un 
pnrr-aistant  be  :^oI:i    lo   jovior  u:  e  p^i'^^tio  uvcc  _  -jq 

:  .. ,  de  l^ur  -  _.  ecaii#     ir-ipoacr 

^^ .....  y.,  n  Got-ce    •..-  ^^j„      .^^.^.  ^.v.    .  ...TDir,  so  doinGi-* 

por-po tiiollGriont  ie  Jro^t    le  nmri^iaoi-'  cc^i:?  qui,  ti^oii  fai't)les, 

so  '  lol»*.  ^         I  .5»a3:«»is 

at  ctioi^r;}©   lo  tcutoG  Igg  -Tic^ti-'CG  tciT  otr-os,  colui 
uii',  .;  ia  LfO  \cc  ot  la  F: 

£; — -.-J'.^.     Cot  .-^,-..-u,  !•-.  ..  s.   lu   laiaSG  w'..^  .  .-^^sor, 
11  Ic  pai-CTuC,  Ic  tU3,  Id  cult,  io  wari^-o  et  lo  ne'rriso*     La 
pStiire  des  av-rec  so  corai^-iso  d*argent  ct  do  d6fLain»  (S) 

[1}  Bal.-a",  ilo  Gi^cuidct^  oSO, 

i«-  }    £  -XCl*  •    V        * 


^Is  is  a  metaphorical  pictitre  of  the  smnner  in  v;hich  money  takes 
the  life  from  rollcion,  of  the  tnanner  in  vrhich  Grande t's  miserliness 
•lowly  undenalnes  his  wife's  vitality* 

de  alx)ve  quotation  a^ipplles,  moreover,  the  koy  to  eve.^y  furtiier 

act  of  Gi^undet's,     He  thicks  the  I^'arlslane;     ho  tricks  Charles  j  he 

locks  up  Dugenle  In  her  room  aixl  causes  his  wife's  sickness  and 

dentil.     iSvery  one  of  these  acts  Is  dlctixtcd  l>y  one  single  passion, 

tlie  i^ission  for  ntoney.     It  Is  no  internal  sontlivient  timt  causes  hia 

to  free  rxjgenie  at  last,  only  iiic  necessity  of  preserving  his 

possessions  intact  at  hla  wife's  death*     Balzac  urltes: 

Suivant  une  ohscrvatlon  falte  sur  lea  a-wares-^sur  leo    ^ 
ambltle\i>i,  siu^  tous  los  gens  dont  la  vie  a  ete  consa^ec 
a  une  Id^e  dominante,  son  sentiment  avait  affectlonne  plus 
partictiliGrer.ont  mi  o-.,t^1.o1c     g  sa  nassion.     La  vuo  de  I'or, 
la  poscession  de  I'or  etalt  ievonuc  sa  mcaioKianle.     Son 
esprit  do  dcGpotianc  avait  ,;randi  en  pro  or t ion  de  son 
avarice,  ot  at:  ndonner  la  direction   le  la  raoindre  mrtle  de 
ses  "bienc  a  la  inort  de  sa  fra-ime  lui  paralcsait  une  ci^se 
jgontre  natiye*  -—  Enfln  11  prlt  son  parti,  revint  a  . 
Satcma?  a  I'^eiu-'c  du  dihor,  rcsolu    le  plier  devant  Dugenle, 
de  la  cajolor,  de  l*ariado\ier  afin  de  i>ouvolr  raotn-'lr 
royalcnent  en  tenant  Jusc]u*au  dernier  oouplr  Ics  r^nea  de 
ses  nilllons.   (l) 

Even  the  firuxl  act  of  Grandet's  life  is  irihuraan  in  character.     On 

his  deatiihod,  liugenie  asks  for  liis  bleasine  and  Gx*andet  replies: 

"— Aie  Men  aoin  de  tout.     Tu  me  rcixlras  corapte  de  ca  la-Tms,  dlt- 

11  en    n^o\ivant  ixir  cotte  derniere  iiarole  que  le  cla^istianisrie  dolt 

etre  la  rellijion  des  avai'^s*^'   (2) 


It  is  obvious  enouch  that  Balzac  pi'osents  Gi^andot  in  a  light  tJiat 
is,  literally,   Inlujruin,     His  death  offers   xjie  autiior  an  occasion  to 
show   the  doath  of  the  nlscr,  not  of  the  ;;ian3     siiailarly,  his  Trhole 

(1)  Balzac,  IXigenie  Grande t,  ^lAl , 

(2)  roid.,  4^7? —     


lifG   is  only  a  scries  of  illustrations  of  Uie  typical  I'oc-ults  of 
a  typical  passion.     Not  of  the  results  of  such  a  passion  on  Grandet 
or   In  Gmndet,  but  of  its  results  on  the  -jorld.     There  can  be  no 
result  of  Grande t*s  nassion  sepa3?able  tPcsa  Grandet  hinself  for 
Ch'aiKlet  la  his  single  passion,  his  passion  Is  Gi'tindeW     Tiie  point 
most  he  insisted  on  for  it  is  iiic  essential  difference  trhlch 
sejKirates  tiie  cxjaracter  properly  so-called  and  tlie  character,  such 
as  Grandet,  who  does  not,  actually,  correSiX)nd  to  eliaracter  at  all 
but  lives  only  as  a  ualklnt;  syllc^'laa.     That  he  is  designated 
conventionally  as  a  "cliaractor"  is  and  lias  been  e^cti^eiiely  nisleading 
to  tiic  trae  compr^heasioa  of  the  rmni^r  in  w^hich  roorjanticisfl  creates 
such  "chai'actors"*     Ilor  is  Gi^andet  the  notable  exception  tlmt 
proves  tiie  it^iiLe*     A  careful  study  of  almost  any  familiar  xK^ri.oii^.i'o 
of  romanticist  fiction  will  yield  a  picture  surpi'lsing  in  Its 
siniilarlty.     liow^  for  instance,  dooa  Itee*  do  Gtael  pireaent  such  a 
I>ersonage  as  Ijrfcuil  in  Corinne? 

ISne*  d©  Stael  introduces  hei'  reader  to  Erfeuil  by  a  brief  resuae 

of  his  liistory.     He  has  eixlured  the  loss  of  his  fortune  with 

equanitiity,  cared  far  an  aged  uncle  with  coui^ge  and  resorurcefulness, 

shoved  breve  I'y  in  warfare* 

n  avalt  des  nani^res  c''     -     tcs,  iine  iXJlitocsc   faaile  et^ 
de  bon  o^^t,   et  des   I'c  11  sc    lonti^ait  parfnitenent  a 

aoa.  alse*  — -^  H  suppoi'tait  son  sort  avoc  un  courage  qui 
allaitj  Jisqxi^'a  I'otv.jll,  ct  11  avait  daa3   sa    "  tion 

unc  leGorote' vral!:icat  adrilrablo,  quand  il  pa  ,      .  ses 

^^roixres  ix)versj     rnais  noins  adniimble  quarsl  elle  s'otendait 
a  d'autres  sujcts*   (1) 

Ali^ady  Iliac*  de  Stael  has  indicated  the  nanner  in  r/hich  she  nill 

direct  tlie  emphasis  in  regard  to  the  yotine  PreiMshsnan's  character* 

(1)  I5ae*  dc  Stael,  Corinne*  6G&* 


SbB  has  desci'lbed  hin  in  no  aopcct  other  tlian  the  social'.     Sh» 

places  IJrfGull  in  a  suporficial  social  relatioticiiip  with  Osuald 

and  Oswald •s  observations,  too,  ttHI,   therefore,  refer  to  Drfexiil 

solely  fron  a  social  point  of  view.     Erf  cull  hiEtself  explains  his 

cbBa»actor*  as  thae  result  of  social  training:     "— Ce  ne  sent  pas  lea 

llvres  ni  la  nodlUitlon  <^i  ra'ont  acquis  la  phllosopiiie  qtie  J'ai, 

mais  1  •habitude  du  nonde  et  dos  nalheuro."   (1)     The  author  continues 

the  portrait  in  the  sane  vein: 

n  joimit  avcc  les  mots,  avec  les  i^n^ases,  d*ime  faqon 
ti'^S'  in^j^nieusej     nais  ni  los  objets  r-  lea 

c-"'"     '-- ^iG   intlncs  n '^talent  I'objet  dc  -vw   ,...^...  ;.  ^,     r>a 
c  -ion  ne  venal t,  pour  nJjisi  dii^^,  ni  du  doliors,  ni 

du  dedans;     elle  ixxssalt  ontre  la  re5T.esion  et  I'lrrEiginatlon, 
et  los  se^ils  rapports  do  la  soci^t^  en  ^taltait  le  aujet.   (2) 

Up  to  this  point  Epfouil  has  been  pr^@ited  entiiK^ly  as  the  product 
of  French  society^     The  author,  Oswald,  Hrfcull  himself,  all 
present  hSm  froii  exactly  the  snxio  point  of  view  and  usinc  ^®  Ma© 
terns.     His  com^age,  Erfctiil  says,   is  nere  social  philosophy  and 
his  conygi«ga tion,  the  author  adds,  touches  of  nothing  'Jut  social 
r«latioiK5^     Moreover,  2rfouil  goes  on  to  admit  tlKit  he  does  not 
expect  to  enjoy  ht  isolf  in  Italy  sine©  he  has  heard  that  it  lacks 
any  social  life:     "—  TJn  de  raes  amis  —- n'a  dlt  qu'il  n'y  avait 
pas  do  iwovinco  de  Prance  ou  11  n'y  cut  un  neilleur  thec.ti'e  et  vaam 
socle te  plus  agreablo  qu'a  Pome."    (5)     Hevortholess,  he  feels  that 

he    Ay  rcnedy  this  defect:     *— I'-iis jo  tpouverai  uurcsjiont 

^Bislques  I^mn^als  avoc  qui  catiser,   ot  c'est  tout  ce  que  je  desire,"   (4] 

de  Staol,  Corinnc,  656, 


[1)  liBe,  d 

2)   Ibiu.,  6r>7, 


!  rT"„«>   GC'G,  057, 
)  1^I^».    657, 


Oav;ald*c  opinion  of  lirfewil's  character  ic  an  opinion  not  of  Erfeuil 

as  a  limn  "but  of  Drfcuil  as  a  type,   that  is,  as  a  PrcnchpHin: 

— -Un  Anclals,   se  cllsalt  Oswald,  S'rnit  accable  do  tristesse 
daixB  do  Gcnblablcc  cii^c  on  stances,     i;*ou  vicnt  la  force  de 
CO  Prancala?  — •  Scai  exietence  Icg^r©  s*acco3?do-t-elle 
nieax  que  la  KiLenne  c.vqo  la  rapidltc  de  la  vio?     el  faul>-H 
esquivor  1^  Ptfflcxlon  eonrnc  imc  ennerale,  tm.  lieti  d'y  livrer 
toutc  oju  ome?   (1) 


2rfeull  txiys  no  attention  irl^tever  to  Italy  as  they  travel  tlxroijgh 
it  "but  continues  to  discourse  to  OstTald,     Oswald,  hCKiervov^  -tries  to 
find  solace  in  the  v;  ice  of  imturo  r^itlicr  tlian  in  Errouil's  con- 
ve2*satlon,     x^iis  conversation  is  def  inod  Ijy  laste*  do  Stael  as  "los 
propos  dc  ^-  -ocioto".   (1)     '7ac  ■/'cferGncGC  to  i:rfeuil  becrin,  indeed, 
to  assurae  tlie  foira  of  abstraot  quality  ra titer  tlian  of  llvlng^, 
complex  personality,     Une*  de  Stael  writes:     "••••nals  In  frivolite, 
sous  quelqae  for^ne  qu*cllo  so  prescnte,  ^te  a  1 'attention  sa  force, 
a  la  penseo  son  ori£in£ilitc,  tu  sentir.iont  sa  prof ondeiir, "   (1)     A 
few  lines  belo;;  this  l>foull  beeches:     "la  legerete  spii'ltuello" •   (1) 
Tlie  description  of  li.-'fouil  eontlrrn^s  -itkI  l&ie,  de  Gtael  notes  Umt 
lie  is  '-sei^ieux  seiiltnent  dans  1 'auoui^-propre''^   (1)     Slie  peniits 
liin  to  expound  his  orm  pnilosorfiiy,  a  pliilosophy  which  is  cntiroiy 
social   in  character:     ''— "Oh  h    T2te  sense  doit  chasGor  le  son  ami 
tout  ce  c^ii  nc  ixjut  sorvir  nl  aux  autres  ni  a  lul-KiGsne«     Ho  sccrawi- 
notis  ims  ici-bas  pour  ©tre  utiles  d'abord,  ot  ;7ul3  heuroux  casuitc?"(l) 
The  autlTor  a^its  that  this  is  i     "ralsonnalilG,  dans  le  sens 
ordinaii^o  de  co  mot'"   (1)     Imt  it  is  obviouii  tliat  she  liorself  does 

(1)  Itoe,  de  Stael,  Gorinno.   G57, 


not  cliai^e  tiffl  g«»5'til  opinion,  for  slie  contlmics  to  dispcrcigo 
lirfeiiil  aii  the   typo  of  "lea  caj?acteiHJS  ledgers   "•   (1)     She  concltjd.es 
hOT"  iJrel5rjinai^  poi'trait  of  liljsi  —  a  portrait  whicli,  it  sust  "be 
adnitted,  OErihasisec  so  flogi-nntly  only  one  aspect  of  boiiig  as  to 
seem  a  CiTi*icr>.ture  rather  than  u  .oi- trait  -•  sH©  ccncliiuwa  toy 
perBiittlDg  lirfcuil  to  indulge  in  soeic  nc^vc  s-elf-qucstioning  tho 
\iU2Xlon  of  v/hlch  is:     "—He  suis-je  pas  aimable  en  socio  to?"   (1) 

The  progress  of  Oswald  and  a^fcuil  throiiuh  Italy  givos  gtee«  de  Sta£L 
an  opportunity  to  show  D^feuil  in  action,     The  incident  at  Ancona 
serves  chiefly  to  ciiai^acterlse  Oswald  but  it  serves   also  further  to 
wipl'iosise  i3rfcuil*s  frivolity;  for  IMe*  de  Stael  urites;     "Lo 
com.to  d'Srfeuil  cxpocait  sa  vie  avec  insoucianco,  eoui'age  et  gaiete." 
(2)     Hext  tiio  autlior'  developa  tlae  su'ajoot  of  the  diffcr-eat  ricmncro 
In  which  Oswald  and  Erfeuil  pci'ceive  Italy,     Erfeull  continues  to 
"be  identified  as  the  Rrenclinan  and  the  creatm^e  of  society:     "n 
avalt  a  la  To  is  Ic  uon'ole  plaiolr  de  oeixlre  son  tcnps  a  tout  irolr, 
et  d'asB\u?er  qu'il  n 'avalt  rien  vu  qi  i  put  ^trc  adiiiro,  quaad  on 
connaisoait  la  Prance."   (3)     "'Lord  Nclvil  jugea  I'ltalie  en 
addinistratoui-"  eclairc;     Ic  conto  d'Si'-fouil  ea  horaine  du  EK>ndc;  ainsi, 
l*\m  v«ir  raiiion,  et  l*autre  par  It/g^rotcff,  n'eprouvaient  point 
I'effet  que  la  caranagr^  de  Roeie  produit  sxn^  l*liaagination,#,."    (3) 
rrevloucly  lise*  de  Stael  has  lientlfled  Prance  uitli  a  li.L"o  tiiat  is 
purely  social,     Glie  mites  of  Osw^ild'a  sojourn  in  Prance:     "H 
n'aviilt  v6cu  qu'en  Pi-'ance,  ou  la  societo  est  tout,..,"   (S)     G31ius 

(1)  Ifee*  de  Stael,  Coriniie.  65G, 

(2)  lb  id..  GiSO. 

(3)  TC^»,   6G1, 


Ooes  t!ie  autlKXP  explicitly  Identify  Prance  an  1  i^ocioty  Just  as 
nlie  sviggosts  in-^licltly  that  every  opinion  s/hlch  Ilrfoiiil  emits  is 
tiie  opinion  of  a  PiHsnclTnan,  not  the  opinion  of  a    lan  considered  In 
the  lloht  of  hicnan,   sentimental,  oi'  artistic  relationships •     "Ehis 
is  true,  for  c:ciPiplo,  of  Brfeuil's  expressed  In  press  Ion  when  he 
first  sees  the  doEie  of  St»   Peter's:     " — On  cT*oirait  voir  le  d^kw 
des  InvalideD,"   (1) 

Vhen  Srfouil  next  appears   In  the  story,  he  Is  presented  in  relation 

to  the  attitude  which  he  displays  toward  CJorinne»     His  conversation 

with  Oswald  concerning  her  is  wo-undlng   to  Ostmld's  delicate 

Benslbilitlcs.     toe.  de  Gtael  writes: 

n  ne  dlsalt  rien  qui  fut  preclsenent  Inconnreimblo,  '■'^.is 
11  froissr.it  totiloui's   les  sentiments  a^^llccts  d'C.  :. 


en       J     it  trop  f oi^t  on  trop  1  t  sin^  ce  qui 

l*lii-J^- ..^jait»     n  y  a  dcs  ne>i.-^  .,  ._^  que  1 'esprit  v^snte 

ot  1 'usage  uu  nondo  n'apprennent  pas;     et,  sans  rionquer 

k  la  plus  parfalte  pollteose,  on  i3lesse  souvcnt  le  coeur.   (2) 

She  flakes  the  some  critic isn  of  his  Intercotirse  Trlth  Corinne: 

ISals  le  ooi-?tc  d*Iirfe\ip.,  qui  credit  qii'on  poiivait  tait 
dire,   yyarvu.  quo  ce  fut  avcc  g^ace,  et  qui  s'inaginalt 
que  I'inpolitcsse  consistalt  dans  la  foi^ie,  et  non 
dans   le  roM.,,.(3) 

Oswald  reflects  tlie  auUior's  point  of  view  whpn  he  cociplalns  to 

Ei-'fciiil:     "— Liicore  de  la  legerete."   (4)     Ktto»   ie  Stadl  coaftios  to  the 

support  of  her  hero  and  definitely  conclitdes  the  dismission: 

Lord  llelvil  souffrait  a  chaque  mot  du  ccTrnte  d'Erfeuil,  ma 
que  lui  dire?     n  ne  disputalt  Ja-als;     U.  n'ecoutait 
jamais  asses  atLcntlV€3?ient  poui"  changer  d'avis;     ses 
paroles  isne  fols  Innc^s,   11  ne  s'y  interessait  plTis;     ot 

(1)  ilmo*  de  Gtaol,  Corinnc,  661, 

(2)  IbM>.  G7C. 
(S)  TrT.,  071, 
(4)  TniT,.  672. 


is 


le  laleuat  etait  encore  »le  les  cwiblier,  si  on  le  pouvait, 
aiiGsl  vltc  que  lul-moae.   (1) 

Of  Srfeuil  'a  adril  "atlon  for  Corirme  she  in-'itcs : 

Lg  comto  d'Erfciiil  etait^   ans  un  -  "^  '        ~  "  ^t 

~  ot  c*€talt  la    ri^eraierc  fois  ^  ^        -    . 'otait 

pas  franqaise,  avait  agi  sui''  1«1«     Hals  ^l——  ti   tie 

pei^lt  pas,  en  I'atinlrant,   la  bonno  Imbitu-.Ie  d©  se  laisser 

guidor  p::r  1* opinion  d03  autr-es.  (2) 

"^.it  Errcull's  adrilration  of  Cor  lime  t7ill  never  Icau  uim  to  consider 

iri'ylnG  hoT»     He  assui^es  Ostrald,  " —  poiir  le  mariago,   11  ne  Taut 
jariais  consul tcr  que  les  convenances"   (o)  and  rcpi^-oaclies  Oswald 

iii.   ^■^l.iQ  nopc  fi-ivoloui;    uiiii.i  he«     IMe,  do  Stael  ex; Plains  Oaimld's 
.ilG-nce: 

En  effet,  p^vait-il^  !i?^e  nu  corite  d*I3rfcull  ru'll  y  a 
scTivopt  bcavcoun  d'c'    "  JLano  la  frivol ltc,et  que 

cet  :^- ■"  -le^ne  ncut  ^   --.•-.-  -     .       ^^^ 

BenL ,  a  ces  fav.  >  ^acrifie 

presque  tcujours  aux  autres?     (5  J 


15xaQ  ynie»  ue  wjuacl  au-  ui^./   c   uiines  Ilrfexiil  as  a  pti^ci^nage  to 
a  single,  consistent  role  ;,'liich  never  varies  ixit  sh©  robs  1i3b!  of 
ViThatevcr  particularity  he  nay  seen  to  have  r.s  a  Tx^rsormge  "bj  lier 
constant  iK:fei*once   to  hiia  as  a  tyi>e«     Ho   it;  uc  b  rjorely  fri'/olous 
but  his  qxjallties  arc  tliose  uhlch  sIkj  ascribes  to  "les  hoijne© 
fl'lvoles".     He  is  not  merely  lAacd  by  opinion  and  con-/cntion  but 
he  is  usod  as  an  exenplar  of  the  nan  wlioae  aribiticns  are  conTined 
to  "une  vie  sociale".     His  actions  are  not  the  actions  of  the 
cosnto  d*Ei-feuil  as  siich  "but  are  rr!.tlK>r  the  actions  cha^'-ct'~ristlc 
of  egoism, of  vanity,  cr  s'abr;oi»vience  to  opinion*     His  artistic 
appiKJCiations  ai^e  iK)t  those  of  the  comte  d*2rfeuil  but  are  those 

(1)  limcm  dc  St? el,  Gorimie,  G73, 

(2)  tbid>.   675,         

(3)  THT..   676. 


of  a  Ivi^iiclirjan  and  such  as  arc   dictated  ly;,-  onventioiml  ITpencli 
opinion* 

It  iG  unneccssaiy  to  insist.     TnQ  conte  d*%fe\tll*s  appearances 
In  the  novel  are  cciiparativcly  few  tpom  this  nc-int  on  ami  at  no 
tlsoe  does  he  belie  the  abstract  tyne  in  irlilch  Had*  de  r.taol  bas 
catecorically  placed  hlR^»     ISie  author  constantly  explains  his 
action  or  speech  In  teiina  of  which  the  fcllowinft  r^ssages  are 
typical:     1«.«iie  oavalt-ellc  pas  cjae  1 'amour-propre  est  ce  qu*il 
y  a  au  monde  de  pl\io   inflexible?"   (1);     "•..  dea  hoisics  assez 
habitnee  a  la  soclete  et  a  1  •araoiir-projM'o  qu*olle  oxcltc,  pour 
s*occuper  de  I'effot  quails  prodniscnt*,»?   (2)j     "•.,  lo  corate 
d'Erfouil,  on  conversation,  airtait  beaneoup  nieux  montrer  de 
1  "esprit  que  de  la  bonte*     Sa  bienvoillancc  naturclle   inflitalt 
sur  ses  actiomj,  nalc  son  amour-propi-c  stir  sea  ra roles •,•'.'   (5); 
"•••  1 'amour-propre ,  si  oncccptible  'x>ur  lui-raeme,  ne  devine  pi'^sque 
jamais  la  suoceptibillte  uos  autres,,,!'    (4);     "-,.,   corxie  11  avait 
bcaucoup  do  delicatcuso  dans   iotit  ce  qui  tenait  a  l*honncur,  il 
n'imaginalt  pas  rn'll  put  en  rmneiier  dans  co  qui  a-rait  rapport 
a  la  sensToilite*.,;'   (5);     "•••  1 'ai.iour-proprc  du  conte  d*Erfouil 
otalt  un  peu  bleoae  do  I'lnutilite  de  ses  C!:-nsoils»»,?   (C) 

Erfeuil's  final  appearance  in  Gorinnc  occurs  \7hcn,  by  coincidence, 
he  is  travvollint:  in  Dngland  alon^j  tiio  oame  road  whei^  Corinno  11^ 

(1)  im©,  do  Stael,  Gorinne,  600, 
2)   rjU..   G99, 

4)  TEH:^,,    719, 

5)  ''"''",      "^^ 


ral:iting*     He  rescues  her  and  cares  for  :ier  but  *h^  autlior's 
corrr^cnt  on  his  action  follows  t      "Alnsi  o»ct:ilt  l*h<i^s9S  frlvolo 
q\il  la  soitinalt."   (1)     "XL  ctriit  bon,  mals  il  no  oouvtxit  ^tre 
;;©nslblG*"    (2)     Hence,  of  his  r'C'^«?olations  to  Corini:»,  iaae»  de 
Staal  writes: 

H  est  sciTiS  doute  tres  noble  do  mettre  peu  de   tirix  a  sejB 

borcies  actions;     Mtiic  il  p:air'i^ai\,  ar-rivcr  que  1' Indifference 
qu'on  tobolgnpralt  potii'  ce  qu  *<Ma  aurr'.i^  falt^de  bien, 
cettc   indifference,  si  belle  en  elle-?^iGEie,  fut  n^aimolns. 
dans  de  certains  caractercs,  I'effet  do  la  frlvolit^.   (2) 

She  recalls  once  rtore  tliat  Li^guII  ts  tyyiical  of  "les  ancs 

logeros%   (2)     And  sl^  xTritoc  his  valcxllctoi^-  tiais: 

Les  sentiraents  logers  ont  souYeno  vaie  lon^oie  diiroej  rien 
mi  lea  brice,   ^;Xxi"co  cfixo  rien  me  lea  roBscri^j     lis  suivcnt 
les  circonstaiicea,  dispariiissemt  et  revie^inent  avec  elles, 
tandis  tiUe   ioG  afrec-:-io^is  pixjfondes  so  dechlrcnt  sans 
retoijr,  et  ne  laissesit  a  lour  place  qu'^mc  douleiirexiso 
blessing.   (2) 


It  is  necessary  at  this  point   to  toucli  ti:X)n  whr-it  is,  pei^mps,   the 

most  easily  dlstirv^lsliable  dlffe-r-enoe  betv/oon  the  classicist 

and  ros-santicist  node  of  cliaracter  pj»ooentation.     It  Is  a  difference, 

moreover,  replete  with  ai^tniricauce.     As  mo  noted  in  our  study 

of  classicist  usa(:e,   the  classic  pei^onage  in  its  develo^jnent 

in  action  cocr.ianded  alternate  rx>ods  in  the  reader  or  spectator 

accordlnc  as  one  facet  or  another  of  his  cliaracter  ap|)earcd« 

That  this  is  not  ustially  the  case  in  the  no^/ol  of  ronanticlsra 

has  been  '^ra.de  evliont  in  the  two  examples  just  cited*     Siese    .re 

personages  who,  frcsa  their  initial  appearance  until  the  end  of 

the  novel,  appear  only  ureler  oiya  asp>oct#     Hot  only  Is  tills  time 


(1)  l!n©»  do  Stael,  Corlnne,  K'^S'* 
<2)    roi^U .   8^34. 


but  it  is  also  ap:xii*ent  that  the  arithor,  in  rGOtrlcMr^j  the 
personage  to  a  single  asi>oot,  io  :naklng  of  h2in  an  Hhsolutc;, 
capable  of  produolnc  only  one  unvarylrj^  reS;X>nsG  In  t2ie  I'oader. 

hat  thia  i^Gsponsc   Is,  doixjixis  u-on  tho  aiithor'o  riannor  of  pre- 
sentfition*     Shen  Mae.  de  Stael  denovmcGS  d'llrrsuil's  "l^gGrete"V 
his  "Qjnoirr-pix>pr€"'j  and  his  "fr'lvcllte'^^  she  Iz  definitely 
placlty:  herself  on  Lord  ITelvil's  side  and  sharing  his  antipathy 
for  d'Brfeuilw     Shen  BslIzoc  porcsents  Grande t*3  3:yT!ipatiiy  for  Hanon 
as  "cette  atroce  pitie  d'avore"^  bo  is  presenting  CJrandet  under 

-   distinctl7  nnfavoui^able  li£:ht»     As  he  continues  constantly  to 
fexplain  GrarKlet's  actions  as   tliose  cannon  to  all  the  race  of  nissr-s, 
be  continues  tlius  to  ©raphasise  the  point  of  view  T;hich  detonninos 
his  Trtiole  presentation  of  Grandot*     To  the  critical  reader  it  is 
plain  that  the  author  liaa  used  whatever  technical  skill  and 
eloquence  ho  has  at  his  disrxDsal  in  order  to  nalso  us  eriotioraally  at 
one  with  one  persoiia£ro  at  the  exiJense  of  another.     In  suoh  novels 
as  Corlnne  and  Sugonio  Grand.et  tlKsre  is,  in  other  uoixls,  a  heix) 

{err  heroine)  and  a  villain* 

Our  choice  as  to  one  or  the  otliei*  is  predeteiT?lned  for  us»     I7e 
do  not  choose  in  the  raeasure  t^mt  the  personages  show  various 
fttcets  of  bcinc  in  actiorfi     Tie  choose  at  once  and  Jji  accordance 
iri^  tJie  author's  very  ap:7a2X)nt  prcjiidicev     That  is   tlie  distin- 
^ishinc  critci'ion  between  hero  and  villain?     de  distinction  In 
every  caec  lies  in  the  ideal  .Jhich  the  r)crsona(7C  advocates';     He 
is  represented  in  confonnity  rrith  the  ideal  rrhich  is,  consciously 
or  unconsciously,  his,  ar^d  the  syiapathetic  persona^je  ^^111,  of 
course,  ro present  tliat  idcxil  to  iThich  the  author  lends  his  adiierenco 


.;1ici"'eas  the-  unsyspatJictic  personaeje  will  live  according  to  a 

contrasting  I'IgcI  i/hich  in  rcrrrcscntGd,  r^cccc^nrllT,  a;j  a  '-^f.ntaken 
one.     If  13\igenio  *s   ins tiuc  vivo   ixn^iirc  Imo^rc  no  acnti:.icnt  ou.      '     t 
of  x»clit;lon,  if,  before  alio  eaaes  into  contact  with  the  society  of 
her  tlnKJ,  she  roilo«?3  n^.t^n'ally  the  IderJL  of  coclr.l  duty  ^txl 
accopt*u  .Jar  piuco  iix  tat;  luriij-i"  tiiu.  nor  daily  uut^ios  i/iuliout  quostion, 
fi'Lsa  tijs  mcsaent  tiiat  ^le  accept  Du^jcais  as  a  synixitiietic  ficiiro, 
from  tlK^t  rao::^nt  hor  i;leal  obviously  l^cc rsncc  tlirtt  to  -Thlcli  Balrtac 
lejods  iilii  wcUicrcnce*     2ie  reverse  o..    u::q  yicvca'c  ^/ili  sIiot?  Gmndet 
occupied  exclusively  ;;ith  tiie  ideal  of  personal  agg/^aadizesiGnW 
iiii.iiiarly,  Quasliiickio  ii;  a  hero  to  the  x*c:\dor  boca\ia<5  he  tdGallr:cs 
Ilanei'alda  aixi  ti^ie^   "i^o  pi-oijarvo  ac--  ■...aaiaty  to  tiao  v;orld.»     !r-ollo 
is  the  villuiu  ir'ociBcly  bociULie  liis  ideal  cons  la  ts  of  a  world 
i'roB'.'i  -idilcli  thiwt  uGcuty  l^.c  "been  h'tnlchcd,     llio  j.5.ct  of  cxr-nlos  is 
cntilosG  .JUt  enc.^gh  has  he  on  iirid   uo  r.Kkc   it  clear  tliat  the  pcrfoction 
of  tho  £>,vTivxxtiietic   r-orscna^e  resides  in  ths  pGi'fection  of  the 
ideal  he  ciicri3ho3'#     It  ijaiat  also  have  1:ecc-ic  clorir  fSiat  the 
duaJLi.jfci  Ci    'UM.   cliiw-iciow  ,-^.  ^^^iiaj^c  ..:--  ..Gsn  e;ftc:Tialir:od  and 
appcarQ  iii  ra-iantlcism  tiii'^:«asii  tvjo  povsonagor.^  each  of  xtham  repre- 
sciitc  one  facet  of  Uie  di-allstic  strujj^le,     The  hero  rop2X)0or,ts 
«.  vil'TAic  Oi   ^:iG  ciiiuxic  <jzr  anu  the  vi3JLai:i  a  vice  or  defect  of  th© 
chai-acter  whai'eas  in  cLaasisist  pz^ctice  oaoh  }.X)i"«jona^e  displayed 
hoth  stronstiia  ai^  «oel:nos£^o3  of  chaise ter'^ 

It  is,  of  course^  hotli  <«!prr.ct.ical  and  Imposni-jle  to  i^evlc^  In 
detail  tliG   lonr  Hot  of  -DcrDonanes  who  appear  in  ror:anticlat  fictlott* 
2tor  is  It  ueoes3ary-»      i:      uy  he  soon  at  a  £~laneo  tlmt  tlie  signifi- 
cance of  ccrtpin  of  tl^  moot  T?ell-kno»m  names  In  this  literaturo 


depsnds  ixpon  a  cjethod  aiialacoiis  to  tlint  en-^lcrrcd  1.n  tne  oase  of 
Grfindet  and  Erfeull*  Sic  olosost  afrinition,  of  noxij-ae,  nay  be 
foTuja^  between  Granclet  and  his  follov?  noiKKaaniaeo  in  the  Balzacian 

or  Id,  l>Gt«?oen  Srfotxil  an.)  Mn   fell5T?3  in  tho  v/orld  of  social  ard. 
tiRtioDai  distiDctionn  created  by  Wsm»  do  Stael*     In  ot^aei*  wosixls,  the 
raost  iraaediate  cociparicodi  to  siiggest  itself  in  that  fthitfh  plao^ 
in  jiixt£ir>o  si  uion  Erf  null,  Ij(^once,  Oswald^  and  Hastel-rVirt^,   just 
as   it   ;)laceG   in  juxtaix)3iti:>n  Grenaec,  Go?'io-u,  7a\ttrin,  ccnmimj 

'ci  i>e,  btvron  Hiilot,  Gejabnifi,  Gobsock,    /oronlqi'G,  cousin  Pons,  Lo\iia 
:;y'.7ux;rt,  and  Baltiiasar  ClaosV     -To  tlie&e  latter  txr.  \  to  otl->or 
familiar  narica  ox  "ciic  Iia3.sacian  './orlci  the  reader  nay  apply  equally 

oil  tliG  words  >fith  whicii  IJalssac  descriiaes  Glaes:     "H  nvait  deja 
ctnq\iante»neur  anaV     A  cet  age,  l*idoe  qiii  lo    l"n*niiit  contracta. 
l*r.pre  fixite  piU*  laquollo  conrioncont  les  nonarjonics*"    (1)     Sie 
rnlationahip  to  life  in  siich  individuals   is  not  rniltiple  ;md  rich 
as   tr  the  case   for  tiie  claasic  cimractor.      It  is  a  relationship 
restricted  to  one  single    ioint>     Itorfriieritc  conplains  tiiut  Glaes 
is  no  longf^r  "ni  i^erc  ni  hcraMr%  (2)     Balsac  does  not  Ix^sitate 
to  ewpliftaise  the  irilntrmnlty  v;hich  io  the  charr^ctcrlstic  quality  of 
such  TTiononanias',     Referring  to  cousin  Pons  h©  writes:     "A  Paris 
les  nonoraanos  vlvcnt  avec  loiir  fantaisio  dans  \m  heuroux 
owjcubiimge  d •esprit*"   (S)     ^^le  idealisation  of  tiio  only  essential 
meciitlz^  ^icli  these  so-cr,llotI  pei^aonai_:ea  can  poasoos  ap  )C£irs 
thro»-»£h  the  rerioctions  of  an  observer*     In  ijS^^BSS^  Andr<^  studies 
the  resisoctivo  rmnias  v/iiich  constitute  all  the  life   in  Gconbara 

(1)  Balzac,  La  Hecherche  ue  I'absolu,  249-, 

(2)  Ibid,.  2Tmi ■ 

(3)  i^isac,  Lo  ccxrsin  Pons,  146 • 


and  Glai^ainl: 

''lacG  cntvo  cos  dou::  Tolioa^   ;.on\,  I'uno  6- -it  3i 
noble  et^l 'autre  si  vul^i^ii-o,  — —  ii  y  <rit  tai 
moemit  ou  le  conto  ae  vit  tmllott<f  cntro  le  auiuim© 
et  la  parodie,  ccc  desux  faces  de  touto  creation 
l:pirmlnc»  -—  ]p.  ae  crut  le  jotiet  cle  qnolque 
hfillticina-wion  etrt^cG,  ot  nc  r*cgaiKla  plus  Gfistbara 
et  Giardini  quo  corano  deux  abstractions*   (1) 

ISaia  ©Tfeet  upon  Andrea  is  tJie  of  feet  upon  the  reader*     "Sie  raEi©  of 

the  r^ersonage  slcrnifies  an  abati-action  i-ather  than  an  Individual 

cbaract«»w     "Uae  laanie,  c*est  le  pialair  passo' a  I'etat  d'ld^J"   (2) 

Balzac  vrritcsw     It  is  only,   therefore  ^  in  the  fom  of  idea  tlmt 

such  p<?i*3<5naG;cs  exist  and  c-'m  be  cociprcliended* 

On  tlie  other  hand,  not  all  tiie    ^crsonuijes  in  ixymnticism  are 
Inr.icdiat^ly  clt:ssiflauie  as  noraaaaniacs.     llie  toi'n,  for  instance, 
scarcely  aQoaa  to  ap  ly  to  rrfeull  altbou^ii,  as  ims  been  deanonatratod, 
Hrfeuil  Is  re  presented  tinn^sugli  only  one  aspect  o£  bcin^:,  tixrough 
only  one  ixjlationshijj  to  life-*    Ha   is  ret>i»Oiienoed  as  tlio  ^Troduct 
of  French  society  and  his  actions  aiitl  sneoc]!  ai»e  alv/ays  strictly 
in  accoi^  'Titii  ttie  author's  concopcdon  of  that  i^i^oduct^     The 
©csential  dlfforcnca  botwcn  Srfouil  and  Grandot  lies  not  in  tho 
fact  thut  eitiier  is  a  wiiit  closei'  zo  actual  irtoaanity  but  in  tiie 
fact  that.  In  the  presentation  of  li'feuil,  Uie  attontioa  is 
concentrated  entlix^ly  on  the  attitude  he  cxpit;S3es  wliereas,  in  the 
pa*esontation  of  Grandet,   Ixio  attention  is  concoutruted  on  an 
attitu-lc  aiiich  is  ujadc  r-anifest  aa  an  intense  of  fort  of  will, 
liConec  is  obviously  anotiier  Erfeuil  and,  sltailai^ly,  Cfeirald  and 
Castcl-Borte  api-ear  as  desire  but  not  as  v/ill*     But  in  Richelieu, 

(1}  -        ->.o,  G,  ,57. 

(2)  _ — uc,  Lo   ^     ...in  I^ns,   lo. 


riobespienx; ,  Cinq-Kars,  ana  JUlion,   vi^jiiir  r  list's  t:ij.l  at  xne 
Gopvico  of  a  single  dcxnlnant  desli^  qrilto  £.s  deriuatciy  aa  Ba^xac 
dcof   :*-^  - -'"  ^^  '-'"-    ■'-■«^-.o>Ti-'^'5«     An  eru-:'-lly  faoiaticii  light  sMnes 
•J.n  the  eye  of  Lofuis  Lasa^ort,  T^okiiftplorre,  or  J\ilieat»     On  the  otlior 
handy  the  personage  whoue  llfo  coTisists  only  in  a  paaslvo  attitude 
tamxrd  tho  w<rrld  roappcai^  t:i  tho  Gomimridr-nt,  for  esan?>le»     All 
timt  Vlf;ny  r^^senta  as  the  distin^iishlja^T  quality  v/HLcli  correspox^s 
to  tlio  Cofi!!iarKiant 's  name  iii  the  bolief  in  nillta*'^  obcdl'3n©o  as 
the  mi"-'*'^-'.-'^  v^.r-rne^.     Slrailnrly,  nH    ^'i^'-  Sand  pi^enenta  In  Hauprat 
is  the  relief  in  etcrTnl  fldality  in  iovo»     All  tlint  Hiigo  prccents 
In  Jiavort  Is  the  belief  in  the  supraae  jiistlco  of  hurmn  ln.Wm    All 
that  Balzac  pt»©sent£i  in  IMQ0  do  Mort^anf  is   ^"^i-'  hollo  r  in  the 
supsfesn©  virtuo  of  ripiri1:;ual  lo"/o«     All   Liiat  Gautiar  pa:>e8©nts  in 
Ellas  ii/iltljiansto-dJAiQ  is  the  belief  in  tlin  3tiprcTne  virtue  of  raedicval 

a-^t»     Tn  ^:'5no,  or   - --  contra2»y,  dosiiv re  synonyraous 

terms  as  tiiey  aro  llkonioe  in  Lolia,  Leone  L^onl,  Han  d'Xalande, 
Fi*ollo,  Porfemio,   or  Ifcie*  de  VcmoiW 

Uie  ©SKential  fact  ifsiiRini;  tills;     that  the  pcr^ona^e  in  r-cnanticlst 
literJxtMrc  is  constanictcd  as  a  honogonoonic  unit.     Hot  only  is  this 
tnie  of  the  ''Potngonlste  nn^''   ^'^-^  p-'-'--->T"    -^orsonagea,  Ij^it  it  is 
also  t:rue  of  the  secondary  pcrsoriaiies*      ilien  Baisac  .."PitoL.  of 
I'lerquin  and  EBffiffiin\el  in  La  Kccherchc  do  ?.*ahcolui     ""Itout  eta  it 
horaogene  dans  ces  deux  hcrjnes'^    (1),  ho  ctuks  "     -^^  genei'al  irapiresalon 
in  regard  to  the  ftuailiar  ncnes  in  roi^xLntleiiit  literc-tupo»     Sioso 
nojaes,  except  in  3?aro  cases,  creato  a  coiapletoly  honogcnoous,  a 

(1)  B«ls«ic,  La  Recher<aie  de  I'al^golti,  243» 


;;lc  Impress lorr»     Cliattorton,  for  exonplc,  creates  In  the 
reader's  nlm  only  the  Impi'ession  of  the  roriantic  ^'oct;     Onuptorlus 
only  that  of  the  artliit  of  "bas-romantlsme".     Neither  oae  aDpoars 
v-clated  to  any  social   tradition  or  to  any  irjnedlate  society.     I^oy 

J  no  past,  no  future.     To  recall  tlic  nultinlo  relationships 
la  which  iPticdro  exists  is  to  recall  the  t^xlf  'betv/oon  observed 
lunanlty  and  ci»oatcd  ahstractioii.     Tiie  hcnogencity  in  each  personage 

ch  nalrcs  it  oossihlo  and.   Indeed,  necessai-y,   to  classify  hlra 

as  sympathetic  or  'j.ns^/npathetic,  hero  or  villain,   is  a  hOEiogenoity 
obtained  by  the  ignoring  of  total  reality  in  order  to  present 
through  personage  a  certain  snccific  single  facet  of  tliat  reality* 

The  strilring  difference  nliich  exists,  for  instance,  between  Grandet 
.       Kirpagon  is  typical  of  the  aifforonce  w^iich  must  distinguish 
the  reader's  attitude  toward  thont»     Harpagon  is,  by  turns,  a 
ridiculous,  pathetic,  sordid,  or  tottching  figure.     Grandet  can 
never  aualron  more   than  one  tyi^o  of  response  because  he  plays  always 
upon  a  single  chord.     The  love  of  gold  is  his  sole  cliaractcrlstic, 
lietlier  in  his  own  conversation,  \7hether  in  the  attitude  of  his 
neighboui's  tovrard  hir.,  or  In  the  attltu  e  of  his  ulfe,  daughter,' 
and  servant,  no  otl^cr  attribute  is  ever  indicated.     lie  has  raarried 
his  wife  for  her  dowry,  he  gives  money  to  Eugenie  only  in  order 
that  Dhc  nay  save   it  and  shoT7  it  to  bin  again,  he  has  a  certain 
respect  for  his  servant  only  because  she  ponnits  hlri  to  save  more 
money.     IIo taxing  affects  hin  outside  of  this  ixission'.     His  brotlicr 
cannits  suicide,  his  -n-ifc   :!icr;,  his  dan-htnr  ro-inlns  in  solitary 
confinement  for  nontlis,  but  Grandet  rc-ialiis  unchanged*.     He   is  a 
force  to  be  r*eckoned  uith  In  the  i/orlJ,  a  force  which  cornanda 


rear  and  respect,  the  sane  sort  of  fear  and  respect  that  the 
fore©  of  tlic  eleiients  car.iands  in  Gllliatt,  a  force  to  Txj  turned 
aside  fi'ori  Its  ccwrse  only  by  the  intervention  of  God* 

Goriot  Is  just  as  absolute  an  exti^emo  of  another  type  of  f piling 
and,  T/henevcr  he  appears,  that  feeling  is  eviJeneed  in  him  and 
-..Ivtcvor  foi'ce  he  oxcrts  is  steadily  in  one  dlrocti">n,  a  force 
that  no  huEian  poser  can  diverts     Prestimahly  Goriot  eats  aa-l  ft-y^fnTgy 
aiMl  8lee|»  Ixit  oven  theso  activities  arc  regulated  hy  his  daughters' 
dei.ianils  upon  hiu.     It  is  imixisaiulc  to  imacinc  iiis  ^^oins  out  into 
society,  inpossiblc  to  irmginc  his  reading  a  book  or  chatting 
with  an  old  fi^icnd#     He  is  cut  off  from  H»ny-siJed  human  relation- 
snips  Cjuite  as  coiiiiJletcly  as  Grandef* 

Soinotinios,  hovever,  a  pcz^onage,  suc^x  as  Claude  Frollo,  ?iiay  secM 
to  acciuxpo  a  second  contact  with  life.     I?i»ollo,  fron  being  a  ppiost, 
appoirs  suddenly  as  an  aichcnist*     He  is  about  to  acquii^  a 
certain  inodiciua  of  liuEianity  in  that  ho  seoas  about  to  develop  a 
new  attitude^#     ^c  puppet  face  he  turns  towaixl  the  sixsctators     is, 
perhaps,  after  all,  not  his  whole  life*     But  the   iraprcoslon  is  only 
monentary*     All  Prollo's  Interest  in  science  is   important  only 
as  it  affects  hiia  as  a  jTriest  and  it  la  the  i")ricst*s  attitude  alone 
iriiich  influences  liim  in  his  vari^rus  relationahliMJ  in  the  novel'* 
It  is  the  sir^rlcnosfl  of  the  aspect  which  the  roriantlc  personage 
presents   to  tlic  rcaler  tliat  nakes  it  easy  to  draw  the  sliarp  dividing 
line  between  the  sysipatlietlc  and  una^npathotic  figures*     If  those 
personages  v/ei"^  not  always  the  same  in  no  natter  what  cituationV 


U«)  readcr*s  rcxxction  aoiild  not  rcricct  Uic  saiac  nonotono»?-sly 
consistent  attltiilo* 

3iat  the  ror^ntic  peraoimoe  «—  sacTn  as  Grandot  or  Erfewll  —  is  not 
parjsented  In  his  teinan  totality  bat  only  frcn  a  single  ar^l.<&^  fl»om 

'    "iigle  v/iilch  rcveoli)  his  dordnant  passion  or  characteristic 
desire,  is  a  ftict  which  is  emphasised  and  clarified  for  the  readoy 
by  Ihc  extrcnc  deviation  from  t'  c  no  in  trhlch  is  visible  in  tJmt 
passion  or  desiix?.     rolphine  conparcs  Lconce  to  herself:     "—  II 

.otuaet  Ics  actions  los  plus  inportantos  dc  sa  vie  a  I'oplnionj     noi, 
jo    >ouimls  a  peine  consentir  a  ce  qu'ellc  inflttat  our  na  decision 
dans  los  plus  petltcs  circonstances,"   (1)     In  both  Loonce  and 

elpliine  it  is  evident  that  it  is  the  cxtrOTio  of  an  attitude  -nrhich 

jxrevalls,  v;hich  is,  in  fact,  tho  distinguishing  mark  of  tho 

perBona£;c»     istonio  addresses  Tremior  and  Kagnus  adnirlncly: 

—  Horanes  fortsi     homes  herolqiicsi     vasos  d'cloctionl 
saints  q\il  6tes  Dortis  d'un  i.xildi-'len  ot  .I'un  pretrej 
votis,  forqat,  qal  avcs  assune  sur  votre  t^te  tOus 
los  c'latlricnts  de  la  vie  soclalej     vous,  noino'g  qui 
aves  r-cG'anid'  dans  quelqiiec  annees  do  votre  vie  tnterlouix) 
toutcs  les  tortures  de  I'arie,.,,      (2) 

Once  novo   it  is   tlio  extreme  nhich  cliaractcrizcs  anu.  distinguishes'. 

It  is,  even,  in  Uiis  pai-^ticular  inctanco,   the  extrene  carried  to 

Its  paradoxical  limit ♦     The  crlTiinal,  because  ho  lias  loior/n  tho 

greatest  ixinlsiaacnt,   the  monk,  because  he  haa  iaioun  the  greatest 

tenptatlon,  ai^  fortiiwith  granted  the  superiority  of  virtue  which 

lies  in  the  extreme-*     ^lien  Hu<;:o  describes  Javert,  it  is  by  the 

same  method,  by  the  same  recourse  to  tiie  paradoxical  exorer:!©: 

La  probito,  la  sinceritc,  la  candexu^,  la  convictisn, 

(1)  Itoe»  de  Stacl,  Dcljaliine,  3C2\ 

(2)  Sand,  L^lia,    li,  334. 


l*i,Lcc    iTi  J.evoirj^  aont  des  choses  fliii-   en  so  trcr.ipant, 
jx^uvGnt  devcnlr  hldetiscG,  nais  citil,  none  lildmisos. 
res  tent  giHuidosj     leur  rtajesto,  propi'e  tt  la  COTiscience 
liurialnc,  ixjrsistc  Jans  l*hori-^ur'»     Go  Gont  dea  vertws 
qui  ont  xin  vice,  I'orreair.  — — .  Kler"  nMt.-it  :x>lgnant 
et  terrible  corric  cctte  flGuro  on  so  nontralt  ce 
Qu'cKi  po^lln•»^;^lt  aK>clor  tcxit  le  rssuvais  du  bor^   (1) 

It  is  liliBtrlse  in  the  languD^e  of  exti'eme  tliat  Qautier  pa?osents 

Onupihrlus:     "II  ^t  etc  capable  — —  d'^tixs  le  plus  gr&nd  des 

poctesj     11  no  rat  que  lo  pliiB  s5ji£,nilie3?  des  fous."   (2)     Of  Cimoor- 

daln  B^o  writes:     "H  avait  en  lui  l^absolu."   (5)     It  is  often 

tlic  intensity  in  SCTitincnt  which  is  the  clm!?actcrlGtic  oxtrcBS^ 

SalVcitor  leacribos  Karol  to  Lucre Eia  in  tliose  tei^iG:     "«— Je  to 

dirai  cu'il  pa:^nd  tout  avec  exces,  1  •affection  ct  l*olol|psflEiait,  le 

boiiieur  et  la  peine*"   (4)     Of  I-Iodestve  Mignon  Ealzac  Tn?ltes:     "Corocie 

toutes  Ics  fillos  a  caractcre  oxtjrx)r.ie».»»"   (5)     Hone  of  tlicse 

roasiantics  lives  on  tiic  ordinary  level.     Tney  are  extraordinary  and 

unusual;     oltlier  extraordinarily  Good,  beautiful,  and  talented, 

unusually  innocent^  or  abaoiutoly  r.Tall^;nant,  env?.ouii,  or  aeibltious'. 

There  is  noiiB  ^ho  does  not  touch  one  pole  of  an  absolute*     Kcaio, 

foa''  example,  presents  an  extreme  state  of  nlrxL  that  no  tiling;  can 

alleviate  or  cui^c;     Delphine  is  a  superior  woTion  and  Coriiuie  a 

genius;     rjuaGimodo  is  extraordinarily  ucly  an.l  s^jiik  in  tise  vei^y 

extresiie  of  Inconprohension*     Leono  liOoni  is  the  msult  of  a  fondness 

for  sensation  cax»ried  to  its  extreiao*     Cinq-IJai^  is  the  oxtrcee  of 

youtiifiil  enthusiasm;     Kichelieu  is   tiie  vci"y  cnboJlJ^nt  of  evil 

ambition*     Docteui'-Hoir  is  the  extreme  realist;     Stcllo  is  tl:« 

idealist.     L 'Albert  lives   in  an  ataos})liere  of  cxcean  ~  excessive 

(1)  Ilugo,  Lep  lesp   I^  296, 

(£)  CJcuticrT^'  r..-  "■-  r   o ,  Onuphr  jus  ,  69, 

(5)  Hugo,     iKi"'     -  -              ■/  If  l^o* 

(-1)   San-:,  "^       '  ...ii,  G5* 

(D)  DalsacV ...^..^n,   171  • 


doQbtf  cxccrsl-/ie   Jntrospcctlon,  excessive  Indlvirhmllsd* 

That  the  ror^antlc  personDge  slioiild  be  :>rosont«%c!  ft«oin  tho  UTSgle 
•hlch  emplmsleos  the  mctrcrio  cceno  to  "be  the  corollary  of  ti\o 
rcK^intlc  rejection  of  a  camon  idoal*     Par  these  personages  the 
deviation  fron  the  coiwentional  ncm  io  not  at  all  dlstx'cosing^* 
Rene  voices  a  ecntlr-ent  peculiar  to  the  rormntics  tfnen  he  says : 
"—  On  jottlt  de  cc  qui  n*cst  ix^s  conrnm,  m^e  qtiasid  cette  chose 
cGt  vm  rtD-lhcnu^."   (1)     Here  l£5  a  conplGtc  reversal  of  the  attlted© 
of  classicism,  the  attitade  tjhich  Hieclre  cxempliflec  in  her  horror 
and  shaTse  that  she  ^lOfalrl  devlcitc  fron  the  conventional  path  laid 
:^0Tm  for  her,  the  attlta:'c  exemplified  In  the  concdios  v;hcro  it  is 
the  deviation  from  the  roasonahle  norm  v;hlch  ccnctitutes  a  vice 
aiKl  canse  for  rldlcixlc.     Calsac  cxprersec  the  attitn.^.c  cncnnon  to 
classicist  ttion  he  Trrltesj     "Les  rcntlncnts  nobles  poasses  a 
l^ahGolti  produlsent  dos  resnltats  sesnblablec  a  ccnix  dcs  plus  grande 
vices'*'*   (2)     Ho  refers  hero  to  tho  absolute  resignation  and  fidelity 
that  Id  tJie  sole  aspect  of  Adelliw  as  a  'XjrsoTKage'.     Elsciihcrc  ho 
indlccxtes  tliat,  to  the  i^nantlc,  on  the  contrary,  it  is  in  the 
extr<n!ic  that  virtue  becomes  rccognizabl3 :     "••••  En  so  refUL'i«-iit 
dans  I'obocui'lto,  cctto   illiistix)  e£;olste  son^irca  qi'O  le  sontlnent 
matemcl  ponsse  a  I'extrenc  clevlondrp.lt  ^our  sa  vie  mscco  tmo 
abaoliition  c0nrirr7.ee  -nr--^  los  r;cna  scnsiblos«««»"   (S)     It  is  thaa 
that  Rone  rejoices  in  the  TiniqnerKJSs  of  the  destiny  reserved  for 
hfe«     Delphinc   is  consciotisly  pleased  at  the  superiority  rrhich  puts 


(1)  Cijateauljriand,  Heae>  9cy» 

{2)  ~    '      c.  La  coiininc  Bctte",  9o« 

(3)  . :c,  Kg  a  :^  cere  is   .ie  la  prl 


ittc",  9o« 

:e  la  prlncesse  de  Gadignan,  30(y» 


her  'bcycna.  the  corrron  lair.     Qtmslnodo  Is   lol'-bted  tliat  ho  shonld 
bo  eloctcci  pope  for  a  day  altiioufh  bis  elect ian  depends  on  his 
xmparallollod  ucllncaa.     Leone  ccl^nly    iia-ila^s  the  f?ill  oxtont  of 
bis  porridy  boforo  Jttliotte's  horrified  eyes  «tn<l,  far  frora 
rc,rrrcttir^  bis  nvrn  nature,   wrald  lllce  to  influeneo  Jiillettc  to 
share  itc  attributes,     Cesar  Birotterm  flntls  his   joy  in  his  aim 
G::tcGptlonal  honoaty  Jast  as  Gorlot  finds  his  In  his  excessiire 
patornal  lncial';ence  and  Claes  }ii3   In  the  intensity  of  hia  scientific 
passion*     ntchelieu  rejoices  in  his  own  nntennare.l  v^ill.     fitello 
is  iTroua  of  hia  f&llnro  to  comprojRise  with  reality*    D'Albort 
indulges  his  Idioayncrcislea  and,  qtrite  in  Rene's  rranner,  drrclls 
Kither  foodly  upon  the  unique  nature  of  his  sufferings •     In  ftict, 
it  is  almost  without  exception  t3mt  the  peroonages  who  appecir  in 
ronantlcist  fiction  present  a  picUu"V3  of  the  exa^eration  or 
distortion  of  the  nornal  passions  and  plensurcsw     kThat,   in  the 
claasical  r^vacrvx^o,  Gould  iiavo  been  considered  rx  lack  of  personality, 
in  that  no  sclf-caitrol  is  apyiarent  In  such  exa^rgcititlonn ,  becorios, 
in  rariantlcis!/.,  the  tost  of  -lersonality  and  the  whole  svan  of  tlie 
pe5'aonago«     Obviously  the  o:-'li':inal  neoning  of  the  term  personality 
has  been  cojipletcly  reversed^ 

Sts  now  moaning  whioh  a  roiaantic  r:li3ht  attach  to  the  r;ord  personality 
becoBies  evilent  when  wg  ci^ serve  tliat  one  of  these  so-called 
characte  's  is  clistinoviislmble  frcn  another  by  the  dlfferonoe  in 
the  degi'H^e  or  a.iality  of  his  feeling*     l^e  classic  nercofnage  was 
distinguishable,  on  the  contx'ai'y,  by   the  degree  in  which  his  reason 
had  triunphed  over  any  possiblo  type  of  feeling  which  might  work 


to  underRilne  tliat  reason'.     He  approached  tiie  extrorao  of  perfection 

wbcn  his  reason  had  succeeded  in  reducing  any  type  of  feeling 

to  tiie  rioderation  which  rendered  it  ajs^»hle  to  reason*     A  ronantic 

pcr^csaajje  so&;.s   to  appriacfii  perfection  cioot  closely  wiien  the 

natui^al  feeling  in  hin  has  been  the  least  checked*     llie  education 

which  Benedict  and  Atlicnals  receive,  on  education  which  seeks  to 

mould  tlieir  natures  to  a  certain  noiTa,   is  rcprcsentod  by  r>and  as 

evil,  Bfhoreas  whatever  element  of  virtue  rccmijis  in  them  is 

pareciacly  tiiat  elecient  which  is  the  natui^l  T.mn* 

Cette  education  avait  assoc  "blen  fructific  poui^  Ic 
nLilLioui''  do  I'vin  et  de  1 'autre,     .'.tbcuals,  cor:ri€  une 
cire  T;K)lle  et  flexible,  avult  is^is,  dans  \m  pensionnat 
d'Orldana,  toun  Ics  defauts  ucs   jcunes  i^       '     ;iales: 
la  vanit<^,  l*a3;ibition,  I'onvle,  la  isetit.  „_„•     Copen- 
dant  la  bontcT  du  cocur  eta  it  en  olle  comr.Q  un  hdrita^je 
I  ''  ■  ' -^  par-  ua  "jbrc,   et  los    Influences   ihi 

..nt  pu  I'et^Tiirfor.  — -  Lc  nal  etait 
plus  gi^nd  Chez  Benedict...,    (1) 

Benedict  shares  the  ar^thor'c  point  of  view:     "— IlelasJ     I'^ucation 

a  corrocipu  mon  espx^Xu;     los  vairoc  dc;sirs,  lea  revcs  crigantesques 

oat  faussc  im  nature  et  detruit  non  avenir."    (2)     Benedict,  in 

fact,  refuses  to  reco^nl2e  any  chock  upon  his  nature  as  reasonable. 

ile  tells  Louise:     " — Plus  J*ai  appriu,  plus  je    x;  suis  deijcwte  de 

la  vie;     je  vcux  rctoumer  rmin tenant,  autant  que  possijle,  a  mon 

etat  d©  natm^e,  a  na  cr-oasiercte  do  jJaysan,  a  la  slKpliclte  dee 

idees,  a  In  frugalite  de  la  vie."   (5)     And  in  answer  to  lier  protest 

he  denies  any  villdity  to  the  Jtidgrients  of  society:     "—La  soclete 

n*a  pas  bcsoin  dc  ceux  qui  n'ont  pas  besoin  d*ollo."    (4)     Tlic 

nature   in  Benedict  r.my  Imvc  been  toriporarily  corrupted  by  society. 


(1)  Can^.,  Valentine,   19. 

(2)  Ibid.,  1L6. 

(3)  THTT..  140. 

(4)  TdT!.,  141. 


iiallarly,  tlM3  nature   In  "Talentluo  Is  tes!n:x>rarily  restricted  liy 
-ociety  since  Valentine's  natural   feeling  for  Bea^ict  is  at  first 
dieolGdcI  by  her  luisband,  her  ittother  and  her  gra;i<feothei*»     ait  the 
natural  fueling  is  never  checked  frcra  s^ithinj     for  this  wculd  be 
to  deny  tlie  virtue  of  nature*     To  dony  the  virtue  of  imture  ia  to 
deny  the  fundaniental  baslo  of  roriantlciGR,     Its  effect  uix>n 
charr.ctGi*,  as  evi  lenccd,  for  instance.   In  Benedict,  is  to  dony  the 
dualism  of  ran'a  nature  and  to  i^reuent  hin  as  ho-TOGcncoua  Uirou^i- 
out,   in  conflict  only  t/ith  the  external  i/oril  but  iK)t  in  conflict 

ith  any  dis turbine  elor.oent  within  his  nature* 

For  clasaiclsra  tian  tias  animal  a».l  hwnan  at  the   aaiao   time*     5'or  the 
-'oijanticist  ::sm  is  natural;     timt  is,   the  dividing  line  between 
nature  and  liusianity  ceases  to  exist*     The  effect  of  this  upon  the 
ronantic  i>crsona(,o    ^^   iiaportant*     It  r^ans  thax.  the  unrestricted 
expansion  of  a  natural  feeling  LeecKies  the  criterion  of  personality* 
HGirce  the  practical  necessity  under  which  the  ronanticist  lay 
of  iiidicatinc  iho  ix)rDor^ge  by  ineunt.   o_    ohe  oxtrerae  itanifestation 
«f  a  given  feeling*     Hence  the  truth,  which  lias  becone   increasiiicly 
ftppai'»ont  in  tiie  course  of  this  study,  that  the  raaantlc  lives 
only  in  oiie  node,   the  no^e  of  feeling*     Rene/  is  nothinc  but  tJie 
extreine  of  ennui*     Delphine  la  nothing  but  an  indiscriniinating  love* 
Tiic  passion  of  avai^icc  is  Grandotj     the  jxission  of  ^Tatomal  love 
is  Coi^iot*     It  ic  the    xiSGionatc  desiix)  for  truth  tiiat  constitutes 
all  JVilien'c  life  and  the  unrestrained  passion  for  beauty  which 
gives  all  the  laeanlno  to  the  nane  of  d 'Albert* 

But  If  it  is  Benedict's  nature  to  love  Valentine  and  if  Benedict's 


^rcorsGllty  Is  sxasood  up  in  the  Tinchecked  :ianifestation  or  Ills 

—tare,  nothing  can  chance  li2m«     The  fact  that  such  a  lovo  raay  be 

tinreuiionable  constitutes  no  "biir  to  Ita  extro^ie  dGvclOiJiont  since, 

Txilng  a  nffli  if estatlon  of  iiatui^.  It  Is  lUiowiso,  necossarily;  a 

manifestation  of  virtue •     Scmd  vrrltos: 

ol  i'ar.iaur  etait  un  Dcntincnt  qui  so  ~    """Ig  ct  se 
raiaonnc  coi.rie  I'Dnitiif  ou  la  haino,  :    "  '  .^ct  e'O.t  Ite 
ftc   Jeter  aux  ]^ieds  de^  Louloej     ceiis  co  qui  fait 
I'ltrionsc  supdrloritc    Ic  celui-la  sur  touo  los  autr-co, 
CO  cjix  prouve  son  essence  ilvlnc,  c'ect  qu'll  no  nait 
point  de  I'hcfmrio  m^ae;     c'oct  que  I'hoime  n*cn  pout 
disi^oser*;     c'ost  qu*ll  ne  I'acMrde  paa  plus  qu'il  no 
l*ote  par  un  acto  de  sa  volontoj     c*est  quo  lo  coeur 
humain  le^recoit  d*cn  haut  sans  doute  rxyvtr'  le  reporter 
sur  la  creature  clioisie  cntre  toutes  dans  Ics  ^essoins 
dxx  del  J     et,  quand  une  fihe  dherglquc  l*a  requ,  c*est 
cn^vTxln  quo  tcutos  loo   cons Id^i^it ions  hunalnes 
^Icvoro-ient  la  voix  potn^  le  dotrulre;     11  subslste 
scul  et  i»r  sa  propre  puissance.    (1) 

To  deny  nan'ii  u.iiul  natui'o  xg  evidently,  therefore,  to  deny  hlra  fz^e 

vill  and  to  rid  hira  of  the  i^csponalhility  for  his  own  acts.     Benedict 

does  not  liold  hlnsoir  responsible  for  onythlnf;  that  luipi^ns  to 

bin  nor  for  anytiiinc  he  does.     On  tlio  contrtiry,  ho  "rrlll  explain 

each  new  circianstance  by  the  cry  that,  since  he  experiences  tills 

instinctive  desiix)  or  love,  God  must  have  willed  it  so,  since  Ood'^ 

as  the  ci'cator  of  our  being,  is  the  source  of  qvcitt  natural  desiro 

or  Instinctive  feeling.     Of  his  love  for  Valentino  Benedict  cries: 

"—  Caament  done  le  del,  qui  r.ie  I'inspli^,  pourralt-11  s'en 

Eioquer?"   (2)     The  passion  v/hich  ho   feels  is  a  "v<^rltc  celeste  qui 

desclllc  Ics  yetix  et  desabusc  l^esp-rit  do  toutos  les  choses 

huEialncsi'*   (2)     ^c  death  of  Valentine's  husband  la  an  effect  of 

destiny.     Bene'tiict  tells  Valentine:      "— TT'est-ce  oaa  Dieu  qui 

regie  nos  destino'os?     n*est-ce  pas  lui  qjiii  te  delivre  de  la  chal^ne 


(1)  Sand,  Vale:itiric-   ISC,   loV'. 

(2)  roid.."i^r?; 


hontcuse  de  ce  tiDTtv^o'i     n'ect-co  p&s  lui  qui  jca^ge  la  terre  do 
cet  hcrsno  fscx  et  stupid©?"   (1) 

sftiat  is  tjme  of  Benedict  is  tnic  or  rcnstntlc  pQ^-sonai^es  In  general. 

Sole  iiow  fJi^qaently  the  r:ora  destlrij  occurs  in  Ujo  novelxi  -jnlor 

-''^rTiisslon.     listen  to  cr^rtiin  cTriT^.ctsrlr.tlc  sixs^jcbes  anul  o'b302»ve 

hoT/  imliCsitatinGiy  tlic^se   .-^orcicnagcs  interpjxit  GoJ.'s  l^itonticfti  to 

confoi^  to  their  cytm  theories*    lf»  de  Lc-ocjiael  iJi'ltes:     '^— <>uoi'| 

la  DiTinltc  qui  a  voulu  arte  tout.   .?ut  facllo  ot  t^'^dixble  paiir  le 

mftlntlon  do  I'oxlatcnce  pdiyslquc,  aurait  nlG  noU'c  naturo  r.iC2:"ale  en 

opposition  avoc  l*x  vcrtiii"   (C)     "—La  nature  — -  coiilait  1*1icbot» 

VQv^  tout  CO  v^v.t  crt  bion,  txir  I'attixilt  ct  le  pBiicliaut  Ic  plus 

dOLix'**'   (5)     SGod*a  -tXjrcoixLt^oii  especially  arc  oxti^.-3aoly  fond  of 

indicating  their  entire  submission  to  t!ie  forcos  of  dostiiay.     Jacques 

writes  Sylvia  in  re^^-r:"  to  the  absurdity  of  coiiforiiiing  to  reat^ned 

pa'inciples:     *'—  II  est  cbaiirde  de  so  prescrlre  xuic  i^glo  dc 

condtilte,  qnand  le  hcoard  ocul  se  charge  tie  vous  cclai3»cr  sur  lo 

im^tllmvp  ]xvrtl  a  prendre^"   (4)     Jallotto  will  doclAre;     "—  Jo  lad 

stiio  q\i*iino  rmlhcm^usc  que  la  fa  tali  tc  cnti^wti:ie  ot  qui  mo  peiit 

s*aiTPctcr^»"   (D)     But  the  fciluixj  to  ixjctify  the  dosirc^  tlw;  inliic^ui 

miallty  in  mict  fi^nires  Is  host  exarapllfle:!  in  Leone  L^ni»     Bq 

is  ihc  exti>cnG  exaitiple  of  a  pcrcceiage  reduced  to  U>©  pRii»ely  aaliaal 

plane  of  living'*     Jtillotto  reports: 

—  n  sc  c-cpotiilla  dc  tout  artifice  et  i>ei;t-Gtre 
dcvrals-Je  dire  dc  toute  pudetu-*,  et  rjo  confecsa  toutoa 

iGS  t       '  ■     '    :  dc  sa  vic'»     I'alii  au  nillc;u  .^o  cot 
abme   _._     -    _it  voir  et  conprcndre  ce  qix'il  y  avalt 

(1)  Sand^  Valentino,  3£4. 

i2)  1Sb0'»  de  i3vtiC^L,  t^el^^ilno-  55S". 
2)   Ibid« ,  531.         '' 
4 )  l&rid',  jto^ccmoG^  245> 
(5^     Revue'des  deux  mondes,    1834,    II.,    Sand,   Leone  L^onl,    298, 


—  Ka  conckilte  est  vile,  me  dlt-il,  mals  rion  coour  ost 
tou jours  noble }     il  aalgne  toujoxirs  de  ees  torts;     11 

a  conserve' aussl  cii *      ',   "izal  ]i  '         sa 

pi'cnicrc  jcunossc,  -  --.     ..i  dti  ^  __     j  I'iiijuote, 

l*liorre\ii'  du  iial  qu*il  corarict,  l^Gnthouslaj^ae  du  beau 
qu'il  conteciplo.    px  ixitiGnca,  tcs    —       ^    ta  oont^ 
anoGllque-   ta  r.ilGcricoi^c  incpuisa'^_  .  .   cello  do  Dlou, 

n©  peuvono  s'excrcor  on  favour  d'-un  §trc  qui  loa 
ociaprenne  mleitx  et  qui  les  adnlre  da  vantage.   (1) 

Loonc*G  speecli  inalfles  plain  all  tho  imlications  of  such  pcrsoiMiges'* 

Pollowlno  the  rextural  impulses  trill  produce  a  conplGte   Inal^illty 

to  discriminate.     3ie  establislied  hegemony  in  the  noral  trorld  is 

no  longer  valid'.     CJood  and  evil,   the  ugly  and  the  beautiful,  are 

confoQsdcd*     Accortlingly,  the  devil  ceases  to  exist  and  the  con»oction 

of  the  will  is  unnecessary.     To  folloT?  the  voice  of  instinct  is 

to  follov;  the  voice  of  God.     God  is  nado  directly  re3}x>nEiblo  for 

the  individual's  actions.     Delphlnc,   in  tho  ciiuroh  with  Leoncc, 

d^fl  xiot  oppose  her  or/n  Independent  judgaent  to  Leonce's  irapassioned 

pleadings'.     On  tlie  contrary,  she   invokes  God  silently  and  decides 

that.  If  God  Gonds  no  sign  to  Leonce's  coafjision,  it  will  be 

because  Ho  approves  of  Leonce's  desire,      '.lien  she  falls  ui^conscious, 

therefore,  siio  recognizes   tlie  incldont  as  an  intervention  froa 

God.     Gilllatt,  stiniggling  against  tiic  elcnents,  will  "be  in  o«actly 

the  sarae  case.     It  is  not  Gilllatt's  sti'^ength  o;.'  co-oragc  which 

frill  give  hirn  tlic  vlctoi'y  but  he   invokes  God  and,  when  the  stem 

abates,  Gilllatt  accepts  It  as  a  sign  fi'orn  God  tliat  the  verdict  la 

in  his  favoim.     Shus  destiny  inilcs  undis^Tuted  and  oven  the  illusion 

of  free  will  is  frequently  exploded.     'Sils  Is  to  riake  rtan  a  rierc 

puppet  in  C-od's  liands*.     As  such,  he  is  not  a  free  agent  and  he  ] 

(1)  Revue  des  deux  mondes,   1834,    II,,    Sajid,   Llone  Leonl,   274, 


cont-iiiiie  to  lll-asiii^iie  ^:iiat  ■  end  of  tdic   dooI^    Eecall 

t'le  r»oc -gijitic  i'      -      -  we  Mvc  i-icsiiiicsiied?     Doee  .  ._>  Tory 

Clkr.ttcJT^-^^n  ei?':!^''  'GPiliI«5&  Ma     .:•■  fii'«t  £._      .    uce'i     Sio:'.-»e  is,  1:-.  fact, 

^.TKJni  oimroic  '^'•Tr^n".     a^e  t?orui.    ^.   .  .^-italn 

\iaGa  to  cLcscrilxj  Kouiiserx:  aPi.dy  oquuij^  wgH,  Si^  to 

Ldono  Loonl  aiK?  serve  to  set  Tcrth  T'ei'y  p3^1iily  Uie  IXmitatious  of 

Slid  ^^^ -•     Haritaln  tr^?/--   •: 

i'J.l,  af>  a  r:.  ,   ^j;.  111:, 

^  realize  a  t.^v^^^>^  v-j.   iuvsj^..i,    ;^w  '.y^  ^.         '-  "^•■«"'^  a 

h2£r«  — —  As  to  the  noral  Jadgment  Itself,  it  is  often 

gccxl,      --  •■    r.:.'-  ^'    ■  ■     In  ra:i» 

It  v.o   'Ail.-f    '7.!;..t  Iri  J;.ar.-~  -.ic 

jreGv,-.„^oat?-"  '^^^  ^he  t.-ill»     Henc„  .;^.    .   .:..    ..^u^ons  and 
hln  moral  •   (1) 

'^^'>rm,   :?:-    -vv.  -    .-..-.     ^  ^*?...-  — 'i,>r    ?f  desired 

Llan  does  iiot  coiiti-ol  liiia  u/ttatiny  Ixio  destiny  oonti-oia  imn;     tlaat  is, 

the  acciclQuts  cf  tlic  outer  v,'orld  detcrdnc  absolutely  ilui  rate  of 

n  sulxiltte'-:'.    .^   ........     ~"iix-.  ■-.-■•< -■   "''-'-'■olopRents  occm^,  thci'<:?f*oi'c, 

iii  Uio  novels  of  roraiiticiiin,  luivc   tiioii"*  soiirce  els.  tlmii 

in  claaractva** 

In  s|ich  clrciiEistoncos,  tlieix)  is  no  room  foa'  psychological  de-^elop- 
(1)  Karltain,  Throe  Hefo^Tie^^s,  101,  102^. 


nont»     Dol]iliine*3  idealisra,  for  instance,  rorialns  unarfcctod  by 
tl3e  »©ries  or  lalsforttmes  tlirough  nhicii  she  passes^*     Sieao  riis- 
roi'tunes  iia.ve  a  oiiiilar  soupco  unu  i-'osult  from  sinllar  indiscretions 
on  her  part*     Yet  Delphiae  vataBd.xi&,  up  to  Uxe  very  ccaclusion  of 
tlie  booky  aa  truii-'v.ing  ar&i  ci^dtilouc  as  slio  mxa  at  licr  Initial 

"■)arance«     i.^:uauiriiodo,  i.hon  iie  is  on  tiie  pllloi'y,  caa  only  oppose 
a  diffib  surprlQO  to  each  new  evidence  of  tlae  i3ali£jnancy  of  the  ciob* 
lis  response  to  oacii  new  catactropbe  may  be  asstailated  to  Delphine'a 
response  In  a  similar  situaticar*     ThB  inability  or  rofxjsal  to 
loam  by  experience  is  the  direct  r-esult  of  the  rcchictlon  of  life 
to  the  hojaogenelty  of  tiie  pm^ely  irjstinctivG,  a  reduction  whiclrj" 
nrinia  fticlaf.  ps^cludcs  free  uillV     Instinctive  life  Lecczaes,  in 
fact,  animal  life  and  such  anii:ial  life  v/111  siiou  siiailar  rcspooses 
tc  clmllar  sticiull  but  nc  psychological  Jlevolormcnt*     llie  personage 
atOPCfua  the  rcsijoniiiblllty  for  his  own  nature  up(m  Godv      ."e,   thciKS- 
foi'c,  in  tuna,  tli3:x)w   the  entire  responsibility  for  the  nature  of 
taw  personage  upon  the  autiior.     If  the-ae  pci^onagcs  learn  no  tiling 
frcci  reality  lAit  i^^ciain  ti\ic   uj  an  instinct  iirplantod  in  tlioia  at 
bii^tii,  Ere  can  only  decide  tiiat  the  c^rtist  has  arbitrarily  eiidoT7cd 
his  porsonat^oe  with  those  particular  inctincts  since  no  correspon- 
dence l«3tween  tlie  instinct  aiid  reality  is  over  aasunied.     It  is  the 
author  of  their  natures  who  alone  iX)sscsscs  fr^e  v/111,  uhotlicr,  in 
real  life,  this  author  is  God  or  v/lietiiei»,  in  fiction,  tliis  autlior 
is  the  novelist*     It  is  this  author  who  alone  i5i»odetGiTaines  tlio 
nature  of  his  ixarsonaj^ec*     It  is  siGr*lf leant,  for  Instance,  ai*i 
ahotrs  the  roraintio  love  for  ^nrndox  that  Sand   ;>roGcnts  ^Riliett©  as 
Incapable  of  Infidelity  to  he;-   x^j/o  for  the  vile  L^onc*     On  the 


otiior  hancl,  she  rei»»cr.enuS  FenrnndG  as  incapable  of  nore  tlmn  an 
axti^cmely  tricf  love     o.    clie  adnlratile  Jacquos.     Such  dotoiTiiriation 
.-scordlis^-  to  a  fixed  coiiceptlon  o£  peulity  siay,  liidood,  bo 
spcciflccaiy  aclaioHlol£..  v:.*     Ticny,  fox*  oaciriple,  will  aascirt:     "Co 
qu'll  y  a  ue  plus  Ixjcu  apcpoD  l*iiasplratx03i,  c'est  le  d^vc-u^..„irw; 
apres  le  Po^tc,  c*cat  le  Soldacit."   (1)     Slicn  he  goos  en  to  asasrt 
that  his  stoi^ios  i^rill  pixjsont  tlie  Soldier,  it  is  alxxiady  evidaat 
that  tlie  G.six)Ct  imclor  v;hich  the  Sddlor  i7ill  appear  lias  "been 
dotenained  am  hiis  boon  dctcrciinod  in  accordtmce  sitii  Vigny's 
.ttltuie  toimixl  the  r-iatei»lal  fron  v/hich  he  creates*     Tiiat  rtatorial 
nust,  pa'irasjdly,  of  courre,  Imve  lycen  fiii'niEl'iod  "by  exterior  ideality 
:  iKl  have  reached  the  author  by  tJie  way  of  observation  and  experience 
but  the  rmterial  fron  which,  he  directly  creates  is  not  obsenied 
reality  but  i^ality  as  it  appears  after  its  assimilation  by  ttm 
sentirient* 

5he  only  chtCGC   Lliat  ever  uIjco   i  lace  in  a  ^iven  nature  is  not 
tiie  result  of  a  slotr  dcvclopeent  but  of  a  sudden  coirTcrslon*     Jevort 
acts  in  a  given  nanncr  thrraighout  Lea  Bis  crab  les»     Suddenly  he 
changes  and  act£  in  exactly  the  opposite  nanncr«     Jean  Valjean 
Is  moved  by  hate  and  acts  like  a  criminal •     £>addenly  he  clmngos. 
^€  alnost  savage  Jean  undergoce  an  iixiedlato  trancforniation  and^ 
inmctically  overnight,  becccieB  endovrod  witii  a  great  variety  of 
icnoirledcc  and  different  sorts  of  Bld.ll.     He  Is  sliotrn  riaimclng 
factories,  adnlnlsterinc  charities,  and  ruling  a  city-»     "Htm  rmrquis 

(1)  Vigny,  Servitude  et  grtandeur  militaires,  25* 


de  I*:;ntcnac  rmder-goeB  the  aarae  tT?e  of  co^i-iloto  tT^nsfor'nitiorr. 
His  Ci\ii,j.b^    lu  urtiiti^a'tcd  ttntli    -uu  .uiauii^  uuun^  sudcou-y,  iie 
chocs  hlnceir  capable  of  the  greatest  pcsailjlc  sclf-so.crifice  for 
.  c  salrc  of  others.     He  has  nade  good  his  escape  frao  the  stronr*- 
iioiu.  u.iluii  iilw  o.i*jiiieo  liuvij   Uikeif*     But  the  siicou^.-  ox   '.iLu  nsucanij&Q 
was  to  "bo  U\e  cigruil  for  tlic  deatli  of  tixroe   innocent  children  be 
has  holxl  as  Itostaces'.     The  fuso  which  will  uet  fire  to  tQie  rocn 
In  which  they  arc  looted  has  act«ally  been  sot  off.     But  La.ntoaE.c, 
tlie  implacable,  is  suadenly  converted  to  htaaanity  by  the  mother's 
despairing  cries'*    Ho  rescues  the  children  althwrh  it  ontalls 
his  captui^  auu  conderamticm  to  death*     But  tiic  vo^^^-face  by  i^iich 
Lontonac  passes  frori  one  absolute  to  the  opposite  does  not  appoar 
as  a  rosu2,t  of  lunain  exporlcnce  and  reasor^d  judgnent.     It  is, 
ratiicr,  a  result  of  the  divine  Intervention  and  it.  i^u  interpreted 
by  Oauvaln*     He  Ijas  seen: 

1/6  corabat  du  blcn  coiitro  le  nal* 

TJh  CO  cur  effi*ayant  vena  it  d'etre  vainctU 

Etant  donne  l*licraae  avoc  tcwt  ce  qui  est  nauvais 
en  lui,  la  viol-- -    ,  l*errcur,  l*avGi:.gl©iaGnt, 

l*opiniatrct*^  .Uie,  I'orgueil,  I'ogoisno,  Gouvain 

▼enait  de  voir  un  mlz*aclo» 

La  vie  to  ire  de  I'hiananito  sur  l*honi->e'# 

L'hursfinito  -avalt  valncti  I'inhusialn*   (1) 

Bri»queBiGnt,  l^Itjcoraiu,  1  •avcrticseiir  layaterlfifux  dee 
r-    •,  •"■^.ait    -.e  fali  c  *        i-    r..^  au-dossiis  des 
i.  t  dos  nolrcetx:  _       ^,  la  £n^ande  lueur 

otoi nolle.  — —  JSEisBaiSy  dans  axictui  coiibat,  Satan 
n%vait  ^te'  plus  visible,  ni  EieuW   (2) 

ISse  obaiis^B  in  Lantcnac  is  a  ::iiraclc  wrcoi^ht  by  God  and  is,  there- 

fcre,  iK>t  necessarily  in  accord  with  psychological  r<jality, 

(1)  liufo,  cnmtre-Viiict-Treise,   13^,  20a* 

(2)  Ibid.,  IX^  20'1,  26S. 


Sor  does  Sand  aeea  to  find  It  iiaprobable  to  represent  Fadette* 
vhose  characteristic  quality  at  tiie  bet:,iniilng  of  tlie  book  Is 
aalice,  as  transformed  eonpletely  and  imrnediately  so  tliat 
thereafter  she  appears  as  the  perfect  model  of  virtue  and«  indeed, 
initiates  Landry  into  the  true  religion  — •  a  religion  of  love 
fftiich  excludes  tiio  very  idea  of  evil* 

8cMh  iansdiate  conversions  are  frequent  and  <  .ay  be  lllast::^ated 
froia  alaost  any  novel  of  roinanticisn  although  raore  apparent, 
perhaps «  in  Hugo  and  Sand  t^ian  in  the  other  novelists*  Chactas 
undergoes  such  a  conversion  of  attitude  at  Atala*8  deatli*  !>?•  de 
Valorbe,  vdio  has  never  be«i  anything  but  petty  and  etean^  becomes 
suddenly  generous  just  ljefoz>e  he  dies.  Skse.  dc  Vemcm  too 
under^^es  the  same  type  of  death»bed  conversion.  It  is  such 
conversicHis  that  effect  tJie  advancet'ient  of  the  plot  in  Les 
Miserablcs.  tiarius  undergoes  one  coriplete  chan,  e  and  latox" 
anotjier  entire  z^voluticoi  of  attitude,  ills  grandfather  likewise 
mtitkea   a  right«about-face.  So  does  Bponine.  And,  of  course, 
Jean  Valjean*s  conversion  is  the  starting- !)oint  of  the  '  ook 
proper.  Such  a  transfoxraation  appears  also  in  Bernard  Siteuprat 
eho,  a&'VB.i^   and  violent  at  the  beginning  of  tlie  book  of  v^hlch 
he  is  tlie  prota<  onlst,  becones  iamediately,  upon  acquaintance* 
aihlp  vith  Ednee,  a  dianged  person.  It  appears  in  Flavie,  in 
Francis  (Valvedre).  in  Rathalie  ( Mont^Reve ohe ) .  in  IsiJora.  It 
weerin  especicULly  1  iprobable  in  rk»nt«»Reveche  udiere  Uatluilie^s 
violently  envious,  ciniel,  ami  assertive  disposition  becoues 
MMidenly  a  husible,  subiiissive,  and  k'nd  one.  Sudi  conversions 
in  the  natui^  of  nodolphe,  Tiburce,  or  d»  Albert  nalre  the  «diole 


Interest  of  the  olot  and  It  Is  jiiet  such  a  conversion  which 
aaJeaa  Daniel  Jovard  '.30  from  the  cme  abrolute  catroae  to  the 
otlior.     RMtnud  (SegvltMde  et  ffTKodmxr  nllitalrea)  undergoes 
successive  and  Icraediate  trans forrmtions*     So  does  Juli^i* 
Julien*  for  Instanee^  is  at  one  m<x?ient  a  fervent  and  eloqitent 
Cturiatiany  st  the  xuuct  he  denies  Cliristianity  entirely* 

Since  8u<^  an  absolute  reversal  is  less  improbable  in  tiie  realm 
of  idmis  than  it  is  in  the  realm  of  instinct^  Jixlien*s  suddoa 
flanges  8e«a  less  i.  >probal>le  t^an  does,   for  instance »  Jean 
Valjean*a  transfomation.     Jean  VaXJean  is  converted  to  the 
religion  of  love  but  Julien,  i^en  be  first  accepts  Qxrist,  is 
acceptinc  the  idea  of  the  religion  rather  than  its  sentlnent* 

Such  iaeiediate  cc»iversion  does  not  occur  in  Balzeu;  and^  in  this 
reepctcty  he  shows  a  certain  divergence  frota  the  coiaplote 
roaanticim  of  the  otlier  novelists  discussed  here.     '^i»  iaataediate 
and  ccxnplete  tranafommticm  in  character  vdiich  tliese  novelists 
so  unaniHOusly  ascribe  to  tlieir  porsona^^es  is  obviously  en 
arbitrary  device  #iioh  can  only  be  accepted  as  probable  if  ive 
accept  the  idea  of  a  conversion  ijidiidi  is  In  the  natuire  of  a 
religious  conversion;     tliat  is,  it  is  not  a  disciplined  process 
of  spiritual  advancoaent  imt  an  ionediate  salvation*     This 
ianediate  salvation  restilts,  aceox>ding  to  Protestant  doc  trine » 
frota  the  arbitr'ary  disp^isation  of  grace  frora  heaven*     Sudti 
grace  is  the  direct  token  of  Ood*8  love  azKl  deso«ids  upon  tSaoae 
vho  acknowledge  a  love  for  Ood* 


In  tito  novels  we  are  studying^  the  conversion  is»  llkevise^ 
alvays  the  result  of  love*  not.   Indeed,   the  love  of  God  but  the 
love  of  God's  representatives  on  earth.     JVili^i's  orii:lnal 
Qirtstianity  was  the  resixlt  of  his  love  of  Christ  —  God's  son* 
Jean  Val.^ean'a  tiransforraatlcm  Is  the  result  of  his  love  of  the 
blsihop  —  God's  priest.     P«iette's  love  for  Landry  —  God's 
creature  ~  clian^es  her  ccsapletely,     More  f3?oquently,  hov/ever, 
it  is  the  love  of  wonan  ~  the  isost  perfect  manifestation  of 
God's  croaticai  ~  ttmt  effects  the  change.     This  is  true  of 
Tilxirce  1^0  loves  Gretchen*  of  Hocioli^ie  1^10  loves  u^riette*  of 
d'Albert  x^.o  loves  Mile,  de  MflBioin,  of  Chactas  «ho  loves  Atnla* 
of  tSaw.  de  Vemcm  ^o  loves  Delphine. 

Tiyo  grace  n^lch  God  ^^rants  to  man,  the  author  bestows  on  his 
perscmages.     Hence  the  author  is  visii  ly,  once  again »  assuoin^ 
ttie  prero^tivea  of  the  creator.     Just  as  he  rnade  the  original 
natural  eEndonagsent  of  his  creatures  arbiti:»arily,   that  is,  according 
to  his  plan  anA  not  according  to  his  experience  of  reality,   .lust 
so  does  the  author  render  himself  resp<msible  for  their  final 
salvation  or  dazaiation  accordinn-  to  w?iethor  he  nernita  of  their 
conversion  by  love  or  vd^ether  tiiey  resaain  unconverted.     The 
creation  rep3?eaents  tlie  creator's  plan.     It  represents  not  the 
probability  whi<^  arnonls  with  God's  cx»eation  but  t^sc  unnredict- 
ability  n^ich  re/julatos   tlie  universe  of  an  author  lidiofie  plan 
we  rmxat  divine  fron  his  trorlc  In  order  to  interpret  him  correctly 
and  in  order  to  suggest  the  lai^  that  rule  the  -iinivorse  of  his 


In  I^alzac's  work»  certain  of  his  personai^es  reveal  the  sixme 
Incapacity  for  develoxxaent  c^ppaz'ent  in  tli©  figiires  w©  have  Just 
been  discussing.     If  any  tSione^e  does  occur,  'moreover,  it  occurs 
by  means  of  a  sixailar  abrupt  passage  froia  one  absolute  to 
another*     In  such  a  fashicm^  Vautrin  pas&es  abzniptly  from  ttie 
state  of  a  criitdnal  defyinr;  society  to  ttiat  of  a  j)Olice  inspector 
protecting  society.     But  it  is  necessary  to  observe  tiiat, 
dss^^tially*  Vautrin  rcoains  the  sane  and  tlie  fact  that  he  decides 
to  use  an  accepted  social  function  as  the  nieans  to  his  end  does 
not  change  the  character  of  tliat  end. 

On  the  other  liand,  igien  E^zac  presents  malleable  youth,  be 
rep]?es^it8  it  as  passing  throu^ii  a  scries  of  ea^riences  is^iich 
Bimild  it  slotjly  toward  its  final  set  aspect,     neither  tiie  motive 
nor  ntovecient  is  parallel  to  that  apparent  in  Jean  ValiMOi.     In 
this  latter  the  transfoi*3ation  Is  ij:i3ediate  and  his  further 
•aperlexices  are  In  tlie  naturo  of  tests  i^ich  nalce  clear  the 
coopleteness  of  tliat  transforr;ation«     In  Balsac's  \8ork,  the 
transfomation  appears  as  a  final  result  not  as  an  ii.rsediate 
cause.     The  youth  in  his  novels  is  the  embryo  upon  \5jlilch  the 
staiB5>  has  not  yet  been  set.     For  scsae  of  tAls  youth  the 
Ksaanticisa  «ftiicli  is  concerned  cmly  with  its  o\5in  nature  is 
replaced  by  a  recOi^nition  of  the  exterior  reality.     Tlwjs© 
personages  tdio  recoijniae  reality  for  «rhat  it  Is,  oudii  as 
^agenie  «p  Hasti^7xac,  recognise  also  that,  by  tlieir  choice  of 
society,  tliey  are  detenoining  the  developraont  in  thenselves  of 
one  side  of  their  nature  to  the  exclusion  of  tlie  otlier. 


astlcnac,  vHxen  we  fli»st  neet  hisi^  Is  yoxjng  eaa&  Ms  direction 
undeterciined.  His  final  z^^stare  in  Le  pei^c  Goriot  shovs  idiat 
his  future  directior.  nlll  be«  This  final  fjesture  is  th'^  result 
of  &  Ion  subniealcm  to  a  giv^i  Infivience  ~  p^re  Goriot*  s  — 
end  his  sulacsission  to  this  influence  has  cradually  elir.inated 
ther  type  of  natural  feeling  «hlch  originally  existed  in  hla» 

V  thing  is  true  of  Eurraxie  Orandet*  She   is  young  and 
her  way  imdetaTmlaed  but  her  «ay  is  not  the  reeult  of  a  sadden 
conversion  but  of  a  long  gestation*  Her  final  c©*^*^  of 
aocept«aiee  follows  a  lon^  subraission  to  tlio  influences  of 
rellf^lon  and  tradition,  an  influi^ice  tranaiiitted  throu^rh  her 
mother*  Her  acceptance  of  this  influonce  involves  the  final 
renuncifl.ti(»»  of  another  aspect  of  her  natural  feeling,  her  love 
for  Charles*  The  religious  influence  predonlnates  in  .ler  life 
tttmi   the  priest  succeeds  in  naklng  Eugenie  realise  that  her 
love  for  Charles  is  egoistic  in  quality  in  that  it  has  raade  her 
forget  her  obligations  toward  society*  (1) 

Balsuc^s  personages  are  seen,  therefoz^),  to  be  livin^'r  entirely 
in  the  mode  of  feeling  but,  ot  tho  saae  tl  se,  he  recognisos  and 
■skes  evident  in  them  as  natural  two  distinct  types  of  ^eellrx^: 
the  social  s^^mpathles  fostered  in  nan  Ty  one  sort  of  en^TronaiMit, 
the  aelf-love  fostex>ed  in  n^oi  by  anotrier  sort  of  envlr<»amcit« 
6ftlsae*8  nature,  therefore,  is  dual  imt  the  dualism  is  not  that 
of  reason  versus  instinct;  it  is  tli©  .rincipl©  of  life  in  nature 
versus  the  oz*lnclple  of  death*  The  two  aspects  of  nature  do  not 


(1)  See  Balzac,  Eufcenie  Grande t*  475,  476. 


'm  1.^  In  his  pez>80Stt^GS  Init  the  deteirilnation  of  th©  aspect 
jhich  «dll  pirevall  in  any  still  aalleable  forci  of  life  dcpcaids 
upon  tl&e  ataBoayiiere  in  wiiicli  it  devcloi>3«     Like  a  plant  viileh 
T>e»ponds  to  sun  or  shadow  tlie  ycnjxiQ  hsoctas  giecmth  responds  to 
ihc  tPcrovaftd»l»  or  tu  favourable  conditions  of  its  11  fo,     i^alaac's 
-roimg  pz'otaf^Hiists  are  not,  therefox-e,  subject  to  ii^iMdiate 
conversions  but  to  slow  development,     '^lie  developnont  is  not 
one  of  disciplined  6tru(i^:lo,  howtver*  but  of  natural  ^ro.      .      "le 
pefsonatse  is  not  indepsBftleiit  of  cirtMsmteaMMi  maj  store  tlias.  are 
the  other  personalises  of  roosantlcisn,   since  lie  lep-oids  not  on 
bis  o«n  f^?ee  vrill  but  on  tiw  elianee  ii^ilch  b^i^s  Mm  in  one  or 
maotSmr  direction* 

But  if  Bal2ftc*s  personaj^es  are  detezoined  from  without «  rather 
tiian  fron  within,  Balsao  malces  t^ils  detemination  seem,  at  least, 
to  rest  upon  a  coLT^r  Icte  reco^niticm  of  the  presoico  of  e  /ll  in 
nature.     That,  at  t3ac  aaae  tine,  he  fri'llcatos  the  persistence 
of  evil  to  be  due  only  " '    'he  permit*  s.uoe  of  a  certain  type  of 
society,  the  existing  mode  of  society,  indicates  in  hia  the 
preo^ic©  of  the  belief  that  ovll  tendeaicies  in  tlie  young  plant 
or  l-oioaan  growth  can  be  cosapletely  eradicated  given  a  favourable 
envlrcHBaent, 

L*Taifant  rmudit  offers  an  interesting  oacaniiJl©  of  Bal!5ac*s 
conceptlfm  of  the  favourable  rillieu*     Etiennc  d'HerouvHl©  ^-^^^oxt^ 
up  in  an  isolation  viiich  offers  hln  as  society  only  three 
eleinents:     his  nother,  his  books,  and  nature.     The  society  liiich 
his  zBother  represents  is  reflected  in  liin:     ^'GooBie  sa  mere,  11 


otait  tout  acKkur  pur  et  tout  ecie^"   (l)     Tliroutjli  tlie  knmvlodt;© 

^ained  trcEi  his  bcx^cs  lie  dlseoiraa!^  hla  joy  in  nature  and 

di soothers  Uie  union  idaich  it  offers  of  tihe  ins tii^e live  mid  th« 

Ideal:     "Incroyabl©  fiiel«age  d©  dmuc  cieationsl.tettit^t  il  c'olevait 

ju3qiu*a  Dloa  par  la  prie::^,  taiit^t  il  redesc«»dal t^  Iniable  et 

reai^oe  Juaniu'au  boniiour  palsiblo  do  la  brute."  (2)  Tno  young 

abrielle  liksslse  grows  up  in  complete  isolation  fron  the 

'.Qtj  of  hor  tisie*     "Ainsl,  diose  etvailgfM     la  vie  que  1& 

.^.'..Ijie  d'un  pere  avait  corsiaade  a  Etienne  d*Iierouville»  I'antour 

patemel  avait  dit  a  Boaavoulolr  de  I'iiinoser  a  Gabrlelle."   (S) 

Daonifoeabalr  es^lains  to  Etientie  the  reasocis  ^lich  liave  dictated 

Oabrielle*s  iaolation: 

-~  L'i^orance»  nionseig^eur^  est  use  chose  ausai 
sainte  que  la  science;     la  sci«ice  et  1* ignorance 
aont  pour  les  cr^tures  deux  ^lani^res  d'etre; 
l*iine  et  1*  autre  ccmservent  I'mne  caeme  dans  \m 
suaire;     la  science  voua  a  faib  vivi^«  l*i;^ora&e« 
sauvera  taa  fille*   (4) 

The  ideal  to  ^lich  Stienne  attains  throui^  nature  camp2?ehflcded 

scientifically,  Gabrielle  reaches  throiii;^!  natuire  conprehended 

instinctively,     Balzac  writes:     "Elle  avait  la  noblesse 

particuliere  aux  anes  diez  lesquelles  les  :  ianieres  du  vaxmde 

n'ont  rien  altere,  en  qui  tout  est  beau  p€u*ce  que  tout  est 

naturel."   (5)     The  pi^servatlon  frota  a  materialistic  society 

has  preserved  her  spirt tual  instinct.     Balzac  writes:     "A  quo! 

comparer  un  etre  a  qui  les  lois  sociales,  les  faux  sentirionts 

du  nonde  etaient  inconnus«  et  qui  conservait  une  ravissante 


(1)  Bal2ac«  L^aafant  standi t>  40G« 

(2)  ibij./sTJsn: 

(3)  "^"^.,   410. 

(4)  _•,  423. 

(5)  22S**  425. 


innocenco,  en  n'o'.dasiint  qvJa  I'lnatlnct  do  son  cocar.'^   (1) 
Hut  the  beauty  which,  sodti  innooenca  poejsessea  is  i^eli^lous  in 
feeling.     Of  Gabrielle  I5al3e.e  asso3?t3J     "C'etait  la  3ei»?«ihl<iB» 
et  profonde  beaute  de  I'Eli^lise  catholiqucy  a  1&  foic  soupXe  et 
rislCo,  cevei^s  et  tendre."  (2)     /md  ttie  religloiiE  fealin^  isiiich 
appoara  eqiioUy  In  Etierane  end  in  Gabzdelle  finds  its  natural 
society  only  •shBre  a  Idndz^ed  f^linG  exists.     Honce:     '*La 
nature  avait  destine  cea  dmix  l>eauK  ^tr>o6  I'un  &  l*aatre^  Dieu 
les  avait  rapprod^oa  i^r  i2ne  Incroyablo  dlsv^sition  iTr'  i  imniaiitn  "("i) 

IXit  fihetiier  oi*  not  Balzac  SiKJllec  a  favoiirable  cnvironDent  for 
hla  youthTul  protaca*Klsts  ia  c|ulte  as  artltrary  a  aatter  as  is 
the  conversion  of  the  aore  ordinary  typo  of  romantic  personage* 
Balsac  puts  huBMn  nature  on  a  pax*  with  inanimate  or  anioal 
nature  by  ntaklng  it  follov  the  law  of  necessity  in  its  develop- 
iMBt*     Hucoy  vhose  personages  are  su7.  ject  to  such  sudden 
eenveirslonst  juts  huian  nature  on  a  par  vith  inmrtiiaate  or 
anlaail  nature  by  malting  it  subject  to  ir^tinct»     ^ut  in  his 
peraatukQea^  though  the  divinity  of  nature  in  thai  may  0e 
taq^ovarily  sulaareed  by  the  evil  influcsHM  of  socioty^  the 
possibility  of  its  resorgenee  is  never  rorcotten,     licnco  'di® 
Bilmculoua  conversion  ndiich^  in  Balzae»  would  be  to  deny  natural 
nee«Mity  and«  therefoz*e»  to  d«iy  nature*  beeoiaea,  in  Vbi^,  the 
reassertlon  of  nature  and  of  tiuit  is  natural,     i'ho  necessity 
idiich  rules  Balzac's  personages  dci^oids  xipcm  the  necessary 
stability  of  relation^iips  in  nature  and,  tlierefor©,  in  iian  and 

(1)  Balzac,  L« Enfant  raautiit.  S90, 
^2)  Ibid>.  ^XSl 
(5)  ISId..  412. 


tn  man's  society.     Vsol^lli**  ^onveirelon,  CflireAxlly  staddladj  1» 
seen  to  represent  only  an  external  ^uuaiv^e  of  state}     the  idea 
ropr^eated  by  that  state  is  still  the  8e»«*     But  in  Huar.,  ot» 
In  the  other  i^Dsnanticlsts,  tlm  basis  of  Ji^ture  is  Ir  fha  iadiT- 
idaal  not  In  tlie  relationahlpe  between  the  individo&lii*     In 
r«lsac  ex'cry  caen  Is  e  lanlt  in  a  society.     In  the  o<3-ter-  ^?^r!s»aticiats, 
every  r.an  is  en  ind6f>es3dent  cosnos.     The  result  is  that,  in 
Balzac's  work,  it  is  not  ^;he  individual  vhieh  Is  £oo<?  or  bad»  It 
is  tJie  society,  i^iich  forBis  him  and  in  «3iich  he  is  a  cogij  which 
is,  by  nature,  <Tood  or  bad.     But  in  Hufjo,  Oi»  in  the  ^ther 
roTjanticists,  it  is  t!ie  indl^dd'oal  who  is  f^ood  03?  '>€*?•     ^op© 
Sand,  for  exasa^le,  dotorrlnes  by  hei*  cdioice  of  the  attri^mt-es 
of  tjie  s^spat^ictic  pearsona^e  those  qualities  w'x'ch  ere 
crtterlon  of  virtue  in  her  universe,  Balzac  detewiines  by  his 
choice  of  tiie  attrlL^utes  of  the  STX^^tai^tic  society  those 
qualities  t^iieh  arc  the  criterion  of  virtue  in  Ms  imlverse. 
The  decision  nust  >ro  made  before  the  i:>ersonafve3  appea?  for, 
aftej*  their  initial  appenrfmco,  free  Tfill  is  only  an  Illusion 
and  even  a  airaculous  conversion  laaat  reriain  in  haisiiony  with  the 
natrore  of  the  unlvorao  those  persona -^jes  ha  re  reppesent.e*« 

Bat  if  thoso  r>er3ona,:e3  are  prtssive,  living  only  in  the  mode  of 
feollns  and  throuc^i  but  a  single  ai^pect  of  that  mode  —  mi 
aspect,  noreovor,  so  extreme  as  to  be  an  axajgei-ation  or  dis- 
tortion of  a  no2*nal  feel?-n.3    --  if  tl^sse  r»ersona;5es  acknowled-e 
iffislr  subciisalvenoes  to  ffite  and  involHD  nr»'  in  a  situation  «hare 
t2ie  classic  cliaracter  would  feel  tSie  necessity  of  mft"  "         ds 
own  noral  choice,  tihat  elerte?it  of  conflict  is  possil  le  or  in 


fiiat  vilX  t^e  artist  nake  the  eleraont  of  suspense  consist?  If 
the  developaent  Is  not  ttie  developnaat  of  character  in  action, 
has  the   plot  developa^ent  all  the  irrelevancy  of  the  picaresque 
novel  or  t2ie  epic  of  heroic  adventures?  Helther  is  this  th« 
case.  IShat  Is  apparent,  however,  is  that  the  Lnner  conflict 
i^iioh  man's  orl  :lnal  sin  rsade  inevitable  in  the  classie 
(diaraeter  becoraes,  with  the  advent  of  mitural  virtue,  external- 
ized* The  oood  and  evil  «liich  ^Eisted  in  one  nan  "beeome,   in 
tSie   I'omantlcist  conception^  tlie  eleiient  of  ^ood  in  one  f*rvR   and 
^e  element  of  evil  in  another.  3!he  inner  conflict  is  z>cplaced 
b7  an  externalised  cla^*  The  hero  and  the  villain,  with  tlwir 
cohorts  of  |:;ood  and  evil  personaf^s,  replace  the  husmn  intelliijence 
and  the  aninal  instincts  «hich  riade  tlie  hisnan  conflict  in  ttm 
classicist  literature* 

The  developaent  of  the  novel  is,  accordingly,  externalized. 
Since  tlie  romantic  personage  —  ^^ne,   for  example  —  is  apt  to 
r^sain  the  same  frora  the  first  to  the  last  pa^-e,  the  source  of 
tite   action  is,  actually,  outside  hin  and  consists  in  ^le 
variation  of  his  sunroundings.  The  outer  world  whi(^  co?iies  to 
Hene  tfirou^  his  sensations  consists  of  people,  places,  things. 
As  far  as  Rene,  1^0  tells  the  story,  is  concerned,  the  aniiiate 
and  the  inanimate  are  on  an  equal  plane.  T}ia  distinctto;  lies 
not  in  any  objective  reality  T!ri.thout  but  in  the  subjective 
manner  in  '•ftiich  tliey  affect  R&ne»     Thus  the  anl.  ^ate  and  the 
Inaninate  are  netted  in  t!ie  experience  of  the  orota-onlst  jtist 
as  tJiey  are  xser^&l   in  the  roaanticist's  treatment  01  xniero.  Tho 
elaaent  in  the  universe  ishich  affects  Rene  may  be  a  lar^e. 


i>\r    « 


force  sudi  as  the  force  of  constituted  society,  or  may  be  the 
force  ndiiic^  lies  In  an  aspect  of  hunan  nature*  such  as  AQel5.e, 
or,  finally.  It  riay  be  ^^■■'^  force  xshldi  lies  in  an  aspect  of 
external  nature,   such  as  M\e  African  wilderness*     It  is  In 
this  roam^r  that  the  personals  appear  as  the  passive  recipients 
of  varying  sensations  tlie  sources  of  ^lich  are  in  the  world 
beyond  the  ei^^ 

The  nain  persona^  ~  or  personaces  — -  of  a  novel,  su<^  as 
Corinne,  Jean  Valjean,  Hasti^^iac,  J^ilien,  react  to  situations, 
people,  and  clwjunstancos  imt  do  not  develop.     Ihey  regain 
stationary,  the  mere  recipients  of  a  mecesslon  of  s^isetione 
froo  tJie  outside  world.     No  moral  life  is  possible  for  t3iem. 
Accordingly,  tlie  other  persona^^s  are  araong  the  devices  ii^ilch 
taie  author  supplies  in  order  to  illustrate  the  nature  of  tlie 
recipient,  that  is,  of  the  protagonist*     Thus  Rastlj^nac,  for 
exanple,  finds  in  the  diffei^ent  elements  of  tlio  external  ijnl verse 
those  elenents  ^Ich  are  obstacles  and  oppose  the  satisfaction 
of  his  e{^,   those  el«:ient8  viiich  ills  ego  can  use  and  feed  upon, 
and,  finally,  those  eleraents  to  obtain  vshlc^  Is  to  obtain  his 
ideal,  t}ie  happiness  wliich  ctxaes  frora  an  urlinlted  expansion 
of  the  ego*     So,   too,  to  Jean  Valjean,  Javert  is  an  eleraent  in 
his  social  ^ivironoent*     t>o,  to  Deljiilne,  llatilde  Is  only  one 
of  n\flaerous  forces  Tshich  oppose  her  love  for  Le(moe*     In  this 
universal  extemalisation  it  is  customary  to  make  the  quality 
of  the  beauty  tahidh  a  inan  desires  tlie  touchstone  ^s^ch  dietezisiines 
the  quality  of  the  nan  since,  because  tliere  Is  no  moral  clioice, 
that  quality  cannot  dcpwjd  on  it*     It  is  not  a  moi^l  choice 


t3n.&t  Raphael  sakes  iftien  he  deserts  Foedox*a  fop  P«nliiiti>»    B« 
I^fta  nerely  <^08en«  of  tlie  t«o  means  of  satisfyln^^  hie  nature « 
tSutt  on©  iihi<ih  he  f!Lnds  to  fce  aore  peraianwntly  satisfying.     Tae 
goal  of  all  Rene's  «anderinr^»  of  Delpliine*s  hesitations^  of 
C^aaeltnodo* s  instinct ,  and  Ursula's  pati^ice,  is  that  ideal 
satisfaction  of  tlieir  feolinijs  «6xlch  araciQ  element  of  the 
external  world  auat  supply. 

Because  it  Is  in  the  external  vorld  tliat  t}ie7  nust  find  the 
satisfaction  «hieh  their  e^xo  seekSf  tliese  personages  are  seen 
to  gravitate  naturally  toward  a  world  in  confonalty  witli  their 
desires^  hence  a  world  in  confom'  ty  vAth.  thonselvcs*       raxidot 
surrounds  himself  with  ;7old  and  possessions  and  the  world  in 
t^ie*t  he  lives  —  a  w^rld  built  by  him  to  satisfy  his  desire  — 
Is  merely  on  extension  of  himself*  an  extonsicm  of  liis  e^^^o* 
For  Frollo  the  c!-nu*^  is  another  solf«  a  reflection  of  his  being, 
Indieena  and  Ralph  build  a  world  to  satisfy  their  dream*     So  too 
Portunio  builds  his,     Ai^  the  confomfity  wliich  exists  betwscn 
the  man  and  his  ideal  8atisftiction«  a  conformity  vftiioh  makes 
it  r>ossible  to  judce  hin»  for  initainee»  by  tlie  woman  he  desires , 
isakes  It  also  possible  to  judif^e  him  by  tlie  wox'ld  in  isiicii  oe 
deliberately  dhooses  to  live.     Thus  d'Arthez  may  be  Judi'ed  by 
the  humble  obscurity  he  prefers  as  Qwynplaine  may  be  judged  by 
his  final  renuiiciati<»i  of  the  world  of  iroalth.     In  evory  case 
the  milieu  becomes  a  fom  of  extension  of  tlie  ego  and  is* 
therefore^  indicative  of  the  ago  vbich  inhabits  it. 

It  is  not  surprising,  of  course,  that  tJie  details  of  exterior 


nature  have  an  lnte??ral  part  In  the  preisentfition  of  porscmag© 
In  tbB  romanticist  fictiOTn  for,  aa  we  have  seen^  the  natui^e  of 
tlie    aiiverse  —  extei»nal  —  and  the  nature  of  man  —  internal  ~ 
are  inticately  related  In  the  thouj^t  of  the  romanticists.     The 
relationship  appeajra  not  onl^  in  the  oorrespotidence  «diioh  exists 
betwean  man's  nilieu  and  his  nature  but  also  in  t±ie  eor?esp<»^enee 
tatiich  exists  between  man*  a  physical  and  spiritual  self* 

BwtLzmCf  of  course*  is  fasiaus  for  the  nrmner  in  fftilch  he  riles 
up  pSisrsical  details  in  the  description  of  his  personages*     'Qm 
aodem  reader  of  Balsac  is  apt  to  di^iiss  all  this  nmse  of 
infOTBiaticm  as  extraneous  to  the  roain  interest  of  the  noxrel*     lie 
msj  dismiss  it  as  laez^ely  one  type  of  local  colour*     Bat  local 
eolour^aside  from  the  authenticity  its  use  oay  lrapaT>t9  has 
another  purpose*     It  sets  the  spiritual  tone  and  determines  the 
iftu>le  moirau    atmoi^ere  in  irtiitih  a  bo<^  isoves*     ^lie  **local 
colour"  in  i^egard  to  a  persona^*  tl^erefore,  nust  also  Tielp  to 
set  the  spiritual  tone  and  detezmine  the  ooral  ataaosxi^iere  in 
vhieh  the  personage  laoves*     Balzac  insures  tliat  the  pSiyaical 
details  he  supplies  will  be  correctly  interpreted  by  means  of 
the  introductic^  of  the  systea  of  coirrespOiQaenees  #iich  lAvater 
had  establiflhed  between  the  physical  nan  sind  Ills  T«>ral 
eharacteristics* 

^  B^txdx  the  correspondence  lAiich  Balzac  establishes  between 
tSie  nhysical  espreseion  of  an  idea  in  nature  and  in  nan  is 
very  explicitly  developed*     He  virltes: 

Aupres  de  l*e^~lise  de  Quex'ande  se  voit  une  nelson 


qui  est  dans  la  viUe  ce  que  \t^  ville  est  dars  !• 
pays»  una  inuiga  oxacte  du  passe^  la  s^bole  d*ime 
grande  tbo&m  d6tmlta*  una  poasie*     Cette  wnlaon 
appartient  ^  la  plus  noble  famille  du  pays,  aux 
du  Ooaralc.*,.   (1) 

The  house  finds  its  idea  best  expressed  in  certain  roons  lAiXctb. 

^Iffwg  describes.     He  eontiroies: 

Depsiis  cinquante  nns,  lea  du  Quaisnic  n^cat^^mse^ 
ve<^  pez^osme  ailleuz>s  que  dans  les  doux  r  ioces  ou 
respiraicot  — — ■  l*esprit«  la  graoe*  la  xiaivet^  da 
la  vieille  et  noble  Bx»eta  tig.     Sans  la  topo.^rarjliie 
et  la  deseription  de  la  villa,  aseaa  la  peinture 
laiiaitieuse  de  cet  hdtel,  los  surppenantes  fl^ipes 
de  oette  famille  eussent  6t4  peiit-^tre  moins 
ooBQ^pises.   (2) 

Hence,  vtiea  the  representative  of  tliis  fandly  appears,  he  is 

eoqolained  by  tbo  tradition  which  produced  hixi:     "Eh  lui,  le 

e^ranit  broton  s'etait  fait  hoaM."   (5) 


So,  in  Hu{^,  the  natural  beauty  in  ^siaeralda  corresponds  to  a 
natursLL  virtue,     ^junsiniodo's  inperfect  pliyslque  corresponds  to 
the  inoonplete  development  of  his  soul.     Jean  Val.1ean*s  fear- 
inspiring;  countenance  and  ferocious  air  disapr^ar  «h«i  Jean 
Valjeeoi  beeossies  M«  Badeleine  and  his  face  wears  tliereafter  the 
loc^  of  benignity  and  saintliness.     Tlie  spiritual  attitude 
deteraines  the  physical  appearance.     Thus,   to  PSntine's  {3rat- 

itude,  "M*  Itedeleine  etait  desorraais  transfigure^ II  lui 

paralssait  enveloppe  de  luaiere."  (4) 


Bote  too  how  carefully  Rene  describes  the  correspondence  between 

(1)  Balzao,  Beatrix.  10. 

(2)  Ibid..  1*7: 

(5)  IbSd.^  20.        ^ 

(4)  iluv^o,  Les  niserables.  I.,  209. 


the  outer  W9t^  miA  hAm  iaomse  wwd  ao  tlxat  j  in  lii«  taZ«t  * 
itfiolo  eountryaldc  or  cl'/ilizatlon  s«eri8  to  \meaem  no  laore 
than  a  amre  gazoont  'vhidLi  he  wears  for  &  tine  and  d5.8ca.?da 
wJioa  he  finds  ttuit  it  does  not  corroopond  to  Ms  iraio?  ratox^e* 

\m  for  Qentier^s  d*Alberty  hie  paa^^rlca  of  j^t^fBteal  bea^uty, 
of  etzteznaX  grace  ttod  proportion^  of  beaut:^  revoaled  niieeesarily 
throii^  t^  ean^MB*  are  ao  nansr  aoknoiAad^aenta  of  the  tsanner 
in  fihich  for  him  the  exterior  r.aintr   tiao  "Interior,     Hot  only 
this  but,  when  d'Albert  describes  hlaself ,  it  is  easy  to  pezw 
ceivc  thi<2t  Qautier  has  presermad  in  hia  Hm  saae  corre^pondenoe 
for  ills  iiuysical  beaixty  is  of  the  rosaantic  quality  esiA  he  is 
sl;l    .tly  effOBiiinate  and  of  a  becoriing  pallor* 

In  Vlj^zy,   tbare  is  less  attention  to  the  i:i^8ical«     ^et 
Chatterton's  material  poverty  corresponds  to  his  tinconcem  «11^ 
tlw  TBatorial  vharaaa  Mr«  Bedford's  face  vmscra  the  ascw  seal  of 
office  that  his  ponpooa  robes  and  equlpa^  indicate*     His  very 
rihysi^il  bull?  lAunn  la  hira  the  ezoMis  of  tsattcr  ahere  Chatter- 
ton's  thin  frarae  shows  the  predonin&nee  of  st^lrlt* 

The  interpretation  of  the  inner  personage  by  the  outer  j^tysical 
peraona/^e  is,  t^ierefore,  no  isolated  pftumomenon  but  tiie  usual 
practice  of  the  roraffitticist  writer.     There  is,  accordin^y,  a 
unity  existing  between  the  physic«d.  mnd  sxxiritual  el®nenta  of 
the  personage  tuot  as  there  is  unity  between  the  world  he  lives 
in  and  the  jpex^ionago*     'i'he  dualiaa  iri^oh  "*g'-'    -- ^    tlie  physical 
and  spiritual  in  ccMiflict  has  disappeared,     '^he  physical  Is 


In-fonaed  tritii  Its  meaning  by  {±m  3pli*it^:al  end  the  api^rit^ial 
ia  detem'ned  by  tlio  f^iysloal*     This  &i«ibi8  tiiat  not  only  does 
tiio  poeaantlo  peraonas©  indulge  tlia  "patliotic  fallacy'*  that 
external  nature  is  at  one  with  lila  ji<>ods,  it  a^is  aloo  that 
t:'-!^  V.  v^nxntlciat  writer  rmkes  the  acone  assffistntion  and  rep-^^eents 
tlie  pd7eonai;;e^  Ills  oau'lx*onniant«  and  Ms  iA^alcaX  appearaB^ 
as  tmified  by  one  mood  said  as  uiiified  Into  one  forsa*     %e 
physleelj  in  this  Tiay^  beeones  laportaia^  not  for  itself  bat  for 
the  spirit  aliinirij];  ''ii3?aivjh  it» 

^Somm.   Personages* 

The  protaconlats  of  tlie  novels  of  ChateaUbriaiKl»  Hugo^  Vi^^ay, 
md  Omxti.er  are  alvmys  inau     "Ilie  mam  ^i^o  &pp^a3P  therein  are 
distinctly  in  tne  badcground  ana  are,  in  general*  rattier 
shadowy  figures*     Tliis,  perfxaps,  is  due  to  tlio  fact  that  tJiey 
are  presented,  aliaost  ej5cl-ac5.vcly,  froia  tiie  masculine  ,x>liit  of 
v.Tou.     This  is  siado  possible  usimlly  by  tlie  faot  that  the  r^jale 
protogonlst  I'elatos  the  stoxy#     Thus  aiactae  describes  Atala 
as  £^ie  appears  to  hisi  as^  likcmlGe,  Rene  descidbes  AnelTo.     In 
Vigi^ts  stories  it  is  Docteur-Hoir  eho  aost  freciciently  xiresents 
the  various  vcaien  persoue^^es  and  it  is  he  idio  lia5,ta  their 
role  In  the  story  according  to  !i:*s  coint  of  view.     Siriilnrly, 
it  is  the  Comnaadant  eho  descxicoa  t^xc  xx^iic  in  vr.iich  Laurette 
appeared  to  hla  and  it  is  only  tJiroOf  h  tiie  Adjudant*s  eves 
that  ve  see  his  yoxm^  sseeaieart. 

In  Gautier*s  work,  the  woman  oft«i  lives  only  in  the  fancy  of 


J.U&i« 


the  xiarrator,    l&isa  sSie  r?oen  actually  have  a  isount«n?art  in 
tioe  Esaterlol  worlds  tdba  lizeoiod  of  prvoaDtstlos:!  rcEisilns  tlie  same* 
It  is  tiiroucJi  Re  -J*  a  eyes,  for  er^tiw  le,  that  t^ie  reader 

aeea  Iftne*  de  !«*«*  and  Marlette  and  It  Is  thixs^-if^i  Rodrtlrhe's 
t2io-a.Jit  that  tiMy  aequlre  any  significance*     Hoaetta  end  Hlla* 
de  IfeEttpin  aasiMe  iinpoi»tanc0  to  d'Alboj^  mvl,  acoo?  ,  aaaone 

importance  as  per3ona=:os  In  the  norrol  ^rtiidh  c^smtTe^  amund  him* 
*Sh0f  are  presented,  in  ^ke  beginning,  only  throu^  hia  reflections* 
They  ^^ipear,  therefore,   mly  as  eleneBte  of  d»Albert*»  H"©* 

Xn  Sugo's  eoz^,  the  introduction  of  the  ironen  persQoa;;:t»s  is,  in 
the  flflne  imy#  d^pendmit  upon  tlieir  significance  to    .^n*     The 
story  is  usually  narrated  by  the  author  tnit  by  the  author  in 
his  capacity  as  <Msaaentator«     Ilu^o  dooe  not  leavo  his  personaL:;e8 
to  apeak  for  t^xeraaeli/os.     Hathor,  hn  explains  them  to  ua*     He 
shows  us  \-:!bat  he  sees  i^ien  he  looks  at  Paatine  or  Cosett€*     He 
tirrites,  for  exaBM>le:     ^^TTous  a^ons  dit  que  Fantine  etait  la 
joie;     i^antine  etait  cnissi  la  pudeur*  «-~.>  L'aaour  9st  xme  fsute; 
soit*     Fantine  etait  l»lnnocence  sumageant  aur  la  fa'ate*"   (1) 
And  later:     "....on  pourralt  dlro  que  — —  Jean  Valjean  etait 
Ic  Vouf  COTJne  Cosette  etait  I'Orphellne*"   (2)     IRien  Hurp  aihows 
^aneralda  as  ahc  crosses  the  r^ath  of  his  nasculine  personaces, 
he  is  never  oloser  to  her  than  they  are.     She  is  etleays  "nhat 
the  man  sees  her  to  ho  not  iiSiat  tfhe  is  esaentially  5-n  'let'self* 
This  is  equally  time  of  Hu^^'s  otiior  vonen  pei^onatjea* 


(1)  Hugo,  i;.es  Miserahles.  I«,  132,  135* 
'2)  Ibid*.  It*.  14^, 


A.U^« 


It  Is  notfi  lo  ilittt  ti.oam  \mxma  wiK>,  ttpp-a  ,  In  the 

u/A'  oxaiz^^lc^  ^iiat  we  know  of  Atalw  ^ ..  .^^wl?,e,   the  Gnstror  uust 
bo  reatz'ictetl  to  cIio  iijoat  j>v-nc»rvi.l   Leitati.     V.'o  I-ri'Dw  of  ta-ifeir  Xove 

aiG  suTrei'ing  but  tiiat  ie  a  qi&llty  uxxivoz'Siil  to  lifo  and  in 
:io  i«ay  tinlqae  In  tliem*     Outiiide  of  UrlSy  ^m  laaom  Uiat  both 

itola  and  ^k^slio  aro  devoutly  i^oli^oua.     ilie  little  r.01:^  we 
know  refers  to  plot  and  settln;^  i^tlies?  than  cbaii'acbei'*     '%ore 
gewalns  the  fact  that  th^y  are,  act^ually,  not  at  ell  dllToren- 
tiatod* 


Ilie  amte  is  true  of  the  mxntm  in  Ha^^s  novola.     Tliei«  is 
notliinii  in  Saneralda  to  distiut^uish  lij&r  £rt/n  tlie  lay  fl.iix'es 
wu>  appear  in  iIu(i;o'a  oarller  novels  —  ^^  _^  and  ICaji 

d*Ialaade«  '?ho  oiily  distinctions  a2*o  tlioso  extc«rnal  to  <^ia2?acter~ 
settlag*  iXjriod,  worldly  poaitic^a.     It  £iay<l)d  -.soirtli  yftvllo  also 
to  coiisidez*  that  Hugo  intj'oducca  a  woinan's  Clfjixva  into  Claiu'.e 
a««cacj  into  Le  de::ttier  Jour  d*tin  o^xideusiOm  and  Into  J^juatre- 
Vlng:t»«grai38^     ^at  so  tifoll  liaa  he  ciergad  till  vqehbh  in  his 
iuagiuatxon  il^to  one  XKmeax  that  tiK3S«  laoikaGn  noiaain  narielcss 
and  iiave  no  life  eoccept  aa  Hugo* a  id^  of  ^<»ieric  voaaii  in  her 
function  A8  lovoi',  wire,  and  lauther* 

Ilia  few  woaen  wio  entei»  Vlgny's  stories  siak©  very  rare  appearances, 
They  are,  izuieed,  quite  as  indeterminate  as  are  Hugo's*     SSost 
critics,  indeed,  point  to  Kitty  Boll  as  proof  of  Vicjay's  ability 


to  create  character.     The  truth  of  such  a  statement  der>®rifls, 
of  course,  <m  our  conception  of  diaracter.     llotlalno  of  liitty 
Cell's  cSiaracter  supervenes  in  the  narrative.     All  that  does 
actually  appear  thei»c  is  t'-ie  relation  t"  Docteiir^noi r  of  the 
Impression  she,  an  unI<no«n  vpooan,  creates  <»i  niia*     i*e  re:  c    is 
Ills  tiioti(;^ts  about  her  tihll©  she  continues  to  remain  Inactive, 
an  object  of  si>eculation  for  Docteur-Noir,  but,  otherwise, 
a»ti3?ely  outside  of  the  reader's  ken«     Sie  is  described  as  a 
beautiful  statue  al^^t  be  described  end  the  brooding  pity 
expressed  in  her  count^ian^  is  the  C':a3plete  suan^ry  of  the 
impression  mxlcii  she  nakes.     Docteur-Nolr  describes  her  ;   >a ; 
ttie  point  of  view  of  the  unknown  observer;     that  is,  he  describes 
her  appearance  and  her  few  vords  to  hleu     He  sees  in  her  only 
one  quality  which  seesas  to  hliii  of  importance  —  the  capacity 
for  corapaesion  and  pityin(;  love.     A  second  )x>int  of  view  ini£^t 
have  been  introduced  by  laeans  of  Chatter  ton's  letter  and  tiliis 
might  have  helped  to  ^vq  Kitty  a  life  independent  of  tlie 
ttioui^ts  of  eltJior  Docteur-Holr  or  Chatterton,     But  Chattert<m*s 
letter  speaks  only  of  his  debt  to  her  because  she  has  shorn 
hla  that  coeipassion  still  exists  in  the  world*     The  letter  is 
the  final  detemlnant  of  Docteur>-Roir' s  jud^^ient  of  her  and 
his  impression  is,  therefore,  ccoapletely  coincident  with 
Chatter t<»i' 8*     Kitty  appears,  accordingly,  in  one  aspect  only 
and  is,  otiierwise,  a  vague  fi^nire,  perched  on  a  stool  beliind  a 
coimter,  no  more  tiian  a  pcde,  isiliito  taask  «iK>se  characteristics 
reraaln  imcertain* 

Chnxtier'a  woraen  ^rsonagies  are,  on  the  nhole,  even  aore  shadowy* 


Ji.V#tf« 


•Hie  men  who  describe  theci  see  only  their  beaiity  and  roco^^lze 
that  particular  beauty  as  desirable*  Many  of  the  women  vnho 
are  tlius  loved  az*e  already  dead  or  exist  only  as  works  of  art* 
Tliey  can,  therefore,  possess  no  qviallties  of  human  clmracter 
end  all  ttieir  sl^jnlflcono©  lies  in  their  artistic  beauty.  This 
quality  of  beauty  is  all  that  is  reco^^zed  in  Arria  Maroella, 
in  Tolioser,  in  Omchale,  In  king  Candoiile's  wife,  in  tiie  Mary 
llaiSdalene  of  F^bens*  Moreover,  since  they  exist  only  as 
pieture,  statue,  Tmsrciy,  tapestry,  spirit,  or  dreaa,  they  cnn 
scarcely  be  endowed  witli  any  but  artificial  onotion.  Their  life, 
that  is,  is  entirely  dependent  cm  the  prota^cmint  vftio  breatli«8 
into  thsQ  the  eraoticm  tidiioh  tliey  inspire  in  hiia* 

The  factitious  character  of  tJriis  life,  so  obvious  in  these 
oases,  cannot  but  be  a  valuable  indication  for  purposes  of 
ooaq^ariscm  and,  indeed,  furnishes  Uie  clue  to  the  true  signif- 
icance and  the  exact  r^le  of  all  the  n/oBxen   of  nhoaa  we  have  been 
speaking.  It  becoiiios,  then,  retrospectively  clear  that  the 
voiaan  is  represodted  (mly  aocordin(^  to  the  quality  of  tdie 
itaagination  of  the  nan  lAxo   portx'ays  her*  That  man  possesses 
within  himself  a  genexdc  idea  of  woman,  an  idea  ithioh  corresponds 
only  to  her  aspect  aa  vonan  not  to  her  independent  aspect  as 
a  human  being*  The  wc»ium  who  Incor^porates  that  idea,  v^tio 
corresponds  to  that  single  aspect,  is  imaginatively  re-presmited 
by  the  rian  as  the  personification  of  his  idea*  In  other 
words,  «dmt  the  tnen  loves  — >  if  the  w(%ian  appears,  as  iStm   often 
does,  as  the  object  of  love  —  is  not  the  living  woman  but  the 


Inoannatlon  of  his  ide««     His  love  ie  »n  egoistic  Xove^  a  form 
of  ftezHsiBsiOBiy  and  iiilMit  the    xeax  seeks  in  wcxaen  and  idiat  he 
repx*e8ents  in  woman  is  a  mirror  in  «hi<di  he  may  discover  an 
extensi<m  of  himself*     Tho  wmsm^a  role  bee<aie89  therefore^ 
purely  dependent.     She  appears  not  as  ehG  is  but  as  the  nan 
dreanw  her*     Uer  life  corresponds  to  tiie  aspect  in  «&iich  he 
sees  her  and  her  emotions  are  those  with  «Aii<^  he  endows  her* 
ffiM  is  the  material  extension  of  the  rten's  spiritual  life*     llui 
eorr«8pondence  between  her  creator  —  the  nan  in  lAiose  iisai^ination 
•he  is  represonted  — »  and  hernelf  cannot  fail  to  be  exact  since 
she  lives  not  in  hersielf  tout  in  her  relation  to  hia*     Such  a 
conclusion  mitails  still  another  corollary*     If  tlie  wotnan 
appears  as  an  extension  of  the  e/^  v^iich  represents  hes*,  the 
<pmlities  ascribed  to  her  will  beeorae  the  toutitistone  by  which 
her  creator  may  be  judged* 

Certain  provisosy  however,  loust  be  established*     In  the  work 
of  SiBie*  de  Steely  Sand,  and  Balsae,  there  do  appear  womoi  who 
are  not  neoeasnrily  prese^ited  throu^^i  the  eyes  of  an  inter- 
vening perBona£;e*     In  Mne*  de  Stael's  novels «  indeed,  both  the 
px»otRt«;onists  are  woraeni     in  Sand's  the  najority  of  the  pro- 
tag^olsts  ere  wonm;     in  lals:QC*s  there  is  an  occasional  woinen 
protag<mi8t«     vhere  the  protag<»iiBt  is  a  woman ,  she  is,  of 
eourse,  presented  directly  or  from  her  ovm  point  of  view  (^tite 
as  niuoh  as  frora  the  man's  point  of  view*     Itelpliine  writes  lcm(];, 
autobiographical  letters  and  Corinne  frequently  explains  her 
owi  point  of  view*     Anaande  and  Ren^  (^IcaBioirea  des  doout  jeunes 
aariees)  explain  themselves  by  letter  as  does  llodeate  Ki^on* 


Gonstorio*  Vorrier  explains  her  life  in  her  o«n  words.     HoiUM 
tells  lior  story  in  the  first  person j     so,  partially,  does 
Isidora«     iliore  is,  accordingly,  fair  cauoe  to  believe  tJiat 
these  woaan  live  not  only  as  the  objects  of  a  r.;an*8  tliouc^t  but 
as  persons  in  their  own  ri^t*     There  is  natter  for  reflection, 
certainly,  in  the  fact  that  it  is  tiie  wocien  novelists  who 
present  wocum  as  independent  personages  and  f^ose  Qost  favoured 
prota^(mists  l^iey  are  vhereas  exactly  the  cont3:*ary  is  true  for 
the  men  vtiom  we  Iiave  discussed  above*     BaJUsac  is  exceptional 
in  this  respect,  iiowever,  and  gives  proof  of  a  f^reuter  capaei^ 
for  i£^ers(mality  in  that  he  writes  of  nea  enJ  wmea  laore  or 
lees  indisorir:iinately« 

When  it  is  t3ie  woman  ^o  is  tJie  principal  personage  In  any  of 
these  novels,  the  oheu:>acteristic  procedure  studied  in  Chateauo 
briond,  Hu,'^,  Vi^pniy,  and  Dautier,  may  be  seen  to  be  exactly 
revex^ed*     Lecsice,  for  exaa^le,  does  not  even  appear  on  tJie 
scttie  until  he  has  been  seen  as  reflected  in  tlie  thouc^it  of 
Delphine,  Bise*  de  Vernon,  and  Ua tilde*     The  definitive  ii^pression 
which  lie  leaves  is  an  L'spx'ession  created  tlirou^^i  his  relation- 
tiiips  to  tliese  tiu>ee  wonen*     Except  for  these  relationships 
there  is  no  reason  for  Ills  existence*     In  him  Mne*  de  StaBl 
repi;>e8ents  Ifeie*  de  Vernon*  s  choice  of  a  son-in-law,  l(atilde*8 
€&oice  of  a  husband,  Delphine*a  choice  of  a  love*     In  otlier 
words,  Loonoe  corresponds  to  a  given  idea  cherislied  by  each  of 
these  vomenm     l^lhat  that  idea  is,  imaginatively  reflected  tlirou^^ 
thwi,  is  the  sum  total  of  Leonce*s  role  in  the  book*     To  cos^are 
Leonoe  «nd  Esiseralda  as  personages  is  to  perceive  tliat  Leonce's 


role  In  Delphine  differs  no  yiihlt  froo  Eameralda's  in  Wotre-Daaic 
d«  Parig» 

m  Hugo's  woric  tlie  woman  Is  i8ai*8  accessory j     In  Wem*  de  Stall's, 
tb»  nan  is  wcxnan*B  necessaxy  conpletion*     Sond*s  mBtiioA,  in  tills 
respect.  Is  a  repetition  of  line*  de  sta©l»s,     Lfelia  offers  a 
good  exanple  of  the  tr^itlK  of  nunh  a  stctenent.     tieXia  roes  through 
the  world  seekin??  the  material  manifestation  of  the  ideal  of 
love  that  she  chexdahes*     Stenlo  appears  in  the  novel  because 
he  appears  in  Leila's  entouratje  and  bscmxae  nor  idea  of  hln 
corresponds »  fleetlnglj*  to  this  ideal*     Leila  adav»9«M  hin  In 
tiie  following  texust     "—  Vous  personnifiea  potir  jriol  la  nature, 
dont  vous  otes  l*aifant  encore  vierge."   (1)     TOien  Leila  ceases 
to  find  such  a  correspondence  she  cries:     **—  St«iio  n'a  jamais 
existvt     G*etalt  imo  creation  de  ma  pensee."   (2)     Such  speeches 
indicate  clearly  enou^  that  Stwiio's  significance  as  a  -Dersonage 
cannot  go  beyond  his  sl^^floanoe  In  Leila's  sdnd* 


In  the  same  way  all  Sand's  heroines  becwne  the  dcteTralnents  of 
the  quality  of  t^e  male  persom^Mi*     Constance  VeiyJcr  offemi 
a    iolnt  of  coiaparison  with  Delphine  and  Wotre^^Dazne  de  Parts*     In 
it  the  sole  ?tmle  porscmar'e  appears  cmiy  in  the  final  r>ar^o.     Yet 
he  is  actually  present  throur^hout  taie  i*iolc  extent  of  the  book 
since  he  is  present  to  each  of  the  xKsmsin  in  imagination  and 
corresponds  to  a  definite  Inap-e  in  her  n5.nd.     The  thr«e  entirely 
different  nwsital  conceptions  ~  timt  of  Consttmco,  of  la  !ik>82ellif 

(1)  Sand,  LJlia^  U,  132. 


(8)  ibid^,nr7r26»« 


of  tbt  duoliesso  -»  are  e^^ual,  as  Sand  vevmala  in  tiMl  iMR- 
elusion^  to  c^e  and  U\a  smae  material  manifestaticm  <»-  the  sun, 
Abel«     Ko  teoiinlque  could  moro  clearly  reveal  the  fact  tiiat 

iiat  eocli  wcMBsn  sees  n&ien  she  sees  Abel  is  a  reflection  of  her 
o«n  nature*     As  long  as  the  roan  isj  as  a  personage «  only  the 

>bj©ct  of  til©  wocian*o  tlioii -ht,  he  Is  dep^tident  on  her  to:^  life 
.and  for  thfe  nature  wltii  wtii<di  aiJi©  endows  hlra#  H©  is,  in  other 
!;?ordSy  an  Itmginatlve  personification  corresponding  to  an  idea* 

:ix>st  easily  ^o  cited  as  evideaoe 
of  his  use  of  a  similar  te<^inlque  is  that  one  «ititXed  Menoiree 
de«  dafux  Jwmes  ;  :arieog«     This  novel  Is  c»w  in  wMoh  the  vomen 
::>ers«smges  appear  directlj  throix^  tlielr  letters  and  Baleac*  the 
author,  does  not  intervene*     The  woman,  tiien,  is,  as  far  as  she 
ioy  be,  indepaaatd^nt  of  the  mind  that  creates  her*     On  th&  other 
hand,  each  of  the  w(»»«n  presents  tlirou^i  her  letters  the  mm 
^no  is  Bl£nificant  in  her  life,  ^lAio  Is  sl:^ifloant  because  he 
reaXises  her  oonoeptlon  of   lan  as  the  ob.^ect  of  love*     It  »ust 
be  not4»d  Uiat,  even  despite  the  method  of  aajcapation,  the  effect 
would  not, necessarily,  be  clx»ca:isorlba:l  to  the  re,:.ioa  of  tlac 
woBtan's  thouiiht*     That  the  effect  is  so  citHrariiecriued  i:<«^>i>ults 
from  the  fact  Uxat  the  woman  presents  Uio  man  In  teztas  of  oom 
relationsliip  only,  his  relationship  to  her*     Ronee  do  scribes 
tlte  man  only  in  teiTUi  of  tho  husband  coid  faUior,  Avrwxn&»  cmly  in 
tenos  of  the  lovor*     This  correspoaids  to  the  fact  tlmt  Renee 
preconts  hot'self  tmly  as  wife  and  motlier,  Az^nande  only  as  the 
wonan  «ho  loves*     It  is  tznio  Uiat,  whex'e  Dalsao  hac  a  riiale  pro- 
tagcmlst,  the  wosian  resuuies  her  depraidsnce  and  becoeies  once 


l,7ilf leant  only  throiii^Ji  his  Iden  of  her.     But  wossien  hav« 
.'Uiai.  function  as  well  as  rocm  .t-^   i^^^^^ixy  in  ^alssac's 

k  In  a  ptipely  social  role  as  well  as  in  a  p0i»sonGl  role.     It 
Is  when  tlielr  social  role  involves  their  function  as  the  object 
of  a  man's  love  that  they  appear  only  as  characteristic  l^acldents 
in  a  lium's  life* 

The  proof.  In  fact*  of  the  ,  tirely  cerebrrC  diaracter  of  the 
existence  of  tlx©  woftian  as  personage     (or,  in  reversal  of  the 
aaja©  procedure,  of  the  man)     nay  be  adcJiaceci  very  simply  froBn  a 
fact  ?tilch  can  scarcely  bo  dlanlsseci  as  ciere  coinoldisnoo  oinc© 
it  is  true  of  all  the  litex'atuiHJ  of  rocmntlciaa*     This  is  tim 
fact  that  tJie  appearance  and  clisnppearence  of  auch  per«onas©B 
coincides  witai  the  duration  of  their  life  in  the  nlnd  of  the 
pereoiia^ee  v^io  cveates  th«a«     Ghactae'o  life  continues  but 
Atala^s  life  bsf-lns  only  ^#ien  (tiie  entoxB  cr-irictrx'o  world  and 
is  completed  before  diactas  paaoefi  on  to  ugv:  v/ox-b^R.     Vilhen 
CJwynplftino  loaves  Joaiane,  she  does  not  reappear  In  the  atory. 
She  no  longer  exists  in  Qw^plalno^  b  thouf^t;     therefore,  sSna 
is  noa«exi8tent  hesioefor^  for  the  reader.     Tims  H^^Sl's 
desertion  of  Foedora  neans  that  ah©  disRppoorG  from  the  atorym 
So  witli  Lacioa*s  desertion  of  £&ie«  de  Bargetciu     ^  td.th  Lady 
Dudley  i&iose  appeax^uice  In  I<e  Lje  dans  Xa  vallee  coiiicicec 
witli  Felix*  s  love  for  b.or;     vnhoso  disappearance  coinoidfto  with 
tlieir  final  parting.     There  is  no  such  tec^viicfil  oo  iventlon  lb 
tlie  literatuz>e  of  class! clam*     The  fat©  of  each  poi-Boaag©  is 
bovaid  up  with  inultiple  relationships  to  society  and  the  death 
of  a  sincl©  relationship  could  not,  therefore,  invalidate  hie 
tiAiole  exlst<mce.     The  contrast  «^i(^  romanticist  literature 


offers  ia  too  Btrl'c'nfp  to  he  overlookoc!  and  the  explanation 
of  such  a  convention  leads  us  far  Into  an  'Andeii^tandSnfp  of 
the  new  creative  metliod* 

But  elt^ouf^  the  wnaati  Is  thus  introt^ucerl  as  nn  'incident  In 

the  life  of  a  male  protai^<»iist,  '^er  presence  Is  usually 

indispensable  to  the  comoosltlon  of  the  novel.     Why  th^s  la  so 

may  best  te  eeen,  oorhaps,  bv  conci*©te  tlluetr«tlon«     Rene  and 

d* Albert,   equally  self-conacioua,   are  equally  aware  of  ttie 

essential  truth  of  the  sit\iation.     Rene  tells  in  a  fanous 

passage  of  Ms  flight  thron?»h  woods  and  solitiidest 

-•  H  rae  manquoit  quelque  chose  nour  rempllr  I'abtoe 
de  nK«j  existence:     je  descendais  dans  la  vall^, 
je  m'elevals  eur  la  nonts-^iio,  appolfuit  de  toute  la 
foroe  do  raes  denlrs  1»  ideal  objot  d*\me  flaitEn©  futvu^j 
je  l*eral>ra^als  dans  loo  venlsf     j©  CT«o:^nl8  1* entendre 
dano  les  ;~erils3a!iffl:its  du  fleu,vet      tout  ©tait  ce 


le  prlnclpo 


fantosie  imagi^aire*  et  les  astres  dans  les  cleux,  et 
Ipo  Bwane  de  vio  dans  I'u'-.lvers,  (1) 


iione  has  abandoned  society  rcid  n;  .      :.  lo   rc>ne«f  iiiniself  in 

nature*  But  idiat  he  sees  in  nature  — •  in  the  material 

manifestation  of  tho  w^rld  »rf.th  -sdilch  he  seeks  contact  —  Is 

only  ono  thing,  woman.  The  escape  into  the  exterior  world  by 

laeonB  of  wcraan  Is  never  effected  by  Rene  since  he  never  finds 

love*  Near  the  conclusicai  of  his  life  he  cries: 

—  J'e  chercliala  co  qui  me  fuit;   j©  ;    nnis  le 
tz^e  dee  '^.es;  nes  bras  avalent  ^.    i  de  serrer 
queiquo  chose,  .T'a5  cru,  dans  non  rlelis«e,  cenllr 
unc  ecorce  arlde  palolter  contra  non   ooeur:^  xm 
degre  de  ohaleur  de  tjlus,  ot  t/«nlrial9  des  etre.T 
insens^bles,  Le  seln  nu  et  dochlre,  les  choveus*: 
troB5>©«  de  la  vapour  de  la  nult,  je  croyais  voir 

(1)  Oiateaubrland,  Rene>  82 • 


tina  temae  qui  se  jetalt  dans  mes  bx*as.«**    (I) 
'n:;e  world  must  be  tal<en  oo^^izance  of  by  the  senses  and   nan 
discovers  his  senses  throui]^  tyoman*     Tlierefore  Rene  followB  the 
phantcan  %forum  that  flees  before  him  In  the  wind  and  the  mist* 
The  love  to  wliloh  he  aspires  is  to  him  the  ivhole  aeanlng  of 
nature  —  of  physical  nattire,  of  the  exterior  world  —  and  that 
love  is  personified  In  woman*     The  spiritual  nature  in  man  can 
rejoin  the  naterial  nature  only  tiirou,'^  love,  t^iat  i8«  throu^ 
vonsn* 


18hat  the  charaoteriotic  quality  of  that  nature  is,   is  not 

pertinent  to  the  general  ar£5Ument  tmd  varies,   indeed,  with  the 

various  protagonists.     Rene  dies  as  he  has  lived,  alone  In  a 

world  of  his  own  making.     But  d*Albez>t  is  aore  successful  in 

his  effort  to  escape*     iie  cries;     "—  .T»ai  bien  pour de  ne 

pouvoir  jamais  eiabrasser  mon  ideal*"   (2)     He  searches  for  his 

Ideal  by  searching  for  the  wr»nan  hut  he  realises  that  vjhat  he  is 

looklnts  for  in  wowian  is  an  abstract  quality*     He  asks: 

—  Quelle  est  done  cette  boaute  aVstraite  que  nous 
sffijtons,   et  que  ncraa  iic  pouvoiis  C^6cij\xz^'i  — —  Vofcre 
ideal  est»il  ran  an .e,  -me  sylphlde  ou  une  f«nme?     (3) 

He  realises  that  he  is  seeklnc;  "-- •  a  <Mibz*asser  je  ne  sals  quelle 

fantastlque  idealite  r>aree  de  nuar.euses  perfections".    (4)     He 

explains  t^e  troman's  role  in  explicit  textast 


/ 


•>*  Jo  n'al  jaitto^is  demando  aux  feiffi»s  qu 
chose,—  c*e3t  la  beaufce;   — —  J'adore 


(1)  Chateaubriand,  IjOS  Hatoheg*  450* 

(2)  Oautlcr,  Mademoiselle  de  Maupln*  59* 

in!d..   35. 


*une  seule 

SUP  toutes 


(3) 
(4) 


otiosefi  la  beaute  dc  la  fomnej—  la  boaute  pour  :aoi, 
c'est  la  Divlnlte  visible,  c'est  lo  bonheur  palpable » 
c*est  le  del  drscendiT  pv.t*  In  terrc,    (1) 

ISfhen  beauty  is  discovered  throvi.^i  iu  v^,    (^iu\,,    Uiarou^  tai©  wosaamif 

thmiy  at  the  sane  time^  a11  nature  in  its  visible  divinity  is 

discovered.     D* Albert  nakes  tlie  possession  of  love  sind  tlie 

realisation  of  natu3?e  synonysnous: 

—  L*effr«^ant  silence  qiii  rognait  autour  de  mol 
est  rotripu  a  la  fin.  — «— .  Je  ooB^i»endo  un^  multitude 
de  chosM  que   le  ne  conprenaie  pfxs,    je  decouvre  des 
affinites  et  dee  STEipathioa  ciervoillousoB,  j*entends 
la  ian,;:uo  des  rones  ct  des  ror''  ^     Is,  et  ,1®  ^^^ 
couraETinent  le  livre  que  je  ne    .    •     ia  oas  stem©  epeler* 
— —  C'est  I'amour,  c*cnt  I'acKjur  qui  m'a  dessille 
les  yeiti:  et  donii^  le  mot  de  I'^ii^e*   (2) 

To  realise  exterior  nature  is  to  e8cai>e  from  the  egos 

—  J*ot|ais  le  spectoteiir  de  looi-aiene,  lo  parterre  do 
la  ccssedle  que  je   1o\iai^,  ——  Pden  du  rrtonde  ©Tt.crieur 
n'arrlvalt  jusqu'a  aio|i  ame*     L» existence  de  aui  que 

ce   solt  ne  ra*etait  necessaii^e;     je  doutais  meaae  dc 


milic^ 
que  fiaaoos,   ii.ia^';e^ii ,  vaines  illusioi^s,  apparcnces 
fu^-^^ivee  destineee  ^  peupler  ce  ncant.  »-  Quelle 
difference!   (5} 


To  sum  up  the  role  vihich  the  mxnBXi  assumes^  tlierefoz*e,  is  nerely 
to  sioii  up  the  etatenents  of  the  more  self-conscious  of  tlie 
romantic  personotviee*     Tlie  picture  in  its  totality,  as  made 
apparent  by  contx*ast,   comparison,  and  quotation,  shows  wwnan  as 
the  object  of  man*8  idea  and  ewotion;     t3:iat  is,  as  the  object 
of  his  love,     She  represents  to  him  the  reality  of  ratiire  i^tiich 

(1)  Gautler,  Hadenolselle  de  Maupin,  14ij. 

(2)  Ibid.,  S2*?,  SS5. 

(3)  Ibid..  228. 


Is,  in  fRct,  ccHnprchendod  and  revealed  In  her  person*     To  say 
that  the  wcwnan  iHRpiTg  only  as  tho  imaginative  rGpi»e8eait;ation  of 
an  Idoa  i»  to  say  that  aha  apr>ears  cmXy  as  ayrnbol* 

3«cc3idary  Personages* 

The  secondary  oarsonages  in  these  novels  ar©  very  few*     ?h.e 
interest  is,  in  general,  concentrated  upon  s.  protfi£;caiiEt  arui 
those  personagos  #10  become  an  ira>x>rtant  port  of  his  cHiyirojanent 
are  usually  tit©  only  onor.  to  enter  tho  virarld  in  TShich  tlic 
ttoveliet  olaces  hln.     Certain  aecondai^  uei'sonacios  do  appenr, 
bovevor*     '^o  decide  upon  their  r^mction  in  tho  novel  Is  to 
detemtine  tho  reae^^  for  thoir  Introduction  and  the  ci'itez»lcm 
of  tho  author's  choice* 

Tho  function  of  the  secondary  T>er8onages  in  EOf'imie  Oretidet  and 
^Otmh-ltaaM  de  faris  will  prove  a  usefiil  guide*     The  Cr«ac?^ot  and 
des  (Jnisslns  feaaillofe  in  Ru^enie  Qrandet  enter  the  novel  tmly 
as  iruXividxiala  of  Sauzmir  society*     Their  belief  in  Orandet's 
superiority  reflects  t^e  geno r^a  :  eliof.     To  tJioa  (*s»anrtet 
represents  the  otosolut©  to  which  they  are  relatives*     They 
become,  in  a  way,  therefore,  attributes  of  Orandct*     Tliey  reflect 
his  point  of  view  and  defer  fcJ-ielr  lives  to  his  will. 

In  Hotre»I^a?ae,  d(>  ,^ax*i3  there  ax*©  th3?ee  typ©8  of  secondary 
personc^es*     TknB  laost  intert^sting  of  tlien  may  be  said  to  be  the 
Parisian  people*     They  move  as  a  nassive  unit  and  are  character* 
ised  as  one  vast  force  rather  than  as  separate  IndividTials*   It 


is  the  people  istto.  In  t*ie  opwiitifi  mem»,   create  their  ovai 
omiserient  and  absuidon  the  morality  f^lay  In  oxvJer  to  elect  their 
repr<.?8entative«  ^^asit;»x}o«     It  Is  the  people  ttocmg  vfeora 
Esoeralda  lives  and  fliids  orotectlon.     In  this  respect     th« 
people's  attitude  Is  "^aasltiodo's  for  E»!a©ralda*s  life  artong  the 
truands  la  i^plaoed  by  her  life  In  the  church  under  ^i««tiaodo*s 
protectlcai.     The  va^ua,  indletlnct  Bias 3  of  the  oeople  is 
replaced  toy  i^uasiinodo^  the  people's  typical  p«3?sonase«     1!b^xa 
the  secondary  pereona^je  —  the  people  —  lo  like  a  panoraialo 
inlrjror  In  vifiilch  tjjxaslraodo' s  life  is  endlessi:^  reflected.     There 
is,  too,  the  recluse  of  tha  Toui*  Roland,     Ker  voice  is  like  (m 
edio  of  12i©  p3?lest's  thou^jht  and  she  appears  only  as  a 
demmclatory  voice  ejqjressln-:;  the  eaaie  religicjua  fanatlclaoi 
idiieh  is  Ms,     The  aristocratic  society  in  ^shich  Flioebus  ^noves 
is  only  lightly  sketched.     It  is  rather  as  sn  explanaticm  of 
Tlioetua  than  as  seimrate  personages  tliat  these  young  nobl^raBten 
assume  ®iy  relief,     Phocsbus  is  the  c«:iti'e  of  ti!oir  world  and 
they  arc  so  many  explanatt<ais  of  the  character  of  tliat  world 
and,  accordingly,  of  tlie  characteristic  quality  in  Flioelaxs, 

l^hat  conclusion  nwy  be  dravai  from  \:hB  two  novelo  in  qxiestlon 
is  clear*     The  lives  of  tlie  secondary  personages  are  concentrated 
into  a  sin/j;le  phase,  a  phase  vjhich  is  a  reflccoicn  or  pro- 
locigaticm  of  timt  visible  In  one  of  tlie  main  peroonasee. 

It  is,  of  course,  liecessary  to  confira  this  conclusion  by 

referaace  to  oe^er  novels  but  the  confinaation  thus  obtained 

is  striking,     The  subsidiary  pers<Maagefi  in  Ciorinzie  and  Delj^iine> 


for  example,  are,  very  obvloxisly,  eclioes  of  the  nrlnclpal?^* 
Lord  Ed.3erTOond  Is  another  Oswald  —  olde*:*  and  surer  of  Mniaelf 
but  oqually  suscoptltle  to  Cortnne  aiid  equally  boimd  to  a 
social  ideal  Inconpatible  with  this  atti^ctlon.     Jhet  so  ttae« 
de  R«  and  Therooe  aj?e  duplicate  verBlona  of  Dolj±dne«     They 
reco^^ilzo  thie  therisolvcE  and  point  out  to  Delphlne  the 
striilaritles  which  exist  between  then  and  iiiht©  hor  to  «vcld 
^lelr  fate.     Their  pi»€sence  reduces  2>elphine,   even  in  tlio  novel 
which  centres  around  her,  froia  an  individual  to  a  type. 

In  Hugo,  Sand,  Vi|5^y,  the  same  characteristic  procedure  app^irs. 
Thu«  Eponlne  is  another  Pantlne  and  OaTroche  and  his  young 
brothers  can  be  asslrailatod  to  the  children  in  ^aatreH»V Ing: t-» 
Tgglsoj     Snjolr^s  Is  a  second  Gajivlti,  Fauchvelev^axt  Is  a  sectmd 
JTean  Valjerm,  ^Sarlua's  grandfather  is  a  second  raaarquls  de 
Lantanac,     Landry's  rsarcnts  in  La  petite  ?adette  exactly  re- 
semble Oei^aaln's  parents  In  La  l!are  &a  diable*     j^ic  hrmurj  of 
Le  Cooipajg^on  du  tour  do  France  is  n  less  proutinenl  Horace  ejid 
his  flirtatious  Joseplxlne  is  c«ily  another  ^/crslon  of  Horace's 
aristocratic  conquest.     In  DapSaie.  Paul  de  Larisce,  r^asll,  and 
Jean  ttppea.r.     Paul  appeare  as  tI\o  voice  tahich  persuades  Juli^?. 
and  iroconds  hin  in  his  way  of  life,     Bjasil  anc!  Jean  appear 
cmly  as  disciples  t^\o  accent  their  solidarity  with  Llbrjilus  un- 
(piestioninsiy.     They  are  like  echoes  of  the  two  voices,  the 
voice  of  Julicn  and  the  vole©  of  Llbrmiua,     Tlacy  arc  disciples, 
not  indopeadeat  apirita.     'Ihcy  ai*e,   tlieroi'oi'c,  not  so  niudfci 
separate  persona^^es  as  they  are  sounding  boaixls  for  tJie  volceo 
of  tlie  p3?otaGonistB» 


Of  &als&c*a  per80iia{;;e8  t^iio  nay  be  said^  that*  in  one  8«a8e» 
none   are  incidental  since  all  of  tiieia  fora  part  of  the  social 
life  of  their  time  and  since  Balzac  is  interested  in  every 
separ^ite  variety  to  be  found  In  tlils  \mity*  In  another  sense* 
it  laay  be  said  that  his  secondary  persona^jes  are  always  in  iim 
nature  of  a  chorus.  On  a  dirr.iniahed  scale  tliey  repeat  the 
qualitiest  attributes*  or  social  functions  of  the  store  lijpox^ant 
personages*  They  can  always  be  referred*  in  the  scientific 
aanner*  to  a  eert€d.n  class  and  to  a  certain  species  in  that 
class*  Every  one  of  th&a,   no  matter  how  rarely  he  appears*  may 
be  8al(^*  therefore*  to  add  another  exasiple  to  a  number  of 
ftsaBq;>lefi  already  offez>ed.  If  Ms  qualities  oonfixn  the  genez'al 
pictuz*e  alx^eady  presented*  he  has  helped*  no  natter  how 
inoidoital  his  place  in  the  action*  to  confina  the  classified 
picture  of  social  life  nd-iioh  Balzac  le  building  up* 

ISxat  is  true  of  the  other  ranantlcists  becomes*  perhaps*  eT«a 
oore  noticeable  in  Balzac*  Tixe  pz*esence  of  the  secondary 
personages  serves  to  lessoi  even  the  apparent  individuality 
of  the  oajor  personages*  It  shows  Paris  or  the  provinces  to  ^ 
populate  by  ot^ier  Iuci«is  and  ot^lier  Vautrins*  leas  Ignominioua 
Goriots  and  less  bx'llliant  de  Marsays*  It  serves  to  oc^hasise 
the  picture  of  a  world  composed*  not  of  numberless  indivlditals 
of  incalculable  variety*  not  of  raen  sharing  equally  the  bu3?dens 
and  joys  of  lufenanity*  but  of  a  calculable  nuciber  of  types  of 
hUEianity*  The  type  lias  a  rococnlaable  Individuality  is^iioh 
separates  hlza  froia  the  rest  of  humanity  but  vAthln  that  type 
tlie  individual  is  riorged  and  lost* 


The  criterion  of  choice  depends,  apparently,  on  the  qualilty  of 
the  prlnclpaJL  pereona/^ee,  persc^a^es  vAio   arc,  a«  we  have  ae«i, 
ohosen  not  because  of  tlielr  diaracter  value  but  because  of 
their  syllogistic  value  as  types*  The  effect  of  the  introduction 
of  a  seoondary  personage  has  be«n  seen  to  be  that  of  placing 
hie  principal  in  a  z^oo^^sable  catef^^ory  of  the  exterior  vorld* 
But  in  Chateaubriand's  work,  in  Gautier*s,  and  in  Vij|ny*s  to 
a  large  ext^it,  no  seeoiuiary  personaces  appear*  The  reason  can 
only  be  souer^it  in  sone  eharacteidatic  quality  of  the  protagtmiot. 

The  chaz^oteristio  quality  of  the  protagonist  i^idi  thus 
diieiniahes  the  world  around  hin  to  a  world  in  vvhich  he  is  alone, 
seeking  to  overcome  a  ^jlven  obstacle  or  reach  a  certain  goal, 
is  a  ^ality  eeiphasised  by  the  authoz>s  in  question*  Rsne  tells 
Celuta:  "— J'etais  toujoura  setil,"  (1)  Vi^^jiy,  lAiose  protagonist 
in  Stello  is  the  Poet,  passes  ix^^suant   tinrouf^i  Dooteur-Hoir. 
Poets  are  "lea  5.1otos  etemels  des  societes".  (2)  Vigny  writes 
too:  "lies  Foetes  et  les  Artistes  ont  seuls,  panni  tous  les 
horaaea,  le  bonheur  do  pouvoir  accojnplir  leur  aisflion  dans  la 
solitude*"  (3)  The  Soldier  is  lilcewise  condesmed  '*a  \m   etat 
d'ilote"*  (4)  He  is  an  "aut*^  Paria  nodeme".  (5)  !>•  Albert,  in 
Madewolselle  de  Maupin*  is  another  Involuntary  pariah  chained  to 
his  own  nature*  He  wzdtesi  "-«Quoi  que  je  fasse,  les  aiitres 
hOMEMB  ne  sont  guere  pour  noi  que  des  fantomes,  ot  .je  ne  sens  pas 

(1)  Chateaubriand,  I«es  Watcheg*  450* 
(8)  Vi{-ny,  Stello*  ISST, 

(3)  Ibid.,  2?ti 

(4)  llg.rr,  Servitude  et  fi:i»nndeur  ailitaires.  25* 

^5)  i^_-„.»  34I; 


Xeur  flxlstttico...,"   (1)     He  cannot  realise  any  existence  but 
hla  own.     lie  oideat     "»-^e  dlable  de  moi  me  Siilt  obstlnnnienti 
11  n»y  a  paa  pK>y«i  de  a* en  defalre."   (2)     Aa  Icoigf  t!iei:«fox»e, 
as  d*Albort  relat  ea  tlie  story ^  It  la  apparent  that  none  but  Ma 
cm^  natux^  c^m  be  presented*     nils  is  the  Involuntary  aoBadlara 
tvcaa  which  the  ronantlo  personare  cannot  escape*     It  limita  hla 
world  and  eonflnea  Ms  existence  to  a  solitude  peopled  by 
phant<»i8.     The  forces  vftiloh  onter  this  world  free  without  are 
the  elementco^y  i^iaterial  forcea  of  nature  «hleh  cannot  affect 
the  apirltnial  "moi"*  The  ncm-existence  of  secondary  personages 
is  ocmtin;;enty  apparently^  upon  the  restriction  of  the  pro- 
tag(aii8t*s  world  in  ocoifoz^nity  with  his  oharacteristio  nature* 

In  general,  the  author's  spliej^e  oY  Interest  seems  to  lie 
•xeliuiively  within  the  bounds  indicated  by  the  main  personalia* 
If  nucierous  subsidiary  tmama  appear^  they  prove  to  be  only 
repetitions  of  the  stuae  main  persona{^es  on  a  less  extended  scale* 
The  world  in  which  the  prota^^cmist  tooves  is*  therefore,  a  very 
United  one*     It  includes  himself,  the  obstacles  in  his  patli* 
an  ideal  to  be  desired,  and,  occasionally,  a  spectator  to  coraoend 
him*     The  spectator  does  not,  necessarily,  however,  enter  the 
protasonlat's  world.     He  remains  on  its  li:^.lts  in  the  positicm 
of  a  god  «ftio  views  this  world  froa  a  stifficiently  r^aote  stand- 
point to  penal  t  of  a  true  perspective  and  a  final  jud^Mnt* 
Within  the  protagonist's  \?orld,  the  individuals  are  reduced  to 

(1)  Oautler,  Madeiaoiselle  do  flaupin.  96. 

(2)  Ibid* .  idn 


typical  elomenta,  favourable  or  xmfavourabXe  to  hia  Ilre«  cund^ 
therefore  f  sympathetic  or  tmsTiopathetio  persoiuiges  to  the  reader* 
The  number  of  eleinmits  i^ioh  enter  the  created  world  depends 
upon  the  scope  of  the  prota^^mist's  activity*     When  this  activity 
eentreo  upon  himself «  few  outside  eleaents  appear.     fEhen  tiiis 
activity  inoltides  his  zNslationship  to  society,  a  great  many 
elements  necessarily  enter  into  play*     It  is  eai^  to  discern^ 
therefore^  the  appropriat^iess  of  the  fact  that  Balzac's  ivorXd 
rtioald  be  a  vast  one  coopared  with  the  world  itii<di»  in  Ciautier 
or  Vigny,  Is  eooeenti^ted  around  tlxe  life  of  the  artist  idiOy 
WiOfmoernBA  witii  soeietyt  audces  his  own  world* 


Chapter  III* 
diapoetor  Prosentaticm  throoi^  Symbol, 

A 
Every  s&^Eilinoant  faot  in  the  x*ole  of  l^e  rosnantio  per«<mft^ 

Dolnte  toward  a  sizigle  oeoeluei^m*     Let  us  review  these  facts 

as  they  have  be«i  dflafinstrated  in  the  pz<eoeodn£;  pa^'ss.     It  has 

been  shown  that  the  perecmage  Is  chosen  not  beoauso  of  lila 

eftiavaeter  Interest  but  booause  he  conmeponds  to  a  certain 

desired  foxmxlQ.i     that  tlie  secondary  percotm^es  appear  onXv-  as 

repetitioiM  of  one  of  the  fonnulas  dooonstrnted  by  ttie  principals; 

that  the  «orMBi»  as  a  general  rule,  appecu?  only  as  ttte  ia^umation 

of  dx*eem  or  as  the  embodlaent  of  an  idecd  love.     The  ^oiee  of 

a  personage  in  accordance  with  his  value  as  type  or  formula  is 

reflected^  moz»eover,  in  the  aanner  of  the  presttitation.     lie 

i^pears  tunder  a  sin^;le  aspect  and  the  more  obviously  so  in  tliat 

he  is  represent<»d  only  on  the  instinctive  plane  and  in  an 

9xtv^em0  develetmsnt  of  the  particular  aspect  of  passion  or 

feeling  which  he  reveals*     Tlie  relationsliip  which  is  eetabliiOied 

between  the  persona^  and  the  rest  of  tlae  v.t>rld  is  a  e<»istant; 

timt  is,  no  qxxeetion  of  individual  fipee  will  or  of  psyGholor;ical 

develoi^aent  intervenes*     Of  course »  if  tlic  personage  were  the 

active  arbitrator  rather  tJian  the  passive  exeiaplar  of  his  oisi 

nature  and  his  owi  fate,  tlie  single  quality  or  idea  ooi^relunded 

in  that  personage  would  disappear  in  the  oomt  loxity  of  dianging 

human  relationsliips  and  in  the  variaticm  of  tlie  changing  doiainant 

passion*     But  this  is  not  the  case*     The  hontogeneity  of  eacdi 

personage  is  caz*e fully  pz»esejrved*     The  correspondence  v&iich 

is  establifllhed  between  tliat  spiritual  element  w!iich  he  x^presents 


lund  the  jdtjfeioal  world  of  natuaws  in  «dilch  he  movoa  makes  him 
entlrelTT  oa©  witai  that  world.  But,  althouih  the  ror»ntio 
personage  discovers  nature  as  a  unity,  the  rcaaanticiet  writer 
3?eprQsent3  eacSli  personage  as  wily  one  ©leeiwit  of  variec^  in 
that  unity  •>*•  an  agZHMable  or  disagreeable  element,  an  el^aent 
of  baxmony  cr  of  discord^  as  tbe  case  nay  ):«• 

Su<^  a  mxBfaary  mokes  the  conclusion  unavoidable*  Tliese  so* 
called  personages  do  not  actually  beooaie  perscma^^eo.  That  thoy 
are  puppets  playing  a  predeteznlned  role  is  evident  snd,  in  so 
far  as  th«y  are  pajq^ete,  they  cannot  represent  the  total  rrsm* 
^ey  px*esent  <mly  a  facade  to  the  audience*  Tlie  complaisant 
spectator  overlooks  the  fact  that  he  can  see  the  wires  whi(^ 
direct  the  puppets*  actions  and  overlooks*  aooordis^ly^  the  fact 
that  he  is  watc^hing  a  aaohanical  creation*  He  lexKis  hlnself 
to  the  atmosphere  of  illusi<m  and  consciously  T>emits  his  own 
3j:iaglnation  to  build  a  body  of  fle^  and  blood  there  where  there 
is  only  a  painted  cardboard  or  a  lifeless  ra;;*  Tlie  ro^^smtio 
personage  xmist  likewise  dep«vi  upon  the  reader's  imaginaticsa 
for  life*  Ihe  rananticist  writes  a  nane  and  attsushes  to  it  one 
feeling  or  passion  out  of  the  many  «diich  ^50  to  make  up  life* 
He  does  no  more  than  this;  that  is*  he  does  not  create  a 
simulacrum  of  humanity «  he  cz^eates  only  the  fraraeworic  and  the 
clothes  which  it  wears*  But  the  reader,  not  cont«it  with  the 
lUsstract  quality  whidti  la  all  that  is  offered  him,  relates  that 
quality  to  the  hixtnan  life  with  v^ich  his  experience  is  familiar 
and  hi.'aself  plays  the  role  of  the  croatlve  artist  by  infusing 
into  the  lifeless  puppet  a  hUB»n  complexity  and  a  living 


That  th«  rortantlo  p«rsoo&;:e  is  5,nCK]t:ipXeta  aa  en  indl^ldtxal  smtaoM 
to  be  a  raatter  of  little  concern  to  his  creator.     The  atitSior, 

itideed«  plaoea  Ms  creation  leso  ottcm  in  t^l^:  cats  -osy  o? 

pa2*tlcular  IndivliMal  tiian  la  tiiat  or  aiisipaow  t^v©,     Belsac 

and  others  «>cplloitly  desoj?ibe  their  creatures  as  t;ypee»     Be^sac 

e:3q>lalns  vti&t  ha  undo  rat  jids  by  the  tein  In  re^jan?.  to  thfi  duchesse 

do  Iimi£;eala,     lie  wjrltese 

lorsque,  dans  \m  tflBopa  queleon^ue,  11  se  trouve  a\i    - 
Billeu  d*i2ne  natloti  un  peupla  a  part  ainal  c(»iBtltuef 
I'Mstoj'len  y  rej^contre  pi^esque  toijours  vpo  flnire 
principal^  qvil  resume  lee  vertus  et  les  defauts  de 
la  maase  a  laquelle  elle  appartientt     Coli^-^iy  6hes 
lea  Bu^jMnota,  le  Coadjuteur  su  oeln  de  la  Fronde^ 
Xe  oareohal  de  Hlcilielleu  sous  Lopls  XIXX9  Danton 
dana  la  Terreur«     C«;tte  Id^  ' "  '  de  jf^slonocile 
eatre  ua  hoccie  et  son  cort!'  ,_     ".storique  est  dana 
la  n^tu^^des  ohoses*  -->«<*  Au  aomnea^Q&aaat  dr-  la 
vie  epheraara  que  taena  le  faubourg  SaintaGermaln 
pttidant  la  Resteuratitm*  et  "i.  laquelle »  si  les  eon- 
sidarationa  prfSc^entas  sent  woJLes,  11  ne  sut  psf 
dosmer  de  oonaistanoe^  une  jeune  fecme  fut  paaaagere- 
mmt,  le  type  le  plus  complet  do  la  nature  a  la  fois 
superieure  et  faible^  ^ande  et  petite*  de  sa  caste*   (1) 

The  «ord  ''t3rpe'*  recurs  so  frequently ,  In  fact,  in  rc»Mnticl8t 
fiction  as  to  demaxid  eagE>l«naticnQ.«     The  author  hldself  may  use 
the  terra*     Balaac,  for  exninple,  writes  In  another  instance: 
"Maanmains*  11  se  trouve  encore  assess  de  madaiaa  Manaeffe  a  Paris 9 
pour  que  Valerie  doive  flgurer  coamne  xxn  type  dans  oette  Mstoire 
dea  nseurs*"   (2)     Goutier  describes  Fortiinloj     "II  ^tait  le 
dernier  type  de  la  boauto  virile,  disparuo  du  sKXide  depuls  I'ere 

lil  g*P«*°»  i^  ^^^ot^g^ftft,^,  tany^eais,  189,  190. 
(2)  Balzaoy  Ls  eouaina  Bette.  171* 


no-avolle*"   (1)     Often,  Yvonrnver,  the  value  of  ttio  rfdswmagst  i# 
indieittod  Indix'ectly  aa  ji^efleeted  throu^ti  tim  e^oa  of  andtS}^:^* 
L^ia  cri«s  to  Puldiarles     •*— Ja  a^hwrdllo  et  n'afflijo  a*^tPO 
un  tjp9  si  t2»l^rial  et  si  ocffintui  ds  la  souffr'a^ico  de  triutcs  uiid 
fco^^tlon  Ofaladivo  et  falblo,.,,"  (2)     3tek-iu,   coj,  «3.vi;ilr,3 
Ii^lia  as  a  type  and  adds  an  explanation  of  his  vm&nlxiQt 

—  Coaai>len  do  fola  vous  a'otoa  appai^  coetne  xm  typ© 
de  l*indlcil)le  souf franco  cm  1* esprit  de  reoher^e 

a  Jet^l'hoaneJ     He  porsoimlfiess-voas  ;>fi8,  airoc  voire 
beaute  et  votre  trietesse,  avee  votre  ennui  e^  votre 
scopticia:ne,  I'oxc'^o  de  douleur  produit  par  I'^abua 
de  la  peneeel   (5) 

On  another  occasi<»i,  Leila  deecxdbes  her  desire  to  be  buriedt 

—  «ntro  la  feasae  z^licieuse  et  forte  qui  a  eupporte 
cent  ans  lo  poids  d©  la  vie,  ©t  la  faaio  devote  ©t 
timide  qui  a  succoeibe  au  molndre  aouffXe.du  vent  de 
la  wortf     entrj^  oes  deux  types  tant  aiaee  de  noi,  la 
ft>ree  et  la  grace,  <»itrc  xme  soeur  de  Trwiaor  ©t 
warn  aoottr  de  Stenio*  (4) 

Karol  refex'ii  to  his  ooneepticm  of  Duel©  vlien  ho  tells  ScdLvators 

"-  Je  n*ai  pas  besoin  d*adiai^er  co  qui  eodste  en 
(Idhors.  3n  type  que  1e  porte  etemelleB-a^it  parfait, 
m%atm»llmsm.t  vivant  dans  oa  peiiatfe*  (8) 

To  Athenaia,  Valentine  is:     "un  type  de  c^pace  et  de  pei'faetlon" ,   (6) 

Magnaal,  in  Le  Piccinino,  explains  his  attraction  to  Agatha t 

XI  ee  dlt  qu'il  y  avait  a  cela  mic  ralson  e'    "     '^-o* 
C*est  qa*elle  otait  lo  vrai  type  de  beaute 
avait  toujours  rove  sans  pouvolr  lo  aaisir  et  1© 
produire*   (7) 

The  narrator  of  one  of  fJautier's  tales  vritest     * — C'etplt  de  la 

reunion  de  oes  deux  types  de  beaute  que  los  deux  somirs  resumaient 

autier.^  Nouvclles>  yprtunio.  ISA^ 


(8)  sand,  lilimTlT.  ifel 

(3)  md.,ncrri3i. 

(4)  Tgg.,  II.,  59. 

(5)  fSHH,  Lucr<ai#  F3,oriLani,  27. 

(6)  Standg  Valentine.  310. 

(7)  Sand,  Le  Piocinino.  I.,  102. 


si  pRrfaltement  que  j*etals  ^rls,"  (1)  The  nai*x*ator  of  Ilorace 
descries  Paul  Arises  "—  Ce  jeime  hcwime,  qui  etait  pour  mol 
le  typ©  d©  l*lnt©lllgenc©,  du  coxira^;©  ©^  do  la  bonte',,."  (S) 

Fvoin   til©  quotations  cited  above  It  Is  evident  that  the  type 
corresponds  to  an  abstract  formula  rather  than  to  a   particular 
personality*  That  his  croat'irea  are  types  rather  than  individuals 
may,  therefore,  be  indicated  by  the  author  in  sll,  htly  varyins 
language.  Balzac  writes  most  frequently  in  such  terms  ns  the 
following!;!   "Vous  y  voycs  scnxvent  venir  a  vous  d©8  Pons,  des 
Elie  Ma^^us...*"  (3)  Compare  this  with  tdie  citation  fros  La 
cousine  I3©tte  and  it  becones  apparent  that  the  u»«  of  the  plural 
is  cKi^ivalent  to  13alE:ac  of  the  identification  of  a  personage  as 
a  type.  Or  h©  may  write:   "Ell©  etait  xm  vrai  don  Juan  fenielle" 
(4)  and  so  identify  his  personage  with  a  definite  species* 

Hugo's  languag:©  gives  a  certain  arlded  clarity  to  the  connotations 

that  aay  be  lncl\idod  \mder  the  reneral  word  type.  i^9   writes, 

for  instance: 

Cea  noms  ont  d«e  fifcures*  lis  n^exprlnent  pas 
seulenent  des  ^res,  maia  des  esp^ces.  Qiaciin  d© 
o©8  nous  repond  a  \me  vari^te  do  ces  dif formes 
ehaiaplf^ons  du  dessous  de  la  civilisation.  (&) 

Hugo's  personages  sum  xvp   a  certain  species;  accordingly,  he 

can  write  in  the  smae  scmset 

(1)  Gautier,  Les  Jmme8«-France.  Laguelle  des  deux.  265. 
(8)  Sand,  Korabe.  ^J 

(3)  Balcac.  Le  cousin  Ptms.  146, 

(4)  Balzac,  Lea  Secrets  de  la  nrtncesse  de   Cadi;7ian.  341. 

(5)  Ihxiio,   Les  Mistfrablea.  11. .  439. 


II  v«nalt^d«  volx'  sous  d«  nouvoaux  Aspects  la  .  ^ 
ra^ianceto  des  h<»tK'.ies  et  In  mis^re  de  la  aoclete 
>«•><-<-  le  sort  de  1&  t«ma&  r^cuind^dans  Fantlnoy 
I'autox'lt^  puLllqu©  persormifl^  dans  Javert#    (1) 

The  type  of  a  certain  species  is  a  personification  of  an  abstract 

Idoa.     IhxQO  8U(SS08^<>  still  another  toz^u 

Toute  la  personn©  de  Javert  exprimalt  I'hcsane  qui 
^pie  et  q\&i  ae  d^robc,     L'^ole  tin-atiqae  do  J'osepili 
de  Malstre,  — m—  n*ofit  pas  nanque  d©  d.li»©  que 
Javert  etalt  un  sr-^ibole.    (2) 


Vlgny,  on  the  contrary,  uses  the  language  of  capltallKatlon  and, 
in  tills  manner,   miciiieeds  in  deslgnatlnji;  the  species  and  not 
the  Individual.     I\>cteru>-Nolr  addresses  Stello:     "— -  Etes-vous 
Poeto?"   (3)     Gliatterton  describes  Mmself  as  a  x>epreaentatlv8 
of  his  ai>tt     "«•»  Le  Poete  cJierdie  aox  etoiles  quelle  route 
nous  raontro  le  doigt  du  S«lgn«f«r."   (4)     Stello  sees  Mr,  Beckford 
as  a  type:     "-—  Ot2i,   je  vols  chaqiie  jour  des  h<»aneB  sMiblahles 
a  CO  Beckford,  qui  est  niiraculcnisemant  incame  d*fi,^e  eti  af^c 
sous  la  poRU  blafarde  dee  Plaideurs  D'JS  AITAIRES  PUPLItiUKS,"   (6) 

Camteaubriand  too  writes  in  the  sane  renerlc  lanrniage.     He  wukes 
E«ie,  fcr  example,   in  t3i©  following  sentence,  the  ewbodlm^it 
of  suoccBsive  and  contrasting?,  ideas:     "Le  frere  d'Aiaell© 
s*etait  endojYai  l*hoia(no  de  In  societe'^  11  se  revclllait  l»hoJwn© 
de  la  nature."   (6)     Or  again:     "^l^is  Kene  etait  le  genie  du 
malheur  egare'^dans  ces  rotraites  enchantees,"   (7) 

(1)  Hu^o,  Lea  riiaerablena  II,,  143. 

(2)  Ibid!,  u,  iW. 

(5)  Wmj»   stello,  18, 

(5)  Ibid.,  as. 

(6)  Chateaubriand,  Lee  Nat<aieZj  808, 

(7)  Ibid, .   2in, 


'ilie  lan;:ua;^e  lyhlch  tJie  rcMnantlclsfc  uses  cftnnot  be  disregtirded 
as  Irrelevant.  Hor  can  tho  ccMnmon  use  of  such  terfia  a«  type# 
personification,  incaxnation,  be  considex*ed  as  purely  aocldoital. 
Such  a  usage  has  its  source  in  somo  coemon   quality  of  the 
Imagination*  in  some  coraaon  aesthetic  standard,  coraclotvely  or 
subconsciously  adopted*  The  romantic  pers(Mia{;e  is,  as  his 
creators  prefer  to  describe  him,  a  "type".  And  the  fact  that 
ttie  2»(»Tia3itic  personage  is  reduced  to  a  "type",  a  "type"  ^o 
is  only  rarely  an  individual  as  wi^ll  and  is  only  rarely  possessed 
of  any  universal  humanity,  is,  certainly  one  most  important  key 
to  the  characteristic  method  of  ix»r;anticiBt  creation, 

¥i/hat  does  l^e  r(»»antioist  mean  v^cn  he  calls  one  of  his 
porsona^tes  a  "type"?  He  can  scarcely  racan  that  he  is  typical 
of  his  class  for  the  extreme  cannot  be  typical  and  these 
pereonareo,  as  we  have  seen,  are  always  out  of  the  ordinary, 
are  always  absolute  in  their  feellnc^s  and  passions,  v^iatever 
their  obsession  is,  it  is  an  obsessicm  never  to  be  forgotten 
for  an  instant.  Such  personages  cannot,  therefore,  be  t^jpical 
in  the  ordinary  meaning  of  the  woM.  The   explanation  may  be 
sought,  i*a trier,  in  the  modem  Fxsmch  ijhrase:  "C'est  un  type". 
Viat  does  the  PrencJsnan  mean  when  ho  enploys  this  expx'ession? 
Far  from  meaning;  that  the  individual  is  characteristic  of  any 
class  of  humanity,  tie  is  {^ivin,:;  you  to  understand,  on  the 
contrni-y,  that  he  is  an  eccentric  fellow,  a  "queer  bird".  vVlien 
he  uses  the  word  "type",  he  is  think'ntj  of  the  eccentricity 
which  sets  tho  observed  individual  apart  from  humanity  rather 
than  of  tliose  characteristics  \(iftiicli  he  iiay  posoibly  share  with 


lankind  in  rraneraX*     In  t^s«  the  modem  Psrenclitrian  ogress  wit^ 
the  rmantloist  and  explaine  Hlsi*     XT  a  persona^  la  a  "type*** 
lis  ci^ator  has  ewphaalsed  In  hln  tShat  «lhloh  makes  hln  partlcolnr 
and  sepaz^tes  hlrt  tvnm  huraanlty  In  ^tneval  rather  than  enphasls- 
Ing  «hat  ai^t  oake  hln  a  nomal  person  sharln^-^  the  universal 
qualities  of  manldlnd*     The  elen^it  In  Mm  v^lch  Is  exaggerated 
shuts  hln  off  from  the  camraonplace  world,     ^liat  la  ttio  element, 
however,  on  ^iloh  the  author  cone^itrates  his  attention*     This 
Is  apparent  by  reference  to  any  of  the  quotations  cited  above* 
'•Shat  are  "les  Kile  Magnus"?     TTot  rien  with  feelings  camaon  to 
mankind  but  antiquarians  with  obsessions  peculiar  to  t}>elr  species. 
Vhat  are  these  women  adbalred  by  L^lla?     Not  woemen  but  tiie 
abstract  qualities  of  grace  and  force,   slni;le  qualities  whose 
perfection  in  thcsn  excludes  taie  observatlcm  of  any  other  qualities 
less  perfect  or  coenplete*     The  saae  conclusions  nay  be  drawn 
frcxa  a  reference  to  az>andet  or  Erfeull,  personages  who  are,  it 
is  dear,  eiai^jtodlments  of  one  t^pae  of  eccentricity*     They  are 
made  to  x^pressnt  that  type,  to  synibolise  tliat  type,  by  an 
liaprobable  exaggeration  of  their  eccentricity  and  by  the 
elimination  of  any  other  elenents  which  niight  conceivably  «iter 
into  their  cosnpositlon*     In  practice,  therefore,   to  describe 
a  personage  as  a  "type^  is  to  describe  hln  as  the  symbol  of  one 
element  of  life  to  tlie  exclusion  of  the  rest*     The  ranantle 
perscsiaf^e  is.   In  fact,  only  properly  imderstood  if  he  Is  tinder- 
stood  as  syrabol* 

For,  as  we  have  seen,  rociantic  personages  are,  in  every  case. 


extr«me  vazdations  troa   the  nox«t«  'Xlieir  sole  individuality 
se«*na  to  eaas   faram  the  very  exaggerations  of  oe2?tain  passicma 
or  instincts,  iloreover  they  are   not  only  differentiated  by 
means  of  the  exa{|gez*at;ians  of  soiae  cmG  element  of  their  nature 
but  tliey  would  oeaae  to  exist  In  any  aenee  if  they  were  to  be 
Ixmginatively  deprived  of  that  element*  Make  tl\9   experiinont^ 
for  inatanoe,  «lt^  Orondet*  Deprive  him  of  his  lust  for  f^ld 
and   vftiat  remains?  ESxaotly  nothing*  He  has  shotm  no  other 
affecticm,  no  otSier  interests,  no  other  weaknesses*  Hie  extesnal 
surroundin,~G  express  that  lust  as  does  his  appearanoe*  ills 
every  act  expresses  it  and  he  ocmsnits  no  act  that  does  not  have 
avarice  as  its  niotive.   It  is  \:y^ili];ely  that  a  Grandet  exists 
or  will  exist*   !e  is  not  a  fully  observed  per8ona,';e«  Ue  is 
rather  a  created  persmia^,  the  creation  of  the  logical  ext]«ene 
of  the  rxanifestation  of  his  passion*  He  touclies  life  at  only 
one  point*  Ho  is  not  only  Inluuaan,  therefore,  la  tliat  he 
possesses  no  ]?atlonal  will,  lie  is  also  less  tlian  humsn  in  tOiat 
observed  humanity  possesses  more  tttan  one  passicm  even  when 
<me  lias  been  greatly  itidulged  at  the  expense  of  tlio  rest*  In 
him  only  one  element  of  life  exists  and  that  elecient  sums  up 
his  existence*  He  is  avarice  incarnated*  His  mode  of  life 
is  avarice  expressed  throuf^  the  raatexdal*  His  actions  are 
avarice  er:presssd  in  novement*  His  speech  is  avarice  expirassed 
tdirou(^  the  eoonooQr  of  words*  In  other  wox-ds,  Grandet  is 
si, jiif leant  in  the  novel  where  he  app<»ars  for  only  one  reason t 
that  he  incarnates  a  f^ven   passion,  one  of  Mhe  nony  passions 
which  {50  to  foxttt  the  coBplete  universe.   He  is  a  symbolic 
creation,  nothing  more. 


A«  we  havo  seen^  then,  the  ror.antici8t  aesthetic  makes  o^ 
the  artist  a  creator  —  ti  striking  oontraat  to  the  olasalolst 
practice  iiSiloh  shows  mb  the  artist  as  an  observer*     our  study^ 
Moreover «  shows  tlr&t  the  nanner  of  this  creation  In  romanticist 
art  Is  s^boUc  and  that  the  artist  uses  his  personals  In  order 
to  Indicate  how  large  a  place  certain  eX«aents  assuDM  in  the 
universe  and  In  ordez*  to  represeoit  ej/tabolically  tiie  action  and 
reactlcm  of  these  elements  upon  one  anotaier. 

To  say  this  Is  merely  to  say  that,  if  ftrandet  is  a  syrsk^X  and 
not  a  roeCL  personage ,  he  beooiaea  so  by  virtue  of  the  type  of 
Iruijjlnatlcai  ^Ich  creates  hlra*     In  actual  life  wo  may  frequently 
see  Individuals  nfiio  Imve  very  obvious  Idiosyncrasies.     In  oitr 
speech  we  loay  describe  such  Individuals  by  the  ellHlnatl<»i  of 
all  but  that  onG  obvious  quality.     W»  say  of  one  man  **lie  la  a 
waUclnf;  dictionary",  of  another  "He  Is  an  old  money-ba/;;'' ,  of 
a  tlilrd  ^e  Is  the  personification  of  cliorra".     In  these 
Instances  ou^  language  Is  s:?cibollc  not  as  all  lai\;;uaGe  is 
STiabollc  but  In  a  very  special  and  abstract  swuse*     Our  lang* 
uage  Is  sy»boiic,  tliat  is.  In  the  sense  that  our  Intelligence 
has  Judged  tlie  world  of  etnotlon  end  has  reopresentod  tiriat 
world  as  an  abstraction  stripped  of  its  partlctilar  connotations. 
In  actual  life  «e  are  well  aware  that  there  Is  a  discrepancy 
between  the  state«a«Qt  and  the  fact  —  that  is,  the  person-'- 
It  represents.     Such  distoirtion,  exa,;i^ratlon,  or  slnr>llfleatlon 
Is  charaoterlstie,  however,  of  tiie  STiabolic  method. 

The  synbolic  mettiod  is  recognlzatily,  then,  only  a  substitute 


f'oT  a  truth,  &  method  where!  t  Ideal,  ron-exlstent  truth  riay  b« 
i*0pr©sent©d  to  the  senses.     The  use  of  s^r  lx)l  necessitates 
einpllflcFitlon,     'V©  descrlbf>  the  charm  In  a  nan  nfiien  we  sayi 

He  la   the  personification  of  chann'*  tout  v/e  have  ora5.ttc^  all  else. 

e  are  using  bJ?oad  strokes  and  neglectin.'^  tiie  su]>tl©  nuances  of 
reality,     Ws  gmso  a  certain  tmth  by  means  of  tJie  srntibol  fcut  to 
do  so  we  liavG  omitted  what  is  also  part  of  the  tr«ith»     V.ho  is  to 
say  «giXoh  part  of  the  twitli  ahoiad  be  pepi^sented  and  which 
omitted?     If  we  fail  to  represent  tin©  wiv>lc  of  reality,  we  do  so 
because  we  have  already  >  .orle  a  judr^'ient  and  we  spes^c  from  file 
oolnt  of  •.'lew  of  that  .ludj^^ent, 

FtH)m  tijne  Innanorlal  wan  ^ms  used  symbol  ns  a  short  cut  to 
knowled^^e  but  It  cannot  be  us©(^  as  such  a  ohoi*t  cut  If  Uie 
prenlses  differ.     To  certain  oeople  the  swastika  may  be  a  syraibol 
of  death,   to  others  it  jnay  represent  ,  ood  luck  ami  to  still 
others  it  nay  betoken  anti-Seraitiem.     The  initial  oolnt  of  view 
detemJnes  the  value  of  the  symbol.     Accordingly,   Uiore  nay  b© 
validity  In  the  sy^abolic  Method,  a  »r>ethotl  for  ^hlcJi  »um  has  a 
natural  predilection,  but,   in  order  to  liave  validity,  there  uiust 
b©  a  eomraon  princiole  to  v^lch  to  refer  tiie  syiibol.     One  writer 
may  Jud/^e  a  -nan  to  be  charm  Incarnate;     another  may  ,1tid  :e  lilni 
to  bo  til©  lersonification  of  lnsinc©»'ity.     The  rcxnanticiot  writer 
abstracts  the  wiiole  of  tli©  humanity  of  snch  a  oersonace  and 
retjreoents  only  cJionn  or  insincerity,  ns  the  case   liay  bo.   In 
accordance  with  his  Initial  5udg«»ent.     Thifj    ^akos  any  rerorenc© 
to  observed  fact  —  and  so  to  any  universal  standard  of  reference— 
i  >po8aible.     The  result  is  that  tlie  synl^ol  can  Indicate  no  iwre 


than  an  a  priori  jud^nent.     Such  a  judf^nent  Is  one  vSiose  basis 
lies  indii^actly  in  observation  but  «#\ich  Is  necessarily  biased 
Ijy  the  point  of  view  froni  wlnich  it  was  made*  a  point  of  view 
detennined  by  sentiment*     In  using  synbol  to  represent  the 
reality  time  jud/^ed,  part  of  reality  ia  oEiittod  In  order  better 
to  emphasise  the  s«ntli?ient  or  prejiodice. 

Symboliam  shows »  necessarily,  a  very  close  relationship  to  logic* 
The  sylloi^ian  in  logic  starts  frora  a  major  prc^iiae,  adds  an 
tindoniable  minor  pr<»a*s©  token  from  obsox^-ed  reality,  and,  by 
oanoellin/3  the  term  c<»«non  to  botli,  arrives,  by  irrefutable 
loe;ic,  at  the  dosired  conclusion*     idut  the  pi*oof  is  only  valid 
if  we  accept  the  major  preraise  as  valid*     The  ctxmnon  exai^le  of 
a  syllogisn  runs  thus: 

All  men  are  anirtials* 

Soeratea  waa  a  zaan* 

Therefore  Socrates  waa  an  animal* 
Actually,  we  ,hnve  only  proved  in  the  final  statement  vtuit  we 
have  pre^rfLously  talcon  for  ,<^rantccl  in  the  first  stateiTient*     Yet 
thia,  as  we  have  ae^i,  is  t$ie  symbolic  method*     The  ooiie«llati<m 
of  the  Interraediate  tenyss  »jotv/een  the  original  reality  and  the 
syaibol  assuriea  a  .jndfjnent  previous  to  the  introduction  of  the 
particular  bit  of  observed  ireality*     The  cancellation  of  the 
middle  terms  •>•  and  so,  tlie  cancellation  of  a  certain  oart  of 
reality  —  leaves  tlie  final  sliplifietl  statement,     Tlxis 
aiciplification  Is  but  a  conventional  raetliod  adopted  in  oxxier  that 


the  truth  nay  th«  iaor«  ©JAslly  bC5  arrlvcjd  at,     This  la  &  •%ftt««> 
mont  applicable  alike  to  3:<7nbol  and  to  syllorlsra.      It  Is  fchlo 
slrallarlty  of  mothod  which  raakea  It  se«m  only  probable  that  the 
cyiaibol  vd.ll.   In  many  caaea,  be  little  but  the  repe titlOTi  of  a 
convention t     that  la,   th«t  its  e:a»resBlcm  will  assume  the  foxfti  of 
tlie  exoreaslon  of  a  Mathematical  fomula  and  that.  In  or<3er  to 
be  s7llOj;lstlcall?r  lo  IopI,  nany  of  fAxe  tt^rme  of  the  syllonlsm 
will  enter  tJie  realm  of  Ideal  truth,  after  the  nanner  of  laatJi- 
eattitlcal  quantities,   i^ther  than  renalnlnf;  in  t^Tie  realm  of 
solid  actuality* 

In  dlBcuealnr;  tho  poraona?'en  fiho  anp^nr  in  ronemtlciot  fiction. 
It  is  Iriposslble  to  avoid  nentlonin/;  the  typicnl  milieu  in 
wliich  they  are  olacod  since,  f\B  ie  ^Inofit  alwayo  the  crb©,  the 
milieu  beocariea  a  matorial  extension  or  the  ef^o.     *^e  mlliei;  In 
that  case  becociee  fcyolonl  of  the  nersonafe  nnd,  if  the  peroona/j;© 
is  a  type,   tl\e  milieu  cannot  fail  to  run  to  type  also.     Here  lo, 
pei4iapa,  the  second  key  to  the  nature  of  the  romanticist 
IraagJLnation.     It  shows  a  desire  to  establirfi  <\  relationship 
betwoMi  the  laaterial  and  the  spiritual  «orl<ia.     It  shows  a 
t«nd«ncy  to  explain  one  by  the  other  and  vice  versa.     The  spir- 
itual is  explained  by  reference  to  the  body  that  represents  it 
and  tile  body  owes  its  significance  to  the  spirit  that  lr.fon3S  it. 
Eugo  ^howe  UB  the  eleaents  htananlsed  by  the  spirit  wJitch  rules 
th«a  and  the  Duranda  is  loved  equally  with  Deruohette.     Gllllatt 
reco^^sses  the  spiritual  aspect  thron  h  the  pbysica.1  JrTienslty: 
"Terraes^jjar  I'lrartensit/,   11  la  prie."   (1)     The  correspondence 

(1)  IIuijO,  Les  Travailleurs  de  la  ner.  II.,  173. 


botv0«i  th«  girl  and  t^i«  boat  is  inflected  throuf^  tfeaa  I^thioiTy. 
For  l^bsi     **«•••  la  Airande  etait  vuie  pepsoime",    (I)     Th«  fata 
of  t}^e  t^so  is  inextricably  llnkad  in  Iiis  raind*     "Le  marl  qu*il 
liaaginait  pour  Dexniohette  ^tait  aussi  un  peu  Tin  marl  poar 
Djirende.     II  mit  voulu  pourvolr  d»\in  ctnip  see  doux  fillos.'*   (2) 
The  relaticmahip  betwiMn  the  tvo  is  established  in  s^bolio 
fashion  t      "La  poup^  de  la  Dorande  ^tait  lo  15. en  cntre  lo  bateau 
et  la  fille."   (3) 

Of  course^   the  tendency  to  confuse  matter  and  ntoodf  body  and 
8oul«  has  already  been  noted  by  the  critics  of  roriantloism.  Tlie 
"pathetic  fallacy"  is  its  nost  evident  demonstration*     It  la 
aurprlBingf  liuowever^  that  so  little  heed  seeana  to  have  been  paid 
to  its  significance  in  re^^aiPd  to  the  char ucteristlc  quality  of 
romanticist  literatuz^.     To  ostabliah  coznrespondencesy  to  iialre 
one  thins  serve  to  i?epreoent  another,  viSiat  is  this  but  symbolisia? 
And  if  the  ^':looa  of  nature  is  ^lown  to  correspond  to  the  f^loon 
of  the  human  soul  or  if  the  raelaneholy  of  tlie  individual  finds 
its  reflection  in  nature^  this  is  t<ut  one  manifestation, and  a 
eharacte.'istic  one,  of  the  quality  of  the  romanticist  imagination. 

The  imagination  i*iicli  egresses  itself  throu^  symbol  is  t^ie 
Limginatlon  \idiicli  perceives  "cors^espondences",     Baudelaire's 
po«a  Correspondances  is  on©  typical  example  of  this  facf-.     From 
ttiB  personages  we  ore  studyinij  it  can  be  observed  thnf-  Wie 
correspondence  1  etween  exterior  nature  and  trie  Inner  nata3?e  of 

(1)  Kur^o,  T-ee  Travailleurs  de  la  mer«   I.,  136« 

(2)  Ibi..i.,    I..   148. 
^3)  Ibid..   I.,   146. 


tho  personase  lo  hot*!  definitely  expressed  anci  frequently 
insisted  upon*  Tliere  can  be  no  doubt»  imder  these  cireumstanoos, 
that  the  milieu  in  <^ilch  the  rcMnantlc  personage  is  placed^  and 
by  milieu  iw  nust  underctanl  nil  leases  of  the  exterior  world* 
will  be  aliooet  invariably  synS^olic. 

This  is  to  oonfirro  the  STmbollc  dharaoter  of  the  nttraonafKe   <moe 
again  for,  even  if  the  attention  of  the  romantlcistB  Is  dlyeoted, 
apparently,  tovmrd  ^e  relationship  «hicli  exists  between  the 
elements  ndiich  go  to  forf^  the  exterior  reality  and  the  inner 
reality  of  t^ft  erdidt-ual  elements,  the  personares  cannot  fall  to 
be,  themselves,  reco/^iized  as  part  of  that  exterior  world.  If 
they  are  not  excliJded  fr«»fl  it,  they  riust  be  represented  aa 
correspcKidlng  to  certain  of  its  olements*  llaere  is  a  relation- 
ship l>et«e«n  13\e  two  worlds,  the  romanticist  declares.  It  is 
not  enouri^i,  therefore,  tliat  he  shows  a  certain  physical  &p{>eartmce 
or  a  ohoson  «»ivlr<WHa€Hit  as  corresponding  to  definite  individual 
•leeients.  He  rnust,  lof;ioAlly,  spixdtuallze  the  material  world. 
H^noe  tho  suirltual  elements  vd\ich  appear  5,n  his  per8ona/3:es  must 
reappear  in  the  exterior  reality.  They  aire  likewise  OBiong  tlM 
munber  of  the  elep>entB  w'llch  must  make  up  a  complete  nnlverse. 

Not  only  is  the  milieu  typical  bub  the  role  of  certain  perscmages 
Is  f»ufiifirtcntaliy  always  the  same  and  la  also  typlcp.l.  The 
question  T^ich  it  has  been  necessary  to  raise  in  regard  to  the 
si^lflcance  of  tlie  "type"  oersonage  of  r<»iiantlrls!n  will, 
therefore,  \i&v%   to  be  repeated  in  retard  to  the  action  3ji  which 
he  paxi^lolpates.  It  will,  in  fact,  have  to  be  repeated  as  often 


a«  w«  discover  that  any  of  the  ingredients  of  a  novel  may  b« 
descxdbed  as  "typioftl"  «St11o  it  rf^nains  liaposalbio  to  d©scpib« 
th«ra  aa  milvereal.  In  other  words,  if  we  dlaooveo*  that  tli© 
hero  of  a  novel  by  Hugo  responds  to  a  oertain  definite  convention, 
fN»  i^all  to   forced  to  inquire  5_nto  the  si^snificanoe  of  the 
e<mvMitl(m  and  the  convention  will  "bo  of  more  importance  than 
will  any  on©  of  ttie  vaxdous  individual  fij^ures  —  Quaalao-lo,  Jean 
Valjean,  Gilllatt,  Crwynpla5.no  —  wlio  represent  It,  The  individual 
creatures  are,  indeed,  nothing  more  than  symbols  and  az«,  in 
thegeoselves,  uniiaportant,  _If,  correspondingly,  we  should  find 
that  the  plot  of  the  novel  may  be  reduced  to  a  certain,  dt^flnlte 
oonventicffi,  the  sli^^it  varlationa  of  each  Individual  plot  will 
eease  to  have  for  us  that  importance  that  the  "type"  plot  must 
have*  The  individual  plot  ral^it  be  the  result  of  observation 
and  imagination  but  Ui©  "type"  plot,  thoui:iIi  based,  coi^-icps,  on 
observation  and  ejq)erience,  could  not  thus  repeat  itself  a(^in 
and  again  except  as  the  i^esxilt  of  conscious  creation,  a  conscious 
croation  li^iose  significance  is  apparent  in  the  repetition.  ^ 
with  the  nllleu,  the  fomial  8t2?uctur0,  the  minor  Incidents, 
t^e  language  itself.  Everywhere  tloat  a  convention  is  fo>md  to 
x^place  the  infinite  variation  \*ilch,  in  reality,  ttxe  convention 
nust  represent,  it  is  evident  that  tlie  sicnificanoe  of  ^*iat  the 
convention  does  represent  nniat  "he  discerned.  The  co^ivention 
replaces  all  the  numberless  n.iar.ces  of  reality.  In  Itself  it 
beccnnes  as  colourless  as  the  mathematical  fomtula,  as  ctM  tern  in 
a  syllogism.  It  is  only  the  meaning  which  It  v^.nvtis&nts   ^shlch 
has  actuality  and  life*  ^l!hatever  terias  we  choose  to  use,  t][ie 


direction  of  our  atudy  raifit  rasain  oet  tovmrd  tlie  llvir'.g  JiidgsMnt 
hidden  iinder  the  typical  personac©  or  theno  or  i^rd,     ■  T:>,'\t  Is 
tJie  Blsniflcanco  of  th*  recurrent  figure  of  R^ie?     or  Chatterton? 
of  tlio  r0cu:i*rfsit  fllt^iit  to  monauiteiy  or  convent?     of  t!i© 
iaprobably  froquent  suicides?     of  tiie  repeated  conversions 
•ffected  by  love? 

The  clue  to  the  moaning  of  a  novel  lies,  first  of  all,  of  course, 
in  the  roeaning  of  the  pevmma^ea  «flio  are  px»e3onted  In  it,     Ilenoo, 
before  proeeefilng  to  the  conaidspatlon  of  the  personages  ae  they 
are  revealed  in  relationships  and  in  action,  it  \7ill  ba  ^  oe^ssary 
to  unify  and  set  forth  those  llvlnr  judijaonts  ifriich  ar«  implicit 
in  the  (^laracteriBtic  types  of  rcaaantlclam.     Behind  tho  type 
lies  th©  idea;     tlirou^  the  type  tho  romanticist  ropr©s«its  hia 
ideas  In  regard  to  society,  religion,  art,  love,  and  beauty, 
The  personage  informs  us  of  the  idea  not  necessarily  in  his  speecli 
but,  necessarily,  in  his  perscai.     Beoause  he  is  tlie  incamatioa 
of  an  eleoumt  of  the  writer's  thoui^it,  tlie  "type"  Ijecaj^es  a 
syrabol* 


Cluapter  IV. 
ryribolB  of    -natv 

We  have  soon  tlmt  porcona  a  cs  prGContad  in  tlio  novel  of* 
romantiolBQ  can  be  reaucQu  t;o  a  tirpa*  i8#  in  f&ot*  type  ratarier 
tlian  indlvlduia.     v/e  imvo  also  obaerved  that  the  tendency  to 
repreB&nt  fl^roros  rho  aro  olt^-or  OKtrecie  In  their  virtuoB  or  In 
tlioir  vioes  js'evanta  tae  t^po  iron  referriiitv  to  ujilvorssal 
hujaanity*     The  uniformity  of  ton©  ^ilch  timm  maJcee  t^io  t^^.e 
lOfc^lCGl  In  It©  absolute  teria  rnolsos  the  type  loos  reprosontative 
of  humanity'  than  of  ono     olenont  in  htesianity.     T'ne  typo  is, 
actually,  therefore,  a  syaijol.     Its  symbolic  validity  depends 
upon  «fl^etlier  the  oynbol  is  in  Gi^reoment  with  obsorvod  reality 
or  t^ietxier  it  is  aorol^'  u     £X>8tiilatGd  ideal*     If  the  synbol  Is 
of  the  lattex'  type,  it  resoiabloB  tlie  urilmovm  quantity  in  a  laathe- 
oatioal  problesa.     V/e  call  it  x,  we  reoogniee  that  It  is  a  symbol, 
but  we  find  it  difflctat  to  determine  what  ooimtorpai^t,  if  any, 
it  has  in  reality.     If,  however,  observed  reality  is  the  iirnodiGte 
origin  of  tli©  sgnabol.  Its  syxabollo  counterpart  is  self-evident 
and  iraaedlately  valid  for  everyone  faniliar  witi:  thiis  reality, 
Such  is  the  case,  for  instance,  vAxen  we  speak  of  tloe  cross  to 
a  OTiTiatian*     iiis  knowlecije  of  the  experience  which  it  reproaento 
is  a  isrerequisite  of  his  recognition  of  Uie  symbol.     Uiis 
particular  oj^abol  has  tmiveraal  validity,'   in  Uliristondora  but  no 
validity  elsewhere*     To  toll  a  non-Giirietiun  tiiat  tlie  croas  S.u 
a  syrabol,  and  to  explain  its  sltnificance,  is  quite  posoible 
but,  in  tills  case,  the  validity  of  the  Clirietion  point  of  view 
must  precede  tlie  acceptance  of  the  cross  ae  a  valid  sycibol. 

If  the  roraantlcist  writer  is  uslnt,  the  t>enorall;^'  accepted  ex- 


o  of  reality  as  lils  stortiii^,  ijoint,  tli©  exact  Inpox't  of 
his  82?inbol  will     be  laEJodlately  and  unlveraally  roeoenlaod.     If 
he  Is  ?K>t  dolnc  so,  be  raust  iixivo  dlsoovored  liis  synibol  by  virtue 
of  eota©  private  faith  Miicli  he  holds,     if  this  is  true,  his 
symbol  will  certainly  ronnlrs  esDlanntlon.     Itn  ncnontrnic©  as 
▼alld  symbol  will  ciopona  U:>oa  viie  acceptance  oi'  tno  aiiuior's 
personal  ijoint  of  viow.     To  determine  the  true  noaning  of  the 
syrnbols  used  by  tho  roraantiolGtc  will  involvo,  t?->or -jforo,  tho 
reco^nXtxoa  of  tiio  pailoaopiiy  wiiich  aiotai;oa  •  )C!.niiij_. 

The  raaantlclBt  alrsost  always  explains  tlio  valtto  of  hia  symbol 

eltuer  Implicitly  or  explicitly,       Jt-u,  lor  oasaEiplo,  tii© 

character iotio  linos  tliat,  on  tl  o  occasion  of  tlie  arrival  of 

the  duo  d»l  orouvillo,  Dalsac  intorpolatoa  into  tho  nain  body  of 

his  novel  iuoC.  o  n  t  o    . i^  non ; 

iiii  effot,  quand  les  i^randes  choees  huoaines  s*on 
vont,  elles  laissent  des  miettee  •»««•-  ot  la  Koblesue 
fran^ioo  noxis  nontro  en  ce  oiocle  boaticoup  trop 
de  rested*     Certes^  dan^  cette  lon^ue  histolre 
de  raoeurs,  ni  le  Glori_e  ni  Ic         "    aoe  n'ont  a  se 
plaindre*     ues  deux  grandee  c  ifiquos  n^o5s- 

slt^s  soclaloe  y  son*  bien  re     ''      tdbaj  nals  ne 
serait'oe  pas  renonoer  eu  beau  tztre  d'iilstorien 
ou©  do  n»0tr<^  pas  in5Xirtial,  quo  de  ne  pas  aontror 
Icl  la  de£«aerescence  de  la  race,  oonne  vous 
trouvoroE  ailleure  la  fi^ui'O  do  1'  xrl  lo 

coato  de  !:lort&auf  (voyee  le  r.ys  clana  2  ^) , 

et  toutOD  lea  noblooooe  de  la  liobioss©  IToifo'Uc 
marquifi  d'^spcird.   (1) 

Or  consider  a  oliaractoriatlo  oonvoreation  froci  one  of  ?.and»s 

novols,     Piorre  adtlresaos  /-jnaiu^yt 

— ^ujourd'hul  40  n'ai  plus  d'arabltion,  et  o'est  toi 

qui  on  as,  liouo  avons  clumge  0©  role. 

Aumury  repliosj 

— Et  lequol  de  nous  est  dans  lo  vral? 
(1)  Balzac,  I404»e»»  Mignon.  17U, 


—  KotxB  J  SQBBtes  peut-eii'o  t^nx  Seux,  )s 

I'heeaeie  de  la  society  prcfuonto,  „^^  u-.._^.  ^.ovit- 
§tre  C6lui  de  la  eocidt^  futtsret   (1) 

In  trn»  Hixlt  de  Cl,^patr)ft  Gautier  expotinds  tho  sgrobolic  value  of 

Buci:  an  individual  as  CleopfUlrat 

On  8»etonnQ  que  lee  htxxms  ne  ee  soiont  pac 
rovolt<fs  oonta?0     cog  oorSlr        •  ^     toutes  ioa 

riehesees  et  de  toutes  loi^  antes  eu 

profit  de  quelques  rare*  privil  .   i^4^-.~-C'ost 
que  oee  existencee  prodlgieusea  et4i^it  la 
r^ialleetlon  eu  soleil  du  r^7o  que  ohacun  faieait 
la  nuit,—  dee  porsonnifications  de  la  pensee 
ooi25E!une,  et  que  lo;  ;.  so  r^t^'i'^ial'Q^t^ 

vlvre  83ntaboll-8^fl  s^  j  ces  nosna  n^t^riquoe 

qui  flar oieat  tlrii^uiDiegsMmt  dans  la  milt 

d^a  %es«     ii.      ^     '"*/*>""'""  ^*  nsan&o  «»«Hiuie 
eperdjaaent  ot     ^      .  "  ''.entf  l*h«WEM8  n'eet  ^ua 
represent^  dazui  sa  fantaiaie  impsrlDle*   (S) 


^.e  feciu^ity  of  such  statenents,  scattered  ^mierouely  tlirouiji- 
out  the  roananticist  literature,  aliould  be  evident.     If  tlxe 
a-gribol  is  tmxa  esplicitly  defined,  its  significance  oast 
become  an  indeap««iaabla  prellninary  to  tlie  coi^iprohension  of 
the  autlior*a  Idoa.     For  instance,  tlio  qiialitiee  ascx*iled  to 
Uie  due  dMJ^rouville  will  inform  tho  reader  ae  to  tho 
qualities  Miicli  liulsao  considers  oliaraotoriatio  of  the  degen- 
eration of  the  nobility*     In  this  way,  tho  midorstj-ndint.  of 
the  s^/nbol  is  indisaolubly  linked  to  tho  undorstandini;:  of  the 
aut^ior'a  point  of  viov7  in  rOt,ard  to  the  elenente  of  the  extorior 
world  if^iich  he  syiaboliaea* 

Hot  eve1r^^  one  of  the  roaanticiats,  of  course,  will  direct  his 
interest  toward  the  saBie  eletaents*     Uevez^theless,  it  will  be 
found  tliat,  on  tho  wliolo,  the  roinuntioiat  co^po£»@s  his  awrld 

(li  Sand,  Le  Ootta^ugnon  du  toig  de  l-'ranoe.  II*.  179. 
(2)  Gautier,  I^ouveiieB,  "Une  :  uit  de  Glgpgatra.  354. 


^' V*  ■^he   acL^e   clc   tial   units.      Thf  se   units   ere    the    co.i-- 
I'onents  wich    go    to      •  ke   up   a  coiiipltte  picture   of  society 
eni  of  nature.      Thus    t' e   world   of    ro^uanticiat   fiction    is 
dufllistic:      the   •:le(i.enta   in   society  ore   ishiarply   diffr.renti- 
'-ted   frci.  the    Tatural    elciiaente   in   the   universe   uni,    v.i.ile 
the   letter  are    tilv-ays    shown    to   be    in  harmony  with   the    ideal 
„r. ich   the    author  post :.l'~tt;6,    the    for.er  elu.cat   ol^eys 
rrpreeent   n   diacord.      in    discussing  the    c^.o^en    ejiubola    in 
detail,    therefore,    the    division    reprciie-ited  by   the    eyui.  a- 
tretic  anJ  unsyui esthetic      ersonegea    .ilA   be   e  valuable 
guide   and  a  convenient   line    of   de^ercrtion    between    the   con- 
flicting ele-^cnts  of  the  novelist's  dualietic   world. 

Society,    'a   repreaented  by  unsyupathetio  personages,    ia 
the   conatitutod  aoc-cty   of  the   ti-^e.      The  picture,   thus 
syjiibolicsliy   roveaied,   .-ust ,    of   course,   h*ve    its  b  na  ii3 , 
at    lerst,    ii   observation.      The   aociol    world   is,   u»oreover, 
self-sufficient.      It   includes  hierarchies   and  institutions 
and   IkJ  uiOtivated   in   action   by  its   accepted  religion,    its 
O'.n   peculiar     aasiono,    and  its  ideals   of  beauty ,    nrt , 
virtue,   and   love.      The   unanimity  or  the   lack   of    it    in   the 
representation   of   society   by   the   various   ro.^anticists 
appears   throu.^h  the   sLuilaritica   in    thtir  respective 
oeraonages   an1   the   qualities wsich   they  find  aiObt   aalient 
in   this  society  i-ay  be   deduced  fro^  these    personages. 


■»■•**'. 


SC  CIKTY 
Social  jj'Grce 
The  hierarchical   arro'^.geitient   of  aocxety   ia  i^iOat    cipparent 
in  Hugo,   Vigny,   and  oand,   althcujjh  Bflzac  mijjht    eaaily 
be  Gdded  to    this  list.      The  ruling  clrss--re,ireaonted  by 
Tjn syu.  ;.ath et  ic    ■-lereonngee--   ia  the    clasa   vit  ich  ia  uiOst 
ol03Cly  idfTitified  v.ith  the    aociPl    systeiu  it  hel  .s  to 
peroetunte.      It   ia,   therefore,   that  eletnent   which  laoat 
clearly  rcvoala  the   characteristics  v.h^dx  these  authors 
ascribe  to    society. 

The  r  ling  class  as   represented  by  Hugo  appears   in  ?hoebus 
and  Lord  r-evid    Clanricrrd,    arintocrata;    in   Laitenac,   ^^ili- 
tant   royalist,    r^^nd  CiaiOurdain,    political   re!.resent«tive. 
Vigny  presents   the    ruling  class  through  historical   figures 
reprcaeiting  variou:i  forms   of  govemu.e7St  and  through 
Oiilitfiry  leaders  representing  two    dOiiinant  nations;    that 
is,   throi3^.  louis  IV,  Mr*    Beckford,   ivobca;ierre,   and, 
finally,    i.ord   Colling.ocd.      :iugo   and  Vigny,   therefore, 
write  of  the  ruling  classes  frori.  a  iiiore  or  less   political 
point  of  view.      Balzac  and  Sand  judge  society  by  a  more 
sociological  standard.      In  their  .  ork,    the    railing  class 
is  usually  represented  not  by  king  or  general  but  by  a 
new  aristccracy  corresponding  to  the   contemporary  situation; 
the  aristccrr.cy  of  itoney  and  bourgeois   industrial   rule. 
iSevertheless,    cand  frequently  ^skes  the  aristocrat  the 
syii^bol  of  jiiRterial  power   just   as  Balzac   frequently  iiiakes 
the   aristocrat   the   8yix.bol   of  Uiaterinl   doiLinance.      In  3alz«c 


the  *"  hOxjqee  forts''    of  society  uiay  \)e   "arrivistes'  , 
(iiastignao) ,    liberals    fdu  Bousquier),    financial   oov/ors 
fNucingeti),    opportunists    fdes  Lupeaulx),   or  advocatea 
of  pure  force--  thr^t   ia,    in  a  aenae,  ikilitsriata-- 
fde  ii-araay,  u^e^ber  of  the   secret   orgoaization  of  the 
'Treize').      bnnd'a  ruiiig  force  usually  resides  in  the 
bourgeois,   ayi^^bol  of  the  rsov-er  of  uiOney  and  industrialiaui, 
such  aa  M.    Le    Cardonnet    fLe  p^che   de  a.    Ajitoine)   or 
.    Bricoiin    (.>e  ^eunier  d' .ni^i^u :;uit ) .      Occfisionally 
the  repr-  ae-ntative  is  a-i  aristocret  of  bourgeois  sy^^pa- 
t}  iea  or  condition   aa,    for  exeraple,  K.    de  u'ougerea   in 
yi^y.on   or  the   C0u.te    de  Villepreux  in   Le   Coiii,  c-gn on    du  tour 
de  J  ranee. 

There   is  a   cOL.u.on   attitude  evident   in  the   qufilitiea  aaoribei 

to  these  varying   ayi^-bols  of  social  pov.er.      t^hat   is  itost 

evident   in   the   aristocratic  regi...e   (Thoebua  and  Lord  David) 

is  its  indiifere  "loe  to  the   suffering  of  the  lever  classes 

and   the   treati^ent   of  the   lo.er  classes   aa  iiiCre  instruu^ents 

of  pleasure.     Hugo  writes; 

Les   lords   sont    rfiirs,    o'est-a-dire   egaux. 

De   qui?      du  rol. Les   lords  ont   la 

puisaftnce,   pourquoi?      -urce  qu'ils  ont 
ia  richesi>e.  il) 

Gwynplcine  cou^-Lents: 

C'est   de   I'e^fer  des   omivrea  qu'est  fait 
le  paredia  des   riches,    fii) 

(1)   Hugo,    L'Eoauj.c  qui  rit .    II.,    14i. 
fii)    Ibid. .    11.  ,    147. 


•  hen  he  attacks   the  flonae   of  Lords,  he  Indicts  the  rulers 

of   aociety  by  iiddcting  the  aristocrat: 

J'ai  fsit  iiiOn  eatree  do  is  cette  ohecurite 
que  voue  appelez  la  aociete.  La  reiai'fere 
chose  que  j'ai  vue ,  c'eat  Iti  loi,  sous  lo 
forj,.e  d'un  gibet;  In  deuxie.e,  c'est  Ic  richease, 
c'est  votre  xicheaae,  aous  la  i'orii-e  d'une 
fciuflie  uiorte   de  froid  et   de  fnli, fli 


Sand   likewise   coidc-ns  the  weclth  of  the   r\;lit-ig  class 
beoeuse   it  ^ekee   theo*  the  o, -resacrs  of  the   poor. 
Bourgeois   industry  is  condeu^ned  because   it  refuses 
freedoiii,   as  ..  .   -^e  Cardo^net   ref- sea  it  to   Jean    Jn     eloup; 
because   it  refuses  equality,    as  :l»   Le  Cardonnet   condeii.n8 
i^.    Antcine   for  his  egaliterianisu.;    because,  v^ere   it 
claims  to    be    constructive    ' -"3    develoo  wealth  for  the 
people,    it   is  actually  destructive   and  iaj-overishes  the 
peo  le  by  sr-ecioue  :i,eana,    just  ea  a.    Le    rardonnet   is  shown 
to   be    a   ecioutjly  expl   itin^   ^'^e   countryside  he   claims  to 
be  enridiing.      To   deny  the  people -frcedo.^,    equality,    and 
property  is   to    deny  thoa   life. 

But   Sand's  oondei-nation   is  esrecially  concentrated  on  a 
further  as.  ect   of  the  destructive   quality   in   society.      The 
existence   of  eoci'il    cl- yaes   denies   the     eo.le    the  freedom. 
to   love;    it    denies,    that    is,   the  right    to   a  love  that 
does  not  correspond  to   cl  sa  convention,      y-verj  one  of 
Said's      eraontiges  u.entiOTed   above  becoj-es  unsyjtpathetic 
to  the-    reader,    initiall-',   becanse  he     rtveita  a  marriage 
(li~  Ibid.  ,    III.,    169. 


which  would  link  the   rich   to   the   poor,   the  aristocrat 
to   the     esaant,    the    ruling  claaa   to   the   snhject   clrjae. 
The  restriction  of  love  in  sccordsnce  with  claas  con- 
vention  is   to   deny  the   a  lOntaneotia   quality  of   love   and 
30   is   to    deny  nature. 

Ahere  Hugo   indicta  the   strong  beoeuse  they  deny  even 
aaterial  life  to   others,   where  Sand  indicta  theii*  because 
thoy  deny   the    eenti^eotel  aspect   of  nature,   Yigny'a   in- 
dictiuemt    is   directed  against  the  ruler  es   ecially 
because  he   denies   the  intelligent   aapoct   of   nature. 
One   fouL  of  goverouicnt   ia  not   dif ferontiated  froi-  another. 
Just  as  l-ouis  IV,  kT,    Beckford,    and  Bobeapierre,    all 
share   the    aa,.ie   charncteriatica,    ao    do    the   different 
forays  of   governiuent   all   show  the  asuhO  qualities.      They 
are   autocratic  and   rigid.      They  are  capricioua   and 
tyraanical.      tJo  (.Atter  which  the   foziu  of  ^svernu.ait, 
it    plaoea   its   e^i^phraia  on   outward   sho..   and   aeeka  to 
create  en   attitude   of  fear  and  respect   in   its  subjects 
by  intiii.idat  ion    rather  than    ayxunathy.      The   constitu- 
tional CiOnorohy  /aakca  o  show  of  u.ore  benevolence  but 
its  benevolence   is  only  superficial  find   a  aieana  of    expresaing 
more   euiohatically  its   power  aid     osition   of  u^aatery. 
And  all  these   i'oru.3  oJ  governuient   fear  any  opposition 
to  themselves.      They  ore  Uiaterial    pov-er  and  tney,   there- 
fore,   seek  to    deatroy  s   iritual   pov.'er,    apiritual  jtani- 
featationa,    spiritual    truth.      Louis  aV   speaks:    •«  —  Ce   aont 


A^tD, 


no8  ennen.is  ncturala   que  vca   beaux-eaprits."*  fl)     i^.r.    Beck- 

ford  cfrir.^8   his  tmliinited  socxn    of   the   iiuaginfttion. 

I'.obesTierre   declrirea: 

--.uilc^roce  n '  eat    piTia    iongereuoC    pour   ia 
liberte,    plus  enneu.ie    de   I'eg&lite,    que   oclla 
des   aristccxjitea   de   1*  i'lt  elligefnce,    dont    lea 
reptitationa    ibol<^a  exercent   une    iaflufcice 
port  ie  lie    d?:rx  ^^ereuao,    et    contra  ire   &  1' unite' 
qui    dtoit   tout    regir.    f^) 

The   death    of   the  Feet,  "  eristocrote   de   1 'intelligence''  , 

is,    in   ever;,-  cose,    the   result    cf  the   enuiity  of  t>  c ae 

ayiiibolrt  of  uiaterial    pofler. 

To  B&lcao  the   ruling   power  in   constituted   aocicty   is   olso 

destructive.     Hla  aioet    direct   definition   of  his  syiiibclic 

peraonRgo    ie  that  of   du  Bousquier.      He  defines   du  Bousquier 

as    "Ic  Liberal'      and  aa  the    "peraocnif icction   vivante   d^une 

syatetue   politique".      He   is   "la  i\©nubliquc      ersonif  iee.  " 

The  Oiorel  of   the   tale,    in   .  hich    du  Bouequier's  su. bit  ion 

a.8]coe  hiui   th^e    do  u.  in  a  "it   force   i^    the   tov.r,   of   Alencj^cn,    io 

stated  in  unequivocal  teri;.a: 

Lea  ijiythes  tiOdernea   sont    cnccre  iiiOins    coa.   ris 
que  lea  mythea  cncicns,    quoique  nous    aoyone 
devcrcfs      rr  lea  ;-iythcs.      Los   ^ythee  nous 
prt'SServt    de   touti^a     arts,    ils  servc-.t  ^  tout. 
£'ila   tiont ,    ac  Ion   I'Kcole  Eiatr  nit  tire,    lee 
floui beaux  de   I'hiatoire,    ila  sauveront    les 
ccpirea   de   toute  re''vclution ,    '.our    reu   Que 
lea   profeaaeiira   d'hiutcire    fpsacnt    p^netrer 
lea   expllcationa    qu'ils    en    .dement,    jusque 
dona  lea  ;^R3>;ea   de larte^.cntaleal      Si 
u.adei^oisellc    Cordon   e^t   et^  lettr^e,    a' il 
eut   exiate   dan  a  Ic    doj- ■  rtOh.ent    de   I'Crne  un 
profesaeu    d'a  i-lhrc   ologie ,    cnfin    si    elle   avait 
lu  I'Aricate,    lea  effroyablee  u-alheura   de  aa 
vie   conjagalu  euaae-.t-ila   jaii^ois  eu  lieu? 


(1)    Vigny,    ^tello,    "3. 

(z)  Ibid. ,  Teel 


le    poete 

che vnllsr 
jumenti  e'« 
S€  mettre 
pne  la  fl 
le  roya;;; 
iee  r^ol 
laapu  li  s'iD 
rlon   pre  J 


IL   peut-'I^i.re  recherchti    pour^uol 

lA^or,    iiul   etalt   un    baOnd 
ae    V^lols,  ^  Koianl   iont    la 
alt  aiorta   st    iul  ne    asvait   .^ue 

en   fureur.      Lecior  ne    eeralt-ll 
gure   aiy Unique   Jet  courtisnns  ae 
^  fislnlne,    et  Itolnnl   le   ti-ythe 
aliont   a!t*s:«»rdonn36  8,    fur  leases, 
t&e  ^ul  d^traieent   tout    eoas 
aire    ....    (1) 


'hnt  do©6   Balzao   sliO'*!   thle   desCraotive   force    lo   be 

dlrect-.i   a<^''in£t?      ."11    cf  hie    ''horrrtiea   forte"   are 

BbfcOluUei^   rd«hitL-6.      i?ot,&ipinc   'ind  Nuclngen   (leetroy 

i'hole   famlilee  by  mesne   of   their   financial   operations; 

Souequler' t    nretence    in   the    ho.T.6    ^herp    rellpioae    pe'^ce 

h'^e   ruled   caueee    the   ae-Jth   of   th?>t   peace    (I'f^bbe    la 

5ponJe).      1)68  Lupeoulx  dleflriQe    the   nature   of    the 

constituted    society: 

--Le  c.if+'re    ett   d'si^leurc   it   rsljson 
probnnte  <3es  s   ol/t^t   bcs/et   cur    1' Intsrst 
pereonnel   et    tur    I'arfent,    et    telle   est 
Is    f^oci^tl    4UI   nouf   a    falte    la   Chortel    tZ) 

3al2ao'e   eymbollc   orltlclttE  Rf-lnst    ihf   ruilnf   f^rcee 

in    Ecclfty   is   «ccordlnply,    directed    '"r'inet    ft^rces 

•Jhlch  flctuftily,    dltilntegrri te    coclety.    In    the    f?^ct    thr^t 

they   ire   based   on  pereonnl  rsthfr   than   toclil    Intereet. 

It   It    tno   p6rton''il    Interc.      ...v...    ..\  .'-i^    -^-'.nlly   and 

aIII  B  re:  lj?lon.      But   "--La   Fnnallie,    c'e^i    la   ..ocls  te,  "  (^5) 

2rne3t    ae    la   Brit-re    i-rltfs.      'nd   other   epeechee    tnrouph- 

out   the  Coraeaie  Hamalne  confirm   th^    Ir.rortnnee   of   '-he 

fDl^-lzno,    La   Vleille   Flile.    409.    -tlQ. 

(^).i'l2sc,    let      ':^-'loyee.    l74. 

(3)3^1s8C,   L'ode^  ce  J.-^iFnon,    ol. 


140. 
foaily   to    l>h«    trul^   aoolil   itooi&i.^.      Thus  ilaiQ ,   <ie 
'  orte-riduere' b   eon   sjjrteees   hsr:      "--li  n'^'   n    pl^c   Je 

r>iajille    aujourd'hal,    ai«  a?lr6 11  n'y    a    plue    .^u© 

d«ts   Indlvldus."    (1)      But  Hsstipnsc,    !7uclnpen,    iu 
BoubjUler,    "m  '    Lh©   oiiher   r.i«rs   of  oontQmoor<»r^   aoclet^, 
are   sll   ualnp   eocifety's   lava   in  order    ic   nohleve   personal 
ende.     Balzao'b   Injlctfx^ent  ^gsinet   then  is    the   indiot- 
ment    which  31oniet   directs    ag^lnat  Hoetlfn^ic   and   Tjucingeii 
epeolfically  in   La  jaqji^on  ae    Nacinpen; 

--Ls  legalite    tU6    Is   3ociet6  moierrie,    {<-) 

Thsr*   ie  essential  agreevent,    therefore,    in    th«  picture 
presented   by   taet^e   romantlciet    writers.      Jhey  chow  the 
etroop,    the    po.verful,    the    rich,    "nd    the    priviieped 
all   to   be  e^uslly  cruel,    ef^^oistic,    ^luuitious   for  in- 
dividual  po.vfrr   anJ   potiBsssion;    6>iupll>    Indifferent    to    tn« 
eufferinge   o-^  the    poor  and    to   the    preservation   of  t lie 
rights  o-^    the   ^esk.     Society  ia  ruled   tij  aieteri^l  force, 
whether   it    be    bj  '--ealth  or  Oiilltsr^-   po^'er   cr   trsaitlonal 
privlJepe.      BlonJet't    picture    ie    ietcriptlv©: 

--Les   IoIb   k-ont   det-    tolles  d'araifn/ee 
e    tr»3vert?   ie^^iueliee   pf^stent    i?8  froeeee 
ffiouchets  Qt   ou   rett<:nt   leg   petitea.    { t.) 

There    is   no   Jl-Tfcreiatlo  t  ion    oetwern    i^alzac't  Hnstipnno 

<3na  Viguy'^:   Louie  XV   in   thib   reepect.      Jhey  ubs    tne    pc --/er 

re&a>    to    their   hand    that   society  an  oonetituted   olfere    them 

end    p-rsue    their  ovn  ends    ttfepJily,    Inalfferent    to  all 

else.      fchit    le    tri*e    in    the   eauie    v^ay   for    ^hoebue   st    it    Ib   for 

U,   Brioolin.      The   Jlfferenoe    in   theee    pereonngee   lies 

(1)   Balzac,    Urcule  lirouet,    144. 


^"^"   36  huoiripen.    419. 


14 1' . 
not  In    '-he   cheirQcuerleL  let    aBcriui-a    ->.    i-iit...    oii.o    iii    uhe 
rcfults     hlch    the   auLhore  repreeent   ae   typical  of  those 
chnr'^iCterlet/lCB,      The  reeulL   le   deetructl  v*^ .      ^ioclety 
is   liieniifieJ      I  uh    che    principle   of  death  and    ;he    deathe 
for  Which   It    in  responsible   are    typical   in    the    ulfferent 
authore,      :^ool6ty   ^.1118  nature   Qj    kllllnp   hiuu^niiy   (Hupo), 
by   tillinr   love    (.•-^nnd),    by    ..iiiinp   Intt^llpcnce    (Vif-ny), 
by   kllilne   the    family   "md   relipion  snd    the    true    aocisl 
spirit   (Palzac) . 

The    "^crcc    ;'hloh   ie    orute   fctrenpth  la  open   to    the   soae 
indictruent.      Clmourdain   nnd   Lantenao,     '.nethfer    t^air  rule 
repreeenoB   arleLocrRtlc    or  deK-ocrntlo   prlnclplee,    are, 
Cuiually,    fidvocatee   of  terrorism   nna   cruelty,      2hej  con- 
Jemn    ih9t    It   natural   in   life.      L^nten'?c,    for  exotiiple, 
condemns  nnturnl   innocence    — the   Innocent  onlidren,    held 
as  hostages   -"to  death.      Cimourdain    vill   punish   any 
raanlfeetstlon    of    the    nat.iral   fauilly   feelinf    by  condemning 
C'^avoln    to   denth.      ^lapolton,    "le    plus   brijlant    lea 
Dou.inatears"    (1)    condemns  "E.^rope    to  ye-sre   of  wnr  and   eo 
to  de^th  nnj  deutractlon.      Lord   Cola.ing;ocd   devotee  aiin- 
8elf  to   principle    retn^r    than    to   pcrfeioml    QinblLlon   but 
hie   pxlnclplt    it    one   of  national   rpprandizexent,    htnce, 
of  ^n   iraperl'^llefri      hose    root    ilet;   in  an   eTionaeiB   on    the 
material    f>nd    vhObe    o^^. luix   ^Apreeeluu   iw     .ar.      ^'hen  "en'^ud 
dl80^«rd6    the    perbonil   epotbm    (Napoleon)    ana    rives   hlB 
( 1)    Vipny,    Servitude  et   pr«<nJeur  aillltnires.    k,6b. 


-150. 

admiration    lo    the    r^trlotlo   epolerE   n^ori  Colilnp vood),    he 

mskfets   It   evident    that    ihb    tool   of  ;i.llit"rlei»   la   rb  dee- 

truoilve   "e    le    the  air.eter: 

Ce-pend9ot  o<e   fut   plutot    l' laee   plpnntestiUe   de 
Is   g-uerre    liul   oeeoraisie  d'epoorut,    que   celie  ae 
1*  honaxe    ^ul    l»   rspreeentglt   d'uce    al   reaoutable 
f«iccn   et   Je   esntie   ■?   cette   pranae    vue    an 
©nivreriiert   Ineense   reooublfer   en  oioi    po^r   Is 
flolre   dee  coi.batb,   m' ^t  our  d  its  ant   Eur   le 
aiBttre   ^ui   lee   ordonnalt,    et  re^ardnnt    av«o 
or^uell   le    travail   perpetual  ddb  h0:.»i6&  qui 
ne  rae    pararent    toas   ^ue    eee  hUiiOles   ouvriers.fl) 

Lord   ColllnpA  ood' e   flnr.     -ura    li^   s    buaruuar^'   of  hlc    life 

ae  Vlpny  repree^ntB   It: 

— Je    n'cl    (iU'une^  chose    a   voug   recuajT.acder, 
c'e^t  de   vous   devouer  ^  un  ^rlnolpe    plut'ot 
^u''a   un  HojiiSie.     i' '^.TiOur  de    votre  Pntrle   en 
ael  um   aeaez   prana    poar   re:^' llr    tout  un  coear 
et  occuper   toute   une    lnteillg:ence.  (^-1 

But    love    of  country   lu   a   form   of   eeif-love.      Patriotic   duty 
(Lord  Colilnf 'Ooa)    le   a   forKi  of  extended   epolem  snd    Its 
frulte  are   an  d6t;tructlve    3B   »re    tnoee   of  pergonal  efroleoi. 
Both  are   elemects   In  mllltarle-x  and   both  depend   on  a 
love   of  mnterl'^L    reality. 

Bnli:ao' t;  d©  i.areajr    eeeri.e   fit   flrtit   plonoe    far   from   n   aymbol 

of  oilll  tirle.r, .      He    1 6   euch  onl..    In   the   eenee    th*^  t    the 

po  ver   of  vhlch  he    Jlepoeee  co.tB   from  hie  Due    berBhlp   In 

an   orp&nltaulon    vnoae    liik>tru:iienC    ly   force.     Balzac   de- 

soribey   tne  :r.eraberfc  of    thits   or|Rf?nizatlon  In   terruB   of  symbol; 

roue alent   r/illee'  lee  oltts   blzirres    l<dieee 

que    sufp"lr€   ^   1' I  .:a;.-lno tlon    Ij}   f'sntnetlque 
Pi-lge'ino6    fiufsex'snt    nttrlDuee   aux  r/^nfrcd, 
aux  F'iuet,    cax  Melmoth (3) 

(1)   Ibid.,    cui^ 

in)    Vlgny,    l:eryl  lude   et   pr^nde.^r  n:.llit«?lr6B.    304. 

(3)    Beizac,    L'Hlsiolre   dee'Trelze.    3. 


I 


151, 

OiOffiber    of  Ihiu    organlJ-allon: 

trouva   l'noa>.':.e    plus   frrnnd   q.ue   l«e  h<Kiiiii€&. 
II   pre'tuaiQ   4U6   la    uoclet^  Jevalt   apparienir 
bout  en&lere   a   aee  pens  (lietinguee  qui,   ^ 
leur   eeprlu  n9u..rel,   "^   leure   lu.-til^reB 
soviulE68,    n    leur    fortune   jolndralent  vm 
f'^natleaie   steez   chaud    pour   fori  re   en   uc 
seal  jet  oee  differentes   -^crcee.      "^a  Icrs, 
IriiKienee   d' act  ion  et   d' intend  te,    leur 
pulesonce   occulte,    coitre   loquelle   1' ordre 
eociol   eerolt   estuB  defence,    y  rpnve-reertUt 
lea  obstacles,    foudroierait    ies   volor.tes,    et 
donnferqlt    a  chacun   d'€ux   le    pouvolr   discoll^ae 
de   tou8.     Ce  moride   a   pert  d^na   ie  monde, 
hostile   Qu  r;:onde,    n'sd.iettnnt   i^ucune    des 
IdeeS  du  morisie,    n'en  reconnalt  s«nc   fucune    loi, 
ne    Be    ecu-riett«nt   v^u'a   1^   con&ol6rtc€<   de   sa 
ne'ceeelte'',    n'obAesent   q_a*\  un   j^voueraent, 

cette   religion  de    pl«lelr   et   d'e*Koleaie 

fan<!tli^?3    trelae  faocuuee   ^ui    reco.i.iiienc'^rent 
In  Societe'' de   Jesw^e   au   profit    du   dlable.    (11 


The   devotion   »  .loh  Lord   Colling''OOd  recoaiaends  ie>  not   alien 
to    i.hle   rruup   but   itg  aevotion   is   to   the  Napoleonic 
principle  in    Its  caoet   obviout;    jnilB&.      The   man    vho 
ruiee  in   bccUly  it    the  mfni   -vho  is    the  enemy  of  society. 
2he  men  wiioee    strersfth  per'alts  him   to  pl'sce   himself 
above   nnd   beyond    the    .         is?    the   man   '^ho  aiay   snninll^te 
and   destroy    vhf't  he  will.      The  epoism  ie   tne   lov  since 
mtn    is   superior   ic   toclety,     Material   aggrandizement 
<ind   ;2'5teriol   ple'^ture   deny  any  but   individual   life. 

Social  Cr<ioe 

Society  hss   its  ralere   nnd    its  conciiierors.      It  «il60  has 
its   sooi'^l   lesdere.     hdL6 .   de    Vernon  plays   the   chief  role 


(1)  Balzac,  L'Elstoire  des  trelze.  7,8. 


15ii. 
In   Pel  rxilnc    r'B  B.ich  3  repreaentstlve    pereonrge.      Her   life 
Its   repu]9ted    by   socl'?!    convention   nnd    eoclnl   ambition. 
She  h^e   no   principles    bul    tnone    of  convenience.      Her 
point,   of  vle"M/  Is   completely   potlUvp.      Delphlns    deBorlbee 
h6r   as  subo^ltwlnf:  her   life    to    the   \M:)rlcily  cocle    alone: 

— Ce   n'eet  nl    1^  morrillt.^  dee  actlcttiB.   nl 

leur  Influence   ear   le   blen-^irs  de    I'^rue 
qa'elle   a   profond^ent  etudl^ee,   aisle,   lee 
cons^quencee   »t    xetj   effete   de   ees   actions; 

1' on  dlraL-   q-^'elle  cooipte   p0u.r    tout   le   Buccei 

et    pour    tret    pea   le    prlnclne    de    is   ocniulte 
des   hooi'^ieB.    (1) 

tone,    de   Vernon  expiring  heree.f   on   every  occasion   In   the 

8?n6    termt;   ^e,    for  example-,      hen   Jelphlne  reports: 

— Quol^u'tlle    p^t   etre    tr'fes   dlstlnpule   dnns 

1q   oonvereaLlon,    elle   I'evlte;   en  dlrsli   qu'elle 

n' aln:i6  ''^   d^v^lopper  nl   ce   iiu'slle   ecnt,    nl  ce 

qu'-rlle   pente. — La  critique    ou  1r    lou^np-e, 

me   re'ponalt-elle,    80nt   un   gimeeaient-    de    I'etprlt; 
malB  me'naper   lee  hOir.nee  eet  n^eEB<)lre   pour 
vlvre  *v*o  eux. 

--;-t-lier  ou  meprlter,  reprle-je  avec  chmeur, 
est  un  b«L0ln  de  I'slne;  o'eei  une  Iccon,  c'est 
un  ex*riple   utile   e  ionner. 

—  Voat    'Hvez   r'^ii.on,      «    dlt-elle eoue   le 

rtipport  d^  1<3  -oiOr^  le ;  ce  (^ue  Sf-  voue  dieole  ne 
fols^lt  a.Llasl<^n   ^iA*  aux  Int^rSle  du  monde.    (Z) 

]?hae   dcefe  !ume.   as  ^tae'l  contreEb  icor^^llty    ^Ith  the   intereeti 

of  eoclety.     Society,    accordlig-  to  her  verElon  of  i'me.   de 

Vernon,    Judpes   only  aoooriln^r    to   convention.      Not   only   this 

but  i'jue.    de   Vernon    vlii  soy: 

J'etaltt   eonvfilncue,    et   Je    ie   eule  encore,    que 
le»  fem..«ts  ^tunt   victlues  de    toutes   les  In- 
stitutions de   19  eoole't^,   ellee:   eont  de'vou^es 
au  RiH^heu^,    il    eliee   8' ebandonnen  t    le   aolns 
du  cacnde   -i   leurfc   eentimenta,    el   ellee^perdent 
de   queL^u©  mnnl^re    1' em   Ire   d' eliee-merQes.    (3) 

Society,    In  her   oereon,    tnerefore,    lb   teen    to    hnse   Its 

actions   anon    the    inferior   statue   of    vocaen  and    to   deny    the 

(1)  IZ.T.e.  de  rtsel,  Delphlne,  342. 
i'd)  L'nie.  de  i'tael,  lelphine,  345. 
(3)    lolo.,    446. 


right    to   pertonni   feeling.      The  oiotlve    of  society  Is 
eelf-lnttrest,    ItB   paBclon  aubltlon,    nnd    Ite  ponl 
n^uerl'il   CO    fort   nn.l  u^Drlolly   succeee.      I'rae .   de   Vernon 
has    tne    cou.plete    approval   of   ?&rl£lrjn    eoolely.      £rni    la, 
in    f«?Gt,    Its   leader   and    the   hlphest  expreeslon    of  Ite 
life.      .She    never   reJ'Cts   anything    th*;  t  Par  It' Ian  eoclety 
accepts.     i;h€    l£  thue.    In  h<s:r   pertion,    PsrlBl^n  ecolety. 
I'me.    de    Vernon   eymtjollzes   a   society  In   -vhich  egoletn 
tri  umphe    becute    It,    tlons,    pcrailta   the    -oman    to    pro-ect 
hert-elf  sg-alrjet  her   Inferior   Btatue.      Ker   -iucllilee   are 
tiioee   of  the   frlvolouB     oaaan,    elnce    society  denies   eerloas 
value    to   Mtoman.      The    eocial    prices   nre    attractive    enough, 
oat,    ae  Lime,    de    ^rtael    points   out,    they  have    tnelr  rocbe 
In   eelf-lntereet. 

The     ^otunn   In      hoc.  men   flnaa   the   npo-heoslt  o-^   the  soclfll 

life   of   hit;    t  Irtie    ie  symbolized,    InJeed,    In  Balzac,    S'Jnd. 

Vlpny,    Hurc,    '^nd   C'utier  under   •^Imobt   Identlo^l  featarep. 

Tne  men      no   eeeKt?    to  con^iUer   cuclety   see^e   to  conquer 

the   supremely    jeelrnbLe      croon   of   th'' t   society.      Saoh   le 

?oedora.     P.nphnel    te  ^-.c    ^c       hat   euch   ^      csnin   symbolixes: 

— Gon»ment  expli.uer   li   fasclnition   d' an  noai?     . 
Foeaore  me    poareulvlt   coaiiie   une  m«)aV9lee    peneee 
aveo    l?i. utile    on   oherche   "??    tr^ntlger.      Une    vols 

me   dienlt:      Tu   Iree  cnet  Fceviora. i:9le   oe 

nom,    cctte    f^f!v.;-6  n' ^tsien t-lls   pae   le    eymbole 
de    toufc  nues    J^tlrt  et   le    th^ue   ae    is:   vie?      Le 
nom  re'velllBlt    lee   poe'f^lee   artiflcltlleB  du 
monae,    f'*lefilt  brliler  iee   f^tes  au  h^ut  ?arl8 
et   iee  clln^unntB  de   If^   v^nit^.      La  fem.ie 
m' appnrplesst  t   nvtc    loufc   lee    probi\iiiee  de   pneslon 
dont   je  m'et'ils  affcld'.     Ce  n'etolt   peu  t-^tre 
nl    1'^   feiiiO.e   nl    le   no;ii,   .oinlt    tout  .Met?   vices    jUl 
Ee  dreyfcilent   dedoat   d^nB  men  ^r.-.o   pour    ae 
te-'tcr  ae   nouve«u.      La   co.teebe   Poeacra 


n*^t|dt»C0  paa  1 '  inoamatian  d 


The  man  whose  llf©  la  conowitrated  entii^ely  in  society 

cannot  live  tinleas  h©  succeeds  In  poeseBslnr   f^^^'  ♦••*.ian 

vlio  Is  Its  material  espreseion.     Blondot  x^eallssea  that 

tihlu  Knxat  be  true  for  Raphael;"— Je  t^entoada,  repcmdlt 

le  poote,  Foedoi*a  ou  Ijg,  ^o^,      *     Poedora  Is  "lo  type 

odiiplefc'*  of  "la  Fnute  cociet©'*,^         Balzae  tells  us: 

Ob.1  Poedora,  vous  la  rencontrerez.     Elle 
etalt  lilcr  aux  l^ouffuns,  olle  i.v&  oe  soIt 
a  1' Opera,  ©it©  ©at  pnrtout,   c'est,   si 
vous  voulez,  la  Liociot^.  ^^' 


]tIu^o  repeats  BaXsaa's  pictus^a  of  the  social  ideal  as 
exactly  as  possible.     Tbe  social  ldeal«~nToolane->-is 
purely  materialistic  and  Its  idea  of  love  is  aer>e  een- 
Bual  desire*  mere  ph;y«ioal  pleasure  and  material  sat* 
iafaotion.     TiM  aocial  ideal  is  wealth  and  high  r&hk 
cmd  physical  beauty.     x>ut  it  is  also  an.  inner  emptiness 
axid  a  oc«^lote  abseiice  of  ^oul  for  "Josiane*   c^^'tai!; 
la  olzair.--->— Josiane  se  sontalt  majeot^et  mati^re,"^*^' 
The  social  ideal  is  the  !na.jeBty  of  matter  but  it  itiuet 
nut  be  confounded  wlt^  tlie  nauux-e  wliioh  is  representttf 
by  the  voBian:   "Etre  la  chair  et  ^tre  la  feBcaey  o'eat 

(1)  Balzac,  La  Poau  6m  clxa;'.rin.  112. 

(2)  J. Lid.,    IJl. 
(3),xbld.,   SGO. 

(4)  Ibid, M   Zihb, 

(5)  rtugo,  L^IlQgmae  qui  adt.   11^  25. 


i55. 
deux.     Coi  la  £&sam  est  vulnerable,  au  cot©  pitle,  paa? 
ex^aplc,  qui  deviont  si  aia^ent  amour,  .Tosi4n©  ne 
I'^tait  pfiui,''^"^^     The  clilef  q:aallty  of  sudi  a  social 
'oriliiaiice  is  its  ei^oiaEi:     "Avant  tout,E©tti^  I'espec© 
tmranlne  a  dl stance «  voile,  ca  qui  Impoxie*"^^'     A 


socio ty  n^iicb.  puts  Its  faitLi  in  tho  smtesriaX  can  posmess 
d^sse,*- »-e3t  idole."^*^ 


only  zoaterial  gods.     L^ace  Joslsae  "oa  pouvant  otre 


This  is  the  sentence  that  Vlgaj  too  p-rc«iounces  on  tlie 
vooum  tBftu>6o  life  is  susBoed  up  in  society.     lie  px^escsitSy 

like  I'liiio.  de  ^taely  Ilalzacy  aod  Hugo,  one  type  i/£'^> 
altl^ouj^i  she  appears  in  differcsit  phases  of  society 
always  represents  the  same  eloaent  in  life.     The  frivo- 
loi:u>  oourtemn  i&xo  olmxma  Liouis  XV,  the  coquettes  «&io 
love  Andre  Ch^ler,   the  fickle  t^arie  of  Cinq -Mars,   the 
cliildiaih  tiaurette  to  ^iom  tlie  Ooos^andant  devotes  his 
life,  the  Adjvidaat's  sweetheart  and  islfe,  all  those 
wor:ien  belon_  to   Uie  world  of  political  dc^ination,  the 
world  of  the  aristocrQcy,  the  world  of  military  life. 
They  I'epresent  Uxe  ideal  of  tlieir-  societies  and,  as  the 
ideal  of  society,  they  are  unifo3n3ily  witlxout  intelli- 
gence, they  lack  the  laaturity  of  reason  and  live  by  the 
lie^t  of  iiupul&e  and  instinct.     They  az*e  devoted  to 
on©  tioal— plcas^a2»o,     Tliia,    ■^i£Skiy  seens,   therefore,   to 

(1)  riu^o,  L'noBEae  qui  rit,   II«,  26. 
(S)  Ibid,,  'i'l:;  g§. 
v3)  IBS.,  li^  30 


1S6. 
am^$  la  tine  final  aool  of  the  rmtorialistic  ide&l. 

Pleasure,  lllrewiae,  i&  t^he  goal  of  Saaid'a  unSTmpathetic 
wxa/etn  pexMsonageo*     Theao  wc«afin»»t]aG  ducheas*  in  Cctig~ 
atcttico  Vei*irler  and  th©  duchesse  In  L©  Qiateau  des  ^-. 
aarteOi  Joaephlne  Glicot  (^  Goui^a/yion  du  toag  do 
France)  and  "aae,  d'Arglade  (Ig  i!arqula  de  VillqcK>r), 
Alida  ( Valvedi?e ) »  Manuela  (14^  oocR:ir  Jeanne ),  l8i4o2«» 
Puldi^rie-- are  arlstocx^ta  or  oourteaana  but  tlioir 
eas^itial  characteristic  la  alwaya  tlie  aome. 


Balaac  too  preaents  i2ie  typical  aristocrat  and  tiie 
typical  courtesfin  under  exactly  the  aame  ligiit.     The 
arlstocrate  represent  tb©  bx^lliance  of  prS.vilc:~e  "but 
tJie  courteeans  differ  froa  thera  only  in  exterior  aifcua- 
tlcm  arid  ayiahollxe  the  brilliance  of  anotiier,   aisdlar 
type  of  Parlaian  aociety,  the  aoclety  of  financial 
prlvilejre.     To  tM.B  world  belong  the  series  of  courte- 
sans* BO  completely  indlstinguisable  frora  one  another, 
deaignated  by  Balzac  aa  the  Florinea,  the  Tullias, 
the  Jwiny  Cadlnoet     Tlielr  life  la  p\irely  phyaical* 
BolKac  defines  their  social  role  aa  "ce  r^le  inf^sp©  et 
odlotix  jouo  par  1©  coi^s",^^'     Theirs  ia  the  t£*o%^  of 
purely  oensTJial  love. 

(1)  BaXsac,  Spleiidqfurs  et  miaerea  dee  courtiaanes.  ilL,  372, 


1E7. 

SeayS.  presents  tli«  court«fiMUi  In  the  seae  tmy*     PulolidPle 
t«IX8  Lellat     **— La  oousrtisane  Ziixzolixm,  au  nilieu 
dee  horrours  de  la  dc£iradatioii  eociale,  aura  canAfesa© 
sa  fol  en  restant  f idel©  a  la  volupixr, . . . "  The  r^» 

of  tk\c  courteaaji  Is  essentially  the  i<&lo  that  society 
li!^>oaes  for  tlie  worjian  ^feoao  LSlijelcal  bsauty  is  iiot  ao- 
coKiponiod  by  Material  poi»>er»     ^he  must  then  conquer 
saterlal  power  tliroxi^i  tiie  eolo  tieane  accorded  to  her* 
Sand  writes  relatln^j  tiie  judgaunt  of  tlie  pliiloaopilier 
Jacques  in  regard  to  laidora: 

-- Sa  poaition  a  ete  faiisse,  ir.ipossiblei 
elle  tz^mvait  dans  aa  vie  le  oontraate 
sionstrueux  qui  reagissait  siir  son  ooour 
et  ea  pens^e:   icl  le  f^stc  et  ies  haBBaagefl 
de  la  royaut^j,  la  le  raeprle  est  la  honte 
de  I'esolava^se;  au  dedans  lea  dons  et  lea 
caresses  d'lrn  laaitre  asnervi,  au  deliors. 


!•  outrage  et  I'a'oandon  deo  courtcaane    ^   ^ 
fiirieux.     r  ♦  ou  j  '^al  conclu  que  la  soclete 
n'avnit^pas  donne  d' autre  issue  aaxx 
facultes  de  la  fe?ime  belle  et  intellir^nte, 
r«d.s  n4«  dans  la  nlo^re,  qjaie  la  oorrapi^lon 
et  le  d^sespoir. ^"^ 


The  nature  of  wosnan  is  natwr^lly  cs>od  but  the  spirit 
of  society  is  the  spirit  of  corruption: 


II  ue  f  aut  pas  oublier  qu'il  y  avait  mui 
bonne  et  une  mauvaise  puissance,  a^lssant. 


(1)  Sand,  Lelia,  I,  172. 
(S)   Sand,  Isidora.  86. 


i 


1C8. 

a  forces  egalesi,  sur  I'teae  natiirellefftient 
gruaiGUi.mais  fa^tiXesaeaat  co2*x>onpue  dc  cette 

But  tiie  love  of  the  «uplsfcoo3?at  is  113«j  that  of  tJic  court©- 
oauy  pliysicel  and  egoistic,     'xhe  duclicsse  in  uonst;ance 
Verrie2>«  for  •xasipl«t 

•>-ne  dttoandait  ^int  aux  hoesaee  oe  quails 

n*ont  PGS#  I'ldtjoli-— Ell©  paesait— - 

v4a\maait  touts  Be.  doctrine  caa  im  seul  r:K}t 

qui,  bien  coapidG,  ost  peut-^i^  I'alplm 

et  l'c3Ci^a  de  I'atiour:   oo  not,  o*est 
volugtjf.  ^2) 

She  hftS  abjured  lov©  "par  cclcul  «t  de  parti  pris".      ' 

She  has  abjured  love  bccauee  jlHc  desires  oowcz*  arid  power 

jBUSt  be  obtained  by  ealculation  and  laanoeuvro.      Tiiis  is 

the  oonoluBlon  of  ''jTse.  de  Vsmon,     Tim  woaan  in  society 

taxcit  be  the  ccriplcte  egoist.     The  doslre  to  donirmto 

precludes  ail  natural  feeling;  and  concentrates  the  life 

into  one  single  point.     Of  rfeie*  d'Arglade  Sand  writeo: 

Parvenir  panv  brillcr  ct  brlller  pour  par- 
venlr,   c'etalt  la  eeulp  pens^e,  le  acul 
r^ve,  la  ecule  rs.cult©.  lo  seiil  prinoipe 
de  oette  petite  fersnfi.^^) 

All  the  siiperricial  f^racua  of  the  vsoiaen  presented  by  Bals^e* 

Ilu0>,  Sand,  and  Vigoy  are  like  the  superficial  graces  of 

1JSa»0  d©  Vornon— the  purely  p^sical  n^^ces  of  a  naterlal- 

Istic  8oeiet^<,  the  sole  steppliis-atane  to  pomr  \siil<ai  soeioty 

(l93and»  iBJdoz^a,  112. 

(2)  SanoLa  donstance  Verrierj  111, 

(s)  rbid.^TT^r: 

(4)  ^5jS,  Le  _.;at^quis  ae  Villcaaer^   -.-,.»,   b02. 


1B9. 
offers  to  voman* 

The  wouan  vhoa  society  idolises  lives  in  absolutely  tlie 
seme  aspect  for  all  tliese  writers.  Her  TOle  is  presented, 
however,  iinder  a  sli^tly  different  light  from  one  writer 
to  another.  Hxigo  condecme  Joslane  because  ^le  is  incapable 
of  the  sentiiaent  of  pity.  Tie  is  cond*nnins  her,  therefore, 
for  her  lae^  of  natural  felling,  especially,  however,  for 
her  lack  of  huoanitarianism*  VJhat  I!me*  de  f'tael  shows 
Delphine  as  especially  conderoning  in  -fcie,  de  Vernon  is 
this  same  lack  of  natural  feeling*  Josiane*s  rejection 
of  Gwynplaine  symbolises  her  incapacity  for  any  but  per- 
verse feeling  just  as  r*ie«  de  Vemon»8  action  in  px^vent- 
ing  Delphine *s  raarriatje  and  furtherinc  ?4atlldo's  ayml>olizes 
her  rejection  of  natural  feeling  in  love  in  favour  of  the 
conventional.  V^hat  3and  particvilarly  eriphasizes  as  vicious 
in  the  social  ideal  is  its  false  conception  of  love  as 
satisfaction  alone,   vi£5ny's  condemnation  appears  in  the 
x^e  that  Laurette  plays  in  the  Commandant's  life.  She, 
1*10  has  beoosne  the  InoaxTiation  of  \jnintellic;ence,  accom- 
panies the  Consiandant  in  evex»y  phase  of  his  life.  Doeteur- 
Noir's  dictum  is  the  final  conderiination  of  the  woman  in 
society:  "— Ilelasi  laadano,'— — lane  fenne  est  toujours  un 
enfant."   '  Finally,  Balzac's  conderaiation  stresses  still 
another  phase  of  life  that  the  material  idol  denies  and 
destroys.  The  priest  tella  Julie  d'Aiglononts 
(1)  vigny,  stello.  13e. 


Uo. 


«M4iadQine«  vos  dlsooux^  xob  pFouvent  que  nl 
1*  esprit  de  fanllle  nl  l*eBpFJLt  rellcleux 
IM  voua  touchent*  Auesl  n'hMilterea-vous 
pas  entre  I'^goXsme  social  qxii  vous  blesse 
et  I'^golone  de  la  creature  qui  vous  fere 
souhaltsr  des  joiiissanoes. •••('>' 


The  waamn  i*m>  appear  in  Gautler's  work  as  uns:yT?jpat5ietlc 
pex>8otiages  are  those  whose  beauty  and  nanner  of  being 
corresponds  to  a  eez*tain  social  and  aestJoetle  fashion 
ra tiler  than  to  spontaneous  beauty  as  found  in  a  natural 
setting*  It  is  the  type  of  art  vhioh  their  beauty  rep- 
resents tliat  he  condemns  and,  in  this  respect «  he  differs 
froa  his  fellow  roEfianticlsts.  Their  condermation  of  the 
voBMUi  iho  is  the  idol  of  society  is  a  oonderanation  based 
<^  the  life  she  symbolisess  a  life  devoid  of  love  (T%ne. 
de  Vernon,  Isldora,  Josiane),  a  life  devoid  of  intelli- 
gence (l4uxrette),  a  life  devoid  of  religious  or  family 
feeling  (Julie  d'Alsleacoit).  But  C-autlor's  cesidesBnatlon 
is  based  on  the  art  fiiioh  Tfne.  de  '^-vor  .:osette  or  Tiary 
Magdalene  or  Oraphale  symbolises.  This  tinith  appears 
aore  clearly  «hen  it  is  recalled  tJ^at  the  ^!ary  Magdalene 
of  the  picture  and  the  Onqjhale  of  the  tapestry  can  have 
no  significance  except  throu^  art. 

But,  like  th«a,  ?»nie,  dett««and  Rosette  are  presented  only 
frtwi  the  point  of  view  of  their  ph  slcal  appeai*ance  and 
of  the  physical  satisfaction  which  their  love  affords. 

(1)  BalMio,  La  Feamae  de  trente  ans.  101. 


161. 
Llko  tiie  lovo  «diic5h  ^Iburce  feels  for  th«  pictured  Mary 
Uaedalene,  tlie  love  of  these  nooen  is  ccoidermed  to  steril- 
ity and  canjiot  sive  any  but  ixaa^narj  SEtisfaotion.     It 
is  the  wqpression  of  a  sooial  fashion  that  restilts  in  ^'jne. 
delWe  false  beauty  end  in  hosette's  8tez*60typed  oliazra. 
BUb  it  is  a  social  fasliion  wiilch  is  destructive  of  art. 
Gautier  presents  P-oeette  as  one  i^ose  instinct  it  is  to 
"deswichanter  des  poetes".  She  can  offer  the  poot  no 

physical  satisfaction,     D' Albert  writes t   •*— J*al  du 

plaislr,  parce  que  je  suis  jeime  et  ardenti  mais  oe 

(2) 

plaisir  me  viait  de  ajol  et  non  dL'uii  autr^,"'' 

Because  nelttier  %ie,  de]V  ?^or  "osette  can  satisfy  the 
artist  coaapletely^  Oautler  condemns  society  and  tiie  so* 
clal  conv«itlon8  as  unable  to  provide  tlie  artist  vlth 
cosjplGt^ly  satisfactory  laaterlal  for  beauty,     A  society 
produces  a  certain  art  and  the  artistic  beauty  It  de- 
lists in  is  the  beauty  xrhlcJi  will  feed  tlie  youn^  artist. 
But  art  alone  (the  picture  of  Mary  Magdalene)  can  never 
satisfy  the  individxial*     The  conventional  beauty  which 
is  suoeessful  In  society  (La    'orte  anoureuae)  is,  in 
reality,  a  \nBapl3pe  and  a  destroyer  of  life  not  a  giver 
of  it.     All  the  women  i^ose  beauty  belon.  s  to  art  and 
not  to  life,  to  dreaia  and  not  to  reality,   (Talioser, 
Spirlte,  Arria  iTarcella),  are  tSxe  syrabolic  representatives 

(I)  Sautier,  Madecioiaelle  de  liaupin,  74. 
(S)  Ibid. .  §8. 


1^2. 

of  the  sole  Boclet./  «hioh  tho  protagonist  seeks  but  they 
are 9  at  the  same  tlme«  coXd«  haxcL,  false «  superficial » 
incapable  of  love  a2%l«  ther«fope»  incapable  of  awakening 
true  love* 

It  is  ttils  iriiioh.  In  fact,  depraves  irtiatever  of  true  beauty 
Rosette  possesses.     ^s^ie«  wiose  beauty  mi^t  have  been  liv- 
ing and  fecund^  has  sueouabed  to  tlie  conventional  social 
ideal  of  neo-classieian*     But  there  is^  in  her  beauty, 
other  possibilities  nsvev  truly  tinderstood.     ohe  descrdbes 
her  degrsdation: 

<— J*etai8  nee  avec  les  plvis  hautes  inolina* 
tionai  mals  rlen  ne  d^rave,  oosarae  de  ne  pes 
'etsra  aim^e*     Beaucoup  ne  roeprisent  qui  ne 
SAvent  pes  oe  qu»il  ia»a  fallu  souffrtr  pour 
axTiver  o^  j*en  sxils,--— 3i  voua  saviex,-- — 
o(»abien  il  est  prof<Midorjcnt  douleureux  de 
sentlr  qu'oii  a  manque' sa  vle^  que  I'on  a 
paase'^d  cdte  de  son  boriheur,  de  voir  que  tout 
le  monds  se  in^rend  sur  votre  ooeiote  et  qu'il 
est  Inpossible  de  fair©  changer  1» opinion      ^ 
qu^cn  a  de  vcus*  que  vos  plus  belles  quail tea 
sent  toumees  en  defaut,  vos  plus  puree 
essences  en  noirs  j^oisons,  qu'll  n'a  trans- 
plnTde  voue  qu«  ce  ^ue  vous  avies  do  laou- 
vais]  d' avoir  trouvc  les  p»rtes  tou jours 
ouvertes  pour  vos  vices  et  toujours  ferm^e* 
pour  vos  vertusy  et  de  n*  avoir  pu  ampler  fl 
bioix,  paiTii  t&i\t  de  cities  etvd*aconite,  ur, 
seul  lis  ou  une  seulo  rosei^    ' 


(1)  Gautler,  TUadcwioieelle  de  •:aupin<  169, 


X63, 
Social  Eellii^lon. 
TTneympatlietlc  persona^®*  who  ejTabolls©  religion  In  society 
appear  in  itmm  d©  ntael*s  Matllde,  in  Hugo*s  Frolic,  in 
Sazid's  Kagnaa,  M,  Korifali,  pere  Onorio,  Jean  rranprat,  in 
Fal8ac*s  abb^  Tro\lbert,  In  Vl^y»s  Llbanius.      ' 

Til©  ociphaais  is  on  slightly  different  aspects  of  the  re- 
llj^oue  csliaracfcer  so  tliat  tJi«  symbol  has  slightly  differ- 
ent oonnotationa  but  thara  is  a  striking:  sliiillarlty  in 
thase  personageo  so  that  the  qualities  ascribed  to  one  are 
more  or  less  applicable  to  all*     liibanius,  who  is  laora 
philosophical  than  rellsiouB  in  quality  does*  liowever, 
prove  an  exception, 

Matilde  llvaa  absolutely  accordlnc  to  the  Catiiollc  creed, 
This  o»»ed  1b  sooial  cmd  prefers  tlio  false  hypocrisy 
•ahlcli  retaalns  social  to  the  candour  f*iloh  falls  to  con- 

aider  aooiety*     'latildo  writes: 

> 
— Je  nc  fais  zden  pour  I'oplnlon,  vous  1© 
aavezs  j'ai  de  boame  fol  les  santimoats 
r©li:-ieux  que  Je  profess©-   si  ncn  caracterc 
a  qu©lquefol|i  d«  la  roldeur,  11  a  tou jours 
de  la  v^ritej  oals  si  j'iftals  capable  de 
oonoevoir  I'hypocrlsie,  je  orois  tenement 
••sentlel  pour  une  foncio  de  m€ha,~er  en/bout 
point  1*  opinion,  que  je  lul  conseillj^rals 
d©  ne  xden  braver  on  auoun  sonx*©.c«H' 


(X)  Llbanius  is  not  an  imsympathetio  personage  In  the  eamo 
zenso  as  are  the  others,     vi^-pny  recognizes  the  necessity 
of  Ills  e:sistenoe  but  deplores  tl^iat  necessity* 
(8)   /line*  de  3ta%l,  Delphlne*  359. 


164. 

'rills  ccaaoeption  of  virtue  rosldes  In  the  idea  of  duty, 
relphlno  Imports;   "— r.llo  c:corce  toujours  lai  devoir  dans 
las  actlone  les  plus  indlffcrentos  de  ea  \-le."^^'     Ho.- 
tlldo  appears,  accordingly  as  the  absolute  ri^jldity  of 
a  ntoral  system  entlx^ly  lacking  in  oodoration  and  gov- 
erned completely  It  tho  ideal  ^ieh  tho  Cati«3llo  religion— 
tho  religion  of  exterior  authority-^-preaeats*     ttnie»  de 
Vernon  has  d©libo3?atoly  chosen  Oaliiolicifin  for  .''atlldo 
as  ttie  oleraont  in  socloty  most  apt  to  produce  a  v1.rtue 
In  conf02«lty  with  tho  social  Idaal*     '■atildc  a  r.icars 
chiefly  In  hor  moral  rather  than  her  religious  life  and 
•o  repre««nts  the  aoral  aspect  of  Cathollclan.     Tlils 
aspect,  ao  seen  in  !!atilde,  is  entirely  lac3:  n^^  In  any 
Cham,     Tho  ideal  of  social  virtue  iihidh  llatilde  reveals 
In  hor  person  consists  in  a  fsmattcal  devotion  to  rollgion, 
a  devotion  whicii  excliides  pei'30i:al  affoetlona.     ?;atlld©  is, 
accordingly,  doscribod  as  spci^dlnr;  so  nuoli  tine  at  churcJi 
seznrloes  tlxat  she  is  quite  unconscious  of  the  prolonood 
abssnces  of  ttie  husband  itdiom  she  is  supposed  to  love. 
Ri,^dlty  of  jud^ent,  intolera-ice,  a  lack  of  generosity 
in  tlae  oixUnary  relations  of  life,  even  a  diF.f.nctly  un- 
filial  attitude,  or©  all  i^eprcs^ited  by  ;!i.ie.  de  i:tael 
not  only  as  oompatible  with  social  virtue  but  as  essential 
ingr>odienta  of  this  virtue*     These  qualities  aay  all  be 
ascribed  to  the  fact  that  social  virtu©  consists  in  tlio 

(1)  'viae,  do  Stael,  Polphlne,  345. 


165. 

absance  of  any  independent  Judgnent  wnd  In  the  abaolnt© 
•utnisslon  to  authority,     llil©  la  true  of  r<iatilde's  llf© 
ani  this  la  ttie  sole  aspect  in  which  ah©  Is  preaented. 

It  la  llkewlae  the  aol©  aspect  In  which  th©  abbe'  Troubei»t 
appoara.     Llk©  ?4atlld©,  lie  profers  th©  voice  of  opinion 
to  the  vole©  of  natuwil  feellnr.     It  is  by  the  force  of 
aooial  opinion  tliat  Ixls  cruelty,  envy,  and  the  absolute 
rlfrldlty  of  egoloa  boooaRie  apparent*     Both  Balsac  and  ^!»« 
de  Stael  x*epr©8ent  the  fanatlciem  of  aitthorltaz>lfinlflra 
and  repreewit  tlale  fanaticlom  to  attain  its  goal  lirr  tli© 
help  of  a  soelety  represented  as  alanderoue^  isallcioois, 
snd  med'iftcre  in  every  respect  (:T.le,  aasnairl,  n,  de  rier~ 
vilXe,  '-fee.  de    :arset). 

It  is  the  cruel  aiiperstltlon  of  Catholicism  that  is 
Stressed  in  the  persox-is  of  i  rollo,  Ma£-n-.;s,  M»  Mor^all, 
and  p^re  Onorlo.     Frollo,  the  priest,  representative  of 
the  medieval  Catholic  church,  is  tortured  by  the  supei^ 
stltlous  fear  of  all  natural  bonnty  and  all  phyc'.cjil  de- 
ligjit*     Prollo  reappears  in  onnd»s  peraonascs.     Like 
ProUo,  Magnus  is  th©  dormntlc  Cafc'-ioll.r;  -Inubtinr  tlie  tru^ 
of  his  religion  himself  but  refizslne  to  tolerate  any  new 
tiMth.     He  is  a  tortured  ascetic  fiho  denounces  love  in 
any  form,  denouneinj;  it  with  hate  tmd  in  a  venrefiil 
spirit  beoaiise  his  reXXi^on  d^iies  hirx  its  possession. 


II 


166. 


Y©t  he  Ifi  shown  to  b©  full  of  »ensvtal  dealz*e8  to  w!ilcih. 
he  da2»©a  not  yield*     Pall  of  hatred  exiA  aalloe,  he  lives 
shut  up  In  his  axm  o^o*     Xa  all  of  these  prteets,  indeed, 
t3iei»e  is  the  refusal  to  accept  natrire,  an  imde3Pl:flng 
douht  and  soeptieiara^  oruoltj  nnd  Jesuitical  xmacrapalous- 
neee  end  above  all,  on  attecAiineat  to  th9  doctrine  of 
Catholicism  —  i^iloh  ie  the  doctrine  of  death  and  deetrue* 
tlon* 

Balsaoand  ]@m«  de  Stael  symbolise  the  sioral  aspect  of 

Catliollclsa!,   the  laanner  In  i»*^.lch  it  manl feats  itself  in 

social  life.     Sand,  and  Huso  S7»bollae,  wither,  the  dogmatie 

and  theological  aspect  of  Gatholielsnu     The  z»efusal  to 

accept  nature  «»-  vhich  is  the  refusal  to  aeoept  life  »»  is 

the  dOBdnant  cfharaoterlstlo  in  their  priests  as  it  it 

the  doalmmt  characteristic  in  the  j?<»aantlcist  conception 

of  the  Catholic  <ihurch#     Hugo  contrasts  Prollo  with  his 

brother  and  ixrites  of  J'ehani 

II  ne  Eavalt  pas,  lul  qui  mettait  Bon  coeur 
en  pXein  air,  lui  qui  n*observait  ou  acmde 
oae  la  bonne  lol  d©  nature,  •«••  ave©  quelle 
rurie  eetlui  mer  dee  paeaioiui  humain— 
femente  et  bouillonne  loraqu'on  lui  infuse 
toute  issue*   (X) 

But  Frollo  docs  not  consider  "la  bonrze  loi  de  nature"  as 

ft  sooa  law*     -The  love  for  Eemeralda  vhich  is  the  voiee 

of  nature  with  hln  beoooies  for  l-'roUo  ''lo  piitge  de  denon".   (2) 

(1)  Ilufjo,  lifttre«>I>scie  de  Paris*  II*,  50* 

(2)  iMd*,^i,,  leg; 


II 


ll 


f\'¥     ? 


H^i 


..■*?i^  feoos  • 


167. 

!»!a^ua  too  rocogilaoe  the  i;alt  tsfiiloh  exists  between  th© 

natural  acceptence  of  beauty  and  the  ppleat's  rejection 

of  beauty  as  evil.     Ho  adfireyres  r.t^lo: 

—Eooute.  Zeolite*  dlt  le  prStre,  il  y  avatt 
dear  L^lxa:   tu  n'as  paa  su  cela,   jeunc  hcKiia©, 
pare©  q>ie  tu  n*£tal«  pas  pr^tre,     Tu  vlvals 
naturelleuent,  et  d'lme  i^rosse  vie  faolle  ot 
eoa&amet  mol  J'^tals  piH&tre,  j©  connaissalB 
lea  dioses  du  del  et^de  la  torrc,  ^e  ^/oyalc 
O^lia  double  et  complete »  foozne  et  idee^ 
ospoir  et  reality,   corps  ct  "^.e,  don  et 
promessei  j«  voy&ia  L^ia  tell^  qu'elle  est 
eortle  du  sein  ci©  ildou:  beattte,   c  •  es  b-a-d^re 
tentation; —       me  oonprenes-voua?^!) 

MagnuB*  like  Frollo,  and  like  the  Cathollclam  t^loirx  they 

symbolise  sees  the  woman  as  the  syiabol  of  to-iptatlcn  and 

evil*  Kagn  s  cries: 

0  mm  DleuJ  que  J'al  souffex»t4  0  foraae, 
0  r^o,  0  dcslr,  que  tu  ri'as  fait  de  laall 
Que  de  formes  tu  as  prises  pour  entrer  ehcz 
Eioii  ^4ue  de  nonsonc'oa  tU/Wtas  faltsi   ;ac 
dff  pieges  tu  m'as  tendusJ^  ' 

Catholicism  looks  back  to  tradltlcm  and  forward  to  tho 
x^lease  of  death  but  cannot  exist  In  the  presmit  au^Mit. 
Just  so,  rrollo  lives  In  tli«  iiiddle  Arjee,  :'a£7ius  pooeessee 
a  medieval  oplrlt  and  ?^.  Mox»^all  has  to  restore  Ms  f  alth 
throuf^  pere  Onoid.o,  the  Catliollclma  of  raedleval  tradition. 
Just  so  tho  whole  doctrine  of  tliat  medlevallsn  (pere  onorio) 
1b  a  doctrine  of  death,  Pere  Onorlo  Is  the  t3?6dltlonal 
Catholic  of  the  true  church.  "II  etait  I'anti these  clu 

(1)  Sand,  Leila.  I-,  90, 

(2)  Ibld,7T7"^4. 


fl 


X68. 
j^suitlBEjo,  11  €talt  l^ttnaohoi^ta  dec  anolens  jour^j  il 
©n  ftvalt  la  fol,  la  vlguaur  et  la  eoionce  th^olo^lquo,"^^' 
It  Is  an  this  ti'adlWonal  Catholicism  that  !!or<?all  lerjis. 
It  is  to  pore  Ctoorto  he  looks  in  ord^r  to  dlsflipate  iiis 

doubts.     Wli&t  he  se^B  are  "les  doctrines  de  r^vt  du  p^« 

(8) 

Onorio,  sen  domier  aalle".  ;Siat  Catholiclas  pn^aohes 

is  "le  r©nonc«rxent  absolu".^    '     Um  Leaaantler  addrdst>e8 

to  ?iOr«0Ll  tlie  same  condamiation.     In  hlra  there  is  "luse 

plaie  profonde,  et  oette  plaic,  je  l*&ppellerai  suicide 

is) 

aoral,  violation  des  loia  de  la  nature".  He  continues: 

—Votr^rrenr,   Je  vous  l»al  dites  vous 
oroyoz  a  un  Dleu  prosoi»ipte\ir  de  In  vie  et 
r)^f03»aateur  de  la  nattu*««  c*ect«a>-dix^  en 
guerre  aveo  acai  oouYr©,.et  defendant  a 

I'horEne  d'etre  h«»Ea©,,,.^^^ 

That  Catholiclan  uhlch  coincides  wltJi  social  convention 
is  tmanirrously  oondesTnel     iiv      "jtie,  do  StaSl,  Sand,  Hugo, 
ai*a  Balsac*     I-fcie,  do  Stael  shows  the  practice  of  Cati'^ol- 
iciffin  i2k  be  incoGipatlble  with  life  for  it  is  T?atilde'» 
Insistcsnce  <m  fasting  wJ^iich  causes  the  death  of  her  clJld, 
Sand  shows  Catholicism  in_,coripatible  with  truth,  because 
it  fosters  lazinese,  dissoluteness,  and  self-indxilsonc«# 
The  abbots  and  rjonlcs  in  Spiridion  persecute  the  eaj;erneBS 
wMch  Is  seeking  truth  (An/^el)   arvd.  symbolise  the  laieses^ 
faire  polic^r  of  Cat^iolicicT::.     ^.^i   Lixo  ^^oneral  la  wulntinl© 
Sand  fXays  the  i£jiox'ance,   superstitutlon  and  e£;olsci  of 

(1)   ■  evu©  des  dmix  aondea,  1365^  III.,  Sand,  Madaaiolaello 

la   .u5.ntlnie>  15, 


(5)   Ibid*.  IIL,  539. 
(4)  ISai. .  IIU  340. 


169. 

tlie  Catholic  church  as  Balsnc  flays  the  l/pnoiwioe,  aupop- 
Etltiition  and  egoltm  of  tli©  purely  conventional  Cathollelao 
In  the  abb^  Troubert.     The  /^onorjil's  ogolora  would  Baorlflce 
hlB  dati(^tftr  to  isaprleonment  and  peraecsutlcmi  the  abb^»9 
egolera  would  trample  tmderfoot  any  hindrance  to  hi  a  own 
comfortable  existence,     Balzac  conderms  the  Cathollt^lam 
which  Borves  as  a  disguise  to  "arrlvlane"  just  as  T^M.!* 
Lemon  tier  in  Scmd'e  novel  conderans  the  Catholicism  of  his 
day  In  his  denunciation  to  Moreall: 

•— L*^tat  rellgieux  est  devenu  g^fi^raleESMOit 

lul<i^me  wa.  netler  pour  vlvre,  et  1* esprit 
de  corps  n*est  qu^tai  esprit  d'^golaae  un  peu 
tiol^s  Stroll;,  rmlB  l>oc.ucoup  plus  apve  quo 
l»6ijo!Isne  Indlviduel.tl) 

^hat  Vl{]5ny  ctaidenns  in  Llbanlus  is  >il8  opportunlon  aztd^ 
in  this,  he  Is  at  one  with  his  fellow  roraantlcists.     He 
represents  Llbanlus  as  one  «ho  Is  willing  to  assume  lils 
religion  like  a  cloak  to  suit  tlie  fasMon  of  the  day. 
This  wlllln^ess  to  confoi«  to  an  external  fashitm,  a 
social  authority,  is  the  essentitil  mark  of  Catholiclam. 
The  laissez-faire  policy  aiKi  the  lndlffer«ice  to  f^e*  la- 
mediate  revelation  of  truth  wliich  Sand  eonderaned  throu^ 
the  tmsyn^patlietio  personages  of  Splridian  Vi^py  condemns 
throu^  t/ibanius,     Por  Llbanlus  is  essentially  tlie  eon- 
servative  iniio  confoniis  outwardly  j\ist  as  ntueli  as  is  nec- 
essary in  order  to  preserve  v^iat  he  z*eally  oonsidera  isi- 

(1)  Revue  des  deux  nyandes.  IQGZ,  Illiy  Sand*  l.^adSBQieelle 
la  .juintinle^  881, 


11^ 


170. 
portont.     The  instinot  of  aeir-pr^servatloa  is  strongly 
devQlop^d  in  Libanius  and  is  oliax>acterlstic  of  tlxe  e^piam 
of  religion  aa  x^epresentad  in  tlie  CatlK>licifim  of  L!a tilde » 
abba  Troubert,  ox>  p&x^  i/riorio.     Libaniua  s^mtboli^oa  the 
philosophical  attltaide  of  religion  in  ecaistitiuted  society. 
That  religious  philosopL^  iMjcogniaes  th»  jreality  of  eo- 
oiety  for  vlmt  it  is.     It  possesses  all  the  realistio 
spirit  chai'acfcerlstic  of  Catiiolic  religion,   sees  society 
as  cruel  and  arro^>ant  and  as  a  bliM  heedless  force  tlmt 
destroys  intelligence  and  suboiits  to  the  slavery  of  des- 
tiny.    It  affizmsy  l^erefoire,  as  Catholioiflci  does,   ths 
dootrtne  of  oidglnal  sin.     Yet  because  he  recoi^ilaes  tiie 
truth,  the  realist  in  religion  cannot,   like  the  idealist, 
dismiss  this  ovei-poirerlng  naterial  force  nor  can  he  be- 
lieve in  the  possibility  of  its  conversion  to  Intellljjent 
life.     Between  the  blind  instinct  and  the  intellii^eiit 
spirit  a  great  gulf  is  fixed*     As  a  realist,  the  piiiloso- 
pher  accepts  tiie  truth  and  coiapx^otnises  with  a  f03?ce  he 
cannot  deny.     His  caapixttiise  is  a  witlidrawal  frora  action. 
Only  in  tiie  life  oi'  contemplation  can  the  material  forces 
be  igciored. 

Libaniua  identifies  lilmself  with  the  ci:nple  credixlous 
Barbarians,     They  have  feolins  but  tixey  lack  knowledge. 
Libaniua  becomes  tlie  advocate  of  blind  instinct  as  he  in- 
quires : 


171. 

—Pas*  quel  oracle,  par  quel  raessejei''  le 
olel  nous  avait-il  projtds  qu'im  ^oar  tous 
lea  liOBSJMJS  arrlveralont  a  Eiarohor  souls 
et  sans  etre  soutmius  per  dea  poup^s 
divines*     Le  Vorbe  dst  la  Raiaon  venue  du 
ciel)   si  un  faible  raycai  est  descendu 
pajml  nous,  notre  de^'olr  oat  dNwx  per-.    . 
petuer  ^  tout  prix  la  lueur  precleuse^^*' 

Vigny  identifies  Libanius,  thei'sfore^  with  the  existent 

and  with  the  authority  of  duty  and«  in  this  sense^  ha 

discredits  hljfl.     On  the  otlxor  hand,  he  shows  LibenluB 

to  Identify  feelln^^  as  ea^ressed  by  tlie  Earbariens, 

vlt^i  external  reality  and  tliis  seems  to  eontx^adiat  Umt 

aspect  of  roKmnticiSEi  idiich,   tlirou^?.  tl«J  mediun  of 

personage,  shows  feeling  and  the  ©xten?al  reality  of 

nature  under  none  but  an  attractive  guise.     Dut  -lne> 

dtsmere^taent  is  only  superficial.     Hie  feeling*,  with 

n^iioh  Libaiilue  Ideiitlfios  hi;da©lf  (tlie  Barbarians)  is 

tlie  blind  unliitelli^,;cQice  of  matter— the  reality  of  eia- 

terlal  force. 

But  all  that  tliese  rosnanti cists  s^nbolize  in  v&x>iou8 
personaijea  and  undei»  various  ^^uises  is  svaraned  up  in 
the  negation  and  livjpotence  wliioli  is  Chateaubriand ^s 
ay:s&}ol  of  religion  in  society— Hene,     riene  may.   In 
fact,  be  said  toropresent  in  himself,  Cliateaubriand's 
^Sttxeral  conception  of  society.     Tills  appears  in  tiic 
fact  tliat  ho  lias  absorbed  Into  himself  all  that  society 

{^)   Hevue  clo   Paris,   1912,   IV.,   Vigny,   Lapline.  569. 


172* 
oan  teacih  iilia— th3?oug|i  boolas,  tliroufjji  travel,   tliaroug^i 
social  life,  th:i'<ou^  the  history  of  past  oivllissaticais. 

He  doBcribes  tlxe  ocs^lete  ne^^etion  of  his  lifet    '.oui; 
a'ecliappait ^s^  foie,  I'^aiti/,  1©  maade,  la  retralto. 
J* avals  oaeaye  do  tout,  ©t  tout  m'avait  et^  fatal. "^^'» 
Rene  Is  the  man  wiiooe  wiiolo  Hie  iias  qgojz  deteririined 
by  saciet-y*     Tlxls  vicaxdous  social  experience  has  made 
Ilia  the  spabol  of  tlia  stute  of  lalnd  vtiich  this  produce  a 
la  society,     liens 'o  Oiia.i*actes'iatic  tiualltios,   i^hOi'Sioi-e, 
a:?©  ClTLat©fiftil:>rland '  3  eo::5>letG  atuteraent  In  regard  to 
nlneteen-Ui  ceiatui'y  aociaty. 

Tliesa  oliaraoterlstlo  qualities  may  all  bo  summed  up  into 
one»<-Iacl:  of  azvy  vital  fa.ltii.     In  hiL'.i  oveivsopliistioa- 
tlon  lias  desti'oyed  the  vex-y  spririija  of  life  and  has  pvo- 
duoed  a  general  paralysis  of  tlie  eaotlons.     ae^ie  Icnowa 
no  aaotion  but  tliat  of  ennui.     Rene  writes:     — ,Te  in'ennule 
de  la  vie  I  1' ennui  rii'a  tou  jours  devore':   ce  qui  interesse 
les  autros  lioiaiaee  n©  me  touche  point,"  He  would  like 

to  love  tJ\e  tAnkaown  idoal  but  tlio  face  of  that  ideal 
r«Baains  veiled  and  iiid_©n  x"rora  iiiiii.      It  is  .xji  tiiis  sense 
that  Rene  syttibolii^es  Chateaubriand's  conception  of  re- 
li(_iion  in  society.     Tiu-ous'^h  Rone  Chateaubriand  shows 
tiiat  society  to  bo  cori'upt  becauso  ol   u.e  very  excess 

(1)  Chateftubi*land,  .^ae«  34. 

(2)  Cl^ateaubriend,  Les  Ilatt^iea.  452. 


173  # 
•f  its  knowledge •     Thla  exoetslire  !mewled(:e  has  eo-n^oded 
its  natujcal  virtue.     It  has  corroded  its  Inner  nntiire 
i^ii6h  imowd  no  capacity  for  a  love  of  the  Ideal  send  fails 
to  recognize  the  Ideal  rhlch  is  in  exterior  nat^'T'»  he- 
cauae  of  this  incapacity.     Love  ia  the  aspiretlon  and 
Ideal  of  society.     Love  is,  therefore,  its  forra  of  re- 
ligion,    T"^-?*"  "anc  1  ."^  Inro'^nMc  of  love  is  t;'*>  «o~^  t*iat 
soclet'j  is  too  sopliisticatca  to  Irnowr  roll.r5.ous  foelln^u 
This  iwpeligion  is  a  d^stmctive  force  and  is  represented 
ao  In  Ren/»3  deaire  ftor  death  and  irt  tdie  nesatlesn  of  his 
life— a  ne^^tion  akin  to  deatfe, 

Chateaubriand  does  not  a/rz^e  trlth  the  roctantiolats  isho 
designate  the  religion  in  society  as  an  anthorltarl.an 
Gatholici3Bi«     For  hin  (and,  in  thin,  he  doos  af-ree  with 
Hu(j;o,  Hand,  and  Balsac)  it  ia  a  Catholiciara  whi^  has 
lost  it*  faith.     Prollo  and  -^arTivis  doubt  the  tr^ith  of 
tUQ  rell^on  ttior  represent.     C?his  la  true  of  LiharTlus 
likewise.     In  Balsac's  rspresentatlon  it  la  not  the  true 
Cauiollclsn  "wiiose  e^oian  daatroya  T>ut  a  Catholicism  uhltfti 
is  only  a  sooial  convention,     Matilde  is  not  of  this 
staap,  however,     Her  belief  is  fervent  but  the  very  fer- 
vor of  her  Catholicism  la  ttie  80»irce  of  its  deatruotivQ> 
neaa.     Sand  symbol iaes  the  same  idea  in  p^re  onovi.o» 
In  this  sense  Hme,  de  stael's  crltieiaa  of  Catholieism 
Ifi  equally  as  dajimlnr  as  3and*8, 


hf- 


:  a—'C 


174  a 

Soelal  Hlerardiles. 

Socio ty.  In  ;-6noral,  Talzac  represents   chi^ou;^!  the 
▼arious  profeoslons  and  clasaea  ^fiich  et>npog«  itij 
EvL^o,   throufli  ttiG  TTarlo'uS  sta;;8S  of  huusci  life  fron 
tjhe  vnirta  brut©  to  tlie  idceJlis-;.     ^-and  and  !'%;e.  de 
Staei  T^prcDont  aociot^r  nsuallj  throu^  r^en  or  wonen 
miiose  class,  profess- ->^\,   or  ns.tlonallt--  ' -^  '.ncldentr?. 
to  fixe  3»ole  tSioy  play  In  re^f^ard  to  Icve  and  marrlare, 
Vlgny  taassos  30cl»t7  Into  one  Indlstln^^sliable, 
eleraimtary  forco.     Put  that  the  liaportsnce  of  tSie 
social  sanction  is  secondary  to  the  quality  of  the 
paSBlon  tiftiloh  that  aspect  of  society  Introduces  Into 
^e  action  la  time  of  all  the   romanticists  alllte. 

Nevortheloss ,   certain  ccmclitfllons  n»7  be  djcawn  fiwm  th« 
fact  that  a    -Iven  social  fui.ctlon  la  four^S  to  t>e  fre- 
quently r>r  alwa:,-s  associated  with  tmsyapathetlc  per- 
sona^ses.     This  la  tnic.  In  Balzac's  wort:,  of  all  thoae 
personatiOB  wlio  support  the  clilcanery  of  the  law  (r'ralflder 
i»  Le  tousln  Pons),   the  spying  of  the  police  syst^n 
(Corentin),   the  extortions  of  the  usurer  (Cerlset  In 
lies  Petlts  BouTi^eofce ) «  ^e  venlallty  of  the  el^/11  ser» 
vice  (Baudoyer  In  "ea  li^-oloyes) .   the  paarasltlc  exist«no« 
of  the  new  loi cured  aria to era cy  (narqnlae  d'Eapard), 
the  contcai^pt  for  tradition  of  the  ne«f  liberaliffia  (Malln 
la  l?he  tenebreuse  Affaire),  the  materialism  of  t^ie 


'3 


l:t  iiv:  nl 


175. 
courtesan  clftss  (Florlnc),  t'le  cpportrmlsn  of  the 
,1otimall8tic  worlfl  (Loustcm:),   the  «wtndllnc  methods 
of  iinance   (du  TUlet),  the  anhltlon  of  the  social 
cltnfcer  (Mra©.  de  Dargeton).     'Cany  of  Balzac's  person- 
ftses  appear  prl!aarll7  as  a  moabar  of  a  certain  group,  . 
as  a  pepresentatiTTB  of  a  certain  aapect  of  society's 
life,  of  a  certain  world  with  dlstliiijulshablo  charact«t^» 
IstlCB  of  Its  cwn.     Ofteti,   therefore,  his  personages 
nay  appear  only  ae  one  anon;;  a  long  Hat  of  naaes.     Th#y 
appear  as  part  of  fee  Parleian— of  tixe  provincial — 
i^rld.and  the  part  tliey  play  depends  largely  upon  tlieir 
social  position.     If  thC7  conforui  to  the  worldly  con- 
vention, they  are  In  haraony  Tfit2a  tsho  genoral  charao- 
teristlcs  of  their  social  ininction  and^  althoufdi 
scarcely  differentiated  as  individuals,   thoy  liave  an 
laasynpatlictic  r^le  as  peraono^orj.     In  this  way,  \ro 
sieot  large  nuMbers  of  so-callei  personai^es— Louatea^i, 
a  Joumalistj  Toillorer,  a  bonliei'i   tlia  coutesse  de 
S^rlsy  ai:;d  Ax>abdlla  i-'udJLoy,  arlst^oorataj  Jae.  Caniisot, 
a  aocial  climber  j   ~"ullla  and  v^'aauiy  Cadine,   courtesans} 
do  TraiUes,  a  uodem  condotticre)  de  idax'say  and  the 
contc  do  la  -alferine,  daudieaj  U«  Denxard,   Judgej  Lea 
Lupoaulx,  ^ovornnont  lainlstor.      ?any  or  theae  nazaes 
appoar  and  reappear  in  difror«nt  uovols  witiiout  ever 
plnyint;  a  loadlni?;  r^lo.     'xhay  are  part  of  on  egoistic 
sooiotyj   tlioy  liavo  their  apodal  i\iiiction  in  that 


>'X    fl    •tfl 


.« 


MJ 


-i\.'X-''*'        V>J.-.'      4* 


»/> 


aocloty  Imt  they  have  no  epeclal  Individual  pai»t  to 
play.     Thay  are  only  p«rtt  iri  a  Iftr^jer  jTiaclilne— a  :;ia- 
c'fxln«  ^ioh  ©ra«h«3  tl\e  >»«*k:  «nJ  peitai tc    ^-.   istr'^n     ^^ 
storvlva. 

1!he  2^>le  of  such  p^raeimges  is  the  rolo  of  tlielr  s.-cial 
flmctiOD.     In  this  vay,  ^ouste€.^l,   for  sjcastpldj  ia  <intiroly 
confotuirt^ri  «rttti  joumallaa.     Ualsac  r.iakt^s  tho  transposi- 
tion fpOK  function  to  t>€z»Bonai,e  or  vice  ve  ca  wj  ti:  no 
difficulty  »lno«  tho  one  la  tho  exact  qqiilva3.ent  of  the 
otlier.     n©  vrrl fecit 

Tl  f^Aicien]  no  Be  navait  pas  place  citrr;    Isxix 
volea  distlnctea,  eixtre  d©ux  aysf^es  2^pr«- 
aent^o  \''ar  1©   "^nacle  et  per  le  rournaIlsa«, 
c'or.i^  I'u    etait  lon^,  honorabl©,  siirj  1' autre 

e  :■  >6   I'ecuclls  ?»+:   r;;'T'lllc;X,    clein  ~:  -    ii.iy- 
aeaux  fungeux  ou  dcvait  »e  C3?otter  aa  con- 
science,     -on  C2.ract^re  le  poi'tdi:  ?.  prcadre 
le  chcrdn  le  plue  court,  en  apparence,  le 
plufl  p.'-T>0B'ble,   a  paiclr  Ics  :?.o:/cns  dcclsirs 
©t  r«j)fd«s»     II  ne  vlt  ©n  ce  moment  aucim© 
Giff^er)C€   entre  la  noble  a:--lti^  de  d'Arthea 
«t  la  facile  oojnaraderie  de  lo'isteau.  ^^^ 

Lousteau  becowes  in  these  few  sentences  tiie  eymbc^i  and 

(2) 
reppeaentative  of  the    'doctrine  •allltanto"         that  he 

preaches.     The  n^etliod  of  judslixi  Ijy  function  i»atUer 

than  by  personal  valiie  ia  likewise  adopted  by  tlie  oei?- 

sonaj^^es  tiieuselves,      -clleville  apaaks:    — ;  •  Habourdin 

n'a  eu  cju'ion  tort"     And  Poirtit  aslcst    '— Lequol,"     Golle- 

ville  replies:   "'Jelui  d'etre  un  hcxasae  d'Htat  au  lieu 


( aj^  l£]^; ' ityrjlr^  F^Nu^g ,  II-.  115. 
(3)  Baiaac,  £.08  Employd^,.  gee. 


it 


,^I  , 


177. 
Huco  proceeds  In  a  soraMrifcuit  dlffertnt  faahi<»i.     Yot  he 

too  0(m8lstentl7  •^oiboliBes  society  thpou^^  oertftin 

y  (1) 

roles.     Javert,  for  exanple,  la  "1' auto rite  publlque"     ', 

"la  police  elle-ci&ne"  •     '     H«  plays  a  datastable  x^e 
but  Hugo  loses  no  occasion  to  identify  l^ie  nnn  ivith  \&\» 
law  and  t!^  lav  wlt^  the  police  systsra  of  which  Javert 
is  a  part.     Moreover  h0  plays  exactly  the  same  role  as 
the  police  play  in  I>e  dernier  Jour  d*un  ooodatans  and  ex- 
actly the  role  of  Claudo  clueux'a  torm«itor  in  the  story 
of  that  nasis*     Ihxgo  consistently  represents  social  lav 
as  implacable*  z>elentless,  and  czniol^  seeking  rsToage  ra- 
ther than  abstract  justice*  oppressing  the  waAk,  dinand- 
ing  the  blood  sacrifice.     Similarly,  he  associates  t2M 
social  function  of  the  spy  to  the  presence  of  envy  in 
society. 

Qu*^talt<-ce  que  Barkilph9dxK>,...lTn  envistux... 
I<*envie  est  ime  bonne  ^toffe  "^  faire  un 
espion. 

XI  y  a  une  profonde  analogic  rnitre  oett« 
passion  naturellOf  I'cnvie,  et  patte 
fonctlon  sociale,  I'espionnage.^^' 

Bat  nii^o*s  society  consists  of  a  life  that  is  alraost 
animal,   slavery,  the  lowest  type  of  Parisian  life,  the 
ordinary,  respected  type  of  EO'iiall  town  life,  the  aris- 
tocratic life«  the  religious  life,  the  life  of  bucian  law 

(I)  Hxxgo,  Lee  Miserables.  II^  143^ 

(8)  Ihigo,  ^As  rus#»able>,   IL,  17^, 

(5)  Hugo,  .l.'jn.aus3ie  cj'ui  £^it«  21.,  59,  v>0. 


maO.  ^xiatloe,  the  pati*iotic  life^  finally*  the  life 
of  demooratic  IdealiflBt*     And  the  electents  which  theae 
eecticois  of  aocioty  cc^itribute  to  the  oorapleto  pic- 
ture may  be  diaoovored  insiediately  fron  a  rcfex'ence 
to  ea^  ByaSaollo  flgiuce*     Thoi*o  la  vi2*tue  in  society. 
It  springs  firam  demo cx*a tie  idoaliam  and  tJax^us  repre- 
eents  i^iia  virtue,     ^t  tlie  q^ialities  found  in  Tiaz*ius 
are  thoae  qualities  to  be  toxxnd  in  social  virtue; 
that  i8«  the  qualities  of  intoloronee  and  bif^try. 
There  are  different  forms  of  vice  In  societys  the 
brutal  violence  of  the  aniaal  (Han);  the  i/piorance 
and  cupidity  of  the  Parisian  lower  clasaes  (Thffiiar>- 
dler)|   the  cunning  troacftiery  of  the  slave  (llabibrah)i 
the  hypocrisy  of  the  rospooted  woi'ker  (Clubln)j  the 
spying  unaorupulousneaa  of  the  aristocratic  tool 
(Derkilphedro)}  tho  voigefta  cruelty  of  tlie  law  (Jav« 
ert)j  and  tho  superstitious  asoetlcisra  of  the  chax»ch 
(Prollo),     TIu^  adda  with  every  new  personage  another 
touch  to  tlie  totality  of  Ms  picture.     T^i.en  he  in- 
troducoB  Clubln  lie  v/rlteat  "L^hsrpocrlslo  avalt  peee 
trente  ons  sur  oet  hocaae.     Il  etait  le  iml  et  e'etait 
accouple  a  la  probito.     II  halssait  la  vertu  d*une 
haine  de  aol  marie. "^•^'     It  Is  in  his  guise  as  hypoo- 
rlj^  that  Clubin  aildressea  Hantalxie  and  desii^Jiates 
the  latter* s  place  in  the  aooial  structures  "-- -C'ost 
voo©  qui  vouB  appeles  Vol."^    '     "Jhe  Thenardior  hus- 

(1)  Hugo,  Les  Tr'avallleurs  de  la  taer»  I-,  271. 
(8)  Tbia.,Tr^r,  ^ — 


179, 

band  and  wife  reoelvo  ajiabollc  sl^lflcajioe  vdiesi  Hugo  writes! 

Cotto  !>Tonta^e  de  bmilt  et  d©  clialr  se 
saouvait  sous  lo  petit  dol^t  de  qe  deepote 
frdlo*     C'^tait,  vu  par  son  c^te  naln  ot 
grotesque,   cette  ^rande  i^iose  lini verselle : 
l»adoratijn  dm  la  raatlBr©  pour  l»oaprlt| 
ear  do  oertalnes  Xaldours  otit^leur  ralson 
d*^tr©  dans  les  pycfonderare  rMMnea  de  la 
b«ftut4r  ^temelle.  ^  •*■ ' 


In  Sand  the  unsy  ipatlietlc  persoaagee  uSio  symbolize  dlffei*- 
•nt  pixaaea  of  society  aay  be  Catliollos  (Je«i  Uauprat),  or 
bourgaola  Indus trlaliata  (%•  Le  Cardcmnet),  artists  (An<-> 
soleto}*  solentlats  (Albert^as,  Isidore  I<orebours)«  peasaibts 
(Paul  Arsene'a  two  sisters),  arlstocr&ts  {'Me.  de  '-cnitelus), 
tiie  oodte  de  lougeres).     But  It  is  necessary  to  note  tloat 
it  Is  rarely  that  her  imsympathetic  personage  is  a  peasant, 
and  only  lu  her  early  work  that  he  appears  as  a  scientist* 
Nor  is  tlie  artist  In  society  unsympathetic  hy  virtue  of 
hia  artistry  but  by  virtue  of  lils  subservlenc©  to  the  desire 
for  weal  til  and  applause.     Art  in  society  is  a  foiwi  of  pros- 
titution and  opporturiis!!.     Lozzb.  crleoj   **-- Qulconqpae  aim© 

l*art  al^ie  la  glolre««««quiconqua  aime  la  £;1o1p<>  eat  pret  a 

(S) 
lui  tout  sacrlfler."*         Sandys  valedictory  stfttwient  In 

his  reQOPCL  is  his  eondsranation;  "Le  Vjozza  a  lalase  de  beauK 

ouvrageSf  mais  11  ne  put  jaraais  vainer©  ses  d^fauta,  paroe 

qua  aon  one  etait  Incomplete." 


(1)  Hugo,  Lee  aisXT^fi^TrR.  ii^  as. 

(2)  Rctrue  ^s  dc "3,  1357,   III.,   Sand,  I^s  najLtres- 


i^ 


ISO. 

But  Sand*B  society  is  ooraposod  accord'a^  to  a  sentlsMintal 
hioroTca^s^  rather  than  acoording  to  soeiel  function  (ral- 
sac)  OP  h\i»nn  p«i»f«ctlblllty  (Ilugo),     Tlie  olersent  In 
•oclety  vhioh  opposes  the  apotheoslo  of  love  appears  in 
huaband  (colonel  Delmare,  M«  de  r^uoac),  in  egoistic  lover 
or  woi\ld-be  lovor  (Raymon,   Saleoto,    ioraoe,  Maraillat, 
AnssoletOy  'Hoal),  In  a  relationship  to  vftilch  society  aeoox^s 
validity  (Flarama's  father,  Andre's  father »  Efcaile'a  fattier, 
E08e*s  fatlier^  Valentine's  BK>tlier  and  grandmother*  YaeuXt'a 
fatiier,  Laure*8  nother-ln-law,  Lucie's  father). 

Vh»  husband  represents  tiie  po-vter  of  the  social  institution 

of  jnanpla£:e.     His  life  has  no  reality  outside  of  society, 

sine*  it  la  social  opinion  wiiicii  dictates  hio  every  decision. 

Of  colonel  Delriiai>e,   for  oxaniple.   Sand  writes: 

..••tout  pour  lul  conslstait  dans  la  foxme, 
L» opinion  le  gouvemalt  li  tel  point,  que  le 
bon  sens  ot  la  ralson  n'ontraienu  pour  rien 
dans  ses  decisions,  et  quand  11  avalt  dlt: 
"Cela  se  fait",   11  croyait  avoir  poae'uai 
argument  sans  r^TJllqiie .  ^  •"' ^ 

The  lover  possesses  the  social  graces  required  Xrr  society 
for  his  role  and  hence,  lie  appears  as  a  personage  super- 
ficially mora  agreeable.     L^at  the  social  convention  and 
tdie  social  aiabition  in  hiin  appear  as  superior  to  love. 
His  goal  is  the  approbation  of  eocievy  axKi  ue  xe,  tliepefvre, 

(1)  Sand,  Xnaiana,  100,  110, 


181. 

moved  tx>  act  only  in  acoordance  wi.ti.i  its  conventions. 

These  conventlone  a?:»©  entoli  that  materialiaBn  pupersedes 

any  Ideallaa  in  him  and  pasHion  la  the  only  fona  of  love 

possible  for  liiia  to  know.     Indiana  vrriLtee  to  ilaymeai,  for 

©::a}Tiple : 

—  %.,.toute  votre  saoi'ale,  tous  voa ^prinoipea , 
ce  soiit  lea  intei^a  de  vot3?e  society  quo 
vous  ayez  ^rl!'4s  en  loie  et  que  vous  pret«idea 
faii<0  onaener  de  Dieu  ra^^«  cmsae  voa  pretrea 
ont  tnatituo  los  suites  6.\x  culte  powp  etabllr 
leur  pulssonce  et  leur  sdcliesse  sxirl^o, nations. 
!«al8  tout  cela  est  mensonge  et  Implete. ^^' 

And  Sand  writes:  "Raytaon  fut  en  tout  occasion  le  champion 

dc  la  societe  axistante,..?^    ' 


The  father  (the  usual  synbol  of  social  dominance^  accord- 
ing to  Sstfid*B  hlerartthy  in  which  the  sontlmental  relation- 
ships replace,  to  a  largo  extent,  all  other  aoolal  rela- 
tionships) appears  xmder  an  especially  odious  lipht,   Thus 
M,  Le  Cardonnet  sets  a  spy  to  natch  his  oisn  son;  "•  rrlcolln 
drives  hla  daughter  to  Insanity  and  thereafter  siiowi  him- 
self dlshcmost  and  unscrupulous  in  buaineas  matters}  Fisnena's 
father  is  x»epresented  as  so  vile  ae  to  have  sold  his  wife's 
honour.  The  doninatln,,  influence  in  tlxe  family  life  in 
society  is,  tlierefoi'e,  repi*es^iited  as  etjjoifitic  and  intoler- 
ant.  >io.  de  MMitelua  Sand  describes  as  "..••une  peraonne 
dont  toute  1' action  zoorale  se  boinalt  a  la  acionce  dee  ej:,ards.,". 

(1)  Sand,   IxvJtiaiia,  23o, 

(8)   Ibid. .   144."    " 

(5)   Band,   /klriauJ, .   x63. 


132  • 
But  the  coadeiuijiiion  of  the  faunily  is  at  bottoi-  e  eon- 
doonatlon  of  the  sg-ofeati  isSiiali  rofiises  'ndlvlctv.al  "free- 
dom (tJie  frgedcaa  to  love)  and  judges  lo/«  by  -ja©  a^and- 
ords  of  claas  diatlnotion  and  welath  ('oTie  standaKls  of 
cr)r\t<srr;oT^.rvr  sooloty)  not  trf  foelin^j   (the  standard  of 

The  passions  T/hio:'i.  co'«r>'?59  aoaiet''  ar^  i*  en  re  a  e"  ted  by- 
Sand  under  three  esser.tial  aspects  j   the  passion  of  lore 
(tlie  e/3oiettc  l-^vcrOj   tliat  of  worldly  aribltion  (th©  fa- 
tlio^)|   that  of  a  prldft  "based  on  soiJ.al  o-tnlor.   (t!ie  haia* 
bsjnd),      Tvach  of  these  passions  is  ©ssentiaxxy  e^joistlc. 

Ifrie,  tie  ??ta^'o  world  5.s  coirrnosed  accoxv:lliig  to  the 
various  psssioiis  wiiich  aocioty  revoalo.     Taoaa  oasBions 
correspond  to  tliose  «!i5-.ch  Sand  aacriboa  to  society, 
"iT'.©  reprcaontatlv©  of  Parisian  aoc^oty  In  ffenflral~«'%a©, 
da  V"ei*ricii— ayiiboiiso.i  tiro  paealon  of  altbltion,       -soace 
and  If,  de  Valoi^o  synbcl!.."!**  a  socloty  In  whftoh  ©trolara 
tpltinpha  bfloa\ia«  It  alonn  nomj  ts  rjm  to  nrotoct  ^tIs 
prldo,  or  ijl3  voni'viy,  bj  j/cfxllng  hla  coiise  of  super- 
lord  ty,     Delphine  writes : 

—Tous  les  deux  susoeptlbles,  rjais  Vxoi  ^ 
par  aiaousv-pi'opre ,  et  I'a-itrQ  par  fiertei 
tou3  les  deux  sonalblea  au  t  qu© 

I'ou  j^ut  portsr  bvx  aiix,    _  — .  par 

bosoln  de  la  louaii.:©,  ot  l*aiitr«  pAt'  la 
cralnte  du  bl&aej   I'xm  i>our  satlafalr©  sa 
vttnit^t  1' autre  pour  preserver  son  honneur 
d6  la  aoindre  ^atteintej    wous  loa  deuj: 
pasaloim^ai  Leonoe  pour  aes  affectiona,  M« 


133. 
d«  Valorbe  pcmr  sea  halner?,'^' 
Villain,  Delphlno  mdtes  to  r.*r,r.oes 

««■  Vot;r«  moralG  n'c;  t;  ro!i;ler;   -ve  sxii*  l*„oiineurj 
vous  auries  ^te''  'clen  plus  lieui-eux  ei  vaua 
ax^iex  aclopt^  lea  prlrioipes  slr-pl^js  et  vi^siis 
qui,  en  aoimatt.  .   "^        ■  t-«  ooa- 

BCicncg,  noi:e  ^a  --ntre 

•  do  Valorb«'s  fordnlae  coimi;orpa-j?t  Is  ■-■nci,  de  Ternan 

aiid  Qnc,   lilccwla©,  is  depend oac  "upon  society  to  feod 
her  vanity. 


.'■10  elenant  of  vanity  v^!.Cia  ©litora  la  to  socle  L/  la  dls- 
tincbiy  unsj^spatlietic  a/icl  t:iat,  tiioae  pepeouaives  wiio 
ai^  inea.!'"'. ':tlons  of  va!fl«ty  do  not  poss«S8  ©v©n   supap- 
i'loial  cliaaw  ia  irx  acc^rxlance  with  tii<i  fact  timt  they 
are  mere  s/mbolfi  of  abstract  (iualitiea  aM  cannot,  tb«w»- 
fo2'e,  1>«»11g  t>x0  iinploaolrit^  natui*©  of  tliAt  quality.     On 
tiio  other  haiad^   that  pride  la&ilcu  takes  its  souroe  In 
public  opinion  and  In  a  deponclence  upon  the  apprt^vai 
of  outer  authority  t»athe"i^  tlion  on  the  Inward  api^roval 
of  the  conscience,  iias,  at  first  siglit,  a  aupfcrticial 
fettractivenesa,     Gooiety  itself,  tuougii  "oasod  on  womaa^a 
Inferiority,   „,. ,,-  he-y ''a-a    ^ov/,••^  to  OLiuae  and  cnarm, 
had  thla  sajscj  aupei^floiai  a^irtsoacienesB.     Ti'       Ik&i 
into  M:ue,  de  stall's  torn;a,    this  Is  to  a&'j   that  Leonce 


xi)     .:iO.   Uc     ta'dl,   :''Ol;;;">u.ucj   501. 
(2)  i;ie!lj>iiin«,  476. 


\ 


184. 

ti..ad    ::ie,  de  Vemon  are  both  represented  as  far  froaa  dis- 
i^reeablo  in  tii«lr  auperflclal  appearsiice,     3-j.cli  super- 
ficial attraotica  is  accox^sd  by  oaixd  passlcr. 
I'^ilch  wGai'3  the  scirblanco  of  love   (navr-ion,   for  sxs."plc) 
i  ..         g   Lautior  ftcooiMS   it   to  tho  beaut       '  "  r,h  in  purely 
ortrificial   (Tiosette).     Fiiac^  de  Stael  accoras  it  like- 
wise  to   Oswald,   Leoricef«    ICivrlieh.  count<i;rpCirt.      In  Cs- 
wrald,   :j.o,  dt»  K-uael  is  ayiuiioiiair^.    Uie  oaae   type  of 
honour  which,  appears  In  l/oonca,   ti:e  hoijour  corrospoad- 
ins   to  an  ou.tcr  convoiybion,   not  to  rji   inner   cotjir^rtion* 
Similarly,   wit>  i'roacitiiaan,    .  rie-a.ll,   sy^VJoliae^  tha*:  van- 
ity whicb  tiiroU:_ih  If*  d®  Valorbe  has  already  been  indi- 
cated as   esr-ential  element  in   pociety. 

In  Caotel-Forte,   tUe  ?:taiian,   a  diffsrft'.^t  acpect  of 
society  appear.?:   '«ih.at  is,   the  e  o^.s*"!  vr»-'. r.'h  '-i  r/TTfiv-; 
rataor  ti^aii  active,     llie  pa/saiv^tioisTii  «iiiaii   consista 
in  a  etroji^  closire  but  an  iindeveloped  will  is  hi2^-ly 
agreeablo,     ?4ac.  de  Ctael  prcaente  Castle-Porte  as       |  <* 
poiiaii^d,   attractive,   and  entertair*!:..      In  Lai  sac, 
society  appears  'ind©!^  the  guis©  of  passion  as  v.ell  as 
under  the  hierainjliy  of  30G5.ai  f-jmctlon  siUiC*?  tb/^  pa9c5.on8 
aotivating  society  detorrolne  tliosw  furictionh.     Ho 
asre«s  witii  ?.1ta©t  de  ttaol  in  the  fact  tnat  he  pt^fents 
the  o^roiatlc  deaire  as  butwarily  nti.r  ictivc,      Qoriot 
a««Liaa  to  Hastl/^nac  to  be  pitied  rather  than  to  be  de- 
tested (as  he,  on  the  contrary,  detests  Vautrir.), 
UicioTt,   t.r,   t.c;  '^.v.'-'bort,   and  Raphael,   all  pasaess  aG2*ce- 
able  feuturea,     >iut  passive  egolsis  is  as  destructive 


sa  boi 


^-w 


I8&» 
a  force  as  la  the  aotlve  •111.     Caetle-Forte's  inictlca       \e\ 
[vt^eri  lie  \Tlthholds  Oswald's  letter  to  Corinne,   :.  .n'*  ox- 
aiaplo)   l3  the  cause  of  c.onxir:izeic'i  suffer-irgc     Xi'.ien's 
;ea>mssr.5  bidn^^s  succssslv©  alsastera  to  liis  lasiil:;-  and 
to  those  witliin  the  ap&iei'e  of  liia  influence. 

The  destrttotive  quality  of  aeairo  ia  s^Tabolized  in  teiwe 
of  •pGT3one.^9  by  ttoe  fact  that  both  P.atiliaal  end  Lucian 
contraraplate  oMlcide  laihilc   wO'ais  Lasibart's  t»en3mr33  dl<»- 
stTT'.-j^.  hlns.     It  ie  aytaboliaed  too  in  te-rria  of  the  ass's 
sMn  which  Tneaaurea  the  len^rth  of  life  In  invex^e  prtj- 
portion  to  tha  f\esire«     ^3oriot,   llkev.lse.   Is  ahov.ii  as 
a  de?»t7r?ct?.vr!  .f'»rc8  both  in  hin  action  upon  his  dauriitera 
and  upon  Raatir?tne»     Ir  Sane!  the  sans  aapcst  of  society 
R-n-if»f^?»s,    f->>«  cramp:'.©.    In  the  ;rea3;  Mos  v;ho  finds  support 
for  '-Ab  6;.olstlc  drea^is  in  a  j^llf-rion  of  liatred  and, 
tlicroforc,   of  death  and  destruction. 

The  dosii^  \ihlch  is  an  intofrml  ..art  of  aoclctj-  corror;- 
pondG  to  the  sentimental   aide  of  roT3onticlaH:;  its 
pleacinsr  asoect.     Thr;  \7ill  to  daadnato  nopearc  in  its 
ahBolnto  form  «5  2-»uthlrao,     'Chis  ia  tiia  reverse  face 
of  i»onantlcian  and,   fn  itn  ahaoluto  aaneot,  appoara 
as  Btren^^th  rather  Uian  -race,     Balaac's  a^aboliani 
8t-«-easQ3  Hcatoratlon  Sooistj  ar  Ciiraposed  of  theae  two 
facfjs  of  ronantlclan.     The  larill  is  a  hIII  to  power,   a 
v^lT  \jhlr>^   n'fr^a  at  an  infinite  expansion  of  the  e^o. 
This  ©xpanalon  appears  tiirough  the  various  passions 
i*iiii;h  app#«r  in  society  aiid,   in  the  sense  that  Bai^ac's 


'/f^i';  df 


X'^'^a 


world  la  coHipo»©d  of  oro»aid«d  peimofiagoa  whoso  lives 

correspojid  to  the  abeti^ct:  passion  \*dcih  devottrs  thcnij^ 

"""noc's  Tiforld  is  cosnpoaocl  In  exactly  tho  manrer  of  5|ae« 

d©  StaeX*8.     Tho  passions  ^shlch  she  represents  are  esr^eeleli^ 

taiose  of  vanity*  erabitlon,  end  the  parldc  ^*i3ch  1p  base-a 

on  a  fal0«  Idea  of  honotir*     It  Is  Bal{sa«*9  Intention  to 

represent  a  cosiplete  picture  of  the  passions  r/hlch  anlinato 

society.     There  Is  avarice  {(hnaaAnt) $  knowledge  (Class), 

art  (Geaibara),  epistle  love  (the  duotaesM  d*  SeafrlgmmM)^! 

defittftt  erlme  (Vautrln)^  undleeovered  crlne  (74ronlque), 

WBg^aiMHB  (oousln©  Betto)^  anbition  (P.ns*;l.'mRc),  and,  finally, 

hypocrf,sy  (Theodoce  de  la  Poyr*dfli)»     The  strength  nhich 

makes  these  passlcms  so  taenorable  Is  the  strenp;th  of  will 

manifested  tlirou^^i  th«a«     In  reference  to  oouslne  "P^stte,  for 

instfince^  Balzac  writes; 

Lorsq^©  les  ^jens  chastes  ont  besoln  d^  leur 
^Mi«  (ju'iXs  reooiirGsit  a  l>aotion  ou  ii  la 
pesas^e^  lis  trmtvent  alers  de  l*acler  dans 
leur    intelllcenoOf  une  force  dlabolique 
ou  la  na^e  nolro  de  la  Volonte^  (1) 

The  passion  ^diloh  Arlrwi  this  vrlU  Is  alvmys  sln.<^e  «3n4 

oonstitutea  the  vho3«  life  ayrabollzed  Jyy  theee  naines,     Bftlsiw 

writes  of  Claest 

La  solenoe  d^vora  si  ecsopletoinont  Bolthasarj 
qiae  nl  les  z^vers  ^px^ouves  par  la  France*  zil 
la  presal^re  chute  de  napoleon^  nl  le  z>etou? 
dee  Bourbcms  ne  le  tlrerent  de  ses  pre"- 
occupations;     11  n*#tait  nl  rwirl,  nl  pere, 
nl  citoyeii*  II  fat  ehliaiste*   (2) 

The  g^ilus  in  Ciaes  is  aa  destructive  as  a  leas  intellectuftl 

passi<m»     Balsac  writes t 

•.p..    Trop  touvent  le  vice  et  le 


(1)  Balsao.  lift  cousins  Bette.  127. 


ffl 


^h 


3 


-,     r^tf? 


187. 

g«Qle  px^oduiaent  ;.:03  ofrcta  jseeblcblos, 
auxquols  00  t?onpont  1©  ■'n^l<^n.lw>.      i"^ 
^■'  >  ri'ftfli^'l  paa  -wUi  or^.-ts-'-anr.  cxc^s  ^i-J. 

qui  mene  ti  J'^io'plftal  pl^jts  ra-^  "  ^t. 


The  eroletlc  '^  -^lltj  of  pc.33lf>fi  In  lt;3^?lf  btjacaaes  noxHi 
«v?-d6rit  T»hc"    ■  -.■e.-!'5  t'—"  'n  its  absolu.t«  abstraotlon. 

Self-lovo  malcca  li'sposnlMe  any  lorrs  of  ©thcy««  and  self- 
pi»ftserv?.t.lon  and  ^f7vr».ne«^cT'*-.  nn^ces  rocesrsarr  tJao  dfts- 
t«si6t;10j\  of  all  tbfti,  sxlste  th-al  cftrinot  b<»  ebaoPbsA  In- 
to t'hf)  self.     Fcrte«  f.^?  Bals^clnr  aneisty  ts  one  «^,icsh 
d©?.?..^  -n"?!;  sorrvvTp  (5«Rt.h;.   nnc*  (^.iep-st^r  of  er*»3?y  sort. 
Th«  e-io  iB  lllte  a  oli^.rz*  Ijn  Its  iyeb»     The  ^^b  Is  ito 
«pj;3i»ft  of  5,nftweni5«  find,   »»a  fr\r  as  that  exterda,   so  far 
Iff  t^ver^  ftt?*'""'  •^'•""'.mg'  ^l^.n^nntf"*,     *^«  dff**  '^TV.n^.ftf-.  ftojn- 
Ina-^c  hl«  hon?-  n.n''   ♦ih*-  d\:chesse  do  '  .atirri.meMse.  Ylc- 
tuTTildri's  llfft,      J?o  (JoJ^s  V^ror;5.nti'^  -mrdptr  «r.d  coualne 
Bettc  tr-re^!c  '.r-.  the  ■r^xJ.ster.CD  of  a  'R^.r/lf?  '''awiiv. 

It  ?.f  thft  fs??7ne  stT«fln,-t>»  suRrt  vrllnoas  thnt  "ftiid  yepr«5sent8 
In  the  ifnp?7»laliRtip.  rr5.il  Itj  ^ath,   for  «r.«»nn1«,     T*•■f^  1.n- 
stnur-.ent  o-f  t.ne  lE.p,3;'.1.allst  ztx  ncclcty   she  ropresenta  as 
i^itdlnn  5.n  v5olen5«  «nfl  forne  isnd  hlci  p«flslon  to  ^€> 

r-"erior, ,  .avalt  fe.lt  -tia^tre  i'anulatl.on  nrojpil 
ceux  do  eon  ^e®«      "^ath  n'avait  pas  partac© 
CO  sartlrient  parce  qu'll  ne  I'avalt  paB  gom- 

(X)  Balzfto,  .tLa_j:echerohe  de  I'absolu.  22. 


.v-fiX 


saoA 


'Aa 


v 


/v 


pjda.     PoTte  &  l*lndlvlduallarie.   11  n*avalt 
^prouv*  que  de  la  jalouale.***^^) 

It  ia  as  a  result  of  Sath*8  aotlon  ttiat  "fut  Impose' ct 

accepfce' le  faux  droit  bas^  «ur  la  force" •^^'     Svenor 

Jud^s  hlra  to  be  ttoxHi  dan^pBiroua  tbaaa  Vkun 


•  •Sath,  qcoi  «*Mit  fait*  par  la  violence 
divers  ses  serablablos  et  le  nepris  dee 
choaes  celestes,  Ic  p2^t3?e  de  I'lndlff^r-   .„ 
•nee,  sera  peut-^p©  plus  fatal  a  sa  race.^    ' 


The  egoistic  society  conpoaed  of  ^e  vreak  and  the  stwmg, 
tbe  iapoteiit  and  the  ruthles:::,  the  desire  end  the  will* 
oorresponds  in  l^e«  de  Stael  to  :!ne,  d*Albaaar  and  Lucie, 
in  Balsac  to  Vautrin  «a3d  lAioien,  in  Sand  to  3ath  asid  Ifos. 
The  eaoe  c<Hitrest  appeairs  in  V^isny  as  the  contrast  be- 
twMR  the  Imperialistic  power,  Ivapoleon,  and  the  blind 
tool  (Lox^i  Collingvood).     It  appears  in  Hugo  as  the  cm- 
treat  between  the  evil  that  ooosaazuls  ( CimouTdain )  and 
the  evil  that  obeys  (Clubln),     The  eleeient  of  egoistic 
will  does  not  enter  the  universe  of  Chateaubriand  and 
enter*  Gautier's  only  thx»ough  one  figure—the  syabollo 
Portunio. 

The  eleBMnt  In  soeiety  vhioh  ^igny  stresses  more  partieu- 
larly  is  not  that  aspect  which  la  cociposod  of  distinct 
and  separate  pasalons  but  Is  the  element  i^iieh  resides 

(1)  Sand,  "?«ior  et  Leuclppe.  238, 

(8)  lbid.,""S44.  

^SJ  IS3-.   372. 


•da 


',i 


X&9» 

in  th«  people^  tb«  el^nant  of  bXijnd  de«lx^*  Thejr  appear 
^  Clng-Hara  aiid  In  D^jAma  not  as  distinct  peroonags 
but  only  as  a  fom  of  material  force.  In  Clnq-«?i£;,rs .  the 
2*Qbble  rejoice  at  Rlohelleu*8  triixaph.  They  are  pleased 
at  the  downfall  of  the  aristocrats.  In  Daphne  the  neo~ 
pie  surge  on  and  an   throu^  the  stx^oets  of  Paris,  a  dark 
tido  of  life  «tK>aQ  laovenent  Is  Irresistible  and  Inevit- 
able* They  majrch  by  instinct  and  without  a  goal.  They 
are  sytabolio  of  the  great  masses  idio  fozra  the  solid  iMise 
of  society*  Frc^  the  aurrofint  of  ttie  oonr.on  thought  no 
nan  oen  escape*  no  inSlvldual  stand  out,  A.11  Individuality 
is  swalloved  in  the  inevitable,  instineti'Te  stareh  of  the 
people  toward  a  new  ago*  They  are  searcliln£;  for  a  happi- 
ness «friose  character  they  do  not  know.  They  are  ignorant, 
yet  they  have  all  the  force  of  brute  matter.  They  scorn 
the  aecunailated  wisdom  of  the  past  yet  they  refuse  any 
form  of  Individual  3uidance  In  the  present.  Their  nove- 
raent  is  uncalculatino  and  blind.  Doctour-nolr  describee 
Uie  Poet's  fate: 

— .Ilotes  ou  Dleux  Xa  :?ultltude,  tout  en 
▼ous  portent  dans  see  bras,  vous  regarde 
de  travers  oocme  tous  aes  onfantSj,  et  de 
teraps  en  temps  vous  jette  ^k   terre  et  voue  .  » 
foule  mix   pleds.  C*est  ime  mauvalse  mere.^^  ' 

The  DoGteur  goes  on: 

—0  *niitltudel  ?^iltitude  sans  now  J  vous 
6tes  n^e  ennemie  dec  nomsl.., •  Votire     /„\ 
unique  passion  est  I'egalit^  d  'lultitude.^  ' 

(1)  Visny,  Stello.  222. 

(B)  Ibid..  SSS. 


«? 


■me  destiny  tsiiieh  resides  in  blind  force  is  syaboliawi 
by  ilueo  alao  t2u?ou(^  the  ignorant  maeoes  of  the  people 
Incorporated  Into  society,     Ae  with  Vi^y,  llugo  de- 
plores this  el«taent  of  society  because  of  its  unin- 
tellisence*     H«  vz4tes: 

—II  y^a  sous  la  aoolete'^.Met.   lusqu»au 
Jour  ou  I'lgaoranee  eere  dieaipeeii  il  y 

aura  la  gs^nde  caveme  du  nal. 

Cette  cave  est  au-dessous  de  toutes  et 
est  I'ennooii  de  toutes*     0*eat  la  halne 
sens  exception, ••tCette  cave  a  pour  Ixit 
I'effondrentent  de  tout*,,, 

D^puisea  la  vase  Ignorenee,  vous  d^crulsea 

la  taupe  Crlae.^ 

•••.L'unique  peril  social,  c'est  I'Owbr^. 

HuoABlte'f  e*e8t  Identito*,  Teas  lee  luHaaes 
soot  la  m^ae  ari^jile.  Muile  dif  "eraice, 
ioi'bas  du  moins,  da^  l^a  preAestination,,,, 

Hals  l'i;:noranco  :mLoc  a  la  p^o  liui.min©  la 
noireit*  Cette  incurable  nolreeur  5*cm«  /,v 

le  dedans  de  l^horarac  et  y  deviont  le  '"al,^"*"' 

That  the  aali clous  force  In  society  is  the  pure  naterial- 
liB  of  brute  matter  appears  in  llu^^o  throu^i  the  fact 
that  the  envy  and  aalice  of  the  Parisian  underworld  in 
t>0S  ^Tiserables  is  replaced  in  Les  Travailleurs  de  la  aer 
by  tiie  nalice  and  violence  of  the  elements,  Hus©  is  re- 
lating ailliatt's  difficulties,  He  does  so  in  these 
tenafit 

1}  sublsaait  1' oppression  d»un  ensemble 
epuisant,  L*obstaele,  trnnquille,  vaste. 
ayant  I'irresponsiibllit^T  apparent©  du  fait 
fatal,  mais  plein  d*on  ne  salt  quelle  na- 
anlnlt^  farouclie,  oonvor,-eait  de  toutes 
parts ^ur  ailliatt,  ailliatt  le  sentalt 
appuye  inosor^bleiaent  sur  lui,  Nul  iiwyeai 
de  s*y^sou8traire«  C#etait  presque  quel- 
qu'im.^"^ 

(1)  Hugo,  !,#■  aisarables.  II.,  434,  435. 

(2)  Hugo,  Les  Travailleurs  de  la  aer,  II.,  72. 


..;i    l.viij. 


191. 


The  2?eflult  of  this  r.Blefio«Rt  presence  Is  "I'sanolndrtase- 
Eient  (5e  l*hocB3«  physique  sous  1*  action  refoulente  d« 
cette  sauva^ic  nature.  •••*   (1) 

Vlcpojr  ea^jhaflisea  t&e  unlntelUc^RC©  In  the  people  —  sc 
unlntelUgence  ^JLch  untfdttlngly  destroys  the  Intelll^ 
OTIC©  natural  to  mgm»    Hu^:©  caa^pihasises  the  unlntolli- 
©ncc  tftil<A  appeers  ae  gratuitous  hatred.     Balsac  con- 
stantly au^eeats  the  power  that  lies  In  the  material 
force  of  the  people*     He  introducoe  theaa  Into  hie  «ort: 
br  infex*ence  and  adds  the  coKnaentary  iftilch  judces  their 
ri^nlficance  as  idcn.     His  crltlclssa  of  the  people  itoo 
noke  up  the  vast  hulk  of  society  la  a  orltldsia  of  the 
easie  order  as  Vlgny'e  or  Hueo's  for  It  suijgeets  that 
It  la  a  defeet  of  Intelligence  that  makes  the  poo ?le  rail 
to  comprehend  the  superior  beauty  of  claselclsa.     H©  writes  t 

Za  foul©  pr^fere  s^^raleraent  la^ovoe 
«noz«iale  qui  ddbo3?de  ^  la  force  ©sale 
qui  perslste.     La  foule  n*a  nl  le  teops 
ni  la  patience  de  eonatater  I'laaaanee 

pouvolr  cache  sous  Tjoie  apparence  u-rlfonae. 
Xu8Sl«  pour  frapper  cette  grand  fmJe.U pusion — 
n»a-t-elle  d'autre  ressource  que  d'ailer 
au«del^  du  but^-> — 

tiCB  granda  oaleuleiteurs  aeula  pensent  qu'il 
n©  faut  Jamais  depesser  1©  hut#  et  n'ont 
de  respect  que  pour  la  virtuallte'  sraprelnte 
dans  un  parfalt  accompli  as  wcaent  q:ui  met  en 
toute  oeuvr©  ce  calm©  prof ond  dont  1©  chaiae 
eaialt  lea  hoaaea  aup^rieurs.  (8) 


111 


-*-'»  Iisg  yraTailljWg^  ^?.^  rzev»  II.,  76. 
BalgacTLa  HeeteiBie  d©  I'ebaoiu.  5* 


A«W 


♦  jTifLrr  -rttun'  ^noB-n 


->afT  ©rf#  "io  ejjTr^ 


^1 


3> 


Art  In  Society* 

ContraTT"  to  the  other  ronantlolets,  Oautler,  aafuJ  In  tlila 
he  pes«nble9  Chateaubriand,  does  not  represent  society 
as  a  composite  «hlch,  throu-jh  personage,  may  be  classi- 
fied Into  hlerarchlea  and  paaaions.  Nor  does  Gautler 
reveal  exactly  the  sane  attitude  as  Chateaubriand  for. 
In  the  latter  It  Is  the  negative  aspect  of  society  ^nlcAi 
appears  rather  than  the  positive)  that  Is,  what  Is  posi- 
tive In  Rene,  irtiat  Is  distinctive.  Is  a  lack,  the  Ina- 
bility to  enjoy  nature.  Rene  has  fed  upon  all  society. 
He  I5  all  society.  But  he  Is  a  single  ego,  one  Individual, 
and  the  world  he  Imowa.   7autler*a  society  contains  no 
Qleraent  extjraneous  to  the  e^o,  not  even  the  va  jo  ele  onts 
iftile*!  enter  Renews  history.  No  social  world  ever  appears 
In  hlc  i*oz4c«  "very  story  is  the  story  of  an  indivldiial 
not  as  lie  moves  in  society  rior  as  he  faces  Itc  varied 
aspects  but  hie  story  as  an  individual,  as  he  moves  about 
in  his  own  ^rivnto  ^orlcl. 

Society  as  a  corporate  body,  therefore,  is  non-existent 
in  Gautler.  It  has  no  coclal  exl.:;tcnce,  but  only  an 
individual  existence  in   IndividToal  figures  whoso  lives 
are  the  expression  of  eGOift»t  Suoh  a  personage  as 
Fortunio  naksa  it  plainly  evld^int  that  for  hlra  no  society 
exists  but  toe  self*  The  self  is  society.  This  la  true 


i^U 


3X'    ^Ofl 


195. 
of  Gautier's  other  pexNaonagee  and  It  makes  plsiln  ths 
noat  inoortant  factor  of  th«  wovl6  he  rcpreacntc.     It 
is  a  world  of  Indlvldiial  egos  aiid  aautler*a  indictarient 
of  any  given  persona^©  Is  an  indlctsncnt  of  an  individual 
ideal  not  a  social  eyst©in»     But  tMa  individual  ideal  la 
detenninod  either  by  a  eociol  fasl^ilon  or  a  natural  la- 
puxac.      -There  Gautlei'  cond«Emfl,   therefore,  he  la  condeaon- 
in£.  the  vooMBit  the  Individual's  Ideal,  ratliar  than  tine 
aan  who  seeks  it.     He  le  condewning  not  the  individual 
nember  or  ole««it  of  society  but  a  certain  kind  of  beauty 
that  responds  to  a  fashion  not  to  natur-e.     The  morlds 
h©  represents  are  those  in  wiiloh  the  ax»tlet  riov€S  looking 
for  beauty.     He  finds  the  aatter  of  i>©auty  either  in  the 
eaq^reaslon  of  society  or  in  Uie  expression  of  natux>e. 
If  the  youn<'5  man  of  tliat  world  is  productive,  lie  ic  an 
artiat.     If  he  la  not,  he  la  only  a  dllettant©  in  beauty. 

'/hat  is  open  to  conderanation  Gautler  suggests,   therefore, 
is  an  xmproductive  art— the  result  of  an  ideal  ooiiti^ry 
to  nature.     The  art  that  is  nourished  sololy  in  u)e  fac- 
titious products  of  society  can  never  baoorae  fecund. 
This  Is  the  meaning  of  Onuphrlus  as  explained  by  Gaatler: 

Cette  belle  inaglnation,  surexcitoa  par 
dos  riojons   fnctice^,   s*etalt  us^e  en   ' 
valnes  d^bauehes]  a  forea  d'^re  apec  . 
tour  do  son  existence,   Onuphrtus  avait 
oubiie  celle  des  autros,  et  les^liens 
qui  le  rattachalmit  au  sionde  s^etaient^ 
briaea  un  i^  un»     Sort!  de  I'arche  du  reel, 
11  s'etait  lanc4  dans  lea  profondoura 


It     .^Xl 


\\ 


iy4. 


n^uleuses  de  la  fantaisio  ct  de  la  aeta» 
pljgrsiqpx^l     mala  IX  a*avait  pu  revanlr  aveo  ^ 
le  rameau  d*ollx«S     il  n'avalt  pas  rencontre 
Xa  tarre  a^cha  ou  poaar  Xa  plad^at  n'ayait 
pas  PU  retirouvor  le  chcnln  par  ou  11  etalt 
Tanuf     IX  na  pat  «->•;;  ranouap  avaa  Xa 
aondo  positlf,     H  eut  e*:e^capablc,  sana 
eatta  tandanoa  funaataf  d*atre  la  pXua 
srand  des  poetesi     11  ne  fut  que  Ic  plua 
ainguXiar  daa  foua*  (X) 

'ShA  aana  coralennatlon  la  asqpiwaaad  In  tha  flgtire  of  Tlburca 

befox«  tiJLa  aaz'Fla^a  to  Qratahan  baa  brou^t  about  hi  a 

retoxn  to  z>aallt7*     Oautlar  intdtaat 

•  «••  Tiburca  nm  coraprenait  paa  la  nature «  at 
ne  pouvalt  la  li2»e  que  dnns  lea  traductions 

•  ».*L*art  a*^tait  aopar^  ^  lul  tr^  jeuna  at 
l^avalt  corroaspu  at  fausaoj     co3  capactdi:»os- 
Xa  8<nit  pl)^  anwnimfl  qua  X'cm^na  p«iaa  dana 
notrc  extx^e  civilisation,  ou  \^<x\  est 

plua  fKmvant  «i  contact  avao  Xaa  oauwaa 
das  horanea  qu'aves  colles  dc  la  natui*e,    (9) 

And  he  adds  I 

Ouli^^Tlburca- — -  Gretchan  vou«  est  t3^ 
auparl0U3<a  ••— «  voua  avas*  tant  Xa  po#aia 

Toua  occupalt,   sMpr>2>lne'^la  naturo,  lo 
aoK^ta  at  Xa  vla«.«»  (3) 


'Ria  attitude  tirinlch  i>autlar  axpx*e8aa8  la  that  ahared  by 
thoaa  of  the  romantldsta  who  rapzwaont  art  aa  an  eXaraent 
In  80clat7«     BaXaao  STiabollzaa  art  In  society  throu|^ 
auah  a  paraonaga  aa  Canalls^  Send  thz*oii^  Xa  CorllXa* 
Vlgpy  throu^  Salnt-Juat*     BaXaae  vrltea  of  CanaXla  In 
dapreaatlng  faahicm  and  Modaata  baooB»s  aware  of  tiia 


(1)  Oautler,  ^s  Jeunea»?rance,  Onu':)hrlu3«  69» 

(2)  Gautler.  iJ'OuveXlea.  La  '^oTson  d^or,  170« 

(3)  Ibid. .  vs^i;^m: —  


;•..!,.:    s,fi>- 


,*f> 


tnti* 


-e<>rt;f 


^i 


195- 
m«dioorlty  of  th«  art  vSaieh  he  v^pT^amxta  wIiqu  a,^  is 
thrown  into  contAot  with  the  tme,  disintereatocl  r.eaius 
itoo  has  turned  Ms  baok  on  tlie  ai-'tificial  life  of 
aoc^et^,  Ijft  Copilia  is  condcstanoa  irj  oonauelo  and 

b;r  3axid,  as  the  author^  for  tlie  soae  raaoonai  l)eoau6e 
her  ait  conforaa  to  t}ie  aixproa.Tod  opinkm  of  society 
ojaa,  b<iC-iL^i>o  lu  uiauaina  eiiOini.     -t  is,   ^±iei*efo?e,  a 
form  of  ciilettantiata»     Viii^iy  repoata  tho  Indiotaeat  in 
tho  poraon  of  Saint~Ju3t,     Ic  tiohesplQwe — tae  social 
pow«x>«»-^aint~Ju3t  ropr«.aQuts  ax'^,     ^^e  oasorta;  ^.-Voila 
X'licsaaa  quo  j ' appollerai.^  un  ^^octe.,*,!!  seat  4~i..e  nulla 
jpttoe  a' eat  plus  dangereuse  poMr  la  liborte,  plu£   enneeile 
dm  l*e^iftlite,  qui^cGlXe  dea  aristocx^atwa  do  I'lnteiligence^ 
dont  lea  xH^putationa  ioolees  exaroont  une  influence 
partielle^  dangoreuao,  et  cont^raixv  a  I'unitj^  qu^  tioit 
tout  rcglr.  ^    '     uux,  ix>cte\u*-Koir  preaexita  ^aint-.ust^ 
poetry  in  society— in  another  licht.     He  shows  this  so- 
called  Poet  as  taking  refuse  in  a  futile  drean  of  an 
iaposaiblo  Utopia.     ^^  z>eaaina  unconscious  of  the  abyss 
ihldx  axiata  between  the  innoconco  of  this  ideal  world 
tafi.  the  cruelty  of  tlic  '^rld  of  acti<m  in  whioli  he  exists. 
Ua  r«aaina  i^orant;^   t^uex'ofoi'o,  or  the  truth  of  reality « 
reiaaina  at  tiie  service  of  zaaterial  power,  azid  contributes 
to  that  aervice  not  his  poetry  but  his  virtue  as  a  phy- 
sical forcot  hxa  unhesitating  cruelty  as  material  power, 

(1)  oee  Balsac,  Modes te  Hl^eacm.  208, 

(2)  Vigny,  Stello/l^^i. 


u 


^i 


np. 


*     T'^rl-JOtT 


^iJ& 


)&<.' 


ii»s."t- 


dfivf   iJ'U- 


,%c5f,^.     a; 


196. 
Th»  diletitaatiaa  iCiich  Cautler  eondoan.?— the  i^fusal 
of  the  effort  to  know  riatui'-o  as  It  1  s — 1- ^e  xtclle 
aoceptaac©  of  society's  i'aialileu  voinsion  of  nature— 
appe&r«  in  uaubiai-  aa  tii«  acceptance  of  society' s 
voraicaa  cf  art:  naaioly^   tlafiaiclcii;   In  Bdsac  aa  the 
aoa<©ta:ic«   rt  aodefcy'a  y.111  to  poisert  nanely,  iiaperlal- 
l4a|  in  Sand  «s  tLe  accsptance  ox   society's  attitude 
tc  love  I  e-jaistic  passion;  in  VicfKf  aa  the  aoceptanc© 
of  society's  C08r4>lfite.  risterialiacij  vmiiiteliis^nc©. 
CftiTJi^hri-us  ,;ces  ei'.tir*el;^-  r.:ad;   for,   --autier  declar«i.(!  euoh 
art,   cut  cf  harraony  with  nacui'©,  destroyo  the  ertist. 
Til®  affect  &.0  represriiibcd  hj  Talzac,   3f',nd,  or     ii^aiy, 
is  net  Oiily  self-deet-iiictive  but  dea-ructive  of  the 
natural  elewieiit  in  the  world.     It  Is  thua,  for  cxar,iplo, 
that  Saiiit-Jiist  la  tlie  aa;iealat©  oT  Roteepierre  In  the 
OQmmsul  that  dett'-i^inos  Chtj^iler's  deatli. 

Crl2ie  In  rioelety. 

C/'ici&  appeara.  In  the  work  of  the  roiaantioiata,  under 
two  ijroupa  of  symbola*     '.7c  are  concewied.  here  with  that 
aspect  of  oriiiie  «i;ich  appeara  fto  evil.       Emqo  a^ajholisos 
erisie  aa  evil  in  £h.^asTi5±»Tf  x~or  instance.     Lalzuc  like- 
viae  reeognigea  orL^no  as  evil  as  ici^^,  «i  xu  exists  in 
the  oonatitued  society.     He  ayKbolizea  the  criminal 
liBdiacovered  an<i>  therefore,  still  a  aeaiber  of  society. 


i97. 


in  V«i?0:aiqi4e  and  Vwutrin, 


Qmpe  mast  b«  taJ^en  to  omplia»i«©  the  feet  that  Thcnarfllor, 
Veronlque,  artd  Vautrin,  live  an  a  part  of  society  »siAf 
indoe   ,   3««^f  tf>  nroflt  I"'  the  tools  of  societ-^  p^'nc© 
therv)  ar'o,   Ik,  thr,  second  <;:roUT7  of  S'jTibolB  e  nt!ab«r  of 
•^imjathetlc  figures  vdicso  llvc«  do  not  correB-ponA  to 
th<5Sft  prenls'^i?,     '~'ncnardlGr-~and  hla  a??ccclntcs~-repr'e" 
nnt»  «m  element  \;finich  oortpX-^tolT  accepts  the  prtsrtiilln/; 
aocJ.&l  mile.     The  malrdcslon  to  Boclel  a^jithortty  le 
couibined  wltli  ifinoi^nncc  arid  romiltB  In  ovll,     vdironlQUO, 
iU.thou{^  a  crlnlnal,  lllerAee  confcTtac  to  the  provall- 
Inr;  social  faBhione.     ■>?•  cmfomitr  trlth  Hest^retlOR 
society  api.^cnre  It:  all  hur  Bunerfloial  ■?*f*'-   end  In  hc3? 
loHj?  resletexic©  to  the  coclal  11  "c  traced  on  rellr-!on. 
BalSRC  vn*ltes  of  her*?   "Kile  fnt  a»«me«i.  ...vcre  le  cnltc 
de  l»l<?;^al»   cfitte  fatale  rcllrlon  hitPiftlnc  1 "  ^  ^ ^     This 
deacplptlon  pliices  ^'rronloue  »t  once  ae  e  !nftmb©f  6f  the 
prevailing  roJAantlc  society,   ^rst  as  aro  Louli?  L«jrib«rt 
or  RaphalBl.     Vhcro  <jrlme  in  '-iliwiftrfller  1?  ^■"'''^  reralt, 
T^oco  lri??.lcatss,  of  the  Irrioriince  f/hlch  srcifity  pen.lte, 
crlae  In  ''^ronlqtie,   ^-?»lBae  en-  eet?!,   le  the  result  of 
th©  er!;olHtlc  pasttonfl  that  eociety  sponscrt.     Of  Th^ardler 
ilUijo  lerpltes:   "Cet  hoii-ne  ^talt  de  la  nult,  Ae  la  nult 


(1)  Falxac,     ■    Civ'j  de  villaro.  20. 


ItSi 


N. 


f'^t      *i*f t  "       *•  i'^ra-  rt 


.f> 


\\ 


1w 


•  f  T'^ 


vlvante  ©t  t©3?rlblo."  The  night  that  Hixgo  deprecates 

in  Th^ardier  is   the  nlr:ht  of  Irpiornncc;   the  Icl'^-'^llsjsi 
that  i.iilsac  deprecatee  ii;    ■  ej.*ori.ique  i&  tl^i,  vi.v.«l,c        r 
"ibu  Inposoltle  and  tho  will  that  crushes  evei^tMnr  In 
its  path  in  ore-';?  to  attain  to  that  iripcssihl©,     "Izls 
tTpe  of  idealisE  ie   the  a'rroluto  ui-tlthosls  of  that 
T^ich  Salsac  i*eprpaer.te  In  ?\v:euic. 

In  contr&ui   i:'j  Vfel't-ui'iufc ,  Va-  '•^1'^.  oporAv  c^e-flea  tho 
pro  vailing-  soclfi.1  rule,     '/et  defiance  or  jmtjsalscjion  are 
both  orldenc©  t'r:st  the-r  ?»fieo;T-lze   theriselves  ae  a  part 
of  the  ccciety  they  hr'.ve  slnnec  aijclnst,   thct  they 
5tid^  their  conduct  by  th©  criterion  of  that  socletj, 
that  they  accept  socletj^a  r^tn-ndarda  of  nnMtlor  ^jth^. 
desire,     Axid,  in  VGutrin,  .Falz&c's  conception  of  t!i© 
crlixlnal  in  society  "becomes  most  plainly  evident  for 
Vautrln  appears  In  soclctv  an-!  tc  seen  to  share  those 
standards  iff-iich  Ra3ti;.;aac  It  la-or  t,-.  accept,  which  golrem 
Sucln^en,  du  fillet,  or  •^alllefsr.     ^:s  trinsactions 
t!-!ftt  "al!:ac  shc-yc  Nuc'-'i^en  end  r-stl-?^''':^  to  have  con- 
d-ictcd  wct:ld  hsv^  been   cri-.'mal  on  e  lc33  .-na-jnl  flclont 
financial  scale  and  renaJn  morally  crlr'nal  t>ut  socially 
acceptable   (T.a  Hsisor:  TTucln'-:er) .     T*,*ll©f'»r  IS  a  mtrdoror 
^, L * Aut c :" ; s  r oii^^e )  i^ut  rc.mlns   eocialiy  acceptable  as  a 
a.  klghly   successrul  ba  ker.     2u  "'lllut  Is  ulac  a  crinln>X 

(1)  Huijo,  Leg    •isorablea.  IV»  243, 


^ 


^U/4 


.fT: 


n   .■        -  t  ) 


W  (1) 


199. 
x&to  will  never  be  bpourfht  fco  book  (Cosar  Plrotteau). 

y«t  these  ra«n  nil©  Parlalen  Roole^,     Veutrlt!  (differs 
fpoo  th«m  not  In  his  atandf;.rrta  of  siicooss  but  in  tlio 
n«ftna  ho  maploye^     ^e  imd©t«ct:er?   crlr/nol  (Veronlqne, 
Talllofer)   enjoys  society's  ccmplct^  eoteori.     Vautrfn 
enjoys  the  sn:mo  fearful  respect  as  Hrandot  cooEaiids 
laitil  his  effort  to  dqanS-nnte  society  bi'i.n.rs  hin  i/Jto  a 
clash  with  an  equally  rut;!\lej33  will— l^uein^cjn's.     ?he 
crladnnl  ie  afct<»iptinp:  by  <*.i*lr\9  only  «hat  ''?ucln'^:«n  is 
att(«ap*tlng  tJy  t'ru.lle,  Orandot  by  bueiroer.  trickeries  and 
eocnosaiet,  and  de.  Fareiy  by  hidden  force   'Hifytoire  jlea 
Tjg^LBo;.     'Ihc  criminal  io,   tiierefore,  an  lnto;;re.l  p?.rt 
of  the  sod  ill  structure.     He  cjm  "becopie,   soclr-lly  rrpeak- 
In^  the  veiy^  antithesis  of  the  crJjnlnal.     V:.r..  31^.1- 
Uxpin,   tiie  chief  of  the  Ftrls  ^^olioe,   is  a  former  Tjririnal. 
'^'hjif  Vftutrln  becorice  a  mseil^or  of  the  police  without  es- 
pRr5.encln,-^  an?/-  change  of  heort,     lie  has  ohoson  only  to 
cliMiG©  the  retbod  ■wlierebr  he  will  Aor-inate.     ^ence 
aoclal  crtr.e  end  Boclel.  law  becosie  r.ctually  s^monyncries . 
It  is  evident  that  RalEac  re^jreeente   the  criralaal  as 
one  of  the  nost  logical  ele.r.er-ts  of  constitute;!  «ccicty 
and  ae  apt  to  reproeert  its  Ideal   (Veronijue)* 

Essentially,    therefore,  Hii^;;o  an<S  lalsac  a,jree  in  the 
:e presentation  of  the  cr'l;-lnal«     Griate  wMdh  Balaac 


200. 
presents  p.s  the  'possible  Ideal  and  as  a  logical  coMponont 
of  th^  Reetoratian  ooclety,    'U30  also  sees  aa  a  lexical 
conponent  of  a  society  whi.oh  permits  Ifpnoranc©.     lixoept 
In  these  ttro  authors,   the  foiwial  el-sment  of  crime  la 
not  present  in  tbe  novels  iir©  arc  atudying. 


The  general  cor.clueior   from  the  picture  of  society  a« 
sjraabollBed  ^7  the  roManti^latR  is  never  doubtful.     ■' ociety 
Is  the  villein  of  the  piece  and  the  cause  of  the  corrup- 
tion of  nature  or  of  its  ccraplote  annihilation.     Con- 
stituted eonlety  Is  based  txpcn  the  ego  and    -'-'»'  "rtnclple 
at  its  j?oot  in  destructive.     It  is  the  inntruitent  of 
d»ath  and  futility.     The  Indictnent  of  aocloty  tyirouch 
symbolic  i3eraona,c:e  is  unaniiaouo  in  the  wrltere  of  ro- 
niantlcls^n.     The  basis  of  the  Indlctnent  shifts  cli^jhtly 
fron  autiior  to  author  but  in  Balsac,   3nnd,  Hugo,  and 
Vl0iy,  existing-  aocioty  clearly  appears  as  compact  of 
ecoistic  a-rlll  end  o.?xoi3tic  desire  (or  fcclin.rj,     ChatoQu- 
briand  represents  only  tJie  ecoietic  feeling  (Rene)  v'rille 
the  aleoont  cf  \Till  appears  only  exooptioxially  in    ae, 
de  StaHl   (:!ne.   d'Arl>r|-ny  ) .       autier  too  pjresents,   ordin- 
arily only  the  desire,  not  the  will;   in  -ortunio,  how- 
ever, he  repreaents  both  elements  ccnfcined  in  equal  force 

just  as  thry  ftre  in  Raphael,     But  r^ether  desirt*  la 


.  \  -v  r^      f>  -i'^-."  ivff^  ty 


t-r.',  r  A  rrr\ 


91  q 


y-^kr: 


201  . 


aided  or  not  Irj  will,   ooclety  Is  laad©  up  of  tiis  elenonta 
of  lostnctlon  t»ho  appear  as   ^,.<.  a^onta  oi  dcsirTCtioa. 
C'^aateaubrland  condeinns  fJtxe  Irrceliglon  of  society |    '.11^0 
its  life  of  envj*  and  hetipedj  Vi,-^y  Ite  ■anlnt«lli:i;enoof 
j£.ut5.er  the  '^•"^" '^  u,:.  vicmut^.     For 

t^iO-T.  5O0'.et7  'oidr:  it-i  bo  I'eli^lon,    x>  hMrmnltarlan- 

iisn,  to  IntolllrT)"  CO,  to  th.&  f.lnest  beauty.     Par  i^^e. 
de  '^taSl  and   iai"ul  r^ocloty  -..  v.c;c-bructlvo  of  the  inalvldiml 
lovs  and  the  Indlvldi^al  Iiapplnesa.     For  I'kHzao  the  cxiot- 
Ing  society  Is  destractlvs  of  tni©  aocial  love  and  a 
ooclal  Iicppiness  istLloh.  r:aizi  be  baser  on  tr.e  feriily  and 
on  i«cll^,lous  cbsoi'-varioes,     Tioe  point  of  view  differs, 
tJ^KjrefoiHj,  "but  the  ani'serient  lies  in  the  fact  that  society 
ri'f'ASSS  nature,   and,   therefore,   i-ofasoa  i'i'c  ejr>..d  produo«9 
death, 

?oclet7,  '"  ■^^s   -^^^rk  of  the  roisaLitlclals,  ia  rcpreaentad 
as  a  false  oonventlon  only  prodactiv©  of  evil.     It  ia 
tr!Jia  that  3al;iac  wfusoa  to  find  the  root  of  all  «v-H 

it  fjoiitradiaca  what  io  beat  In  nature  aiid  Is,   in  fact, 
Indlvlduallatic  rathar  tlian  aocial. 

Tho  view  of  tho  '«rorld  that  Groiiplaine  ©icpx'eaiiea  at  tho 
fionolualon  c''  I'H  c^ux  ri t    :5.y  be  said  to  ba  tlxo  vl«ir 


noi 


208* 

of  ttie  world  thnt  the  roncuitl cists  in  ; general  oxprc^js. 

Co  nondo  qu'il  venal t  d'entrevolr,   il 
iG  considers! t,   avoc  ce  regard  frold  qui 
est  le  regard  d^flnitif.     Lft  uarla^je, 
mala  pas  d*a:"iov,r;   la  fa-.-'illc,  naic   pas 
de  fratemlt^j   la  riehesae,  naie  pas  de 
conscience  J   la  boatite^  male  pas  de 
pxideurj  la  jxstice,  mala  pas  d'^quitcj 
•  ♦..!''t  nu  fond  de  son  ^.ig,   11  s'^cria: 
ha  socl6t^  est  la  raai^tre.      ..a  nature  est 
la  n?ro.      '.a  aocl^td',   c'est  lo  raoncle  du 
corps;, la  nature,   c'est  le  uonde  de 


ill  -  1      'r   .  "^     I 


l:^-  .:_.-'^:.^ 


203. 

Nature* 

M«ture  appears  to  tho  rooianticiat  as  eoiaposed  of  oez*tcdn 
definite  pririary  q^.ialitie8  in  hisnan  nature*  Nature^  in  nan^ 
is  feeling  —  raona,  religious,  aesthetic,  artistic,  passion- 
ate* The  STinbolio  aspeots  of  nature  vihich  appear  throu^ 
personage  nay*  therefore,  be  classified  under  certain  genex*al 
heelings t  virtue,  3?ellGion,  beauty,  art,  and  love*  Morsovex*, 
the  oriine  i^hioii,  in  society,  appsMPed  as  evil,  is  present  in 
nature  but  does  not  assurie  the  guise  of  evlX*  Nature,  it 
apps^jtrs,  holds  naught  but  good  and  criae  is  trannouted  to 
vl3*tue  and  even  to  the  apotheosis  of  the  ideal* 

The  syiapat^ietic  personage,  par  exoell@Eioe,  io  ixsually  the 
protagonist  of  the  novel  in  idiieh  he  appears*  This  is  not  to 
say,  of  course,  that  he  will  be  necessarily  the  sole  s/Brpathetio 
pex*sonage  in  the  novel*  Hor  is  it  Inevitable  that  the  pro- 
tagonist  of  a  story  saust  be  a  synq^tiietio  figure,  v.liere  an 
author  such  as  Balzac  is  attofaptin^;  to  reproduce  a  complete 
picture  of  Parisian  society,  it  is  neltlier  politic  nor  possible 
to  base  c»ie*s  Jud(pnents  on  a  single  phase  of  that  wox^  and 
neglect  the  rest,  no  t!K>z*o  then  it  is  politic  or  possible  to 
Jtidge  the  quality  of  on©  personage  in  a  novel  without  any 
attwitlon  to  the  relationship  iihi<^  he  bears  to  the  other  pers- 
onages*  The  same  general  vamlng  t»lght  be  issued  in  regard  to 
Chateaubriand  whose  two  novels,  Atala  and  Rene*  were  conceived  of 
as  eompanion  pieces  belonging  to  a  single  work.  Oautier's 
nox^  also  pres^its  a  special  case  for.  In  nany  instances,  his 


204. 


8tori.es  present  one  single  personage.     To  Jiuige  of  the  final 
value  of  this  personage  it  is  advis&ble  to  offset  one  etory 
by  anotdier  and  to  jtidge  the  single  s^bol  in  the  li^t  of  a 
siora  general  picture*     It  oust  be  ret«teiabered  also  that  the 
per8<mage  who  has  the  role  of  interpreter  la  given  tlie  final 
vovd  and  so  la  nada  j^aA>olio  of  the  supr«o»  virtue* 

Virtue. 

A  general  survey  of  the  aj^i^athetio  protagonists  of  rcmiantlcisa 
reveals  <moe  more  the  fact  that  it  ia  aa  an  abstract  quality 
that  iStim^  myaS^llze  virtue,     caiaotas  is  the  pzdsiitive  neni     ha 
has  knom  eivilization  and  has  fled  tvaa  it  back  to  the  world 
of  nature  with  iidil<^  he  finds  himself  in  hanaony.     Delphlne'a 
happiness  as  veil  aa  her  virtue  is  love.     'IQiia  is  anong  t^ 
first  atatest^nts  tliat  she  nalcea  in  regard  to  herself  t     "-• -Ja 
n*al  qu'im  but«  Je  n*ai  qu^un  deair^  c*est  d'etre  aimee  dea 
parsonnes  avec  qui  Je  via."  (1)     And  aho  repeats  this  idea 
latert     *'—  L*flffiiour  saul  m* inspire  le  bien  ccnxiie  le  mal."  (2) 
This  is  all  that  we  ever  Imow  about  Delphine.     Corinne  is  a 
Delphine  ifidio  has  dedicated  herself  to  the  fine  arts  and  c^pears* 
tharefore^  to  oombine  art  and  virtue  in  the  abstract  quality 
of  enthualasBo* 

ftigp's  nrotag<mi8ts  azN»  all  chanpiona  of  the  oppressed  or 

of  tlie  oppressed  classes  of  society.     For  the  moat  part» 


de  Staelf  Delphine.  540. 
Ibid..  477, 


205. 


theee  champions  of  the  weak  and  poor  end  downtzNxlden  ax*e 
tbamselves  subject  to  the  yoke  of  oppre8ai<xa«  But   in  apite  of 
the  JLapIaoabls  fa««  soelaty  turns  to  thea^  these  protagonists 
feel  tofwuxi  the  world  only  love  and  pity  —  love  for  thoir 
fellows,  pity  for  suffering,  'iliia  l07e  and  pity  is  evldenotd 
idkMrever  they  find  contact  with  the  world*  They  are  all  willing 
to  sacrifice  tlieir  lives  for  their  love*  They  love  but  tliey 
suffer  and  tlieir  suffering  is  because  of  those  material  circum* 
stances  lAiich  separate  thesi  frcm  love  —  u^iness,  lack  of 
social  graces^  forced  exile  from  social  life*  !Qie  love  whiob 
is  Delphine*8  sole  expression  in  life  reappears,  thez^fore*  in 
AagiB  as  tbs  sols  node  of  his  protagonists* 

XAV»  £higo*s  and  Chateaubriand's,  Vigny*s  s^napathetic  protagonists 
are  yoimg  men*  Aiaong  them  Bmiaud  serves  to  illxistrate  'Vi0iy*s 
typical  protagonist  for,  since  he  is  a  non«historical  figure, 
it  is  easier  to  disengage  the  essential  traits  with  vkMch  Vi^y 
actuAlly  endows  htm*  In  the  case  of  tho  historical  fie^res, 
on   the  contrary,  the  reader  is  apt  to  read  into  the  nazae  his 
om  preeoncaptions  regardless  of  the  xoanner  in  viiiich  ixis  picture 
coincides  with  the  one  tlie  author  actually  p]?esents*  Reziaud*s 
(^lalitiea  may  be  suianarized  into  on^   8tat€»aent*  He  is  a  saan 
disillusioned  with  exteznal  reality*  Renaud  has  come  to  place 
all  his  faith  on  a  spiritual  ideal  of  honour  vhich  he  discovers 
by  looldjng  wi tibln  his  own  s«uX*  He  is,  therefore,  living  by 
the  li£^t  of  a  truth  he  has  found  within  himself*  Indeed,  of 
all  of  Vi^y's  syaqpathetio  personages  it  may  be  caid  that  they 
i^pear  as  such  because  they  prefer  to  be  true  to  the  faith 


206, 


In  theaasolvee  and  to  the  txniths  revealed  to  theeu  frcoa  vithdn 

rather  than  accept  the  motives  for  action  provided  by  che 

external  world*  Hence  the  poet  and  the  soldier  ax*e   reduced 

•aeentially  to  the  aaao  personage  for  tae  mainspring  of  their 

beliefs  and  actions  liea  in  the  sane  conviction  t  that  the 

trut^  z*eside8  in  en  inner  revelation  not  in  outer  i^ality* 

Vigoy  es^lalne  Bmunid's  ocRiolusionat 

Uhe  fcnaete  Invincible  le  soutient  contr©  toxis  et 
oontre  Ivii-o^^oe  ^  oette  pens^  de  veiller  sur  ^ 
tabernacle  pur«  qui  est  dazui  aa  poi trine  oobba  un 
second  coe.rr  (^  siegerait  un  d^eu*  De  la  lui 
viwanent  des  coneolaticms  interieuros  d*autant  plus 
h^lkX^a  q^*tl  ea  i,^u>re  la  source  et  la  raiuci 
veri tables;  de  la  aussi  des  z*ev^atiana  soudalnes 
du  Vraiy  du  Beau«  du  Jtistet  de  lia  luie  luraidre 
qui  va  devant  Itii,  (l) 

Vi0^*s  syapatl^etio  figures  are^  aotuaHy^  therefore^  the 

eluaqpions  of  intellectual  superiority  and*  because  of  their 

individual  superiority*  they  aiM»  non-confozciists* 

But  all^iou^  tliey  are  aristocrats  of  the  intelligmoe,  thi^ 
are  siioilar  to  the  protagonists  mentioned  above  in  this 
respect:  the  voice  they  obey  is  the  voice  of  nature  and  in 
th*  Midst  of  society  they  remain  isolated  by  that  very  fact* 

8and*s  protaccniists  are  usually  wammn  and  in  this  she  shorn 
hsr  affinity  with  Itoe*  de  Stael*  Orheir  superiority  consists 
in  their  capacity  for  feeling  (Indiaaa  and  Juliette)  and  in 
this  respoct  tliey  tdnom  at  once  a  €arslly  resenblance  to  Delphlne 
and  to  Jean  Valjean*  Their  virtue  consists  in  this  natural 

(1)  Vigtiy,  Sei'vittide  et  fxrandeur  militairea,  o5l« 


207. 


natuxsl  feeXlng  and  does  not  corresptmd  to  tmy  aoclal  ccoi- 

v«ntion«     They  are  individualists  and  qo  tlxeir  cboci  way 

depending  for  guidance  only  upon  the  instinctive  voice  of 

^eip  hearts.     Ylhat  Quintilia  says  is  true  of  all  of  thenit 

•->  Je  no  sais  pas  oe  (jue  o*est  que  la  vertui     j<y 
erols  cofstae  on  eroit  "^  la  Providence^  sons  la 
d^finir,  sans  la  cotspv&adi^*     Je  ne  e%4>e  pas  ee 
que  e*est  que  de  ooaibattre  aveo  8oi««i«ae|     je  &*en 

suls  jamais 
il  Ismais^aenti  le 
jrcdtnrfe  ou  Je  ne 
voulais  pas  alleri     |e  me  suis  livxHBO  ^  toutes  ims 
fantaisies  sans  jamais  ^tre  en  danger*   (1) 

This  is  merely  another  manner  of  stating  that  these  instruments 

of  feelijis  are  naturally  rjood,  or  bolleve  that  they  are,  and 

find  their  i^iole  law  of  life  in  instinctive  desire*  And  far 

removed  as  Stello  or  JUlien  rnay  appear  to  be  frosa  svioh 

personages  as  Lelia^  Ccmsuelo^  and  Ijacr^zia«  It  is  evident 

froa  <4ttlntilia»8  speech  that  tJae  poet's  virtue  which  la  to 

seek  the  truth  vithin  his  o\m   nature  corresponds  to  the  iponsa's 

virtue,  ii*i5ch  seeks  its  truth  within  her  ovm  natxire. 

TVhat  the  reader  of  Balsac  remembers  clearly  Ic  noz   so  jxxc^  a 
series  of  distinct  individual  personages  but  i^ther  groups  of 
personages*  He  has  had  a  vision  of  a  world  in  which  people 
•ppeaTt  dieapp^u*,  and  reappear*  This  world  is  conpoacd 
chiefly  of  doctors,  lawyers,  jud^joc,  joumalista,  financiers, 
prtesta,  U8ure:t»s,  lelsux«ed  arietocmlss,  GOvemmeBt  elQi^m, 
writers^  stnd  artists,  •There  i\ro  also  scientlsta,  ooldlox^, 
concierges,  and  oriiiinals,  --^   in  fact,  all  tjie  roles  that  man 

(1)  Sand,  lie  Secret  aire  Intiiae*  II.,  183. 


208. 


can  play  In  society,     Th©  wonen  \(dio  appear  are  either  d&aijutmvs, 
td.ve8»  courtesans,  or  racssibors  of  the  aristocratic  leisure 
class*     Balzac's  world  Is  literally,  therefore,  a  repreoeantation 
or  aoclet^  and  of  a  given  civilization.     In  tale  repreeetitation 
every  calling  or  class  is  oX-vea  Its  due  place.     This  i^^ans 
that  BaXaac  nust  deliberately  have  cocQjosed  his  wOi»ld  wltii 
this  ptirpos©  in  mlad*     IQien  we  tiilnk  of  Poplnot,  for  exan^le, 
we  tiiink  of  liim  firat  as  a  judge,  o:ay  secondarily  as  on 
upri^t  judge.     Balzac  3ms  preswated  him  to  ua  under  ti^ 
•^MBies  apparently,  first  in  respect  to  his  eocial  functl<m, 
then  in  respect  to  tlie  emmer  in  nfriich  lie  fulfils  that  function. 

The  social  function  of  a  given  personage  may  be  inherently 
8ysq;>athetic  or  antipathetic.     We  raay,  that  is,  retMUbering  that 
Poplnot  is  a  judge,  be  predisposed  to  regard  him  favourably 
•ven  before  ve  look  closely  to  inquire  Into  his  individual 
qualities.     This  disposition  to  judge  aoeording  to  social 
functlooa  laay  be  rmterlally  influenced  by  the  author's  ?olnt 
of  view  even  if  that  point  of  view  runs  counter  to  our  ori£;inal 
prajudlco.     It  is  quite  possible  to  fiiid  an  auttjor  who  writes, 
fop  exBi^le,  of  all  journalises  with  sympathy  or  of  all 
politicians  with  contumely,  or  vice  versa. 

What  le  Belaac'a  practice  in  tlxis  respect?    Are  there  any 
soclni,   fNinotions  «feiioh  ai*©  jxlitOBt  invariably  coniioctod  with 
the  presentation  of  i^mpatl\etlo  perscmaGOS?    To  answer  tliis 
questicai  requires  a  consideratlcm  of  some  of  Balsac's  most 
favoured  persmxages.     1!ho,  of  ills  more  i8^ox*tant  personages. 


209. 


are  those  i*M>ffl  we  can  without  hesitation  call  syu^athetlo? 
Wo  way  naia©  iKxaedlately  d'Artihez,  Sugea-ilc,   Pierrette,  David 
8«ohazti,  time*  &e  Itorteauf,  ?!•  Bcnassis,  the  "cure' de  Tour's", 
Poplnotf  til©  marciuie  d*E«pard,  Joseph  Drldim,  Esther,  Cenille 
Heaipin,  Wm&m  de  la  C3:)anterle«  Haboui^din,  Ceaar  Birott^nt, 
Up8ul«  Ulxvmet*     Wo  have  naned,  tiiat  is,  a  writer,  a  doctor, 
a  priest,  a  Judge,  an  aristocrat  of  tlie  old  school,  a  painter, 
a  govemn^t  ecQ^loyee,  an  invontor.     We  liave  ncssedytootwcosn^a 
who  lncl\jdo  in  their  nxaaber  a  courtesan  and  a  raeriber  of  Paidalan 
oooiety  altiiow^  the  otliere  are  mxmn  oonoex'Jiod  only  \»ith 
foBiily  or  charltablo  duties*     This  aigniflos  a  fairly  catliollc 
taste*     But  the  Bal2sacian  society  does  ^low  certain  professions 
eaad  oertiiin  social  fwrictions  to  isear  a  sytapathetlo  inter- 
pretation with  than  much  /aore  fre<iuontly  ttum  ot!ier».     Moreover 
cei'tain  social  functions  are  always  interpreted  throui;^  vm- 
s^fi^^thstic  figures*     Balsao^s  syi^athstlo  personages  are  drawn 
moat  largely  frora  tlie  prlosts,  the  doctors,  and  ths  wooen  ^os© 
lives  are  passed  witiiin  tlielr  fajRiily  circle,  absorbed  In 
domestic  duties  and  bound  by  family  ties*     It  is  evident, 
however,  from  the  varied  list  wo  liave  just  presented  that  the 
syiapatlietic  figure  does  not  i*ocessarlly  belong  to  any  one 
aacaig  these  classos*     The  criterion  does  not  depend  on  the 
social  fimcticm  alone  for  :lf ,  as  we  have  seen,  a  courtesan  nay- 
appear  amonc  the  sy3:Q>athetlo  persona^jes,  ne"rert!i©lesQj   tluo 
general  rale  oi"  the  courteaan  is  oroaented  tmder  an  unfavour- 
able  liiilit* 

Thex«  is,  however,  one  coracion  quality  ascribed  to  every  one 


210. 


Of  the  8;yTnpathetlc  flrarea   nentloned  above.  They  all  possess 

a  sense  of  their  social  diity  and  they  all  reconjilse  a  certain 

responsibility  to  society.  This  means  that  their  e^oisni  Is 

liialted  by  their  social  instincts  and  thnt  they  ar©  capable 

of  disinterested  lovo,  disinterested  ^^^id/^ment,  and  disinterested 

charity,  Reneo  writes  to  Louis«: 

--  ••..l*Ainour  est  un  vol  fait  par  l*etat  social 
a  l*^tat  naturel;  11  est  si  pas soger jdans  la 
nature^  que  les  ressoiirces  de  la  society  ne 
pouvent  chani^er  an  condition  nrinitive  ....  La 
socle td'f  ma  chore,  a  voulu  etro  f^ondo.  En 
substltuant  des  aentlnents  durables  a  la  fugitive 
folie  de  la  nature,  ©lie  a  CiV^€  la  plus  c:!!:*ande 
cliosG  hunainet  la  Panille,  etcmclle  base  des 
Soci(?t<$s«  Elle  a  sncrifld'  I'horaKO  aussi  blran  que 
la  f  atnne  a  son  oeuvre ....  ( 1 ) 

Cesar's  virtu©  is  categorically  explained  by  Balzac: 

lies  institutions  dependent  entl^resient  des 
eentiisents  que  lea  horanes  y  attachont  et  des  ^ 
grandeurs  dont  elles  sont  revenues  par  la  pensee, 
— •  Sourri  d'ld^s  reli.'.leuses,  Birotteau 
acceptait  la  Jlistice  pour  ce  qu'elle  dovrait  &tre 
aux  yeux  doe  hotames,  une  representation  dc  la 
Society  meme,  ime  avi^iiuste  expression  do  la  loi 
eonsentie,  ind^pendante  de  la  fonao  sous  laquelle 
elle  se  produit,  (2) 


But  Balzac's  syr^jathetic  peraonafres  are  not  \mrelatod  to  tliose 

of  the  other  rornantlolsts.  They  too  live  according  to  nature 

as  this  nature  is  expressed  in  them.  Chaperon  explains  tliis 

truth  to  Minox^t  in  tliese  terras: 

—  Nous  avons  tm  nous  uii,  sentinent  du  Juste,  chez 
I'htxane  le  plus  civilise  coirmo  ches  le  plus 
sauvage,  qui  ne  nous  penaet  pas  de  jouir  en  paix 
du  bien  mal  acquis  aclon  les  lois  de  la^oci^t^ 
dans  laquelle  nous  vivons,  car  les  Sociot^s  bien 

(1)  Balzao,  l^aBoiree  dea  detix  .^eunes  nari^es,  366,  367, 

(2)  Balzac,  f^/sar  Biro:fct^u.  332o 


211. 


oORstita^B  sont  modoloes  aur  yordre  rrifexe  linpoee 
par  Dieu  aux  nondes.     Les  Sociot^s  sont  en  ceci 
d^or.l-tlnG  divine.     L*hoB8nie  ne  troxive  pas  d'id^eSy 
11  n*invente  pas  de  foraos,   11  1ml te  ies  rapporta 
Gtcmcla  qtul  l»©nvoloppont  de  toutes  p&vtB^  Xl) 

It  is  explicit  In  tails  stat^ient  that  society  Is  natural  to 

xaan;     that  .It  is,  in  fact,  tlirou.;;^  feeling  that  man  suTmlts 

to  the  social  order  and  thus  approaches  the  d5.vino,     Balzac 

writes t 

Mais  la  raison  est  toujours  nosquine  aupres  du 
sentiment;     I'une  est  naturellenent  bom^e,  corame 
tout  ce  qui^est  positif,  et  1* autre  est  inflni, 
Raisonner  la  ou  11  faut  sentir  est  le  propre  dea 
ffines  sans  poz*t^«    (2) 

Thm  instinctive  nature  is  virtuous  and,  theiroforo,  the  fi^ui?© 

xtio  expresres  that  instinctive  nature  is  virtue  incarnated* 

^ois  is  to  repeat  what  Q^intilia  says  or  to  agx»ee  wit±i  Stello 

and  Renaud. 

Oautier  presents  the  synmathetic  persona  e  under  a  sli^^tly 
different  li^ht.  In  fact,  it  is  difficult  to  find  among  Oautier* a 
protagonists  any  vflio  are  linnedlately  sympathetic.  Of  all 
these  fi^roa  i*ho  appear  in  story  after  story  only  a  few  aeam 
to  liiia  worthy  of  sorioua  attention.  Tho  otliers  are  the  object 
of  his  ridicule,  often  gentle  and  scnetlraes  far  fron  obvious 
but  nevertheless,  sufficient  to  deter  tho  tinwary  reader  frora 
any  exorbitant  adral  ration,  ITven  those  protaconiots  tftiora  wo 
may  consider  as  sympathetic  beoorao  ao  only  aa  the  result  of  a 
certain  convornion  in  their  oriclnal  attitude.  Such  a  conversion 

(1)  Balzac,  iJrsule  HJrouet,  242, 

(2)  Balzac,  t^   Famne  de  tx*ente  ans<  118, 


212. 

is  coranon  to  Rodolphe  (Celle-ci  et  celle-la),  Tlburc©  (La 
Tolacai  d*or),  and  d*  Albert  (gad<»!iolselle  de  Maupln)#  They 
beccsne  truo  artists  rather  than  impotent  dilettantes  because 
they  accept  ordinary  reality  without  oi^jhing  after  Inpi^obablo 
fantasies.  Exactly  the  same  facts  apply  to  each.  They  are 
alike  romanticists  v*io  follow  a  fashion  and  do  not  find 
satisfaction  in  it.  They  are  romanticists  irf:io  aj?e,  thereupon, 
converted  to  tiie  chaiwis  v-snt   exist  In  reality  unspoilt  by 
an  artificial  convention,  cliaiins  more  difficult  of  access 
but  grounded  deeper  in  truth.  They  accept  what  nature  offers 
and,  in  so  doln^j,  find  themselves  discardln.^  the  superficial 
interpretations  of  beauty  at  the  sane  tine  t^iat  they  feel  the 
necessity  for  expression  of  anotSier  type  of  beauty  throu^  art. 

The  sympathetic  porsona^'^e  is  neceaaarily  the  vii»tuous  personac©* 
Therefore,  to  discover  the  distinctive  characteristics  of 
the  authors'  favoured  "types"  is  to  discover  the  characteristics 
of  virtue  accoixilng  to  the  conception  of  the  particular 
author  in  question. 

Briefly,  then,  virtue  for  Chateaubriand  resides  in  nature 
(Chacta«)j  for  ttae,  de  Stael  in  the  woman  \^io  lives  by  the 
dictates  of  nature,  that  is,  by  love  (Delphlne)j  for  Hugo  in 
the  laan  of  the  people  who  has  remained  so  close  to  nature  as 
to  seem  almost  in  Tonconscious  hannony  with  it  (Quaslinodo), 
For  Vlfjjiy  virtue  resides  In  the  intellii^ence,  an  intelllGonc© 
rooted  in  instinct  and  so  in  nature  (Chatterton),  Notice  tlmt 
Stello  admires  C!hatterton»s  Drlraltlvlsm:  " —  Avoir  alnsl 


213. 


d^poullle  l»hoime  riodcmel"  (l)  For  Saiul  virtu©  resides  In 
pure  feellns  (Indiana,  laxcrezla,  Jeanne).  Marie  describes 
Jeanne  in  these  terms  x  "—  ComblGn  do  fois,  par  des  ifilsons 
de  pur  sentiment  et  avec  la  lumiere  naturelle  de  son  §n©,  elle 
ra'a  revelc  des  v^rltos  sublines  que  mes  lectures  m'avalent 
fait  sexilenent  nreasentirl"  (2)  Of  Ixicre'zla  3and  writes: 
",,.,  aals  helasl  I'luaour  etait  sa  vict  en  cessant  d* aimer, 
elle  dovnit  cesser  de  vlvre,"  (3) 

For  Balzac  virtue  consists  in  the  Innate  soc5al  feeling 
(Ursule,  M,  Benassis)*  It  consists  especially  In  certain 
social  functions,  V/hen  he  describes  the  connotations  of  tlaree 
of  these  functions  he  represents  M,  Benassis  as  qIvItiq  his 
reascms  for  his  choice  of  profession.  M.  Benassis  ro^rds 
the  cur^  the  doctor,  and  the  Justice  of  the  peace  as  the 
tliree  principal  elements  necessary  to  the  existence  of  society- 
conscience,  health,  and  property.  He  cpea   on  to  shov  the 
union  of  the  natural  with  the  social  to  be  the  true  necessity 
of  virtue  and  to  point  out  that.  If  civilization  is  to  spread, 
the  people  oust  be  made  to  understand  the  way  in  i*iich  the 
interests  of  the  individual  harmonize  with  national  interests. 
As  these  three  professions  deal  vrith  these  issues  of  human 
life,  he  considers  them  to  be  the  most  powerful  clvlllzln{5 
agents  of  the  time*  (4) 


(1)  Vlf^y,  Stello.  62, 

(2)  Sand,  Jeanne <  177. 

(3)  Sand,  Lucr^zia  I'^loriani,  269, 
DalBac^  "XjO  WdecJn  d!e  oanpa^yie,  60,61, 


(3) 
(4) 


214. 


For  Gautler  virtue  Is  roprosented  T  7  the  artist  and  since 

tlie  artist's  goal  is  beauty,  virtue  for  Oautier  is  beauty. 

It  is  recognised  by  tiie  sonsea  and  eo  la  dependent  on  foeling. 

Now  Balzao  likewise  makes  virtue  dependent  on  art  Just  as 

Gautler  does  alttiou^  for  Balzac,  the  art  vftilch  supplementB 

or  corroctfl  nature  is  a  certain  type  of  society  vshereas,  for 

Gautler,  the  art  which  supplements  or  corrects  nature  Is  one 

of  the  fine  arto,  Ursulc,  for  oxejaplo,  la  typical  of 

balzaclan  virtue.  She   is  a  vfouan  and  j-pvomed,  therefore,  by 

Instinctive  feeling.  So  far,  good.  But  there  are  oosslbilltles 

of  evil  in  natxirc  as  Balsac  presents  it  and  It  is  tiie  part 

of  a  virtuous  social  tradition  to  eliriinate  or  prevent  the 

evil  fi?om  developing.  He  writes  of  Ursule  Mirouet: 

Ureule  apprcnait  on  se  Jouant,  La  relit?lon  contenalt 
la  r^flexion,^  Abandonnife  a  la  divine  ctilture  d'un 
naturol  araene  dana  des  r(5^1onn  puree  par  ces  trois 
prudents  Instltuteurs,  Ursule  alia  plun  vora  le 
sontli-ient  quo  vorn  le  devoir,  ct  prlt  pour  regie  de 
conduit©  la  volx  de  la  conscience  plutot  que  la 
lol  soolale,  Choz  clle,  le  beau  dans  les  sentiments 
et  dans  les  actions  devalt  ©t3?e  spontane:  le  . 
jiAgeraent  ^onflrmeralt  l*<^lan  du  coeur,  Elle  etalt 
destlnee  a  falre  le  blen  conirae  un  plaislr  avant  de 
Xe  fail*©  coimae  mio  obligation,  Cetto  nuance  est 
le  propre  de  1»  education  clir^tlonne,  (1) 

Of  the  baron  de  Guonic  Balzac  writes t 

II  avait^es  rellr^ions,  des  continents  pour  alnsl 
dire  Innes  qui  le  dloponsaltext  de  m^dlter,  Ses 
devoirs,  11  loc  avait  apprls  avec  la  vie.  Les 
tosti tut ions,  la  Keligion  pensalent  pour  lul,  (0) 

Just  so  does  Gflutlep  recor-nlzo  the  possibility  of  ugliness 
(evil)  in  natxire.  But  d»Albort,  tlie  artist,  possesses  virtue 


(1)  Balzac,  Ursule  Mirouet,  59, 

(2)  Balzac,  Beatrix.  "^ 


215. 


find  represents  it  becaiise  hie  artistic  intelligence  is  able 
to  see  th©  true  beauty  that  natiire  does  offer,  a  beauty  that 
to  him  appears  incomparably  superior  to  the  artificial  bewity 
of  the  salons,  D* Albert  Is  woary  of  being  shut  up  in  hijiaelf. 
He  v«»lte8s  " — J'ai  beau  falre,  jo  n'ni  pu  oortlr  de  nol  un© 
minute,"  (1)  But  one  evening  In  a  garden  ho  discovers  that 
natuz>e  can  give  hla  the  satisfaction  society  fails  to  jjive. 
He  writes;  "—  Je  ne  pensais  pas,  je  ne  rivals  pas,  j'etals 
confondu  avec  la  nature  qui  m'envlronnait— —  J'etais  tout  oela, 
et  Je  ne  crois  pas  qu'll  solt  possible  d'etre  plus  absent  de 
•oi-nt^e  que  Je  I'etais  a  oet  instont-la,"  (2)  Neither  art 
alone  nor  nature  alone  possesses  complete  virtue,  Ai^  muat 
work  in  conjunction  with  nature  and  d*Albert,  the  artist,  imist 
find  his  satisfaction  through  nature  and  express  nature  ttirouGh 
th©  Intelll^^ic©  in  ordor  to  inco.mnto  time  virtue,  Gautler 
sees  virtu©  only  in  th©  artist  who  reveal3_  the  beauty  of  tlie 
external  universe  through  his  art  —  not  in  the  artist  v*io 
Is  content  to  feel  that  beauty  without  expressing  it, 

Balzac  and  Gautler  are,  tJierofore,  in  acreement  and  tlxey  botii 
differ  soraeisdiat  from  the  other  ronanti cists  in  the  presentation 
of  virtue.  It  le  obvlouu  that,  for  these  latter,  virtue 
resides  not  in  correct  judr-cient  nor  pMlosophlcal  reasoning 
but  in  th©  develoiaoent  of  th©  rudely  instinctive  part  of  sian's 
nature.  Virtue  is  nature.  To  put  it  into  another  fom. 


(1)  Oautier,  Madenoisellc  de  Maupln,  97, 

(2)  Ibid,.  12?. 


21S. 


Chactas*  for  example,  la  completely  virtuous  as  long  as  h© 

l8  cor.  letely  iiatural.  In  Hut;o  it  la  only  tiie  people  ^s^io 

possess  virtue,  who  are  virtue,  for  tiiey  do  not  recognize  the 

social  laws,  do  not  even  know  or  understand  them.  Their  only 

Iftw  lies  in  tiio  necessities  of  tlielr  natures.  l*'or  Vi^ny 

virtue  x^sides  in  the  poet  who  lias  rwaained  true  to  nature 

(to  his  nature)  and  hence  has  eschewed  action.  In  this  Vigny 

ehom  himself  to  be  in  direct  opposition  to  Oautler  for  the 

artist,  to  Gautier,  is  not  virtuous  if  he  roaalns  in  tae 

realm  of  pure  foellng  since  art,  after  all,  is  action,  Mnie, 

de  Stael  and  Sand  see  the  wonan  as  closer  to  instinctive  nature, 

as  more  purely  feeling  than  man.  Hence  their  virtue  is 

usually  symbolized  through  woaaan  i>athcr  t!aan  man,  i%aoul  tells 

Constance : 

—    .'araour,  nous  ebions  l-len  d'accoi'd  la-deosus, 
c'est  I'ldo^al  cle  l»tf -vll'   '       \lsque  c'eat  le 

supr^ie  effoi.'t  vers  l*ast:. .^'cion  des  ^uos*,^.-. 

Vplla  ce  qui  est  aiTivrf;     Je  ne  suls  plus  ton 
egal,   (1) 

They  agree,  however,  witli  Vijiy  and  make  the  artist  also 
representative  of  virtue,  thus  reoognisini^  Ms  kinship  with 
wonan  and  his  equal  corsmmion  with  nature,     Sand  also  agrees 
witli  Hugo  and  finds  virtue  to  be,  after  :ai,  incarnated  in  the 
peasant  iid;iosG  life  is  so  close  to  nature  as  to  be  indistinguish- 
able from  it.     The  peasant  ploughing  his  field  is  as  xaatOi  a 
part  of  the  unified  picture  of  iiatui'al  life  as  are  his  horses 
or  tho  earth  itself,    (2) 


(1)  Sand,  Constance  Vcrrier,  242, 

(2)  See  tlie  introduction  to  La  Marf>  au  diable« 


I 


217. 


Yet  Balzac  and  Goutlei*  do  not  entirely  dleagree  with  their 
"cllow  r^5iaaiitlcl3tc.  For  thean  too  the  source  of  virtue  mist 
rirst  of  all  be  In  nat'ai*©.  The  society  w'llch  sustains  It,  the 
art  tidilch  recosnlsea  It,  .uv»-  no  criterion  of  jud{pEnent  ^*Llch 
goes  beyond  nature  to  supersede  Miat  ?.d  natural  by  ?ihRt  is 
intolll^ent,  SuggiiIg  never  ceaaes  to  live  by  feeling  nor 
d* Albert  to  Joiow  beauty  throui^i  his  senses*  D" Albert,  however, 
finds  a  foza  In  this  natural  becuty  and  moiilds  it  throu^Ja  the 
Intelll^^ence, 

On  the  contrary,  Vl^ny's  Stello  sees  only  the  Ideal  In  nature 
and  Injects  the  physical.  The  tnatter  ^-ahich  reives  body  to  the 
spirit  is  for  luiin  alien  and  undesirable.  In  fact,  i#ille  Mne* 
de  Stael  and  Sand  represent  absolute  virtue  throu^  wonen,  the 
rfXiianticlsts  in  general  represent  nan  not  so  rmioh  as  absolute 
virtue  bi.it  ae  rotentially  absolute  virtue.  Jl\i,fj*  a   heroes 
represent  -virtue  only  vsfiien  this  virtue  is  enbolllshed  by  their 
contact  vvitli  tiiose  otlier  elements  whitdi  wore  needed  to  complete 
it*  This  element  for  Jean  Valjean,  for  example,  is  love*  The 
l>otential  absolute  of  virtue  In  Chactan  wotild  be  reached  were 
he  to  aabrace  the  Catholicism  he  Intends  eventually  to  accept* 
K«ioe  nature  and  whi\t  Is  natural  In  virtue  but,  for  Balzac, 
for  Oautior  too,  a  certain  foira  nuot  be  given  to  the  natural 
in  or«der  that  It  attain  to  tlio  absolute  of  virtuef  for  liuso, 
Vl^iy,  aid   Cliatoaubriajid,  a  corta5.n  element  must  be  especially 
developed  in  nature  in  order  that  it  reach  this  same  absolute; 
for  Gand  imd  I'too*  de  Stael,  tlie  virtue  is  absolute  in  woman 
for  she  contains  in  herself  the  two  bluest  forms  of  feeling;. 


218. 

Tx^onnior,  for  instance,  rrrltcn   tJmc  to  Iiella: 

l^nor^s  do  I'hoiane,  n*avez;-vous  pas  ''*'  —  -  (j  a 
aon  naux?  lie  -^r-averi-viun  donnep  aux        n 
peu  do  la  science  que  Dlou  vous  a  dosm^ei   (1) 

llxus  Delplxlno,  Corlnno,  r<ella,  Lucresla,  and  Therese  ~  symbols 

of  the  dlvlno  In  nature  —  are  incapable  of  falling  belov 

perfection. 


The  question  as  to  \diether  the  virtue  thus  repreoentoci  is  in 
accordance  with  observation  nay  be  raised  and  the  probability 
of  tiio  symbols  thus  chosen  nust  be  questioned*  That  the 
savage  is  endoiwd  with  the  kindliness,  refinonent  of  emotion, 
and  wisdoa  of  a  Qiactas  is  certainly  problenatio.  That  the 
people  contain  the  germ  of  virtue  in  lii^her  degree  than  the 
other  classes,  tlxls  too  seems  unlikely.  Tlrxat  woraan  is  nec- 
essarily virtu©  does  not  agree  with  ordinary  observation.  Nor 
does  it  seem  inevitable  that  the  peasant  should  incarnate  all 
virtue  and  refinement  as  in  Jeanne,  for  Instance,  while  in 
another  of  Sand's  tales  the  same  cannisciencc  and  inhunan 
per'^ection  bocomos  the  scientist's  share.  Yet  the  virtue  is 
not  ascribed  to  the  Individual,  Jeanne's  superiority,  for 
example,  does  not  depend  so  much  on  her  existence  as  an  indiv- 
idual as  it  does  on  her  relationsliip  to  nature,  a  relationsMp 
due  to  lier  peasant  life  and  her  peasant  simplicity.  That  this 
relationship  is  less  observed  tlxnn  it  is  postulated  is  tlie 
necessary  conclusion  from  the  ccaaparison  of  some  of  the  different 
conooptions  of  virtue  mentioned  above.  If  superlative  viirtue, 

(1)  Sand,  Lelia.  I,,  62. 


219. 


aa  Vlgny  sayt*  reaideii  in  th«  poet  and  only  In  the  poet^ 
th«n  his  observe tiona  differ  profotmdly  firata  Rugous  ito 
places  superlative  virtue  in  the  people*  B^oth  differ  from 
BAlaae  iho  places  miperlative  virtue  In  txvdltlon  or  froM 
CatutteaubrlaiMi  itno  places  It  in  natural  rellgloa.  Ttm 
difference  xoust  lie  in  the  subject  not  the  object^  for  virtue 
in  the  xuiiverse  aust  be  objectively  the  mtmm  even  thou^  it 
be  Isaaglned  differently*  9he  K&thov  apparently  postulates 
his  idea  of  viz*tue  and  creates  tiie  individual  pex*8onage  to 
correspond  to  it«  Hence*  if  the  peasant  has  a  peculiar  claim 
to  virtue  in  Sand*s  eyes,  Jeanne  laust  be  unusually  virtuous 
because  she  is  a  peasant  v^iereas  Stello  is  unusually  virtuous 
In  Vigny*e  eyes  because  he  is  a  poet*  The  virtue  all  these 
sytoboXs  x^presenty  therefore »  is  not  the  result  of  iaaiedlate 
observation.  Thaj  are  ideal  symbols  created  to  correspond  to 
an  idea  of  reality  originally  obtained  from  observation « 
pex4iaps«  but  later  subjected  to  the  author's  individual  feeling* 

Crime* 

Hie  element  of  crime  in  the  universe  cannot  of  couinse  be  over- 
looked no  matter  how  optimistic  the  roriantioist*  If  crime  is 
lnevitable«  then  the  faitli  in  nature  as  the  infallible  pz*odueer 
of  good  nfiist  falter*  Evil  as  symbolised  in  the  criminal » 
therefox>e«  is  one  of  the  most  illuminating  of  the  roraantlolst 
ocmceptions.  Even  more  so  is  virtue  as  symbolised  in  the 
oriminal* 


220. 


Tlie  figure  of  Um>  orimlnal  appfare  onXj  in  BaXzao^  Hu^o,  and 
Sand,     Tills  is  a  oortacntary  on  tlie  fact  that  Qiatoaubriand, 
ne.  de  Stael«  Vigny,  and  Gautier  are  losa  concerned  with  the 
crime  «^i(di  spxdn^a  frcsa  evil  than  tii^  are  with  tl^ie  actual 
sources  of  tliat  evil.     As  a  large  el«aent  in  society,  however, 
it  is,  of  course,  impossible  for  Balzac  to  neglect  it,     Hugo 
appears  to  be  ohlefly  concerned  vritli  those  cleraents  in  life 
^ihich  suffer  nost  frcm  a  mcuunade  social  orcanization  since  his 
principal  porsonaces  represent  the  results  of  evil. 

The  criiainal  is  a  coramon  figure  in  Uuqo*  a  v7orIc  but  he  is, 
ordinarily,  a  sytapatlietio  percona^je.     This  is  true  of  Sand 
liko?ri8e  but  the  criminal  ia  tiie  exception  in  her  wox^  rather 
than  the  rule,     Trenr^or  in  L^lia  is,  poi^haps,   the  most 
interesting  example.     He,  too,  is  a  ayiqpathetic  figure.  In 
Balzac's  work  the  criminal  appears  In  the  figure  of  Farirabesclio 
In  Le  Cure  de  vlllar.e.     But  the  difference  in  attitude  betv/een 
Hugo  and  Balzac  in  regard  to  society  is  icsaediately  apparent 
hex>e.     To  Balzac  Farrabesche  is  the  reformed  criminal.     As 
such  he  is  a  sympatlietio  figure.     Out  Jean  Valjean,  vftio  made 
himself  a  criioinal  for  lutnanity's  sake,  was  never  a  c^^irainal 
in  Hugo's  eyes,     Yet  vdiether  tliey  have  been  or  are  Ci^irninals, 
Claude  Gueixx,  Jean  Valjean,  Ti>enraor,  and  Farrabesche  are  alike 
represented  as  saints.     In  what  tlien  does  their  crime  consist 
and  in  vAiat  tlxoir  virtue? 

Jean  Valjean  and  Claude  fluexix  are  ti»eatGd  similarly,  liave 
coraaitted  the  sniae  criine,  and  are  of  the  sane  patient,  non- 


221. 


comprehending  teraperoaent.  There  is  not  necessarily,  therefore, 
injustice  and  hate  in  crixne  since  neitlier  exists  in  the 
instinctive  nan  Claude  Guexix  nor  Jean  Valjean,  Vfliat  does  exist 
is  natural  necessity.  Crime  in  thoin  In  tlie  result  of  poverty 
and  hunger  not  of  natural  viciousness.  Crime  is,  in  fact, 
tlie  result  of  natural  beneficence  for  it  is  to  satisfy  the 
needs  of  the  ooor  and  wee^  that  Claude  Gueux  and  Jean  Valjean 
become  criminals.  Hence  their  first  crime  is  the  result  of 
love  rather  than  hatred.  If  crime  is  a  violation  of  the  social 
convention,  tlien  Jean  Valjean  woxild  be  criminal.  Bjut,  to 
Hugo,  crime  is,  ratiaer,  an  outrage  attains t  natural  love.  Hence 
society  is  represented  as  the  criminal  and  Jean  Val.lean  as 
the  saint.  Thus  Jean  Valjean* s  suffering;  becomes  a  paradox 
and  Hugo  represents,  throu^  his  sentimental  symbolism,  the 
fact  that  society  itself  must,  tlicrefore,  be  a  paradox. 

Social  crime  is.  In  Hugo,  equal  to  natural  virtue  and  t*ius 
his  symbol  mokes,  in  sentijuental  fashion,  an  indictnent  of 
society.  In  Sand,  tiae  emphasis  varies  ijut  the  paradox  remains. 
fSiereas  Jean  Val.loan's  crime  was  the  result  of  need,  Trennor's 
crimes  weie  the  result  of  passions  connon  to  all  human  nature 
but  carried  in  liim  to  the  extx»ecie  of  self-indulgence. 
H«ace  it  is  possible  to  say  that  Tronmor,  too,  is  punished 
by  constituted  society  because  lie  haa   confonned  to  nature 
rather  than  to  society.  The  Sandlan  syabol  cai^ries  to  the 
extreme  of  logic  the  premise  Uvlqo  rrmy  have  nought  to  restrain 
within  the  limits  of  the  probable.  The  paradox  in  Sand's  vwrk 
appears  in  tlie  fact  that  she  represents  Tienrior's  subsequent 


222. 


virtue  as  duo  to  the  same  passions  vdiich  load  made  of  hlrt  a 
crinlnal*  Troniaor  has  known  all  paaalon  and  his  suffering 
has  made  his  pasalon  result  In  love  and  understandlnf^  of  his 
fellow  man,  Stenlo  th«i  describes  hlia  as  "la  vertu 
parsonnifie©'*  (1)  and  his  friend  Edmeo  desicnates  Ti?©ninor*s 
hunanltarlaniaa  and  the  project  Inspired  by  it  as  "co  vm.9 
subline".  (2)  St^lo  addrosoes  Irenmor   In  the  presence  of 
Uag^us  In  those  exalted  texws:  "  —  ....  vases  d*^lectloni 
saints  qui  etes  aortis  d'un  calerien  et  d'tai  protrel  "  (3) 

Crlno  In  Trennor  results  In  humanltarianlsm  just  as  it  did 
in  Joan  Valjean.  Treranor  seeks  to  'jive  nan  political  freedoaa 
uhereas  Jean  Valjeon  seeks  to  give  man  material  freedom* 
Both  actvially  are  trying,  therefore,  to  give  man   the  freedora 
\iflilch  will  result  fi»oni  doralnatlnc  society  rather  than  being 
dominated  by  it.  Crlrae  in  Sand  as  in  Hugo  is  natural  and 
shows  a  nature  capable  of  tlio  love  of  hunanity.  The  arsument 
is  tliat,  if  this  is  so,  society  must  be  unnatural.  The  evil 
is  in  vAiat  Is  unnatural  —  In  society  —  and  ci^ime  is  the 
atti?ibute  of  society  not  of  nature. 

"aei'e  IIu^p  and  Sand  oppose  society  to  nature,  Balsac  opposes 
one  society  to  anotlior.  Hence  Balzac  recognises  t3iG  criminal 
as  such  tsdiereas  Hugo  and  Sand,  in  denying  the  responsibility 
of  nature^  deny  crime  In  nature.  But,  though  PaxTMabes die's 

(1)  Sand,  Leila,  I.,  47. 
^2)  Ibid. .T.\.  100. 
(3)  ICTd..  II,,  334. 


223. 


crimes  are  Uie  result  only  of  his  nattiral  passions,  hla  Dr>etiim 
td  society  le  a  return  to  family  life  and  to  a  life  iniled  by 
tradition  not  by  Individual  ambition.  He  is  Ixencoforth  iniled 
by  faiaily  love  and  not  by  egoistic  passions.  Crime,  In  Balzac, 
results,  accordlncly*  from  the  eco  and  is  i*edeemod  by  its 
exile  from  tiie  society  based  on  ecoism  and  its  return  to  a 
different  society,  a  society  baaed  on  true  social  love»  '^ib 
hunanitarlanlffia  of  tiie   criminal  in  Hug©  and  Sand  becoaes,  in 
Balsftc,  tlie  love  of  family,  of  rel5.,;ion,  and  of  social  tradition, 
Hevertlieless,  the  symbol  is  surprisingly  alike  In  all  tliree 
auttiors  sine©  evil  has  its  source  in  ttio  constituted  socletyj 
virtue  its  source  in  an  exile  vghldi  forces  nan  to  find  his  life 
in  nature,  or  "n  a  society  vAvlch  repr^esents  the  social  lo^re 
in  nature* 

The  vlclousnoss  of  the  criminal  for  Huco  is  that  vlciousnoss 
which  battens  upon  society.  Ills  picture  of  Thenardier,  for 
example,  roay  be  exaggerated  but  is  not  improbable.  The  criminal 
exists  emd  it  is  possible  to  represent  the  criminal  as  obseirved 
in  society.  But  the  saintliness  of  the  criminsJ.  \s^o  rejects 
the  social  criterion  and  substitutes  as  his  standard  of 
Judgaent  the  feeling;  of  solidarity  with  lumlcind  is,  to  the 
ordinary  reader,  leas  self-evident.  Tlie  metamorphosis  which 
<rfian^ea  Jean  Valjoan  ovemit^it  so  that  bxMtcJ.  ignorance  becomes, 
straightway,  wise  humility  is  extremely  improbable.  Apparently 
this  clieiv;e  is  destined  to  conform  to  an  idea  since  It  scarcely 
conforms  to  pr^bioility.  Tlie  some  thin^^  is  true  of  Tronmor. 
That  the  idle  and  dissolute  criminal  should  forthwith  become 


yy4 . 


the  voice  of  wiodom  and  the  dlainterested  lovor  of  mankind 
Indicates  to  ttie   reader  a  theoretical  situation  offeiNsd  by 
Sand  aa  probable  in  spite  of  any  natural  dotibts  susgesteti  by 
experience,  llor  is  it  much  loss  liupi»obabls  that  Farrabesche, 
the  wild  and  reckless,  should  liave  beoomo  the  dependable  and 
devout  nan  he  is  shown  to  be.  The  autlior  who  presents  the 
orininal  as  a  saint  T/ho  is  more  saintly  than  the  oonmon  nan 
must  inevitably  seem  to  shai^  a  coimaon  prejudice  ^Ich  requires 
the  postulation  of  an  idealised  version  of  the  criminal 
personage. 


Love, 


Love,  in  Sand's  work,  is  in  bitter  opposition  to  society,  an 

opposition  more  articulate  and  raore  violently  expressed  than 

in  the  work  of  her  fellow  romanticists.  The  flcures  wiiich 

are  symbolic  of  the  ideal  love  oxprenn  a  nonaistont  eaulty 

toward  every  phase  of  society,  Leila's  scepticism  is  less  a 

condemnation  of  love  than  it  is  an  indiotrient  of  society. 

Society  has  made  the  existence  of  love  impossible,  Lelia 

complains  bitterly  to  Pulcherlct 

—  Hals  telle  que  je  suis,   Je  voudrals  d'une  vertu 
quo  j©  puBS©  conprendre;      et,   conn.ie  iioa  f^.io  aepijcait 
a  la  vertu  par  1' amour,   je  ne  coinp rends  plus  I'un 
sans  I'autre,     Je  ne  puis  pas  aliaer  lUmuumlteT*  oar 
ell©  est  peinrerse,  cuplde  et  lache,     II  faudralt 
croiro  a  son  pi^ogres  ©t  Je  n©  1©  pexxx.  pas,  — >-• • 
C'eat  ainsl  que  tout  easal  do  cette  vie  ideale  a 
mlserableiient  ^clioue^entre  des  etz*e8  qui  eussent  pu 
s* identifier  l*un  ^  1* autre,   sotxs  I'oell  d©  Dleu, 
dan©  un  monde  neillcur.    (1) 

(1)   Sand,  r^ia.   I.,  1B9, 


225. 


Pulcherlo  replies » 

—  La  fauGC  on  eat  v.Oiic  a  la  soclet^i^  (1) 

But  Sand  haa  not  waited  for  tiie  bitter  disillusionment  of  a 

Leila  to  serve  as  tb.e  Judge  of  society.  In  Indiana  ah&   begins 

her  attack.  If  Ralph,  vfi\o   exeinpllflec  true  i'oason,  condemns 

ooclety,  Indiana,  v.-lio  Is  the  perfection  of  love,  agrees  with 

hlia: 

Indiana  r      — '"       ::  lntorotr>  dc  In.  civilisation 
friges  Cii  .     i,  1g3  ide'ea  droltos^et  lea 

lola  eiraplGB  du  bon  oens  do  I'liunanlto.    (2) 

The  visitor  to  the  carthl  -  paradise  r/here  Indiana  and  Ralph 

have  round  tlielr  Ixappineaa  in  seclusion  Is  the  Interlocutor 

i4io  occasions  Sand's  reply  through  the  words  of  her  favoured 

creation,  llalph,     T!i©  visitor  says: 

—  ^uelquen  'wralistes  f^r'.  votre  oolitude; 
lis  pr^t^ident  que  tout  i  appartient  a  la 
aocl^td',  qui  le  reclame.     On  ajoute  que^vous 
donnez  aux  honties  un  exemple  dangereux  a  sulvre, 

Ralph  replies: 

—  La  socle te  no  dolt  rlen  exlge^  de  oelul  qui 

n* attend  rien  d'elle,— —  4"u,ant  a  la  contagion  de 
1* exemple,  Je  n*y  crols  pas,  nonsleurj  11  faut 
trop  d'cner^^le  de  rp'npvo   avec  J,g  r:onde,  trop  de 
douleurs  pour  acqueidi*  cotte  energle.  — --  Ne 
rompe::  i^'Oti^t  Iog  c'l'aVi.oQ  qui  -Kf^^is   l.ient  a  la  ^ 
Bocl^te'',  rospectez  see  lois  si  dies  vpus  pi70te£;ent, 
prises  ses  ju^einents  s'lls  vous  sont  equltablec; 
nmls  si,  qiielque  jour  elle  vous  calomnle  et  vous 
z*epousse,  ayes  nssez:  d'ori;;;uoll  pour  savoir  vous 
passer  d*elle.  (3) 

yi^entlne  likewise  is  oorientod  by  the  same  anti-social  spirit. 

Sand  writes:  "Pauvres  feruieal  pauvre  socle  to  ou  le  coeur 

n'a  do  verltables  jouissances  que  dans  I'oubll  de  tout  devoir 


CD  Sand,  LQliu,  I.,  139. 
(2)  Sand,  Indiana,  152, 
(S)  Ibid,,  333. 


226.- 


©t  de  touto  ralaoni"   (1)     Sie  inspires  -Benedict,  the  idsal 

lovor  or  the  novel,  with,  trie  liatred  of  society,  a  vaguo 

prlml  tlvtsia,  and  tho  Intention  to  retreat  to  a  rustic  aolitudo. 

Jacques,   the  apostle  of  love,   sutia  up  Sand's  oai'ly  attitude i 

-~  Je  n^ai^x^s  chttii^e  J'^vla,   Jo  ne  rie  suis  pas 
reconcllle'  avec  la  socle te^  et  le  marl age  est 
toujour  a,   solon  riol,^uri©  d8,8  plus  barbarofi  insti- 
tutions qu'elle  alt  ebsuohees*   (2) 

Love  la  represented  as  the  goal  of  human  life  and  an  existence 
without  love  Is  the  (greatest  calamity  possible  to  the  rcsnantlc 
personage.     This  is  Bone's  tjmgedy  as  it  Is  Mile,  d*Albemar*8. 
fha  l&tter  wx*ltes:     "->«  Lea  f^ssnes  n*<mt  d* existence  que  par 
1* amour:     I'hlstolre  de  leur  vie  cc«anejice  et  finlt  avec 
1* amour*"  (3)     M,  de  Lebenaei  might  be  a  second  Rene  as  h« 
writes t     "-- .  L'iMposoibillt^de  s*  aimer  depouillo  la  vie  du 
pi*emler  bonheur  que  lul  avalt  destine  la  natax>e«"   (4)     Silvia 
writes  her  credo  to  Jacques:     "~  Je  sals  quo  I'araour  seul 
est  quolque  chose,  je  sals  <|u»H  n'y  a  rlen  d* outre  sur  In 
terre.**   (5)     And  Jacques  replies:     •*—  II  n*est  qu'un  bcmheur 
au  aonde,  c'est  I'aiaourj     tout  le  rests  n'est  rien,  et  11 
faut  1* accepter  par  vertu,"   (6) 

To  attain  love  is  to  attain  God  since  God  Is  love*     It  is  the 


(1) 
(2) 


Sandf  Valentine.  117* 
.    .   Sand,  Jl'aoqueBr~5G* 
(5)  !&»*  de  Sta^,  Eelplxlne*  346, 
'4)  Ibid*.  532* 
\6)  Sand,  Jac(|iiea .  59* 
,6)   Ibid 


,  JacqTLi< 


love  Chactaa  experiences  for  Atala  that  will  X*&  trap ^mul-ed 
into  thfc  love  of  Uod.     The  prieet  tells  his  flock  to  love  cm© 
another  find  so  thoy  will  manifest  their  love  for  God*     It  is 
tlae  love  in  laajn  v*ii<ai  Is  the  indication  of  Ills  cneiieas  witJi 
God*     It  ia  thin  oneness  iftiich  iflll  result  in  t!).a  apotheosis 
of  typea  of  love  vliich  aro  not  d©fiii"'tely  religious. 

The  religion  I^liphlne,  for  cxnn^lo,  s^nbolises  is  the  alemfflit 
of  love*     Her  life  represents  the  principle  of  love  and  ths 
search  for  the  satiBfactlon  of  love*     This  Doaroh  encoiinters 
in  its  path  ttiQ  different  types  of  nattiral  love  p'llch  cucoe^ 
in  glvlns  satisfaction*     Of  these  different  types  of  natural 
love  all  belOH'^  to  nature;     all  are,   tJierefoire,  represented 
by  sympathetic  figures*     Thore  ia  I>I11g*  d»Alb^mar,  tfcxe*  de 
Belinont,  I4ce*  de  X^sbensei^  and  Haie*  de  Cerlebe,     fAlld*  d'AXbemar 
represents  religious  love  but  the  Sfttlsfactions  whlcli  religious 
love  may  find  In  nature  aro,   s>ie  acknovrledges,  only  sscond- 
Dost*     Religious  love  Is  a  result  in  hei»  of  her  incapacity  to 
inspire  earthly  love*     The  aspiration  of  religious  love  (of 
MUe*  d*Albec3ar)  laust  be  directed  towa3»l  heaven  before  having 
enjoyed  the  satlBfactions  w!ilch  belong?:  to  earth*     But  the 
element  of  loi'e  sums  up  the  nature  repreaented  in  all  ^'ansm* 
IIllc,  d»Albffmrir*B  statenents  corrobo^'ato  I>olphlne*s  as  to  the 
slgnificfmce  of  herself  on<1  ot  the  other  wonai  anperirln^t  In 
the  novel.     The  religion  w*iloh  Delphino  synibolizos  is  not  l^iat 
of  do(5Eia  but  of  love*     The  virtu©  she  symboliaes  is  not  that 
cf  frinciplea  but  a  virtue  determined  by  love*     Hor  beauty  is 
the  beauty  of  love*     Tlils  fact  malces  clear  the  reason  for  the 


228. 


uiiiai  of  th©  sysabol  of  religion,  virtue,  and  beauty  in  cno 
person.  Tlie  roliGlon  that  1«  utilltarianlam,  tiie  virtue  that 
is  Inpulslvc,  tiie  bonuty  that  is  nu.t\ira3.,  all  arc  Lolphiue 
for  I^IphlnG  is  love  and  tlxese  or-c  ita  qualities, 

oand  follGWB  im&»   de  Steel  ir.  using  wcaaen  as  the  eyiabols  of 
pcriect  love,  l^h©  perfection  in  thera  they  In  tuwi  seek  to 
discover  in  exterior  naturo.  The   pex^fection  ao  ccaiKitai  in 
Y/oman  —  so  universal.  In  fact,  in  the  ironan  uncorrupted  by 
society  —  ie,  however,  more  i?arely  present  in  laan.  'Shlu 
represents  Sand's  view,  as  it  does  l-ixaio*   de  Stael'a,  tlmb  tiM 
perfection  of  neture  is  love  and  that  txio  perx^ection  of  ruituro 
la  53orc  generally  present  In  wonsji  than  in  man*  llanlcincl*s 
angollc  tor^encica  are  reprenonted  ty   vooan.  She  is  feeling 
in  its  hlcihest  form,  feelinc  dlviniaed  as  lore.  L^lla,  for 
escaenplo,  knows  herself  to  b©  tl^e  perfection  of  love.  B»it  sli© 
desires  the  reasaurarice  tZait  will  be  here  if,  sisido  froa  loer 
subjective  experience)  of  the  divine  in  natuire,  sh*  mi^^t  aleo 
be  able  to  find  an  objective  o<:>rollary  to  tills  exporienoe. 
Her  conception  of  love  as  the  source  of  happiness  is  a 
repetition  of  Delphine's  attitude.  Bat  Delphiiie,  representative 
of  love  outside  aarrla^e,  aeeks  to  convert  her  love  into  the 
perfection  of  marrlod  love.  But  lAlia  is  the  neophyte  1*10 
doubts  the  existence  of  her  Ood  an^l  doubts  thfit  h«y  search  for 
this  CJod  Tfill  be  rewarded.  ICet,  even  in  her  tor1ra-r^  <^* 
indeolalon,  even  in  her  scepticlsia,  she  is  true  to  the  Ood  of 
l«>ve  whose  cxlctenco  she  doubts.  There  is,  Sa.id  believes, 
in  the  very  an^^i^  of  her  doubt,  an  afflnaaticwi.  Such  an 


229. 


arflxnation  in  Its  positive  fona  jraappears  in  Juliette 
wftiose  ^ahoXe  life  is  dominated  by,  imd  subbhkI  up  in,  love. 

The  love  nhioh  is  Indiana,  Valentine^  IiM.ia,  Juliette ^ 
Quintllia,  Eoid.  Sand's  mmerous  other  perfect  women,  is  re- 
presented as  passionate  love*  At  the  same  tlme^  love,  vhioh 
la  perfection,  is,  therefore,  divinity*  ^eae  woiaen  represent 
a  love  nhiiSi  confounds  passion  with  religion*  (I)  Already  in 
Chateaubriand  Am^lie  and  Atala  appear  to  repx^esent  tSie  two 
•lesMmts  —  passion  and  religion  — >  fused  and  unified  in  their 
perscms*  Xn  VkoBm   de  Stael's  vorfc  too  passionate  love  l!3ielphine) 
ymm  always  at  <me  with  religion. 

Bat  Sand  does  not  always  ascribe  to  perfect  love  the  same 
ohar«,oteriatios«  At  times  a  love  is  syxottolized  <--  in  Indiana, 
for  exQB^le  — >  #iose  spizdtual  quality  seeans  to  be  equivalent 
to  the  evanescent  passion  which  aocca^panies  it  and  seeaas,  in 
fact,  to  be  its  most  important  Ingredient.  At  times  it  is  a 
love  -*•  lucr^aiA,  for  instance  -«  which  is  assimilated  to 
Christian  cdiarity*  On  still  other  occasions,  ideal  love  -- 
I^Mrese-o  is  represented  as  a  maternal,  cherishing*  protective 
love*  That  she  seeana,  actually,  to  the  reader,  to  be  passionate 
love  does  not  prevent  Ssund  fz^xa  describing  her  passion  as 
oluixdty*  Sometimes  the  perfection  of  love  is  symbolized  in 
such  woraen  as  Ecbniie,  Consuelo,  and  Leucipi^*  It  is  thsn 
eternal  in  its  quality  and  lasts  even  beyond  life*  Sometimes, 

(1)  See  Seilliere,  Seor^e  Sand*  ftrstjque  de  la  passion*  de  la 

politique*  et  de  X'art* 


ii 


250. 


on  the  contvaxYt   t±uB  perfection  of  love  is  spaiaolised  in 
auch  a  msoan  aa  Femande*  iSne   appears  aa  love  but  as  a  love 
fihlch  is  Involuntary  In  her.  Love,  Indeed,  depends  on  God 
tacuig   therefore,  in  Its  direction  and  i&uc^tion,  is  indeptt^ent 
of  men's  will*  Therefore,  infidelity  in  love  —  Infidelity 
in  FemasKle  •»•  cannot  Im  blasied  since  sudi  infidelity  is  in 
the  nature  of  man  sncL   resides,  therefore,  in  tiie  divine  end 
not  in  the  hiasaxi;*  But  infidelity  in  love  is  inccHisistcnt  «ith 
eternity  in  love*  Fexnaade  as  a  eynbol  is  inconsistent  ,  that 
is,  with  Lfloeippe.  Bat,  thou^  Sand  is  not  consistent  in  the 
iiualities  liiich  ei»   ascribes  to  perfect  love,  she  is  oor.si$$t«it 
in  her  attitude  toward  woman  as  its  representative.  Wanaa.f 
because  i^e  is  love,  is  divine,  angel  rather  than  fle(^  and  blood* 

ISie  divine  origin  of  love  is  consciously  symbolized  in  the 
Xegmid  of  Evador  and  Leucippe.  ISie  woisian  receives  t2is  know* 
ledge  of  divixxity  and  love  from  tiie  "dive",  the  last  repvssent- 
ative  on  earth  of  a  race  partaking  of  the  godlike  nature*  The 
wemack   th«n  interprets  tdiese  universal  truths  to  man*  It  is 
Vt»  voaan  iribo  is  the  bond  betvesn  nan  and  the  source  of  know- 
ledge, the  "dive"*  Voawn  is  the  intezviediary,  therefore p 
between  isan  and  God*  Leucippe* a  knowled.^e  is  a  knowledge  of 
God  and,  therefore,  of  love*  Ihen  she  initiates  Evenor  to 
truth,  she  initiates  him  to  love  &rA  he  too  will  syaiboliae 
perfect  love*  Both  ISvenor  and  Leucippe,  tlierefore,  are  the 
perfection  of  love  and  beoaeie  the  carriers  of  a  new  gospel  to 
mankind,  the  gospel  of  love*  All  nature  is  the  msaifestation 


of  God*  8  love  and  it  is  throu^  love,  tliroiich  Leuelppe,  that 
Bvenor  coc^s  to  know  Ood«  (1) 

TiM  raystioiaoi  of  lovo  is,  in  fact,  ao  oXearly  stated  In  Sand 
that  It  is  the  most  Imnedlate  diaracterlstic  of  her  wor^c  to 
strike  the  att«itlon.  Thla  is  quite  plainly  the  case  also 
with  Chateaubzdand  and  I'^ne.  de  Stael.  It  la  no  leaa  obvioma 
In  EuGO»  The  sgnibol  of  natural  religion,  Biidiop  Magloire,  is 
the  ayabol  of  religious  love*  The  ideal  of  love  is  <xcm  of 
instlnetive  love  of  humasilty  and  inatlnctive  ootspaaaicm* 
Eaaaralda  i&ows  these  qualitiea  itktn   ahe  saves  the  imlmo«a 
Grlngoire  from  death  and  utien  ^e  ministers  to  Quasimodo  sufferins 
cm  the  pillory*  In  her  tdie  instinctive  love  is  tlie  love  of 
jfliysical  beauty  (i^oebus).  In  Fantine  the  instinctive  love  la 
passionate  love*  In  Cosette  it  is  the  love  of  t^e  natural 
virtue  (Jean  Valjean)  mincled  with  the  love  of  the  social  virtue 
(Marius)*  In  Derujdiette  love  is  a  spiritual  love  (love  for 
the  youni*  sinister,  the  Rererend  Joe  Caudray).  And,  finally, 
in  Dea  the  love  is  the  love  of  the  people  (Gvynplaine)*  The 
quality  of  their  love  is  detenained  by  its  object  for  this  love 
la  the  sole  determinant  in  thera  of  any  distinguislhing  character-* 
istio*  Wamx  tro  say  that  Dea  la  love  and  that  her  love  is  for 
the  people,  ve  are,  at  the  same  time,  identifying;  Dea  vitii  the 

(1)  The  some  allegorical  statement  appears  in  the  earlier  Lea 
sept  Conies  de  la  lyre*  There  Sand  expresses  tlie  same  pre" 
idorainanoe  of'  sentiment  over  reaaon  aa  a  guide  to  religloua 
truth*  The  spirit  of  the  lyre  slnsa  to  Il^l^net  "La  creation 
eat  le  oorpa  ou  le  vdtammt  de  Dieu|  elle  eat  infinie  eoBRie 
1» esprit  de  DlefU*  La  er^ation  est  divine;  I'esprlt  est  Dleu* 
-— «  Pille  des  hasmea,  ton  «tre  est  divln,  ton  amoor  eat  Dleu*" 
(  Sand,  Lea  sept  Cordes  de  la  lyre*  7S). 


» 


^5^. 


people  as  Ggv^ploine  do««t     "••«•  xaais  Dea,  c'etait  le  peuplel 

Doa,  c*etalt  I'orpheline,  c*etalt  l*aveugXe«  c'etait  l^^humsaltet"  (l! 

Thus  Emsralda  «lio  loves  beauty  l£  beauty.  Cosette  iho  loves 

the  social  outoast  ie^  tSie  social  outcast*  Hhen  she  eoraes  to 

love  the  representative  of  society  flh©  becomes  a  loeanbep  of 

society.  Deru^ette  nfoa   loves  the  spirit  is  the  spiritual 

aspect  of  nature*  And  the  daaract eristics  of  all  thete  lov«« 

(Kf   the  saans*  They  are  instinctive  and  cozT^assionate^  hcsEa«m« 

itazdsn  and  spiritual*  knA  once  nor*  it  is  in  woraan  that  love 

exists  in  its  ideal  fons* 

fhe  love  Vigny  represents  as  ideal  is  lilravise  a  ocnpassionatft 

love*  ©lis  is  a  spiritual  love  aMn  to  religious  charity*  It 

appears  syaibolised  in  !CLtty  Bell  but  it  also  appears  in  its 

ideal  form  in  the  poet,  in  Stello^  for  example*  Stello,  in 

defining  himself  as  EK>et,  also  defines  himself  as  love*  It  la 

the  principle  of  love  in  him  which  is  the  ?&ole  principle  of 

his  art*  It  will  be  recalled  that  he  es^resses  himself 

categorically  in  this  regard: 

—  Je  sens  s'^teindre  lea  <^lairs  de  1*  inspiration 
et  las  clartM  de  la  p9nB49  lorsque  la  foroe 
Ind^lnissable  qui  soutient  ma  vie*  I'Amour,  cess* 
dtt  ae  rempllr  de  sa  tfialeureuse  puisaaiieei     et* 
loxv^'i|>  circule  en  raoi,  toiat©  mon  ^aim  en  est 
llXunin^f^  Je  erois  comprtmdre  tout  it  la  toXB 
I'Etemlte,  yEspace,  la  Cr^tion,  lea  cr^turee 
•t  la  Destineei     e*«8t  alors  que  l*Illuaien»  i^imlx 
mx  pluaags  dore,  vient  se  poser  snr  mes  l^vres, 
et  cliante* 

Mais  je  crois  que«  lorsque  le  don  de  fortifier  lea 
faibles  ccomencera  de  tairir  dans  le  Poite*  alors 

(1)  Htif^o,  L^HoBPe  qui  rit*  III*,  208, 


233. 

susbI  tarira  aa  vlei     car»   s*il  n*est  bcm  a  tous« 
11  n*«at  plus  bon  au  monde* 

J«  erola  au  oosr^at  otameX  do  notre  vie  int^i^eure« 
qui  f^onde  at  appelle^  oontx%  la  vie  ext«rij9(uz>e« 
qixi  tarlt  et  rapousaa.  at  j'lnvoque  la  pani^  d*«n 
hauty  la  plus  propre  a  ooncentrer  jet  rallumer  lee 
forces  poetlquea  da  ma  vie:     la  Devouonent  at  1& 
Pitla*   (1) 

This  la  Stello*3  distinctive  quality  as  a  poett     the  Inspiring 

love  Is  that  t^iioh  ha  daflnes  as  "devoumnent  at  pitl^"*     In 

this  Vi^!^«8  conception  of  love  resembles  Hugo's*     It  la  this 

type  of  love  liiilch  Is  dlvlnisted  and  STabollead  In  Hloa  as  it 

is  in  Kitty  I3ell,     It  la  apparent,  therefore,  that  Vi^jty  has, 

also,  through  th«s,  made  woman  l^e  symbol  of  Inspiration  «n& 

of  the  beauty  he  finds  in  life.     Bat  the  woman  thaxB  s^^bolisiid 

is  not  the  woman  as  natur«  has  created  her  <»  man's  naGi»*al 

«Mtay  --  the  Delilc^  iSio  breaks  man's  force  and  betx^ys  hira« 

astie  is  vKBOAn  considered  under  her  spiritual  aspect,  a  vamsn 

iAK>se  value  lies  in  her  power  of  devotion  and  pity  not  in  the 

raagnetiszu  of  her  sensuous  chazias* 

But  the  divine  eletrtmit  of  love  appears  more  frequ^itly  In  VhB 
poet  than  in  the  woman*     Stello'a  ccxipasrsion  and  his  desire 
to  sez^e  manlcind  is  <Knphasised  on  every  occasion*     It  is 
JHxlien's  love  of  humanity  idiioh  inspires  his  life*     The  poet 
becomes  the  intermediary  between  man  and  God  and  assuaes  th# 
role  ascribed  by  Chateaubriand,  ilns*  de  Stael,  Sand,  and  Hugo 
almost  exclusively  to  woman* 

(1)  Visny,  Steilo,  19* 


234. 


In  BftlsaCf  too,  the  Idoal  love  appears  in  wa2ian«     In  BeXs&e 
it  vears  alimys  t^ie  8sm»  aspect,     ^i^nie^  TTrsule,  %»«  de 
llort8«uf«  I%Be«  de  la  CSianterie^  all  sTniboXise  a  love  which  is 
a  devotion,  a  apirit^ial  love*     It  is  a  love  of  religion  (Ifiae* 
de  la  Chanterie)|     a  love  of  fenllj  and  of  religion  (VSxab*  de 
Mortsauf)|     a  love  of  the  traditicwial  aristocracy  (nr«ule)j     a 
love  of  the  traditional  devotions  (Plerrwtte)j     a  love  of 
rellsion  and  of  family  {Eii^ente).     T^icae  loves  are  not  exclusive 
of  esie  aziotiur*     TIm  presence  of  one  is  ^sosistent  tpltb  ttiother* 
Tioxa  tJrsule  irill  also  repzsisent  the  love  of  religion f     ltes« 
de  la  Chanterle  the  love  of  family*     The  love  whlcdi  they 
repx>esent  may  be  suxaaied  up  in  one  love,  the  love  of  sooisLl 
lai^dition,  a  love  v^hioh  sic^iifies  devotion  to  social  ideeOLs* 
TtiM  social  ideal  appears  in  them,  in  their  lovo,  as  a  society 
built  on  the  tradition  of  family,  aristocracy,  oad  Cathollcinw 
The  ideal  vastan  -«•  Pauline^  for  example  —  is  humble  and 
devotedj  "tout  espz^t,  tout  ^K>ur"*     Tkie  courtesan  siay  also 
be  the  vanan  and,  in  her  capacity  as  wonan,  she  too  nay  z*e« 
present  the  hi^est  feeling*  Um  divine  love.     Esther,  for 
eaifM^le,  in  her  wotnen's  role,  beoaeaiee  the  "an^  de  I'oeiour".    (1) 
Tiie  mmuod  who  is  love  is,  for  Balstac*  as  for  the  otiher  mdtem 
of  rosmiticisBt,  the  angel  too« 

Love  in  Oiateaoibriand  is  rell^-ious,  in  Vigny  and  Huso  hwrnan- 
Itaxdan,  in  Balxac  social  and  traditicwial.  In  Itete.  de  Stael 
and  Sand  love  is  passionate  and  s^itizoeoital.     In  Gautier  love 

(1)  Balsac,  Spleaideiirs  et  mis^res  des  oourtiaanes.  II.,  n72. 


235. 


ifl,  above  all^  beaatlfal*     Tlila  le  lllle.  dd  !Iaupin*s  clistinotlir« 
quality*     She  I0  tho  ideal  love  becauae  She  lo  the  ideal 
b«auty«     Z<Ofve  in  CSuteaubriend  leads  diz^ctly  to  God  as* 
direotly  or  indirectly «  it  does  also  in  the  \vox4c  of  the  other 
pamaaaticist&«     In  their  ^ork,  ho-arovor,  love  raorc  frcq^-iently 
l«ads  to  9od  throii^i  a  certain  specific  nodiucu     In  ltee«  de 
StMil  and  Sand  tlie  love  of  OcA  is  preceded  l^y  the  lovo  of  c^fni 
in  Hugo  it  is  preceded  by  tho  lore  of  the  crlxiinal,  of  the 
oppressed*  of  the  people  1     in  Balzac  by  the  lovo  of  social 
tradition^     in  Vigiy  by  the  love  of  poetry  and*  accordingly*  by 
the  love  of  tlio  life  of  intelligence 5     In  Gaiitier  bj-^  tho  love 
of  art* 

Ihat  pr€»eedes  God  as  tho  object  of  love  becomes*  in  bvqij  ease* 

tlie  intermediary  between  the  natiu*al  ideal  and  the  divine  ideal. 

The  divine  in  nature  is  x*epreo«ited  by  Gautier*  tlierefore*  as 

art  and*  iaoz«  particularly*  as  tlie  art  ^ich  is  a  naturiz^ 

roraantioiaau     Mlle«  de  Msupin  is  t^ie  love  which  typifies  the 

(AwxxQb  from  th&  esEaggeratlc^i  of  1850  to  tlie  laaturity  liiich 

invokes  intelligence  as  well  as  feeling;.     Tho  fact  that 

IntoUigsntM  has  a  share  in  the  ideal  beauty  sexnres  to  roleaso 

tho  individual  from  the  isolation  insepaz-able  from  the  ^/orld 

of  particulars  which  feeling;  alone  knows*     Love*  tliereforo*  in 

the  caoo  of  Mile*  de  Maupin*  leads  to  the  external  world* 

iSae  world  outside  the  self*  the  tTorld  in  which  art  is  found* 

D'Albert  writes: 

«.«  L'effirayant  silence  qui  regnsit  autour  de  sol 
est  r<xssf\i  %  la  fin*  — '•»»  Je  oois^rends  ime  nultltude 


236. 


de  oiiones  qiM  jo  no  comprtaMlm.  pas,  Je  decouvro 
des  affinit^  et  des  syR^>athie8  tnerveilleusde« 
j'entensls  la  lan£,Ti©  doa  roaes  et  dea  3;»os3l3noia, 
et  Je  lis  oouram^nt  le  llvx«  que  je  ne  pouvals 
pas  aine  ^eler«  -• —  G'est  l*ezioiu*.  c*est  X*ac>Krar 
qui,  a*  a  dessiUe  les  yeox  et  donna  le  mot  de 
I'eoigee*     J'^tais  le  spectateur  de  nol<«i^e»  Xe 
paz*terre  de  la  ooo^dle  que  je  jouals.  •«-«  Rlen 
du  va/mA/o  ext^rleur  m^arrlvait  jusqu'a  :3on  ^^. 
L*ex£at«iee  de  qui  que  oe  solt  ne  n*etait  neeessairei 
je  doutals  tamska  dc  toute  autre  esdLstor.oo  auc  do 
la  ntienne^  dont  Mi^ore  Je  n'etais  gu'^re  sul'*     H 
lie  SMkbXait  que  j'otais  soul  au  lailleu  de  X*iiiilvers, 
et  que  tout  le  reete  n*^ait  que  f!»e$8«  imagM, 
^aiaee  llluslozm,  ax^pai'saices  fusltlves  destines 
a  peppier  ce  nefant*  •—  ^eXXe  difftff'enceS   (X) 


Love  of  tiie  true  deity  (or  of  his  repres«itatlve  on  earth) 
is  t}ie  fonmiXa  for  saXvation  with  aXX  the  romanticists*     As 
«e  have  seen,  the  deity  may  vary  but  Xove  is  aXvays  th»  way. 
The  resuXt  of  this  in  the  psychoXoglcftX  treatm«it  of  tae 
pex^onages  is  the  reduction  of  psyclioXogy  to  sudden  conversiOTis 
lAtltih  z^seabXe  reXicious  conversions.     The  resuXt  in  regard 
to  the  pXot  structure y  th«ae  and  deveXoranent,  is  of  interest 
in  l^iat  the  sinilarity  of  the  treatnent  of  pers(»iage  and  the 
oQOBxm  syiobolic  treatment  of  Xove  nakes  certain  simiXarities 
of  pXot  and  structure  inovitabXe* 

Religi<m« 

ReXicion  as  such  does  not  enter  Gautier's  wox^  at  ail.     His 
interest  is  confined  entirely  to  the  artist  and,  therefore,  to 
the  art  of  Xife  and  not  to  its  eonventlonaX  reXiclon,     Bjit 

(1)  Ottutier,  KadggwiseXle  de  Mtfupin.  227,  SS3, 


237. 


ttws  question  of  religion  occupies  c  lai^©  place  In  the 
work  of  the  other  ronanticieto  vm  ^re  dlseusslng.     It  is  of 
laajor  lng)Ojrtanc©  to  Chateaubriand  and  every  on©  of  hie 
p%V9<msiZOB,  Indeed,  symbolises  a  given  aspect  of  rellf^lcm  or 
the  virtue  vfiiloh  Ic  Ita  noral  nanifestation.     In  Balzao  and 
3«nd  tl?ere  are  a  msoafber  of  perscsiagea  laho,  appearing  as 
priests,  represent  j^ellgloii  ^si  Ito  purest  aspect*     In  Hu^o 
tivis  la  tlie  ease  for  one  of  his  best  ftmnm  personals,  Blafhop 
Kaelolre,     In  Vlgiiy  end  Jfcie.  de  St^l,  on  the  contj?ary, 
natxxral  religion  spears  in  JUllen  and  Corinne,  intimately 
unit^  to  certain  ottier  abstract  quail  ties,     Religi<»i,  it  is 
apparent,  is  t^ie  alaost  unlqiie  elatsMnt  in  Qiateaubriand's 
universe  vhereas  for  SanAf  Balsae,  and  Hugo,  it  Is  one  elesMnt 
aaaeng  suany  ar»3l  for  Hbe.  de  Stael  and  Vi^piy  its  Importaaee 
llos  eapeolally  in  its  manifcatntlcax  through  other,  equally 
ijr^>ortant,  elenents  of  which  it  makes  part« 

An  ovidont  relationship  exists  between  Balzac  and  Chateaubriand 
in  their  sysbolisation  of  rellcion*     ^Qtiis  appears  dniefly  in 
the  fact  ttiat  the  personace  irtK>,  in  t  heir  wox4c,  represonta 
velision  in  its  absolute  aspect  is  the  Catholic  priest*     It  is 
true  that  Sand  and  Hugo  lileewlsc  p^.'caent  Catholic  priests  as 
•Srnvathetic  personages  and  as  the  synbol  of  natural  roli:^on* 
But  Sand  reproaents  pere  Ale:d.s,  for  example,  as  completely 
hostile  to  his  mirroundings.  Isolated  as  much  as  possible  fron 


the  Catlioliciata  of  the  monastery  In  i^ilch  ha  lives*     He  tells 
An^fol  his  opinion  of  12ie  monks  eho  live  there:     *—  ....  voili 
blen  06  q^*ils  n*ont  fait  souffMrl  viotimei  viotime  de 


238. 


1*  Ignorance  et  do  l*liapo3turei"   (1)     And  laalcea  the  xaonlcB 
syobolic  of  Catliolloian  \3lieai  lie  relates  of  Splx^idlon:     "— H 
ne  put  bl^itot  plus  separer  ••••  Ic  catliollciKie  do6  catl^» 
llqLuea,"   (2)     Uxj^o  tells  us  of  El  shop  Ila^ol3?e  that,  v&n^i  lti& 
^oea  to  an  asaorabl^  of  clmrdi  digoitariea,  he  finds  hlmaelS 
at  abaolute  croae  purposes  with  theia  on  ovary  point,     Ihe 
Bishop,  therefore,  la  obvlou£3^  in  disegroeacait  t.lth  tho 
Catlioliciam  of  hla  day* 

Do  T^lnao  and  Qmtaaubriand  indicate  the  aana  point  of  viev 
or  are  t^ir  priests  precentod  aa  bcma  fide  Catliolics?     It 
is     certain  t^iat  noithor  of  these  authors  disavows  CatlvoliciSBi 
in  the  «M>Atio  manner  of  Hu^o  and  Sand.     Yet  it  is  eqiiaUy 
certain  timt,  like  Hu^^o  and  Sand,  23alsac  has  a^rnbolisad  tho 
false  religion  of  Ilestoration  oociety  under  tlia  giiiae  of 
Catdxolic  pzdesthood  (the  abbe  Troubert)*     Moreover,  Cliatoauo* 
bciand  has  prosontod  society  as  essentially  irrelisious  (Bene)* 
Yet  society  eontinixea  to  rMke  ttio  {gestures,  uoe  the  language, 
and  aasusie  Uie  natne  of  Catholicioa  (Just  as  Heno* continues  to 
be,  nominally,  a  Catholic).     ?here  la  apparently  sane  essential 
distinction  between  t^e  Catholloiasa  idiioh,  as  on  element  in 
society,  in  i*cpz«eaentcd  aa  xU.&c  ^m1  egoistic |     and  tlxe 
Catlioliciaa  i^ch  la  represented  by  ST^qpathetic  Catholic  priests. 

Tho  dietincticm  is,  indeed,  not  far  to  eeek*     Both  Balsao  ar^ 
Chatoaubriand  place  their  syripatlietic  priests  in  a  sotting 


(2) 


(Ij  I^yue  dca  deux  Mondes.  1033,  IV,,  Sand,  S^irldlon,  200. 
Ibid..  503. 


239. 


TBlth  niiioh  they  are  in  hanoony*     In  Za2.z&c*s  vK>:r''k  tlie  abbe 
BixH>tteaa  and  tiy&  abbe^de  Sponda  fozvi  excoptlons  tx)  tliia 
gMMvaX  rule*     The  "ciire  dd  Tcmra"  is«  perhaps^  tlio  nost 
finlanatil  or  his  portraits*     ^^^t  tae  isecioi'able  thiti^  abouu  uiia 
priest  is  the  fact  that  he  is  destroyed  by  the  egoisn  of 
•flcisting  society  end  that  ishat  ic  destxKjycd  in  hln  is  the 
love  and  chasrlty  of  i^ieXi^an  C Catholicism}*     And  i^iat  is 
lasDorable  in  the  abbe'de  Sponde  is  his  attacliment  to  trixditicn 
and  to  the  old  nobility «  united  to  his  aversion  for  the  new 
liberallffQir  and  his  death  wlien  he  is  foz>ced  to  live  in  ccmtaot 
vitli  it*     BalsBe  nrites;     "L*abbe  laoiirut  quand  o:^plx^  l*art2io« 
doxie  dans  le  diocese."   (1)     The  CatholioisBx  lidxich  is  the  sole 
thing  to  Budse  these  priests  si^^iiflcant  is  aeeoa*  therefoi'e*  to 
be  a  Catholioisa  out  of  eytqpathy  with  the  existing  society 
a»i  the  new  liberciliam«  attadbedf  on  the  oontraryg  to  tradition 
and  the  old  nobility* 

Bat«  away  frosi  the  egoian  of  society^  CaUiollcism  {hi  H,  B^met 
and  in  M*  Janvier)  lives  In  humility  and  simplicity^  doing 
good  works  and  iN5laabllitatin(j  tlie  fallen*     It  finds  in  man  a 
natural  goodness  Vtukt  needs  direction  but  suboits  to  autliority 
not  because  of  reason  but;  becuu«iu  of  a  developed  social 
sympathy*     AH  the  docti*ine  of  Catholiciaa  in  Le  C\ire  de  vJI^jj^se 
!•  suaEatfd  up  in  an  ir^iseriminate  love*     ibae*  de  la  Clianterie* 
siio  is  Catholic  Charity,  adiaits  Godefroid  to  her  ooKauiilon 
because  of  his  love  and  adairatlcm  not  because  he  has  reasonaM^ 


(I)  atlMC,  lA  vlQllle  Fille,  597. 


240. 


accepted  *^i»  doctriaeo  of  Caiiiollc5.Bm.     Wian  Alain  is 

admonlslJLno  Ooclofx»old,  he  ple.<M9S  the  eeupiiaals  on  feella^;? 

—  Tant  que  '/oub  n'aurez  pas  X^-  fol,  taaat  que  vous 
n'aures  pas  absox^^e  dans  votre  cosm'  et  dans  votm 
Intellijemce  1©  scaa^  divln  de  l^opTti?©  de  sa?-nt 
^Bil  sur  la  Charlt^  voiis  ne  pouvea  pas  partldper 
a  nos  oouvres.   (1) 

It  Is  rlth  sxirpi*loe  tliat,  at  the  concl;ielon  of  ttae  novel, 

Q^t&j&treAA  seoa^clsea  that  the  C^-uxrlty  «(lbl<di  lu^  Iltib  loved 

(line,  de  la.  Chanterle)  is  also  in  loaxiooiiy  with  reason*     He 

-eaees  hers     **-•  Voue  ^oa  done  auesl  la  ralson?"     *—  H 

_aut  eti^  tout  dnns  notre  etat,*    Itae*  de  la  Chanterle  replies 

"avec  la  gaiete  douoe  par-tlcullere  aux  vraiea  aalntea",    (2) 


The  pr>le6t8»  as  genez^OHy  presented  In  Ealsac,  are  Mnomt 
ifidu>e€  Influcnoo  r'amalna  aruprorie  over  the  sooiety  In  iidu.<3i 
tlioy  move,     ^xiii  lo  true  of  the  priest  *n  Le  L:/g  d^iiis  la  vi-illee. 
In  !«e  Hroein  de  mwrpWEnff.  in  1.0  Cgrfi'^cle  village*  In  L^Enverg 

^'^  ^*^iii{lBl||rt^iflBBrtHlff*?^^ynt~     ^^^^  latter  priest  offej^s  a  good 
exastiple  of  the  truth  of  the  above  stataient.     He  lives  in  a 
houatfiold  «iii<^  observes  a  uonaatic  convention  cf  life  end 
where  tiie  sodftty  otm tains  a  Bobility,  a  Juctlco,  a  (Siarity, 
aiod  a2i  Industry  in  liax^ony  with  lils  ideala*   (3)     All  of  those 
priesta  are  alilce,  moreover,  l^i  that  tliey  rajeot  ttie  fowi  of 
society  liUoh  the  revolution  has  introdueed*     M.  Eosmet,  for 
instance  J  deolares;     "~  II  dlt  que  les  e'colos  inventus  par 
lo  genie  revolutioimalre  fabrlqiient  des  Incipaciteai     nol, 
•0  lc3  appelle  des  fabriques  d'incr^dulcs,,.."   (4) 

(1)  '^-''--'.c,  rj*Bnvera  de  l*hlatoire  cqntenporaineB  I,»  J545. 

(3)  ^ie~Ibid.,  I«,  346,  344. 

(4)  Balzac,  Le  Oure'^de  villa/^e.  238. 


241. 


Siioilarly^  Camteaubzdand  vrltes  of  tho  priest  uSiose  iala8i<m 
lives  according  to  his  rule  (At&la)  and  of  psz*s  Souel  i0io 
makes  many  converts.  But  theiM  priests,  like  Balsao'Sy  eonfine 
thoir  livos  to  a  sphere  outside  that  of  oontessporery  society* 
camteaubzdand*s  priests  live  In  tlie  midst  of  a  savage  nature; 
Balzac* 8  in  the  midst  of  a  special  society  lAiich  still  possesses 
its  faith  in  l&marohy^  Mobility ^  and  Catholioissu  Both  pere 
Souel  and  M.  Bainet  are  far  removed  frora  the  society  of 
ccmteDqperary  France*  It  is  with  a  similar  disregard  for  tSie 
world  around  him  that  Bishop  Magloire  walks  his  garden  paths 
and  p^re  Alexis  studies  the  heavens  throur^  a  telescope. 

It  is  apparent  that,  at  bottom^  there  is  a  eertain  aodioum  of 
agreesient  in  the  pxresentation  of  religion.  Balsec^  Chateau* 
bviandf  Hugo,  end  Sand  all  show  reli(^ion  to  be  inexi stent  in 
the  society  of  their  ticiet  flourishing,  on  the  o<mtraryy  in 
an  \mwDVldly  setting.  Chateaubriand  represents  Catholicism  to 
be  a  living  force,  not  in  nineteenth  oentuiry  France  but  eherever 
it  is  out  of  contact  with  society  and^  hence,  in  the  American 
wilderness*  Balgac  sliovm  i^eligion  as  living  only  in  remote 
villages,  convents,  and  isolated  oonnunities.  Hugo,  in  like 
n»nner,  mi^es  religion  have  recourse  to  nature  and  find  its 
wisdom  there;  accordingly,  the  bii^op  finds  his  inspiration 
while  in  his  garden*  There,  Hugo  wx*itest  "II  n*etudiait  pas 
les  plantesi  il  aisttdt  lee  fleurs*"  (1)  Hugo  asks  in  the 

(1)  Hugo,  Les  insurables*  I.,  29* 


242. 


bishop* 8  name:  "••••n^est-ce  paa  la  tout«  en  effet^  et  que 
d^olrer  au  dela?  Un   petit  jardin  pour  se  prosionor,  ot 
l*isssan8ite  pour  x^^rar*"  (1)  So  too  Sand   repx^esents  p9v% 
Alexis  as  an  a8tron<»»ep  and  scientist.  In  tlie  study  of  luiture 
he  is  noixrishing  religion  at  the  fountain  of  all  trut^:  th& 
natural  imi verse »  God's  handivork*  Re  tells  Aagelt  "«-  Cette 
peasee  e^leste^  ou  Dieu  appelle  I*hora»»  ^  une  xa^fsterieuse 
•omaiinicm«  se  retrouve  partout^  et  o'est  pourquoi  les  yeux  du 
imrps  ne  suffisent  pas  pour  admirer  Xa  nature. **  (8) 

fhe  rocwnticist  relli^<m  appears^  aceordingly,  as  one  iihieh 
finds  itself  in  haznony  with  external  natuz«  and*  indeed* 
i^Lnds  in  this  rjEiture  a  feeund  source  of  inspiration*  It  is 
•l^^fioant*  indeed*  that  Catholicieen  does  not  even  atiMi^t 
to  exist  in  sn  unfavoux^bXe  atBK>flilMBve«  It  depimds  entirely 
for  its  life  up(m  its  association  with  %/hat  is  natural  in 
asn  «nd  natural  in  the  tmi verse.  Religion  has  takmi  refuge 
in  nature  and*  althou;^  still  deaozdbed  as  Catholioisn*  it  Is 
no  longer  endowed  with  the  splxdt  of  resistsnce  to  evil  but* 
when  confronted  vlUi  evil*  either  sucemibs  at  once  or  else 
denies  the  evil  by  turning  its  back  on  it.  All  these  Catholics 
are  models  of  x*esi  Ration  and  charitablmess  but  they  lack 
entirely  tlie  spirit  of  the  cdxux*ch  militant.  Spiridion*  for 
eKBttple*  reproaches  Alexia  for  the  isolated  exlstenoe  tiftiioh 
permits  t2ie  triumi^  of  ^le  hypocrite  Catholioioat 

—  C*est  ainsi*  o  Alexisl  que  l*aznour  de  la 

(1)  Hugo*  Les  Mlserablee.  I.*  61. 

(2)  Revue  des  d>ax  aoniSeSa  18S9*  I.*  Sand*  Spii'idion.  n38. 


243. 


verit^  a  mx  preserver  tcai  aam  dejs  viles  passicms 
du  vtilsair»$     main  o'est  alnal.  ^  molnel     que 
X*8Biour  du  bien-i^re  et  Xe  d^air  de  la  liberta 
t*«&t  rendu  conipllce  da  trior^phe  des  lumoorltes 
av«o  lesqaeXa  tu  ea  oondaxsn^  a  vlvra.   (1) 

The  typ«  o^  CatlioliolaBi  viUch  la  ayaibollzBdp  tberofoxNi^  in 

tlwaa  prieata*  is  a  typa  ahieh  confozros  to  tha  roaanticiat 

faitlsi  in  iia^uH»  azud  ita  danlal  of  aocie^  but  has  cmly  tha 

■99MunnG0  of  ocHiTonolty  with  thla  aapaot*  at  leaat*  of 

aotual  Catholic  do^m* 

Sot  only  is  this  trua  bat  ita  oorollazT-  ia^  in  Hugo  and  StmA, 
evan  iaox>e  strildnc*     Their  priests  discover  the  acniroe  of 
religion  to  ba  within  nature  not  cmly  aa  laanifeatad  In  tlit 
exterior  world  but  aa  oanifeated  in  8ian*a  heart*     Bi(tiaop 
Kagloire  is  to  Hugo  religion  in  person.     Ha  vzdtea  of  him: 
"C*^tait  vxi  px^tre^  un  sagOc  et  \m  homad»^  (2)     The  viadOBi 
of  thia  religion  ot^iaiata  in  no  precise  dogiaa  or  doctrine 
except  that  of  love.     "Ce  qui  ^elairait  oet  hosane^  o'etait  le 
eoeur*     sa  aa^Mse  etait  faite  da  la  luidL^re  qui  viaot  de 
la***   (3)     And  S«nd  too  ^owa  the  aaooaibility  as  the  prliae 
force  in  religion.     Alexis  tella  Angel:     "—La  grande  oeuvre 
du  diristianiaraa  eat  done  le  developperaent  de  la  foree 
intellactuelle  par  celui  de  la  senaibilite  morale.. •«*  (4) 

But*  althou^  Chateaubxdand  ahows  the  priest  liiniting  the 
requir«mant8  of  religion  to  «diat  is  husian*  he  is*  in  ttiie. 


(1)  Revue  dea  dawxuKnades.  1333*  IV.*  Sand*  Spiridion.  474. 

(S)  nvigo.  Lea  Miaertfaleaa  I..  53. 

jS)  Ibi^.*  I.*  62. 

(4)  Revue  des  daaix  mcmdeB.  1838*  IV.*   Sand,  Spiridion.  444» 


w 


244. 


only  x<epz*esenting  Catholloisra  in  its  praotical  aapoot. 

Catiioliclam  cooqpx'omises  with  i»eality  and  finds  its  roeaaure 

in  man's  nature*     Chateaubpiand^  therefore,  is  not  denying 

Catholioim  «h«n  ho  has  hia  priest  say:     "•>•  La  religion 

n'oscigo  point  de  sacrifice  plus  qu'hunain.     See  sentiments 

vraiSf  ses  vertus  tm^p^r^s,  sont  bien  aii-dessus  des  sentiraeaits 

exaltes  et  des  vertus  foroiies  d*un  pretendu  horolsas***  (1) 

Moreover  this  Catholiciss  oondeosis  more  harslily  that  type  of 

error  tidiitih  springs  from  a  perverted  heart  than  it  does  that 

vhich  springs  frora  an  i^orant  mind.     It  is  iaan*8  reason 

vhicli  needs  to  be  i^tucated  ari^t  for  sin  and  vice  are  not 

due  to  man's  pez^ersity  but  to  his  mistaken  Judgmmit*     The 

priest  shows  hixiselfy  therefore ,  to  be  z^preaoitative  of 

Cfttholiciffi!i«  but  of  a  Catholioisn  iii^ch  stresses  the  natural 

feeling,  vhen  he  addz^essea  Atala  in  these  terms; 

<—  Cet  exo^s  de  passion  auquel  vous  vous  livrwB 
est  z^u>ement  j.iste,  il  n'est  pas  nSae  dans  la 
nature!     et  esa.  cela  il  est  mo  ins  coupable  aux 
yeux  de  Dleu,  pax*oe  que  o*est  plutot  quelq^e  ehose 
de  faux  dans  1* esprit  que  de  vicieux  dans  le 
coeur*   (1) 

This  is  the  attitude  of  the  Christian  stoic  of  the  sevmteenth 

century  but  it  is  noticeably  t«apered  by  the  sensibility 

diaracteristie  of  the  nineteenth  osntury* 

Tho  aaaa  faith  in  sian's  inner  nature  transmutes  tha  Cathol- 
ioina  vftiioh  Balzac  syiaboliaes  from  Hie  strict  rigidity  of 
olassieiat  reason  and  discipline  to  a  more  hybrid  type  idiieh 
exalts  the  s«isibility  and  the  natux*al  man.     Whan  M.  Bonnet 


(1)  Chateaubzdandf  AtaJLa.  55. 


245. 


pz>eaoh«8  a  suTDlimo  99vmafn,  Balsas  writes} 

tie  anlbliaie  vlant  du  coaur^  l*a8pFlt  na  le  tx^mve 
paa»  et  la  rallglc»i  eat  vane  aooraa  Intariaai^Xe 
d©  oa  auljllme  sans  faux  'brUlanta;     car  le 
eatholleiaraa«  qpl  p^etra  et  change  lea  eoaura^ 
eat  tout  ooe\ir*   (1) 


It  Is  trudf  hofnever,  that  Balzac  aaaimilates  the  natural  ^id 
the  truly  social  roanifestatlons  of  life  imd.  In  this  z^eapoot* 
seeks  to  j:>^iabilitate  the  Idea  of  society  iihichy  as  becasia 
apparent  In  t^e  study  of  chosen  a^pribolMg  had  heeodoe  cyiat^^ia 
to  the  romanticists*     Balzac*  s  condSHoaticm  of  soeiety  mta 
aemt,  however,  to  be  directed  against  one  type  of  society  and 
not  against  society  as  suoh*     Kow  the  evil  iriilch  the  roeoantioist 
sav  In  society  forced  him  to  se^  elseidiere  for  the  good. 
Thus  til©  dtfferaice  betwMOi  Balsac  and  dateaubriand,  for 
exffi^lSy  appears  in  thist     that  Balzac  finds  that  Qpod.  in 
man*  a  moro  recent  past,  Chateaubriand  (i^io  is  here  represent- 
ative of  the  oilier  romanticists)  in  a  niore  reioote  one,  one 
that  is  a  retrogression  to  ootnplete  prindtlvlsra,     IJhat  Balsae 
seeks  to  show  and  vftiat  constitutes  his  8ux>erior  force  •» 
since  sueh  a  statenMmt  as  the  following  agrees  substantially 
with  man's  experience  —  is  the  fact  that  man's  nature  is 
essentially  (jregarious,  hence  is  essentially  social;     that, 
accordingly,  the  faith  in  nature  need  not  be  ayrumymenxB  with 
imbridled  individualism*     Throu£^  B*  Bonnet,  Catholicism 
Bt]res8e0  this  distinction t 

—  II  n*y  a  de  solide  et  6&  durable  que  ce  qui 


(1)  Balsae,  Le  Cur^  de  villai^*  203. 


246, 


08t  nattirel,  ot  la  chose  natiirelle  en  polltlqa© 
est  ^  famllle.     La  famllle  doit  ^re  le  point 
do  depart  d^  toutes  lea  inetitiitions.     tJh  ©ffet 
tmivexvel  demon tre  im^  cause  univereellej     et  e« 
que  VOU8  aveis  simale  de  toutes  paz>ts  vimt  du 
principe  social  n^.e,  qui  est  sans  force  pajroe 
qu*il  a  pris  le  libre  ax^tre  poup  base,  et  que 
le  libre  arbitre  est  le  p^re  de  I'izuiividualiaae.  (1) 

Bal8ae*8  Cat^olloiaa  is*  essentially^  tliez>efore«  a  social 
institution  ev^i  vhen  its  exeaqplars  seen  sniioated  alsiost 
ffntirely  by  feelino*     itee*  de  la  Ghanterie  is  "la  Raia(^^  as 
iroll  as  *'la  cauucdte**   (2)  and  U«  Bonnet  repudiates  an  indis- 
criminate ^lilanthropy  shen  he  declares  t 

o-  L^  p|\ilanthropie  modeme  est  le  toalheur  des 
aoeieteSf  les  prtiicipes  de  la  religion  cataiolique 
peuv^it  seuls  guerlr  les  maladies  qui  travaillcmt 
la  sovp*  social*  (5) 

Similarly,  hot^  the  priest  and  the  doctor  of  Le  Medeein  de 

canpafme  concur  In  x»©pi«s«mtlnG  religion  as  a  social  systsra 

t^iich  operates  to  correct  the  Individualistic  tendencies  of 

mankind,  (4) 


But  3ishep  KaglGire  has  "point  de  syttWs".  (5)     "Cette  ^ 
humble  ai^ity  volla  tout."   (6)     Love  is,  in  fact,  the  sole 
and  aufflelOTxt  quality  in  the  blahop  and  equally,  therefore, 
in  the  religion  he  syralwllaes.     Hug©  writes:     "Ce  que  nous 
croyons  devoir  noter,  c'est  que,  en  dehors,  pour  ainsi  dirs^ 
et  Gu  dola  de  sa  fol,  I'evoque  avait  un  exces  d'eoswur,"  (7) 

(1)  Balsac,  Le  Cure  de  village «  260, 

(2)  See  BalSftCa  L'Envera  de  I'hiatoire  oontonaporaine*  II.,  484« 

(3)  Balsao,  Le  (Xire  de  villar.e,  125, 

(4)  Balsac,  Le  Medeoin  de  oaa^>afinea  50,  149,  161, 

(5)  Hugo,  Les  m-stfrables.  I,.  65« 

(6)  ibid^.-gs: — 

(7)  TOH,.   58. 


247. 


SimlXa2'l7«  t2ie  faith  STmbollsod  In  Sand  hj  su<ih  personages 

as  p«re  Alexlss,  Albart,  Ifcill©  Laa?iontl©r  ami  hla  father,  th© 

prtest  Tiho  oonsorts  wltaiL  Patlenca  in  Kavg>ynt»  Trerau>p  —  this 

faith  la,  in  its  positive  aapadt^  vague  as  to  dogna  and 

otrongl^  affirmatlv©  only  aa  to  queatlona  of  sentiment.     It 

is  a  faith  tshich  stresses  the  evangelistic  doctrino  of  love 

and  the  brot3ierfiood  of  r.ian  to  the  exolusicm  of  ell  else*     As 

in  the  sirapld  BiiAiop  Magloira,  religlan  in  ^cid'a  personagea 

aasisnes  the  foxsn  of  demoeraoy,  poverty,  and  eoirq>assion  for 

the  poor*     These  are  all  nanifestationa  of  their  loving* 

kindness  toward  their  fellows  snd  love  of  O^od,     llheai  Rn5.1e 

Laacmtier  desiiros  to  tuiite  into  a  religious  syatsra  tl*\e  varioas 

beliefs  he  holds,  he  eriost 

—  ••••  ce  lien,  c'est  I'asionr,  I'araour  que  je 
no,  eonnals  que  par  un  instinct  violent,  une 
I'cVdlatlon  aubite  ai'^/slopp^e  de  xraaces,     Jc 
sens  poujrtant  bleu  que  I'smour  est  tout,  et  que 
asBis  lul  toute  doctrine  reste  vide*   (1) 

TiaxM  Sand  and  nugo  repudiate  the  system  and  authority  of 
Catlioliclaa  liieiroas,  in  Balzao  «pA  Chateaubriand,  the  new 
sensibility  does  not  deny  its  x^latlonitfilp  to  x^ellgioiis 
principles  cmd  to  a  social  oysteci* 

A  further  variation  in  tlie  repres^itatlon  of  true  religion 
lyppeara  in  Htae*  de  Staol*8  work.     The  religion  which  is 
syr^athetic  is  here  s^^nS^ollsed  in  woiasn  and  Delphlne  and 
Corinne  represent  essentially  the  Mune  point  of  view* 

(X)  Hevua  des  deux  amadwi.  XB63,  IZ*,  Sand,  Maderaoiselle  la 

Qulntinie*  gl5. 


248. 


In  Corlnnej  Cor.lnne  and  Oswald  becojse,  on  oeoA,eion>  noc 

Italian  c'^nlus  and  ai£;llfih  nobility  but  Itallcji  Cntb.ollolffli 

and  Ehglii^  Protestontlsnu     Corlnee  observes  fasts,  ms^^s 

pilgrlBttgeSf  and  lAyyms  devontne»««     She  tsnltes  oriaiod<»c 

practices  to  a  pagan  doll^iilit  In  nattirnl  beawt^.     In  tills  afiio 

is  «ifcl5?ely  representative  of  all  good  CatJiollc  doetidne. 

Her  art  Is  the  Catholic  art  whloh  finds  Its  source  In  ft 

confusion  of  tJ^e  aesthetic,  the  passionate,  simS  rellglotts 

as^BiboVLnm,     But  Catl^oliciaa  does  not  deny  the  evil  to  nature 

nor  accept  tlie  individual  as  the  criterion  of  all  things. 

Corlnne,  hovrever,  'Wtil^Le  rem&lnir*^  th©  Roman  Catholic  artist, 

sesms,  in  the  i^ealia  of  morality,  to  reject  the  possibility  of 

Q'/il  and  to  deny  any  aii£&«Pity  but  the  individual  sestiMKit. 

Co^in2^c  do  scribes  her  religion  and  this  description  described 

Corlnns  #io  is  Its  synfi^ol  and  lives  in  Its  faith. 

—  Z^mamxPf  l'esp^ran<»  et  la  foi  sent  los  x'ort'AS 
principales  de  oette  religion i     et  toutes  ces 
vertus  annoncent  et  donnont  le  boriheur,  

Si  1ft  reli£'ion  concilstnit  scilenent  dans  la 
stricte  observation  de  la  morale,  qu* aural t-elle 
de  plus  que  la  phllosoi^e  et  la  vnlsrnf     T5t 
quels  aentinxents  de  piet^  se  d^e;Lopperai«it 
en  nouo,   si  notre  principal  bui  etait  d'etouffer 
ies  sentlsumts  du  ooeur?  •-<-<-•> 

Kais  si  nous  soBnes  sur  cette  terre  en  taardbB 
vers  1©  del,  qu'y  a»t-ll  de  inieirt  ^  fair*  q^e 
d*elever  assez  notre  "dbe  poru*  qu*elle  sente 
I'lnfini,  I'lnvlsiblo  et  I'etotmel,  au  rdlleu 
de  toutes  les  homes  qui  I'entourwit?  — — 
Cher  f)s\mld,  lais»ep*noue  done  tout  confondre, 
amour,  religion,  s^io»  <5t  le  8o3.eil  et  les 
parfuws,  et  la  ?wsique  et  la  poesle^^    11  n*y  a 
d'ath^isciG  que  dans  la  froideur,  l*egolsDie,  la 
b^ssosse.  (1) 

(1)  JSOAm  de  Stacl,  Ciorinne.  745,  746. 


249. 

Hero  Is  tiao  doveloraawit  of  a  religion  nhioh  le  a  sort  of 
aantinentcl  delen  and  not  Cst^ioLiclsia,     It  1b  a  s>elifrlo»i 
tahlcii  rescBftjles  PolTd^JLnc'e  Protestant  lean  so  closely  In  it» 
esfMRtlal  features  that  It  Is  enrldsnt  that  the  nisaa  smttem 
llttlo  btit  the  essence  of  tSie  rellnl<»»  rawch,     Gorlnne's 
Irrational  ts^etticitm,  CathoHo  In  naia©  only,  corresponds  to 
the  eentlcjent  e^g^ressed  in  ^^ftFJVf"*  ^'^  ^^^  ramm  of  Protest- 
antism alt!im\(^.  In  reality,  neither  Is  ttio  expression  of  a 
do^na  but  the  revelation  of  the  new  romantic  faith  of  natujrtl«B« 

Rellglcm  In  Vlj^iy's  wort?  3  s  Babelized  rtlreetly  in  Daphne, 
petfsaps  taie  rK>ot  Img^ortant  of  Vlgpy's  pros«  works  slnoe  It 
turmn  up  tha^  attltiide  t»h.ich  has  inspired  all  his  work  and 
vihicii.  Dauaigi^woat  plainly  reveals.     The  rellpl<»n  Is  sytnlbollssed 
here  through  the  nan  vAvo  was  first  a  poett     Juliesu     That 
the  poet  nhoiild  b«MHB  «ie  STtrthol  of  rellfflwn  Is  Incidental 
to  the  fact  thr.t  religion  hns  becon»  completely  at  one  with 
art.     Just  so  the  fRct  ttiat  wxaan  bocffl?»es  the  s^eibol  of 
rellclon  In  Stae,  de  StaiRL's  ^»ork  is  Incidental  to  «a»  eoln- 
old«nce  of  lo-'C  snd  religion.     Moreover,  Corinne  has  already 
s^Bibollsed  In  her  person  t^tie  point  of  view  that  unites  art 
sffid  rellnl«xri»     In  her  capacity  as  artist,  tih»  Is  the  priest 
vAio  cmiduots  Osi?Tald  towards  the  mysteries  of  the  infinite. 

T^aphne  proswits  Jullai,  the  poet,  viho  has  been  a  pagan,  has 
thai  becone  a  Christian,  and  has,  finally,  beoonie  a  devotee 
of  the  Ronan  sods*  But  siorally.  Intelligently,  Jullen  doei 
not  change*     'Sam  essence  of  his  being  Is  the  do  sire  for  truth. 


250. 

the  Word  tiiat  will  explain  the  iinivers©.     Sine©  tli©  tiMtli 
vdilcli  will  e^tplaln  tiie  universe  slioiild  be  ttie  ©scene©  of 
rell^icoi,  Julien  i»©pr©senta  tho  Intellectual  tnitJi  soaiKshinc 
for  the  religion  in  hamsony  with  it. 

lit  the  artist  who  lives  by  tJie  intellid^enoe  seosus  dioriotrio. 
ally  oppi^wd  to  the  ai>fcl8t  wlio  lives  by  tli©  sentlrient  of 
enthasiasci  (Corinne)  trnd,  «3l9o«  to  t^ie  priests  who  exalted 
love  as  a  r©li£;lous  system.     Tli©  religious  feeling  In  J\ilien 
rejects  what  exists  matexdally  and  seeks  to  establish  the 
txnith  wl^lch  exists  only  sr^lrltufilly,  intellii^ently.     It 
rejects  the  authority  of  nass  sentiment  and,  in  this,  noos 
a^^ainst  the  rt:>mQntici8t  belief  in  nature.     The  intGlll(;enoe  of 
the  universe  —  Julion--  i»ejects  the  false  natter  and  Cho 
sentlinental  aspect  of  txnith  Whi<di  religion  is.     Christianity 
is  the  compromlge  with  the  truth  ifliicli  any  3?clij;lon  r^aist  be 
in  order  to  exist  in  the  tv/-o  t^ealms  of  aentliental  faith  and 
intellectual  truth.     The  non-confonaity  in  Julien  is  a  result 
of  his  absolute  character  as  symljol  and  in  confonalty  td.th 
his  existence  ns  ideal  intelliconce.     He  lives  only  in  the 
ideal,   in  ttie  world  as  it  ahrjuld  l>e,  not  In  tlie  world  as  it  is. 
He  denies  the  material  truth  and  tries  to  force  the  ideal 
truth  Into  material  existence.     The  universe  he  knows  is 
intollinenc©  and  iftiat  he  v/orsliips  Is  intellic<moe  and  v&i&t  he 
is  is  Intellirjence.     Julien  symboliaos  the  divinity  of  the 
intelligence.     Julien  tltus  defines  the  sifTiificnnc©  he  attadies 
to  his  Crod:     " —  Lo  Verbel     le  Vorbe  divln,  la  RalscMi  ^aaxi^ 
dcs  deux,  1*  esprit,  la  Pa3?ole,  le  Jjoijob  adore' d©  Socratr)  ot 


251. 


de  Platon,  I'Ane  du  i!Kmde»  le  Dloxi  createiir, ,,,"   (1) 

Yet  Vigny  is  not  In  coo^lete  opposition  to  the  other  raaant- 

Iclsts.     Hla  sympathetic  personage  is,  it  is  true,  tiic 

'>or8onlfioation  of  the  intolll^encG  and  discredits  all 

mterlol  reality.  But  Jullen*s  IntelliGeoice  is  that  of  the 

instinct,  not  tliat  acquired  hj  laborious  discipline.     Ills 

wlsdon  is  the  poet's  v^isdora,  tiie  result  of  a  direct  rcvelatlcm 

frcsa  God.     Libanius  assiires  us  of  tliis  truths 

—  Si  lamais  une  penseo  eut  des  ailcs,  e'ost 
assiAT^ont  In  slenno,  Atiosi  tout  Ivii  est-11 
facile  dans  les  clioses  de  la  torre*  II  pourralt 
presque  contnmpler  face  k  face  ot  sans  cesse 
l^Essenco,  1* Essence  veritable,  autour  de 
laquelle  ent  la  vraie  science  j  11  y  chercSie 
sans  cesse  la  sagesse,  la  Justice  et  l*aiaour,    (2) 

Hence  Julien,  as  the  i»opreocntatlve  of  a  relli^lous  faith,  liaa 

tills  klnslilp  with  the  roliijion  of  the  nore  aontiiaental  of  tlie 

ronanticlsts :     iiis  truth  is  an  Indivldiial  tiMtli  not  accepted. 

from  any  outside  autliority  and  it  is  such  because  It  springs 

frcaa  tlie  Inner  being  ratiier  tlian  the  outer  world* 

Tlie  truth  that  originally  becoaes  apparent  in  Chateaubriand 
is  corrolx)rated  in  varying  fasliion,   tliarefore,  by  every  one 
of  the  syrapatlictlc  personages  in  iKxianticlst  literature  ^iho 
may  be  said  to  approaoli  life  as  religion.     Ilor  is  this,  even 
in  Balzao,  the  type  of  religion  wliich  oonfonas  to  tlie  ordinary 
autlioritarian  and  doctrinaire  Catholiclsuu     In  rwst  of  the 
rowanticists,  it  is  a  religicm  i^eduoed  to  tlie  feeling  of  love 

(1)  Revue  de  Paris,  1912,   IV,,  Vigny,  Daialaiel  12, 

(2)  Ibid.,  52; 


O  R  O 


and  rid  of  tlie  discipline  of  authority*     It  Is  not  Catholicism 
as  observed  In  EuroT>een  practice j     it  Is  Catholiclsaa  trans- 
planted to  a  naturjil  setting.     It  Is  a  Catholiclam  wiilch 
accept B  What  Is  fmand  In  nature  as  co<>^f  *i»is  rejecting  the 
doctrine  of  original  sin,  evean  vihlle  It  seeras  to  be  stagGestlnc 
the  necessity  of  tlue  regulation  of  nature  by  x^eason,     ITote 
that  CIiateftubzdand*a  priest  says:     "—  Cat  exces  de  nasslon 

est  rnren^it  juBte,  11  n*est  paa  m^aa»  dans  la  nature,"   (1) 

IVhat  la  natural  lias  become  a  Ci*lterlon  for  n^iat  Is  reasonable. 
The  Cathollclsra  Chateaubriand  represents  In  th's  pxdeet  is, 
therefore,  n  Catholiclam  closely  aldln  to  the  rmre  passionate 
enthusiasm  of  untrained  rellnlous  feeling  (Atala)  and  in 
sympathy  with  it.     It  flees  an  li*rellf;ious  society  but  flnd.s 
a  refUf^G  in  nature  and  iTuildo  up  a  nev;  society  founded  on 
individual  love  rather  than  collective  discipline.     The 
Catholiciffln  that  Chateau!.: rland  represents  in  his  dream  of  a 
natural  paradise  is  a  reli^^lori  \sfiilch  retains  the  langiuo^e  of 
authority  and  substitutes  for  its  real.ity  the  indlvidiial 
foolin;;^  developln{^  naturally  in  a  Itunanlt^/-  vmcorruptcd  by  tlie 
evils  of  society,     l^alzac's  too  Is  a  Catholiciaa  idiicli  depends 
more  on  feeling  tJian  on  reason  althoix,^  Its  sontii-^ntal 
nature  is  represented  as  rosultlnf^  in  a  social  discipline. 

The  Ideal  quality  in  these  symbols  is  best  made  evident  Ijy 
a  detailed  study  of  any  one  of  thean.     In  Albert,  Sand 
•ymboliaes  the  evolution  of  tlie  spirit  in  such  a  fashion  tlmt 

(1)  Clmteaubrland,  Atala.  53.     The  italics  are  mine. 


253. 


tiie  new  reli(^;lon  of  the  spirit  shows  a  cerfcain  rooeinbl«»c« 
to  tt^  Il©<3ellan  theory  of  evolution  in  history.     Albert 
regards  hiraself  as  the  reincarnation  of  tJi©  Bohemian  heretic, 
Jeen  Zyska»     lie  ;ls  often  rien tally  transported  to  a  past  \sSiicii 
is  not  his  omt  and  he  x*^:Mniber8  the  toments  of  a  !iiaz*tyrdani 
wiiidi  is  not  his*     The  religion  ho  sTi^ibollses  has  be«i 
persecuted  once  and  killed    .ut,  in  a  new  age,  lie  haa  a  new 
freedom  of  action  and  speech.     He  is  nl  sunder  stood  but  he  is 
loved.     Albert's  apparent  deatli  and  resurx»ectlon  are  made  by 
Sand  the  occasion  for  a  tlieatrical  effect,  are  ^'^Ivcn  a  shas 
probability,  and  are,  doubtless,  intended  to  stiHsngthen  tlie 
syrabolic  picture  of  a  new  life  rising  from  apparent  death* 
But  it  is  this  very  tlaeatrioalisn  wiiltdi  makes  of  Albert  the 
inpi»obable  sym1x)l  of  an  improbable  faitli  and  shows  him  to 
be  reap<Hisive  to  Sand's  beliefs  and  to  lack  nny  solid  ro«:>tln£; 
in  the  v?orld* 

Btei»eovcr,  the  unanl;nity  i»3iich  prevails  thjxiu^jhout  tlie  work 
of  the  rcsnanticists  In  the  presentation  of  the  ortliodox 
Catholicism  as  despicable  or  conplotely  devoid  of  any  hi:^an 
grace,  v^ieroas  the  switlnentallst  in  rolln;ion  (wheiiior  he  is 
called  CatlTiollc,  Protestant,  or  Rouaseaulst)  appears  clothed 
in  beauty  and  oxnanented  with  all  conceivable  virtues,  is 
evidently  based  on  a  sirallarlty  of  religious  attitude  wMch 
goes  deeper  than,  at  first  sl^t,  seems  probable.     The  rebellicm 
a,@ainat  the  existent  and  against  authozdty  appears,  too 
consistently  to  be  the  result  of  riere  chance.  In  the  represent- 
ation of  the  religion  of  authority  tairouch  the  nedlura  of 


254. 


villains,  roi.^es,  or  prl^e.     On  th©  other  liand,   the  new  rellcion 
tsftintever  it  rmv  be,  api)©ai's  throxi^^h  tlio  nedliua  of  candid 
Innocence,   superior  intelllcence,  xmtcas^ted  virtue,   salrftly 
reslGnatlOTi,     In  loiiatever  -julse  it  appears,  throng  ^mtever 
personages.  It  is  always  a  spontaneous  rell;^'ion  natua^al  to 
raan  since  ttie  personace  Is  always  spontaneous  and  in  harmony 
with  his  ovn  nature  and  external  nature. 

Beauty* 

Beauty  is  coraaonly  the  quality  ascribed  to  the  woiaan  personage. 
It  is  oa^^Kanly,   therefore,   Brnnbollzod  t^irou^  her*     In  r»at 
cases  beauty  mnd  virtue  coincide  in  the  a^Tripathotlc  fl^^irea 
and  they  possess  both  ideal  virtue  and  ideal  beavity.     True 
beauty  is  associated  with  varying  qualities  in  the  dlffei'^it 
autliors  WW  st\idy.     Of  then  all  Gautier  fjives  the  ftaiest 
and  inost  llluialnatln{3  exposition  of  the  ideal  beauty.     His 
symbols,  therefore,  coiu' land  our  special  attention.     That  Ills 
work  ends  t!^e  first  pJiase  of  ronantician  is  sufficient  reason, 
liowevor,  to  allow  Gautier  to  conclude  our  discussion  rather 
than  to  Initiate  It, 

Beauty  In  Chateaubriand  is  symbolised  t}-irou:jh  Anelie  and 
Atala,     r.eauty  In  then  co-exists  wltti  virtue,   religion,  end 
instinctive  love,     Tlie  quality  of  the  beauty  which  triey 
typify,  therefore,  is  that  of  iHsllrjious  feellnc. 

True  beauty  in  ^fae.  de  Stael  is  symbolized  in  Delpliine  and 


Corlnne.     It  co-exlata  with  virtue  and  religion  but  ita 
ciilef  quality  is  that  of  natui*al  spontaneity*     It  la  a  beauty 
of  imm  Impulse  and  natural  sontliaent.     It  Is  a  beauty  Twiil(^ 
mingles  rollgion,  nature,   aesthetic  delight,  and  Instinctive 
sentlnumts  (1)  into  one  equal  ontliusloam.     It  is,  accordingly, 
a  beauty  T<^iose  superloi*ity  consists  in  its  spontaneous  and 
Instinctive  quality* 


True  beauty  in  Hugo  exists  in  Hsmeralda,  Cosette,  Bepuchette, 
and  Dea«     lb  is  a  beauty  vahich  sprliiigs  out  of  human  suffering 
and  liiilch  is  gvcti  acre  boa-atirol  in  contan^t  with  the  aqualour 
frosa  )^iloh  it  si^rlncs.     It  is  instinctive,  nabural  beauty  and 
owes  notlilng  to  art  or  artifice.     It  co-exlsta  with  virtue 
and  with  instinctive  love. 

Txnie  beauty  colncldoa,  therefore,  in  Camteaubrland,  Hixgo,  and 
VbOB*  do  Stael,  even  thou^  Chateaubriand  oni^iasiscs  tl.o 
mitural  quality  in  Atala,   the  religious  faith  in  Araelie;     even 
thou^  %»•  do  Staol  «anphaslac3  tiie  love  in  Delpliino  ojoA 
tlie  aestiietlc  feeling  in  Corlnnoj     even  thou^  I^igo  (»aphaslses 
tlie  natural  quality  in  Em^ralda,  the  instinctive  love  In  Dea, 

Nor  does  any  sigjiiflcent  difference  appear  in  the  beauty  that 
Is  Kitty  Bell  (Vi^^ny)  or  Uicresia  (Sand)  or  Eu-;^ile   (Balzac). 
The  quality  of  that  beauty  differs,  of  course,   to  show  the 
special  ^u^vhasls  \dildh  we  Imve  octoe  to  connect  7/lth  the  autlior 

(1)  ;5tae,  de  3tael,  Corlnne,  745,  740, 


256. 


In  quootloai.  Tlie  Instinctive  love  nfriich  forms  Kitty  B©11*8 
beauty  is  that  of  pitying  compassion  vjiiere-.s  iri  lAicrezla^s 
beauty  the  aesthetic  feelin;:  is  balanced  by  a  love  based  on 
paaoion  aa  veil  as  pity*  Of  Luerozla  Cand  wi'itea  that  aihe   is 
"oprise  do  la  nature,  ascociant  a  son  ivresse  le  ciel  of;  la 
torro,  la  Ixine  et  lo  lac,  les  fleura  ot  la  briso,  oes  enfants 
sux*tout,  et  souvent  aussl  le  souvenir  d©  ees  douleurs 
paooeosa...".  (l)  Lucr-eaia  explains  her  attitude  to  lovo  in 
her  o^*n  tenia:  "--  L'a^our,  le  grand,  le  veritable  anonr', 
n'est-il  pas  la  charite  chretienn©  appliquoe  ot  ooi;s,io  con- 
centi^  aur  uii  aeul  ^tre?"  (2)  The  nature  in  Jeanne  ( Teanne ) 
\idiich  ^ives  her  natural  beauty  la  the  rustic  nature  nf  <-,h« 
peasant  life  tsiiereas  in  EUirenio  it  is  that  of  a  society  based 
on  natural  social  ajmpathios. 


i^iat  becoraea  apparent  is  that  beauty  and  superiority  resides 
for  all  the  ixananticlsts  alike  in  the  instinctive  and  that 
the  instinctive  feeling  sho^s  certain  definite  fonas  of 
expression  —  love,  religious  and  aesthetic  feeling.  These 
feelings  unite  to  express  virtue  and,  in  expressing  virtue, 
they  express  beauty.  True  beauty  is,  then,  the  p3?oduct  of 
the  instinctive  in  nature*  True  beauty  is,  accordingly,  a 
form  of  nat-uriffla* 

V.'ho  are  tliese  wo^ien  isfiio  symbolize  boauty?  They  arc  ideal 
creations,  ideals  created,  oi-dinarlly,  by  man*  Balzac  describes 

(1)  Sand,  liuorezia  Florlrjil*  133* 

(2)  n)id. rw. 


257. 


Pauline  In  La  ?eau  de  c!m;:rin  as  ''la  r-eine  doa  illuQiona« 
la  feasae  increo^^  fcout  ©sprit,   tout  anotir".    (1)     Chattorton 
writes  tn  Kitty  Boll  nob  as  to  a  vioruiM  Irat  as  to  iiie  con- 
cop  tion  of  tlia  beauty  ajsd  i^ood  in  tho  \7or»ld.     He  wi^tos: 
"—  A  voua,  boautc  paiolble  ©t  ailenclouae  qiil  souls  txvez 
fait  doseondre  cur  noi  le  roca-ic^  ineffablG  dc  la  pi  tie...."   (2) 
rta^rcion  spoulca  iji  thQ  usual  oanner  of  otmd*s  personai^ea  vdum 
ho  tells  Indiana: 


pour  ne  dire  J  '!arche  oncoro  dfms  cette  vie  de 
lilserG  et  Xe  ciel  t'en^'eri^a  un  de  los  ur^cs 
pour  t ' acconpai^ner.    (3) 

Pantine  la  described  by  Hugo:     "Nous  avons  dit  que  Fantine 

etait  la  joioj     Pantine  ^ait  aussi  In  pudour,   — —  L» amour 

est  une  faute;     soit,     Pantlno  otalt  1' innocence  stimageant 

air  la  faute,"   (4)     Obviously  tliesc  wmeaa.  whose  beauty  is  tlie 

beauty  of  nature  do  not  respond  to  nature  as  it  exists  but 

to  the  illusion  of  tiie  beauty  in  nature  ^licla  man  chejidshes 

and  \*ilch,  os  we  have  seen,  tliese  authors  cherish.     The 

worian  Id  '*l»'eti»e  inci'ee"  and  tlie  ronanticist  creates  her  as 

an  ideal  of  beauty.     Their  expression  of  beauty  is  an  ideel- 

isation  of  nature,  a  j-eprosentatltm  of  natviro  hwt  also  an 

erabcllislinont,  an  ideal  form  niiich  does  not  correspond  to 

reality  but  to  an  idea  of  the  nature  of  reality  cherished  in 

coranon  by  the  roaanticlst  writers, 

(1)  Balzac,  Ita  Peau  de  cliaririn^  201, 

(2)  Vicny,   Stello.  53. 

(3)  Sand,  Ii^iana.  G7, 

(4)  Hu^;:©,   Iksc  niae.-'ables.   I,,   152,   i;35. 


i"autler*a  Ideal  tomxty  la  represented  especially  in  Madoiuolselle 
da>  Haugjju     D' Albert  wi^ltos;      "—  La  f<H:no  est  de^'*inuo  le 
synbole  de  ia  boaute  raoro.lo  ct  pivui^l^-^©*"    (1)     ^^o  w^dx-cy  to 
Ictllo.   de  Maupln:     " —  Vouo  repreaentcz  di^enent  la  proasi^re 
dlvinlte  du  :rionde,  la  plus  pure  ayribolisatlon  de  I'eesonce 
etorwelle, —  la  beaute,"    (2)     A  better  (xmceptlon  of  Ms 
mesuiins  is  obtained.,  however,  if  we  rciaeaaljer  tliat  Maidette, 
Cretclien,  and  Musldora  ove  lik€\vlse  roprecentatlve  of  the 
Ideal.     Tlie  olmpltclty  end  naturalnesa  \^-iicli  app€e.rs  in 
Marletto  and  G3?etC-iQn  reappears  in  Musldora  and  in  Itlle,  de 
Blaupln  bwt  In  I^isldor^  it  la  eoibcllla'iod  by  all  r»s*nner  of 
artistic  devices  and  In  i'lle.  de  Ilaupln  it  is  :nodifl©d  by  tti© 
artifice  of  her  disguise.     I31  fact,  Mariette  appears  as  ideal 
beauty  onlj  r&isn.  all©  lias  clothed  her  sL-.iple  enotlon  in  a 
superficial  airt fulness  and  Gretclien  only  when  siie  ims  clothed 
lier  natuTfil  beauty  in  tlie  attire  «U£s©sto<3.  by  art  (tliat  is, 
in  tl^o  costume  worn  by  Rubens*   Mary  Magdalene  in  his  foiaotis 
picture  The  Descent  froa  the  Cross). 

It  is  this  addition  of  a  modicuia  of  artifice  or  of  tlie 
conventional  'j^ch  neparates  the  ideal  beauty  Oeutier  jortrays 
from  that  of  his  fellow  rfffitantlclsts.     Beuu.ty  is  still  single, 
spontaneous,  and  instinctive.     It  is  still  nature  but  It  Is 
no  longer  nature  entirely  unnodlfled.     It  Is  natixre  OTibollished 
by  art, 

(1)  Gautier,  Madeaoiaelle  de  'launln.  223. 

(2)  Ibid. .   35^1 


259. 


Yi'tf  ?.s  w©  have  seen,   the  "beauty  repiposnntec"!  tj  tfcc  other 
roiaariilcints  althou^^h.  It  fcvppearfl  as  aimpl©  nature  :ls,   actually, 
a  nature  vfi^loh  Is  a  crcrddon  :?ftthor  thitn  a  re-pinssentatilon* 
It  clsi-joc  to  Tje  pui»cly  nnture.1  "but  ?.s,  in  fact,  a  natiirr 
cnbolllslxed  by  tixe  artist.     Hence,  t^io  beauty  represented  by 
Cimteau'brland  ar.d  hia  successors  sacnc  to  bo  Ideal  aM  to  bear 
no  x^elationshlp  to  r.bfter^/atlon  or  probability.     On  the  contrary, 
tlio  beauty  i^eprcsented  by  Gacutler  is  obvloiiely  a  blend  of  the 
natural  eoid   ;:!ie  ai'tifioir.l,     ^3hat  is  nafciral  somna  lii£^-J.y 
probable  and  Eiriotte  as  the  pretty  servarst,  Gratcheii  (is  tlie 
rustic  iL-ald,  ?'iualu05.v.  a^    .Iv    .. ..^^atlent  lover,  Kile,  do  Tfeupin 
as  the  curious  youn^  woroan.,  they  ar«  all  hl^lily  probable 
porsonaijes,     Tlie  art  which  acloms  then  so  ^3iat  they  becosno 
ideal  l:)eauty  rerciains  obvltnisly  art  and  caseation  but  It  is  a 
creation  added  td  obaervatlon  not  a  creation  mibntituted  foi' 
It. 

Gautier  is,  therefore,  realiatlc  in  "his  ronumticisci  w^ijore  hla 
predecessors  fall  to  be  so.     He  takes  Ixia  reader  into  lils 
confidence  a:id  allows  liira  to  perceive  \?Jiat  art  uaa  added  to 
nat\u»c.     Tie  freely  permits  the  reader  to  vlow  'llisldora  as  sli© 
embellialioa  her  pi^tty  person  by  every  Imovci  artistic  device 
jtist  as  lie  freely  adriLlts  us  to  the  secret  of  l-njLo.  de  Jlaupln*s 
double  r^lG,     That  the  art  idealiaes  the  porsonaise  he  imkes 
evident  by  jroprePontln£;  tlie  ideal  beauty  aa  £t  appears  to  tlid 
eyja  of  the  artist  —  d'Albert,  ^iburce,  Rodolplie  —  or  of  the 
dilettante  — -  Fortunio,     Thus  Gautier  shows  his  ideal  beauty 
to  be  one  in  ^nlJilch  the  art  la  self-conscious  and  studied. 


ffusldora  spends  lonz   hours  in  adomln,';^  herself  Q*»d 
Mile,  do  '^aupin  builds  up  for  herself  a  conplete 
artificial  personality.  On  the  contrar:;,  the  other 
romanticists  represent  their  ideal  beauty  as  entirely 
unconscious  of  art  and,  as  a  consequence,  they  represent 
tills  beauty  as  if  it  bolon  ed  to  nature  althougli  they 
theriselvos  arc  conscious  that  It  belongs,  quite  as 
mich  as  does  >autler's  ideal,  to  the  realr.-'.  of  art  and 
not  exclusively  to  nature.  The  question  of  the  art 
that  corresponds  to  Id^al  i  eauty  Involves  the  discus- 
sion of  another  of  the  clenonts  of  the  romanticist's 
universe. 


Art. 


The  discussion  of  art  by  moans  of  personage  docs  not 
enter  into  Chateaubriand's  work  nor  into  Hugo's.  It 
appears  in  Cqrinno  throujjli  the  prota[;.onlst,  appears 
fairly  often  in  i"^al:iac,  nuc'i  norc  frequently  in  Sand, 
and  is  the  ciilef  interest  in  both  Vltjiy  and  Jautier 
nftiere  tlie  fnvourei  persona,:o  Is,  undoubtedly,  the 
poet,  thou:;h  W8  nust  imderstond  r:oet  in  its  less  re- 
sti*lcted.  sense  us  neanln,';,  the  creator  in  any  fom  of 
art. 

The  first  and  nost  obvious  characteristic  of  the  art 


I 


261. 


according  to  nature  la  its  rejection  of  the  art  irtiich 
is  In  aocordenoe  witii  fasliion  and  convention.     It  is 
audi  a  rejection  nAiieh  dictates  Oorinne'a  doflnitive 
departure  frosa  I^glish  faoily  life  .lust  aa  it  dewer- 
xainee  d'Arthes'a  witMrawal  frota  Parisian  society. 
?ut  ia  tiie  dotenalnlnr   factor  in  uonsuolo's  dosiro  to 
leave  Vienna  and,  later,  Berlin,     It  ia  the  cause  of 
Stello's  solitude  and  of  d' Albert's  retreat  to  a  lonely 
oastle . 

The  poet,  indeea,  may,  according  to  Balsac's  indications 
possess  the  natural  renins  ^Ich  roiaianticiom  exalts  yet, 
if  ho  does  not  reject  society,  his  natural  ;-onius, 
prostituted  in  its  expression,  nay  reriain  admirable  in 
its  esaenoe  but  open  to  severe  criticlsffii  ?.n  its  surface 
fonmla.     It  is  in  this  respect  that  Balsnc  shows  nost 
clearly  inhere  the  cleavat_:e  between  hia  and  the  otJier 
romanticists  lies.     Balzac  hao  given  us  as  finis*»e»l  a 
stiidy  of  the  ro^xantic  nonius  in  fouls  Lambert  as  has 
any  otlier  of  the  romanticist  writers.     Lor  can  tsre  fail 
to  include  in  oxir  study  of  art  seen  tiirouf^  the  raediujn 
of  type  the  younc  poet  iJMoien  de  :\ubenpre.     It  is  en- 
li/^htenlnj;  also  to  note  that  ivaphad'l  ia  a  stra  i;:linG 
yotmg  writer  at  r  c  beginning!,  of  the  story  in  whicli  he 
appears.     iJut  those  are  not  l.alsac's  favoured  personages.      ' 

(1)  Tills  stQtenont  nay  be  disputed   and  is,  in  fact, 
disputed  by  ocilllere  in  his  book  ralaac  ot  la  nQi»alo 
ronnn-tp^que.     The  chief  ar£;;uiiionfc  in  favour  of  ny  statement 


Il 


t    *tirr. 


;rrf.,'Tf    n,^ 


Jo>;, 


To  say  tiii8  is  at  once  to  make  ralzac  unique  In  hio 
rOTitlrl  Tmii     At  the  oppo^to  pole  of  thoucJit,  Snnd 
Ilp96ax'8»  bmdiiiadnr:-  at  the  tip  of  her  prolific  oen, 
m  tAkole  host  of  per3onat';es  whose  threat  virtue  is  d©« 
tMKtlAVd  ttsly  by  their  possession  of  an  instinctive 
genius — instinctive,  and  taerefore,  divine,  and  a  dir- 
ect manifestation  of  God  in  man. 

Sand's  artists  are  Generally,   for  exanplc,   talented 
peasants  with  little  or  no  education,     iheir  success 
is  usually  iidaediatc  and  tlicir  wisdom  apparently  in- 
stinctive.    The  Teverino  wiio  was  a  i<eapolitan  street 
>saciin  and  who  leads  an  undieoiplined,  nomadic  existence 
allows  Ills  art  in  life  to  SToj^pass  that  of  L^nce,   the 
cultured  artist*     La  Daniolla,   the  youn^  Italian  of  lai- 
bridled  passions  and  i^iorant  superstitions  is  suddenly 
endowed  with  a  wonderful  sin,f;inc  voice. 

In  tlio  theatre,   too,   the  art  oust  be  spontaneous  aaad 
correspond  to  tlie  (jenius  of  tlie  aotor«     llonoe  the  por- 
sona^ea  of  Le  Chateau  des  D^ortes  find  the  tmith  of 


is  the  fact  tiiat  .^alsac's  indnsputebly  syiri.pnt.:etic  per- 
8onar;es  are  never  reprcsontod  as  sterllo—as  ?"jouis 
Lanbert  is  in  hie  art— nor  as  voluntar-lly  seekin^r  deatli- 
aa  do  Lucien  and  liaphai^l*     t>uoh  a  d^ouenent  to  life  as 

representev'   in  Ills  fictiorx  signifies  tl^at  it  la  based 
on  an  \in tenable  principle. 


-Kf 


"•_-?l'-.  .'l.e      .:-(fS. 


or 


t-' 


■^•'tlbsm^-^'^  t. 


. ., .  r  4  ^,  ,.T  •■  A 


■:>  T'n 


<Jb^, 


^eir  expression  to  depend  upon  the  spontaneity  of  their 

feelin^^.     The  Intorpi^etction  of  art  Is,   in  then,    suV- 

Joctive.     ITie  exact  words  of  a  play  become  ra&ve  eyiabols 

of  a  feelinr  «hich  sl-iould  have  4n  individual  expression. 

Tho  narrator  \n»ites: 

♦  •••,1e  n'aux»ais  pas  cru  possible  de  a'aban- 
donnor  aux  haserds  de  I'lnprovisatlon  sane 
nanquer  a  la  proportion  dec   scenes,   a     ^ 
I'ordro  dos  entr^s  ot  des   sorties,   et  a 
la  neinolre  des  d<?'tftlls   convenus — r.aio  Poc- 
caferrl  ct  sa  fille  ayant  perslr.te",   et 
leurs  theories   aur  la  nature  de  1' inspira- 
tion dans  I'art  et  sur  la  raefciodo  d'en 
tircr  parti  ayant  cclaircT  ce  myst^'rieiax 
travail,   la  luEil^re  s'^tait  falte  dans  ce 
p  r en  1  e  r  cliao  s , , ,  i  1 ) 

This  individual  expression  nay  differ  fron  the  stereo- 
typed conventional  synbol  iriiich  the  oricinal  words 
have  becorie,     Hence  Cello  and  Adomo  are  true  artists 
to  3and  wiien,  as  actors,   tiiey  are  moat  themselves  and 
least  bour  d  by  the  conventional,  ^jeneral  interpreta- 
tion of  the  vrords  and  part  tJiey  are  actfn(i;.     Tho  extiHsrie 
individualism  Tfiilcli  does  not  even  permit  the  convention 
of  art  to  rule  art  is  expoxmded  here  not  in  one  fi;,ure 
only  but  in  all  except  t'.iat  of  the  worldly  aristocrat 
wiio  represents  tho  conventional,  the  expedient,   and  the 
stei'eotyped,  and  who  is,   therefore,   abandoned. 

The  spontaneity,   the  dependence  upon  individual  inspira- 

(1)   Sand,  Le  Chsiteau  des  p/sertes,   114. 


t  ^       ^  r 


-i.T 


n 


■264. 


tion,  the  belief  In  untutored  {genius,  expressed  thus 

throu;:ii  poi-sonafre.  Is  not  unique  in  Sand,  It  appears 

as  the  main  tenet  of  '^orinne's  art,  as  the  chief  virtue 

of  Stello'B,  Coi^nne  praiaea  Italy  toecuaso  the  .enlus 

may  live  there  at  ease: 

—Ici,  lea  sensations  se  confondent  avec 
les  ide'os,  la  vie  se  pulse  tovit  entlei'c 
"^  la  ri^e  source,  et  I'^e,  come  I'air, 
occiipe  lea  confins  de  la  terre  et  du  ciol, 
Ici,  le  .".enie  se  sent  et  I'alse,  parce  que 
la  reverie  y  est  douce.. ..^l) 

Tlie  source  of  art  is  in  the  poetic  nature:  in  enthusiasia: 

—La  poeslG,  I'aiour,  la  reli;^ior-,  tout  ce 
qui  tient  a  I'enthousiasne  onfln  eat  en 
hamonie  avec  la  nature. ^^' 

But  if,  in  Balzac's  wor?^,  the  poetic  genius  whose  charac- 
teristics correspond  apparently  to  Corinne's  and  whose 
art,  therefore,  corresponds  to  the  art  she  syjibolizes, 
if  this  poetic  genius  appears  as  an  unsynpathetic  per- 
sona^^e,  .^ '•  '•"   not  to  be  deduced  tliercfron  that  r^r.ac 
deviates,  in  reality,  far  fron  the  coiJEson  ronanticist 
aesthetic.  ^-)n  closer  inspection,  it  beconos  apparent 
tlaat  sacii  a  fii;^rc  is  criticised  not  because  of  the 
poetic  genius  wiilch  is  his  but  because  of  the  v/eaJmcss 
i6iich  invalidates  it,  Lucien's  art  is  not  open  to 
critlcisn  u:itil  it  is  prostitutecl  to  society.  His  ,^eniuG 
is  acclairied  bj  d'Arthes  and  the  Oracle,  Ills  art  is 


(1)  *t:ie.  de  Stael,  £orlnne,  667, 

(2)  Ibid.,  716. 


lj.:-.i>»-  -.j-c*- 


li 


;iDO, 


Still  individual  and,   as  such,   it  is  adiairable*      It  is 

still  spontemeous  and,    therefore,  be^*o^d  cidtlciam, 

I'is  art  is  ^at  tlie  artist  ia—natural,   spontaneous, 

orl  filial,     ^"<"hen  the  artist  be  cones  the  neaaber  of  society 

he  ceasea  to  be  Individual  in  his  art  since  he  and  his 

art  alike  become  the  o.'q>resoion  of  ooclety.      'vhav  iievolops 

in  L^cien  is  e^joisni  and  at^bitlon.     ''"hat  develops  in  his 

art  is  the  expr-oasion  of  this  side  of  Lucien's  nature. 

Balsac  writes: 

Alnsi,  par  la  b^ned5.ction  du  hasard, 
aucun  enoei/Tierient  ne  inanquait  ^  liuclon 
aur  la  pcnte  du  pre^cipice  du  il  dovait 
tcanber.     D'^rthoz  avait  mis  1«  po"^to 
dans  le  noble  voie  du  trava.'  1  en  roveillanfc 
le  sentiment  sous  leqxiel  d^usparaisaent 
1g8  obstacles... J ■'■' 

The  art  coasee  to  be  adiHrable  when  Luelen  ceases  to  be 

admirable,   that  io,  ifaen  Lucien  leaves  the  society  based 

on  natural  social  sympathy  ( tlie  Cenacle)   to  join  tiie 

society  based  on  natural  self-love   (the  society  of  the 

Parisian  journalists  and  the  Parisian  aristocrats). 

The  one  side  of  Mb  nature  (self-love)  kills  the  other 

(love  of  hunanlty). 

This  Is  tiie  negative  side  of  tlie  picture,     it  may  be 
completed  by  a  second  fom  of  negation,   that  of  Louis 
Lambert,     Lucien's  negation  denies  pai-t  of  his  nature, 

(1)  Balsac,   Illusions  pordues,   II.,  187. 


tl 


nto 


;^bb. 


the  ideal,  Louis  Lambei't  denies  part  of  hi  a  i\o-':r.jre. , 
th0   bodily  pcttlity.  All  tlaat  arewalna  alivo  in  ?ilia  le 
1^16  ideal  part;  of  iiie  nature.  All  tliat  remal-ns  of  his 
art  ai'^e  theae  ideas*  They  haye  no  body,  aiMi,,  for  the 
most-  part,  therefore,  reraein  in  the  region  of  the  Ideal, 
imexpi'ossod.  This  art,  too,  spr^Ini^js  froti  nature  and 
iB  Individual  but  itJ  does  not  spring  froE  a  i»hole  na- 
ture and  a  complete  individual.  Just  as  in  Lucloi  one 
part  of  nature  i@  denied  ao,  in  i^ouis,  the  one  part  of 
his  nature  is  d0nied,  Lucien's  life  io  aterilo  and 
can,  lOj^ically^  find  no  outccaie  but  death*  This  Ib   the 
logical  s'oault,,  theiHsfore,  for  the  art  he  represents. 
The  Boxxe   ia  true  of  rx)uia  Laiabcrti.  :iia  life  coraes  vol- 
untarily, in  its  refusal  of  actuality,  to  /Irtual  deatli. 
This  virtual  dea til  is  tiie  inevitable  corollary  for  hla 
art.  /'is  8t;jer?llty  is  the  sterility  of  an  art  which 
ia  not  completely  natural,   Tjucion  has  accepted  reality 
and  donleci  the  ideal,  the  better  part  of  his  nature. 
Louis  Lambert  has  turned  3'iis  back  on  reality  and  lives 
only  the  i4eali8tlc  side  of  his  nature.  Either  per- 
sonage appears,  in  Balaac's  repreoontation,  as  essentially 
weak. 

The  silence  to  which  Louis  Lambert's  art  ia  reduced  as 
soon  aa  it  ianbraoes  the  ideal  only,  to  the  exclusion 
of  the  real,  is  the  saiie  sterility  to  which  ^'-nutier 


« 


,  wKfc-tr^ij-.:  \.i^ 


8i 


S,XJ.^- 


shows  ftrt  to  be  cond«:>]ned  «ih«n  as  In  OnuphriuSf  for 
«caa9le«  It  has  severed  all  relation  to  reality.     In 
this  respect,   f^rtutler  end  Bal8«,e  are  In  entire  arrreo* 
ment  and  eh«w  thARselves,  on  th©  contrary,  to  be  In 
e<»!q>lete  oprosltlon  to  the  attitude  aysifcollsod  in  Jullen. 

Vlgny  states  hi  a  artistic  credo  very  fully  aa<i  emphatic- 
ally.    J^lM»  poet  Stello  fflves  way  to  the  poets  Gllbort, 
Chatterton,   and  Chenler,  but  reappears  In  his  tyaa.  per- 
aoR  dvirln/;  tVie  recital  o-p  th*9lr  hlPl-^r5«s  In  orc^or  to 
presMii   the  poet' 3  point  of  vl<5Ty,     ;'o  def*-j':ca  the  genius 
of  the  Toc-t  ft  a  Corl.nne  wl^^ht  have  dcme: 

--Je  ci-»ois  en  v\oi,  -irce  qne  ,1«  scnc  au. 
fond  de  mon  ooeur  une  puissance  secrete. 
Invisible  ?»t  ^nC tr^vA.saP^Ae f   touto 
parellle  ^  un  pros  sentiment  de  I'avenlr 
et  k  'xnr  rw.r^latfoi:.  de.^   rtauees  myst^e'iaes 
du  temps  present, ^-^^ 

And  he  announces  his  entire   and  absolute  devotion  to 

the  Ideal  to  the  exclusion  of  the  real: 

— Jft  crols  au  conbat  otemel  de  noti^  "ie 
int^ieure,   qui  f^ondo  ot  appelle,   centre 
1ft  vi.e  <»xler5-eure,   qvl,   t^arj'-t  et  rft-^ousce 
•  •  •  •      ' 

It  la  the  entire  ooncocratlon  to  the  ideal  wlileh  liad 

reduced  Loxiis  fjaaabert  to  the  solitude  of  hio  own  thought 

and  left  hlr.  In  She  obscurity  or  an  otewial  inner  oon'- 

lo^d#     Stello  too  appcara  onl:,'  -tiirou^^^  his  Idaaa.     lie 

(1)  Vl^ny,    itellf,  19. 
<8)    Ibid..  W. 


»4  oS  Jhri?  8«rcr'e 


»c 


MB 


9 


■v"./  'fiy\J  vr.-.Ai  iV 


doos  not  act  nor  does  he  wrtte*     He   aerely  conteraplatea. 
no  Is  a  poet,   therefore,  net  because  of  the  e."jpro8cion 
ho  ^.Ivca  to  his  idoae  hut  because  of  his  ICeass;  he  i« 
a  poet  not  l>e cense  of  fftiiit  ha  rtoos  but  fcftcauee  of  vlmt 
he  scoa,     'Is  Is  the   ocor— -no^  the  winter  nor  the  orator 
nor  the  swayer  of  the  r>eoplrt's  eriotione.      "^ly  the  seer. 
^Ihsrever  Stello  appears.   In  3tello  or  In  i^aplmel  he  ia 
looklnr;  on  at  the  spectacle  of  life  arsd,  divesting;  it 
of  its  matex^aX  exprcsoion,  he  sees  or.ly  tlie  ideal  truth. 
Th5.3  is  whet;  In  hl-i  constiir.itae  the  poot*D  cvt,     TMs 
is  the  Ideal  of  ai't  tshich  Chattc-rtor.  srcpx-^cGseB;    **— Lo 
i'oote  cherchc  aax  <5toile3  quelle  route  noaa  cicatre  le 
doitjt  du  Sei^iciu'."^^' 

Stello '3  attitxKic  is  cnccura^ecl  b;;   tho  Doctour,     In  this 
encourF.t^ament,  ve  must  recognize  Virrny'g  avnfcollc  appr-oval 
of  an  art  rrf'^ioh  f.fjially,  becorAS  ^^t^.r^e  nelf-coranunlon; 
for  the  aj:reeri«nt  of  ::tello  aiK!  '-'OcteMr-Tfolr  mcaiifl  tliat 
the  conclualon  is  cpproved  of  by  the  totality  of  e^^cr- 
lence  In  nan,  by  the  Instinct  which  hae  ite  aource  in 
Ilia  nature  and  b/  taie  reason  ishloh  has  its  eouroe  in 
the  sxienial  world,     Viijay  jiakea  this  plain.     He  writes: 
">4uel  est  oe  Stel.lo?  (iuel  est  ce  Docteur-ITotr?     Je  no 
le  aaia  i^aere,     3tellc   no  r-eflec-ible~t-ll  paa  a  quclque 

(1)  vieny,  i-tgilo.  74. 


ixJt  t 


.K 


chose  c<M«tno  le  aentiment?     l.e  Docteup-liolr  a  quelque 
(1) 

ohose  comtae  1©  raiaomioncat?     Anci  furtlicr?   '''C©  qui  jo 
orois,   c'est  qua  si  aon  coeur  et  n£  t^te  avalent,   entre 

eux,  a^^ito  la  m^ao  -^ostlon,  lis  ne  ae  e  oral  en  t  autr©- 

/    (1) 
Bent  pRrle.^  iVG-ither  Stelic  nor  Ivocteur-T'joir*  are 

the  coc^lete  loan.     Their  dlalo^^ue  lo  the  exterioriza- 
tion of  an  iitmej:*  c<-^uat«  between  the  heart  and  the  heg^ji. 
Everj'tiiliig  either  of  the  two  aays  of  the  cthor  conflrraa 
ttie  riiU-ty  of  Ic^.preealon  which  the  symbolic  fii::urc  -nust 
lESJce.     '-vTien  the  vocfceur*  and  i^tello  a^i'^eo,   t'  '      -"^rrij? 
points  out:   "••Voue  etss  svrpria  de  n©  voir  Icl  de  vo^re 
avis,   c'est   ;ue   1*7  suls  arrive  par  le  ralsonncment 
luilde,   co33sac  vons  per  le  sentinent  aveugle,''        In 
Stello  resides   >hie  postry  of  life,  in  the  ^ctexir  ^hws 
pMlosoph;/  «i>.lch  rnrJces  life  possible  wltliout  3uccirabing 
eonpletely  to  despair. 

It  ia  tlie  qucctlon  of  the  poetic  fimctlorx  thpt  prsoecupiee 
Stello  and  it  is  tlie  final  answoi-  to  this  queatlor;  that 
appeai'8  In  j>aj^ir.c»     -i.a  fable  r^i^recicnte  a  Foot  w^io 
eeaaes  to  oxiireas  liimsslf  In  poetic  yfritinrt  in  ordor 
to  exprooe  liluaeif  in  poetic  rxtlvn.     The  qiiiestion  thcari 
beooracst   "le  it  poss'fclc  to  elevate  the  com".on  naas  to 
the  level  of  pure  poetry?"     The  ':>ootenr*3  point  of  view 

(1)   Vl/Tiy,   .^: telle,  349. 

^a)  Ibid, ,  wr^'" 


i^i'fT"  f  «?>  -^-r;      ■     -7 


?■!    f>.r"i:?Tr5."^   n?!rt?Tn 


.>A  ^M" 


e«: 


O.LJ.. 


<2  IKJ, 


^^iiioh  is  tii&t  cT  tiic  lxitell«Gtual  onalyslfi  of  reality 
is  the  point  of  view  iiluotrated  by  the  reality  of 
the  iiiotox^  oi'  Laplin^,     The  pre»cxiptioB  wliicli  tliO  iiu* 
ussx  intallitjeiice  oil  ere  to  the  po«t,  en  thit  occfesioa. 
Is  hidden  imder  tiie  I'ona  of  Ljeabol  bat  ronains,  nev6i?~ 
tiidleas,  suiTlolentl/  pliiiii, 

Tiiat  Uae  poe;   cur-nct  e;drt  without  the  iphllosopb*^  be* 
eai&e  evident  in  j%zlJLo  Viiiore  iJocteiu^Noi.T-  Ic  Gtcllo(s 
oonatoiit  co*Ji;anio:^»     Tliie  is  a  syj3i>c.lic  indication  of 
'/Igny'a  teiief  in  the  necea-'jarily  doe©  vuxion  between 
poetry  and  phiioaopiij^     :ionco  tiioxx^  is  i)iiilo30pr*y  in 
tli«  poet  Jiillen.     Hence  Li^aniue  tiie  tliilcaopaer  rccog- 
c.lsoa  tlie  necessity  foi^  coapx^oiaiee,     '.rhe  friction  be- 
Inveen  matter  and  apirit^  betvrecn  iaoa:.'t  and  head,  ba* 
tween  action  and  ccmtemplationy  betweex:  syaboX  and 
truths   can  n^vz^  be  aolved  by  iiic  cliidnctloa  of  ©ithor* 
Coctaur-^itoir  condoumed    ibolard,   tiic  tidnkor,  beccuse 
at  tlie  end  of  his  lif«  :ie  livoi  only  as  intellect. 
Libaniuu  condoianc  Jullcn  tbfc  enpcror  because  "he  iiaa 
jsoUfcjLit  to  £0t  by  tOiat  li^ht  of  pure  truth  wialch  is 
vouchaafod  to  the  poet  alone  and  cannot  be  shared  trititi 
the  mascofl, 

A.S  emperor  Jullen  has  been  acting  111:©  the  urvvlso  poet 
wlho  proclaiaa  aloud  th©  truths  which  he  al£;ht  better 


-'iJ- 


0  t^J 


8ti 


;vi. 


ohexdsh  in  ail«iice«      Tmitli  lo   the  noet'E  r'oward  not 
fcilory  taul  Julleii  wxXi.  rxnaixy  xuai^iX  t-iui,  -or  iiio  poet, 
•ilonc©  olc^ie  la  pooGlblo,     ijHsoniive  ui'^ea  tiio  necessity 
of  makin'!  caneoaslone  to  nan 'a  ivoninnity.      intolii  -crico 
alono  iii  Jivino  ^xxi.  it  lu  aoii;-xi..oiit  v;*iicu  prcaex'vca  *« 
and  audi  a  sontiment  niwet  have  tiio    .miv«i'sal  appeal  of 
a  s«elii_;lon,      lielinlon  te  tiie  noetrr  of  trath.      It  ic 
tho  bofiy  Wiiicia  Ui©  ia>:.ai.  weai'u  lu  i^eax-uy,     xt  uccnes 
evident  tiiat,  for  vijay,  not  only  is  the  philoeopiilc 
point  of  vlet;  clocel"^  allied   to   the   ooettc— or  the 
ae3thetic~»c>uu  axao  x^ua^  x,xm  iHJXifiioua  puxnc  oi   view 
la  ooaafovu^ded  wltii  botii. 

iioro  tlie  attituJo  vtucii  *-orinne  exprcsoea  reappears. 
Corinn©  ie  eqvially  the  synbol  of  her  art,  her  religion, 

f^y-fl  >inv  Tjntr.T'Al    fnr:11.r,    ,      .T'lU'rir    in   Gq-f-ill-r  -hllnncrher, 
priuaU,   ouiii  poGt*     .>ci.i,.io,-  ror-   .'i{-piy  la  caiioritiaiiy  a 
uortc  of  art,     I-trlsr  th6  -  Id-jol 

tiruth.      riit  t'lflt    -oetrj  don.T  n;^*-,  TiAr.o.nr,  o-rial 

expreaelon  in  art  out  car  be  rathor  a  roxvi  of  couuOiapla- 
tlon  Is  the  Integral  Id^a     of  i^aj^nff!      Tullen'  a  life  aa 
a  ooet  dspondn  u  on  Ma  abste^^^.^v"»"   f-nr^  t'lo  world,  of 
action.     He  ohoulJ,   since  he  .^ic  expression 

of  the  ideal,   renain  In  the  jj,   :.         of  the  ideal. 

This  la  tiie  essential  aigniricance  of  the  divioi.yn   .'i;:^y 


72. 


raakee  between  the  iroet  ''tello  «n&  the  realist  i-^octeur- 
'ioir,  between  the  poot  Julien  oiid  tii©  idealist  jjlbanius. 
The  poet  rnxst  live  in  oant&ot  with  e::teiiial  reality, 
that  is,  he  xnuet  I've  In  contact  with  Locteur^Uoir  or 
T.lbCLnlus.     :5ut  this  very  contact  viiil  naice  evident  to 
the  poet  the  futility  of  e:proeeion  tiii^U(:;A  the  meolxin 
of  reality.     5\ich  exprosslon  is  no  longer  pure  trutli* 
It  iB   truth  concealed  by  reality,     'Ihe  concluBlJ>n  of 
Vlpny'a  asethetic   theory,   thoraforo,  will  be  to  apot'ooo- 
3l«e  the  ai*tlst  and  to  ylve  art  the  absolute  oxtves:,iQ 
of  subjectivity  and  Individuality  by  nalcln.3  It  Inaccess- 
ible to  any  but  the  artlot  himself, 

iior^  e.T'e  diptlnct  af5itit?es  between  the  conclvioi-on 
at  «i.;_ui  ,    fc;.i?river  '  ,  *-'''C  \i-:.vj.i.-^'^--..^    ..^--. 

the  conclusion  at  ishloh  ^pnd  arrivcfs  by  v/ay  of  tlie 
Instinct   (  -elene)*     '^e  art  i^-J-Ch     (^leno  STmbolizoa  in 

■Ljva  >-e  ,.i.        ■    X  .-_rc,  is   the  u-  contxxj_xt-     ciaotioneJ. 

oxjjroaoion  of  a  coapletoly  inotinctive  nciture.       -  v  art 
is  inr^ppvicatiOT-;.      It  Is,   in  f'».ct,  not   fxp^'csalon  of 
iiez'  C0iiBc:^^uuiac3^'  i.'j/ooiLij.(.  "    ■' '    sui:.— 

conscious  in  her,       >.en    ."eloae  touches  the  lyre  and 
olars,    ohe  in  reoresentot';   as  bein."  in  direct  con- imica- 
i.- Jii  ;vj.  -  ...  - :  .         -i.-'-j  crc   .  iCir-u.^,  ^/^r'O 

of  God,   converse  wltli  her  mid  rovcal  to  her  the  aocrcta 
of  the  ursi verso,        -.  ,n  ..olai-.o.   Hire  a  nodlvjr.  controlled 


273. 


by  forc«8  Ts^ilch  belon.'j  to  the  spiritual  world,  -ir'-os 
rrnislc  and  pooti*'  wiiicli  la  deatined  lio  cot- luriiciv^  •'^o 
the  rest  of  humanity  the  secrete  of  the  Infinite  w;iich 
Jod  has   revealed  to  har,   the  choaen  one.     The  music  and 
tho  poetry  whicli  H^lone  creates  while  she  la  in  a  sort 
of  trance,  contains  a  ■afisdoa  of  which  she  is,   oonBciously, 
totelly  ijnaworc.     The  lyre  toudaed  by  the  t:ru.c  poet's 
fln.-orc  veanondn,     GO  Ilolene,   tao  .;oet,  is,   syr'joiio- 
ally,   a  lyre  touched  Ttjy  uod't  finders,     aod  who  ia  the 
poet,   tiie  creator  of  the  world,   expresees  hie  poetry 
th3X>U;5h  tlae  numan  lyre,    leleno.     The  conception  of  art 
expressed  thai  thronnh  '  clone  ia  what  H*  de  Sellllero 
calls  the  "nycticlsae  aoethetique"   of  ronantlciar-. 
The  poet  :*.8    .od'o    -ns truraent,   the  art  exjjroaaos  a  wlsdon 
of  wlxich  he  is  not  consclouoly  aware,     --^o  muet  bo  araen- 
ablG  to  tiae  au  r,estlons  of  instinct  ao  that  '^^  m£,y  not 
distort  the  teachinr,  w^.'.ch  ia  entrusted  t-  hiu. 

The  idealiite:  which  r>and  ©.\pr»©a8ea  here  ie  as  absolute 

IS  \'LcT-'r*n,     In  Vij^ny  that  Ideallsn  la  so  extrene  as 

to  refuse  reality  even  the   concesciori  xiliich  It  would 

bs  to  clothe  the  ideal  truth  in  tlie  niaterial  art,     I  or, 

to  Vlmy,  If  roli^ion  ie  tt2\.-aye  eyiibolic  of  an  idea, 

ao  poetry  In  Its  naterlnl  expreaaion  riuat  alwaya  be  a 

for""  o  '  synbo^,        ..c/.  ^oet  can  co  "lunloate  ydth 

the  divine  essence  diveecly"*'     tlie  s^^Tabol  c^\n  be  little 

(1)  Docteur-Holr,   for  in.  tonce,  quotea  an  Imai^inary  apeech 
of  Homer' a  in  w'lich  he  malcca  liin  aay:   1.,.et  qui  enseli-ne 


'r>. 


h 


274. 


nor©  than  a  pis-ailor,  tho  natorlal  exprGSolon  a  n;/n"bol 
to  be  envisaged  only  as  Ideal  truth. 


"in  otmd  tho   absolute  character  of  tlio  Id-^alisL;  ^,.  appar- 
ent In  the  lack  of  probability  vfilch  hor  choson  sp:'.  ol 
wear.".      /\aa  fllscax^2©i  all  concern  for  reality. 
She  has  creatt.  ^   iiyth  in  order  ;.v  -.pro 3d  a:i  Ideal 
fcxnit^i.  That  "clene  io  yotmrr,  inexpcrloncocl,  iynorant 
(Jf  the  world,  entirely  unversed  In  tho  technique  of  the 
arts,  doee  ^^   hinder  -ond  fron  reproncntin;  '---^ 
capable  of  conposlnc*  poetr;,'  and  nualc  of  incomparable 
beauty  and  wiadow,  Foi*  .'elcno  is  only*  tho  a"b!9tr«<?t 
Bpiri*  '^^   the  lyre  and  v--.^--'-  nlae*       .io>  "...aa  n.  •- 
lation  to  anything;  or  anyono  else.        .1  actually 
doofl,  thro-     ^lV;e^  *s  to  aeparntc  tho  poet  finally 
and  absolutely  froia  his  art,       .^i-  '  ,.^^  .,  „  only  a 
ii^AL'un,  an  instrjwent,  but  not  an  intell5  ont,  con.-^cious, 
w^llln::  inst-»     ,      '.s  deif3rln,:  the  sub-conn  clous, 

bscur.';,  ..-•     -jlore:.  roi^ions  of  the  personality. 
In  this  she  micht  well  be  a  aodem  disciple  of  Freud 
6r  '   .  r  who  s^.ares  Ponri'e  attitude 

Is  equipped  wltl.  a  :5cientlflc  phraseology  the  nore 
efficiently  to      "         "net  but  the  orl-ln  of 


I'ax't,  si  ce  n'c 

pas  de  T"^'  ^■' ;,  o^  : 
hors  la     iO.*'  -« 


;'  le  oel:e  n'a 
..os  sont  apprises. 


9^0n 


/\ 


3^ 


iiis  polafc  ol  viow  ie  to  be  found  la  tlae  ©iiriy  rotianti cists, 

:iai«ac  an4  ^jSutier,  a«  iiaa  been  au<:^;os..«><l,  d«vlr.te  v.idely 
frata  9UGh  aa  atcitud*  as   'Jl^nj  and  :^.aAd,   In  tholi-  varirlng 
faa^iiona,  express.     In  both  tlio  lafc-iicr,  i!:;2io  reaul-"-   -" 
their  ideaiiatic  point  of  view  is,   bbviv^ualy,   a  conr.tit- 
atnt  to  creation  by  ay.boi.     xt  the  only  reality  Is  the 
ideal,   ae  Vi.'jny  believ*  a,    ihe  ;  oet  cam  eaepress  notl^iin-; 
©lae  In  ids   ort.     if  ttia  nodium  la  leas  t^rum  huisan  and 
a  Ewre  somdints  board  for  tiae  idral  truth,  aa  ^anid    .-    - 
^eeta^  the  nedlum  will  have  no  Intrinsic  I'aportance 
but  only  ayobolio  value.     I-Jalzac's  attitude  can  boat  be 
atoadiod  t.irou^i  peraonotsO,     if  there*  la  one  artist  nope 
tl)an  anothex*  for  wi«>n  I^alaac  has  a  strong  predlleotion, 
it  le  i^'Artnoa,   tiie  inoorruptible.     Liiie  '-'orlniie,  he 
i'inda  society  atuitli'yln,^  to  his  art  and  has  refoeo'. 
>uio  llfo  It  offers,     lut  the  society  Corinne  re,^ect8 
la  the  eooiety  of  discipline  and  duty  whereas  the 
aoclety  d'Arthea  re.jects  ia  the  society  of  ep;oiEtlo 
IndividualiE:.!.     Hevortheleac,   there  ia  a  comtion  cance 
in  their  refiiaai  c»i   society'  a  cloino.     In  either  ease, 
society  '?111  in^oso  a  pattern  wlilch  deiiiea  oart  of  th© 
natural  bein^,.     .-lence,  both  Oorinne  and  d'Arthez  arc 
rejoctin/i  aoclety  in  ord  ;r  to  bo  ablo  to  retftan  m^  in- 
dividualian  >&-tiich  does  not  coincide  with  the  social 
ideal  actually  pi'evalent,  i-^iiez's  art  will  not. 


,0 


276-. 


^i%»if9S!opQ f   corr-oapond  to  th«  social  idoaX  of  e.r>'t  but 
rather  bo  iiis  pcz'sonal  idcuj..      ^iie  provailii*.     ^■..-y^-fil 
ideal  w^Ueh  is  matox'ialistlc  and  xaalies  I^uclen's  art 
the  result  oi^  ©.cpealancy  ratlier  than  the  product  of 
his  jiCiiluo  is  superseded  3.n  d'Artluia     :/  the  idealiatlc. 

But  d'Arthez  doea  not.  Ilk©   r>oui3  Lanbert,   turn  his  back 
OR  the  roality  of  what  exists,      -o  accepts  real' ty  by 
lain  love  for  a  ducheas  of  the  az'iatoc:  atic  Parisian 
society,  but  ho  tronsinuteB  it  to  the  realxa  of  the  ideal, 
for  the  picture  of  her  idilch  he  cheirtslies  in  his  aind 
is  transfoHaed  and  corrected  to  ault  his  nature,       or 
D^Artlieis  "la  prinoesse,  cette  belle  c "Mature,  \ine  dea 
plus  reaarquablea   croation;*  -.<-^  k,^    .i.^,iatrueux  ..  aris  oii 
tout  est  poacible  erfbieii  coane  on  mal,  devlnv,,  quclquo 
vuli-^aire  ffao  le  nolheur  des  tenps  ait  rendu  ce  aot, 
I'onge  r^e,"      '     The  art  which  j;''\rthea  thus  ap.iioa 
in  life  is  tiie  art  which  Balzac  represents  as  a^Lniirable, 
D'Arthea  is  the  creator  wi\oso  G©niua  is  natural,  tmd 
untraEBriolecl  by  the  prevailing;  social  conventions,     xet 
d'Al^thez  belon,i8  to  a  society:   the  C^aole,   If  he  throws 
off  the  outward  convention— which,  in  art,   la  to  throw 
off  the  haiaporin,:,  outer  formulae—he  will  replace  it 
by  a  conformity  with  an  inner  ideal  wixich  is  a  social 

(1)  r.alcac,  .cs_."eorot3  do  la  frinceooe  de  Oa      ,  334. 


1^. 


Ideal,      '\3  art  irr' n   ije  in<l''T7-'  'mal    .        T-.^mral  h-ith   '  •;•, 
will  Inpose  an  iaeaiiatic   c/iaraot«r  u^on  t,ho  inat,erlal 
TKilch  reality  offers  It.^-*-'  Thia  1»  a  romantlois'i  w?ilch 
is   crti^'^. ctm-.hT*-'-   R'-n'tlTC  t-^    ♦•"'■<'•»    ^>r>(')7*Tr  of*   ^''1■"    ■^f>fv.v'^l 
expTeasGd  oy  iorlrjie,      .  t  ia,  however,   a  rcsti'lGted 
ronantlclsn,   a  roj?'(«tntic4sCT  'w?-»l(53i,  w'lllft  r^ 
sonal  anfl  (^-^  r-inatinfr  In  t^i^  -nnlniral  talftn*-^   «'■><  eh  ig 
divine,   recoyaizos  tho  dual  ciieraoter  of  natiira  and   Eeeks 
to  i*eco?iclle  the  e^-intaneoua  Ideal! an  with  tho  lladta- 

nfelch  nar3?3   ^alsac'a  aesthetic  doctrine j  w"  .Icii  giv«« 
It  an  eseentlal  af  Inlty  to  lautier*s  aTn.ibolloal*,?'  ex- 

xmreatrainod  Idealisn  o"')Vos&oa  toy  vi  ny  and  Sand. 

T^et  •d-'-Arfhes  Is  not  devolc^' n^  •yp.r^'.M--  ir.n  Mi'=  "7'r,v.i--ai^  ^^• - 
senao  oi  the  -word,  ilis  life  Is  a- -li-fe  of  enfchuslasn 
and  religious   fervoui'.      If  hi  -^3ion  in  life   is   to 

correct  nature  "and  to  reve'^T    V-i.-i.   ■•_-''p>ni    ■.r.r  •  n^^   p -^-.^-nosi^onds 
to  observed  real" '     ,    '       '  '     ■'  •       "cult 

of  accoraplishiTient  "sjid  demands   of  ^■^ 

.f^enius   of  visior  _  .  „ clone 


(1)   -  or  C-  :in  SCO   t-xe  plot  of  Les  .  ..crets  de  la 


As  in  the  case  of  Mcie.  de  Stael  so  with  Balzac  the 
OTtnbol  attains  to  a  judicious  prob«t>llity.  The  i;,teli~ 
igenoe  which  Corlnne  seems  to  -ossess  nances  the  superior- 
ity of  her  art  not  improbable,  D'Arthez's  superiority, 
based  as  it  la  on  his  apparent  kTiowled£-e  of  reality, 
is  llkewlBe  comparatively  acceptable.  H^lene  or  Stello 
are,  on  the  contrary,  presented  directly  as  allegorical 
firairca  tilth   no  corre^poncience  to  hunan  character. 

With  the  years  however,  an  occasional  variation  appears 
in  the  character  of  the  art  vhich  Sand  repi*eBents  through 
personarje,  'A*he  ;;'.ost  notable  variation  occurs  *"  'lal- 
^t^flrp*  The  artlat  Francis  finds  his  art  sterile  be- 
cause he  has  turned  his  back  on  reality  In  orcler  not 
to  confine  the  spor.taneHy  of  lils  art  within  the  limit- 
ation of  the  real.  The  artist  Adelaide  feeds  her  art 
on  natural  !3cience  and  finds  in  the  lr->owled,r'e  of  real- 
ity thus  gained  the  true  source  of  !  living;  art, 
(1)  Rcr  brother  speaks  of  her  thus: 

—Si  Adelaide  a  requ  de  raon  p^ro  1^ edu- 
cation la  plus  brillante  et  de  na  mSre 
I'exenple  de  toutes  les  vertus,  c'ert  a 
Valv0'.'re  qu'ellc  dolt  Is  fou  sacrc", ,.» 
le  .-^irain  de  g*^nle  (Jul  lul  fait  idffal'ser 
et  po^   '   nainteaeat  les  ^udes  las 

plv.S  r,  .  (0 

Her  art  Is  still  spontaneous  auu  xree  as  she  Is  still 
innocent  and  iapulalve.  But  her  knowledge  of  nature 
has  a  double  source,  tlie  real  a.n '  the  Ideal,  ant3  the 
observation  of  the  real  Is  iransnitod  to  material  for 

i 

(1)  Hc'rao  dcs  deux  .ao.^:'-^uo,  1361,  III,,  oaii.:,  /alv^dre,  540, 


r.nrtrjT": '-,:■: 


n'    n  I 


k') 


<  -mi-  imimmtm*^^ 


279. 

the   ideal,  "xhls   ie  a  otatonont  \v5)Lich  tallica  v/itii  Bal- 
aac's  attltucie  as  roprosoiitod  t.  rough  d' irtnca.  S«uid 
adopba  tiiis  attitude  tovmrd  reality  only  at  a  co-ripara- 
tively  lato  date,  however;  ot  a  date  vrhon  tiie  realisn 
and  naturalise  provalont  in  tlio  second  phase  f  roman- 
ticlam  raay  iiave  influenced  hor   eai-iier  point  of  vlev/, 
'Ja2,v&dr'Q f   /or  er.a^ple,  appeare  in  1861  Tci^oreas  the 
stories  into  which  Balssac  introduces  d'Arthez  appear 
between  1337  and  1339, 

In  all  of  these  writers,  the  c^^cataat  otre;;K  ia  laid 
on   the  fact  tliat  the  poet  is  God 'a  propliet  on  earth. 
This  attitude  ia  an  innovation  which  ror.ir.nticlsra  in- 
troduced into  aesthetic  theory.  'Hie  ciuotationo  that 
liave  already  appeared  will  have  nade  apparent  Uie 
S'-.xirce  of  this  doctrine  and  its  intlnate  minion  with 
the  faith  In  nature,  and  .sith  the  idea  that  the  voice 
of  instinct  io  the  voice  of  God.  The  union  of  relig- 
ion and  art  becomes  inevitable,   .'Vrt,  z'oll^icmf  and 
nature  appear  in  Corinne  unified  and  inseparable.  If 
rellj^loua  feeling  la  spontaneous  in  her,  just  so  ie 
her  expression  of  the  auo  *oi.i.c  I'eelin  spontaneous. 
Thus  art  in  Corinne  is  not  only  indivi<Jual  but  la  a 
natter  of  inprovisatlon  rather  than  dl-^clpline.   It 
is  natural  expre^L'slon  just  as  lier  rell.,ljus  practices 
are,   Art  becoiaee,  therefore,  oscontially,  the  express- 
ion  of  nature.  The  artist  does  not  discipline  his 
nature  but  merely  expi-c  ^  en  it,   ;is  art  is  a  iivlne 
gift  outside  of  human  jUT'lsdlctlon,   It  has  its  source 


:■•'»    T9r^ 


in  nature,  that  ia,  in  Cod.  Art  is  nccear^erily  lyric 
and  personal  since  it  Is  the  expressiori  of  an  im:er 
onthuaiann.  All  of  these  facts  enerf^e  d^rectlr  froia 
Corinno's  person  aa  well  as  fron  her  conversation  and 
her  wusioal  and  poetic  iiiprovisations.  It  i*  bccnuse 
she  Is  an  artist  that  she  olaias  cxn':v)tioji  froia  the 
corcion  law.  It  Is  on  'ler  art  ttiat  she  bases  her  clai:n 
to  superiority* 

In  Stello,  the  conviction  of  man's  ..liaslon  is  di.-ectly 

stated,  Chatterton  states  it  S7i:ibolically,   In  answer 

to  'lr.  '  ocrford's  questions  "— .'4ue  :ia"fclc  peut  ^-"vq 

le  f'oote  dans  la  manoeuvre?",  ;:i\attcrton  replloc; 

"— Ue  PoGte  cherclie  aux  etoiles  quelle  route  nous 

raontre  1©  dolrt  du  Sel;:?ieur,"  (1)  Docteur-T'o'r  r^hes 

lloiacr  say: 

••Vous  me  daaondea  i^uellos  Instltutionc, 
quelles  lois»  quolleo  doct  ..res  j'a'  donnces 
aux  villea ?  Aucjino  a^xs  nations  raalc  M\e 
^tcmolle  au  nondc, — Je  r^c  sals  d^auoone 
ville,  nais  de  l*tin.lvers«— /os  doctrines, 
vos  lois.  vos  institutions  ont  ^t^  bonnes 
pour  un  me   et  un  pe\iplc,  et  sont  norteo 
avpc  euxj  taiadia  que  leo  oouvres  de  1*  ,rt 
coles te  rostcnt  dobout  pour  toujour:.  Ti 
laesiire  qu'ollea  e'^l^vont,  et  toutes  por- 
tent los  nalheu      or  tela  1^.  la^o'  inip^r- 
iasable  de  l»Ai   ./.. .  de  la  P3TIK,  (3) 

The  Dootenr  goes  on  to  connent  upon  the  speech  w»>ich 

he  has  int   into  tlie  mouth  of  Homer,  syribol  of  the  Poet. 

— Et  cette  dignltG  calno  de  1 'antique    ^ 
IIoKi^re,  de  cet  honne  syribole  de  la  deatinee 

(2)  Tfeid..  ^01. 


QMiZ.)i"i 


d«s  Poete^j,   cette  dlgnite  n'cst  autre 
chose  que  le  scnt?..iont  eont!.nuel  c!e  sa 
mission  que  doit  avoir  toujouro  en  lui 
l'"-.ori*ii6   ciM*-   3G   sor:t  vnc  '^uco   nu  fond  du 
coeur,— Oe  a' oat  pas  pour  rien  que  cette 
!Tuso  7  est  venue:   elle  rait  ce  q\i*clle 
dolt  fairc,  at  le  Po'^te  ne  le  salt  pas 
d'ava/icc.      C.c  n'cat  qv;'au    ..ir.'cnt  Oc  1'- 
Inopiration  qu'll  I'apprend,— Sa  r.r.seion 
est  dc   pi'ot.iu'i.re  dec   ne'ivvac.,   et   re^ilw-'^ont 
lorsqu'il  entcnd  la  voix  secrete,      11 
doit  I'attcndre,      >iie  nulle  influence 
^tz*angere  ne  1   '      'cte  ocqjbaroies:     ''■'- 
scraient   :-^1. .  s.— iu'll  ne   cri. 

pas  I'inutilite  de  son  oeuvrej   si  elie 
est  belle,   elle  sera  utile  par   ".cla  seul, 
pulsqu'olle  aura  unl  les    .oLunco  da:iD  un 
sentlnent  caaviun  d'adorati -"n,  et  de  conteir.p- 
'    "'  r  eXle  et  la  pcnaee  qu'ello 

.   (1) 

Such  a  speecia  not  only  o;:piains  in  cato^^^orical  toms 

the  roraanticist  view  of  the  artist  aa  projphet  but  It 

also   jivcs  explicit  statement  of  the  nechanlcal  role 

n^tiich  is  the  poet's.     This  is  the  statcnent  wMch  Sand 

likewise  Eiade  clcarl:'  through  the  modlura  of  Ilelene, 

the  poet  i5!io  wns  no  norc  than  the  instrument  In  the 

hands  of  the  divi  e  inspiration. 


The  essential  elements  of  Vliiy's  thought  in  reg^rii 
to  art  nay  all  be  found   'n  ^tollo.   It  Is  apr.arcnt 
that  Vif^ay— since  he  regards  the  Poet  as  the  pur- 
veyor of  the  hi/thect  truth  and  as  God's  chosen  niessen- 
ger>— is,  like   the  other,   rotaantics,   toitaented  by  the 
search  for  a  reli;;'.onj   for  vhat  Is  the  poet's  aescaje 
to  bo  if  not   the   revelatlor.  of  tlie  divine?     Tiit,   to 
"igny,   and  here  he  is  unique  anon^^  the  ronumticists. 


(1)  V.jT»^,  Stdlo.  aai. 


X«*  .ajt»ia  .^^giV 


aois,. 


tlie  explanation  of  the  universe  carmot  be  dlscoVwJ^:.d 
by  the  sentir.ent.     Only  the  lntelll,<'*ence  r^hlch  see'rs 
for  cause  and  e'Tect,  «^lch  woiics  br  analysis  car;  dis- 
cover the  intelll:',ence  of  the  imivcrse^-t'ie  n  Iveraal 
Cause  which  Is  Ood,     Between  ^06  and  nan,  however,   there 
rects   the  veil  which  He  has  dravm.      -^-he  htaaen  intelJ.- 
i,-;cnce  which  is  Ood  lies  hidden  In  nature.     Hature  nay* 
be  ItitTjrro.'-ated  only  ♦o  a  certain  |>olnt  with  profit. 
Thereafter  the  question  renainrs  unanswered   ant^  nature 
is   silent.     But  the  poet  Is  the  5nt«?rpretGr  "'f  God 
to  nan.     The  v.'ord  rrhleh  he  speftks  is   the  splr*  t^.xal 
natorialieatlon  of/\::ona  which  exists   'netv.'cen  rami  cur^d 
Qod— between  the  hurian  lntelll^';:enco  and  the  suprerae 
intellif:cnce--bftt-i«;en  the  h^cnan  reason  and  the  in- 
rxunan  nature.      That  r.'ord   can  only  be   fovmd   in  so:.ttude 
far  fi'oi:'!  the  wil^-ar  crorrd,   fron  the  pos'tlve  preoccupa- 
tions of  1!  '"e,   and  frorn  the  false  eonventlona  of 
society.     The  poet  oocone;;,    '.herefore,    t'.:.c   interpreter 
of  the  intellii;^encc.     As  such  he  vrill  be  separated 
fror;i  those  vho     o  not  laidorstand  by  the   intclli  'Cnce. 
:;e  V7ill  write  not  for  the  present  but  for  the  etoiniity 
and  it  will  be  an  inpersonal  spectator  oi   life   that  he 
will  interpret  l^fe.     The  Idcn  r;ill  bo  everything  to 
liin,   the  particular  will  be  nothing  but  an  illustra- 
tion or  syjabol  of  the  Idee.      In  tlila  nannor  Vl^^iy 
boconcE   the   poet  of  the  ronanticiestn  nost  dlfficalt 
of  acceso»an.i  moot  reiaovcd  from  the  exter-ior  and  '•later- 
ial  world. 


li 


■■■f.l 


-^•> 


Bd 


.-.'r-* 


*X3 


The  syal>ollc  elonants  which,   in  Jautier'e  work,  repre- 
sent the  nitural  art  ai'e  of  supreme  Interest  as  a  con- 
clusion arcl   a  coraxaentary  to  the   romanticist  aesthetic, 
bis  most  familiar  :;ersonage«  are  all  those  vrho  live 
entirely  in  the  realii  of  art,     *ho  alle  );orical  figures 
in  Cftllfi-t^i    r.r   r-.nTiA^ifl  will  help  to  explain  the  s^n- 
bolic  oleaents  in  iiis  la  tor  vy'^r'r.      Iri  this  stovy  the 
si.^nificance  of  all  the  figuroc  in  t^e  tale  depends 
upon  the  aesthetic  theory  wjiioh  they  represent.     It 
becoraes  evident,   for  exataple,   tliat  the  ^vonan  repre- 
sents not  only  love  but  poetry*     Jautier  describes 
Nteriette  thus: 

"   rirlctte,   c'est  la  vralo  po^cji^  la 

•.eGlc   s-^.ns   corcet   et   cars   farl,    la  in-iae 
bonne  fille,  qui  oonvient  a  !• artiste, 
qui  a  des  larrnes  ct  des  rlreo,   qui   ciiante 
et  qui  parlc,   qui  romue   ot  pelpite,   qui   vlt 
de  la  vie  hunair.e,   de  rotre  vie  a  r.ouc, 
q\ai   se  laisse   faire  ef  toutes  les   ffuit;ilslec 
ct 'a  tons  les   capr'cos,   et  ne   fait  la 
petite  bouciie  pour  ai'cun  not,   s'il  est 
subline,    (1) 

The  above  description  sho^uld  be  borne  in  n'nd  in  turn- 
ing to  ?!ade':ioi8elle  de  'laujjn.     '^■\e  analo^^r  between 
the  novel  and  the  short  story  Is  too  obvious   to  vfi 
overlooked,   and  servos  as  a  practical    "enonstration 
of  tho  validity  ^-^nd,    in- ced,    t';e  nece  •="!-"  of  a   sym- 
bolic interpi^ts-tion  of  the  woiaen  in  Madoirjleelle  ds 
Haupin. 

MlXe«  de  T'aupln  represents  ronantic  boavity  and  rocuuitic- 
isn  In  poetry,      i!^t  the  equivocal  nat\ire  of  her  beauty 

(1)   Gautier,   Cello-ci  ct   colle-la^  Le&  Jeoties- !  ra:ice .  109, 


•jLLs;:iA_la:i — :■•   ^■•■•- 


Introduce 3  an  ele:aent  foroij^i  to^  Celle-cl  et  CGlle~la. 
It  is  tills  equivocal  nat\xre  \^iicii  a-ust  furnish  the  key 
to  ilautier's  final  c  inception  in  regard  to  poetry. 
For  MllG,   do  Uaupir:,   israo  was   conplettAy  feniixine  at 
the  be^jinnin;-  of  the  histoid,   aQsiiaies,  with  the  pass- 
a.^e  of  tine,  not  only  the  masculine  garb  Taut  also  cer- 
tain qualities  of  the  nasciline  spirit.        or  beauty 
escapes  limitations  because  it  escapee  ordinary  class- 
iflcation.     It  becoaea  the  beauty  wh:'.cli  is  perfection, 
the  beauty  of  the  hermaHpiirodite.      Ihus  at  first, 
MlXe«  d©    -aupin.   In  her  pure  fetslnlnitj,  is  syab^ic 
of  the  ninetosnth  century  ideal  of  beauty,   that  is, 
of  raTiantiols^a.     ihc  .Idealisation  of  the  fcijLi.-ae 
aspect  of  the  xmivo-se  is  c.hai»actoriatic  of  roraantic- 
Xma^  which,   tiirouj^i  the  medieval  mariolarty  and  the 
adoption  of  neo-Platonlc  tueor-es,  i:aa  placed  womaxi  on 
A  peaectal  ancjiiad  made  of  her  a    iivlnity,     Tut,  in  her 
apparent  nasoulinity,   Mile.   Jo  Naupln . conf oKnc  to  the 
idealization  of  the  nalo  l.eanou  whicn   coaructerizes 
eighteenth  ccntui'y  neo-pclassiclan.     But  the  Greek  ideal 
of  beauty  wna  neither  ^nasrullnc   nor    re:iin''ne  tut  » 
hartaonization  of  both.      Helen  and   Par-is    ;f;rc  nearly 
alike  in  their  ejrprecsion  of  ideal  physical  beauty. 
Hence,   a3  '!XI««     c  llaupin  assumes  nore  and  iiore  of 
the  characteristics  of  the  hemaphrod' te,   the  ideal 
i^rroek  beauty,   she  ceasec  to  represent  pure  roaartic- 

la«U     neither  does  she  represent  a  spurious   class- 
icisia  but  she  syrabollzes  the  conplete  beauty  of  tioie 
claBSlcism.     Tlie  ^:radual      ;  .^ution  through  which  she. 


.5.3 


5^35. 

rorianticisn,   pasadfl  reoroseiita  the  dvolution  of  *)(*";• 
art  of  po8t3?7,     ^^oro  and.  more  tilsaatlsfied  vrlth.  tiie 
puroli^  f^ilnlne  world  (with  pure   roijanticisia),   the 
ideal  of  beauty  in  aer  oontact  with  reality  finds 
•at.-l8f action,   finally,  only  in  a  min^-lino  of  two  Modes— 
a  nlnislinr  which,  aautior  points  out,  r-aprcs«::t8  the 
ideal  of  uz^ek  art, 

•«ilo«  d«  Maupln  rep-i^eaenty  the  ideal  in  art.     D'Albdi't 

hljflseir  repre.Mexits  the  art  wliich  aspires   conata^ntiy 

toward  ideal  beauty,     H«  reprsaenta  ranantlcisni  in  its 

aoeb   feyjjieal  o  ;ase  anU  hie  utterances,   therefore,   are 

all  repreaentativo  of   tlie  «5haracteri sties  of  a  rojuantl- 

elois  whioii  appeara  under  an  attractive  ^xiia©  even  though 

Its  search  f  )r  bhe  ideal  beauty  ia,   for  so  long,  »'n~ 

aucoeflHful*     This  search,  it  is  to  b»  xioted,  ia  the 

distinguishing  characteristic  of  romanticism,     Ihe 

aole  and  sufficient  object  of  d'Altert's  life  le   tiie 

searcli  for  ideal  beauty*     lie  writes: 

«**J<  adore  aur  toutce  choses  la  beaute 
de  la  fome;—la  beaut^  r>our   noi,   c'est 
la  I>ivinit^  visible,   c'est  le  bonliour 

prvlpGble,    c'ent  le   ciel  doncendu  s\ir  la 
tfcrr©#— — Nlais  qui  pourrait  xm  pas 
s'a~onou.1.11er  devant  tol ,  pure  personn- 
ificatlon  de  la  pena^  de  DieuV   (1) 


According  to  his  theory,   thia  beauty  must  make  its 
appeal  U^rougli  the  senses.     He  defines  Lis   Ideal 

(1)  Gautier,   Hademoi_3elle  ^e  Maupin ,   146. 


>f 


286. 


beauty  o^:  different  occoslonEt  "—11  j   a  ".xeie   har^ionle 
entrc  la  "beauto  et  la  rlchesne,"  d)  " — L*air,  le 
gest®,  la  d^arche,  le  Gouf  le,  la  coulcur.  Is  son, 
le  parfTiin,  tout  ce  qui  est  la  vie,  entpe  pour  nol  clans 
la  conposltlon  de  la  beautej  tout  cc  qui  ombarane, 
chante  ou  rayonno  y  r^vient  c3.e  droit*"  (2)  "«Tu 
aalfl  avcc  quelle  ardour  j'ai  rech.ereJ'io  la  beaute 
physique,  quelle  inportance  J^'^^t^^cJi©  ^  1^  forrtc  ex- 
t/rieiire,  et  de  quel  a:nour  je  suii  prls  pour  le  sonde 
visible."  (3)  "— Je  trouve  la  teri^o  aiioal  belle  que 
Ic  ciel,  et  jo  pence  que  la  correction  de  la  fornc 
est  la  vertu,"  (4) 


The  SEAphaslE  of  ronar.tlclsm  (d ♦Albert)  on   beauty 
Icada  to  the  confusi.jXi  of  bear.^.y  vyit;.  virtue  or 
with  the  good.  Actually  beauty  of  forr.i  i  ecoraes  the 
sole  criterion  since  it  ic  this  that  divinity  oxpross- 
QQ   itself:  "  — Ce  qui  est  beau  phyoiq  ;craent  est  ";*©);, 
tout  ce  qui  est  laid  est  mal,"  (5)  :  eauty  la  the 
divinity  ttJid  its  expression  is  nature.  TIence  uautier 
is  a^abolialnj  a  ronanticisn  v.hlcli  raay  be  aeen  to  de- 
light in  laattor  and  to  revel  in   the  physical,  since 
matter  is  ncccssni^r  in  ordei*  that  fom  ^nay  laaAif'^st 
itself.  The  natxirisu  of  Gautier's  roraanticisn  is 
thus  apparent  in  his  very  definition  of  beauty  even 


(Igbid.,  54. 
(2ybld.^  147. 
(gjlrid.,  196,  197, 
(Skbid..  211. 


'  1  r<s  i-f^i 


*;j-j  -^ 


■fJli^. 


.       .ULJUv'i 


287. 

if  h©  did  not  underline  it;  everywhere  throu,  hout  th« 

toook,     'liiua  d' Albert,  Uautler's  sTmbol  of  roraonticlsm, 

writes: 

^•Jo  lie  conprends  paa  Qotte   nortif -■  eacion 
de  la  niatl^ro  iul  fait  I'es  once  du  :firist- 
ianiarae,  je  trouve  que  c'est  \ine  action 
sacril^;:;e  que  de  frapper  sur  l*oeuvre  de 
Dieu,  et  je  ,ne  nuis  croire  qv.e  la  chair  est 
mauvaiae,  puisqu'il  I'a  petrle  lui-a^ne  de 
t-os  doi  ,ls  et  a  aon  intar e , , ,  , j.,  veux—- — 
que  la  inatlbre  ne  so  cadie  point  d'etre, 
puisque  avpai  M«|^  que  1' esprit,  olle  ©st 
\m   hyiane  =  ternel  a  la  louani^e  de  Dleu,  (1) 


It  Is  the  some  cry  as  above  wliere  d*  Albert  iiac  v;rittenj 

"— Je  trouve  la  terre  au! 
del,  Qt  jo  peua©  que  la 
for/ne  est  la  vertu,"  (S) 


"— Je  trouve  la  terre  aussi  belle  que  le 
del,  Qt  jo  peua©  que  la  correction  de  la 


13ut  it  ?-S  not  forrtleas  natter  which  Is  ndn'ralle.  There 
must  be  form.  i;ut  the  fortu,  wiiich  is  Imposed  h;:   a  spirit, 
or  intelligence,  canjiot  disperse  with  the  i^intter  which 
is  its  subject.   lence  it  nay  be  observed  that  Gautler 
scorns  the  Intolloctualisa  wiiich  caused  thinkers  fron 
Plato's  time  onward  to  place  boauty  at  the  service  of 
pure  intollif:;enc©  so  tiiat  Its  value  v;ae  actually 
utilitariar  i^ther  thaxi   abEolutc,  but  for  aautler 
lntellii:;©nce  has  becorie  a   aecosBaJt'  Angredlont  of  beauty, 
:ie  is  far  roiioved  from  those  who  regard  all  physical 
nature  as  good  nince  it  ia  all  indistint-^uishably  an 
expression  of  the  Divinity.  It  is  form  imposed  on   inattey, 
the  spirit  allied  to  nature,  w?ilch,  for  Jauiiei',  is  the 
true  divinity.  Thus  he  writes,  through  d' Albert,:  " — Ce 
qui  eot  beau  physiqucraent  est  bien,  t*ut  ce  qui  est  laid 

(1)  Ibid,,  148. 

(2)  iHd.,  311. 


9" 


^   -m 


e«t  rial."    (1),   and  defines  a  position  wlilch  at  once 
eeparfttes  hira  fixsn  ;ii8     redecessore,     T^tier©    -autler 
writee  "beau" ,   one  mi^^iit  expect  Rousaea^  and  hla 
followers  to  writ©  "in  confor^nA ty  to  prJjaltive  nature", 
"natural" , 

Vi-f^T  points  out  the  necessity  of  e^nbol  in  the  work 
';  •f  art  by  moane  of  identifying  art  and  reli?:lon  and 
Bhowin*;:  religion   'co  b©   the   sjinbolic  cloak  of  a  hlf^den 
reality.     Gautler  indicates  the  e.eBtnetic  theories 
characteristic  of  romanticlBm  through  the  words  of 
d* Albert,   its  representative.      As  the  representative 
of  a  romanticisi:!  syiapathetic   to  Gautler,   d' Albert 
may  be  said  to  raake  Gaxitler'e  ooeitlon  in  regard  t.> 
art  very  clear,         '  Mberfc  vrrite''    -<"  hla   auml^'atlon 
for  the  fujnclful  type  of  draia  sucxi  as   Ab   /ou  Like   It. 
He  wjrltesj 

— Ce  p^le-m^le  et   ce  d^eordre  apparente  se 

trvDuvcnt,    '.-^u  bout  du  conpte,   rcndre  plus 
exa^tenent  la  vie   rdelle   sous   aes   alluros 
fantaequep   que  la  .-Irair^e  de  noeurp.   Is  plus 
minutieiisencnt  ctudl^.— Tout  ho-^wie   renfcr-io 
en   8ol  l»hiu/ianlt^  -ntl^re,   et   en  ecrlvant 
ce  qui   lui  vlent   a  la  t6i;e,    il   r«5u';8it 
■•■deux  qu'en  copiant  ^.  la  loupe  les  ob.lets 
plac^  en  dehors  de  lui.    {2) 

The   first  part  of  this   statenent  riay  se  vo   zo  ca?'+ 

lii^lit  upoii  vj^utier's   careloBsnoss   in  re^.ar.  'x.aor 

Inconeistencios    "n  hie  work.      Such  inconsietencies   In 

a  world  of  fancy  or  day-dro«m  ax*e  qui.te  probaLie. 


(1)  Gautier»  .Mademoiselle  de  Maupin ,   221. 

(2)  iHci./m: — -^~ 


v 


289.     ■ 

To  the    ran  ahut  up  In  a  world  of  hi 3  own  creation— 
as,  to  Qautlor,  all  men  necessarily  are— such  incone la- 
tencies are  more  real,   perhn  s,   than  would  be  the  "lore 
conno.ily  accepted  realisri. 

It  Is  nan  wiio  ie  the  aeaaure  of  all  Viin  s  and  each 
man  naives  his  own  world,     lherefoi»c  ..autler  consciously 
advocates  a  method  of  creation  ¥foich  takes  Its  source 
ir,  thi-;   individual  rather  tiian  in  the  exterior  v/orld. 
This  laethod  of  creation  leads  tovrard  sytibolisia.     ifv.r 
d 'Albert,   it  is  obvious  that  the  poet's  creations  re- 
spond to  'lis  caprice  rather  trnr-.  to  observation,     He 
adioircs: 

—to  13  ces  types   chanaants,   si  faux  et  si 
vrais,  qui.   Bar  les  alios  bl  crr^s  de  la 
folie,   s'el^vcnt  au«des  iis^de  la     ronsiere 
r^Talit^^   et  dans  (^ui  le  poete  personnifle 
a«  joie,   aa  n^aneelie,   son  ainour  ot  son 
rdv«  Ic  pl.i3   ir^.'r.ic  Houn   Igs   a.  ;are   cos   les 
plus  fri voles  et  les  plui9'ie'*,a.  ees,    (1) 

Ordinarily  the  poet's  dpean  is  roell;:^ed  t'rou~h  th« 

wcman*     Therefore* 

"—la  fejttc  est    icvenue  1©  synibol*  d« 
la  beaute* ndrale  et  physique".    (2) 

To  the  poet  the  dreara  of  beauty  is  realised  In  poetry. 
Therefore  it  is  only  natural  that  d» Albert  should  do- 
scribe  wonan  as  poetry— Just  as  aautler  Interprets 
them  In  Cello-ci  et   cclloi;»la,     D' Albert  writes: 

—  II  est  vrai    lac  lea  fcnries  ne  s'on- 
tendent  pas  pins  an  r>o^ic   que  les  choux 
et  lee  roros,    ce  qii   est   troc  naturel  ct 
tres  altiple,  ^t«mt  elles-ri^es  la  poesle 


(1)  Ibid.,   266. 

(2)  ISid. ,    22o. 


■*r 


*;  O 


290. 

ou  touj;  au  molne  lea  meilleurs   Inatrixtients 
de  poeslG,    (1). 

Thus  in  a  different  and  norc  subtle  r.nnner,   fiautler 

too  Buo  lies   the  ';c7  to  '■'In  v?orlc,     '.Tien  he  be  cones 

more  explicit,   the  reader  is  al-i?eady  prepared  for  the 

extension  of  meanlr.  eh  raust  be  attar'^ed  to  his 

pe-pir.-nnr-es,     T 1-   ^1  no  '-rire  rhetorical  r;hrase  vrl\eT) 

d 'Albert  writba  to    -lie,  d^'^aupln:   "— Vous  represcntes 

dignenent  la  prcrrilcre  divln.it^  du  mondc,   la  plus     uro 

synbolisatl;!!  de  I'esrencc  ^temellc,— la  beautf?,"    (2) 

At  the  tlie  d' Albert  v/rites  this,  he  has  not  yet  •*^ill7 

recoi?ilsed  r^lle,  de  l!aupin'8  dubious  nature.     But  he 

has  already  ^iven  his  interpretation  of  true  beauty: 

—II  n*   y  a  presuue  pas  de  differece 
entre  Paris  et  Mclejie.      Aussi  I'liemac- 
phrodite  est-il  vine  des  chim^res  Icj^lus 
rii^iennaont  carer  sees  de  I'mitiquit^  Idol- 
^tro. 

Cost  en  effot  une  dee  pi  is  s^;avefl   ora- 
tions -iu  [renie  pa? on  que   ce   flls  d'    emnea 
et  d'.Aphrodltl:.      11  ne   se  peut  rien  imag- 
iner  de  plus  i^avisaant  au  raonde  que  ccs 
deux  corps   toua  deux  p'rfalts,  harmon- 
leuseiaent  fondua  cnst.^nble,   qje   ces  cleox 
boautee  si  ^j^-ales  et  si  dlff ^rentes  qui 
n*en  foment  plus  qu'urje  super leure  ^ 
toutes    Icux,    parce  qu'elles   se  tenperert 
et  se  font  valoir  r^ciproquencnt:   pour 
un  adoratcur  cxoluslf  de  la  fomo,   77 
a-t-il  une  incertitude  plus   aiiaable  que 
celle  o'u  vous  Jette  la  vuo  ie   co  da,  de 
cos  reins  douteux,..?    (3) 

Thus  even  while  d' Albert  aci'nowled^'jes  his   love  for 

Mile*  de  liaupin  as  wonan  OTily,  ho  has  already  passed 

beyond  that  love   to   t^^c   conccntion  of  unity  and  har- 


(1)  (J^utier,   nademai selle  de  lga^V>Sn'>  HV, 

(2)  Ibid.,   35G. 
(5)    iH^..    224. 


JIU  V  £3 


'iffi 


yyi, 


mony  which  will  superaedo  it. 

So  It  becones  apparent  that  Uautler's  art,   in  its 
quest  for  the  artistic  ideal,  has  cone  to  rest  iri  an 
aoothetic   theory    v/Jrlca,  having  its   source  in  rortan tic- 
ism,  liafci,   r.cvert  Tlcrjo,   developed  out  of  the  exa^i^^ej*- 
ated  ronanticisia  of  the  early  .'ears   into  a  nore  aatls- 
factoiy  -orm  since  it  1;    a  foiri  based  on  a  wl.ifir  '- :ow- 
le-i^e  of  r*ealit7,   just  as    "lie.   ie     aucin's  later  lifr 
is  baaed  on  fuller  knowledge  of  the  \arorld« 


292, 


Syrajoilon  in  ?lot« 

nay  all  be  r-xluceu  to  tTiXiS,   tSioii  tho  devaioirient  of  t.h<5  ploi'i/ill 
noaosarui'ily  i-ivol/o  t-  c-..M:^l:.nt  i-i.  .  .1  or   ihe  relutlouaVtips 

livbiiij  bet^veen  tko  'lli?rai:»Qrit  s^ibolie  olo:isnt3  I;. /olvel*     2ho 
act  lone  '^f  the  pcroonages  a^a'tot  ^^.11   to  eo>^i»os::'0>Kl  bo  f-iat  pfr^I^iary 
.:  iV.i^  ^;hich  tlio   poi'&o:- JCJ   li'-^asos^a.     Tiiu  ac-iiion  itsair  beootios 
">lic,  t?ie'"Gf  oj^e,  Imt  it  boeor.ies  so,  initiall^?^,  "beccuse  of  tliG 
-;"'riT*inV-r»lr!tic  SjjabolJc  '.fi'-iOLity  atiaelKxi  to  oaoli  fti^XTQ  Viovii^ 
la  Uio  UCC.XOV1.     It  is  'i^asy  to  pe]?ceive  tlio  'Thinner  in     hicb  tlie 

Ltj  is  de~/eloi)€>d  if  we  3t\*i3r  co:*taln  definite  plots  in  which 
tlio  9^,TiTx>li3n   Ig   30  o"jvicru2  as  to  ^£ikc  iota.il':>d  explanation 
j-i   j:  ri;o-iii.      -^x)n{T  the  njyclc  tlr^t  ws  '—^e  stUv^Tlr^   the  dlfficilty 
lies  not  i-:  disco voj'ii^-  ir.icli  riots  out  i*atJior  in  tnakiiig  any  clioico 
Iiero  so    Tjjch  of  tlie  .-mt'-^'ia.!   iji.ediatcly  auggo.vta  itsoli"  r.3 
iltt-ble  .?Oi'  illn5tx*uti  .:•      '.ly  such  choice  caii..ot  fG-il  to  bo 
arblti:»vvry  •ja.it.  To.-  choose ing  Ljie*  do  ^'it  lol's  £orinno,    "i^i^ai-'a  '^tollo^ 
and  il'.ijo'.'j  liCS  Uis<5r'ablcG,  oortiiin  r»e^-cosu3  ;.iay  bo  addiicod.      TlioBe 
a.i'o  tiiiOc  worko  ?Thich  SJ'.SL'ost  even  to  tiie  caa-ual  ■■•eador  a  symbolic 
•;iiality  lii  tneir  plot  dev3lo;Tieiit«      "^tello    my  even  be  alMiotod 
to  bo  "ittlo  ©I'jc  "-".t  c7J:ibo7-  T7!iilo  Lea  liiser-ibloi^  ia  conat-ntly 
in%ci\ji'Q'aC'^  j'j  ixLigo  tax'ai^ii  aiid  by  '^innbolm    Yet  noltlior  ..•tcHo 
AOP  Los  jlisox^ablos  sboiTs  a  '-iioi'e  steady  attention  to  a  ^Aiidiiig  idee. 
tlian  Joes  Corime.     S»icb  an  Ideolocical  bo.siu  is  the  vciry  Icoynoto 
or  i^iv^'X'llsn  aixi  hx   uha  j-ae    -."  Corini^e  oren  itc  e^u^liest  readers 
.ad  .306'nn.dBn'tHtoi*s  YtvfQ  mtod  the  necessity  for  a  syabolic  inter- 
.    .  v^ition  if  one  is  rightly  to  \mderstand  its  construction  and 


293. 
slgnlfic-.nce,    (1) 

filueh  of  the  action  of  Gorlnr^  is  not,  indeod,  directly  necessary 

to  the  developraent  of  the  plot  but  is  rather  a  means  tovrard  the 

ei^xwition  of  the  chamctoristic  qiialitios  and  cimractcristic 

reputations  attached  to  each  s^bolic  rolo»     Hbe  incident  in  which 

(tewald  appears  as  the  saviour  of  Ancona  is  of  such  a  rature.     So 

too  is  tlio  Hhole  incident  of  Corinne's  creaming  at  the  Capitol* 

Two  significant  events,  however,  initiate  the  naln  action  and 

indicate  riucii  of  its  STEibolic  significance.     The  first  of  these 

events  is  Oswald's  sudden  love  for  Corinne;     the  second,  CtH'inne's 

equally  swift  love  for  Oswald'*     Tlie  ideal  expression  of  the  Italian 

genius  and  love  of  beauty  is  throvai  face  to  face  with  the  ideal  of 

young  lilnglish  canhood  ar»l  a  loutual  love  ixssults.     The  ccusequene^ 

of  this  love  r/re  twofold*     In  the  first  place,  Corinne  bGCCcios 

Oswald •s  guide  to   die  historic  and  oi^tistic  beauties  of  Rorae;  hence, 

she  initiates  him  to  the  Italian  point  of  view  in  regaird  to  art, 

literature,  society,  and  religion*     Previous  to  his  love  for  Corinne, 

Oswald  had  travelled  through  beautiful  Italy  in  a  sta-e  of  canplete 

disouchantment* 

Oswald  parcou|nit  la  Uarche  d'Anconc  et  l*::tat  ecclesia- 
stique  jusqu'a  Rome,  sans  rion  obs' rver,  sans  s'intofesser 
a  rien;     la  disix>sitioa  ii<^ancolique  de  son  ^rie  en  etait 
la  cause,  et  duId  \ine  ccrtalnc   indolence  natm^llo,  a 
laquel^e  il  n^<fUiit  arrachcf'quo  ';Xir  les  passions  fortes* 
Son  gout  pota-  les  arte  ne  s^ltait    >oint  developpe";     il^ 
n*av*'.it  V($;cu  qu'en  Prance,   ou  la  aoclotcf  est  to\it;  et  a 
Londi^os,   ou  les  int^r^'ts  politiquos  a"jsorbont  presciuc  tous 
les  auti^es;     son  imagination,  concentre'e  dans  sos  peines, 
ne  se  caiplaisait  ooint  onco3^o  aux  ; lof /oilles  de  la 
natui^e,  ni  aux  chefs-d'oeuvre  des  arts*   (2) 


(1)  Larg,  liadame  de  Stael,   II»  ,  < 

(2)  lana*  del^'tacl.  goi-lnne^  GGO. 


28Sv 


294. 

'Qam  Oswald's  Eiiglisli  ju^gnotat  i^riciined  as  blind  to  tlio  beauties 

around  hte  as  did  tho  Prencliraan * s  worldly  wlEdom,     "Lord  Nelvll 

j¥^«ait  1* Italic  en  adjiilnistrateur  eclaird;     le  cerate  d'lJrfeuil  en 

taOBBe  du  mooiej     ainai,  I'lrn  par  z^ison,  et  1 'autre  i»r  logerete'^ 

n'^a?ouvaient  point  l^effet  que  la  canpeigne  d©  Rome  prodult  sua? 

I'dtaftginatioru"   (1)     Oswald's  Inagination  can  only  "be  stirred  lay 

^elinSy  ill  tiiis  case  "by  tbe  highest  fonn  of  feeling,  love.     His 

lovo  for  Gorinne  is  indicative  of  his  susceptibility  to  feeling 

aiid  desire  mid  it  is,  accordingly,  throtigh  feeling  and  desire  that 

he  entea?s  a  nsn  world'*     Oswald  is  airare  of  this  as  he  tolls  Corinnex 

"..  vous  TTie  r6v6lez  les  pens^s  et  Iss  caK>tions  que  les  objets 

sxt^ieurs  i^euvent  fairo  naitre*     Jo  ne  vivals  c^e  dans  non  eoeur, 

vous  avcz  reveille  non  inagination."   (2)     The  v7o>mn  —  object  of 

feeling  antl  desire  —  r©i»?eiients  the  approacli  to  an  ideal  by  laoans 

of  the  senBes  ratl^r  than  the  intelligence*     Accordingly,  Oswald's 

love  for  the  ideal  of  Italian  ijcnius  (Gorinne)  nakcs  it  ■>ossihle 

for  him  to  learn  to  knoir  azxd  appreciate  the  nra-terial  expression  of 

t2his  same  Italian  genius  as  it  appears  in  Italian  art  and  Italian 

society*     Coa'inne  underlines  the  si£;nifie£!.nce  of  lier  tutelage  as 

abe  admonishes  Oswald: 

—  Ke  portez  ix>int  — —  la  ri;^ --      -•      •         ^ 

morale  ct  -.Ic  jVatice  dans  jla  i.  ..lents 

d'ltaliej  — -  c'est  le  L-cnie  rormln,  vninqucur  du  nonde, 

que  IcG  arts  out  rcv^tvi  d'tuio  fo:^  -   ^  '  lu-c*     II  y  a 

quelque  chooo  de  s\irnatui^el  dans  ^.iflcence,  et 
sa  splendeur  poctique  fait  aiblier  et  son  orlglne  et 
eon  but*   (5) 

Such  a  speech  Ims  a  double  signif iccoice *     So  does  Oswald's  mental 


(1)  I^e*  de  Stael,  Gorinne.  GGl* 

(2)  Ibid*.  GOG. 
(5)  TUIcI*.   G3G* 


295. 

response:     '*L 'eloquence  de  Corinno  excitait  1  •aAairatlon  d 'Oswald, 
sons  Ic  convaincxHj;     11  chercliait  partout  im  sentinent  ncar'al,  et 
toute  la  :)agie  des  arts  no  i^wvait  Jaeials  liil  aaifflre**.*"   (1) 
Ax8t  &8  Coriione  urges  Osaald  to  forogo  that  cold  jodenent  of  Italian 
art  whicli  he,  an  Sngllslrmn,  nay  bo  expected  to  nako,  so  she  dsslrtts 
his  love  for  Iicr  to  forego  the  crlticlsns  and  decKinds  «fiiich  EngllA 
society  nay  be  ^q)eet^  to  raake* 

&it  Osmxld's  role  in  the  plot  is  tliat  of  the  connecting  link 
betr/oen  Corinno  and  society.     In  order  that  Corinno  aay  suffer 
tinxsugh  society  —  aiid  the  whole  thcne  of  Corlnne  lies  in  the  thesis 
that  the  superior  vajan  can  norer  escape  ItG  oondecumtion     — 
Corlnne  rtust  suffer  tlu'ough  love,  since  the  Italian  genius  is 
responsive  only  to  feelir^»     %ere  che  to  remiln  self-sufficient, 
no  society  coiad  oause  her  suffering •     Corinne  idolizes  tliis,  for 
she  says:     "--  Do  toutes  mes  facultes  la  pl\is  oiissante,  c'cst  2& 
fticulte  do  souTfrlr*     Jo  suls  n^  pour  le  'boniieur— -  laais  11  y  a 
dans  ntctti  ^ue  des  ah^os  de  tristeoso  dont  je  ne  pouvais  me  dof^idre 
qa*on  rie  preservant  do  l^anour."  (2)     Her  love  for  Os?.'ald  is 
•qulvalent  to  a  love  for  all  that  is  finest  In  English  society, 
fhe  author  underlines  this  fact,   Indood,  by  ennhaslslag  the  oonpleto 
reversal  of  Corinne 's  unfavourable  opinions  In  re^jai^  to  English 
society  on  the  occasion  of  her  second  visit  to  England,  a  visit 
subsequent  to  her  love  for  Oswald.    (3)     The  probleri  Initiated  by 
the  lore  relating  betireen  Oswald  ai:sd  Corinno,  tLiorefore,  is  the 
proliLen  of  the  hamonizatlon  of  love  and  duty.     But  vih&re  the 


pro  atoin  or  T>ne  naiwoniaa^ion  ui    j 

(1)  Uiae.  0.0  Staol,  Corlnne,  637. 

(2)  Ibid..   G90. 

(3)  1151(1.,  8X2>' 


296. 


rcpresontatlve  of  love  is  tzXso  tlie  representative  of  the  superior- 
ity of  genius,   then  the  qtrestion  is  at  ted  by  OsTmld  directly: 
"—  Les  lois,  les  regies  coRimmes  pouvaient-elles  s'appliquer  a 
une  porsoiine  qui  r^missait  on  clle  tant  de  qualitos  divorses^dont 
le  genie  ct  la  sonsibilite' otaient  lo  .''.ien?"   (1)     Corinno  statos 
tkie  question  diffeixjntly*     la  her  opinicai  if  duty  cannot  hamonize 
witli  love,  duty  niust  be  contrary  t:  nature;     for  "—  la  poesie, 
1 •amour,  la  religion,  tout  co  qui  ticnt  a  I'enthousiaane  enfin  «st 
en  imrs-ionie  avoc  la  nature"  •      (2) 

'33B  problOTi  of  the  novel  appears  clc:irly,  therefore,   through  the 

initial  olericnt  <ff  the  action  —  the  nutual  lovo  of  Oswald  and 

Corinno*     This  imusual  love  is  a  tcm  of  a  problen  but  to  say  this 

is  equivalent  to  saying  thc.t  It  is  a  s^ribolj     for  vrhen  s-ymbolic 

event  yields  to  huRian  incident,  the  novel  problem,  as  such, 

disappears.     It  is  in  this  imrbaal  love  that  tlie  individual  is 

represented  as  seeking  ImpplnessV     The  \7ciaan  seeks  it  in  narrlage. 

'7:nQ  Effljx  finds  it  in  a  world  which  he  can  enter  only  tlirough  tbo 

odiuii  of  nature;     tiiat  is,  tlirough  the  medium  of  his  instinctive 

love  for  Corinne.     The  resolution  of  tlio  problen,  however,  requires 

the  intervention  of  society.     As  an  individual  Oswald  finds  his 

happiness  in  Italy  aixi,  therefore,  in  Corinno  but  as  a  nember  of 

society  Oswald  condcKins  Gozlnne: 

n  fallalt  jiigor  Corinno  en   yohto,  en  artiste-  pour  lui 
pardonnor^le  sacrifice  de  son  rang^,  de  sa  familie,  de 
son  non,  a  I'enthousiasme  du  talent  et  des  beaux-arts. 
Lord  Ilelvil  avait  sans  douto  tout  1  "esprit  neoessalre 
pour  adroirer  I'iiicgination  et  le  genie j     mais  il  croyalt 
que  les  relations  de  la  vie  sociale  doviiient  I'cEiporter 

(1)  Una*  de  Staol,  Corimie.  706, 

(2)  Ibid..  716.         


297. 


sur  tout,  et  qiie  la^rcniere  dectlnation  des  ferxies,  et 

Ei&ne  dca  licyr.irico ,  n'otalt  pcxti  I'oxercice  dos  facMlt^B 
Intellec-Uiellea,  riaic  l'accom'illss©r.iont  des  devoirs 
partlctilicrs  a  clmcuii.   (1) 

..u  a  Biewbor  of  society  Osuald  fiiKls  tliat  Ms  duty  roquircs  hiia  to 

return  to  Ers^'^land  and,  therefore,   to  its  ideal  of  domestic  viitue  ~ 

Lucie.     Ilhe  passage  froa  Italy  to  England  is  the  passage  froR  Ouo 

attitude  of  riind  to  another.     IThon  Oswald  is  once  nore  in  Qt^land, 

"los  tableaux  s^duisants,  les  inpressions  ix)etiques  faissiicnt 

place  dans  son  cocur  au  pi-^fond  sentlnent  do  la  liber te'^et  de  la 

Borale"'.   (2)     The  triumph  of  society  and  the  defeat  of  individual 

genius  is  not,  iiowevcr,  I4no»  de  Stael*o  final   .-'ord*     The  Itaelish- 

Vftn  fibo  has  once  known  and  been  initiated  into  the  world  of 

beauty  (Italy  and  Corinne)  can  no  longer  be  contented  with  the 

ideal  (social  virtue  and  Luclo)  which  EncHsii  society  apotheosisesw 

Oswald,  therefore,  does  not  find  liapplness  in  his  marriage.     He  is 

forced  to  acknfflt/ledge  the  final  predonlnance  in  hln  of  liis  lovo 

for  Corinne.     L^oreover,  though  Corinne  dies  as  a  result  of  her 

assoclntion  r/ith  Oswald,  yet  her  actual  triumph  is  assured  for  it 

Is  to  her  that  tiie  child  of  Lucie  and  Osuald  is  cozMtlgnod  for 

teaching  and  it  is  tiirough  this  fruit  o_    o.ic  social   ideal  tiiat 

tlie  Ideal  of  beauty  will  be  restored.     Osv7ald*s  final  conclusion, 

therefore,  agrees  with  Corinne 's.  For  Corinne  "on  a  tort  — —  de 

craindre  la  superior i te  de  1 'esprit  et  de  I'Smo:  elle  est  ti^s 

morale,  cetto  superiority;  car  tout  cociprendre  rend  tres  Imlulgent, 

et  sentir  profondorient  inspire  ime  grande  bonte^  -—  La  poesie, 

le  devDuenent,  1  •amour,  la  religlto,  ont  la  ra^e  orlgine."  (3) 

(1)  laae.  do  Stael,  Corinne.  772, 

(2)  Ibid.,  811. 

(5)  TTl,,   858,  839'. 


c;v«. 


2h0  d^aoueeu^nt  of  Corlnne.  which  consists  in  Osira.ld's  cholco 
between  the  T!«in*la£re  of  duty  and  the  niarrlage  of  love  and  his 
ffLnal  raai^iape  to  Lucie,  is  the  Perfecting  of  the  s^nbollssi  of 
Oswald  as  duty*     Osuold's  PGlationshlp  to  society  is,   in  fact, 
based  on  filial  sentinent,  a  centinent  wliich  is  "Poal  enotigh 
Tmt  which  is  due,  originclly,   tc  duty  and  only  S0oondtu?ily  to 
feelinj?*     Lucie  represents  the  ideal  which  Oswald's  father  heui 
titamtsn  for  hlrr.     Oswald's  rr!arrla£:e  to  Lucie  indicates  the  final 
liri>*CMl  u  1 1  ice  of  tlio  ideal  of  duty,  tliat  is,  of  the  ideal  of  Sngliah 
society,  in  iiis  life*     His  love  for  Lucie  (social  virtue)  and 
his  aarrlage  to  her  is  represented  lialf  as  tlio  result  of  social 
ppsMmre  and  half  of  inclinatinj^.     This  is  tiie  sywholic  ccnflnaaticm 
of  the  fact  that  the  Influence  of  English  society  is  exerted  not 
only  th»u(rh  ciity  "but  also  throtjch  love» 

Obviously,  the  story  of  Corinne  is  an  exannlo  of  the  fact  that 
love  cfiBoot  exist  even  in  the  mcmt  sympathetic  society  and  that  It 
miffei  a  aixl  dies  because  of  its  contact  with  sud^i  a  society*     Yot, 
to  society,  w!-lch  er«\tes  tlie  necessity  for  its  death,  the  death 
remains,  nevertheleBS,  an  irremediable  catastropJie  and  is,  actually^ 
tbe  occasion  for  the  recogn.ltlon  of  the  suprenaoy  of  love,  of 
oratoral  virtue,  and  the  highest  form  of  its  exp^essioti*     The  plot 
obtalxe  its  whole  sgnbolic  effect  by  its  representation  of 
taappSness  as  the  goal  of  life  and  of  rjirriage  as  the  asaos  Ti^h«iroby 
it  is  to  be  obtained.     ^The  rewar^i  of  true  virtue  in  a  w^man  sliould 
bo  isarriage*     Is  the  true  virtiio  a  natural  gonlae  or  an  educated 
HJorality?     ©lis  is  the  question  w:ii<di  lies  behind  the  opposition 
which  ISae.  de  Sta^  craxtes  between  the  widely  divergent  paths 


rollOBOd  by  tiio  two  worien  of  Imr  atory  and  the  novel  coniiot  \m 
\vnlQV3tood  exja&pt  tiircwifjh  an  appj^cciatlon  of  the  s:yii;bolisn  Ix/ 
".or  vfhtch  tJie  question  la  preoentod* 

Ihe  varoJblQ  of  Iios  UlsorcTjles  riay,  at  first  glanco,  soeni  of  a  vory 
diffcront  order*     Yet,  ca-c*Q^lly  coiisidered,  its  action  may  be 

to  duplicate  csrtain  ptoses  of  the  action  of  Qorinne^     Tho 
01:  ^Gvcloiiaent  of  Les  Mi8<^blea  depends,  ij  :>s?e"'/Gr,  upon  the 

ffect  that  Hugo  l^icdlately  establlsbes  a  distinction  between  iita 
crtiliial  aM  his  ci'imo'.     2b0  criminal,  Joan  7aljean,  is,  in  the 
.  .rly  paarb  of  his  history^  not  tho  actor  but  the  malloaole  material 
upon  Bhleh  society  perfoiras  its  acticai.     The  crl£ie,  therefoi:^,  which 
Jean  Valjaan  coisirnita,  the  actions  that  he  pei»ltaMa  during  aiKi 
after  his  InijjrisozxrHmt,  are  only  incidents  by  virtue  of  which 
society  Is  cliaractcrized  as  vicious*     Accordingly,  the  first  part 
of  Joan  Valjcjin'a  story  is  a  fable  Ulustrtitive  of  the  origin  of 
evil  in  lasin* 

At  this  point  cones  tSis  redevptlo!^     Here  the  story  proper  bogins* 
Here  b^ins  the  essential  antithesis  betxreen  the  hutoan  and  divine 
law.     Society  identifies  crime  wlto  nature  (Jean  Valjean)  anl 
thoroforc  -yiliflGS  nature*    Divine  law,  represented  by  Bisliop 
ISB£loire,  recognizes  the  sliai^  of  divinity  in  nature  (Jean  Valjean) 
axid  tl^refore  recognizes  a  fraternity  betsreen  thera*     TbQ  social 
loM  had  fi^ed  the  crii.iinal  but  social     reJ^idlcQ  continues  to 
outlaw  hin'»     ^Bub  divine  law  Is  the  low  of  ixirdon  and  redaaptlon* 
Oils  lav  is  latein)reted  by  Uic  bisliop,  God's  repreGentative  on 
eai»th,  and  oiio,  therefore,  whose  sole  lat/  is  that  of  love*     He 


300. 

-;     "—  Jean  Valjcnn,  vton  fi^re,  vmus  n *apr  artene25  plus  aa 
iial,    .  . .    oil  bler^»     C'est  voti'e  ^boe  qxie  jo  vous  a<ds^tei     J©  la 
r-ctlrc  aux  peases  oalaros  ct  a  l*esp3?it  de  peitiltloziy  ct  je  la 
doniia  a  Dleu'*"  (1) 

!I3ais,  rlien  Jean  Vcjljoan  caracs  utxin   uhe  -  uij„o  as  an  acuov,  iic 
fl^poar^s  OS   Uw  SjfmTaol  of  good,  as  tiio  s'pibol  of  i»eli£:louc  lovoa 
ISiis  Glenent  of  rell^oiss  love,  of  divino  lair,  v/lilch  row  Is 
GTVidcait  in  Jfeon  Valjefin's  e^rery  action  OBLVsaea  hist  to  be  i>cica£T.ii'/:od 
^  a  saJnt  by  tJh,e  ealntllost  as  W€5ll  as  by  tlie  ot^jresaod  to  fOHM 
be  gliTDs  aid:*    Sse  raoanlni?  cf  Joan  Vaijoan*s  life  ho  meneaplnem 
for  himself  as:     "ecliai;H>«c*  aux  l^csraics,  et  revenlr  a  Dle«"»  (2) 
Sut  the  }ssffln  law,  ^hloh  talces  no  account  of  arty  othei'  juatlo®, 
contlMM^i  \,o  regard  liW  ll&<^0.elD3,  the  bcmefUctor  of  a  «hGa.e  eity, 
as  Jflan  "yTaljoan,  a  dangorcus  crlriinal,  liable  to  Snpriodnnsait 
far  llf^«     Javcirt,  tlie  inja.acal3le,  personifies  tlie  awtlioplty  of 
the  law,  recfifraising  no  absolute  out  that  of  haaEm  jiirlsdictlcm. 
lic£>e  tlie  divine  lim  finda  the  wor^an  »ho  &ins  throu^:i  love  ii&iCKsent, 
and  so  consoles  and  helps  her  and  givos  licr  life,  the  huaon  law 
fJtwwiiPMi  her  and  OT:>pEt*es«^  hor  and  ccoxses  lier  i^in  and  at  last 
ber  death*  (3) 

After  the  Crisiinal,  ;xftcr  the  T7oEtan,  Gomoa  t^ie  Chil^«     !EhQ  Child, 


(1)  Ifego,  I^es  Mlserablos,  I.,  113, 

(2)  Ibid>.   T..  L^^<J«  


3)  ^go  asks  I     "(n,i'cot-ce  c^uo  c'cc-*     "■  -  cotio  histc^—    ^.o  Fantine? 
c'est  la  ^cietcT aclK.  iajit  ■uic  c.^        .♦  — —  La  :   .  ^       offro, 
la  oocicte  aocopto....   (Lea  Kiaerables.  I.,  197«)     He  sImws,  by 
means  of  Jean  Val jean's  tiio'ii^a tc ,  '- ^""^  -    •  -   ^  -  q£-  the  v/liole 
episode  as:     "le  aort  do  la  fermie  .  .  Fantine,  I'autorit 

piiblicxue  poroonnlfi<$e  dans  Javert".   ( Los  Kiam^aljlcs .  IX»,  143«) 
Socio ty  is  to  tlie  strong**     The  weak  anct  the  poor  find  ik> 
sticcoxir  in  it* 


30i. 

too.   Is  o;>">ro£:s©tl  toy  tiie  social  ayatem,  of  the   Iny,     Therefore 

the  antitiaesia  continues  with  the  re  pre  sentat  ion  of  Cosette*3 

life.     Ill  order  to  coafona  to  the    n-'ojiMicea  of  soclcvy,  .antine 

has  confided  Cosette  to  the  'Rienardier  fanlly.     Hero  tlien,  due 

to  social  piejudlce,  Coectte  lives  a  life  of  fear.     She  lias 

become  as  nearly  non-«jcistent  as  nossible»     But  Cosette *s  life 

with  Jean  Vteljean,  s^Bbol  of  a  life  according  to  the  divine  law, 

is  a  life  which  brings  to  its  flillest  develo:)raent  aj.1  beauty  azid 

all  love,  of  iiiiiGli  Cosette  is  the  incarnation*     Jean  Valjean*s 

love  for  her  is  his  love  for  natural  virtue  and  beauty,     "c'etait 

la  deuxicme  apnarition  blandie  qu'il  rencontriit*     L'evefiue  avait 

flait  levci   u  i^wLi  horizon  l*aube  de  la  vertu;     Cosette  y  faisait 

lever  1*  ic  I'amoccp."    (1)     ;\s  long,  tJiKjrefore,  as  Je\n  Yaljean 

has  only  to  conto^  with  toBBUi  law  and  autliority,  he  rejaains 

secure  in  snii'it  ror,  botween  it  and  the  love  vrtiich  is  his  sole 

interest  in  life,  thoi''e  is  no  relation.     'Sob  universal  love 

wliich  rules  Jean  Valjean  finally  dcninatea  even  the  iinolacable 

law,  liowever,  when  Javert  acknowledges  Jean  Val  jean's  rl^^it  to 

freedoo*     'Big  signiricance  of  Ja vert's  surrender  is  underlined 

in  aatti  passages  as  these: 

n  se  faisait  en  l\ii  une  revelation  n  —  ^•-     -tale 
enti^rer^ont  distincte  de  I'affiniati  '^    .  o,  son 

imlque  meaii^^  jusqu 'alors  •  — --  Tout  un  monde  nouveau 
apparaissait  n  son  one:  — —  on  ne  aait  quelle 
Justice  selcm  Eieu  allant  en  sens  inverse  do  la 
justice  scion  les  hotnnes.***   (2) 

Etait-ce  croyable?     y  avnit-il  done  dos  cas  cm  la 
loi  devait  se  retirer  dev  nt  le  crime  transficure'^ 
en  balbutiant  dea  excuses J   (o) 

(1)  Hugo,  Los  llis<<rable3»   II,,  141, 
(S)   roid,,  W.,  15ft,  159; 
(5)  TTxT!,,    I/.,   IGI,  162, 


50^. 


^t  social  prejudice  Is  More  difflciilt  to  persuade  esoeclally 

since  It  owes  its  origin  to  Its  high  social  Ideal isis.     "Thero  is 

a  natxiral  and  intuitive  aottxgonleEi  between  the  two  ide-ls,    cac 

divine  Idei^l, which  Jean  Valjean  expresses,  and  the  social  ideal, 

«hich  Marlus  reproDents.     Hugo  vrrites: 

IterluB,  svT  Ics  questions  ^penales,  en  atait  encore, 
quoique  ddiiocrate,  au  systene  inexorable,  ot  il  avait, 
sur  eeuz  que  la  loi  fraptjc,  toutes  les  idees  de  la 

loi.  ^11  n'avalt  p^  encore aaccs^^i  )li  tJiia  les 

pETOgres,     II  n*en  otait  pas  encore  a  uiatiniiUer  entre 
ce  qtii  est  6crlt  -mr  l'hon!i:e  et  ce  qui  est  ecrit  par 
Juieu,  entre  la  loi  et  lo  droit.  — «-  ll  acccptait, 
ca-.ine  pj^oc^e^dc  civilisation,  la  drinnation  socialo. 
II  en  etalt  encore  Ift^satif  ii  avanccr  infailliblement 
plus  tard,  sa  iiatui^c  ctant  tjoniie,  et  au  fond  toute 
flaite  de  prcgros  latent*  (1) 

It  is  tlie  conti^ast  of  the  evil  which  exists   in  Gocloty  with  the 

good  which  is  hennod  by  It  that  makes  Ikurius  finally  bow  to  the 

divine  law  &s  a  force  superior  to  his  ovm»     In  other  t?ords, 

5hOT&rdier,  in  the  effort  to  avenge  hinsclf  on  Joan  Valjean, 

Involunti'rily  revctils  his  own  evil  natui^:     "Get  borne  otait  de 

la  nult,  de  la  nuit  vivante  et  terrible",   (2)  and  Joan  Val jean's 

exceedingly  great  virtue:     "Le  ftoiH^t  se  transfigurait  en 

Qirlst",   (5)     i&irius,  at  this  revelation,  no  longer  liesitatee 

between  tlio  social  duty  trhich  binds  Vdn  to  Th^nardier  and  that 

boxvlI  duty  t^hich  ruvkcs  him  reoognlze  Jean  Valjean's  true  superior- 

lty»     Ho  aiOcs  for  Jean  Val jean's  beaedlc  L-ion  and  thus  tho  highest 

social  virtue  kneels  before  a  virtue  which  has  its  origin  in  the 

divine*     The  representative  of  natural  law  is  perfection  itself* 

The  natural  and  divine  law  are  one*     Marius  cries:     "—  To^is 

(1)  EufO.  T,,>s  liserables.   IV*,  242, 

(2)  r^in;,  !£v.,  ^4^, 

(3)  TOT*,    17* ,  282. 


ovo, 


les  cota^aiies,   t:;utes  lea  vertus,  toua  les  Iie'r^o'Ssnca,  toutM  Xmi 
.         OS,  il  les  a!     Cosette,  cot  haoEie-la,  c*est  l*&sgol  "   (1) 

It  Is  love  which  iCfiTas  tlie  bo«i  beuwoen  the  social  and  the  divlxM 
ideals.     In  other  words^  tiic  mutual  love  «hich  Jein  7aljean  and 
Kariiis  bear  Cosette  is  a  bozid  of  union  bet?/een  Uiea  even  beTor© 
that  love  roas  succ3eJ.od  in  overcariing  their  mutual  distr^lst  aad 
ant&gonlsE.     It  is  through  love  (Cosette)  tliat  l&rius  hopes  to 
attain  to  the  divine*     He  tells  Cosette:     •*—  Dieu  est  derri^r* 
tout,  xa&ia  tout  c&che  Lieu*     Les  choses  sent  noires,  les  cr^tures 
sont  opaques,     Aiiaer  un  etic,  c'ost  le  rendre  transparent."   (2) 
Ihen,  eventually,  after  his  nEirriasc  to  Cosette,  he  does  reeognize 
divinity,  tha.t  recognition  is  liis  acknowled^saent  of  Jaaa  Valjean*s 
salntliness. 

But  Jean  Valjcan's  voluntary  separation  froia  Cosette  is  equivalent 
to  his  isolation  frora  all  huzaan  love,   tliat  is,  fz>an  Isaaan  society* 
Such  an  isolation  is  iap<»sible  for  :iankind«     Jean  7aljcaa  indicates 
this  when  he  states;     "~  II  n*y  a  guere  autre  chose  quo  cela 
d&zis  le    :onde:     s*atiaer»"   (3)     Hence  Jean  Valjean  di^,  a  sacrifice 
to  society  (in  the  person  of  llariiis)  but  a  voltmtai-^  sacrifice* 
He  dies  in  order  tlmt  love  nay  Ijeco.ae  an  el^iont  of  tlmt  society 
( through  Cosette  •s  marriage  to  liar  ins)  aad  that  Uiis  love  rm.f 
"bear  fmiit  and  pi'opa(:atc  its  divine  raesaage* 


(1)  Huro,  Lea  lliserfilles,   r/,,  235. 

;2)  ruid.,  in.,  ni, — 


\l] 


3C4. 


nu£-o,  like  Kae.  dc  Stael^  represents  mppiness  as  the     oa.1  of 
life  "but  foi-  l\im  liapplness  is  oyr:ibolizKL  "by  beauty  r^tnex'  than 
"by  utility*     Bisliop  Kaeloli'e's  statanents  a-^e  indicative  of  Huco's 
conception  of  tlie  divine  law.     That  this  is  go  Bago  nalcec  ".^Txirent 
'•■•icn  he  says:     "II  scmblalt  qu'll  cut    x>ur  arie  le  liv^.^e  u.c  ia  lot 
naturelle."   (1)     Of  tlie  "bishop's  stn.tenentE  none  is  sK>re  noteworthy 
than  tills;     "—  Le  "beau  est  aussi  utile  que  l*utlle»  «  II  ajmita 
apres  iin  silence:     Plus  peut-etr-e."    (2)     Hence  t3ie  aspli-ation 
tovard  riarriage  which  la  the  "raiaon  d'etre"  of  Mae*  de  StaSl's 
plots  is  truxisformeu  in  Hu^jO's  work  into  an  aspiration  thi'ou^i 
love  to^mixl  beauty,     -Whereas  in  Corinne  both  nature  ant.1  society 
sought  their  fuirHii^nt  thixjui^h  marriage,  Hugo  shows  natm^e  (Jean 
Vol  jean)  and  society  (Marlus)  seeking  tlieir  fulfilment  in  a  love 
of  simple,  r:atu3:'al  beauty,     But  ueeanuse  Jetin  Valj*>an  la  not, 
actJMilly,  Cosotte's  father,  Uarius  feels  hlaself  justified  in 
aeparatine  theo*     This  aeans   tliat  the  relatioa&hlp  betiroen  nature 
and  love,  a  love  which  is  b^iuty  and  innocence,   is  denied  "by  society. 
Hence  all  that  is  naUiral  in  society  accepts  a  viluntar;^-  death. 
The  thesis  that  nature,  denied  its  rigiits  by  society,—  aoik 
happiness,  to  the  rcsnanticist,  was  a  ri^rht  —  languishes  and  dies. 
Is  the  thesis  of  Bugo  and  l^ie,  de  3ta€l  alilce.     Hence  lx>th  tlie 
plot  of  Corinne  and  that  of  Los  Miscrahles  conclude  with  tb&  death 
of  the  exponent  of  natui^c,     Ihe  uu'v>eriority  or  :iatui*e  apoear®, 
n©vcrti*eleGs,  in  the  apotheosis  which  precedes  this  death.     In 
Wa»*  de  Stuol's  work  the  conclusion  is  an  apotiieosis  of  the 
iaaglnation,  of  beauty,  of  love,  of  nature  and  roraantlc  genius.   (3) 

(1)  IIu^o,  Les  Kiserables,   I,,  177, 

(2)  roia,,    I..   C9. 

(3)  See   Cox-^inne,    861. 


In  Oigo  the  ccncliislon  la  an  a-otheosls  of  nature  in  vatn^  that 

nature  whJLcii,  thr'otjgh  love,  approachea  the  ideal  and  so  apprnMichea 

God.   (1)     Huco  indicates  the  significance  of  his  worl:  very  clearly 

on  ::iany  occasions.     He  is  entirely  conacinis  of  the  idea  wlilch 

each  event  in  his  di^ssa  is  intended  to   illustrate  noi-  does  he 

desire  his  reader  to  .  ccjain  \*nawai c  ^..    .„^.c   ^^-sic,     i.o   ..'i.v. c-; 

Cc  livi-e  est  un  drane  dont  le  presaic2    ixjrsonnano  est 
I'ir^ini. 

L'hortne  est  le  second*   (2) 

Itous  ne  ^cannrenons  nl  1  *}ic»a?Te  corr.ie    x>lnt  de  depart,  nl 
Ic  ""  :s  >ut,  cans  ces  deux  forces  qui  sont  lee 

deux  ..x^wOvaw.     croiiH;  et  aimer* 

Le  progres  est  le  but;     I'idelll  ^st  le  type.  \«- 

(^•est-»ce  que  1* ideal?     C'cst  Lieu. 

Ideal,  absolu,  perfection,   Inrini;     riots  idcntlqiies,    (3) 
Similarly,  nrogrcss  and  -^rfectibility  are  tli©  twin  ^mtchwords 
which  dcsnlnate  Corinne's  speeches  just  as,  tiirough  Huco's  statements, 
they  are  seen  to  dcsainate  Jean  Val jean's  thought.   (4) 

Hei^  then  is  the   icTiodiate  key  to  Les  Mlacrablea.     Han,  made  brute 
by  society,  is  [jiven  faith  by  a  bisliop,  Gtod's  repi^esentative  on 
earth,  given  love  by  a  child,  representative  of  innocence  and 
beauty  in  its  iiatui^al  state.      vitlKJut  laaaau  love  there  i^^ialiiB 
only  divine  love.     Hence  Jeun  Valjeuii's  death  is  translated  by 
Hugo  to  these  tertis:     "H  riourut  quand  il  n'eut  plus  son  ange."   (5) 

(1)  :B-'    Les   liisex'ahles ,    IV,,    IDS      285,    293. 

(2)  Hugo,  Lee  MisfeBIes,   II*,  217. 
( 3  )    lb iu *  ,    XX.  ,   2*TrJi 

(4)  oee  i^es  Mis^rables,  I.,  229, 

(5)  Ilu^o,  Les  lliserebles.   17.,  29o. 


^Ub, 


^'Ogress  is  froRi  the  nateri«l  to  the  ideal,  from  man's  law  to 

the  dlYine  law,     Kago  rrrltes: 

Le  li'/re  que  Ic  lectevtr  «?.   r. —   "  -  -  -       -  ■  ^ 

c'rst,  d'un  bout  a  1  •autre, 

sea  dct'-ils,  qiielicB  qvie,soiont  les  intorTiittences, 

les  exceptioiis  o"  ''-z  J eftiil lances,  1"     ' '.  rml 

au  bian,  de  !*!;._        .  au  Juste,  du  fu  ,  de 

la  railt  au^jour,  de  I'appotit  a  la  consciencG,  de  la 
pourrituro  *&  la  7tc-  de  la  bestlil*    ^  -  "    .      3 

L'liyire  au 


Because  Butjo  so  envisages  Joan  '/aljean's  life  as  a  series  of 
events  illuatratlng  the  idea  of  ppogreas,  he  finds  it  >>ossi".:le, 
from  the  idoolOt:ieal  If  not  frori  the  artistic  point  of  view,  to 
Insert  varioiuj  actions  whose  connection  t-'ifch  the  imin  -^lot  would, 
otherr/ise,  ar)^)ear  vci'y  ncclis^^le*     '^Q  ficht  at  the  Txirricade^ 
the  whole  dramatic  naiTatlve  of  t:ie  revolutionaries,   is  not,  to 
Haco,  a  siocesslty  for  the  devolopnent  of  his  plot.     It  is  rath«p 
a  symbolic  panoram  of  one  step  in  rmn's  progress. 


N 


Cgttc  naladic  clu  --— '•-  —-^  la    ••--- ^3  civile,  nous  avons 
du  la  roncontrci\i:.  -re  -^a  ..  _  ,,     C'esi  1^  une  d€S 

phases  fatales,  a  la  fois  aote  ejt-  entr'acte,  de  ce 
dr  nc  Ijnt  Ic  pivot  cut  \in  daame  social,  et  dont  le 
titro  v<fritable  est:     le  Progres,,..   (2) 


Hugo,   it  is  evident,  is   too  inuch  awai^e  of  his  own  syitjbolic 
intentions  to  leave  hia  readers  any  doubt  on  the  subject.     Yet 
the  vei^r  Tastness  of  Lhe  stage,    the  piling  up  of  evont  on  event, 
may  seen  at  times  ti  supply  a  real  and  riosiiiy  body  to  the 
skeleton  idea.     In  Vigny,  however,   syinbDl  ap]-)eai's  in  its  pure 
essence.     Eie  action  of  stelio  is  initiated  and  developed  so 

(1)  IIiiLO,  Les  Mlscrablcs ,   IV.,  70. 

(2)  1:1^;,    r/,,  '77. 


OUY. 


cleTly  In  eonPom'ty  Tfith  ic  8i:;nlflcv>nc*/  thst  each 

cvf»nt«li>"lts<>l.f  seorts  rcts.TrilTy  de^roid  of  Into-^r?'-*  *r',  ^■»-><%  ■«<»■^f^n'»» 

iiiiic©  it  Is  so  olr/iously  !;cTO?.d  of  intc:*est  ^o  the  author.     Tiie 

eymbol  corinlctelj  orershadoirs  the  plot  Inte-^est.     Tins  action  of 

ntcllo  is,   Infle-ci,   of  thn  s'*jnc  chfimct^t*  as   ?.s  '^hr  r'?'l'5-»n  of 

Coi-  inv:e  o:--'  i.  a  l.:iG~rablos»     It  is   initiated  by  the  v  Ition 

ii}iich,   in  til©  •7'ery  natTire  of  things,  »er?ar-.t?.3  Stello,  STc.kir^ 

fo?»  the  he'irt,   frojn  Doctctrr-TToir,  3r>ec:klng  for"  f^.n  hoad.   (1) 

This  is  tile  sans  typical  opposition  i»hlch  r^^o  Uic  "lotlvntirsg  eauss 

of  the  action  in  Gorinne  and  Les  Hiseyables.     !Mt  the  resulting 

evBnts  in  t^^ose  latter  boolss  vrcncv^n  at  least  the  scEiblance  of 

onxae  and  effect.     In  Stollo,  x,nc  opposition  which  Initiates  the 

action  also  clet'?.mlncs  it.     The  c'>ncl\iston  iwecodes  the  thr^o 

storion   th:-.t  ill^istrnte  it  since   the  concliision  Urn  nT^r^r.-iy 

ftoxasd  in  the  cha3?actsr  c   ■;^e  narrator.     Tiiat  "cii:^s  la  so  i:'OC'tear- 

Bolr  nakcs  eTi'cnt  as  he  says; 

—  Je  veus  voiis  conter  — —  trols  r>etites  anecdotes 
qui  voiis  seront  d'excellents  r anodes  contre  la 
tefttation  "blr  *  '     t  de  deVouer  "TOS  Merits 

atuc  fantdisic        '  ... 


There  is.  Indeed,  voi^  little  act  :al  plot  in  the  tliree  stories 
which  Doctetir-Uoir  nanT.tns,     Tnirttcver  events  do  esnerge  depend 
here  as  elsewhere  upon  tiio  opposition  of  two  forces;     in  this 
case,  tlie  opposition  hett^een  Poetry  and  Society.     Society,  in 
every  case,   is  materially  stronger  and  lience  the  conclusion  is 


,tx)  Vlsny,  Stello.  249. 
iW  Ibid..  aT 


incYlt  blG  tlmt  Pootrjr  In  Society  vfill  dl©»     \Ttian  Louis  X7 
spc\:Jcs  arxl  derines  ^lis  onpositlon  to  Poetry^  lio  la  renovinc  his 
own  astic«i,  hla  rci^isfil  to  aid  the  T>oet  in  distress,  frcrti  the 
roato  of  tiie  particvaar  to  Vm  rea3j?i  of  the  typical.     He  states: 
"—  Ce  sont  iws  enncmis  nn tiirels  r:«©  vo3  beau»-esir-'lts«"   (1) 
Louis's  speech  :>ecaao.:  octeiir-Tfolr"     "?a  -^ggisce  l"tlT?!c 

ison£a»chiQuo  tcwclaint  raesslours  los  Poetes,  et  udiis  coirarenona  blen 
d*ont€ndre  par  Boetes  tous  Irs  hogr^ies  de  la  Muse  oa  des  Arts, 
cocme  voi;s  le  -otjudrcz*.  (53)     Such  Insistent  coiiei>^li2''<^ion  at 
one©  rcanoves  Tr^m  tlic  soliere  of  the  ;->artlcTilaT  what,  to  the  roadaap, 
ml^t  othenr.lso  >Rve  roTialiisd  the  Individual  story  of  the  doath 
of  Ol  t»oet  be<».nse  of  his  Tiacr*s  callous  indlfferenco*    Doetrmrw 
Koir's  general  Ira  t  ion  shors  how  stihservlent,   in  his  lalai,  is  tlit 
Individual  to  the  Poetry  ^rhich  he  s^bolir.es,  how  subseririent 
the  ruler  to  the  Itonarchy  ilhich  he  repi»©8ents»     And  since  Docteur- 
Koir,  as  Vi«3tty*s  representative,  reltites  the  tale,  the  <sn-^iasl3, 
jdiich  depends  on  his  attitiido,  will,  oSr/louaiy,  he  upon  tho 
STRbolle  interpretation  i»atiier  than  on  individual  action. 

This  is  true  not  only  of  one  tale  tnat  of  all.     7igny«s  caimentary, 
throTigh  D<KSteur-Hoir,  as  well  as  tlu'wigJi  the  other  elaient  of  lils 
personality,  C telle,  is  constf-nt«     ^cckford's  scorn  of  the 
ismslnation  is  not  ?ieroly  his  private  failing,     "telle  soes  Beck- 
ford  at  once  as  a  laan  "qui  cat  nlrac\ileiAscjaent  Inofime' d'age  on 

(1)  Visny,  G telle,  33. 

(2)  IV id.,  "^r. — 


s'TJs  la  tjetu  blafaTde  rics  PLAIDSORS  DES  A-  ,"   (l) 

le  judges  the  cnase  betw©(?n  Beckford  and  Chatterton  as  ho  did 

the  eattse  between  Louis  X7  and  Gilbert: 

—  Sn  YGTlt^,   je  Tc.is  le  dis:     I'hoBrr'e  a  raT^cmcrtt 
tort,   et  l*oixire  social  tcmjom's,  ~    ,\iico  •■>"  7  eat 
tralte  corrie  Gilbert  et  Cbattertoti,  qix*li.  , 

cju'il  frapp©  partouti   (2) 

^tko  Pocteur  also  coraisents  upon  the  first  tao  anecdotes  in  tbe 

sense  of  their  sicnificoiice: 


a    ;rv^Gent  — -  le  coiii^  de  I'ide'e  cml  i:  rua 


a  c;   . 
avons 


its  jvjsqu'ou  nous   Borsnms  nrrlvas.  — —  IJouc 
louve*  sur  les  bords  une  monarcJiie  et  im 
^mectent  reorosmitatlf,  clmonin  avec  lofur  Po^-te^ 
jriqueraent  Taaltt^-lt^  et  dedaigneusosnent  llvre  a 


mis'^pe  et  a  nort,  et  il  ne  la'a  r>oint  echarj-Te'  me  vous 
eep^rie£,  en  vous  voyont  trans  p        ^^  la  r  3 

forrae  du  Pouvoir,  7  trouver  les      .    .,.3  d.v.        ..J:  rslus 
Intolligents  et  connrenant  jiipux  les  Grands  de 
I'avenir.     Votre  esrolr  a  ete  deq^?,  ?nais  pas  essez 
coinpl"fetc?r:ent  ix>ui'  v  dg  c  •  --rj^hov,  en  ce  rrnent  r-^e, 
de  conoevoir  une  v  :piQ  ^    nee  qu*un  fome  de 

Pouvoir  plus  populaire  eacoi^   scralt  tout  natu3:*©lle- 
aent,  ner  ses  exemrjles,  le  corrrectlf  dies  deux  atitpos.   (3) 


It  is  evident  tlmt  the  I^octeur'e  version  of  Robesnlerre  9.nd 

Saint-Just  is  restricted  also  to  one  ^hase  of  their  aeing  and  to 

one  pxmae  of  tiieir  action*     Kis  Docteur  foroatalls  any  criticiari 

of  this  nethod  of  presentation  by  acknowledging  the  sinrleness 

of  the  therte  which  interests  hte: 

-*►  L'cnserable  de  lour  via  «♦.  les    "  '         n 

portc  no  a-ntj,)as  d'aiilTiii'E   cc   iA"._  .   '^^„  .,,„,      

tow  jours  I'ldee  nT»0Pii^ro  de  notre  conve"»^sntion  leurs 
disTx^sitions  envcrs  les   TY»1»toG  et  tous  los  artistes 
de  leur  temps*   (4) 


(1)  Vigny,  Stollo.  B4. 

(2)  Ibid,.  ■^. 


oxv. 


Hefr.ce  too  plot  of  the  story  concerning  Chealer  is  merely  a 
rerjetltlon  of  tbrt  of  cnch  of  th«  others  r?.n!i  sliows  He  '.crre 

.10  tyrant  who  decrees  the  '\)et's  denth.     ^?hftt  he  decrees 
C^.ienler's  death  on  the  girlllotine  rmkcs  }iljn  no  -./lilt  ?Tiore  gull'-y 
thftn  T>-'>«ls  Vf  who.   In  all  owing  the  "^ot  to  starve,  virt\mlly 
decreed  his  death?     nor  la  he  irwre  fmllty  than  K.  Beclcford  rtho 

' -'  tho  Poet's  an'*Ttlaslon  to  the  naterlal  vrorll,  a  -         V^siaa 
whicli  would,   in  effect,  involve  the  Poet's  death  as   '^et.     T[vs 
conclusion,  as  Stcllo  phrases  it.   Is  inevltft'!'ls: 

pre.- -.-    --   — --,  —  -  -- _  ^-c  Goriea© 

imitilos,   la  trols'ene  noixs  halt  ct  nous  nivcllc  conne 
sup''^  *    ^'    "^         "        3ratlqucs»     Soramea-nous  done  les 
lie.    -      -     -        -    srcietes?   (1) 

Reason,   the  Boctenir,   foi'ccs  x\q  to  an  afflrnativc  i»eply'» 

"ic  Doctour's  attitiide,  defined  by  hl»iself,  shows  hln  to  he 
con9cloi.isly  rodwcln^  the  story  he  tells  to  the  lesst  cleveloyment 
of  c^Mtr-xcter  and  ?.etlon  cons lo tent  "'ith  th^  illustrntion  of  an 
Idea*     ^e  technlcue  Trhtch  siich  f.n  attltaide  provx>kes   is  clearly 
illustrated  in  ? telle »     The  vnl^^e  of  the  oarticular  historical 
event  an^.,   of  coio'se,  of  th^e   laartlctxlar  historical  character,  is 
analysed  by  the  reason  so  th:\t  its  nature  is  red-'.ced  Vram  "«.ny 
pttaasas  to  the  one  ptaaae  easontlal  for  the  poet's  i  ■•nt.     "Hie 

event,  oorsona  te,  or  sitamtion  is  denatitrl«od,  therefore*     It  is 
resO'Ved  fr on  tho  real  trorld,  tho  rorld  from  iftiich  the  '-'oet  la 
barreA  by  reason,  and  is  rlacod  in  the  ideal  ^/orld*     Ae  Idea  it 
serv^ea  the  poet  and  as  Idea  it  occupies  his  inaoination  to  the 
c:cclr.2icn  or   the  dosnnir  nnd  nosslmisra  felt  l>y  tlio  "KJCt  in  the 

(1)  Vigny,  Otollo,  221, 


511. 

-^  or  exterior  reality.     i\>r  r^llty  to  anU^v  fiction  only 
I', '^a  i^^  of  c^urae,  nearly  to  SK17  tli^it  reality  eaters  fiction 
cnly  IS  syrfcol, 

(Hie  reduction  of  the  t!areo  v-n^r  to  symbol  Is  not  noro  ol^vloas 

tlam  is  th<?  r.-{^.Tn*ion  -•>**  t'-r   -v -  ork  to  stis'^oI-,     Stello  Is 

slclc*     Ho  desires  to  piit  uic  rjoetlc  talent  at  -^e  service  of 

Kwiety^     roctetu^Hoir  Isolates  Stollo  from  Soctoty  ajicl  scto  hSm 

In  oj^position  to  it  by  Mr,  CTor-r  s->cnc!i»     He  prescrilsos  for  hlffi 

es  folloirs: 

—  ;.^votre  place,  3*aliaerais  xine  cr«it'.T2-'3  du  P.G:".f:nmir 
^ "    '  "  '  ,  quclqiic  he&v        *""    ~''^" ,  — «• 

^.                                  ,  _  n^cossair©  v     _,.   -  voiis 

dcvouor?     Car  nauB  avouona  qu'ii  on  faut  Tin  pcuxr  qu'il 
7  nit  -one  Soolet<f (1) 

!nbe  action  of  Ctcllo  is  seen  to  becan«  essentially  an  act..' 
expressed  by  de'^eloT'iaent  of  com'icti-n  pr>  ^v,-.!--^-.*  ^p^*-.,,^,.,  yTg^n  by 
^rterlor  event.     The  du(xL  t:.:y^i;      la 00  1:1  uic  ;=*i.iKi  not  in  i-' 
TSiblic  square.    Docte\ir-Ilolr  ennhasisee  tho  purely  ideal  iititiira 
of  the  atoiy,     He  says;     **—  .Te  -^rle  dc  -/oc  -^^eicrff.P.  r.f.    ^o  -ma 
travatuc  par  lesquela  aonlencn-v  -^cxxa   cs>:ister  u  ijlz:,     •-^'      :c 

font  vos  actions?''   (2)     /oni  again:     "—  L*ap'-»llcation  les  ideos 
atm  (Gnoses  n'est  quHiae  pertc  ^e  tcp^-on  -no^iv  len  crcatcnirs  de 
paBBfli6ift."   (3)     This  S8  to  clecxii  c  vi*it  ovtr       ic  slight  veil  of 
fiction  irtiloli  has  eervod  to  embody  and  sz-nbollze  the  nure  idea 
is,  in  itself,  vrIiioIoss,     Facts   in  t'^en3r''.vcn,  events  in  thera- 
aelves,  plot  in  itself,  it:iy   :c  rie<'  ■  ais  to  a  goal  lout 

in  tiiacselvea   Uioy  are  less  timn  nothing,  e  "perte  do  toraps*. 

(1)  Vlgny^  Stollo,  235. 

(2)  ibicL.,  rrrr^ 

(3)  Tuin:,.  L'-ii, 


I  "iiixa,  of  c  ,  alT;  on  t,;-'' 

IrrolPT  can  liS-VC  no  nmit  ^luc»  oholco  «hl^ 

f''ctcrr.iln©r  ff^.^'r>.   T.-r'-'ciilaz'  event  shanirig  tio^r-"-''    '>-^'''      -.rtictilar 
end.  shall  "^c  Eiadc  t~  ':y  tiie  nystcT^y  of  noi's  c  rit 

'    tioiialilpa  Is  a  c?io1cg  Tf*ilch  cannot  swccoscfolly  in  the 

real  ai:a  ■.-^'■.t.- -'-lal  a2*c  r.orc  or  Ices  de;?'      .     "^vcallty  .-js  as 

owy  and  c!/ircctcrlcss  as  the  :atlc'-"  ;,r  sole 

ir'V'jrt'^nc'^  -'*'?.   til  t>o  rr?"'.^,  tf -srrj  t^~  ldealof-:lc£vl 

tmtlis  Thlcii   v2:c7  £^re  ugc<I  to  convey,     Allc^^-ory,  111-q  the 
imth«5iatlcr,l  foTt^n.aae,  is  '-.olc  to  go  Taeyond  the  :ntcriRl  ll^ilts 
s?t  for*  >'^_Jr^^*^'r  nTii-T   to  pr^lnrr    thr  -crrilnF  r.f*  the  infln^-.,,     Thftt 
tlilr     •?-'■-  of  creation  sho-jld,  therefore,  liGin  a  distinct  anpec.l 
for  tlie  rarnanticlst,  with  Ms  highly  developed  nosts.lgia  for  the 

r  "orks  as  _   2./  l££-i..  J»  ^^^^  r.tgllo  confom 

t^  t'l^  -^-^'-•"•r.  ■^■"-rl   r-o-^-^r-itlon  ^.'*  allegor::   ^  ... jrihtful •     They 
arc,  it  la  eviv^cni-,  co-isciously  s^iiiboltc  In  character.     Iheir 
antJioi'n,  noreovr  r,  quite  ojvlowBly  intend  the  finite  S',-r."!)ol  to 
scrVG  r.s  n.   ntn.*:r«nmt  of  trn't'ir;   to  ■r>cel^?'^'^f'   h-hTt'  Tt->   ♦."'^/^ 

Infinite.     Gorin-c's   rinal  g  i:^*  Jg  --r  ox.-;lt'.tion  of  I.:  10    'nfinlto 
and  a  decln-*^  tiori  t^iat  this  Infinite  Is  rt;  fleeted  throu.ft'h  the 
finite,  especlalT-^  t^rmj(?h  the  Imagination  of  wliieh  she  Is  the 
expon;jnt  and  the  ^j.^iiua  of  which  Bhe  is  the  reirroaentati-re.     Let 
XX&  recall  tjiie  statement*     Cox*lnae  sings: 

—  .T'anrrciss  Trvmi,'.  na  dnntlriee,   j 'aura is  ete  di^rne  des 


313. 


blenfaits  d\i  ciel^  s^l  j  •avals  consacr^rm  lyr© 
retentlssante  "&  celebror  la  aonte*^ divine,  nanlfeatee 
par  l*unlver8,  — —  ll  n'j  a  rien  d'^troit,  rlen 
d'asservi,  rien  de  linlte  du^o  la  religion.     211e 
es.t  1*1  >,  I'inflni,  l^eternol;     ot  lola  quo  le 

genlo  pL_,__-   d^taarnov  d'ellQ,  I'lria^^iimtion,  do  son 
premier  elan,  depasso  lea  "bornos  do  la  vie,  ct  le 
sublime  en  tout  ^enre  cat  uii  roflet  de  la  Llvlnite'*   (1) 

liu^'O  announces:     "Ce  llvre  est  tin  dmne  uont  le  rxrenier-  personnage 
est  l^infinl."   (2)     r>tcllo,  the  Poet,  cries:     "—  Je  crois 
conproncire  tout  a  la  fois  1  •Eternite'',  l*iispacc,  la  Creation,  l»s 
creattu-'ea  et  la  I-estlnoe."   (3)     Docteur-llolr  agrees  witii  him  in 
exalting  tiie  Poet  and  hia  art  because  this  art  is  an  expression 
not  of  the  iusnan  but  of  the  divine •     He  cries:     *'—  Et  qui 
enseicne  I'art,  si  cc  n'est  Dieu  lui-raeme?"   (4)     The  ti'uc  exist- 
ence is  ideal,     locteiir-!Ioir  tells  3tello:     "—  Jo  parle  de  vos 
pensees  et  de  vos   t^^vaux,   ^.>ar   Icsqucls  seulcnent  vous  existes 
a  mes  yeux»"   (5)     We  liave  seen  previously  tiiat  Hu^o  identifies 
the  ideal  tilth  the  ;"T:ifinite:     "yu'ost-cc  trao  1 'ideal?     C'est 
Dieu. 
Ideal,  abeolu,  perfection,   infini;     nots  idcntiqucs*"   (G) 


tVitliout  attemptinc   to  detcmlne  the  exact  Unit  vr:iicu  divides 
the  syribolic  frofn  the  allecorlc,  •.oTrever,   It  Is,  nevertheless, 
quite  evident  that  a  certain  proportion  of  the  ro'-iantlcist  norks 
definitely  set  aside  the  linitatlons  of  reality  in  order  the  better 
to  illustrate  certain  trutlis  in  synbolic  faslilon.     Such  works 

(X>  Ifcie.  de  3tacl,^  Corinne,   ^Gl. 

(2)  nuco,  r  -  '"      '    '':!i2,»  '^•'  ^^'^* 
(o)  vign:.-,  ;  .  . 

(4)  ivdc.,  -■   \  - 

(5)  l!3la» ,   LwU. 

(G)  !!uco,  Les  Misdrabloa.    II,,  2S8. 


514. 


we  nay  feol  jiistified  in  defining  as  xxire  allegory*     Cf  the 
v/rlters  we  are  studying  I  naj  cite  such  novels  as  Eui;o*s  L*HORrae 
qui  rit;     Vl£niy*s  Dar^ine;     Balzac's     a  Peaxi  de  clxagrin  and  certain 
of  his  shorter  stories  su<Sh  as  iielinotli  ro'coacilie^   Jestis-CIoriat 
en  glandrea.  unci  L 'Elixir  de  lorifflte  vie;     Sand's  Spiridion ,  Lea 
sept  Gordee  de  la  lyre,  and  Eve  nor  et  LeucipiJe;     Qautlcr's  Celle-ci 
et  celle»la»     It  v/ould  be  possible  to  add  to  this  list  Inxt  any 
but  the  laoat  obvious  instances  o"  the  use  to  which  the  raianticists 
put  tlie  allegorical  metiiod  Imv©  been  delibGriitel-/    •  'ttod,   (1) 

That  allGcory  Is  intended  is  a  suggestion  which,   in  most  instances, 

the  aitthor  hinself  supplies.     IIu^o  nakes  the  nan  of  the  neoplo 

eloquent  in  ortiei^  tliat  he  may  explain  his  life.     Gwynplaine  speaks 

to  the  Hoiiso  of  Loi'ds : 

—  Je  suis  celul  qui  vient  des  profondours,  lallords^ 
vous  etes  les  grands  et  les  riches*     C'est  pcrill«ttx« 
V01U3    irofitez  de  la  miit.  — —  L'aube  ne  peut  etr© 
vaincue.     Bile  airivera*  -—  Le  soleil,  c'est  le  droit. 
Vous,  vous  etes  le  r)rlvile£i'e«     Ayez  i^iu',  — —  Koi,  je 
ne  suis  rien.  qu'une    /olx«     L©  genre  liuraaln  est  une 
bouche,  et  j*en  suis  le  cri»  --—  Une  nuit,  une  nuit  de 
teiapete,   totit  netit,  abandomie"^  orohelip,  seiil  dans  la 
creation  dwiesurde,   J*ai  fait  snon  optree  dans  ce^te 
obscurity  que  vous  appelez  la  sooi^^     La  proriiero  ciiose 
que  J'al^vue,  c'eat  la  lol,  sous  la  forme  d*un  gibet; 
la  douxienie,  c'est  lu  c,  c'est  votro  richesse, 

sous  la  fomie  d'une  I    _   _       .'to  de  froid  et  do  falri;  la 
troislene,  c'est  I'av^nir,  sous  la  foxTiio  d*uii  enfant 
agonisant;     la  quatrlecie,  c'ect  le  bon,  le  vrai,  et  le 
Juste,  sous  la  figure  d'un  vat^abond  n*ayant  )X)ur  caapagnon 
et  pour  ani  qu'un  loup.   (2) 

»—  Je  suis  un  nionstre,  dites-vous,     Hon,   Je  svils  le 

(1)  lu-tthey,     Eesai  aur  le  ceryeilleux  dans  la  litter«^^-ure 
frani^aSse  depuis  1800,  fails  to  mention  any  of  the 
aooveexcep't  S»"irEorles  by  Balzac^  oven  omitting; 

tbe  abc»vo-«!«ntioned  wozics  of  Sand,  works  uiiich  are 
»trikln{;  examples  of  the  use  of  the  supernatural* 

(2)  Hugo^  Lmontae  qui  rit.  III.,  168,  109, 


t 


iXO, 


poiiple.     Je  ouis  xme  exce'tlon?     Hon,  je  snls  tout  le 
norxie.     L'exceiJtion,  c 'eat  voiis.     Vous  ctcs  la  chimfere, 
et  je  suis  la  r^alite*     Je  siiia  I'Harane.     Je  sula 
I'effrayont  l*lIocBBe  qiil  Bit,      ^li  rlt  de  quoi?     De  vous, 
de  lul.     De  tout.     (>u'est-co  <:uo  son  rire?     Vot3?e  crime, 
et  son  stipplico*     Ce  crime,   11  vous  le   Jotte  tl  la  face; 
CO  s^  pplice,  11  vaas  le  crache  au  visage,     Je  rls,  cela 
veut  dire:      Jg  pi  care.  — —  Oc  riix;  qui  cuo  sur  :ion 
fijpnt,  c*e3t  un  roi  qui  i'y  a  nis.     Ce  rlre  exprlme  la 
desolation  universellc*     Co  rire  veut  dire  lialne,  silence 
contra Int,  rage,  de«««potr»     Ce  rlro  est  un  nrodult  des 
tortures.  — —  /dil     ^vtms  me  prenez  no^^r  une  exceot^onl 
^     Jte  suis  un  ss«bole»  — —  J'inctime  tout*     Je  rcnrcsente 
m    I'Boiaanlte  telle  que  l.  I'ont  faite.     L'liorase 

•St  un  iautll9^     Ce  cyi^o.^  *..  _    .  t,  on  I'a  fait  au  {?enre 
husjaln.     On  lul  a  dofonnc  le  droit,  la  justice,  la  verite^ 
la  raison,  I'lntr"""'    -nee,  conno^^  rxol  lee  yeiox,  les 
narlnes  et  les  o:  .o^     co:i^e  a  r.:oi,  on  lui  a  r.ils  au 

eoeur  xm  oloaque  de  colore  et^de  doulcur,  et  sur  la  face 
un  masque  de  contenter:cnt»     Ou  s'etL.it  pose  le  doigt  de 
Diett,  8*e3t  appuyee  la  griffe  du  po^,  — -  Le  p«uple, 
c'est  le  soiiffrant  proroncJ.  qui  rlt  a  la  surface*     Milords 
— —  le  peuple,  c'est  sioil     (1) 

Gautler  ;  aires  his  or/n  explanation  of  both  Ills  c^mracters  and  the 

plot  in  whidi  they  are  involved.     He  Trritos: 

Vpus  potJOTieE  ^«ndro  cecl  pour  une  h'   ■  ~ '    3  libortii-», 
ecrite    :>  ur  I'edifictition  des  r»otitc;s  3.     II  n'en 

est  rien,  estiraabl©  locteiir.     II  y  a  un  mythe  tj-^es 

profond  iicf\:,si  cotLc  en"    •  ^    -9  x''j'i'/ole;     n.u  c ous 

ne  vous  en  soyes  t»s  t.  ,   je  vuls  vous  1'  er 

tout  au  long.   (2) 

Gautler 's  explanation  is  not  altogether  imnccessary  sinco  it 

might  be  ^)os  ible,  as  he  indicates,   to  reu...  :iia  story  merely  as 

story.     Hugo's  plot  is,  however^  so  imtjrohshle,  its  significance 

so  plain,  timt  even  nitliout  G«yz^>lalne 's  revelatory  speeches  the 

staae  inferences  cjuld  not  fail  to  appear. 


Balzac  Hmkes  his  allegorical  intention  plain  in  a  dlffc:''ent  raannwr'* 
He  introduces  tise  eevlce  of  w^o   .ji^ic  asa's  akin.     T:ie  possession 

(1)  IIUGO,  L'Socane  qui  rlt.   III.,  176,  177.  ^ 

(2)  QautierTlDes  Jeunes^^^anoe,  Celle-ci  et  cexle»la,  193. 


^ 


of  this  sl^in  insures  the  satisfaction  of  every  desire*     But  «ach 
desire  granted  leasers  the  size  of  the  skin  and  shortens  by  so 
much  the  apan  of  its  possessor* a  llf9#     15ie  alX/a^Brteeil  intention 
bec<X;ies  evident  even  as   tlio  sl:in  entecrs  Rapliael's  TX>sse3sion  aM 
the  story  begins.     The  old  merelMui';  Indicates  the  iranner  in  T*hlch 
the  Interpretation  rruat  be  r^de  as  he  says:     "—  Ceci  — »-  oot, 
le  pouvoir  ct  le  vouloir  r^mls,"   (1)     as»re  is  a  certain  slallarit^ 
In  the  conception  of  HetootJi  reconcilie  rtiich  is,  hove-ter,  treated 
in  jauch  shcarter  coapaas  titan  is  La  Peau  de  chagrin*     It  Is  a  tale 
deoldedly  remlnlacent  of  Paust  since  here  the  -or ice  of  absolute 
power  Is  timt  the  pcMnHMttor  of  such  poirer  should  soil  lils  soul 
to  the  devil,     Hei*^,  however,  as  in  Balzac's  novel,  the  satis- 
factions whidi  sxuski  powjr  pemits  are  Incoraiiatrole  ^ith  the  ptfice 
of  power.     In  such  tales  as  Jegas-Ciirist  en  Plandros  and  L*Slixlr 
de  loagyaie  vie»  t^  attentioaa  to  t^robability  is  loss  and  the 
supernatural  elaients  receive  greater  stress*     In  these  stories, 
therefore,  tiiere  is  no  character  interest  vfriich  is  not  strictly 
subordinate  to  the  allecorical  rneanlne  developed  by  the  plot.  Their 
importance  for  us  lies  rutlier  in  tiie  fact  timt  tliey  lielp  to  shon 
tiie  symbolic  qiiality  of  Balzac  •&  iraaL: inatlon*     The  iBBaediate 
indication  of  ti:iis  is,  as  has  been  stated,  his  use  of  the  supw^- 
natm^al* 

It  Is  in  a  sljiillar  xxsq  of  the  a».iix)r natural  that  Sand's  Spiridlon 

reveals  its  alloGorictxl  intention*     Tlie  suoematxiral,   in  tJiis 

case,  takes  tiie  fonn  of  an  angelic  visitant*     SHiis  ant-ellc  visitant, 

(1)  Balzac,  Ui.  ?eau  de  cluij  rin.  39* 


317. 

Spiridion,  appoazv  in  a  lutiinous  halo  of  llfdit,  walks  upon  the 
•ater,  and  succours  the  oppr-^sod^     He  is  endowed,   f  at    -s,  with 
tlao  qualities  cf  Christ  and  pere  Alexis,  the    5ro::a jonlst  of  tlie 
story,  becomes  hlB  proohot  urxsn  etirth.     In  a  similar  way,   in 
Svenor  et  I^eucippe,   tiio  "dive",  who  reveals  all  the  Infm-^atlon 
which  determinea  the  action,   is  iialf  divine,  the  last  survivor  of 
a  godly  r-ace  that  had  direct  oo«:riiuiication  with  tlie  infinite  and 
universal.     In  Les  sept  Cordos  de  la  l3r^e.  the  :mastcry  of  tlie  lyre 
■■'.ay  oe  oi^iu  to   ;e  the  equivalent  or?  trie     ossciioion  or  tiio  asa'a 

::ln  in  Balzac's  story.     S:>i2-its  speiik  tlirough  the  lyre  aiad  reveal 
tiie  meaning  of  the  infinite* 

Finally,   in  Vi£?iy*s  work,   tliere  is  no  sin^e  obvlorusly  naglcal 

device  J     tiiera  is  no  categorical  eX:-«lanatlon5     no  eloquent  apolofjy. 

Hevertiialess,  and  msfr^  especially    Lli  the  introductory  and.  concluding 

chapters,  every  detail  is  olrvioi^sly  chosen  for  its  allcGorical 

value  and  the  whole  tone  is  al::30Gt  Bihlicnl  In  its  prophetic  iaanner« 

Two  incidents  will  serve  to  indicate  '-lie  ooliqae  rnaniier  in  whidi 

Vigny  revecas  himself  and  so  reveals  his  allegorical  intention* 

first  incident  appears  in  the  introduction*     locteur-Koir  and 

Stello  arc  watching  the  Paris  crowd*     Stello  sees  the  ctx>wd  pressing 

on  to  a  goal  i^ose  natan^e  they  do  not  know.     He  would  like  to 

guide  then  and  he  pities  tlneir  ignorance*     But  even  as  he  eocnressea 

his  desire  as  a  Boot  to  enligliten  the  peonle,  Vigny  gives  syntoollc 

answer : 

2n  ce  Rorient  xm  double  accident  attirait  son  attention 
et  so  ijassalt  sous  les  ye(ux  dos  <:l©ux  ins^  les 

enn^-iis*     Un  hojrnr'.e  riarclmit  cicvent  vme  c  .;.>...«  de  la 
multitude,  le  pied  lul  r*^»nqua,  ello  passa  sur  lui  et 


318. 

10  ronlft  sous  so 3  t lions;     un  autro  hopsne  voulut 
^VMBter  le  ton^ent,  11  aiTlva,  en  r"--"  nt  la  presse, 
JttBqu'au  nilleu  da  la  rv-e,  ijais  le  .ui    lanqua, 

11  tOKlae:     la  fo«le  jjassa  eur  lui  ct  rait  see  talons 

sui'  sa  tete.     Tous  deux  avalent  disparu  en  daux  mlrnitGS,   (1] 

DoctGiir-Hoir  empbaelses  the  reply  tltit  ideality  Ins  thus  exanpllfled: 

— •  7ojes  ces  aveiiglefi, — dlt-11,  —  lis  ont  bien 
1 'instinct  vague  de  lean'  c-  Grain,  nais  lis  ecrasent 
sans  pltirf' 1 'hc^tHi^  qui  les  uevnco  et  l^hcraiae  qui 
raaonte  letir  coiirtjit.   (1) 

This  is  tit©  decisi'\re  incid^it  of  Uie  introductory  scone*     The 

final  detail  of  tLie  closing  ciiapter  shows  Doototir-Kolr  and  Stello 

in  2rivulce*a  apartrtsnt*     It  is  only  then,  looking  at  the  statue 

of  Julien  for  tiie  last  tlrie»  tiiat  they  observe  tliat,  at  Ills  feet, 

Luther  and  Voltali^e  are  iaii^iing* 


Obviously  allegorical   in  intent!  n,  the    dots  of   ,.hesG  novels 

show  certain  very  cloa     resemblances  altiiough  the  variations  of 

meanizjig  are  wide  due  to  the  clmnglng  nature  of  tlae  roles  involved* 

fHae  !!»in  taction  of  L'Hocgae  qui  rjt,  of  La  Pe.^u  do  cliririn,  and 

of  Gelle»ci  et  cello^la  revolves  aromid  a  ruui's  cJioice  between 

two  woiaen  who  love  ;ilia«     GT7yn;:)laino  houitates  between  the  social 

duty  and  tlie  divine  love  and  Hugo  asks: 

2t  quand  un  hoe&ie  c  ntient  ime  idee,  ^  : 

1* incarnation  d'un  fait,  quand  il  est     ,  ,         ^_      ole 
en  ridlM  temps  ^qu •hoiniie  on  chair  et  en  oa,  la 
responsai  ilite  n*est-elle  pas  plus  troublante 
encore?   (2) 

Qw^nplaine  decides  timt  the  hi£^er  duty  is  tlmt  which  natuz^ 

reveals: 

C^  ce  n*est  pas  la  ch^'^^   'rul  est  ic  reel,  c*os^ 
l*^ie»     la  clialr  est  c  ,  I'&ie  est  riasme.     A 

ce  groupe  lie  a  lui  par  la  parente'de  la  pau^/rete'^et 

(1)  Revue  uc   Priris.  1912,    III,,  Vignj,  ^aohne,  691, 

(2)  Hu£jo,  Llteaae  qui  rit.   III.,  198,     'i'ne  italics  ar-o  nine. 


319. 


^..    .^  y 


du ^travail,  et  qui  etait  an  veritable  faaille  soclale^ 

*        "       '     '*■  "  '    ^  "   "    ,  famille  dn 


itricidc  •bauebe'^  (1] 


il  se   troiivait  ;  oe  avee  tin  fratricide  ^wniebe'^   (1) 

Ho  resaiaea  tliat  the  object  of  his  loTe  —  symbolised  in  Dea  — 

is  the  suffering  -^ople: 

~  Ahi  rxRirquol  s*eU.lt-ll  laliise' spparer  do  Dea? 
Bit-co  r"  1  pre-"'  37oir  n'et^  s  enters  ~ea? 

Servlr  c        ^  ^smirp  -iple?     nais     _  .,  c'fcit  le 

T>euple>l    Dea,  c'et  it  l*orrxneline,  c^et  It  l^ava-'ra©, 
c'^it  l»lx«nanit^l  (2)  ^     * 

Through  Chrynnlalne  Hugo  nitilcssl—  condernna  society  and  draws  the 

conclusion  of  the  lx>ok: 

Ce  -loadc        ' '.l  vonait  d'eni  '    ,    '  idorait, 

avee  ce      ^.     a  fr»oid  cj.il  e       -        1, ^r' ulf-     Le 

Bttrlace,  tt^Is  pas  d'anour;     la  faalllc,  aais  ?ms  de 
fiTterjiite;     la  richssso,  ^'w.ls    vis  de  coasc*  ;     la 

beojite,  nulls  paa  de  piideurj     la  justice,  r2c<.__      .3 
d'equit<^;  — —  Ct  au  fond  de  son  S^ie,  11  s'ecrla;     La 
societe,eat  la  naratre.     Ija,  iiature  est  la  ncie*     La 
•ocl^t«»  c'est^lo  raonde  du  cor^s;     la  natiir-e,  c'est 
le  rK>n&«  de  l*ame*  (5) 


Rai&ael's  choice  in  La  Peau  gc  cuagrin  llkowico  lies  -  c.woen 
the  natural  and  the  factitious,  between  tlie  ideal  of  his  natu2»e 
aad  the  ideal  of  Society.     He  dies  because  hn  finally  corir:its 
himself  to  the  ideal  irhich  ccnrresoonds  to  hia    -wn    iaUn'o  — 
PatJlLne  —  althoiigli  be  knows  tiiat  the  noscosslon  of  the  ideal  is 
Incocipatlble  with  life.     Pr.taino  Cfrios,   tlierefoi^e,  to  the  faltJiful 
servant  b*io  eoRes  to  daira  xiii*  L^aster  —    .c       c   ajrvcnt  aiiosc 
contact  wltii  reality  lias  alone  made    wssible  iiis  nastor^s  retreat 
teward  the  ideal  —  "~  Q,\ie  donandee-vousJ  --   ^_        .a  noi,  je 
l*ai  t\^,  ne  l*evais-je    .as  orediti"    (4) 


(1)  }?*.vo,  L*HOEir.te  (lui  rit^   III.,  204. 

(2)       .,  nt.,  23a. — 

(5)  .,   III.,  206. 

(4)  .  c.  La  Peau  de  clmgrin,  291. 


In  Celle^ci  et  eelle-la,  Albert  helps  to  bring  Rodolphe  to  the 

recllzatlon  of  the  ttue  nature  of  his  love;  tliat  his  lo^'-e  is, 

actually,  for  the  sinple,  natural  Marlette,  not  for  the 

artificial  J&je.  de  M^^a-sj-,  Gautier  explains: 

Rodolphe,  incertain,  flottant,  pie  in  d^  va^.iies^desirs, 
cherchant  le  beau  et  la  passion,  repr<^ente  I'ame 
hunaine  dans  sa  jeunesse^t  son  inexperience;  Madsew 
de  M»«-»  represente  la  poesie  classique,  belle  et 
froide,  brillante  et  fausse,  semblable  en  tout  ^ux 
statues  antiques,  deesse  sans  coeur  huniain,  et  a  qui 
rien  ne  palpite  sous  ses  chairs  de  raarbre;  ^du  reste, 
ouverfce  a  tous,  et  facile  a  toucher,  inalgre  ses 
;~randes  pretentions  et  tous  ses  airs  de  hauteur; 
IJariette,  c'eat  la  vraie  poesie,  la  ,;o^ie  sans  ^orset 
et  sans  fard,  la  nuse  bonne  fills,  qui  convlent  a 
1' artiste,  qui  a  des  lames  et  des  rires,  qui  cliante 
et  qui  parle,  qxxi  reinu§  et  palpite,  qxil  vit  de  la  vie 
luuaaine,  de  notre  vie  a  n^us,  qui  se  laisse  faire  a 
toutos  les  fantaisles  et  a  tous  lea  caprices,  et  ne 
fait  la  petite  bouche  poxir  aucun  mot,  s'il  est  sublime, 

M,  de  M->M-»,  c*est  le  .:^ros  sens  conraun,  la  prose  b^te, 
la  ralson  butorde  de  i*epicler;  il  est  ciari^^  la 
fausse  po^ie,  'S  la  ooesie  classique  s  cela  devait 
^tre,  II  est  inf^rieur  si  sa  feiime;  ceci  est  un  sous- 
nythe  excessivement  in^^^^ieux,  qui  veut  dire  quo  £!• 
Cas^viir  Delavi.ne  est  infe'rieur  a  Racine,  qui  est  la 
poesie  classique  incamee,  II  est  cocu,  H,  de  M*-:h:-, 
cela  ^oneraljse  le  type;  d'allleurs,  la  fausse 
po^ie  est  accessible  a  tous,  et  ce  cocua  e  est  tout 
all^gorique, 

Albert,  qxii  rainene  Rodol ohe  dans  le  droit  clievin, 
est  la  v^itablc  liaison,  anle  iitime  de  la  vraie 
poesie,  la  prose  fine  ot  d^icate  qui  retlent  par  le 
bout  du  doir;t  la  o^sie  qui  veut  s'envoler,  de  la 
terre  solide  du  r^el,  dans  Ics  espaces  nua^oxix  des 
r'^es^ot  des  diirieres:  c'est  don  Juan  qui  donne  la 
raain'a  Child-Harold,  (l) 


The  interpi»etation,  as  is  evident  by  reference  to  the  quotations, 
varies  yet  the  denouenent  is  sinilar  in  nature.  Raphael  chooses 
Pauline  and  dies;  Gwynplaine  chooses  Dca  and  dies,  Rodolphe *s 

(1)  Gautier,  Les  Jeunes-I- ranee,  Celle-ci  et  celle-la,  198,  199,  200, 


521. 


choice  does  not  necessitate  his  death  l^ut,  in  every  case,  it 
is  clear  that  the  px»ota^onist  has  chosen  accordintj;  to  his 
au tier's  synpatlaies.  That  Gwynplaine's  love  is  for  the  people, 
Raphael's  for  the  natural  ideal,  Rodolphe's  for  the  natural 
poetry  of  roinantician,  ia  due  to  tlie  fact  that  Hugo  writ-«s  as 
a  humanitarian,  Balzac  as  a  member  of  society,  Gautier  as  an 
artist.  But  the  sympathetic  choice  is  also,  in  every  case,  a 
choice  of  tiie  natural  as  opposed  to  the  product  of  society.  It 
Is  impossible  not  to  draw  the  obvious  comparison  tetwe«i  the 
action  of  tiiese  allogorical  tales  and  the  action  of  such  a  novel 
as  Corinne  where  the  plot  likewise  revolves  aroimd  the  sas» 
choice  between  the  nattiral  and  the  social  product. 

On  the  other  hand,  Spiridion  and  Dapline  offer  certain  points 
of  resemblance  in  plot  structure.  Both  have  a  double  develop- 
Toeaxt   and,  in  botli,  the  action  is  rather  a  history  of  mental 
and  spiritual  adventure  than  it  is  of  exterior  events.  The 
double  developrient  is  made  possible  in  Da,.hne  by  the  device 
\diich  places  the  tiirje  and  scttin  j  of  the  Introduction  and  con- 
clusion in  contemporary  Paris  while  the  ti:ne  and  setting  of  the 
main  body  of  the  narrative  is  that  of  the  early  Christian  &ta 
in  Antioch,  The   fi/^w^res  of  Docteur-Noir  and  S telle  are  duplicat- 
ed in  those  of  Libanlus  and  Julien  wlaile  the  nental  conflict 
which  makes  tlie  sole  drama  between  Docteur-Noir  and  Stello  is 
repeated  in  the  drama  between  Llbanius  and  Julien,  In  the 
fonner  case-,  the  inner  drana  is  c.ointed  and  directed  "by  the 
contemporary  happenings  in  Paris,  in  the  latter  by  similar 
happenings  in  the  past  of  imperial  Rone,  The  liistory  repeats 


322. 


Itself.  The  crucial  problem  of  the  introduction  :1s  introduced 
by  Stello»s  S3rmpatliy  and  pity  for  th«  Ij^^iorant  multitude  and 
hi a  desire  to  enli;  hten  th«m.  The  crucial  problen  of  the  story 
of  'Da.nfm.p   is  introduced  by  Juli«n*B  love  for  Ms  subjects  and 
his  desire  to  enlirhten  th«»n. 

As  the  editor  of  Daphn/  sug-reats  in  his  preface,  the  question 
to  i*iich  Daolm^  is  the  answer  might  be  said  to  ■  e:  "-- <^7.e 
faut-il  enseifjner  aux  hommes  poiir  les  rendre  heureux?"  (1) 
The  exterior  action  which  ser^/es  to  answer  this  question  does 
so  only  incidentally  by  way  of  precept  and  STEibol,  The  pre- 
sentation of  the  death  of  the  Raman  theocratic  relirrion  is 
paralleled  by  the   presentation  of  the  death  of  its  successor. 
The  destruction  of  learning  by  the  Barbarians  of  old  is 
paralleled  by  the  vandalism  of  the  nineteenth  century  for,  as 
Virjny  relates,  Docteur-Noir  and  Stello  reco;7ilze  one  of  tiie 
manuscripts  floating  in  the  river  to  be  a  complaint  in  regard 
to  the  burning  of  tlie  library  of  Alexandria  by  the  Barbarians, 
Their  reading  is  Intermpted  due  to  the  fact  th_at  the  Barbarians 
of  Paris  have  desti*oyed  the  following  three  hundred  pages.  In 
the  fourth  century,  the  death  of  one  reli  ion  coincided  with 
the  rise  of  another.  In  the  nineteenth  century,  will  stiose 
Tsftio  see  the  death  of  Christianity  see  also  the  birth  of  a  now 
religion?  Stello  and  Docteur-Uoir  watch  the  parnde  of  some 
Saint-Sir lonians  uSio  are  Jeered  at  and  stoned  by  the  crowd.  But 
so  were  the  Christians  in  the  early  days  of  the  faith.  They 

(1)  Revue  de  Paris.  1912,  HI.,  GrecJi,  pT»fiface  to  Davyne,  673, 


323. 


see  too  a  priest  ^o  follows  them  and  promises  to  write  for 
them  a  new  gospel,  an  "apocalypse  saint-sinonienne",  (l)  In 
this  manner,  Vigny  indicates  his  belief  that  scepticism  and 
soploistry  have  destroyed  the  earlier  utility  of  Cliriatianity, 
The  concluding  words  of  his  parable  are  both  tragic  and  con- 
clusive, Stello  and  Docteur-Noir  re-enter  Trivulce's  apartsaimt. 
Stello  looks  sadly  at  the  statue  of  Christ,  Doeteur-Noir 
declares:   "—  TOOT  EST  CONSOMI!E,"  (1)  Julien,  in  an  earlier 
flay,  convinced  of  this  same  truth,  peraits  himself  to  be  killed 
in  an  encounter  with  the  Barbarians,  Paul,  his  disciple,  defies 
the  Christians  until,  at  last,  they  stone  hltn  to  death.  So  do 
the  Barbarians  cause  the  death  of  the  representatives  of  the 
ideal,  Julien  and  Paul.  This  is  a  restatecient  of  the  incident 
in  the  introduction  already  quoted,  (2)  Of  this  incident  it 
vrlll  bo  reoaobez^ed  that  Docteur-Hoir  says:  "—  Voyez  cea 

avexx^c^es ils  ont  bien  1' instinct  Ivagoe  de  Icur  chtaain, 

mais  ils  ^rasent  sans  pitie'  I'honme  qui  les  devance  et  I'hc^aae 
qui  remonte  lour   eoiirant,"  (5) 

The  Jew,«ftio  has  related  tlie  events  v^ich  terminate  in  the 
destruction  of  the  taaple  at  Daphn^,  recognizes  this  to  be 
symbolic  of  the  final  destruction  of  the  old  Greek  symbols,  H« 
writes:  "—  J*ai  vu  ainsi  xrne  idoletrie  en  detruire  tme  autre, 
itiais  il  se  passera,  je  crois,  bien  des  ^^es  avant  que  la  seconde 
serve  de  voile,  cosbdM)  disait  le  >aaiti*e  Libanius,  a  d*aus3i 

(1)  r.e^me  de  Paris.  1912,  IV,,  Vi-rny,  Dapbn^  572, 

(2)  See  page  317. 

(3)  Revue  de  Paris.  1912,  III.,  V.lgny,  Daphne^  691, 


324. 


belles  p^isees  que  la  preralei»e,"  (1)  But  tlie  Jew  preser^/os 
■ozij  of  the  statues  froan  the  tenple.  He  preserves  the  statue 
of  Venus-Ui'anlo,  &  statue  idiich  unites  all  the  beauties  of  the 
hurian  fona.  Tiiese  things,  he  writes,  will  serve   to  rebuild 
Bolcaaon's  temple.  Thus  STmbolically  once  taore  does  Vigny  in- 
dicate how  the  beauties  «hich  ser^/e  one  religion  may  equally 
well  serve  another.  The   religion  changes  but  Ideal  beauty 
x*6cmins  the  same* 

The  parallelisa  vftiich.  ra&rks  Vl^^y's  technique  in  the  allegorical 
Daftoie  is  presCTit  in  an  equally  striking  uiaiuier  in  Sand's 
Spiridion.  In  order  to  give  to  the  conclusions  of  her  main 
nan»ative  some  exterior  authority.  Sand  supplies  her  protagonist, 
pere  Alexis,  with  a  spiritual  predecessor,  Spiridion.  At  a 
distance  of  two  .:^ene rations,  Spiridion' s  history  is  an  exact 
replica  of  that  of  Alexis,  The  new  i»eli;3ion  tdilch  he  has  dis- 
covered at  the  end  of  his  speculation  duplicates  and  confirawi 
at  every  point  the  final  religion  of  pere  Alexis.  'Qxas   th« 
final  result  is  made  to  seeia  historically  inevitable,  a  necessary 
phase  in  the   progress  of  nan.  The  same  laethod,  iised  by  Vigny, 
also  emphasises  the  liistorical  inevitability  of  the  tiniUi  >adiich 
his  allegory  serves  to  prove.  Sand,  however,  gives  woii^ht  to 
her  allegory  by  the  introduction  of  supernatural  autiiority, 
Vigny  only  by  the  careful  juxtaposition  of  two  historical  periods. 

The  manner  in  which  the  repetitive  method  is  used  by  Vigny  and 
(1)  Revue  de  Paris.  1912,  IV.,  Vinny,  Daphn/,  369. 


525. 


i>and  in  these  two  instances  Is  sicnlficant.  Repetition  lias 
always,  in  one  form  or  another,  been  a  very  characteristic 
procedure  of  the  allegorical  narrative*  The  leader  has  aspely 
to  recall,  for  instance,  the  tale  of  the  Good  Sainaritan  or  the 
series  of  similar  situations  in  Zadig  to  observe  tiso  applications 
of  the  saiBS  principle.  It  is  not  lacking  in  interest  to 
observe  also  that  Stello^  t^ose  syabolisn  we  :'iave  already 
studied,  is  a  oerfect  exanple  of  the  sane  laetliod.  Its  tairee 
stories  develop  the  same  nlot  and  assume  symbolic  sionificance 
less  as  individual  incidents  than  as  historical  events  ^ose 
repetition  jaaJces  them  seem  hnt   the  changing  foms  of  one 
la»vi table  cycle. 

In  plot  Spiridion  and  Paphne  show  other  sisiilaritles.  The 
action  of  Daphne  shows  the  death  of  two  successive  religions. 
The  dcst3?uetion  of  an  outmoded  jreligion  includes  the  death  of 
its  recoj-piized  representatives.  This  deatJi  is  voluntary  «hen 
such  a  representative  recognizes  tiie  true  nature  of  reli^icm 
and  the  necessity  of  n&m  ways.  Vl^jny  represents  Julien  as  the 
exponent  of  pure  religlcm  uncloaked  by  lying  syiabol.  Sand 
repr*s«ats  pere  Alexis  as  the  exponent  of  a  new  rell;rion  «faosc 
tenets  exalt  progress,  liberty,  and  the  power  of  faith.  Vigny 
nskes  Jtilisn  ostensibly  support  the  Rocian  traditional  religion 
as  opposed  to  the  enc2X>achments  of  Christianity,  the  religion 
adopted  by  the  Barbarians.  Sand  shows  pere  Alexis  ostensibly 
a  monk  of  the  Ronan  Catliolic  ch\irch  and,  as  such,  in  opposition 
to  the  French  revolutionary  forces  with  their  belief  ia  progress 
and  perfectibility.  Jullen»s  voltu-tary  death  in  order  that 


326. 


Christianity  may  triuapli  is  parallolod  in  Sandys  story  udien 

Alexia  oh©epfully  dies  In  order  that  the  new  religion  «a^  bo 

inaugtu^ated,  Vhmi   the  soldiers  of  ttio  French  Revolution  sw^sep 

dovn  on  the  monastery  to  put  it  to  the  sacic,  they  Jcill  Alexis 

on  t2ie  atcaae  itiich  bears  the  words  "Hie  est  Veritas",  T5ie 

destruction,  of  Dat^ine  is  3?epeated  here  by  tlie  destruction  of 

the  Christian  altar,  Alexis  indicates  the  syrabolic  character 

of  this  destruction  as  lie  addresses  Christ: 

~  Tu  sals  que  c'est  I'etendard  de  Rone,  I'insi^ne 
de  I'inposture,  et  de  la  cucidit^  que  l*on^envers« 
et  que  l^on  decdilre  au  non  de  cette  liherte  que  tu 
eusses  ^roclamee  aujourd'hul  le  prenier,  si  la 
volonte  celeste  t'eut  rappele  sur  la  terre.  (1) 

He  justifies  his  o«n  deat^  in  the  same  way  by  recalling  lib&t  he. 


as  a  Konk,  symbolizes: 

--  Hous  iioniaa 

brise,  parce 

qui  faisaient  leur  force  et  leur  saintete.  (1) 


—  HouSi'ionoo  nous  ne  sosmcs  ^e  des  Inages  qu»on 
brise,  parce  qu^elles  ne  representent  plus  les  id^s 


The  narrative  n&Jch  is  the  suianjary  of  &  nan*s  life  is  tlie  plot 
of  Spiridion  and  of  Daphne' alike.  It  is  not  a  difference  in 
aethod  bat  a  difference  in  manner  that  distinguishes  Les 
Miserable s  frora  eitJier  of  these  narratives.  Th&t   the  truth 
to  tftiich  Jean  Val.jean,  J^xHen,   and  Spiridion  attain  is  not  the 
same  truth  does  not  affect  ovir  recognition  of  the  fact  that  an 
escentlal  stEillarlty  distinguishes  this  type  of  plot  and  that 
Les  niserables,  in  spite  of  its  less  obvious  unreality,  uses 
e^'ents  in  exactly  the  same  way  and  for  the  same  purpose  as  do 
the  allegorical  Daphne  and  Spiridion,  Jean  Val.jean^s  progress 

(1)  Revue  des  deux  ciondes,  133S,  I.,  Sand,  Spiridion,  240, 


o:c:y. 


tiii"»ouc3i  life  is  r^iarfsed  "by  Incidents  -whose  sole  importance  to 
liin  is  spiritual,  Tiie  affair  of  tho  candlesticks,  the  trial 
scene  at  TJhich  he  divests  liinself  of  his  hardlj  won  respect- 
ability, his  adoption  of  Cosette,  the  superhuman  effort  to  save 
Uarius,  the  final  renijinciation  of  Cosette,  these  are  only  tiie 
steps  of  Jean  Valjean's  difficult  ascent  and  Jean  Valjean  stakes 
a  new  Pilj^rim's  i-'rogr^ss,  'Hie  incidents  in  his  life  ^lich  are 
so  translated  to  spiritual  tenas  correspond  to  the  incidents 
ifcich  raark  the  progress  of  Julien  or  Spirldion  along  the  way 
to  truth.  In  every  case,  to  conquer  is  to  die. 

As  we  have  se«i,  Gau tier's  tale,  i^elle-ci  et  celle-la,  is  an 
alle^^orical  repi^sentation  of  an  aesthetic  ideal.  One  of  Sand*  8 
comparatively  early  worses,  Lcs  sept  Cordes  de  la  lyre^  writt«j 
in  draciatic  forii  but  not  intended  for  stage  presentation., 
shows  a  different  treatment  of  the  sane  tliKne,  Gautier  sliows 
aan  groping  toward  ^le  true  beauty,  i#ilch  is,  in  his  asurrative, 
x*epres«it«i  by  the  Ideal  woinan.  Sand  reverses  the  procedure. 
The  source  of  Truth  needs  not  to  be  souf^t  for  both  Albertus 
and  Kelene  know  that  it  lies  within  the  lyre.  But  only  the 
artistes  hand  can  draw  that  truth  Uorth  \fiiereas  the  philosopher 
and  scientist,  Albertus,  can  do  no  more  than  destroy  -shat  he 
cannot  onderstand,  When  the  Sjirits  of  tho  lyre  sing  to  Ilelene, 
Hans  explains  to  Ms  naster,  Albertus,  tlie  superiority  of  the 
truth  thus  acquired: 


~  El^e  est  absorbee  dans  une  poesie  si  elevee, 
inysterieuse,  qu'elio  s«^i-'Tc  &tre  en  coraricrce  av< 


si 
avec 
Dieu  in&ne,  et  n* avoir  auctin  besoin  de  sanction  dans 
lea  arrets  de  la  raison  himainG,  (1) 


(1)  Sand,  Lea  sept  Cordes  de  la  lyre,  23, 


32S» 


Alberfcus  seeks  God  trut  cannot  find  hln  v^ioreas  Helene  is  in 

close  ccxniaunlon  with,  the   infinite.  Hans  explains: 

—  ]|fli^tre«  ce  ne  fut  pas  le^  jixgeiaent  des  seas  qui 
revela  l*e::l3tence  de  Dleu  a  I'homme,  ce  fut  i»lnstinct 
du  coeur,  — —  Cette  revelation,  cette  intuition 
preEilere,  c'est  la  poesle,  nere  de  toute  religion, 
de  toute  hainonie,  de  toute  sa^i,esse«  Je  deTinis  done 
— «-  la  iTj^tap'  "•"   ue,  l*idee  de  Dleu;  et  la  po^ie, 
lo  sentl^ont  '    ou,  ^1) 


Aroer-tus  corresponds  in  this  work  to  ttie  ''idee  de  Clou",  H^l^e 
to  the  "senttiaent  cle  I>ieu",  It  becc»aes  evident  here  tiiat  Vlgny 
and  Sand  natat  be  at  t^^e  opposite  poles  of  thou^t  in  laany 
respects  for  it  will  be  recalled  that,  to  Vlgny,  tiie  Poot, 

r  he  be  Stello  or  Jullen,  represents  the  ;;>ure  idea,  the 
divine  essence,  urtiich  can  dispense  with  the  human  necessity  of 
material  expression.  It  is  Docteur-Bolr  or  Llbanius,  on  the 
other  liand,  tAic   taices  account  of  the  'uman  feelings  and  raakea 
reason  syabollc  with  symbolic  expression.  In  3and*s  allegory, 
the  conclusion  shows  the  artist  ravished  into  heaven  and 
Albertus  is  converted  to  the  principle  of  love  as  the  Eieans  of 
rejoining  the  infinite.  His  love  for  Helene  —  the  personific- 
ation of  poetry  —  saves  him  froa  the  clutches  of  Mephistopheles. 
Love  is  represented  as  the  saviour  and  it  is  the  artist  who 
reveals  the  power  and  beauty  of  love  to  mankind.  Vlgny  too 
r  ©presents  Stello  as  inspired  by  the  love  of  huoanity  but  the 
truth  that  Stello  is  anxious  to  reveal  does  not  concern  the 
feelings  but  concerns  the  intelligence.  Stello  and  Jullen  aire 
interested  in  the  enlightenraent  of  tlie  world  by  knowledge; 
Hei^e  enli^'^htens  the  world  by  love. 

(1)  Sand,  Les  sept  Cordes  de  la  lyre.  29. 


329. 


Cautier  and  Sand,  by  the  very  structure  of  their  plots^  reveal 
an  equally  wide  difference  in  attitude,  Gautier  shows  nan 
seekins  a  beauty  i^ich  It  is  possible  to  overlook  and.  if^nore* 
Sudi  beauty  is  relative  and  depends  on  the  conception  of  beauty, 
that  is,  on  the  conception  of  tlie  true  reality,  ^i3.ch  tian 
entertains.  Sand,  on  the  othsr  hand,  shows  homanity,  m  its 
search  for  truth,  under  two  opposing  aspects.  Art  reaches  truth 
at  a  bound,  effortlessly.  Science  reaches  truth  only  by  mesns 
of  a  love  of  art.  The  truth,  the  ideal  beauty,  renains,  however, 
inrmitable  and  imchangin^  J'-iat  as  the  spirits  rgio  sinp;  t'lrou^-h 
the  lyre  are  eternal  in  essence,  G^autier  shows  beauty  oiroii- 
present,  dependent  only  on  the  ri^t  perception  of  reality. 
Sand  ahowf?  beauty  as  a  voice  froaa  ttie  infinite,  a  gift  from  tb« 
divine,  Tie  difference  in  the  alle^^orical  statement  of  Celle-ci 
et  celle«la  and  Les  sept  Cordes  de  la  lyre  is  reflected  in  the 
fact  that  Oautier^s  story  av>proaches  its  neaninri  thro-a^4i  the 
r  edium  of  ordinary  evont  and  prosaic  reality.  Sand  thi»ough  the 
TTiftdi-.m  cf  spirit  voices,  su-ematural  phenqaena,  and  the  intro- 
duction of  MepMstopheles  in  uerson, 

i?venor  et  Leucippe  offers  still  another  variation  of  the 
allegorical  type  coia-ion  to  the  ronanticist  work.  Its  plot  is  a 
rriytli  intended  to  illustrate  the  relationship  betwe«i  love  and 
rslirion.  Sand  introduces  the  Ic^endmo^  c^iaracter  itame,1iately 
as  aiie  writes:  "L* enfant  dont  notre  le'ende  fait  le  type,  non 
du  preoier  honne  sur  la  terre,  raals  du  premier  qui  «itra  dans 
une  destin^G  particuliere,  n'avaii  ;>as  vu  le  Jour  dans  le  paradis 


660, 


terrestre."    (1)      "II  ctait  ne  au  couraenceinent  do  I'S'ijG  d*op, 
et,  poj?  ^3  d*or,   il  rarest  impossible  de  ne  pas  <5ntendr©  un 
etat  de  nature  di2:ne  de  I'liomae,   fils  de  Dieu."   (2)     "f>6nor 
and  Leucippa  arc  a  now  Adfxm.  and  2ve  vAio  leave  tlieir  Men  only 
In  order  to  inculcate  into  society  the  doctrine  of  iiie  religion 
of  loye  revealed    to  them  by  the  "dive".     She  apeakfi  thus: 

—  La  luati^re   •■<.£pir-e,   desire  ou  vout,      II  n*7  a  ^uo 
I'esprit  qui  behisse  et  qui  aine,     Ce  raot,  qui  ne 
r^pond  q.u*a  des  besoins  supt^ieurs  de  l^eti'e,  edt 
done  la  clef  de  la  vie  superieure.   

— .  Dieu  ni*a  envoye'en  vous  deux  des  interm^iaires 
qui  ,  •out  l^ide'e  ^ue  j'ai  ^  leur  transaiettre, 

et  lua  -.„^3ion  n'est  pas  de  changer  nais  de  modifier 
voire  nature,  — —  (3) 

But  society  is,   for  the  nost  part,   corrupted  and  daainated  toy 

the  religion  of  hatred  and  ven^^eance   (Mos)   and   the  religion  of 

iaiperlalisn  (3ath).     Evenor  characterizes  tLi&s.  tliua? 

—  Je  vols  bien  que  J'os  est  xm.  esprit  trouble  et 
qu»il  8* est  fait  le  pr&tre  de  la  folic,     Mais  Sath, 
qui  £*ent  fail,  par  la  violence  en vers  ses  semLlables 
et  le  mepz*is  des  choses  celestes,  le  pr^tr^  de 
I'indiffe'renoe,   sera,  peiit-^re  plus  fatal  a  sa 
race.    (4) 

•ftie  opposition  thus  established  between  the  man  of  prinitive 

nature   (Evenor)   and  the  nan  of  society  (TIos  or  Sath)   is  the 

basis  of  the  conflict  «6iich  comes  to  its  inevitable  d^ou«a©nt. 

Evenor  perceives  ttiat  "1*  influence  de  la  pure  v^it/ ne  pouvait 

s*etendre   sur  tous  les  honrnes  a  la  fols  et  qu'il  fallait  aux 

uns  des  idees,  aux  autres  des  figures,  a  d'autres  enfin  des 

faita",    (5) 

(1)  Sand,  Evenor  et  IieucippCa  49, 

(2)  Ibid. ^"^ 

(3)  TbI]T.,  127,   123, 

(4)  Ibid..  272. 
(6)  Ibid..   298. 


■The  conclusion  thus  stated  boars  a  certain  reseablence  to  that 

of  tdbanitia  in  X>aThne: 

—  lies  do  -jcn   reli^leivs,  avGc  leurc  celestes  illtis?-ons, 
sent  parr*^"  "  "^  cidatal,  lis  conservent ^e  peu  d© 
nr.  es  pr  "     ^     Ips  irices  se  cent  forr.es  et  se 
passant  I'xane  a  1» autre.  (1) 

The  conclusion  is  not,  however,  valid  for  Sand  whereas,  to  Vigny, 

the  ifliole  problem  of  the  relationship  between  religion  ai^ 

moral5-ty  is  summed  up  in  Libanius*s  words*  Evenor  and  Leuclppe 

are  forced  to  abandon  society  and  their  proselytising  efforts 

since  society  threatens  to  kill  and  destroy  theau  In  other 

..ords.  Sand  represents  society  as  not  yet  ready  for  the  religion 

of  love  and  shows  this  relif-ion,  the  true  reli^.ion,  as  able  to 

obtain  peace  and  security  only  by  withdrawal  to  Eden,  the  prlnitive 

nature  of  the  Golden  A^^e.  It  is  notable  that  Sand  represents 

the  religion  of  love  to  be  th.e  only  religion  ever  Imown  to  that 

representative  of  hvcaanlty  who  seeks  a  rcfUij;e  in  nature  before 

the  corruption  of  the  natural  state  in  society  has  be^^un. 

In  the  novels  viSiich  are  clearly  allegorical,  no  effort  is  made 
to  keep  within  the  bounds  of  probability.  The  spirits  of  th« 
lyre  sin;;  to  Helene  and  Mephistopheles  appears  and  converses 
with  Albertus,  Spiridion,  long  since  dead,  walks  upon  the  waters, 
speaks  to  Angel,  and  niakes  raldnl/ht  visitations,  Evenor  et 
Leucippe  is  puro  legend,  a  fictional  version  of  the  Golden  Age, 
of  the  ori-in  of  three  different  types  of  religion,  and  of  the 
■jannor  of  life  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  Daphne  blandly  disregards 

(1)  Revue  de  Paris,  1S12,  IV.,  Vigay,  Dntfrne'l  558. 


66-d, 


th©  lliiitatlons  of  the  Mstorical  tioith  as  i^QnoTollj   accepted 
In  favour  of  the  Ideal  truth  as  Vl^ptiy  conceives  It,  Balzac 
frankly  Initiates  ua  into  tlie  x^aloi  of  nacic  and  lluzo   into  the 
realia  of  slieer  ixiprobability. 

It  is  of  interest  to  note  the  difference  in  this  respect 
between  Hugo  and  Balzac,  Balzac  goes  beyond  oup  experleaa«« 
of  reality  but  does  so  in  the  manner  of  the  authors  of  certain 
fairy  stories  tsJiere,  aside  frora  Qie  gift  of  sosae  magic  power^ 
all  the  hcsaely,  natural  values  are  painstalcingly  pj^eserved. 
The  initial  prenise  —  the  power  inher«it  in  the  ass's  rtcin— 
concedad,  the  rest  of  the  plot  is  the  lo^^ical  outccaae  of  the 
premise,  Hugo,  on  the  other  hand,  writes  a  fairy  tale  idiich 
is  not  so  labeled  but  ^ich,  as  the  story  progresses,  becones 
increasingly  daring  in  the  introduction  of  surorising  coincid- 
ence and  unbelievable  happening,  A  bottle  cast  into  the  sea, 
years  before,  falls  into  the  hands  of  the  one  perscm  In  tlie 
world  T!*ao  tjould  concern  hirrself  with  Its  contents,  Gwynplaine 
loses  all  t3?ace  of  TJ_rsus  and  Dea  but,  at  the  appropriate 
aomcnt,  he  finds  Uie  wolf  at  his  elbow  ready  to  j^ide  him  to 
their  retreat.  Such  incidents  as  these  show  a  complete  dis- 
regard for  any  progi^ssicoi  from  cause  to  effect,  Hugo  is 
obviously  interested  in  dramatic  confrontation  rather  than  in 
any  develojanent  of  plot  i^ich,  confoming  to  experience,  ml^t 
se^a  apt  to  interpret  nei^e  human  experience,  Tlie  happy 
improbability,  on  the  contrary,  ^^lich  mii^t  seem  to  reflect 
the  interx^ention  of  Providence  can  only  be  useful  in  interpret- 


666, 


-Ing  the  voice  and  character  of  the  infinite*     Hugo  does  not 

hesitate  to  admit  this#     He  remarks,   for  instance,   that  the 

divine  will  is  expressed  through  tlie  ocean's  power: 

L*  ocean  se  faisant  p^re  et  n^re  d»un  orphelin, 
envoyant  la  toumente  a  ses  bourreffixx,  brisant  la 
baiKjue  qui  a  repouss^  1* enfant,   en,i;loutissant  les 
aalns  Jointes  des  naufragrfs,   i^efusant  toutes  leurs 
supplications  et  n'acceptarjt  d'eux  que  leur  repentir 
— -  le  crime  du  roi  cas::e,  la  pr^^itatlon  divine 
obeie,  le  petit,  le  faible,  I'abandonne'^  ayant 
I'lnflni  pour  tutcur,.,.    (1) 

The  syiabolic  action  of  Les  I^is^rables  is  of  the  s^ae  character, 

Hu^-o  vTrltes,   for  instance:     "L*entr^  de  cet  hocsne  dans  la 

dostin^  de  cet  enfant  avait  ^te' I'arrivee  de  Dieu*"    (2) 


In  caie  sense,  tlierefore,  though  certainly  not  in  the  sense  in 
iriiich  Vigpy  T90uld  exemplify  his  can  words  in  liis  art,  Hv^o 
may  be  seen  to  illustrate  cane  facet  of  Vlgny's  neanln^  wiien  he 
uro6S  the  Poet  to  disregard  as  completely  as  poseiblo  all  but 
the  ideal»     True,   the  ideal  must  be  expressed  tlirough  the  real 
wjoich  serves  as  its  synbol  but  it  nust  not  appear  to  liavc  any 
value  in  itself •    (3) 

Balzac,  however,  does  not  entirely  confora  to  tliis  principle^ 
The  personages  of  La  Peau  de  chaf^yin  are  those  t^o  appear  in 
Balzac's  other  novels.     The  background  is  that  sanie  Paris 
setting  comnon  to  so  much  of  his  work.     The  appearance  of 
probability  is  carefully  preserved  in  every  respect  except  In 

(1)  Hu^o,  L'llorarie  qui   rit.   III,,  20, 

(2)  Hu^o,  Les  niserables,  II.,  14  2. 

(3)  See  above,  p,  271,  i72. 


^6^. 


d«velopni«it  of  the  rialn  idea,  Moareover  there  Is  no  providential 
intervention  to  chanrre  the  foreordained  course  of  events.  The 
lo.r;ic  of  the  develoi^nent  corresponds  to  hanan  experience  though 
the  aagic  properties  of  the  skin  do  not, 

Accordincly*  it  nay  be  said  tJiat  Balzac  reduces  the  Infinite 
to  tlie  finite  and  writes  froas  the  point  of  vie\7  of  hicaan 
experience  whereas  Huso  writes  fron  the  standpoint  of  the 
superhuman.  Yet^  In  eitlier  case,  though  Balzac  is  apparently 
tryin'5  to  find  a  tena  for  the  infinite  iftich  will  reduce  it  to 
a  social  relationship^  tSiou^  Hugo  is  trsrin^  to  find  a  term 
for  the  finite  n^^ich  will  exalt  it  to  a  forts  of  the  Infinite, 
yet,  in  either  case,  tlieir  preoccupation  lies  in  ttie  expression 
of  the  jrelationsliip,  not  in  the  presentation  of  the  purely 
human.  The  result  ~  consciously  and  definitely  applied  — 
is  alle-^ory;  less  consciously  and  nore  va£aiely  applied,  is,  in 
any  case,  symbol. 

It  is  notable  tlvat  of  all  the  rorianticistc  the  one  ^o  raost 
closely  resembles  Balzac  in  his  attitude  to  reality  is  that  one, 
perhaps,  i*iose  philosoj^iic  viets  ni.^t  seem  laost  disparate— 
Gautier,  For  Sautier  does  not,  in  such  a  story  as  Celle«>ci  et 
cellO'-la,  depend  on  surprising;  coincidence.  The  whole  story  is 
locically  constructed  to  correspond  to  expei?ience  but  not, 
however,  to  ^diat  we  may  call  ordinary,  hunan  experience?  on  the 
contrary,  to  the  experience  of  the  artist.  For  the  desire  for 
beauty  and  love  is  cormon  to  humanity  but  the  desire  for  the 
violences  of  r^iantic  fervour  could  only  be  that  of  a  nan  v^o 


:f- 


OOD  . 


lives  in  confoKnlty  with  the  ideals  posed  by  romanticist  art. 
The  desij^  for  extrava£^saace,  drazaa,  and  violence  is  the  premise 
«diich,  in  Gelle»ci  et  celle-la,  nakes  probable  the  incident 
in  Tsfliich  the  prota^^onist  sends  his  mistrees*s  husband  an 
anonymous  note  accusing  himself.     If  we  concede  the  initial 
prezoise^  however,   the  premise  that  pcMnanticisin  is  the  ideal  in 
art  and  that  life  should  conform  to  art,   then  the  progress  of 
the  drana  is  consistent  and  the  only  difference  between  La  ?eau 
de  cha.::Tln  and  Celle-cj  et  celle-la  lies  in  the  fact  tiiat 
Gautier's  prot.,;onist  shapes  his  actions  in  conformity  with 
the  ideal  of  a  certain  aesthetic  fashioii,  Balzac's  protagonist 
shapes  hJ.s  actions  in  conformity  witti  the  ideal  of  a  certain 
fom  of  society. 


The  variations  in  sisTiificance  attached  to  sucli  similar  plots 
as  tliose  of  Balzac »  Hu^;;o,  axid  Gautier  cited  above,  may  easily 
b©  seal,  tiierefore,  to  be  irJiercnt  in  the    .-oint  of  view 
deterwining  the  iftiole  work  of  art.     This  point  of  view,  as  we 
have  seen,  detenrdnos,  necessarily,  also,   the  degree  of 
conforaity  to  hiiraan  e3q>erlence.     The  ordinary  hurian  ejQjerience 
includes  the  c'iocKi  and  bad  both  in  character  and  e/ent.     Balsac, 
in  presenting  his  action  as  shaped  Vy  one  forci  of  society 
idiich  is  bad,  iiaplies  another  foiro  ^feich  is  good.     So  wltk 
Gautier  in  pz*e3enting  the  action  as  dctennined  by  one  aesthetic 
doctrine.     But  idiere  the  action,  as  in  Hugo,  works  at  times 
directly  througjb.  the  infinite,   it  can  scarcely  fail  to  lie 
beyond  any  criterion  of  human  reality,     ^loreover,  as  we  have 


336. 


noted  abo7e  (1),  lafocro  Gautler  recognises  relativity  by  the 
very  natiii*e  of  his  plot,  Sand,  by  the  character  of  hers,  affinas 
the  ideal  to  be  absolute  and  one*     Vlj^ny  too  represent*  Venus- 
Uranie  as  absolute  and  unchanging,     Relip;lon  changes  but  the 
absolute  truth  it  aynbolizes  lives  on.     Tiie  reli^^ious  do^raa 
becomes  completely  tmirapoirtant  as  Ion 3  as  the  treasure  of  trutii 
is  preserved.     Idbanius  spealcs: 

—  Les  pures  Exaxines,   les  institutions  vcrtueuses, 
les  lois  -prudrjites  ne  sc  conservent  pas  si  elles  ne 
sont  ^  I'abri  d'un  do^^e  reli  .iaux.   (2) 

—  Or,  il  va  jp^ir,   ce  tresor,  si  nous  ne  le  passons 
bien  conserve  a  des  nains  plus  suites  que  celles  des 
peuples  sophistes  qui  ne^savcnt  pl^s  1©  jarder  3t 
n'o«it  plus  de  prestige  ou  I'envelopper.  — -  II  faut 
bien  — —  la  passer  aux  Barbaros.    ^3) 

Hu^o  expresses  tJie  sarae  sonteapt  for  the  real:     "Car  ce  n*©st 

pas  la  chair,  qal  est  le  r^el,   c*est  l*anc.     La  chair  est  c«tidre, 

I'ffioo  est  la  flfflmae."   (4)     The  ideal  is  one  but  it  is  inhuBoan 

since  It  d«iiea  the  reality  of  the  jaaterial  ?^iich  symbolises  it. 


The  coI:^3lete  disregard  for  human  reality  in  the  allegorical  work 

of  HUf^xs,  Sand,  and  Vi,7iy  is  an  outcone  of  such  an  attitude.     The 

v^ole  plot  of  Daghne  is,  in  fact^  the  pi»oof  of  the  necessity  of 

Byeflwl  in  order  t»  interpret  truth  to  the  people.     Libanius, 

the  realist,  reco^piizes  his  ^'j^dess,  Venus-Uranic,  to  be  a 

ajjrmbollc  eispp^&alon  of  a  truth.     He  says: 

j^  "Le  nonde  dans  son  ensemble  n'est  autre  chose  qu*un 
Etre  anl:i^  fona^  d'^e  et  d'intelli^-encej     nais,  entre 

(1)  See  above,  p.  32.S- 

(2)  Re^/ue  de  Paris,  1912,  IV.,  Vi^ny,  Daphne.  350. 

(3)  Ibid..  357. 

(4)  Hugo,  It'Eomne  qui  rit.  III.,  204. 


337. 


Lieu  et  Inl*  un  auti^  Etre  intem^iaire  preside  a 
nos  destines,  c*est  le  Soleil->^l  que  .j'&^o^^^  <3«9 
jne^  pi»einiers  aris  et  dont  ries  yeux  ne  pouvaient  se 
detacher.  — -  Cette  viie  certaine  — —  a»a  conduit 
a  c<HmaTtr©  et  ensei~ner  la  vrale  nature  des  Dieux 
secondalres  qui  adoptent  les  nations  et  dirigent 
leiiTS  fortunes  dlverses.   —  Ces  Ancles  solaii^es  qui 
vivent  a  pi*^eiit  avec  lo  bienlieureux  Platon  ne  cessent 
de  mont^r  et  descendre  du  Boleil  a  nous,  et  sjuvant 
sa  liunlere,  p6xetrent  I'aiae  a  travers  les  corps 
rsrAr-.eh  pax^  elle.     Q»*on  les  nomie  *-'erec»I>eo  ou     ^ 
Mliivirve-i'ronoee,   lis  viennent  du  Soleil-Roi,  ©nblciae 
visible  du  Deriiurgos,  du  Lo.-os,  du  Verbe  incret^  et 
tres  pur.    (1) 

But  Julien  at  first  Relieves  that  truth  and  svnbol  nust  be  one. 

He  hails  Jesus  as  tl^ie  divine  osf^ence  itself: 

—  Le  Verbel     le  Verbe  di'vrin,  la  Raison   ^  — ^  des 
cieux,   l^Espilt,   la  Parole,   le  Lofy>3  adc     "'    ,    Socrate 
et  do  Platon,  I'Smo  du  noiide,  le  iSleu  createur,   a 
'^te''  fait  cliair  on  J€susl   (2) 

Hence  lie  rejects  Christianity  when  he  discovers  that  tiie  Christiana 

recognize  tiiat: 

•  ..  .1* incarnation  du  Verbe  n'est  qu*unc  siriple 
in3piz*atlan  de  la  sagesse  divine,  - — -  que  le  Plla 
ne  fut  qu'uno  imafje  visible  do  la  periection 
Invisible,  et  que»  doi^^de  toutes  les  perfections 
inh^rentes  que  la  phllosophle  suppose  a  la  Dlvinite, 
11  n»a  brille^ cependant  que  d'une  lumiere  r^fl^ile.    (S) 


Iilbanius^s  belief  in  the  necessity  of  tlae  intermediary  symbol, 
Julien' s  rejection  of  all  but  the  divine  Essence  itself, 
initiates  the  centi'al  arf^unent  of  Daphn^     It  is  Libanius's 
triimpli  Uiat  laakes  Jiillen  realifje  that  he,  isftio  is  the  advocate 
of  x>ure  ideal  trutlx,  i^ust  die  in  order  tjiat  Cliristianity,  the 
symbol  containing;  the  ideal  tamth,  riay  live.     In  fact,  tlie  idea 

(1)  Revue  de  Paris,   1912,   IV.-  Vl;7iy,  Daphne^.   352,  355. 

(2)  Tbid.,  iv„  16.  -^ 

(5)  THa.,    IV.,   25. 


338. 


«3iicli  is  at  the  crux  of  Daplmjf  is   tUe  idea  icSilch  is  at  the 
basis  of  any  i)ossible  civilization  ~  since  tl\e  develo;rr.ent 
of  inac*s  .moral  life  is  the  true  expression  of  r,ian*s  hyiaanity, 
Thxx3  the  story  of  Daphne  becones  the  epitozae  of  the  history  of 
all  piiilosophy  and  all  reli^^lon  since  tlae  world  began,     '^e 
epoch  is  uniriportant,  the  historical  details  do  not  natter,- 
tlie  nan  himcclf  does  not  natter  because  of  his  hiomanity  but 
because  of  his  representative  experience,  because  of  Hie 
aynbolical  adventure  v^iich  is  his  but  mi^^t  as  easily  be  that 
of  !aany  another.     Tie  fact  that  tlae  syobolisan  illustrates  the 
idea  of  the  necessity  of  symboliam  in  order  to  convey  truth 
indicates  Vi^.y«s  attitude  toward  reality  and  his  predominating 
desire  to  convey  this  attitude.     It  is  an  attitude  tdiicdi,  dis» 
countlns  the  real  In  favour  of  the  ideal,  perverts,  distorts, 
or  exaggerates  exterior  reality  for  the  salce  of  an  inner  reality 
which,  as  Vi^y  points  out,  only  the  Poet  can  directly  realize. 
The  Poet  and,  therefore,  Vi^y,  can  becocie  aware  of  tiie  ideal 
directly  and  can  entirely  discard  the  exterior  ideality  except 
in  so  far  as  he  crust  use  it  for  purposes  of  conBnanlon  «?ith  hla 
fellovs. 

As  has  been  shown,  Vigny's  attitude  is  'die  expression  througji 
idea  of  tlie  saiic  attitude  uriaich  San^i  exprosoos  tiircm^ih  sentiment. 
She  aihows  an  Albertus  1^0  seeks  Ood  but  cannot  find  hint  tdxereas 
Helcnc  Is  in  close  corrmmion  wJLtli  the  infinite,     Hanz  explains: 
"—  TTaitre,   ce  ne  fut  paa  le  ju,';fflaent  des  sens  qui  revela 
1» existence  de  Bleu  a  I'horaie,  ce  fut  1' instinct  du  coeur,"   (1) 


(1)   Sand,  Les  sept  Cordes  de  la  lyre,  29, 


\ 


■i^y. 


It  is  the  sasw  attitude  -oliich  Hu^©  expresses  as  ho  writea,   for 
•xauple:     "Ia  cliaip  est  cendre,  I'aae  est  fltonac."   (1)     For 
Mm  the  artist  "vrljl   be  the  advocate  o"  the  oppressed  and  licsnc© 
Cwynplaine  rill  cry:     "—  Tie  peuple  est  -an  silence.     Je  serai 
1'iEa.iense  avocat  de  ce  silence.  — .-  Je  serai  le  Verbe  du 
Poaple,"   (2)     Hugo,  as  an.  artist,  assumes,   therefore,   tl-ie  role 
of  "le  Verbe  dn  Peuple".     For  him  as  for  Vi,_jiay  z:io  infi.r;lte 
can  only  be  consEU-iicated  to  the  people  by  neons  of  the  *"^e2?be". 

On  the  other  haad,^  Ealsac  and  Gautier  relate  the  infinite  to 

finite  reality  tlirou^  an  attempt  to  express  the  in.flnite  tern 

irtiicli,  in  its  finite  fom,  reality  siiggests.     This  is  an  eisact 

definiticn  of  the  ,->urpose  of  symbol.     The  will  and  the  power 

wjiich  ar«  xxnited  in  Uao  ass's  skin  are  tlxe  absolute  tei'ms  ^dilch 

cmlc©  Kaphael  naater  of  a  society  igiiere  trill  and  powsr  in  their 

varying  degrees  are  the  :;ieaswire  of  success.     Gautier,  tliroui^ 

Albert's  Torda  indicates  to  the  poet  that  the  infinite  of 

p«rfection,  beauty,  and  truth  lies  within  the  finite.     Albert 

eadiorte   Uxe  poet: 

—  0  ir^on  amil     il  faut  etrc  bien  fou  pour  sprtir  de 
Chez  sol  dans  I'espoir  de  rencontrer  la  poesle.     La 
poesie  n'ect  pas  pluc  ici  que  1^,  elle  est  en  r^.ous. 
— .-  Je  te  le  dis,  o  nion  arai,  la  po^le,   toute  fille 
dv.  ciel  qu^ellG   est,  n'est  pas  dc'-'        use  des  choses 
les  plus  hunibles;  — ■-  elle  est  cc  le  Clirist,   elle 

aiaie  les  pauvres  ctres   simples,   et  leur  dit  de  venir 
"k  elle.     La  Poesie  est  partout....    (3) 

Balzac's  measure  is  society,  Gautier' s  is  the  individual,  yot 

tlie  method  is  the  same.     Balsac  places  the  infinite  in  society 

(1)  Eugo,  L'EoEgae  qui  rit.   III.,  204, 

(2)  Il>id.,  III.,  199.   ~  ^ 

(3)  Gautier,  Les  Je;ine3~^'rance,  Cclle»ci  et  celle-la,  194. 


340. 


and  in  relation  to  It,  C-autler  places  the  ?-nfln3.te  In  men 
and  In  relation  to  hira.  In  order  to  exrjvess   such  a  relation- 
ship,  they  are,  like  the  more  obvious  idealists,  driven  like- 
wise to  the  only  available  method  —  the  use  of  allegory;  or, 
if  not  allecory,  the  -ase,  at  least,  of  veiled  myth  and  recaxrrent 
syHfl5ol  in  cha2*actor  and  action. 

Prom  the  above  state.>'5ents,  it  Is,  of  course,  evident  why  the 
average  reader  finds  the  symbolic  in  Hugo,  Sand,  or  Vl>Tiy  so 
iy»parent  t^iereas  the  8a:^ie  expression  applied  to  Geutier  or 
Balsac  seeaas  to  hiia  merely  fantastic.  Tlio  fact  is  that  the 
insipidity  end.   unreality  "which  makes  the  average  reader  find 
Sand,  for  exaTsple,  insupportable  is  ner©  evidence  of  t}ie  fact 
that  Sand's  vttI tings  do  not  represent  human  experience.  Her 
plots  synbolisc  the  iDfinite  in  :;ood  or  bad  to  ^ich  hunanity 
cannot  attain,  T>?.e  lack  of  s^orprise,  the  entire  absence  of 
suspense,  ijJiich  characterize  s^ich  plots,  is  not  identical  with 
the  air  of  5-nevit ability  ttoich  truth  to  experience  lends  but 
depends  rather  on  the  fact  that  it  is  only  in  ideal  reality 
^ere  no  mixture  of  values  can  occur  that  the  future  inay  be 
forecast  in  the  present.  The  reeder  ^ho   discovors  that  tJie 
conclusion  of  one  of  Sand's  plots  laay  be  readily  decided  once 
•Uie  pi*«Jiises  are  -^ivei?  and  the  author's  sympathies  made  clear 
does  not,  perhaps,  recognize  this  as  a  characteristic  quality  of 
symbolic  plot.  But  a  bidef  comparison  wltti  the  most  obvious 
illustrations  of  tills  genre  of  plot  shows  him,  for  example,  the 
innunerabl©  Horatio  Algor  heroes  never  falling-  to  trluniph  over 
all  villains  and  over  all  raaterlal  obstacles.  The  ^sSiole  Alger 


o^x. 


series  Is  a  lone  repetition  in  fable  form  of  the  proverb  that 
honesty  ia  the  best  policy. 

In  pure  allecory  such  a  lack  of  suspense  Is  not  particularly 
distasteful  since,  by  a  tacit  convention,  both  reader  nnd  author 
recogilze  that  a  certain  r^oal  is  in  sl^ht  and  nnist  be  attained* 
PllCPiia  raaist  clinb  the  Delectable  Mountain  or  the  initial  purpose 
of  the  book  tsould  be  belied.  But  \7ith  the  characteris  cl<i 
allegories  o€   various  romanticist  writers  before  us,  ^th  their 
characteristic  Ideas  in  vec:&Td.   to  the  relationship  of  the  real 
and  the  ideal  riade  plain,  it  cannot  fail  to  become  evident  that 
the  obvious  allecory,  Evenor  et  Leucippe,  for  instance,  has  a 
very  close  affinity  to  many  novels  that  cannot  be  so  categorically 
classified.  In  studyin.<3  these  affinities,  there  is  no  surer 
£^de  and  no  easier  criterion  in  regard  to  the  nanner  of  literary 
creation  than  the  ^uide  ^gftiich  has  already  been  suggested:  the 
question  of  cause  and  effect  in  tlie  developnent  of  th©  plot. 
If  th©  goal  is  so  pre-determlned  that  the  whole  progress  of  the 
narrative  inay  be  foreseen  after  the  readin^^  of  the  introductoiy 
paftes,  then,  obviously,  the  novel  is  a  representation  of  the 
ideal  and  does  not  confona  to  the  appearance  of  reality.  The 
real  is  only  a  symbol  nftiereby  the  ideal  nay  be  presented.  The 
relation  of  the  ideal  —  closer  or  more  distant  —  to  reality  as 
«•  know  it,  is  the  proportionate  neasure  of  its  interest  to 
us.  Thus,  tshen  Sand  pictures  over  and  over  again  the  world  veil 
lost  for  love,  hunan  ej?:perience  rejects  the  picture  as  less 
authentic  tlian  when  Balzac  gives  a  ^ole  series  of  illustrations 


04<!. 


in  miidi  iiafcui'»al  disliit.er-e3t*ctoi«B  Is  swallc^yed  up  in  f^e  fire- 
breathing,  Inaati&ble  roaw  of  tl^©  dragon  of  egoisro. 

It  is  by  refei'wxce  to  this  crlterton  that  the  syiibollain  of  the 
plot  of  Delphlne  becomes  evid^-nt.     The  action  progresses  td.t3i  an 
entii'e  dlsi-^e^rd  for  probability.     Granted  that  tlie  personage* 
are  mere  symbols  and  the  action  synbolic,  the  inconsistencies 
and  improbabilities  ai*e  less   -lai'lng.     Otherwise,  although  there 
prevails,   througj-xout ,  a  consistency  of  tone  in  the  events 
connected  witii  eacli  pe2-sona;;e,  there  rerrialns  no  standard  by  ndiich 
to  judge  the  necesslLy  of  the  events  which  are  attached  to  tbe 
story.     The  arbitrary  arr£Jige;;ient  and  succession  of  haopenings 
8e«a8  quite  as  cnicsii  the  effect  of  disnce  and  tlie  intervention  of 
a  deus  ex  machina  as  could  ever  be  the  caee  in  the  mytholcclcal 
stories  of  wliich  Ifias.  de  Stael  has  elsendiere  ex:pT&Ene^.  her 
diaa|iy3W>TwJ.«    (1)     llxls  is  due  to  the  fact  that,  wlt2i  different 
passicms  pushed  to  their  extrerae  but  incarnated  in  separate 
persona^^es,  tlier©  cart  be  no  progression  fron  cause  to  effect  but 
only  a  chaos  pissduced  by  the  Jostlinc  to^tiier  of  the  eventa 
vhich  serve  to  expirees  the  separate  passions,   that  is,  the  separate 
personaces.     Each  one  renains  in  his  own  sphere  following  his 
ovvn   ahread  to  the  labyrinth,     The  x*equirea  event  i/my  alwnys  be 
produced  at  atiy  iKMaent  in  the  story  and  .aay  be  argued  to  be 
probable  since  it  meirely  i-equir-ws   the  fortuitous  reappearance  of 
tiiat  pNirddiUige  ndiose  ruling  passion  will  necessarily  produce  the 
given  type  of  event.     Thus,  Valorbe  first  appears  in  the  story 


(1)  Jftae.  de  Stael,  Sur  les  Fictions.  63. 


343. 


at  a  Konen.;  w:n.en  cxistonce  h.as  bccoiac   fairly  celn   for  DelpMne 
end  it  is  necessary  to  interrupt  the  even  flow  of  pla tonic 
love  by  a  new  cetastro;:he,     Ke  rcappeai*a  n.min  only  when  th» 
ztQ-rzr  Is  once  sore  iteaiaced  'rj  a    .eriod   of  cilm,      SiiQilerly, 
Leoiice's  aLccnces  fron  Paris  are  arran-red  isrith  ca3?e.riil  art  so 
tiiat  he  vasLj  never  b©  r,rcc9nt  at  the  neceseary  crises  of  Delphine's 
e3d.8t«ice,     "atildo's  er.ist«n,c  is  entirely  i^^nored  durin^j  the 
period  of  platonic  Icve  but  lo  conveniently  remembered  at  last 
in  ti:::ac  to  brin^j  about  the  ncccstary  dcnoufflaent» 

The  events  of  Del;phli;e  are,    'Ji  other  words,   iiipcscd  from  without. 
Ho  Intrinsic  necessity  in  the  relationship  of   the  personages 
nor  In  their  devclo.:::icat  raalres  it  posail'le   to   foresee   tlie 
reimlting  action.     On  t!^e  other  hand,   it  is  possible  to  foresee 
tirie  chai-acter  of  even  the  aoot  un.rodictable  events  by  an  under- 
standing, o(    tlje  author's  aoral  intention.     This  intention  ^ives 
the  distinctive  chaructsr  to  everj  incident  of  the  action  and, 
vrithaut  explicitly  addin^_   the  r.oipl,  rakes  it  so  ob^tots  that 
the  nox-el  bscoi.'.cs.  In  sane  nort,   a  !3Mccossor  to  the  phllosopliical 
novels  cf  the  ci  hteenth  century  ^ich  I&ie,   de  ^tael  rlescribes 
and  crlticisca  in  her  discussion  of  the  art  of  fiction,    (l) 
Thus  every  generous  action  of  Lelphine's  is  v^receded  1-;  her  fear 
as  to  ita  v^iscloxa:  and  la  acconpcnied  by  a  chain  of  cir cutis t an ces 
^^Ich,   in  fact,   causa  evil  results  and  conrirr:.  her  conviction 
that  soc'ety  ntinishes  "Bliataucr  actions  are  tindertaken  froa 
t,©fterosity  or  kindness  of  heart.     But  these  ev5.1  results  seem 

(1)  r^&ae,  de  i>tacl,   Sur  les  Fictions,  G8. 


O'ift . 


foz^tultous  rather  tlian  necessfiry  and  the  repetltim  of  the 
fortuitouB  raakec  tlio  conclusion  lose  in  effectiveness  at  tiie 
same  tirje  that  It  nsust  inevitably  seem  the  result  of  a  r>ir°ejudlce 
In  the  autJfcor*8  rdnd  rather  than  the  result  of  cha2»act©r 
developcient.     That  the  plot  is  created  accordln.i  to  dream  x»ati\er 
than  according  to  experience  iieans,  neGcssarily^  tiiat  every 
progressicm  of  the  plot  holds  s^bolic  laeanings. 

!niere  are  other  distinct  similarities  between  tiie  allegories  of 
roQsntlcism  and  the  roraantlclst  novel  in  ^^^enerol,     A  close 
affinity  in  plot  or  therae  to  eai  alle^porical  model  ^phasises^  in 
aK>8t  cases «  the  fact  that  ttie  fiction  is  symbolic  in  intention 
and  supplies  thm  Icey  to  the  Intention.     That  a  key  is  necessary 
Is  obvious  enou,^  If  we  recall  the  grwat  dlsslrailarity  In  tSM 
Interpretation  «iat  Balsae*  Sugo^  and  Clautier  i^ive  of  tiiclr 
allegorical  novels,  novels  v/hose  plot  situations  are,  however, 
essentially  the  saoie*     Tim  rather  arbitrary  quality  of  tSie 
Interpretation  is  evident  bat  so  too  is  the  fact  tiiat  tlie  clue  to 
characteristic  syabollam  Is  clearly  provided.     Comparison  of 
a  lar,:e  nvfflfcer  of  rocmntic  novels  reveals  their  affinity  to  the 
allegorical  novels  in  the  fact  tliat  their  i>lots  depend  alnost 
entirely  on  sinfjl©  or  multiple  choice,     f o  quote  frora  these  novels 
Is  to  exerapXify  the  manner  in  tshich  each  autlior  applies  tiie 
saae  synboXic  me&iod  and   indicates  the  key  to  Ms  particular 
SMNmlng. 


Tttm  ^et  situation  In  Gautler*s  Celle»cl  et  celle^la  is  alraost 


345. 


identical  with  that  in  ?4arlMia1g«lXo  de  M«upln»     Idke  the 

Rodolpha  of  the  earlier  otory,  d'Albert  aichs  after  beauty. 

ii«  aenrchBa  for  that  beauty  at  first  thro\i3h  Hosette*     D> Albert's 

frl«id  describes  her  functicai: 

•—  Elle  t'aura  blentot  coinpige  de  t<m  vapoureuz 
Id^alijsae:     c'est  van.  iZ^Bi^  service  qu*elle  te 
rendra.     Elle  le  fera  du  reste  avec  le  pltxs  grsrd 
plfiisir*  car  son  instinct  est  de  desencliantor  des 
poetee.   (1) 

On  the  other  hand»  when  d» Albert's  choice  finally  falls  upcHi 

&!lle«  do  Maupin,  he  stoves  at  once  fron  the  srHere  of  reality 

to  Hae  sphere  of  ideal  beauty,     i^e  writes  to  her: 

—  Vmis  represent©  z  di{'3Dt«c^Bt  la  premiere  dl^lnite' 
du  mcHwie,  la  plus  itutc  3?/raboll8ation  do  l*es3«ice 
•temelle»-<-  la  beaute'^  (2} 

t?¥Llx.  in  Le  Isra  dans  la  vallee  is  equally  aware  of  the  fact 
fSiat  his  (^oice  is  not  zsex>ely  a  choice  betmen  tno  wmau     It  is 
syaft)ollc  of  two  principles,  o±'  the  two  eli^enta  of  beins«     He 
writest 

—  L^horaao  est  conpoae  de  natl^re  et  d'espxdtj 
^•aniiaallte' virait  aboutir  en  lui,  et  l*an«;e  caetience 
a  lui,     De  la  cette  lutte  que  nous  dtrouvons  ious 
eiitre  une  destin^  future  que  nous  pre ssen tons  et 
les  souv«3irs  de  nos  instincts  ant^ieurs  dont  nous 
no  »xm&»  pas  oitierecient  diS'tach^:     vaa.  ammr  charnel 
et  un  aeaoxir  divin.   -—  EJil  bien,  lady  Arabella 
contoafce  les  instincts,  les  organos,  les  appetits, 
les  vices  et  les  vertus  de  la  natl^i^p  subt:*.lo  dont 
nous  Qosanms  faits;     elle  ^ait  la  maixtresse  du  corps* 
Madmie  de  ^rtsauf  etait  1* Spouse  de  I'^^ine*   (3) 


Hei^'a  arrival  in  Louisiana  and  Ms  request  to  enter  tlie  tfatehez 

(1)  Gaatier,  Madg^aiselle  de  Maupin,  74, 

(2)  Ibid.,  S^T"  ~" 
(5)  Balsae,  Le  Lya  dans  la  vall^^  234» 


0«:0, 


tribe  has  anottier  si^i;nlfleance«     Chateaubriand  vxdtes: 

Le  fi^re  d^Aaelie  s'^ait  endorrai  l^bflasw  dc  la 
socle te^  11  se  r^elltait  I'horaae  de  la  nature.    (1) 

Rene  is  aaen  here  to  iiave  nade  tii©  definitive  choice  of  nature 

as  opposed  to  society. 


In  Bervitude  et  gi^mdeur  nilitairea»  captain  ^naud  passes 

throxi^  a  series  of  situatlcais  and  ca^  situation  T%a€^es  its 

cul2ainati(»i  In  a  choice.     At  the  conclusion  of  the  se^ie  beti^e«i 

Hapoleon  s^d  Pius  VII  njhich  he  describes,  he  has  g%ven  up  his 

fonaer  iddatiy  for  Bfapoleon.     iie  interprets  his  decision  for 

ttiB  reader: 

—  J*^ais  ac^abld^clo  ce  que  j» avals  vu;     et 
sachira-t  a  present  a  quels  calculs  issuvais  I'asblticm 
toute  perstwmelle  pouvalt  faire  descendre  le  cjml®f 
Je  haJCsaais  cette  passlcm  qiii  vexmit  de  fletrir, 
sous  ues  yeux,  le    jIus  brillant  des  Doralnatours, 
oalui  qui  danMra  p«ut«^r«  son  bob  ou  si^cle  poizr 
1» avoir  artfete  dix  ar^s  dans  sa  sjarche.    (2) 


Vantrin  xaakes  his  final  choice,  a  choice  that  ti^nsfOOTai 
Ma  froaa  criminal  to  police  inspector,  he  Interprets  his 
choice  and  he  ir^akes  a  raraaric  chai*actorlr.tic  of  every  one  of 
the  instances  quoted.     H^  8a3rs:     ** —  Au  lieu  d'etre  le  dab  du 
ba^^ie,  je  serai  le  Fif^aro  de  la  justice...?     Thai  he  ^.^oes  oni 


n 


xt 


— >  Les  etats  qu*on  fait  dims  lo  nonde  ne  sont  que  des  api:»3«sices| 
la  r^it#^  e*est  l»id^l''   (3)     This  is  the  actual  attitude 
of  protagonist  or  author  viierever  choice  or  decision  is  involved. 
3Jhe  clioice  doss  not  apply  to  particulars,  particular  e^ent  or 

(l)  C3iat^mbi*iand,  Les  Jatchez.  202. 

(2;  Vi^;;iy,  Servitude  et  r^randfflir  allitaires^  2GG. 

(3)  Bfclwie.  Iiiliiltaai  et  miaeres  des  courtisanes.  IV,,  269. 


347. 


particular  perscai,  but  applies  to  the  idea  s:pstoollzed  iby  th© 
particular  in  question.     In  tills  siannor  the  symbolic  Interpre- 
tatiosi  is  alvays  of  i:3ore  inportance  tlian  the  partlctilar  choic«* 
Such  ciioic©  boccxaes,  in  large  measure,  less  valuable  as  event 
Uwaa.  as  a  characteristic  attribute  of  tlie  protagonist,  or 
other  persona;  e,  t*io  ^lakes  the  dioice* 

Frequmitly  also  the  plot  of  tlieso  novels  prOt:resse3  by  means 

of  Ketai^oorlcal  duels  bettieen  individuals,  duels  v-ftiose  o\itc<«se 

vlll  deterain©  the  d^ou.caent  of  i^iio  book.     But  su<^  a  duel 

does  not  Indicate  a  private  anta,^ron.lan.     It  is  usually  t^ie 

inevitable  cla^h.  of  t-«o  opposing  eleraents  in  the  .jriivorse,     The 

spaboliS2  imre  is  also  interpreted  usually  by  the  author.     The 

opposition  between  Cirajurdain  and  iJauvain  is,   for  exaraple,  not 

only  an  indivldxml  difference  of  tenpttPSBgaMat.     Uo^  insists  on 

tlie  ^<nabolic  value: 

i^aps  le  tx'i^aiJie  (^ui  s*ebauchait,  deux  foxaes  de  la 
republlqu©  etaieit  eaa.  pr^ence,  la  republique  de  la 
terreur  et  la  r^ubliqtie  de  la  cl^mice,  I'uoe 
voulant  'valncre  par  la  rl.nieur  ©t  1*  autre  par  la 
doueeiu:>*     lAquclle  provaudrait?     Ces  deux  fomes,  la 
foirae  concilionte  et  la  forrae  implacable,  etaA«it 
repr^^it^es  par  deux  iwaemB  ayant  chacun  schi 
influence  et  son  autorlte'i  l^xm  ccxnrtandant  nilitaire, 
1* autre  ddlegue^ civil;     lequ<?l  de  ces  deux  hocmes 
I'eraporteralt?  i%) 

Vaeutrin's  fltht  for  freedora  is  the  occasion  for  Balsac  to 

underline  the  symbolic  character  of  each  el<»ient  in  the  struggle! 

Ainsi  les  divers  intoreta  noue's  ensea:able,  en  has 
et  eti  haut  de  la  3oci<5'tcf^  devaient  se  i*encoiitrGr 
too©  dans  le  cabinet  du  Procureur-'G^^ral,  amci^i 

(1)  Hu£?>,  v4^tre-Vinf^t-Trei ze»  II«,  61, 


348. 


tous  par  la  necea-lte"^  represent'-"^  par  tix)ia  he 
la  justice  par  nonsleur  de  Gi'anvllle,  la  faialll© 
par  Cox*entinf  devant  ce  terrible  adversaire,  Jacques 
Collin,  (|ul  configoz^t  le  nal  social  daae  aa 
s«iavar3e  energie* 

Qa«l  duel  que  celui  de  la  justice  et  de  l»arbltralr«» 
rmanls  centre  le  bajrie  ct  la  rvisel     Le  basae#  ce 
my^ibole  de  I'smdace  qui  supprirje  1©  calcxil  et  la 
re  flexion  y  ^  qui  tous  les  ooyens  sont  bons,  q.,il  n'a 
paa  I'hypocrlsle  de^l'arbltraire,  qui  symbolise 
hldeuascieait  l*intez^t  da  ventre  affeme'^  la  s»nglantey 
la  rapide  protestation  de  la  faiial     TI'et«lt»ce  pas 
I'attaque  et  la  defense?     y»  vol  et  la  ,.r>i3  rlete? 
La  question  ^terrible  de  I'etat  social  et  de  I'^tat 
naturel  vldee  dans  le  pluc  etroit  espace  feasible? 
Eafin,  c'etait  tme  teriTlble,  une  vivante  Iraa  c  de 
ces  ccxapronAs  antisoclaux  qite  font  les  trop^  falblea 
repr^scntants  du  [^ouvoir  av«e  de  sauva;'3:es  oeioutiers*   (1) 


Sfiffid  too  reduces  the  Individual  opposition  to  tl^  oppoaitioQ 
of  ideas •     In  Le  Ccea^SLfjion  du  tour  de  France »  she  writes: 
"Pierre  resta  enf enae'^ deuac  heures  avec  Yseult.     lis  debatftirent 
pied  a  pied  leur  different* man i^re  de  c<»ipreTjdre  et  de  prati(^ep 
le  boau  ideal* "   (2)     Vtlienj,  in  the  aen&  book,  PlexT?e  is  present 
at  a  discussion  between  his  peasr^nt  friends  and  Achille's  fellow 
theoricianSj,  he  classifies  then  instinctively*     "Piezve  regardalt 
les  tpois  proletaires  debout  en  face  de  ces  revolutionnaiz*e8 
au  petit  pied**,."   (3)  31>nllarl:r»  Ccmatanco  v'errier  sasaaarizes 
the  az'guiaesit  betwefln  the  duohesse  and  la  Mozzelli  in  abstract 
teroa:     "—  Je  ccaaprends  aieux  1»  artiste  qui  aspire  a  un  reve 
de  feliclte' et  dc  fid^it^  subliinesy  que  la  rai3<»meu8e  qui 
mm  oontenUi  d^uae  in tliait^ positive  et  paseag^re."  (4) 

(1)  Balzacy  Splaideurs  ot  nlsercs  des  caurti3».nes«  IV.,  233. 

(2)  Sand,  Le  coraj^/jnon  du  Jour  de  ^I'anoe,  II>,  15^. 


(5)  Ibid.,Tr7---- 

(4)  Sood^  Ckaistaace   terrier*  113, 


349. 


Wieaa  Vlgny  d^>icts  the  interview  betveasn  the  p»pm  Plus  VII 

and  BapoleoB^  tiie  latter*  a  trliarnpli  is  ixtdicated  by  the  ^pettr«nce 

of  a  tear  on  the  pope's  <die«ik*     Captein  Renaad  vpites:     "EXle 

sie  pamt  Xe  demicp  adl^i  du  Ghrlstiajalsas  i^mnrnt  qui  abandonnait 

la  tcrre  a  I'egoisaa  et  au  basard«*'   (1) 


The  x>evolt  in  the  Vend^  ia  liicevise  the  incarnation  of  mx  idea— 
a  duel  between  two  abstract  forces:     '*Pay8»  patrie,  ce»  deux 
!nots  F^nisent  toute  la  gxiezTe  de  Vendee;     qtwrelle  de  I'ld^ 
locale  contre  l*idee  uiiiver'Sdlle*     Pajsana  centre  pata^otes*^  (2) 
Lantenac's  defeat  by  a  mother's  despairing  appeal  beecBMs: 
"Le  combat  dn  bian  ccoitre  le  stal,  -»».  La  victoire  de  l*hjamlte 
sur  l^htjmm*     L'huwmiltc  avait  vaincu  l*inl:iUQain...."   (3) 

ThB  optjasiticffi  betsean  Sae*  de  la  danterie  and  M,  B^jniiard 

booomafl  the  opposition  of  t«o  aiitaoonistio  ideals*     Alain  tells 

Godefroidj 

— >  Sous  sonaes  les  desaerrants  fld^es  d*une  Id^ 
chr^lenne*  et  nous  appartenona  corps  et  ^Ibe  ^ 
cette  Oeuvre,  dont  le  renie,  dont  la  fondatriee 
est  la  baronne  de  la  Chanterle, . . •   (4) 

lU  Bernard^  on  Uxe  other  "^  :.I,  reoog^li^s  his  ova  abstract 

value.     He  cries: 

•»  ^^  (fxXf  depuis  cinq  ans,  ai  sotiffert  la  passitm 
&e  Jesis-Christy  tous  les  quinze  joursl     l4ol  qui. 
psndant  tronto«-sljc  an^«  ai  repr^sent^  la  Soclet^ 
le  (^ouvemoaent.  qui  etais  alors  la  Vengeance 
publicise.  •••   (5) 

iX)  ^iS^»  ^wrvltudie  et  firandeur  ailitaires^  264* 
2)  Hia:o,  '^tiatre~vinf^»T3peize.  II*  >  22« 
3)  iMd* ,  11. .  saeT 

(4)  Dalsac*  Tw.*Enver8  de  I'hlEtoli^  c<mtenporalne^  ;544. 

(5)  Ibid..  395. 


350. 


It  Is  itrmecessai-y,  lio.7ever,  to  continue*     Sufficient  qpiotaticsis 
have  hetm  glveu  to  make  It  clear  t'lat  the  struiXirle  bct-sfeen  the 
tvo  personages  or  th*  tvo  parties  of  any  one  of  these  novels^ 
a  strugf^le  i*ilcd:i  provides  one  of  the  ty  leal  plot  sitiiaticais 
of  rwsantieian,  is  conceived  of  both  by  the  autlior  and  by  hl» 
personages  as  a  stru.^gle  betveen  the  abstract  forces  STmbolised 
by  tlie  individual  personae,es« 

Occasionally  the  necessity  of  ayiabolic  interpretation  is 

ir^icated  i^  the  author  in  his  description  of  his  tbseae*     !l^b&t 

his  i*iole  novel  belongs.  In  fact,  to  the  reals  of  arable  Is 

«hat  h«  EK>re  or  less  ea^lldtly  states*     That  such  explicit 

statemcait  can  be  so  blandly  disrej:ardad  in  &bj  critical  discussion 

of  the  novel  in  q.u«istioa  seer^  impossible*     atMitoattbrlaQd,  for 

exaraple,  wi^tes  isi  the  epllot^^o  of  Atalat 

Je  vis  dans  ce  recit  le  tableau  du  peuple  ohawnttr 
ct,du  peuple  laboureiir,  la  religion,  pi*eniiere 
leglsla trice  dos  haH«Ma,  les  dangers  de  l»lgnoranf» 
et  de  I'entiiOTislaaae  rellr:ie^ix  op>os^  aux  Itsiti^res, 
"a  la  charity  et  au  v^Tri table  esprit  de  I'Bvangile, 
les  coasts  des  passions  et  des  vertus  dans  va 
coeur  slT^nle,  enfln  le  trloaiphe  du  ciiristianisno  sup 
le  sentiaent  le  plus  ftmgaeox  et  la  crainte  la 
plus  terrible,  I'eaour  et  la  ^ort*  (1) 

Balstte,  itien  he  writes  of  Cesar  Birotteau,does  not  hesitate  to 
declare  his  secret  t^ioui^t*     He  is  aTixious  for  his  read*;!:*  to 
realise  that  Char's  history  is  not  the  ;  istory    >f  an  InfUvidual 
but  the  repres«3itation  of  an  abstract  truth  by  neans  of  the 
STisbolic  C^ar«     He  writes: 

(I)  Oiateaubrland,  Atala,  6&« 


^0±. 


Pul88«  cettc  hlsfcolr©  otre  le  oo^ie  des  vic^ssltmles 
bourgeoises  axuciuellcs  null'        '^  n*a  aongc,   torst 
«Ile8  8«Hiblent  d<^ue"&a  de  :  tp,  tandla  qu'elles 

sont  au  mesie  tltr*©  Icsmcnses:     11  ne  s'c^jit  pas  d»tjn 
s«fiil  hooRie  icl»  mals  de  tout  un  p««iple  de  douleurs.   (1) 


>«nd  defines  hep  novel  aa  philotso rhiaaid  fiction  ^icfn  she  wrltess 

C'est  laolns    as  roctan  qu'un  exnooe'de  situations 
aztalTsc^s  avec  natience  et  retraces  avec  acrupule* 
C©  n'est  nl  po^iqac  ni  inte'ros!:?ant  au  point  de 
vn%e  litt<ipalp©«     Cela  n©  s'addrcs;  c  done  qu'au 
sens  nopal  ©t  philoso  hiquo  du  iGctcur,   (2) 

■xnxa  is  a  descrlptioB  that  could  apply  equally  well  to  the 

"contes  pMlOBOphiquos"  of  the  ei^Jiteentli  c€Bitury  witii  tlieir 

alle,';^opical  value  and  SeoKi  is  definitely  warning  the  i^adep 

tliat  the  sjnatoolic  interest  doninates  over  tlie  ,  urely  artistic 

interest. 


Gautiop  likevise  is  r»ot  avopse  to  underlinlni-  the  idea  of  his 

fables,     lie  writes  about  a  chevalier  whoso  double  p©i»sonallty 

is  syaboliaed  Ijy  two  stars,  on©  rod,  on©  r^reen,  and  be  isams; 

Vwis,  jeunos  flllen,  ne  vous  fies  c|]Li»a  I'et -*:''- 
verte;     et  vous  qui  aves  le  uaLiicur  d'etre  e, 

oonlMittes  bravesient,  qaand  rd^ae  vous  dsvriea 
frapper  sup  vous  et  vous  irlosser  de  votive  propp© 
4fpw,  l*«wlvepsair©  int^rieur,  Ic  ticfc-iant  chevalier,   (3) 

The  conclualcai  interprets  syabolically  aace  nore: 

Z^oalbre  d'Edwlc^e  est  toute  .^oyaxise,  car  1' enfant 

:..,  --.vjie  seifpiour  Lodbrog  a  enfln  valncu  l»influenc« 

^     1©  d©  I'ooil  orange,  du  corbeau  noir,  ©t  de 
I'etoilc  rouge:     I'horase  a  ten^ssc'' l*lncube,   (4) 

(1)  ralssac,  C^ar  Birotteauj  57, 

(2)  iievue  dcs  cLeux  mondeSa  i^66»  rv».  Sand,  ^ ■'■  -■  ■mier  Ataour,  8. 

(3)  Oaait^ier,  Ivornana  et  tfointeSj  Le  Chevalier     _^,  30(5^ 

(4)  Ibid.,  '60K, 


35  2. 


Of  all  ©»  itTtaanticistfl  Vlg;ny  Is,  perhaps,  th.e  one  #io  nost 
«Kj*»sls03  the  exact  3y«l)oll8n  of  his  thesies*     He  spealcs  in 
iiis  own  perscai  in  SearyJtude  et  /yandeur  lailltaiTOS  and  describes 
in  very  diaractaristic  mszmer  the  oetliod  In  which  his  novel 
naist  be  interpreted,  Ita  symbolic  scope  and  Intention: 

Aussi  le  sentiaont  qui  dmalnera  ce  livj?o  sera-t^il 

celui  qui  ne  l*a  x?^^  coasiRsencer,  le  desii*  de 
defcofumei?  do  la  1::pte  -     "   "  "   t  cette  nal^iction 

qxxB  Ic  cito^en  eat  oq .-   .  . -cH-  ^  lu^i  doruiop,  &t 

d»app«ler  sur  l*AmM$e  le  oardon  de  la  nation. 
Ce  quHl  y  a  de  plx^s  beau  aoi^s  1''  "    - ,   c*eat 

le  devouejient;     apices  le  Poete,   c*c-  .,  _,  — ..at; 
ce  n'est  pas  sa  faute  s'il  est  condaEoa^a  xm.  etat 
d'llote.  <1) 

T'op  the  flirat  two  stories  in  the  book  he  farther  develops  Ms 

thought  ir<  this  iianneps 

J«  ^hoisiral  dans  roes  souvenirs  coux  qui  se^ 
pres^mtent  ^  moi  otwrie  mi  v^«^.©nt  asses  decent 
et  d'une  fopiae  dir.no  d'envelopper  \me  pensce 
choieie,  ct  de  aoptrer  caabien  de  situations 
conti«aires  aux  develOfqjflrTMsnts  du  capact^i"©  et  d© 
1» Intelligence  d«frlyent  de  la  Servitude  gross t^t^ 
©t  des  n»>0ar8  airri^rees  dec  Atbh^  perrsanentesB,   (2) 

The  laa^oaga  is  characteristic*     It  i^ovs  the  author  deciding 

first  uposi  an  idea  and  th«»  and  then  only  crentin^  the  figures 

and  situations  wiiich  will  best  s/iiiboiiae,  and  so  best  reveal^ 

ttie  idea.     Yet,   tliou^^  Vlipny  writes  the  raost  phllosoplilcal 

Bt&tetient  of  his  intentions*  rsferenee  to  i^ie  other  quotations 

will  show  hira  to  be  tjrplcal  i«thor  tJum  uniqtie  in  Ms  cihoico 

of  thOTie  and  in  the  nanner  of  the  claboiratitm  of  his  t'l^^e  tqr 

r>lot« 

There  are,  of  course,  certain  cases  in  ishich  the  symbolic 
(1)  Vigny,  Servitude  et  f-randeur  nilitaires^  25» 

(2)  Ibid. .  m; 


353. 


sigalflcance  of  a.  ^^lot  is  Biade  oore  apparent  because  of  Uie 

close  aTflnlty  v^iich  its  thesae  bears  to  another  more  obviously 

allegorical  fiction*     iiach  is  tlva  case  witii  Baleac*3  IjjtVtsiona 

PTdiies  azid  Splendours  et  miserea  dee  courtJsanes,      ^T^ese  two 

long  novels  fom  one  iitiole  and  tiiat  i^3ole  is  a  surprisin:;!^ 

mcact  reflection  of  ti^ie  plot  and  thcoe  of  La  P^ni  de  charrin» 

Superficially  diff extent  as  it  i.isj   appear,  moreover,  uautier's 

Fortuoio  repeats  the  seme  fable  varied  only  by  a  slirjitly 

dlffer^it  application.     In  its  essence  t>ils  thcjs©  is  based  on 

the  ronanticist  belief  in  iAie  infinite  expaiisivcness  of  the 

•^«     "All  tilings  arc  possible  for  oe",  the  c^op  of  roiaantic 

Hapolecms  cried  ozkI  tltey  vere  sincerely  conviticed,  indeed,  that 

all  things  vere  possible,  providc^l  the  desiz*e  and  will  «ex*e 

pennitted  full  expz^oaslon*     It  is  this  attitude  iftiich  is 

edqxnsnded  by  Stee*  de  Bar  ;eton  in  Illusicais  perduea: 

A,  1»  entendre  - — -  Ic  j^nie  ne  relevait  que  de  lui- 
EMBoe;     il  etait  seul  .li:r;G  de  ses  stoyesis,  car  litl 
seul  ccmnaiseait  la  Tin;    ^1  dovait  don^  se 
au«dessu6  des  lois,  appele  qu'il  ^tait  a  les  ^^j.^lre; 
d*aill«ur6,  qui  s'ei^are  de  son  siccle  peut  tout 
preDd2*e,  tout  risquer,  car  tout  est  a  lui«   (1) 

Characteristically,  she  cites  Kapoleon  as  the  suprecie  proof  of 

her  stateraents. 

It  is  tMs  point  of  view  that  is  to  prevail  on  Lueien,  for 
whoa  RapSiael  of  La  Peaa  de  chaj^grfLn  has  served  as  prototype. 
IllusionB  perduee  corrcsp<aids  to  the  introductory  portions  of 
Ltt  Peau  de  c^iapyin  and  here  Lacien  appears  as  caapact  of  desire 


(1)  Balzac,  Illusions  perduesa  I.,  234,256, 


354. 


and  jpeellng.     H©  a|>{>eaz*s  on  ever^  occasion  at  tJi©  mercy  of  Ms 
desires*     Balzftc  vritess     "Luci^i  se  portait  avee  ardeur  vers 
la  glolre  lltt^ralro,"  (1)     And  again:     "II  ii'etalt  encore  aax 
prises  qu'avec  ses  d^lxna...,"  (2)     He  states:     "Chez  4e  po^te 
— —  tout  etalt  sentiiaent*.,."  (5)     But  In  lucien  desire  is 
without  the  necessary  force  to  accomplish.     He  lacks  ^U. 
Ere,  his  sister,  renders  the  final  verdict:     "-~-  II  n»y  a  pas 
de  superioritc  sans  fozKse  et  Luci^i  est  faible***  (4) 

I«cien  is,  then,  the  Raphael  of  La  Peau  de  cIiaArin.     His  progress 
follo;7a  anbstantially  the  saisie  linos*     Like  Ha:.haJ»l,  his  dreceas 
of  glory  are  fostered  by  society  as  long  as  he  flatters  its 
vanity,  scorned  «hoa  he  ceases  to  do  so«     Like  Haphael,  he  is 
sesn  in  the  v^^rld  udiers  "arrivisiae"  is  the  supreme  doctrine. 
Fall  of  desires  Tiftilch  he  is  impotent  to  satisfy,  he  realizes,  like 
Haphalsl,  tliat  there  is  only  one  solutiim,  a  withdrawal  fro^i 
this  world  by  oeans  of  suicide*     It  is  at  this  point  that 
Raphael  is  deterred  frtsa  death  hy  the  unexi>ected  gift   »*"  the 
zoagic  skin  ~  "le  pouvoir  et  le  voulpir  r^unis"—  and  it  is  at 
this  point  tliat  lAici^i  is  deterred  frooi  death  by  the  une:[^peeted 
alliance  vdiich  Vautrin  offers.     Vautrin  incarnates  the  will 
which  lAicien  lacks  and  the  pact  between  the  two  laeans  that  the 
extreme  of  desii>e  and  the  extreme  of  will  are  unit^«     Such  a 
unicai  places  Lacien  in  the  seme  ix>wor^\il  ctosltlon  ^^hidi  Rapliael 
occupied*     %e  equal  of  society,  he  is  able  to  defy  it  with 

(I>  Balzac,  IllusicMis  perdues*  I*,  194* 
^2)   Ibid*,   t.,  199. 
<5)  I!l^**   IJT.,  4«U. 
(4)   Ibi.T* .   Ill,,  400* 


355. 


ii^ipiinity*     Vautrin  repents  the  Hapoloonlc  rasssttses 

—  Les  i^r^^^s  ccKTsnettent  preaqu©  autant  de  iSclietes 
qtM  l©s  nis/i^bles;     laals  11  lea  cocnottent  dans 
l*ocabre  et  font  parade  de  leurs  vertus:     lis 
restant  gi^ands*  — —  Tout  est  dans  la  forsic. 
Salslssez  bicn  cc  que  j^appcllo  la  PorB»,  -i~«— 
Ainsi*  la  Socl^t^,  -.on  fils,  cnt  forced  de  di5t:lnguer, 
pour  son  c<xajite,  ce  q/^e  je  vous  f als^  dlstint^er  pour 
le  v6ti»e,     I«    -rand^    olnt  est  5e  s's^aler  a  tout© 
e__*/T_/     «-_.,/„     «*_,„,,_.     ,-r  Hedicls 


la  iiociete,  ^Uapoleon^  Richelieu,  les 
s'^nalerent  a  leur  slocle,    (1) 


It  Is  at  this  point  that  Smitler's  Poptunlo  nay  be  seesi  to 
offer  a  third  exanple  of  the  son©  tiaterlal  Independene©  of 
society.     His  story  corresponds  only  to  the  s©c<xid  it^ias©  of  the 
life  of  Raphael  or  Luclen,  to  the  see<n^  part  of  La  Pemi  de 
charprin  mid  to  Splaideurs  et  m^s^res  des  eourtlsanes^     In  Ma 
Gentler  presents  a  protas'-cmlst  ^^o  represents  the  coincidence 
of  a  desire  and  its  fulfilment*     In  India,  «lier©  he  spends  his 
early  yout£i,  his  every  ^in  has  bean  ^.ndiilo©d  sand  in  Earop© 
his  fabuloo-s  wealth  pemlts  h5i5  the  sane  ready  satisfaction  of 
his  desires.     That  his  life  is  measured  by  desire  Gentler 
indicates  quite  as  plainly  as  if  he  had  x»epestcd  Balzas*^  Eiaglcal 
device.     H©  writes  of  Fortiinlo:     "Ses  passions  le  !n«nal«it  cm 
elles  votilalent  sans  qu*ll  essay^t  Jffioals  de  re'slster."  (2) 
Like  Hai^iacl  and  luclen,  Fortunlo  lives  in  connlete  isolation 
frosa  ordinary  society.     He  sayst     "— Je  suls  le  .'jarcon  le  plus 
iml  du  &K>nde«     Je  ne  fals  quo  ce  qui  ae  plait,  et  je  vis 
ab8oluB»nt  poor  oon  conpte."   (3)     Thle  speecii  nlclit  quit©  as 
•ell  be  ttmt  of  either  tS-j©  Raphael  or  Luclen  tJho  deliberately 

(1)  Ralaac,  Illusions  perdues.  III««  545. 

(2)  Gaptler:!  Igouvellcsa  I'^i'tunio,  131. 

(3)  Ibid..  98. 


356. 


put  theosttXves  outside  of  society  wad  avoid  all  ordinary 
liuDiazi  intex>eoux^e« 

^niere  is*  hovorer*  a  certain  variation  in  tlie  fate  of  the 
tKnild<-be  supeman.     It  is  Raphael's  final  decision  to  Md)i«e« 
t^iA  ideal  that  causes  tlie  dis^^E^^aranee  of  the  :::a.:Tic  skin  &o& 
his  deatli*     For  lucien  also  death  is  the  onlj  solution  and  is, 
liko  Ra^^bael*s«  a  voluntary  tdioice  onee  ho  finds  hlnself 
separated  froot  tloat  which  oeasures  and  expresses  his  life  <» 
the  td.ll  incarnated  in  Vautrin.     Both  Lucien  and  Haplia«l  perceive 
the  imiate  destxnictivexisss  of  the  elonmt  to  idii^  they  have 
attcfliMd  tkummeXvem  and  aceept  death  as  their  inevitable  fate. 

But  Portunio,  although  lie  does  se^  possession  of  the  ^ropeen 
idcttl  of  boas^  >>•  Ifasidora->«>,reeo@riiii«ts  U\&t  physical  poas«s«ion 
is  all  that  he  con  hope  for.     H«  is  aware  that  mere  desire  and 
vlll  —  nftiich  is  all  ai&t  constitutes  his  life  —  cannot  attain 
to  tiae  spiritual.     But  Gautier  represents  the  European  ideal 
beauty  —  l^isidora —  as  a  beauty  spiritualized  by  love.     There- 
fore Fortunio  abandons  Europe  for  the  Orient.     He  abandoiui 
Moeidora  for  Soodja-Sari.     Ue  retires  to  his  Eldorado  of  pliysical 
coLifort  and  material  pleasures*     This  is  the  sole  Eldorado 
CRdtable  for  the  coincidence  of  desire  and  its  satisfacti<»i| 
that  iB,  for  WofrtxmlOm     It  is  only  a  physical  and  !:Aterial  ideal 
of  beauty  that  those  nirto,  in  this  vorld^  attain  t^ieir  id^il 
desire  may  ever  «Bibrace.     VShat  is  spiritual^  however^  ni^t  die 
if  its  love  is  a  love  for  the  incarnation  of  de»ii?e.     "aierefore 
Kusidora  dies  beeanae  of  her  love  for  such  an  incarnation »  its 


357. 


living  aryBbol,  Fortualo, 

Gffatl6r*8  story,  fSbmrefoipe,  not  only  repeacs  ^olsac's  t  «>  ^e 
but  is  even  more  e3^3llclt«     Tli«  deetx^ictivenoss  Inhorent  In 
the  j?uro  dostre  and  will  not  only  cono  mes  Itnelf,  as  Balsac 
indleates,  but  destroys  all  that  Is  3:-ij?ltual  in  ci/lliaatlsii. 
''^iriliael  dies  bocauso  th©  Incarnation  of  his  desire  is  inecrapatiblo 
wit2i  life»     ^t  It  is  possible  fop  desire  and  will  to  survive 
if  the  s.;iritY^l.  is  ponaittcd  to  die*     Portunio  may  livo  on 
'  ut  it  Eiust  te  in  a  restricted  s-^iet*e«     The  dre«a  of  ijo^r  tliat 
Portunio  ropres^its  —  the  attainnont  of  the  infinite  by  wMom 
of  an  infinite  ^cpansian  of  the  ego  —  ends  Tilth  the  aere 
sntisf actions  of  ttie  animal  nee^^s  of  nan. 

no  close  is  ticu  i-eise  iblanco  in  th©  novels  cited  above  that  tiie 
sy?rft>oliasa  cannot  be  nlsconstrued.     A  siixllar  clue  is  provided 
for  %ae»?toiselle  de  gaupin  and  for  Sand's  lie  Qmtean  dea  Pesertee 
by  their  exact  reflection  of  the  allOi:;orical  Celle»ci  et  cclle-la. 
The  siriple  r>lot  of  the  latter  is  repeated  in  every  detail.     In 
each  case  t3ie  protagonist  —  a  representative  of  Inexperienced 
you^  and,  since  he  la  also  aa  artist,  a  representative  of  art  — 
sets  out  in  search  of  his  ideal  and  expects  to  realize  this 
ideal  t^ro;:^^  love.     In  ea(^  case,  the  first  love,  the  conventional 
love,  the  love  on  w  .Ic  ^  aociety  would  set  the  seal  of  its 
approval,  is  one  \sihlch  is  factitious  in  quality  and  disappointing 
in  e3q>eri^iee.     In  oa6h  case,  thei*efoi^,  idealistic  youtii 
finds  Itaelf  dlss^itin^  frtan  the  model  of  beauty  \*\idh  society 
offers;     idagdUlstic  art  finds  Itself  in  disagreeisMnt  with  the 


358, 


aesthetic  fashion  uSilch  society  approves. 

A  second  love  sapervenes.     In  this  secor.d  lo-re  t?>o  az^tlst  finds 
tnxe  and  endtirin«-^  s&ti8faetiari»     lie  finds  this  ideal  satisfaction 
not  in  society  but  in  a  retreat  frora  society,     Rodolphe  flnda 

•iriette  in  the  secluslrm  of  hla  owi  household,  not  In  tJie 
fashionable  salons.     D«  Albert  finds  Mile,  de  iiaupin  cmly  after 
he  has  withdt^wn  to  a  secluded  medieval  castle  in  the  midst  of 
a  large  natural  park.     Cello  realises  his  love  for  Cecil©  only 
after  he  too  hM^  wlthdram  to  her  secluded  retireat  —  the  chateau 
des  Desertes. 

The  true  love  la,  therefore,  one  flftiich  finds  Its  setting  in 

nature  aiKi  is  in  conformity  with  nature.     The  ideal  beauty  and 

the  ideal  art  are  represwited  by  an  Ideal  lo-f/c.     In  Celle-ci  et 

celle-la  it  will  be  x^called  that  (3autier  identifies  Harlette 

with  the  natural  sriontnnelty  of  roriantlcisn.     In  Le  Chatoau  des 

DiMiertea  Send  likewise  Irlentifies  the  ideal  a©st!ietic  tjlt^i 

igiiat  is  natural.     Cello,  in  relating;  the  dreaia  ^ich  determines 

his  abandorapent  of  the  conventional  social  ideal,  concludes  in 

thsse  terns: 

—  , . . .  le  persomuige  principal  delalsse'^  — — 
re  ardait  en  souriant  une  fleur  qtii  personnlflalt 
pour  lui  la  nature.     Cette  aller*orie  n'avalt  pas 
le  s^is  coomun,  rsais  elle  avait  une  3ii£,niflcati«m 
pour  nol  seul.   (1) 

at  the  S£B3e  tia©  Sand  indicates  the  direction  of  C61io*«  retreat 

in  another  speech  in  ^i*ti^  Cello  identifies  the  alle{^rical  dream 


(1)  Seaod,  Le  Cb^teau  des  Deaertea,  48. 


359. 


.  .  his  owi  doalr©: 

-«-  Savea-voos  un  r^ve  ci^ie   jo  faisais  oes  joups-cl, 
—«— .  c*ost  d'aller  oasser  quelquon  seaaines,  qiielquea 
mala  p«ut-^trc,  coin  tranqr"~7       t  '  '^ 

avee  ie  vieux  re  ... Terrd  et  sa      "^,„  r^ „o 

flllo.    ^  ewac  dcwx  ila  possodant  le  secrst  d©  I'artr 
cdiactai  en  r        '' onte  one  face.^  I«  p^re  cot  porti-cu- 

li<§renent  .;_  - It  et  spor.-tnnc'^  la  ^"llln  .-r -*-,H^.- fv-,f-, 

consclencleuse  et  savante.   (1) 

Still  later  Sand  explicitly  Identifies  the  two  I'^iases  nf  art 

v^il^  C^llo  had  at  first  believed  to  be  distinct.     »-ecllia  Is 

truly  her  father's  dau^^ter,     Conscl«itlous  art  is,  in  faet«  a 

product  of  spontatfieity  and  natiiral  inspiration.     Doccaferri 

explains:     **--  I<e  sentlm^it  du  vral  et  du  beau  sex>t  a  cozsprt^idre 

toutes  les  faces  d©  l*art.     L*art  est  tm«  n'est-ce  pas?"   (2) 


?Iadeeiolselle  de  »-laug>in  repreacaits  an  advance  on  the  pur© 
rotsantlcisn  of  either  Celle^ci  et  cello-la  or  Le  Chateau  dea 
Desertes*     It  Is  Qie  definite  recosnltlcm  of  the  composite 
character  of  beauty.     D* Albert  la  forced  to  real* as  Unit  he 
cannot  aairry  SOJLe*  do  Mmipln.    Kla  lofve  for  lier  too  xsould  only 
stale  with  tlae.     'Bven  as  oaaticr  writes,  romanticlsn,  in  its 
early  phases,  is  dyia;_;  out.     r'JLle.  do  i'-aupin's  clcpa:::.irG 
representa  Its  death.     Ilie  rocmticlst,  d* Albert,  reco^izes 
that  Mile,  do  Maupln  Is  not  exclusively  fonJinine;     Rosette,  tAo 
neo«classlclst,  realizes  that  t^o  siaseullnity  of  kOJ^o.  de 
laupln  Is  incorq^leto.     The  recosnltlon  of  the  trutli  r0O<melle« 
bot^  to  the  impossibility  of  n  -m^^ianent  txrJ.on  with  one  fora 
of  beauty.     The  n«>-classicisL  lovo  for  the  male  lieascai,   the 

(1)  Sajid,  TJe,  Chatefig  dea  Desertes^  56. 

(2)  r:ic,r^Si(^ " —    


36G. 


romanticist  love  for  the  f«Bale  Bature,   that  is,   for  tat 
s«ntiaimt8  and  passions,  must  both  be  detJ^voned  and  united 
in  th©  true  classlclsni  of  the  hormaphrodite  ifco  unites  In  one 
person  Spirit  and  Body,  Pom  and  *atter,  nale  azid  fcKsiale* 

It  ia,  pex^mpa,  larmeoessary  to  stress  tho  fact  tiiat  taie  novels 
«e  Iiave  been  considering,  sysibolic  in  thecae  emd  plot  develop-* 
aent,   ^ow  quit©  as  distinct  a  dfiviation  frcan  probability  as 
do  their  allc.:topical  r>rototy\;es,     Balsac's  novels,  Illnaions 
perdaes  and  Spiendwira  et  nis'^hpes  dea  courtisanes  reveal  tbat 
iaprobability  ^lich  coanes  frora  exact  repetitiem.     "Hiey  are,  in 
fact,  roE'niscent  in  this  of  the  repetitive  quality  we  discovered 
in  Daidme  and  Spiridioo<i     '-^li©  course  of  the  first  novel  is 
exactly  dunlioated  in  the  eecoaid*     lueieai  £;oe3  frosi  the  r)rovince 
to  Paris,  receives  the  disinterested  love  of  a  eourto8«ft!, 
causes  her  dea^,  is  U!iable  to  doninate  society,  and  cosseniits 
soieide*     At  th*»  end  of  Illusions  perdues  the  suicide  is  only 
an  «}x>rtive  attempt!     at  the  eaoA  of  Spiendeux^  et  rti seres  deg 
couaftisanes  it  actually  takes  place,     "ftjer©  is  in  this  exaet 
Dai»alloXiffi3  a  sur^erb  disre^^rd  fop  veredlcity. 

The  plot  of  Le  GhatOistu  des  D^aertess  cm  th©  other  hand,  depends 
on  a  series  of  t»nthor  ^xnbellevabl©  colncd^ifmcfta.      Added  to 
tJals,  it  rioves  aoriittedly,  in  the  second   phase  of  Uie  aoti<m, 
entirely  into  tti©  real?!  of  art.     The  life  at  the  sedud^i 
castle  is  an  arbitraiiy  netHad  of  existence  constructed   to 
correspond  to  a  c^erisliea  di^eaa. 


561. 


The  fast  that  Mile*  de  Hbcapin  ease  to  shax^  certain  ciale 
attributes  la  an  Indication  that  Oautler*s  ideal  of  art  la  one 
vhich  effects  a  relaaste  into  aciualitj  b^  .neans  of  tho  jt»:telligence. 
Be-vertlielessy  tJie  .)XH>babil5.ty  aSilch  sives  Had«»oiselle  de  Haupin 
its  superioritsr  as  a  citation  of  roct&nbielssi  is  leas  actual 
than  potential*     Graaitier  nay  be  said  to  h&ve  used  reality  for 
tbe  basis  of  his  c3*oation  iTUt  he  lias  translated  It  into  an 
ideal  isorld*     ffotitiin^^  in  Hadcaoiaelle  do  Maupin  seenia  i!i  .>robaMe 
beoaose  t2ie  sorld  ix.i  idilch  Um  peroofmj^^  siove  poaseseee  an 
enchanted  irreality*     Tho  ataosj^ere  i«  one  of  fantasy  rather 
tiuoi  of  fact  «id  Vba  events  end  characters  correax}Qndy  therefore* 
to  nhat  the  ftentasy  rather  ttian  actual  proibabilxt^  dem&nds* 


Ihe  eoBB  tiilnf*  is  true  of  i^optonio  «*iere  the  legendary  quality 
ia  BKU^  Cxore  exaggerated*     In  Uiis  latii^i^  story*  thero  <^dsts 
not  even  a  real  and  proTmMe  past  such  as  that  ti^.^*  in 
iiadeB»ieeJLle  de  tta»r>1n,  fozuui  tb»  l^ackc^round  for  the  fat^UcKis 
preeent*    ^The  atao^pbere  is  one  of  faizy  tale  ar  dream  and  hence 
all  things  are  not  only  ix»esible  but  pr€>bable  be^tnse  no  cxmnecticm 
with  reality  is  evrnt  poet^ilated*     l^eh  a  neglect  of  actuality 
in  favour  of  a  drean  ideal  la  'n  confonalty*  we  have  noted,  ^th 
lAie  practice  of  allctjory*     It  becoixes  evi.Ient,  by  the  cos3i>arison8 
instituted  above,  tl-sat,  in  roiMuiticist  practice,  the  differasce 
)«t«een  the  allegorical  and  the  syribolic  novel  is  a  difference 
of  do^pr^^  but  not  of  kind* 

It  is  ojctraordinary,  atoreover,  how  steadily  every  one  of  these 
ZK>velist3  pursues  the  saoe  taene  throu4:h  novel  after  novel,     Ho 


362. 


faiilllar  with  tJielr  work  wotild  Tail  to  realise  that  t3ae 
si^ature  of  eacii  of  tlioci  lies  in  tlic  th^ae  he  has  chos«n  azad 
that«  no  jaatter  hoir  vfirlaus  the  disguises,  hie  novels,  stripped 
to  their  easential  eleraentSy  «ay  be  reduced  to  one  si^lfleant 
tliflBie  repeating  itself  tlxroxt^jh  different  case  Iiistories, 

QiatGaubrisnd  points  out  tb»t  society  neoda  to  go  bade  to  nature 
and  cherish  religion.     Itoe*  d©  StaeX  proves  that  society  kills 
natxxral  superiority,  niether  this  superioidty  consists  In  love, 
genius,  or  beauty.     Hugo  represents  the  pro^^ress  of  aaos,  \sRiier 
the  etiamilus  of  hunan  and  material  obstSLClcs,   toward  the  ideal 
of  spiritual  love*     It  is  the  hunan  love  itoioh  sustains  his 
in  his  proj^reas  imt,  for  the  love  of  the  divine^  he  will 
sacrifice  the  hiaaan*     Thus  Hugo  has  represented  in  every  ease 
a  sort  of  Fllgrira*3  Progress  whose  ideal  goal  results  In  the 
renunciation  of  life  in  order  to  gain  a  fuller  life.     Sand's 
plots  fona  an  adr^iirable  exposition  of  rcaiantic  aiysticism,  that 
type  of  mysticlffla  uiiich  rex:'laces  discipline  by  divirie  ;"race 

this  t^race  synonyaous  with  lovej     in  Sand's  cnse  with 
passionate  love,  maternal  love,  quarried  love,  love  of  liuTtanity, 
wltTi  any  type  of  love  tliat  worientarl  ly  seecas  to  her  best  because 
oat  natiiral. 

The  recurz^ent  thctne  in  Vij^y's  work  reqxiires,  perhaps,  fuller 
suata:xent.     It  is,  however,  like  the  theses  of  his  fellow 
onanticista  in  tliis:     that  it  laalces  plain  the  fundariental 

attitude  that  pervades  all  his  writing:.     Vlgny  esiQMManda  Ms 
ptiilosopiiicai  belief  aou  uis  acauictic  ;,'Ciief  sicailtmieously. 


363. 


Hm  fioilosOivalcal  belitti?  apothaoal—  the  Pure  ^ntellli<^Qnco, 
thjB  "Saprit  pur''«     Th«  »ot»ld  in  its  enseiable  is  a  llTlng 
inc$i?nation  of  this  divine  intelli^^^icc.     '^lie  intersuediary 
bet\isre«i  the  divine  smd  t^c  hiiiaan  iiitelli^^cince  is  the  Lmstya,  the 
Word.     The  'iJoiKi  is  tlie  a^n'ool  of  the  pure  essence  mtd  r,von<^.T'7P;s 
it  for  the  ages.     'The  sentiment  nuist  inspire  tiie  .  oixi  wtiicii 
trasisXates  the  Intellect*     in  other  words,  the  it'oet  laust  clothe 
the  trutlis  of  liiiXosophy  in  the  aytti^oXs  mlcii  appeal  to  hssewa. 
esnoticm.     Thws  and  thus  only  these  tm^ui  may  be  p3?eser"/ed» 
The  Soldier,  too,  laast  discard  the  outer  world  for  t«he  ISord. 
In  his  case,  the  ^rd  is  the  woixi  of  honotir.     '^o  Poet's  Hoi-d 
is  divine,  the  Soldier's  hUEum*     Both  c<»ae  froca  t,£ie  inner  self, 
frora  a  divine  Intuition,     Sotia  disp^ose  with  the  reason  that 
analyses  reality  and  never  coEspletely  answers  iaan*s  questiouixig. 

To  say  that  Vigny  cacalta  tlio  intuition  is  to  ms^  that  he  too 
exalts  a  non-aooial  i[W>rld,     Balzac,  ho<s3©vcr,  c<Kitradlcts  Uv& 
syatew  ahich  t^ne  other  roownti cists  set  up,  a  'sjstem  «£&erein 
the  individual  Is  right  and  society  always  wrong.     *^e,  on  tiie 
contx^ry,  imniiaoii  every  individual  to  be  the  mer>e  representative 
of  his  social  function*     His  plots  concern,  therefore,  the 
fate  of  society  and  regularly  repeat  the  wnrning  aijainst  tib.e 
•goiSEi  that  destroys  and  the  i>j?aiac  of  the  social  tradition 
which  pi"oservcs* 

Whei^as  Balzac  cond^sims  r^al'.ty  throurj;!  society  and  cociGionds 

an  ideal  tiiro.iga  suGiei,^,    ^autier  condoans  pure  idealisn  or 

pux^  naturiOTi  in  the  lndivi(i\ial  and  cosRiends  their  ideal  blending 


364. 


throo^^i  the  individual.     Gautler,  unlike  his  fellmr  ponaanti cists, 
does  not  lavolro  society  In  his  tjb^eots  bat  writes  only  of  th« 
indlTidoal  aii.l  foi*  tlio  iixli viciual,     ^e  is,  in  this  respect, 
the  cc«5>lete  aiitithosia  of  r^aac.     He  is  Wolo  antltlieslt   tx3.30 
of  bhe  otliep  roaanti cists  Ir  that  the  blaae  t-ieT"  -ortsnina-ftsly 
attach  to  the  i.'suer-.'jomil  mid   .^  >r    ■.•-:'   .:'   n-x^tety,  a  i'ois,  of  hlasR9 
ihioh,  in  practice,  rcliev  s  t)ie  ii^ividual  of  sjsy  ti»oii' ^lesoeie 
ro8p<»i3li2illt7,  is,  hy  Gautier,  placed  again  aqruareiy  nncn  tlie 
ribouldei^  of  Uie  indivldiial.     Tlie  zwH^neaibllity  lAili^.,  con 
in  B^ilsao,  liad  di8e4>peax>ecl,  aakas  a  tentative  reappearance  in 
^autior*     It  is  tJiis  idilbh  sStovs  Gasxtler  to  have  r^i^:wd  a 
freMi  stoj^e  i:i  his  i^xsazitioiaa  and  _t  _c  t.aio  urifoisi  e^irasion 
of  iiKiividual  responsibility  w4il«ii  caustts^  certain  aialo^les  of 
thOBie  to  exist  even  in  the  disparate  work  of  Sand,  Vi^^y,  Hu{^, 
Balzac* 


The  repetition  of  th<?  sras©  favorite  th«»ie  Uiroujthout  ea<^ 
author's  woi^  a  iiualiy  throvi^  tl»  repetiticKi  of 

the  mam  favorite  i>lot«  Anyone  faedliar  with  the  novelists  we 
arc  st-jdyin^  needs  only  to  pass  in  laental  review  a  series,  of 
Uieae  plots  in  order  to  confiiia  the  truth  of  tliia  observation. 
Often  enou^  t^ie  similarity  will  not  be  iiariedlateiy  recognised 
If,  as  in  Atala  and  Rene^  for  exiUJ^le,  the  same  situation  is 
presented  tlipou^  opposite  facets.  OtJier  devices  may  serve  to 
dlSi^ulae  the  repetition.  The  sli^iit  devtslopeaoat  in  complexity 
^  Yi'-  ae  nay  conceal  the  fact  tSiat  it  is  caily  a  aeetxaSL 

Indiana,     '^ho  episexiic  Claiide  Gucn;^  i&  ovcr^.r '- • -^^^  liy  the  very 
aass  of  I^ea  UXsc  u.     La  Recherche  de  I'absoiu,  Eur^c^ie 


365. 


Greutde-j/j  I>e  Cure  ds  villu  -.e«  offer  Inms-iei'aVjle  supei'^iclal 
dirfer^:i.c©s  la  &plte  of  tiie  obvious  Identity  in  their  plot 
structure. 


The  consistency  in  the  yoitit  of  view  beconiEs,  tJiercfore,  botli 
tiie  strength  savd  tl^u   Ac-uteeas  of  the  roEianticlst*      "  r-^n^tnRBjj 
uectrose  that  point  of  view  la,  as  we  he."5e  seen,  related  to  ttie 
ideal  and  expressed  tI'iix>Ui;^  the  ideal.     It  requires,  therefore, 
in  order  tiiat  the  chosen  eyoibol  acquire  any  Ruthenticic?,  the 
willing  suspension  of  our  disbelief.     A  stj*cngth,  once  the 
a2?bitraiy  sjraLol'fari  is  Ei^tlefactopily  established  fmd  accepted 
lay  the  leader  iii    -.ii^  ^.v.   «j,,  *  ocmise  it  bocc^ies  au toast icaily 
c«aprehffiisible  tiu'ou^^out  a  ^lole  series  of  no'/els  aiK2  its 
arbitrary  quail  i;y  ceases  to  constitute  any  difflcxilty  of 
^.  vterpretaticau 


366. 


Cliaptcr  7?    • 
Symbolic  Pattern. 

Certain  cimractei'istics  ty^^ical  of  the   "omiai  structure  of  the 
novel  of  rormnticisn  cannot  "be  overlooked.     Hovel  after  novel  ?aay 
be  observed  to  fall  into  a  definite  ?Jattern,  its  i/hole  structure 
lijuilt  up  from  certain  conventional  foiindations*     These  conventi<aoal 
foundations  nay  be  reduced  to  tbree  iEg^rtant  varieties.     There 
is,  first  of  all,   tli©  convention  xTliich  builds  tip  an  entire  novel 
by  means  of  contrast.     ^iSiere  is,  secondly,   tiiat  which  nalsBS  use 
of  repetition.     There  is,  finally,  the  convention  tlarough  ^:K>se 
use  tlie  novel  may  be  said  to  assirae  tiie  geometric  foi'^i  of  a 
triangle.     Tbe  use  of  any  one  of  these  doe:3  not  oxcliide  tlie  oHkeBP 
and,  in  fact,  in. the  najorlty  of  the  novels,  the  use  of  all  three 
of  these  conventions  is  quite  apparent.     It  is  this  fact  that 
causes  t]ie  extraordinary  rcscnblsmce  in  fom  which  exists  l^tneen 
the  novels  of  even  the  laost  disslnilar  of  the  romanticists.     Tb» 
personages  or  stories  often  vary  superficially  but  the  ?«.ttem 
remains  unciiai^jed.     Ho  otlier  aspect  o£  the  art  of  rcaaanticisa 
could  offer  greater  interest  than  this.     A  recognition  of  the 
conventions  upon  wliich  the  novel  is  based  will  tjbIzq  it  possible 
to  forego   indivi(&ial  prejudice  and  to  determine  with  greater 
easactitude  to  Just  what  degree  the  wliole  novel  is  the  illustration 
of  a  convention,  ami,  to  that  extent,  syribolic,  and  to  juat 
what  degree  tlie  convention  is  neglected  or  viried  in  order  to 
confoiTa  more  closely  to  observation  and  experience. 


•^bV  . 


The  raost  sto'iking  of   u.^  i  .^nanticict  c  nventioiio  is  that  vrhicli 
tises  absolute  conti'ast  tlie  raoi-e   tiiorouc^^^ly  to  (^nliasise  the  abyss 
Hiilcii  lies  betvieen  tv/o  points  of  view  wlilcli  are  at  the  opposite 
poles  of  value,     Sbarp  contrast,  as  lias  been  noted,  nakeo  it  easy 
to  draw  tdie  line  between  tiie  autlior's  synpawietic  and  nns^patlietic 
personat:es»     Ho  imlfiray  tones  api:)ear  in  tiie  types  who  appear  in 
tiiese  novels  nor  In  Uie  sltuatl.ns  in  v/hich  tliey  a':>p^ir»     Kius  the 
fatality  of  Urn  opposition  v.hich  makes  the  plot  interest  is 
Umadl&telj  disengaged^     The  life  of  feeling  is,  moreover,  the 
life  of  exti'CBies,     It  is  the  distingi  ishing  aark  of  rtxmnticiaB 
timt  it  ^iould  exalt  the  extraeie  to  the  detrlraent  of  the  !Kjan«     It 
is  for  this  reason  tliat  the  use  of  contrast  is  such  an  iiKlispeosablfl 
eXezoout  of  tiie  ronanticist^s  technique. 

To  cite  exj:iplos  which  v/cjuld  illusU^ate  this  technique  woiild  be 
X)8sible  if  one  wore  r.^rely  to  choose  at  randcaa  any  novel  <h»  any 
pei^aoaago  ffOKi  the  novels  of  iMaaanticiot  literature*     '2o  era^Aiasise 
ii)»  ijmaense  lEiportance  of  this  teclinlcal  device,  hoi^evor,  cei^tain 
typical  instances  of  its  use  will  be  £jiven»     Those  instances  will 
illustr^to  contrast  in  individual  personages,   in  differing  milieus, 
in  oholo  worlds,  in  plot  situations,  and,  fiimlly,  contrast  carried 
30  far  as  to  oppose  one  whole  novel  to  another.     It  Jimst  be 
reciQEiberod,  too,   tliat,  as  was  d©;ionstrated  in  tiie  i:a»eviou3  ciiapter, 
absolute  antiti^sis  in  language  is  the  favorite  luode  of  roaaantic 
expression* 

Clmteaubrinnd's  two  stories  Attila  and  Rene' form  an  admirable 


o:::ar.iplG  of  contrast  uaed  to  eaaplmaise  the  dliitii^^p.ilsliiag  quality 
or  a  wliolc  noTGl.     Atala  pixjsonts  the  savage  whose  ta:*ageay  is  th« 
result  Ox  lack  of  kna&ledijQ,     :  one  proa eata  Liie  civilised  nan  vlioso 
tragedy  is  UiG  recult  of  exceas  of  ]mawlo<%o.     CHmctas  is  the  nan 
of  nature  who,  after  a  bi'lef  experience  of  civilization,  rejects 
it  and  retxims  to  the  wilds.     Rene  is  the  Man  of  society  aiio 
discovei^  liiriisolf  to  "bo  unahle  to  reiaaln  al<Kie  with  aatiji^e.     Hwjce 
Cbactas  volimtarily  turns  a«ay  fron  society,  Ren^  fi»am  nature, 
de  story  of  I^&dg  is  tiic  stoi^  oi  a  r;nanticisn  which  defines 
Itself  eiien  Rene  saj^i     "—  On  Jouit  de  ce  qui  n'est  pas  camaaa^ 
ofibs  q\mnd  cette  chose  est  un  nalheur."   (1)     The  story  of  Chactas 
is  the  story  of  tlie  natux^al  existence  which  opposes  the  ramnticist 
delight  in  «3e  unoatural  and  extraordimry.     Chactaa  defines  tbB 
contrast  as  he  says:     "— H  n*y  a  de  bonheur  que  dans  les  voies 
ccianiunes  •"   (2 ) 

In  the  sasie  taanner  tlEit  Cliatoauhriaiii  *c  ttra  ctorios  contrast  at 
every  pointy  Vigny's  nc'AJl  ;-^erYltuae  e^  ,,   j  -  >,     ^  nilitairca  T?ill 
show  absolute  contrast  betHeen  the  first  two  and  tlie  last  of  its 
stories*     ThQ  Cor^Tjandant's  liistory  is  thnt  of  a  ran  whose  life  is 
detei«iined  by  obedience  to  military  autirrxty.     Renatid's  iiistory 
is  tliat  of  a  :-ian  vfliose  life  is  detomined  by  liis  own  instinct  of 
baxmr  and  not  at  all  by  lailitary  obedience.     Balsac  like-srise 
offers  exaapleo  or  stories  whose  -iili  riOiUi-...       ay  oe  eatliorod  best 
by  refei'once  to  the  stoiy  which  is  its  perfect  contrast.     Le  p^re 
Goriot  and  Bgg^ie  Qrandet  are  stories  which  so  complete  one 

(1)  Chateaubriand,  Rene^,  9  5» 

(2)  Ibid..  9b.  


anotlier  as  are  also  Lo  Chir^  tie  village  ancl  L'Envera  de  I'Mstolre 
c  on  tan  po;^^  i^io »     The  cogntraot  In  the  first  two  novels  is,  primarily, 
one  or  nillea.     T^i-.. .ti^^nao  accepts  tlmt  of  Paris  society,  laig^d* 
tJiat  of  Hsaasiur  ti'adttlon,     The  contrast  is  also  t!^1t  "betw^n  rmn 
-  il  wonan.     Qse  wcctan  ia  closer  to  pei^fectloa  ;J7  iiatiire  tlmn  is  tlie 
r.ian«     ^Ehe  wonan  is  the  Id^il  wliereas  the  man  belongs  to  observed 
reality.     Hence  Eugcaiie's  histoiy  sharply  contrasts  at  evv?.ry  point 
with  timt  of  R€M5tl£,Txic.     Ceair  Bia^ot.:::'.\i  :,.;    ..,10  liistory  of  a  iYsca, 
who  is  exti'aordinarlly  scrupiiloiis  in  busir^w  affklrsv     In  direct 
contrast  is  the  history  of  La  Kaison  Ifucingen  notable  for  its  s^:*le] 
of  sharp  swindling  successes*     Balzac  is,  in  fact,  exceptioimlly 
fertile  in  contrasts  of  this  sort*     One  novel  is  ttoe  pendant  of 
anot!ier  c,rs5-  -^resents  tl-^;  reverse  fcce  of  a  given  sltuaticm*     Qautiei 
-.roi'i;  i-cii^aolc:  T'r-.  isac'c  in  tills  rcL;-a:_-'d*     Tne  conti^'ast  in  personage 
becomes  a  conts*a3t  in  story.     The  story  of  Tlburce  who  isarries 
r<^ility  {C^*etchen)  contrasts  v.'ith  the  story  of  (hxj  de  Kallvert 
TJlio  laarrles  the  ideal  (Spirite).     livery  une  of  &iuticr'i  storieSii' 
indeed,  represents  either  one  sLcIe  or  tJie  otlier  of  tliis  contrast; 
Celle-ci  et  ceXle'-laa  La  Toison  d*or«  and  Madeiaoiselle  do  llaupin 
arc  in  absolute  contrast  to  Spirite,  Le  Ronan  do  la  ria!-.iio,  gortuiiio 
La  Korte  anairguse,  aikl  riany  otliors, 

'SnQ  contr^ast  does  not,  necesaarily,  involve  two  novels  out  it  is 
alTJa^s  p:*eMKit  in  the  inn<»?  structure  of  any  novel  of  romanticistt* 
Baas  Delphine  conta'asto  tiro  iKjrlds*     T}iQre  is  tlie  society  ccmposed 
of  Deljftitae'a  friends*     This  is  a  society  of  individualists,  a 
society  Rhesre  love  is  tlie  rule  and  happiness  Uie  gc^il*     Tbere  is^ 
likgwiae,  the  Parisian  society  cc^,?osed  of  €^oists,  a  society  irher« 


^VG. 


33q?©diency  is  the  nilo  and  sueceaa  the  goal,     in  Gorirgio 
contawist  is  dovelopod  fUrtiier#     Once  tvovq  two  worlds  oppome  oaeh 
othex*«     Qmt  world  Is  that  of  Corimio's  genius,  a  v/orld  wlilch  is 
individtsn-listlc*     Love  ^ind  beatity  Is   its  mile,  ]mr)i>lnes3  and  art 
IfaB  goal.     The  other  world  Is  that  of  society  althou^i  her^  soeiety 
appears  mider  tlix^e  distinct  varieties  cu3d  the  eoixtaraest  Bjamamam^ 
acoordlncly,  an  appearance  of  gr^tw  conplexity,     Ba^*B  novel, 
L*7ft«nne  qui  rlt,  offers  a  repetition  of  liae.  de  3ta'el»s  i^tiiod. 
Qjo  flgtanes  aho  coQp(»e  one  sorld  are  in  exact  parallel  to  tlx>se 
who  compoae  the  contrasting  world*     The  easentiol  contrast  betseen 
the  two  woi'lds  is  tliat  iftiich  Is  lisinodiately  estahlislied  between 
the  natural  law  and  tJie  social  law  —  nature  and  society.     Hatur»e 
contains  the    tan  and  the  beast*     Th&  Bian  la  called  I^pstis,  the  wolf 
is  called  Boao}     for,  of  the  two,  it  is  Ursas  rAto  rerjudiates 
society  and  so  descends  voltaaterily  to  the  society  of  the  beasts 
ifiiile  it  is  Hobo  who  is  repudiated  by  society  and  so  rescsiblos  the 
proscribed  masses^  liviz^  by  instinct  and  uncertain  of  tlM  reason 
that  lies  behind  their  destiny*     To  th.is  group  is  added  Dea  eaad 
QvjnplAiim*     Tlie  four  fonn  a  Biiniature  Bootety  but  a  society  wliose 
bonds  are  those  naturally  foiiaed  by  love  and  by  a  ^xsmcm  worlc« 
not  those  of  social  law  or  custoci^     They  sim  up  tlic  life  of  latture 
ma&  they  are  separated  from  ordinary  society  by  the  fact  tl»t  they 
live  in  a  house  on  wlieels  and  have  no  stable  social  ties*     The 
vwy  nasfl»  of  the  four  are  s^aabolic*     Hogo  writes  s 

Tlpsus  — —  I'avait  b^  Doa*     33.  avait  un  jieu  conmlW 

son  loupj     il  lui  ayuxu    ._o:     ~Tu  roprc*';    :'    a  I'boianie, 
3e  represente  la  betej     nous  soEinies  le  d'en  basj 

cetto  iJetite  repr^sentera  le  nondo  d'en  Iiaut*     Tant  de 


ftLibLesae^  d'est  la  toute-gul- — "e*     De  cette  xsuxm 
I'univers  coti  let,  lucianitG,  olitc,  divinite  8« 


sera 


371. 

dans  notre  caJnitc»  (1) 
The  »apld  of  nature  contaiiis,  Uierefore,  tiiree  sts^Gs  of  bolng, 
a  hier^T^chy  miich  rar^os  from  "brute  to  an^-ol.     In  t'lis  world  the 
people  —  Gijynplalne—  live  content.     This  tlien  Is  one  side  of  the 
picture*     It  is  nftoessary  to  add  tiiat  this  miniature  coaiaos  liolds 
other  33Blx>lic  facts*     Tliree  of  those  who  ccEipose  it  represent 
ii^  various  pdmses  of  darknw*  and  oppression  xjliich  result  from 
Btajxiade  laws*     tXr^sus  vho  hates  laiEsinity  l^ias  had  recourse  to  nature* 
In  him.  there  is  represented,  therefore,  natural  goodness  and 

risdaci*     F/bat  society  rejeots  he,  following  the  law  of  imture^ 
receives*     The  beast,  pa?os«ribed  "oy  raan,  1)0001203  liis  fi'iend*     Idle 
boy  ^o  lamcks  at  every  door  in  all  the  town  finds  society  deaf  aad 
inhospitable*     But  Ursus  receives  hlta,     (Die  girl  has  been  left 
to  die  in  the  snow  "ixit  Ursus  rescues  her*     A  darkness  lies  on  all 
tljree  of  ursus 's  proteces*     Hocio  is  iianei^sed  in  the  abyss  of 
unintelliocnce,  Dea  in  the  £jloaa  of  ni^ht,  Gwynplalne  In  tlic  depths 
of  the  horrible*     Hie  other  side  of  the  picture  is  a  T>erfect 
replica  of  tliis  natural  coaaos  except  tliat,  since  it  is  a  social 
coaoos,  it  Soras  an  absolute  antithesis*     2he  beast  is  banisbad 
entirely  fraa  society  hence  Homo  has  no  counterpart  in  the  social 

Olid*     2ie  nan  of  the  people  is  replaced  by  the  aristocrat.  Lord 
David*     Tiio  i^irl  of  the  people  is  replaced  by  the  laoblewaEttai, 
Josiane*     The  kindly  aspect  of  rmUiro,  'Q^sus,  is  replaced  by  Uxd 
savage  iodividualisn  of  s<x;lety,  Barktlphedro*     In  tliis  social 
vorld  the  ideal  is  a  inaterial  onei     therefore,  Josiane  rules  it 
am  Josiane  represents  David *s  only  possible  love*     Josiane  Is 
pajrc  natter  as  Dea  is  pure  spirit*     Where  Gi/ynplalne  and  Dea  ]m-«« 

(1)  Hugo,  L^HcKsne  qui  rit.   II*,   101* 


372. 


been  deprived  of  every  Timtsrial   ^ossossionj     Josiano  and  Tie.'rid 
are  endowod  with  all  tlie  naterial  gifts,—  beauty,  ati^eiigth,  ci^ace, 
wealth,  and  hich  TB.rik.m     THtiere  the  nattnnl  coisirtos  la  rich  in  lov^ 
they  are  rich  in  possesclons*     And  a  part  of  tloelr  taiivoT^s-::  a:nd 
a  necessary  tmrt  is  IkirkilE^ied2X>,  tlie  sp^r*     lie  is  Ifcm  d'j^iaisaG 
tancd  from  the  rsorstsr  into  the  3<^blancG  of  nan  in  order  tlsat  t&» 
limits  of  the  probable  uay  rot  be  too  heRrVLy  stminc<t.     He  is 
"xaje  foiKie  de  d^oBtatlmi,  uiie  ciniEUMilt^  voi'ace,  xm  s-  u 

borihein^  d*autrul  — —  im  neoanlffiae  d  •boat  ill  to  a  bi^oyor  1©    iaride".( 
Se  is  "la  haine  G"^taitc"«   (2)       vn:iapc  TJi'sus  roptiips,  eanscles',' 
eaves,  c^^^tcn.tea,  prepares  tlio  liaiTpinese  of  otJiers,  Ba_^iipii^iro 
destroys,  vmdciTilnes,  annlMlates  the  Imppiness  of  otliers* 

2]©  contrast  establl^iasd  so  definitely  iii  L*Kar.r.i^  i-^j.-^   -xx,  :i-s.   in 
actiml  ffect,  pa?osent  In  all  at£.:o*e  norels  as  it  is  iTresent  in  all 
the  no-TOls  of  roraanticisn.     But  it  is  not  alwa^  a  conti'ast  which 
GO  e^cactly  peoples  t»o  oppoGlng  irarldfi  with  cle^i^its  which 
correspond  to  each  other  and  are  yet  placed  in  absolute  antitlicsis. 
It  is  dhar^.ctcrlstlc  of  Balzac  to  oppose  one  trorld  to  another: 
the  society  characteristic  of  Baris  to  the  ^yv^ioty  cdu'^-aoiici^istic 
of  the  province;     that  is,  tlie  egoistic  society  to  Urn  socio ty 
ifeltdi  rospects  social  ta^ditlon  and  social  '^^^t  1/^ tions •     !l!he  Cemel 
which  rciiHssentQ  true  idealism  and  true,  ^niiia^iu   iih©  ontltiiosls 
of  the  world  of  jowmalisni  which  represents  dobaslne  rotility  aai 
the  opportainisra  of  sere  talent.   (5)     }^^  de  la  Chanter le  is 

(1)  Bago^  L'licgiiie  qui  rit,  II* ,  7G# 

(2)  roidt,  Tr>,  gr. 

(3)  'Salsac,   Illusions  perd.ues.  II,,   115. 


273. 

MBnraoaded  by  a  representative  ooelcty  —  a  noble,  a  judge,  a 
raoiber  of  the  r^etty  bourgeoisie,  a  nrlest,  and,  f ixmlly,  by  a 
Tie  tin  of  the  ftilse  ideal  of  progi^ese,  Godefvoid,     E1I3  lainlataro 
society  contains  rer^^resontatives  of  the  ciiief  »>cial  fimctioos 
and  so  mi^llols  the  Jto»lsiaji  society  vAiicli  surrofiinds  it*    At  tiia 
3S0&G  tiiie,  its  attitaide  is,  iii  eveiY  inspect,  a  can  letc  contx^aAt 
to  that  of  BEirislan  society*  (1)     In  Spjjrj-te,     (Sutler  imk©B  a 
scsMn^bat  sJjiilar  contrtst  of  tso  \.orlds«     Kie  one  tfhlcii  exists  ia 
Gi:Qr  de  Mftlivert's  liouse  iii  t>«j  world  peopled  by  his  faDcy»     The 
nea^ld  idildi  exists  in  iti^  d*aabercourt's  houise  is  that  of  living 
indi  .Ls»     'JScis  confcr«.st  is  cfirried  into  thn  atoMi^teere  arid  the 

surrciiiiillngs  and  is  centred  in  a  conti«.st  between  Spirite  lMrB«lf 
azid  Vne*  d*JMb9Poavaptm     The  {ssveediire  beeoraea  so  ceiisxm,  in  fact, 
in  th^ie  novels  that  it  crises  to  excite  reoark*    Tet  such  a 
|9?ocedure  is  certainly  an  innovation  of  roraanticiani  and  mist  be 
studied  as  clmracteristlc  of  an  aestJ^tie  so  far  reiaovod  fraes,  tJ» 
lipactlce  of  class IciaQ* 

B?s»lly  prolific  are  the  txmti'asts  eat:..ijllsl3ed  in  the  raHieos 
which  coT»resnond  to  r-iartlciilar  ^>ersonages«     Kusldor^  lives  in  thB 
midst  of  the  hig^iest  European  civilization  whereas  Sonirija-Sarl 
lives  in  a  house  construe  tod  to  reproduce  the  civilissation  of 
India*     Rene  frequents  tJio  sites  of  Burone  rrtioae  liistory  anB&  up 
the  histarjr  of  Buzxipean  civilization.     Clmctn.3  ranges  tj^  forest 
wlldemess*     Jean  Val.Jean  lives  tT?.thin  a  walled  solitude.     In  the 
hOBiaiQg  life  of  Bsris  outsidOy  !Bienardier,  Javort,  ana  l^arius  novie 
Chatt^rton  lives  in  sii  attic  cxmraber;     Hm  Lord  Eayor  of  London  Is 

(1)  Balaac,  L'Bnvero  do  l*hlstoirc  contcBaiX)raine,  " .  ■   "^^^^    "-6. 


C  f  ^, 


suT'Tounded  by  luxury  and  obsecuiousiiess.     Jeanno'a  rustic  cottage 
is  conti^sted  to  tlw  worldly  atiaosphero  of  tii©  ciiateau,   (Jeanne) 
'OraxLLe*B  iitsable  rooms  or©  contrasted  to  the  liixury  in  which  the 
usxirping  Klnoret  lives*   (Ursule  llirouet)     Bio  isarquls  d'Sagrignon' 
drawlDg-rocsi  is  contrasted  to  Hue.  du  GrouBier's.   (Le  Cabinet 
des  antiques ) 

Contrast  of  individual  personages  becoraes^  in  the  final  analysis, 
the  source  of  every  other  development  of  tliis  teciinical  device* 
Bae  Cocji.iOndant's  cocqpanion  Laurette  wiio,   in  spite  of  iier  nature 
y^irs,  is  uxireason  inci-imate  Is  contrasted  to  Reiiaud's  final 
companion,   tho  lad  wlio,  in  spite  of  iiis  youth,  recognises  the 
value  of  reason*     Lucien's  companions,  d'Arthoz  and  Louateau,  are 
sharply  contrasted*     One  ia  tiie  uncorrupted  gonius,  the  otiier,tl» 
genius  'jrostituted  to  egolatic  s  ciety*   (1)     Lucien's  sentiraental 
weakness  Is  sharply  conti^actod  to  Vautrin*s  if^tliless  strength* 
Gilliatt's  piiysical  prowess  is  coiitraatod  to  the  Kevoreiad  Joe 
Caudray's  spiritual  erace.     Dea  io  spirit,  Josiane  flesh*     Hariett< 
is  tiie  exact  oi>posite  of  I2Qe*  de  !•**«;     nodolpiie  a  complete  ccmtrai 
to  li*  do  Li*««;     Ma  tilde  is  the  reverse  of  Delriiine's  clairacter 
and  Castel- Porte,  Srfeuil,  and  Oswald  are  realired  only  through 
ecmtrast*     Joan  Jappeioup  13  perfection,  M*  Le  Cardonnet  tlie 
antitliesis  of  perfection*     Lelia  finds  the  contrast  wliich  ccnplotei 
the  picture  of  actuality  in  Pulclxerie* 

She  i^tionalization  of  pi^actlcally  any  type  presented  in  the  riovel 

(1)  Balsac,   Illusions  pci^3ues,   -T.*   l-'^» 


375. 


of  ror;ianticiam  yields  a  formula  of  an  ideal  of  life  allies}!  is  set 
over  agalj»t  its  contrcij'y,  personified  in  another  type.     The 
inevitable  contrast  whl<^  Includes  all  its  species  is  the  contrast 
between  tlie    >rodiict  of  society's  egoiaa  and  the  nroduct  of 
tmcorrupted  nature.     The  wiiole  drama  in  any  novel   of  roTmntlclg* 
lies  in  the  clash  of  opposites*     If  this  is  so,  it  is  becatme  the 
personage  who  is  representative  of  any  one  element  of  the  \miv«rse 
Is  shevm  to  be  cccmletely  at  one  i.ith  that  elecient.     He  is 
dC3Bintttcd  oj  itj     ho  is  swallowed  un  in  it.     He  is  represented, 
that  is,  thjough  only  one  aspect  of  being.     "Hie  unantecws  delight 
in  absolute  contarast  is,  inevitably,  evidence  of  the  fact  that 
]MS«<»mge,  In  roraantlcist  fiction,   is  an  incarnation  of  a 
rather  than  a  folly  observed  personage.     It  is  the  nse  of 
cont3?ast  whioli  sets  off  th©  iramense  distance  which  is  syrabolized 
in  tha  oontrastli^  typea^     "^That  is  true  of  t^erAonage  Is  true  of 
every  elenent  of  tiie  novel  —  milieu,  incident,  theme.     ?0^rever 
absolute  contr^ist  appears,  sjBibol  cwst  i->q  iindcrstood;     for  reality 
has  oeen  abandcoi^  for  a  definite  pur;x>se. 

Repetition. 

The  use  of  contrast  is  not  the  only  gtiidenost  to  STiabolisn.     There 
Is  also  the  very  effective  device  of  repetition.     Repetition  Ttay 
ap^^ear  In  personage,  in     lot,  or  in  incident.     That  it  appears 
In  personsige  is  dbvioua  from  a  brief  review  of  those  who  have 
already  been  stiadied.     To  say  that  several  nersonages  may  be  redact 
to  a  single  type  Is  laerely  to  say  that  one  of  then  i?epeats  the 
others.     Of  Gautier's  ronmnticists,  Omiphrius,  Daniel  Jovard,  aai 


376. 


Ellas  r:ildaianstfi.dius,   tiio  three  young  r^n  niijlii  quito  as  well  1^ 
the  same  youne  nan  at  a  dlffe:  ent  moment  of  his  career*     In 
jPact,  all  of  Gautler's  i^rotagoalsts  are  repetitions  ox   tlxla  on© 
type.     Til©  final  significance  attached  to  certain  of  tiiea  contr^sti 
sharply  with  that  attaclied  to  the  others  Ijut  w©  always  l«gin  our 
tale  with  the  same  youn^c  man.     Tliia,  of  course,  is  not  peculiar 
to  Gkiutier*     Gilliatt  mimmn  to  repeat  c^imsinodo  or  Jean  Valjeen 
and  Giirynolaine  repeats   tiiem  all.     Corinne  ia  a  repetition  of 
Deli^iino.     Jeanne,  P&dette,  Marie,  and  Hanoa,  ai»e  mere  repetition* 
one  of  the  other*     So  are  TJrs\ile,  Eugenie,  and  Pi^*ret-te»     So  are 
Gilbert,  Chatterton,  and  Ch^nier.     Julicn  and  Llbanius  repeat 
Stello  and  Docteur-Noir*     So  obviofiis  is  the  use  of  repetition  that 
it  does  not  surprise  us  to  discover  GlaiKie  Prollo  reapi>earing  as 
Ibk^uis  in  Lelia*     ^r  to  find  Raphael  and  F<(»ftunio  exact  duplicate! 
in  type.      It  beeones  laost  obviously  a  technical  convention  9lx>se 
only  significance  can  be  symbolic  in  such  a  case  as  that  where 
]fe»«  de  R-     appears  in  Lelphine.     She  does  not  dii^ctly  affect 
tlie  plot.     Sie  sole  reason  for  iier  introduction  is  to  offer  a 
repetition  of  Delphine's  typical  aspect  and  to  use  tiiis  repetition 
as  a  siijnificant  example.     Similarly,  Balzac, in  Illusions  perdues. 
introduces  tiie  figure  of  Coral ie.     At  her  death  another  figui^, 
Ssther,  is  inti'oduced*     But  Listiier,  except  for  her  narae,  varies 
not  one  jot  fi'*ora  Coralie*     Slie  is  lier  exact  duplicate.     The 
exi£jencies  of  the  plot  denand  Coralie's  death  but,  siniilarly,  the 
exigencies  of  the  plot  cannot  dispense  with  the  social  £\inction 
which  Coralie  s^bolizes.     Hence  the  T:>er9onage  nxuat  reappear  mVI 
does  so  in  Esther's  person. 

The  use  of  repetition  is  not  confined  to  the  individual  figure 


377. 


but  is  extended  to  sltiiationc,  evonts,  -n'ilieuB,   L.  o;     in 

©very  spiiere,   in  ffe.ct,  of  tiie  iiorel,   tiia  ccsiventioii  ap^onrc* 
Repetition  in  tlie  cas«  of  langtjaco  --  vocabulary  and   •>hpa8eology— 
Willi  however,  be  "sriofly  discussed  in  the  foUowino  chapter  and 
necMi  not  be  treated  here*     Similarly,  repetition  in  t^he  its©  of 
lalltea  lias  been  easzally  sientdoned  and  the  sugoe^^ion  has  been 
■iftde  that  the  milieu  in  the  novel  of  roroanticiam  is  apt  to  run 
to  tytse*     Til©  fligiit  frcm  Paris  to  lonely  eRtatc=!^,  convents,  or 
savage  wilds  beociisB  su<^  a  ccap  ion  lace  as  merely  to  ans»ei'  tlie 
raider  ♦&  €a£pectation»« 

Sis  repetition  of  incident  bcccsnea  sor^tiBies  very  obvious*     IJhis 
is  tlie  ease  in  Ine  wi»ro  the  incident  of  Mne*  de  H-  *s 

aooJE&l  oatracisim  at  a  social  fiinetion  is  rencmted  or^ctly  in 
D«iL9iid]ie*s  ostracism, under  similar  circtnetancos,  at  a  similar 
function*     It  is  lil^wise  the  case  in  Illiisiong  p-  _  and 

Spleadgors  et  raisei'es  des  courtisanes  where  not  only  does  Esther 
in  "Oie  later  novel  repeat  Coi*alie  as  personage  but  she  also  fiads 
herself  in  the  sarae  circunstances,  falls  in  lovo  with  the  ^ans 
person,  repeats  tJie  Qmm  experiences,  conies  to  the  some  fate*   Th« 
aaoond  novel  sliows  repetition  of  the  first  not  only  in  this 
particnilar  personage  and  her  liistory  but  also  in  the  iThole  series 
of  experiences  v/hich  Ijucien  undergoes^  exDcricncGs  trlileli  lead  hia 
through  two  successive  cycles  laarked  "by  tiie  sane  stages,  leading, 
in  each  case,  from  the  Tsrovince  ix>  the  city  and  from  its  trixmiphs 
to  defeat  and  suicide*     The  artificiality  of  a  coirvention  w^iich 
sacrifices  probability  to  syllogistic  necessities  is  even  nore 
striking  when  the  repetition  rriakes  the  whole  pattern  of  the  novel 


378. 


and  tlie  plot  Is  rmcle  up  of  a  succession  of  sl'^llai^  incicTenta  and 
8lr-ilai»  interludes,     This  is  t'^n  c:r  r.o  in  ^QlnhinQ  *ier*5  tlire* 
BAlXL  inttHtmts  ml:e  ^i.p  the  oor.-^lo-u;  novel.     7!Ii^je  tJiree  incidents 
serve  to  iioint  tiK  saiite  ^.tallty  of  nisanderst ending  which  is 
■uses,  on  aacli  ocoAsicai  in  order  to  i!«ilntain  Delphlno's  in^iocencs© 
ancl,  at  Uio  t-anc  tl^ie,  i^ive   jtxstifi cation  for  slander.     The 
monologues  wliich  serve  as  interim  ides  in  the  J?min  action  also  gl^w 
tho  effect  of  repetition.     True,  they  differ  In  sn>)stanco  "but 
they  are  intawflaaed  in  the  sane  nanner,  concern  the  same  3uT5ject, 
and  are,  obvio nsly,  successive  aimlyses  of  the  rmture  of  true 
happiness* 

Repetition  of  thsme  or  plot  frm  one  novel  to  anot^ier  Is  .Trequent. 
Soeh  a  repetition  r»k©s  Gorinne  a  second  Delphine;    raaltes  the 
throe  fltorieB  of  r>tello  s^sn  ICe  one  and  the  srjsie  storjj    mnlrBn 
Bade  lie  de  liaiinir.  an  exact  reT>etition  of  Geiie-ci  et  celle-la 

and  Ara*i&  Itaroella  a  re3>9tition  of  Onnhale  as  well  ns  of  its 
iiMrniiii  oti^r  prototgrPSB*     It  iv^ea  Htigo's  fotcr  ^^rinclpal  novels 
follow  exiictly  the  sane  plan  ani  coKe  to  exactly  the  saiae  denooene 
It  -nakes  Vigny  repeat  in  every  novel  the  introduction  of  the  Tx>et 
who  limits  and  defines   the  theme  ^ist  as  Gliateftti'briaiaS  repeats 
ihQ  introduction  of   the  j^iest  •rt?i.o  Units  and  defines  his.     It 
lEtaind*s  novsl  Jacques  reappear,  years  later,  as  Yalv^re 


mad  resppaar  as  Le  dgg*nler  .'iiaoiqT.d)     Leila  too  ro;>'->  >e;irs  as 

(1)    li:  L^  as  saving 

♦»— ."X.  ^- ■  \^  ^       ^  _     _.    .  ire  d»un 

roEian  intitiilo  __         ^^•.-♦C'ctait  un©  oefuvi'Hs  dc  ^rar  sentiment 
que  !•     '  ^  *  fois  sous     *     '     ^  titres,  et 

avec   -J       .,  -  ^.   aire  des  c.  -ns  nouvell 

qui  ont  d^oute  Ics  critiques  inattentifs,"   ('  _  o  deus 

laoBdes,  1866,17,,  Sand,  Lc  dernioi;  ijiour,  7377; " 


37©. 


s 


Los  ijaployea  serves  to  repoi^t  u.«  j-istor;.   v.. 


-•  C-— i' —   —  — .  i^  ^ . 


ami  Loi.ls  Leni^ert  rerxja  i:^  La  P^iu  de  c'  _.  as  does  also  niusloj 

pei'^aaes  am  Sp„.  .      et  iiii&tres  des  court:' ,,     In  cases  Qtudi 

as  the  alxjYe  wlier^  one  oo<x-  le  an  iMcident,  va7^ioiisly  i-iiiJQuXred  in 
oth^*  bocrfiis,  iu  is  surpirising  to  note  iiow  the  deU^lis  in  each 
incident  beui'  oiit  tiie  iHjpetitian  of  ti^  whole,     ^pstn.  ITal.lean  paasfl 
by  various  phases  of  vice  or  virtue  or  social  evil   1.^  Juat  the 
&&tm  nay  timt  Gilliatt  posses  tliroix^  the  phases  of  hmagssr,  thirst 
iroariness,  wini,  rain^  and  titona.     In  on©  book,  yisiblo  nature 
ftpinare  ae   i^ie  symbol  of  the  aiyBterious  life  of  tl:iB  infinite;  in 
th€  otiier,  tiie  issmk  taEid  worien  with  whcsn  Jean  Valjciin  coviies  into 
contact  appcfco*  as  EM»*tal  sjmbols  of  the  eternal  loroblenis*     In 
DelPhini^  and  Corlme,  Corinae*s  love  for  Oswald  duplicates  Delphii; 
love  for  Leonoe.     'The  objections  raised  bj-  L«30nGe*£  nother  are 
repeated  by  Oori'JxL^s  fatl^er.     Dalplilne  and  Katilde  ai"©  cousiiisj 
Corimie  and  Lucie  hair-.;.iBtoa^s«     Ito^i.   -.^  '''ernon  brin^c  al^nit 
Ifetilde's  jaarrlafiei     Lady  iSdcenaond  briii^s  about  Lucie's.     Loonce' 
suffcrii:^  thro«jeh  Ma  tilde  is  parallelled  by  Oswald's  suffering 
in  hist  rmrriaije.     Piimlly,  Delpiiine's  ostraciaa  frora  PJirisian 
society  ie  duplioated  by  Corinrie's  ostracism  frcsn  EnglS-sGi  society. 
2he  exactitude  of  tiie  ro  xjtitlon  belongs  to  tho  sarae  convention 
«hich  suggests  to  Vigny  t3r.t  he  frame  his  final  novel,  rap^me^ 
within  tl^  stme  sort  of  drasaatic  dialogue  between  Doeteur-Hoir 
and  Stello  as  that  which  sorted  as  fiujaeaork  for  Stcllo.     Tlie 
artifice  is  do»j.bly  rei^etitlve  w}ien,  Tfithin  this  freiiiework,  there 
occurs;  a  aeconfl  dramatic  dialo^nj©  l>etv7een  figixrea  (Libanius  and 


330. 
Julien)  t;ho  inlrilc  the  sciae  ^ostwrcG  and  i^p^iat  the  crjae  contras1» 

Special  note  rxast  be  taken  of  tlie  convientional  device  where  ; 
the  T-nnetition  muaam^  to  some  degree  th©  stir  ctural  claract©?.' 
evideE.-&  ^n  Daplme;     whoi^e,  that  is,  a  certain  f?Tc:ov.ork  s<sr'rGS  aa 
I»c3:erc«2i3d  foi'  anotlicr  plot  irliitai  repeats  the  oriciticl  one.     This 
is  the  cort'irenticn  rrhlch  S>ia22e»pwi*e  Introdnccf^  in  Hosilct  where 
the  play    resented  before  the  ktog  rcpcsats  the  fticts  of  the  plsy 
presented  before  his  oitrn  audlcsnce.     In  L'Rgggiio  qui  rlt,  Hogo  uses 

a  similar  device*     Gwjnplaino 's  £3»owth  and  the  ^ of  the  noYel 

r.r3  s^jffibolized  in  tlie     lay  vAiich  Tfirsus  writes  and  they  all  pcrfoiiRi* 
Tiis  play.  Chaos  v         _^,  is  an  interpretation  of  wan*s  Ii£te,  an 
int'^rpretation  of  Osj^a^^laine  *s  escpcrience*     Hugo  deseri'>es  the 
play  tlBTS; 

Ip  laup  etait  le  lai:p,  Ufsus  etalt  I'oars,  Grynplaiiie 

ctcxit  l*hes5Bae«     Lc  :*  '  t,  I'c  '^  ■    " 

forces  feroe«i  de  la  r>e,  i.  , 

i'obeciu'ite'^  stoivaso,  et  toixs  deux  se  rualent  sur 

Grjfnnlalne,  et  c'^tait  '      "z  coinhnttant  1 'hoenne. 

— «  Le  chaos  allait  r  i'luxnc.  — —  .l-r/uiteKient 

— —  ime^hLancheMT  surgis.      ..t«     Cctte  blancheir  6tait 
xaxQ  Ixv       ■    ,    "^'3  luii.  c::-c  otait  una  fcxm.ic-  cctte 
feniae   ^  »     orit.   (1) 

Ti\c  -^arian  t/uo  plays  this  part  is^  of  cor^rse,  lea.     Eic  i^iole  eiKla 

in  the  "victoire  dc  1 'esprit  sra*  la  r.atlcre,  ab'^tissant  a  la  jole 

fie  l»hcBiEK",   (S) 

In  Madanoisclle  de  MimplTT,  CSautier  resorts  to  a  somei^bftt  similar 
artifice*     He,  too,  ooaseG  his  personage  to  aastme  actoni'  parts 


(1)  Itir.o,  L*T:Iorjne  ci.ii  rit,  IT»,  129  • 

(2)  Ibid,,  II* >  135* *" 


381. 


ftnq   to  present  a  play*     lie  does  not  liavc  to  cr-eatc  a  nlB.j  to 
aiatcii  t^e  plo-   -^    --v.  ..-.-_  _teeir  -„..      .    :.lrcs^  iiat.  ^  yl^.^ 
cumciently  slr.iiiur  Lu  atsio:. ^ hcie  aiid  cliaracLers  to  sei'Ye  his 
pui=pose»     Mils*  <ic  Mcupla  bMOiies  the  Rosalijad  of  As  You  LJLe  It 
and  d*/.rcert  its  Orlaodo*     2he  sposchae  which  Hosalind  aM  Crlaoaa 
er.clianso   In  As  You  Lil:Q  It^  these  cpeeches  full  of  clouhle  r-^cnings 
and  a2ibi|;ucus  plipasiaija,  do  duty  for  the  speeches  ^Iiich  d^iLlbsrt 
wxjold  lilce  to  esciiar^e  ifi'ith  Mlle»  de  Maupiiu     T-^>''  "'ot.;*on  of  tlie 
plair,  itL  sio-j'e:;iciit  cuad  iU;  atiosuiiex^,  reveal  to  'ij^.,  cl^^rlj  tl:o 
sliinixieance  or  the  action  in  which  he  is  involved*     -'-c  'Say.  LiLj 
It  becaenes  to  hlsi  s:;!abcllc  cf  his  oen  history  just  as  Ghaos  valoctt 
is  alearlj  symhollc  o£  Gwyaplaine's  history.     !rhe  vorj  :;iai;ic  of 
the  world  in  Hhich  As  You  LiliQ  It  no^s  for  the  groater  part  o£ 
its  action  is   like  the  eaK&smted  atoosphorc  that  clli]€:s  to  Eosette* 
castle*     •I'he  rorcsst  of  ;-rden  is  lil-:©  tho  irreality  of  d •Albert's 
EiilieTi.     stiKsa  ftcaELllnd  revexils  hcv  tr-ie  identity  to  CrlaDcso,  the 
play  is  alnoct  over  and  the  naglc  forest  lamt  be  loft  boJilnd  and 
the  realities  oi'  ootirt  life  rosunod.     So  Gautier  too  shows  Mlle» 
ds  Kffnpir  in  her  true  nature  only  as  a  prologue  to  the  return  to 
reality  aiKi  the  conclusion  of  his  novel* 

In  ^aitier*s  oos-g,  tiio  xise  of  As  You  Lilce  It  in  order  to  reveal 
the  truth  to  d*/ilbert  is  equivalent  to  a  statement  tlmt  art  laost 
be  used  in  order  to  lesirn  to  interpret  life*     And  the  value  of 
tha  repetition  is  ocijiiasised  by  d*Albert*B  hi^;;!!  -praise  of  the  ai't 
itoi<^  created  As  You  Lilfo  It,  ar.  art  ahich  pern  .r.ifl.^r;  the  autiior*! 
BBOds  and  reveals  reality  "Jy  nca:i^   Jf  pure  fSaataay  or  s^OTbol* 
D'Al  bert  writes: 


38-3. 

Ge  i^e-ri^le  et  ce  •-  '^  a  so  xt,  au 

boiit  dn  c-  ,  (<ello 

sovis  ses  :- ^  .   ..   _  ...    ..    ,,-jar^  le 

pIUB  miimtlsiissxiont  etadl^ 

^!i?out  hoirEio  renfeme  en  soi  l^lnirjanite  en'  •'^-: ,  <:>•':  en 
eci'iy^nt  ce  >^i^  Itii  vlent  ^  la  t^te,   il  t  ""  'c 

qr  ♦  Lane,  a  la  loupe  les  oojets  places  6u  ueiiors 

d-,   - — **•• 

C    -  *    : aissez  i      " 

Ir-    ..  .-^jntOf,   jc    „    -.    .......    ....^. ..  .    .^us 

et  saui'  tous:  -—  reiniita,  r.osalinde,  Golie,  I  x, 

Parolles^  Gilvi   ,      '"    "  '   les  ,  types 

cliarsaajQts^  ci  I .is,  q...,  ._.^^ 

'bigai^j.'e^s  de  la  Tolio,  s'olc-^iint  au-  3  la  grossl^re 

J^llt^  et  dar  *  le  po  ,  sa 

melanoolie,  so..  r  et  , C".^  _„  , 90^19 

lee  apfiarences  lea  plus  frivoles  et  les  p  ^       ^  1,   (1) 

Rugo,  tco,  undm-HEfeea  tiie  -value  ir^ich  he  itt'^oj-es  to   tti©  rei^latiett 

of  life  thTov.4|h  «2»tp  tfce.t  ie,  tla^oiigh  tb©  Bjatjollmri  of  Le  Chaos 

valncu,  for,  although  Gvynplalne  docs  tsot  pa?aise  Ita  aestiietlc 

c^ualitleB,  iie  3?ecogiii!^  its  real  significance  in  hie     ^"  life 

ftna^  upon  his  final  retiira  to  I>«i,  places  hlinself  a»d  h&i'  once 

Kore  iri-tliln  the  frameirork  of  ti--e  play  Ijy  his  use  of  its  final 

tT-lt^pbant  linc^  and  bj  M.'^  ovocatior  ofT'tr^*!^  ■"-' <^^^on3e'« 

Tbe  pattej/n  of  romanticist  litei^.ture  is  ruide  up,  then,  of  ccntraat 
and  rer-etition  and  even  the  final  stractianil  device,  that  of  the 
eternal  trlaiigle,  iii  evolved  fpon  these  two  olesnents* 

Tr»lanxtle» 

Any  discuLsai^a  of  tlie  relationships  anoi%-  the  perc;:  in  ooe 

of  the  rio-'fcla  wc  are  stndying  will  dls-lcnr?  a  tendency  toward 
spar^G  ut.     Of  tiiesc  ajXEiotrlcal  aryo.i\:or.:onts,  the 

(1)  Gautier,  iMCaioisellG  do  £-:LUpin,   2GS,  2G6. 


384. 


most  characteristic,   perl-aps.    Is  thnt  based  on  the  nresonce  in 
the  novel   of  three   people.      Of  these,    two  will  be  sh.ai'ply 
contraated  and  the   third  v^ill  be  vuider   the  necessity  of  making  a 
choice  between  then.     Such  an  arrnn^jenient  is  basod  on  the  necessity 
which,    in  his  renl  existence,  confi^onts  every   -an,   t^K*   necessity 
of  naking  definite  choices.      Ilic  choice  hotween  alternatives  and 
the  human  being  vdio  makes  that  choice  givob   the  essential  foundatl< 
for  the  eternal  triangle.     But  the  choice   is,    in  act«iality,  very 
x»arcly  a  cVioice  between  individtuils.      It  is  always  and  essentially 
a  choice  made  between  onnoslng  orincinies,     Tlie  choice  may  be. 
In  real  life  ris   in  ficti-  n,   tesnporarily  sjmbolir-od  in  individuala 
but.   In  that  case,   tiie  significance  of  the  choice  lies  beyond  the 
Individual  and  concerns  the  idea.      In  classicist  literature, 
Riedre's  choice   is  a  choice  between  the   tv?o  olanients  of  her  owb 
being  lather  tiian  between  Hippolyte  and  Tliese'e,      Phedre  realises 
this  in  all  iier  sneeches  and  emor^jes  triiiraphant  in  her  final  defoai 
in  snite  of  }ier   loss  lx>th  of  Imsband  and  lover,   Tor,   at  last,   she 
has  saved  her  own  moral  boinfi.      In  i-^nanticist  litoruturc,   Jiowever, 
the  weifi'-ht  of  the  choice   is  no  longer  a  natter  of  conscience  or 
morr^lity.      It  is  always  an  exterior  ev^ent,     Tlie  exteriorissatlodi 
is  realis'.od  throri^ch  personages  and  t-iie  choice  can  only  be 
necessitated  by  the  fact  tiiat  a  love  for  one  type  personage  must 
ccHiipletoly  .preclude  a  love  for*  the  other,     Tnis   is  effected  oy 
the  use  of  absolute  contJ^ast  in  the  creation  of  the  types  and 
the  nlot  of  a  romanticist  novel  piracticolly  always  reveals   itself « 
tiierefore,  undm-   the  form  of  a  love   story  and  the  denouej.ient 
shows  the  final  cix^ice  of  one  love    wO  Liie  exclusion  of  trie  otlier, 
Millie  ritiht  choice  is   oei'sonified  in  the  ideal  personage  and  tho 
result  Is  happlnesii.     Meanwhile,  reality,  which  is  usu£illy  a 


OOiJ  • 


fto*  more  complex  aff-^ir,   is  relegated  to  the  toackgroi.ind  In  order 
that  the    loraonare  chosen,  simplified  to  n  single    aspect  of  life, 
nay  be  cone  the   touchatone  v<  hereby  the  protagonist  is   judged. 

In  practice  this  conveiitlon  makes,  as  has  been  surges  ted,   for  the 
synmetricnl  groxipitig  of  personages.     T}ie  triangle  naj  become  a 
double   triangle;     the  choice  may  bo  rociprocril;     the  pattern 
may  be  indefinitely  repeated.     Biit  its  s:;rnl50lic  sienificance  do^ 
not  vary.     Loonce  may  choose  bet?/een  Delphine  and  Ma  tilde; 
reciprocally,  Delphine  may  choose  between  Le'onco  and  Valorbe.   In 
Corinne.  Oswald  ,  Lucie,  and  Corinne  represent  the  triangle.     Fran 
the  wor.ian's  ooint  of  view,   the  triangle  ia  repeated  in  Castel-Port€ 
Erfeuil,  and  Oswald  B.nA  CorlaMe's  choice  will  precede  Oswald's. 
Indiana's  choice  appears  also  ns  a  triolo  one  but  Raymon'a  is  a 
choice  between  Indiana  and  his  wife.     Constance  Verrier  shows  tlirec 
women  and  one  raan  and  the  man  tests  what  each  Ysas  to  offer  before 
BWtking  ills  final  ehoics.     The  triangle  appears   in  these  cases 
tinder  a  more  complex  foim  but  the  orii^inal  convention  is  in  no 
wise  discarded  twt  has  only  been  extended.      In  its  greatest 
simplicity,   the  convention  appears   in  Hugo, whore  Gwynplaine  chjposes 
"between  D«a  and  Jos  lane;     in  Balsac,  wliere  Raphael  chooses  between 
FE>edora  arid  T^uline;     in  Oautier,  where  d 'Albert  c'loosos  betw^wi 
Rosette  and  Mlle^  de  lanupln;      in  Sand,  where  GeiTitain  chooses 
between  kari©  and  the  coquettish  widOR.     In  CrBatcaubi^iand,   the 
choice  appears  not  as  a  choice  between  individuals  "TUt  as  a  choice 
between  milieus.     Religion  is  a  necessity  to  man  in  any  nllieu 
but  one  riiiieu  will  destroy  it,   the  other  may  be  taught  to  preserve 
it.     In  Vigny,  the  choice  is  aonetimes  a  choice  between  individuals 


306. 

as,  for  exrunnle,   in  Cjng-hars.  where  Louis  miat  docide  betv/een 
Richelieu  and  Cinq-Mars.      It  is   aonetijies  a   choice  between  an 
ijnpersonal   fofrce  aa.i  an  iiiaivx^^ual,  as  ./iiere  the  Gorii;mndant 
chooses  the  nilit'^ry  m»incir5le  and  kills  tl>e  man.      In  Daphne^ 
JUlien  choosGS  between  two  advisers,  Libanius  and  Paul.     The 
choice,   in  every  instance,  is   the  derioue:;ent  of  the  book  and  the 
determinant  of  tlie  liappy  or  tragic  eiiding. 

SyiiBTietry  of  arran^eiaent  is  necessitated  by  the  bsisie  fi(^nre  of 
the  trian^^le  which  detoimiaes  the  relationships  of  the  personages. 
Such  synKietry  often  appeal's  in  the  contrasting  of  tliree  personages, 
in  the  repetition  of  tliree  Incidents,   in  the  grouping  of  throe 
stories*     It  is  unnecessary  to  stress   tlxe  iwint  but  it  Is,  perhapsj 
of  a  certain  interest  to  observe  the  !>re valence  of  convention 
through  tlrie  whole  structui^e  of  r«;ianticist  fiction.     Oorinne 
contrasts  tliree  societies.     I-elphirie  resolves  itself  into  three 
incidents  repeating  the  same  pattern.     Vigny's  stories  in  Stello 
and  Servitude  ot  grandeur  militaii^es  are  three  in  number.     Renaud's 
progress  is  punctuated  by  three  incidents  and  connected  with 
three  individ\ials —  Hapoleon,   the  Russian  boy.  Lord  Cc^llingwood. 
Leila's  life  is  framed  by  three  syrabolic  fia-ures  —  Stcnio,  I'reimoi 
Monsi£;nor  Annibal.     Jouime  is    Jesired  by  three  men.     Goxistance 
Verrier  shows  Abel  as  the  object  of  three  women's  love.     Eaaeralda 
is  loved  b  •  tliree  men.     Notro-L'aine  de  Paris,  Lcs  Travailleurs  de 
la  mer.  Les  Miserable s^  complement  one  another.     Otlier  instances 
will  occur  to  the  reader,   instances  too  frequent  to  be  disraissed 
as  entirel:;  accidental. 


387. 


The  uGe  of  a  oattern  of  contrast,  reoetltlon,  and  triangle,   is 
ccr?binotl  very  froqixently.      In  such  n  novel  as  Yalv^drc,   for 
©xanule,  Francis  is  opposed  to  Valv^dre,  /.llda  to  Adela'lde. 
JjiVancis  and  Allda  are  repetitions  of  one  anotiier  as  are  Adelaide 
and  7olvedre»     Francis  riust  choose  l^etween  Alida  and  Adelaide; 
OB  Vsilvedre  does,     Glnilarly,   Alidc.  imist  choose  between  Valv^dre 
&nd  Francis,     Tiie   tyne  whicli  annears  in  the  structure  of  '/alvedre 
is  a  type  which  raay  anpenr  tmdor  as  varied  a  €orr\  as,  for  instance, 
that  of  Daphne ,     There  Libanius  contJ"asts  vfith  Jalien,     Hia 
disciples,  Basil  and  Jean,  are  echoes  of  their  naster,  as  PiitJ. 
is  Julion'e  echo.     Basil  and  Jean  must  ciaoose  between  the  views 
expressed  by  Libanius  and  those  expressed  by  Jtaicn.     Paul  too 
mast  make  his  choice,     Eciio,  contrast,  and  c»ioice  meet  and  blend 
in  the  structure  and   the  romanticist  novel  may  be  analyzed  In 
BtatbtKatical  for^iulas,  dravm  in  goonetricjil  r»i-t.tcrn,  redticed  to 
syllogistic   terris. 

Such  a  statement  as  the  preceding  can  only  be  made  vjith  safety 
vhen  an  art  has  shown  itself  to  bo  nore  responsive  to  convention 
than  to  reality.     This,   It  has  become  obvious,   is   the  truth  In 
regard  to  the  rcsnanticlst  literature  under  discussion.     To 
acknowledge  this,  moi'eover,  is  to  acknowledge  the  necessity  of 
a  discussion  in  regard  to  the  synbolic  values  attached  to  the 
particular  conventions  adopted.     The  unanirnTUs  acceptance  by 
the  novelists  of  ronmnticlsm  of  a  certain  formal  structure  has 
given  that  structure  a  synbolic  vnlldity  which,  however,  cannot 
bo  said  to  attach  itsolf  equally  to  the  viirlod  sicnificances 
with  which  tiiey  have  chosen  to  burden  the  oersonages  who  move 
within  their  synbolic  framework. 


388. 


Cliaptor  VII. 

Incident. 

TbB  all-peryadl^  character  or  Uie  s;^ibolis;i  in  the  novel  of 
roaaatlcisK  is»  even  to  the  Initiated  reader,,  eatti^aordlnary  ixi  its 
•cnplet«ai«si^     Ota  minor  incidents,  the  casnal  detaias^  the 
2*elations  aaaa»g  tSia  poraona^es,  the  rallioii  In  which  l^e  action 
iDisBC  pOace,  the  laasmgo  of  mithor  or  personage,  all  si»i»e  Use 
ai^e  significant  quality  and  all  confii^  tlie  initial  attlt«do 
idd.<^  th©  n^tftxre  of  the  charectei^  presentatlcaa  and  plot  have 

Incidents  ciay  he  dtiosen  at  randora  and^  as  incident  after  incident 
is  adduced,  tJie  technique^  of  the  roraantlcist  milter  is  dearly 
tmvelled*     She  slaplicity  of  Chateaubriand's  stories  precludes  the 
introduction  of  ouch  detail  but  certain  nlnor  facta  rmj  illustrate 
Hmt  signifioanco  which  la  attaclxjd  to  every  Incidental  qualif i- 
OSitlon  of  the  rmln  situation*     Chactjis  is  r>3n3sented,  for  exaaaple, 
as  havir^-  visited  Europe  after  A  tola's  death.     "Hiere  lie  iias  koovn 
the  highest  ^diaae  of  Buropcan  civlliffixtlon  for  he  has  been 
presented  at  Ixjuls  XIV' s  court  and  has  met  and  nlncled  with  the 
mtmt  celebrated  raen  of  tlie  period*     51he  i«.vatie  natare  is  assij:ii- 
lating  ifeat  is  heat  in  civilization*     At  Atala's  death,  Chactas 
haxi  mromiaed  iier  to  arahrace,  at  some  later  date,  the  trnie  Christian 
relicion*      Pure  entimsiaaKi  is  daixd  Imt,   in  tlie  iTPiost,  rerjresent- 
atlve  of  tiio  civilized  world,  Chactas  will  flM  consolation* 
Therefore,  logically,  he  seeks  consolation  in  the  priest's  world* 


339. 


But  in  >-tis  -Pld  age,  he   io  still  rincf  rt^lr^  of  his  txay,     Ifi  sayv 
to  Rene:      — Helasi  T:)ur  ?:■.>„,  i>aui  we    i,i'cju;jj.o  ex.  zn'onoiM^ael"   (1) 
The  nat\i2*!.l   Lnipulses  still  guide  his  life  and  ho  is  as  yot  hllnd 
to  tho  truth.     He  is,  therefore,  shown  as  physically  blind  and 
it  is  a  aynbollc  picture  T*hich  forms  the  cor»lvision  of  Rene: 
"Lea  trois  amis  reprir'ent  la  route  .le  leurs  cateuMs;     r^ene'iaarchail 
en  silence  enta-e  le  -iiisaionnalre  qui  priait  i)ieu,  ,?t  1g  Sacriara 
aveu^e,  qui  cheinsiiait  sa  route."    (2)     Bliiidnesa  iu,  ^^  fact,  a 
favorite  s^bolic  device.     JJae.  de  i3-&..ei,  when  alio  wisljes  to  show 
tiiat  tiiose  wlTO  do  not  .yorship  tiie  nhyaical  world,  tlie  laaterial 
wo^'ld,  are  excl\idod  from  aooiety,  sjiows  M.  de  Belnont's  blindness 
to  be  Uie  cause  of  his  social  exile,     ifugo,  vlien  he  v^lslied  to  show 
the  dai^tnoas  of  piiysical  and    laterlnl  oppression  —  a  darkness 
which  includes   icnorance  and  r^orarty,  a  darkness  wliicli  weighs  upon 
Dea's  life  —  shows  her  to  be  blinded  as  a  result  of  society's 
prejudic33.     The  physical  interprets  tiie  spiritual  meaning  in  th« 
mm9  way  whe:)  Hago  represents  Quaslaiodo,  the  ringer  of  the  bella 
of  Notre-Daiae,  as  deafened  by  the  soiuad  of  the  bells  so  tiiat  he 
can  iiear  no  otixer  voice  '.mt  tlieirs.     Ho  is,  in  this  riana-sr, 
repfreaentin^  the  fact  that  tiia  People,  by  dint  of  lone  service  to 
the  Gittirch,  liave  becoae  oblivious  to  any  other  voice,  any  otlier 
rule  but  iiers. 

The  relationships  among  tiie  different  rjersonages  a2»e  consistently 
sysibolio.     Atala  is,  for   instance,   i^presented  as  the  daughter  of 
tiie  Spaniard,  Lopes,  who  acted  as  Chactaa's  fauior  for»  the  years 
whioh  ho  consented  to  spend  in  tlio  civilised  r-'orld  of  St.   "lUtnistinf 
Betv;cen  I.tala.  and  Cljactas  there  exists,   in  consequence,  a  natural 

(1)  Chateaubriand,   Ren/,  95, 

(2)  Ibid.,  C6. 


390. 


booad*     !?:ieir  c">lrlttial  fatiicr  is   the  ssr.e  '-nd  csists  in  tiic 
civilize^-  .  u^lu.     la  actual  truth,  tiie  culoi  oi  an  xadian  tribe 
has  served  as  Atala's  f  thcr  and  he  and  Chactiis's  Indian  father 
are  iiattiral  cnccties.     Thus  it  is  tiiat,  in  the  T?orld  of  priinitiv© 
nature,  where  Chactas  and  Atala  live,  tliey  are  riiitiiral  enej.:ies,  and 
in  such  a  world  reliijiotis  entimsiasja  and  the  natirral  appetites  liT« 
in  a  stcte  of  couTlict*     But,  tairoui^h  civilisation,  this  is  no 
lonijer  true.     On  tiie  contrai'y,  a  fratGircil  bond  xniiUic  then  and  a 
necessary  hareiony  will  replace  the  sav^e  cntaity,     /.ccordingly.  In 
Rene,  where  the  setting  is  that  of  the  civilized  u'orld,  Rene^and 
^melie  will  be  presentod   --a  'c(rother  ar^  siater,  both  physically 
aiid  spiritually,     itee*  de  Stael  rill  moke  tise  of  the  saiae  iiTGenioais 
system  of  relationships.     She  ?Jill  represent  Telphlnc,  for  instance 
as  Une.  de  Vernon •s  friend  whereas  Ka tilde  is  l!zse.  de  Ven-ion's 
daughter.     Tlius  the  author  Indicates  that  the  ohly  relationship 
possible  iK^tween  society  and  love  is  a  relationship  of  love;     titm 
orJLy  relatiorf^'^l.p  possible  between  society  and  duty  is  one  of  duty. 
In  Corinne,  laae.  de  r>ta*el  represents  Corinne  and  Lucie  as  sisters 
in  order  to  indicate  her  belief  In  the  comon  ori^^in  end  the  ix>asib 
hanuony  betvieen  the  natural  and   the  social  ide.l.     In  Jacrues , 
Sand  enipliasises  her  conclusion  b"  suddenly  revealinfj  Sylvia  and 
Peamande  to  be  sisters.     She  makes  it  apparent  in  tliis  tmy  that  th« 
love  unoorrupted  by  society  (Sylvia)  and  the  lore  wld.ch  reflects 
society's  influence  (Pcmande)  are,  nevortholess,  of  slillar 
origin.     The  same  tyi">8  of  sTiubollsn  causes  Gaixl  to  represent  Leila 
and  Pulchei'io  as  sisters,  sxifficiently  alike  ao  tliat,  wearing  a 
r.iaak,  tlio  one  Etay  teEipomrily  be  nistcJcen  for  the  other.     In  tliis 
vfay,  th3  affinity  betc;eeu  terrestrial  ploastii^  and  spiritual  love 


iWX. 


is  a^/mbollcaliy  reprt-sented.     In  I?otre-:^a:..c  .,c  .ar.u;.  -or^crttlda 

la  i^p^coented  as  tl-KJ  natur?iX  daughter  of  the  religio-iis  recluse 

who  for  so  loug  has  anatheaatisod  bar,     jui  LI1I3  incident,  1614^0  la 

representing;  toe  fact  tlmt  tiio  beauty  railod  at  aiia.  coiiucioiieu  by 

religion  t/oiild,  if  reoot-uized  foi    raliat  it  truly  is,  be  loved  ci3^. 

ckxerisiied  as  the  na^^ural  product  of  relit, ioa»     Of  the  rclationsliip 

between  Jean  Valjean  txau  Cosett©  IJugo  writes: 

En  prenant  lea  nots  dans  Icui-  sens  io  plixs  ca-iprelieioaif 
et  lo   pl-u"   ^'    oln,   on    ^itrrait  cllre  qtie,   :  "^     ^g  de 
toat  par  v  Wii  d^toabe.  Joan  Valjean  ^  ie 

Veuf  corjne     0   ^tto  etait  I'Or'Dhellne.     Cotte  situation 
£^t  que  Jeuxi  wwiljean  dcvlu-o  d'uiie  facoii  c^^leute  ic 
pcre  cle  Gosette*   (1)  *" 

The  children  of  a  union  represent  tlie  product iver^ss  or  sterility 
of  the  ideal   that  tlie  union  renrcsenta*     Reference  1ms  already 
been  rr.ado  to  the  allegorical  ^neanlng  of  OrlarK2o  Pm^ioso  which, 
accord.lnt;  to  Balzao's  interpretation,  raalros  Crlaixlo*s  iripotence 
evidence  of  tlie  sterility  of  the  revolutionary  doctrine*     The 
Brining  Which  Balasac  reads  into  Orlando  Porioso  is  the  rieaning 
which  must  be  read  into  Balzac *s  insistence  upon  du  Bousquler*s 
I'npotence.     Allied  to  du  Bousquier,  Mile*  Cormon  Is  unhappy  because 
8>ie  must  i^riiain  childless.     In  this  manner,  "^alssac  is  illustrating 
his  belief  that  Alencou's  acceptance  of  Liberalism  will  prove 
disappointing,   since  Llbcrslism  v^ill  prove  to  be  a  sterile  policy 
impotent  to  r>roduce  any  lasting';  fruit  for  the  future*     In  Delphlne , 
Bate*  de  Stael  uses  the  same  device  to  aiggest  the  f>ar.io  conclusions. 
Ite tilde's  death  is  j^epresented  as  the  result  of  the  fasts  wliich 
to  the  detrii'ont  of  Irer  healtJi,  she  has  undertaken  in  the  interests 

(1)  Hugo,  Los  Miiiorables,    II.,   142. 


392. 


of  her  reliiji<xis  devotion.     OSius,   Indli^ctly,  she  propapes  tiis 

death  of  her  xmborn  child.     Kiis  death  is  the  sign  of  the  sterility 

of  CathollciBr.i,   tSie  /'elision  which  caiises  the  elect t*  u^    u^ie  family 

oven  v/hilo  2t  clair.is  to  protect  it;     the  peligion  which,  suppz'essi^ 

JMiturc,  suppresses  life  smd  iience  iM^OKiotes  a  virtue  which  resutt^ 

in  its  own  conplote  death.     Sinilar  ijicidents  appear  in  Sanci'a 

w>rk.     Bo -Si  the  . children  of  Jacques  and  Pcrnande  die.     This 

represents  tlie  fact  thfit,  once  norc,  the  religion  of  love  1ms 

failed  to  na'ke  a  :->lace  for  itself  In  society  or  within  the  fraa«» 

work  of  the  institutions  of  society,     -ifhatever  fruit  it  niay  liave 

produced  soon  dies  and  so  its  relationsliip  to  society  is  broken* 

!I3ie  death  of  Jacqu^*s  children  is  the  si£:n  of  lils  freedom  frc5Bi 

any  social  ohligation.     In  Han  d'lslonde,  Hugo's  rsain  therie,  the 

sterility  and  the  necesstxry  self-destruction  of  hatred,  recppoara 

In  the  death  of  Fr^^ric,  only  son  of  the  cmel   "lilefelds.     Hugo 

writes: 

Oui,  une  imlson  profondc  so  cievolle  sai:iyent  dans  ce 
i^tie  "■.  ".  ^  n  y  a  d-^nrj  los 

ev(5he — :—    -^ —  ^^^.terieuse  qui  lem'  :narque 

la  voio  et  Ic  but. Ainsl  c'cst  en  v»x3-ant 

en'   ^  '       o  fille   '  t  abliorro'e  dans 

Ic^     -- —  ,    .^..'lls  ont      , ../-„.._.    flic   ccfiipablo  et 

clicri  dans  le   tonbeau.   (1) 

In  the  same  ^ray,  when  Dalzae  wishes  to  shm?  that  egotsn  kills   Uio 

family,  he  ixjpresents  the  t^inorets  in  Ih^ale  Mirouet  as  tiie  cause 

of  the  death  of  their  only  son.     In  L * nnvcrs  de  1 *h is t o ire 

conteiaooi»aino ,  Contcnson   In   sh-^-Tn  to  notmy  Mrae.  de  la  Chanterle's 

daughter  to  the  law  ai^u;  ii.  bcmard,  rep  ^esentativo  of  hi85iau  justice. 


(1)  Hu^:o,  Hcui  d*lsli;nae.  224,  225, 


393. 


hor  to  -ieath*     In  this  vay  Balsac  reTresenta  the  no"bl0 
fruits  or  time  rolls  loos  f^^^itJi  to  bo  imc.rificed  to  ti^o  worst 
plmses  of  social  ^oian  and  condemned  according  to  r.oeigty's  law» 

Aaother  ecfmaon  feature  of  the   ,'lot  incidents  of  ?'onanticist 
liters ttii^  is  one  especially  revolator^r  of  the  au-Uior's  interest 
in  3;Ti'iol  ratlvjr  tiian  in  liiiman  character.     TJils  foaturo  Xn  tlie 
disapi>0ar'xnce  of  ?i  fl^n"©  from  a  novel  as  soon  as  the  ^Icrtiont 
Khidh  he  represents  is  :io  lonc-'or  Ijaoortant  to  tho  protagonist.   In 
Loa  mserabJ-os,  for  osan  >le,  Tthavo  Javc  t  is  no  tiling  "but  tim 
iacarnatlon  of  the  law,   'v''^  disappear  mca  fron  the  talo  Tiust 
coincide  with  Una  convoi»3lon  of  Xaw  to  a  higher  law.     -Tavort,   there- 
fo3^,   ccrtm'ts  suicide;     in  other  vrords,  he  •yolnntarlly  JdLlls  tJiat 
I«!»lnciple  vThich  was  his  entire  life*     Javort^s -dot  tli  corrosi>onda , 
In  this  way,  to  tlio  cessation  of  the  nenace  of  the  law*     Sinilarly, 
in  I>e  nero  Cor  lot,,  tiwj  ixso  polos  of  roEianticisr-i,  tlio  aentiiiientaliat 
and  th©  Nlotzsciiean,  seek  to  infltience  Rastignac.     '.Tlien  Rasti^rnac 
rejects  Xiio  latter  frcffi  his  life,  Vautrin  disappears  from  tSio 
!X>vel   jiKJt  aa  he  has  diacppnarod  fror.;  Ractiijimo's  consclcrasness. 
In  the  some  way,  Cliarlcs  will  not  ^.->  ^  entloned  attain  in  I?t^/n5.j^' 
G^  •  onco  Dixgcnie  lias  recognized  OtA')lstic  3entlnenteiJ.is3^-i  for 

whr.t  it  is  and  i3ut  it  out  of  her  life.     Co,   in  IladgaoisellG  la 
:nintinie,   t;-»e  novel  ends  wltli  tho  ccmversion  of  each  type  of 
religioiia  helief  to  the  nem  faith,  oxcept  for  the  ?iedieval  Gathol- 
icion  whose  end  and  aim  is  fim  conscious  acceptance  of  deatlu 
Therefore,  pere  Onorlo  —  nho,  in  Sand's  opin5.0ai,  is  the  extren.r 
and  locloal  rxnm^-slo  or   Uic  coaclnsion  to  which  t}ie   i2ii]'lications  of 
Catholician  lead  —  disappears  when  his  \7ork  has  been  acccsnplished.; 


394. 


that  is,  'ic  diaappos. r-tj  -^oi  Lucie   finally  and  a"bsol-utely 
2'cuci^   lO-.o  wat^iollcia;.   .^cc-  a^o  ;3liQ  has  recogniscxi  Iiira   oo  be  its 
representative* 

Th©  death  ol  a  ijorsoivxQQ,  no  laattsr  how  obscure,  is  otKiinarlly 
aasottl-ited  with  a  sjwbollc  intention.     Instaikces  n*^ht  ta  nultt- 
pliod.     Ofltutior  represents  -ilias  .Vlidiaan:;tadi-as*s  loath.     His 

•orlxl   is   Vnal  of  iiiedis ;  .  and  his  dei-wi  coincxdca  rrith   I'Jao 

destructiou  or  toe  catiiedral,  sJiaracicrlatic  pr^oduct  of  laedle/al 
art.  ,  Soinbolie  totich  ovideat  io  tMs  ia  oal^-  an  e^Etoroal 

-j^iifeatation  of  t*«  aa-x,-  ^ecod  of  Qautiei'^s  creative  technique* 

I*i  r^      ires  to  indisatft  that  society  ia,  in  reality, 

fatal  both  to  derotod  love  and  to  narriage.     She,  therefore, 

^.        ■•:-t.3  liapion  acx,    -iixj   ^.s    _i:i  cause  of  Indiana's  brsal:ing  he? 

jLi^rlage  vovjs,   in  theory  If  not  in  l^ct,  but  alao  as  the  cause  of 
trie  B-aici'l^  ox   Iiiiiona's  rmid,  Itoun,  unliappily  ajid  devotedly  in 
love  lU tn  iij-i-'z-^ru     In  La  Vioille  Fille.  Balsac  ..ill    lentlon  tiio 
fact  tiiat  the    ieath  of  t]b»  aljbe'de  opoikie,  i*ei3resent£itivo  of  the 
true  1- alii, ion,  coincides  \ilUi  the  oxr; tm 'cion  of  oi't:iolos:y  in  tlie 
diocese  J     and    ulie  uciitii  o_    w^o  u:e/uiic^-  de    Ji'^oxii  ^caur-  just 
at  the  isoincnt  wiien  Charles  X  aets  foot  on  for-cign  soil  and  Louis 
Philippe,  the  persionif ica bion  of  Uie  new  spirit,  bcrtinG  his  reign 
in  ftranc«.     In  Le  Cabinet  des  lur^iguea.  Balzac  -opo-ia  ri^iaelf 
to  the  extent  tbat  he  rialocs   Uie  death  of  tiic  raarquia  d*  -jiion 

(liise.  tiie  che'^/raier,  the  reprosentative  and  sTfrx>l  of  the  old 
^cQlme)  coincide  vritii   Jae  exile  of  Clmrlos  X   .j  .or^U^n  soil, 
Con^jare  this  witii  Uh&  fact  already  related,  thsit  Balzac  placoi; 
tlie  death  of  the  ciicvalicr  ia  the  aane  year  at  tiie  same  tirtij*  Guch 


395. 


iinderlies  i«w  ooiis'ii'uc^ioii  or  i:alzac 's  A;iia!jie£iti  tale.     Oa  ar*otbey 
oocaoion,  vrhsn  Balaac  itisiics  to  ir^icate  that  Ai^aamlo's  d^itli, 
in  Ee^aoires  des  detis:  jgunos  Tnaiiess,   Is  the  Inovltatlo    Teat'    ''"'  a 
love  not  fosterod  "by  fnnily  scntl-ncnt,  he  r.i&ke3  hei-"  deatli  coii*i-»icent 
on  har  lovei'*c  display  of  Triaiiy  feeling  In  aiding  'is  brotli^r^B 
TJlfe  and  cJiildroru     Riigo,  too,  f/ill  xmler-line  t'no  3-Tnbolic 
.;j.^  ij.lfl3:  ace  of  death  and  will»  foi    iiistance,  not  oulj  a&l^Q  Gilllatt's 
...oath  tiie  resiilt  of  l^erushette's  dcfxirture  rrom  his  lifo  Ijut  stIII 
..:-:. v:  hie  dectli  occui   at  the  oxnct  ::ri-.ont  iR^ien  the  Ijoat  Ijearing 
^ci'-  -v^ouo  u-i^j  -/  „  -^ »»  ever'   uiie  ^ionzcn* 

!rhe  Planner  in  r/hich  tiic   r)ci-::onaf;e   ic  .iiado  s-'/ntcllc  o:m6  of 

uis  proxcasion  or  oy  sciic  aucii  cevice  2*a,,^   ca  aojr.  also  aa  part  cf 
til©  incidents  s^bolism  of  these  noviels#     It  is  evident  in  £otre- 
■uane  de  i'^ofis  ;7hcrc  the  nriGct*^  c'llliii;:-  -;al:DS  htn  "enrcnertalltr* 
of  tlie  Gtairch  ^l.    .. -j.  .r.^'a  cra^iiocxaci-  :.ja4.:ca  iii^  ropioaoii^tlvs  of 
the  nobility*     In  order  that  uuaai»aodo  miiy  not  only  he  of  tlie 
people  tRit  -.ay  c.ctaally  rcorcccnt  the  'XSo^Ig,  Eujro  tntrcd-LtcGG  the 

whole  xiicxaem^  t.hci'u^u  -jn-'-- - ^  -.is  ur-c-.-uea  by   whe   -:uwpx(i.   ^ii.   iiaeir 

inilei*  for  a  day.     m  L*Honr-:o  qui  rit,  lilceifiBe,  Eu^o  will  pr^aent 
Barkilph^dro  ac   the  incarnation  of  en"vy»     Ho  tlisn  gives  liiri  the 
profession  ox   i^i,rjm     itugo  writes:     "II  y  a  uiis   ^rofoMe  caxaloiiie 
entr-e  cette  passion  iiatttr"clle,  I'cnvie,  et  cetto  fonction  social©, 
l*espiomia£,e»"    (1)     C-wynplaine  isrill  be   the  ■^jLrvGjofr  of  pxra^c'ient 
to  tho  ca:*otd»     .^*aj.  uutii  Lord  David  ^^a  JO;;.:. .  i'^^   ,AiUt;w_"' -;:    'O 

(!)  IM/_:o,  L*II(^nme  giii  rit,   II. ,   59, 


V 


396. 


t!ic  noor  snlarrl)  of  Loiidon  "^lierG  he  T'^t^-^ot"^  in  ovdm^  to  flndt 
frrascncnt*     In  thtc  ^^^■'-  "'^v-   t^-i  r^.  ♦-f^n  ^-.n*  n..-«-.?^-«-,-t,,  -.fi-teriallaii 
crnd  porrcr  Itrs  contaat  witia  tlie  peOT)lQ  cnzlj  ia  a©  fai'  e>s  the 
I«jople  Tsay  aorve  ns  InstTniriGnts  of  i^leagnrc.     \cfX)Mlngi.7,  (^wm- 
plain© 's  r-'^i'^tnc  becccios  of  ST^i^ollc  5.npos»tanco«     Bn*   ^*  ^-  not 
IIU£:o  alone  '.."-la  J.nststn  on  the  association  hotrr^mi  ??    '.la^ofess ifln 
and  Its  Jjlcnlficanco',     Gantler  T»oTTresentn  Lo-»d  ]^ra^5dale  as  ar? 

iii::^viv:ii:'-l'3  closii-'a  to  oscapc   "rcn  reality  \->j  a  flight   .Into  the 

pactU     'fhsrc  IJiico  shm? .  ir^odo  pop^  for  a  day,  tUm^,  rte  Rtacl 

— > 

spirit  or  It:JL.lan  uq:Uus,     BsJIsao,  tyxtoally,  repj:^e3entn   tlie  It* 
Boiiiassls  of  Le  M^dccln  do  c  _!  -">  ^-^  «3octor,   since  It  is  tho 

rloctor  rho  .v^nalrs  V\r>.  r*rTr'.™ot5  t7*i1c^  of.Hf>T»s  iiarrn  wron£;ht«     He  is 
tiic  S7r::boli:;  ImildGr  and  it  is  uct  'iy  accident  'that  the  Hapolo-onic 
lofrciia  13  liicor-jor'atod  Into  this  ^dk  in  order  to  nalto  concr-eto 
tho  contr»nn+ir>it  dcG*r!"iGtlTn  ^o^nri  n*"  +^«   -f«Tt'^fr-,->Ti,    (7) 

■Rational ity,  lH'owlse,  nay  "^o  jjivon  tho  r.tmo  si{^lf*lcar?<?e  as 
rr,ri!:  or  ;7r3f3n"i'5n.,     T?al:Tn.c,  **or  'nGt-.n-''^,   ■^"iTT'osontn   '-■^^'hn'^irL 
i:udle7  ao  ria-i-c^riai  ^mssioii  ■because  to  iii^  iln^^jland  Is  tho  voiv 
syi;fool  of  jmterlallam*  SaM,   on  tfie  othor  hand,  ronrosenta 

natural  :-;oral  sn^erlcxrity  -■3  :^"rllsh  vatyinv  thsn  T^-^nnh  *ri  Duch 
hcoiis,  for  e::a::role,  as   Indiana  aiil  J_  ,      In  the  3ano  vny,  It^ilj 

i3  s^.Ttiholic  to  San-i  fxnd  to  JMe.  de  3tael  of  fi'o«,  tmtrarr>elo^v 

(1)    Balzac,    Le  Medecln  de   campagne,    58, 


397. 

art  and  hence  Corlnne  will  reprosont  Itfxly  ,iust  as  fhe  .rrreater 
part  of  Sand's  nimrvithotle  nrtlsts  -fill  be  Ttallac 

The  longer  novols  offer  detailed  Incidents  which  can  1>g  T?roT>erly 
•andorsjood  only  If  ^-iven  fbolr  s-mhollc  roferoncc,     Such  an 
Tn^tr?f>nt  is  t^t^  fact  of  '^n-'^nne*o  siclcness    ''■"•'' lug  hc^  -•'■-.■.r  4^ 
Enclando     This  sickness  is  iHustr^Atlvc  of  the  wealrness  of  nftturaX 
fooling  In  a  settlnrr  of  social  rir^tn^*     Xv.  Ii^s  HaAt^s-JI<^f!n*lste3, 
f?,>^-T   »„tT^,>.,j,„^  +.,p.  T^iaTicht'ii  ■^■>^f-."»->'>T'>T  n«5  artists  whoso  inatjlration 
ecriGs   LTori   tiio  love  of  r.oncy  nnd  -^ower*     This  "bona  ?.s  s-7rat?olls9d 
hy  the  hond  of  under- stand^-np  ^vhich  exists  between  tb&rri  and  thso 
"^^^l"*  if  ttrf?   r^'l  PT»r5   of  '^/r«rir»r;   vfhn  ■•In    »-<'>+.  f>n'^r>r.r>lt'- f.,-    +.i-,r-    •r--i.><i.^    '-'^^'Uiril 
Of  art.     In  tiie  sajno  noval^  Francesco  "oeooEies  dangoi^nsly  ill  aol 
the  work  of  art  which  he  rjro'iiices  duriiig  his  convalescence  Is 
«».d  li'd f-^fl  iiifrrinr  to  Tilerio's,     Francesco  in  the  artist  -^ro 
rejects  the  arf cations  for  the  sake  of  his  art*     In  rejecting  tdie 

ffeetions,  he  is  denying  life  and  going  against  hunan  nature*     It 
is  hlr  effcrt  to  dorr'  nature  T?hich  occasions  his  sickness  and 
vitiates  the  perfection  of  his  art*     Tluis  does  Sard  rsake  evident 
the  f^ct  that  natitre  is  a  necessRr^  elernont  in  the  ccmplete  ^ork 
of  ?rt* 

Hanr  of  Srr.d*s  incidents,   indeed,  ttIH  gytnholise  tl?e  fact  that 
love,   t>'e  ^i'-h'^st  form  of  nature,   lo  necoBsarj  to  art.      "'anrl  showa 
the  TTtcrtiUis  ae  '/illerner^s   litero.r^r  -rori:   i,c  i:c  -lepciKiont  fcr  its 
success  on  Caroline's  fid|     p.rt  t  Is,  to  h'.  de'^enc'ont  on  love. 

In  T^  dei'nicre  Aldini,  shr?  ehorrs  Lelio  to  hn  r:n^-%cr-''  to  '^irrcn's 
Iiouse  hy  the  somK?.  of  her  heri).     Tills  is  to  shorr  tlio  love  of  ciuoic 


393. 


(art)   to  lead  airectiy  to  love  (Blrxnca),     Likewise  it  is  his  art 
which  leads  Lelio  to  bi£  sec^^nd  lovo,   iaugliter  of  tiie  first,  to 
Aiezia,  dat^hter  of  Blanc  i.     It  is  his  first  lev©  tliat  imltea  hSra 
an  artist;     for  It  is  Blanca  tlmt  caiises  nusic  lessons  to  t)©  givon 
tlio  yoiuig  (j'oridolier.     It  is  the  loire  of  art  (the  inspiration  that 
ecnds  frcm  Blaoca)  UmX>  oauses  liiii  to  refuse  a  love  i&iich  is 
indUfferent  to  art  (AXesia);     for  Alezia  is  coraplotely  indifferent 
to  Lclio's  singing.     This  is  the  true  iieaninG  of  tlie  fact  Umt 
it  is  Bianca  who  laaleas  Impossible  Lolio's  marriage  to  Alezia, 

Study  too  tlie  loi%'  aoene  in  Les  liiscrahles  where  Marius  watches 
jGsin  Valjean's  tortm»©  hy  Th^tardler  and  his  helpers  and  f^Hs  to 
Intci'vone.     I^  desires  to  save  Jean  Valjcan  because  of  his  love 
for  Coaette*     That  lovo  partakes  of  the  divine «     He  desires  to 
spare  Tiiwoardier  hecauso  of  his  rcc->GCt  for  the  ^-lemory  of  his 
fti tiler  whc^e  life  he  believes  was  once  saved  ay  Thenttrdier.     This 
filial  love  belongs  to  the  social  order#     Marius  hesitates  l.^etween 
hiB  two  loves*     Higt  imctioa  is  equivalent  to  an  adhi«e>eiiee  to 
social  law,  as  opposed  to  natural  law,  even  when  uhat  social  lav 
finds  its  expression  in  evil*     !I!hi8  scene  prepares  us  for  the  fact 
tliat  l&ariuSy  after  Jean  Valjoan's  vohmtaTj'^  confession,  fails  to 
cociprehend  the  virtue  of  this  confession  and  once  nore  repiuilatee 
the  virtue  which  does  iaot  find  its  sanction  in  society* 

Arother  most  charactori«tlc  incident  may  1^  cited  fropt  L'Heygne , 
qui  rit»     Gwynplaine,  while  he  is  in  society,  Icraoa  lea,     ^ih&n    he 
seeks  her  again,  he  docs  not  know  where  to  turn  first  in  his 
search*     He  cosjies  by  chance  u^on  Hor.io,  the  wolf,  and  Hocio  leads 
hlGi  directly  back  to  Dea*      In  this  way  It  becocios  obvious  that 


ow , 


spirit«al  lovo  raay  be  rouno.  tlircd^gh  bliiici  instinct.     Hugo 
it  clear  that  God  imy  be  .tound  loider  any  natural  £arm  as  lie  writes: 
"On  ne  salt  jas  tcrates  ies  figures  que  p&it  prendre  Diou*     Cfaolle 
oftt  eettc  lAte?     la  prcTSOmi&e*''  (1) 

Oatxtior  does  not  Trxil  to  f.pnly  tlie  same  ^eclulique•     D'Albert^a 
accoi^nt  or  his  love  affair  Kfith  Rosette  t/111  supply  an  incident 
■hlcli  tlrrows  li^lit  uiwn  their  relationsliip,     jrie  I'eiates  tbe 
histoid  ol*  a  ride  dta'ing  wiuch  he,  for  once,  x'ouad  .perfect  satis- 
faction tiircxifiii  Rosette.     The  rtjytiM  of  their  ride  and  of  tiieir 
IdLss  belong  to  a  zmtural  aeti-ing.     So  d'iilbert  realises  oiid  so 
Oauticr  Indicates  iiitit  Rosette  beoon^s  peopfectiOTj  oiily  T7hen  she 
Incomes  identified  xtiUi  uapox^e* 

A  final  lncld«it  froci  Vigny's  work  will  serve  to  eomriete  these 
exceedingly  typical  eaiaaoles.     Blaireau,  m  the  last  story  of 
btellOj  api^eiirs   in  an  Incidental  i^ie.     But  he,    ooo,  serves  to 
illustrate  an  Idea*     lie  STobollzes  in  hijaself  the  iinconsciais 
force  of  destiny.     Uti  his  bands  lies  the  material  power.     lestiny— 
blind,  unthiiiikine »  tireless  of  cause  or  effect  —  works  Uirougii 
Its  tools.     Blaireau  is  such  a  tool  r-Aid  Is  otxio^rad  with  all  its 
qcBilltles.     Uo  3leei»,  wakes,  wdnos  love,  uoves  tiis  cannon,  obeys 
orders.     All  tiiG  plans  dravra  up  wltii  so  much  skill  and  thcufjht 
depend  for   theii'  success  on  the  nei'e  chance  of  Blalrsau'e  action. 
If  he  x'ij^ea  iu-s  oaixion,    uiie  lai^e  cf  i^ris  c.x&',  wio  vnioic  or  i<raiice 


(1)   :li:jo,  L^i.c:r:o  -^li  rx-.,    X_: 


i^j.a. 


400. 


will  l>c  cp&r^ed.     Bv.t  Dlaircavt,  "because  o^.  _■-,   oecause 

he  docs  not  lll:e  the  tono  of  the  officer 'u  c       ;       ,  .aes  to 

fire.     Q-^-vS  can  o.>mnce  encc^mge  or  defeat  gan's  inatorlr.l  destiny. 

Hiau  Vlgrr^  Illustrates  lils  conte-utlon  that  the  iKt^ev  that  dspanA* 

on  de&tliiy  Is  the  rmt^i-ial  povfei*.     Its  £;r^atness^  taorcToro,  is  a 

mere  illnslon  pnr-  fnP;  r-'^n  -s^n  -pnr.t.  i'-f-i-.'  Taith  tipon  it  '..i^  loaning 

on  £>.  iJtr-!i;f,     The  rxiet  reriaiias  untouciied  'oy  outer  thi;^  ._,     ^.'lie 

poetic  poFcr  5^  altp^iys  his,   irr.opcndent  of  poverty  axjl  TJ^J^wcuticHi. 

-^f,  fHr>  •"octerar  le^reic  the  r-r-t  men  o^  VTstory  to  the  iovel  of 

uutlLin::m£'  force  as  he  csldvcz^e.B  Eln.lrG..ra,   syrabol  of  dc^itiny: 

—0  Blair-e?-ui     ton  noK  ne  tiendra  pas  1&  :.ioindr»e  plaoo 
I'tiist    ■      ,   et  tu  t'en  soiicies  ncu,  que  tu 

--    ,3  Ic    ^     .    ,;t  In.  nuit,  et  ^-.e  cc  :.ic   .--~      .j  loin 
de  Rose*     Tu  es  trop  steiple  et  nodes te,  Elairr:  :u,   car 

•3  ic   toi.3  Ice  "  '^  "::!  par  les 

'.    -  -^--^   -^ — ntolrc,   11  y  c:  -   ... -.  -, ...  TTTt  des 

chosos  ausEl      ^  cellos  que  tu  viens  ia^faire, 

Tu  as  rotf!'        ''  ^         ^  "  "       '  ^.ocratique; 

^u  as   frit   ^      -        -        --      V   --* J      y^ -^  blesso'' 

a  nort  la  R©publlciic»     Yolla  qtie  tu  cs  fait,  ^  nrand 
-:i;  ?   -™  ;:i:.Ml  Mc   „cii    x;s      ••         '  t*ait  pas 

reii' -'-ee;     c*cst  toi, 'a  Dlaii^c     i  ,_  voritablo- 

nent  l^hora-^e  dfc  la  icstinde.   (1) 


In  this  last  exr.  .olc  thc:^€  if-  oviCenced  -arice  laor-e  vei-y  clearly  a 
tnitii  vhich  is  of  basic  tr.poT'tcnc©  to  t-iis  sUidy;  tl  l  i,  is,  that 
it  is,   .^1/.  "rll",  the  corception  of  --rrrr.arc  r'-i..      letcrmines 

plot,   iriOiceat.,   jr-  any  oihci'  faxtsirc  or   ti.c  iia-vul«     wi^lr'eau  is 
less  'tan  to  Vi^ny  tlian  he  Is  idea,  jzc  the  incident  in  vhlch 

I^laircau  ft^vircr,  is  intended  not  to  reveal  chtinictcr  Ixat  to 
emphasise  an  ideii»     -lift  else  cii.n  be  said,    ;..  ,iOVCi'»  o*   jucii 
incicieato  as  ^vert's  snrLclde  or  of  7autrin'c  c  ;i^    nee  from 


(1)  ViGTT/,  Ctollo.  213  < 


the  stoi"'  -  •    ^-^G  precise  raonent  T/hon  the  consciousness  of  the 
oi^tagonlst  ri-oes  itself  of  their  influence?     llie  fate  of  the 
chnractor  in  the  claeaicist  liter;-tai»e  doeg  not  thus  deiiend  upon 
tl\o  fate  of  one  element  or  of  n-v^  ic^-^n   Tn   tiie  iwii-vcrse  nor  doos 
it  depesid  essentially  upon  tne  uecisioa  of  another  per^ionage  for 
each  ^oersonage  stands  on  his  own.  feet*     He  does  not  scr-/©  merely 
as  a    vwt  of  the  ■backE'^o".nc'.  f^^'^nfient  on  the  vision  '^  "  -.voo-s-v-^r.. 
His  fc.te  do  lends  uoon  his  otji  nortil  decision  rather  tlmn  upon  the 
determination  of  the  Pi*oper  constitution  of  society.     The  interest 
in  tJio  personage  la  classicist  literature  rmj  be  said  always  to 
be  an  ossent-Jally  laaaan  int<2rest.     The  interest  in  the  ronantielst 
tyne  is,  obviously,  an  interest  in  I^sl,  sirice  the  author  can 
regard,  as  we  have  sf^en  tiv.t  he  docs,  the  fata  of  the  porsonage 
as  coincident  with  the-  fate  cf  an  idea'* 

Hilleu. 

Brief  :nention  hes  alread;^'-  been  n»de  of  the  corres -(ondGnae  i^ich 
thi.^  roi'^anticist  "believed  to  exist  between  the  role  of  n  r>or>3oimj3® 
«uid   its  piiysieal  c -.it liter s»r't  (which  may  be  vr-i    ^1  xx^}  so.  the 
r.il?-eu  in  ^^hich  this  persona^  moves).     Siueh  a  correspondence  is 
finnstnntl"  si.v'^p^^ssted  to  the  reader  by  the  eonslntont  zmholiats.  in 
the  writer's  use  of  r.iilieu.     The  Torld  In  iftilch  he    daces  his 
perscnaf-e  is  a  world  representative  of  a  cortain  idea  or  ideal. 
It  ir  f?l30  a  rrorld  vrherc  cortnln  typical  chamctcristics  nay  b« 
expocTx^a  to  uevclop  one.  ccrt:.iin  T^yvical  evonto  riaj  bo  expected  to 
occur.     Sccic  interesting;  illustrations  of  the  raanner  in  which, 
in  rc-.-rantlclst  l:lter;itarc,  i?n.terial  nt^osruhrare  correaronds   to 


Obactns,  fop  exnnnic,    tells  of  his  flirht  jh:»an  t  he  clTlltsotl<ai 

cf  ^OT*l-n  ly^cl:  *:f!  the  traolrlosa  foi*est.n  where  ♦.Vn   Tn^^if  ns  hunt 
Li^jti  r;ir.     'JSila  H  ight,   iii  Cl:roe'in?3?*ljaia»o  sV^n^,  caws  ^x)  represent 
ClHictafj's  jrii^ht  fPOTi  tho  life  which  5;,?BiloiiEes  man  rs  a   thinking 
bcl^L,,     r^  irhen  Delphlne  ve treats  frm-.  ?»iri'.  tc  Crit^f  -^lanc,  }ioi» 
riii^ht  is  rrKjn  society  tc  iuvuVa-o.     ?ilicx*  ^ho  cTicra  a.  oor^ent,  it 
Is  &rpc.rent  tlir^t  her  flight  ^^'ora  ccclsty  lias  finally  conducted  h©r 
to  the  refUi^e  of  rellfjloi^*     Valontine  end  Eonelict  s'-eltv-r  tlielr 
love  rfithin  a  isclita2-<y  pavilion  on  Valca-liic '3  ci^tcto,  a   pavilion 
whoiic  r^-VY  sKistenco  t?!-j  world.   In  general,  J-.oes  not  realise.  1?hoa 
Vclertiae  *s  Imsband  sells  her  estate  aviT    thoy  are  fcrc^  to  leav© 
tb.ic  rcfiise  ochlJTHi,  it  5.3  tLc  action  o^   s^^cicty  liiich  ir  depriving 
tSset?  of  their  scllt\idc,     tSieir  cxilo  from  thic  solf.ttade  s^pnbolizes 
the  Ifect  t"-t'  t.  lo'/e  hns  ~nm   \-   ih  '  •  auojsct  to  rll  the  hasarda 

of  fjociai  life.    (Valentine)     31-allaT'ly,  ^e'ronLque's  ^IvKiTaRal 
frm  tto  t0T7n  to  har  coixntry  ni'opci^ty  8>;nnljolis6s  her  ab  rjdoninent 
of  one  tTTsc  of  aocicty  for  nn^tfujr,  tlie  a'>xndomont  of  u  society 
whose  ijclc  ixjati-airat  is  l^h   (the  ri'OCttt'eur-Cre'iaiJ^ ai )  for  r.  society 
Tst^ooc  rostraint  is  not  natcrlal  anci  exterior,  'oat  Gyjiritual  and 
the  r^esiilt  of  a  conacioixE  conccnl,  (the  cure)»   (Lfc  CiafiTde  village) 
■^  ^-^s  llR^trc cellos  r.lp te s  ^  Scsaa  ric.r>ses  fz*<»!i  the  studio  o  '  tlie 
Zuccato  br-othore  to  that  of  the  Bi*mchini'a«     Tiie  ff.cility  with 
which  he   f-c,_   r-'cs:-:    t^in  one  s-^-"?_n  ■t'-  *hr   o*l^r-r  In   ^VTct^ncs  that 
ilia  i.ttit.iiac  "tCrtajx;  art  (an  a'^'^j-XAidc  t/i.iuii  rc^r.j^s  t^.^^t  ac  a  moans 
tc  flory)  lo  one  ^hlch  cnn  easily  he  dcbaiiud  into  r.ere  self-seeking 
arwi  Trill  c>.-.f?ily  pans   .■:*ron  tlie  dlzi\itc::e-^tcf^   tc   t'ln  iDtes^sted, 


hia  r>oor  osl^in  to  the  lixxuiy  ol   u  fp^erit,  rumuion  con^ospasnia  to  his 
paaiia^jt;  iror.  a  life  auUjcat  only  Uo  natxirai  law  to  a  iii-e  fiubject 
oiily  to  tK>clal  la\;«     iiiien  JvJ.icn^  after  his  lo^  n  -  frcri 

DapluiG,  roai>p€&rB  tbere,  lila  reappijiu'anco  ayalsolia;;-,  a    'ucxuii  to 
ile  >^;'lu.  o^  ,  :  it  diaappoaf-anae   -^rrcm  the 

sCi'ld  of  acoion*     cai©a  vi*Alj  ..i  i.oaoite  JU5jav«  ttte  wtilons 

btiliiiicl  aiKl  ,_jo   i,o  is  Lay  ia^    .  .  ;.'ld  oststie  v/itli  laoat  and  ci^u^bridge, 
park-j  aiid  roi»QiJta,   iiaali'  j-Airne/  uo  tiie  oautle  s,,i;iDOliiioa  &n 
6.0iiiidoeLi7ici'it  oT  aociei.y  ^nl  &  retui'n  U)  iiawuro  ajad  to  me. '  ievalism. 


CP- 


'Znj   /         "a^'  uaGi:;gi'0ia2«l  o.r  <x  novt;!  "oe«x\  -    ,   l^i    aaay  ca&ett^  th©  key 
to  its  entire  action.     Hiic  is  Uic  cii&o  in  goi'lnae .     2iio  setti}^ 
at  -ti-.e  l^o^iJinlnSi  of  the   novul    :s   Italy    aid  at  -th©  ie-ijlir  ing  of 
tliC  novsl  Oca'iane  is  tlic  trlaiBiriiant  ^jeiiltui  of  tiie  "booibf*     When  the 
feceaw  slilfts  to  Soglaiid  an*!  P-r,otlai^,  Cariri-ie  suffers  a  dfcsBilng 
of  bar  liiEtrs  and  laicie^  tJie  Eiii^lisliMC«m«m  of  (X>nventlonal  innocence 
sa^d  dcsiestic  j^a^a^  doiiiimtes  tbe  stut^.     Once  iiiore  Itiilj  furtis 
tiio  Eottlns  tuid  Corinau  tocccc-es  ouc^  r.  -j*©   uas  prssidl-^'  gronius  of 
the  n:v3l*s  concli-:sicn,     Thq  ohaii^  -  ^  .-.^v  .wo^,    '-he 

ci:iia^3  in  tii€  role  of  tii€t  iiei-s>onafe,sa  ts-iu  Uma  Corlmie  caTas  to  be 
Uio  ssrproaElon  of  tbe  Italian  ;iualitles  as   Italjf  cones  to  be  a 
sort  of*  '•-"'-> Jecti-T^ttnrs  o"  i^n-lnri3,.  oimllarly^  Lu  epitorao 

of  "utLut  »;onstltait^5  iiai^Xal*  virtiiG  and  cbfaTa  and  sm^  eiciji'esaes 
Eoflana  i'^-^-*  r^s  j&aj^land  expresses  her,     Tb<i  influence  of  the 
bacl:;^^"^^''-   — >  '^nn^.atill"  nnnipronont  !;■  !.»       "    --^  Oswald 

and  (Jorinnc  ^o  an  Lioor-d  az*  Lm^liaia  sMp^  varinL.3  acaojieu  uiiiiiportant 
exaept  OS  an  adjunct  to  Ca'sald,     Just  so  do  b^iuty,  STontaneity, 


feeULiig  beedno  mere  adjtuicts  to  Ervrlish  society*     Similarly, 
iftfceaa  Oanold  la   in  Italy,  iae  is  a  mere  adjunct  to  Oorlxr.\e  and 
otlierwise  without  laport*     Socifil  virtue  in  Ital7  is  iiKircly  of 
siijnirica  nee  in  so  Tar  as  It  accoc:-:tinics  iiatuTDl.  oathusiasa^* 

The  doKtiimtlng  characteristic  of  the  railleru  may  also  sei^yc  as  k«y 

to  tiKs  trholo  Intention  of  a  book*     Eii£-o*s  ?.'ork  i\ir-n:Ishe3  esxccllGQt 

ez'xrnples  in.  this  resnoct*     In  IIot"'Xi--I  aiao  ^  u    ..tiris>   lc;.e  accne  is 

dominated  by  tJio  cathedral,  the  stronghold  of  religion;     in  Leg 

Eiseraples^  the  al^idoi?  of  tlic  ;3^11eys,  the  TTfrotection  of  society. 

Is  CBanip8?esent;     in  Les  Trav^-illours  dc  la  ncr,   it  is  the  force  of 

the  s^i  pitting  i-'ts  ponrer  against  manldjid  ?7hicli  ir^kes  t-lte  wliole 

baclqp:"ound  of  the  pictou'*©'*     Eiesc  three  baclq;raiiads  r.T-"Ollz0 

the  TG&OQC'J.-^'-  loninaticn  in  society  of  the  forces  ^j.  ;-wj.igicsi, 

law,  and  isateriallsiii*     ^e  contrast  between  tho  one  milieu  frcas 

idilch  It  is  9C  Imrd  to  escape   (Vae  ^jalleys)  and  the  other  i^ich 

it  is  so  Iva'-— .    -^o  rind  aii..  ^...-uv.-    (  uiie  coii.j.u)  h^     oiii;.^  -  •.>ut  by 

IBoGO: 

Chose  f'^aopantc  —^  I'cscAlaie,  Ics  clotures  franc}iie», 
1»-  -'0  RCce^TtGe  j-^Equ•^i  la  ::ior't,  l*ascoriOion 

dii.. -vxiG  ct  dtLre,   tCT3.s  ces  r.i^ics  cff-    '        -  •■l  avait 
fcits  poT.r  sortlr  de  1 'autre  lieu  d'c-.  *  21.  les 

avait  faits  poiir  cntrcr  dans   celi:i-ci»     ::tait-ce  im 
s-yRibole  de  sa  ('GStinoet   (1) 

de  jsyrabolic  intention  is  rcco.nizotl  ijy  Bi^o  and  it  is  evident,- 

ther*efore,  to  us,   that  Hugo  is  in^iiCi-^tine  how  difficult  it  is 

for  nan  to  escape  frora  tli©  material  ri  isoa  of  aocioty  and  enter 

the  spiritual  refuge  of  Ctod*     Hugo,  lu  fact,  tdccs  care  always  to 

underline  hia  oan  intentions*     Jean  Taljcon'a  escape  fi  ora  tlie 

(1)  aiso,  Les  Miac^     ,-.  .3.  II.,  230* 


social   to  the  divine  lai?  Ic  syribolLr^d  In  the  ve3»y  fact  that  he 
tAlc0«  r-ofuge  in  tvio  houads  of  G<^»     Hugo  repotrto  Joan  Yaljean's 

latci'prctatioa  or  iiis  otm  life; 

i3t  imlc  il  sonceait  q\ie  c 'eta  It  dons  Tsaisoina  de  Dlott 
qui  l*av.lt  £v  it  ixjcucllli  aiis  den;jc  instants 

c '''--'—   --  .,,  a...    >-—•—-  "i---^. -,3  3_Qa 

ot  f  ;^  "  le 

,  ia  a       "^  ^Cr  <fe  3^  coci^t^  htmalne 

^e  11  .  '        .  le 

craae  et  &ans  la  seconde  dans  ie  supplice*  (1) 


In  e"^rj  caso,  ISxx^o  irlll  isol^.  .j  -.is  protagoolst    "•         ..coiety  axxi 
the  solitude  in  which  h©  plaoec  each  of  thesa  is  a  cijjniricant 
element  in  their  lives'*  Qtsislriodo  li-^os  in  a  lonely  coll,  Jean 
"Taljaan  liislCv  the  convent  walls,   -^-    j.sx  i»omG  carejJully  oiiosen  retreat, 
GiUiatt  zloiio  with  tlie  sea,  GFTynnlalno  in  Ills  rolllnB  house.     ^Ehe 
ioilicu  is  ohTlously  sijiatjolic,  in  every  case,  of  the  typs  persoimge. 
It  shof73  liim  cut  off  fro:.:  society,  T»elatec  -lu     ^-ly  tiirough 

religion  (  --  r-i'/in^  Lc3  ::'    '^  ),  and  tliroiieh  nature 

(Leo  IVT-vnilleitrs  de  Ic.    icr^  L*II(Xir.o  qui  rit), 

nu^o  is  not  unique  in  this  respect,  of  coui''ae*     The  typ^  tliat 
Balsac  nix: 5cnts  as  a^ .  d'her-  nfttrimlly 

iso^.iu.  .  ,  ,  :■.   Itli  and 

ar-istoci'-acy  aixi  iiiiiuitlon  (aiiich  is,  uaiially,  tite  world  of  Paris) 
irhero  the  society  of  tlie  day  finds  its  fullest  .  aiunj     or  they 

have  Lxliticr,  ^.^^    isolated  •' --^-v-      -'on  L\.^  temptations •  Dagenie, 
aho  scarcely  jaoTes  out  of  hoi'  o  a  hoa.se  except  to  pcrforia  her 
relii,icHi3  duties;     "Ui*aulc,  T7hoco  society  is  llaitod  to  a  smaU 

(1)  Hugo,  Les  V.-. -;,  II* ,  201* 


circle  of  D'X5cl'^ll-;■  c'-.-c^n  ndvlscrc :      Plcr'i'et.t-C'  ^-w.^-rT^  ■"■o  in  a 
c...- .  lo  lj:i-cuur:  iiu-ic;     ^vt  ... .  c'    .r'u  in  xicr  quiot  ..r-oviaoial   uOv^ij  and 
.,.iO»  do  McKrtaavif  in  tbo  loaclincsa  or  lier  ccimtrg-  estatei     all 
tiiesc  ocrsonagcs  are  respoi^ivc  ix)  tr.eii'  enviroir-Gnt  aucl  coirresycsad 

conteEipoi^a'y  social  iuTlueace  is  a  miliesu  synibolic  oT  ta.'nc  social 
vii'tuc*     .2:xis,  in  toe  iucart  or  Piar'is,  d*/a*tha2  cractcs.  r-rir*  liljoaelf 
c.  delibcrxitc  obscurity.     Uoq*  do  iu  Clianuwi-ic  aii<-c  ^jp  r..         .Ima 
find  for  ti.,czascivea  a  rcticat  •Qlilah  denies  the  presence  of  the 
Pr:risian  society  cround  tiicci'.     Finally,  ;:.  Banassiii,  v;lieii  ije  ciiooaoa 
the  spiiero  in  ohloh  he  ahail  exeiroisc  uie  talontc  and  laatei^laiize 
his  tLieoriea,  cLoosos  a  rasnote  aountaln  village  wliicii  Ims  vbitj 
littlo   ti-affic  vjitii  tlio  outsidG  war'ld*     Thxi&  Uio  :uiiicai  is  roilucod 
to  contrastirig  typos  and  tlic  typical  Dix)cedai'0  .>.ii^ci.i  wc  .lavo  found 
to  bo  aij  liciiblo  to   -ci -oiiago  fuid  plot  b>  coaea  typical  also  ot 
tiio  milieus  lu  KSiiali  tlie  personages  are  jiLacad* 

le  have  seen  above  Uiat  tiiis  is  true  of  "lx>tb  Balzac  and  Hago»     It 
is  quite  obvious  Uiat  it  is  tinie  of  Yieny.     All  his  poots  are 
placed  in  a  niilieu  of  ?x)verty  and  obacurity;     all  hLn  ^oj-ux^j  ^-s 
surrounded  by  wealth  and  the  attributca  of  power*     Tho  riilieu  tlma 
boccsaca  indicatHDre  of  the  oan  and  the  uoal-Ui  and  oovror  la  s^bolic 
of  tlio  Liatorialiaa  of  a  perscsaabe  whereas  poverty  and  obs«a:*lty  ia 
8>iabclio  of  upiritual  value*     VHicn  a  peraonage  aucli  aa  Jalien 
deacrts  hia  poverty  and  obacurity  to  enter-  a  world  of  luxury  '.md 
adulation  aa  ewperor,  Um  dutnged  world  ia  aytabolic  of  a  chtu*ao«A 
attitude*     A©  in  Hui^o,  Ealsac,  and  Vigny,  ao,  in  tlie  other 
rcu&nticiatay  tlie  milieu  of  obacurity,  solitude,  or  ,30verty  is 


Sjpabolic  o-f  vLvixbc  niieiJaas  tJie  nillGxi  of  Ivaaxry  and  wo-altli 
s-jBibollzes  social  comiptlon  and  rjaterlalisn^* 

Bila  Is  tintc  or  all  osccept  Gautici'.     In  C  ,   ulie  ■^Gi\lc2?  saay 

±CE:iodi&-£.clj  o.etoct  a  different  attitude*     !Elie  :.Llli'-u  j.a     -^ioii  ha 
places  Itu   '         ,  for  o-^  ,   ia  .-  ^t  osao  of  .  obscuriuy* 

On  tlic  conti'ai'y,  G  wittier  ^ 7s  f.  t  in        ,  _  o-ger 

dress  and  f'traisb.ings  sjsd  ploaisrire  in  tlic   c..,.-.i'ati.on  of  precicfos 
stonoG    uitl  fine  tcxtrn'os*     Tha  I'ic  of  t<3as  imteriaL    is  tiie 

Betting;  of  o-imuty  fo?;'  IL..  c^Ii  a  point  of  vieis  is  in  striking 
contrast  to  the  aettlisg  invariably  c^.^w  .^  "by  those  rasanticists 
wjiose  soarc-:  for  the  ideel  ^©cliidea  any  ;  .^nt  in  what  dose 

acuiallj  Gxiot.     For  these  latter,   '.'le  ^j  is  one 

of  otsciu^ity  and  oven,  at  tir-k-s^  of  s<r»^:'.l<xr',     Tlie  milieu  is^ 
evidently^  in  Gautiez^*e  sork,  cjmbolla  onca  i.^ain  of  an  attitude, 
an  attitude  dire^^tly  opposed  tc  tl^.t  lehioh,  in  the  earlier 
rofaanticicts,  acainst  the  truth  of  rctual  experience,  .-~^^e  1:?eaaty 
conl  -  '-■  on  TRatex-'ial  pov^^rty.     G^ritior's  attitude-  ija2-:os  Eiaterial 

nature  a  nocessar^y  set  Ling  to  hcriity  and    .,         -iaes  his  Tjeliftf 
that  -Plrltijal  'beauty  cannot  "bo  exv/orienoed  imtil  its  material 
aspect  has  first  l>3en  appi  chcnded  hy  the  senses.     Gau tier's 
«sai^Mifiis  on  the  rmtorial  nilieu  is  tlie  absolate  antithesis  of 
ViGny*s  cITort  to  disr-::^arrl  the  hody  entirely  and  to  "Ijuild  a  w(Hrld 
which,  htjii^  tlie   pur©  essence  of  the  univer-s©_^  v.  ill  i>e  iToi's  idea, 
ami  T-ill  faJJ.  'jiitirely  U-  Icckxlise  the  inatorial  settii^^.     In  tJa© 
fornior  case,  the  world  C^aitier  builds  is  oyibolic  of  his  Villli.^-' 
n&aa  to  accopt  Uie  r^^terial  as  a  /locessary  i^trt  of  life  ana, 
t-xrefore,  of  uctaity  and  ai^t.     Tno  ^fforld  of  ixire  abstraction  which 


Vifiny  attocipts  to  roaliz©  Is  imicativc  of  his  dosir©  to  escape 
frcta  reality* 

Yot  Gautier  also  siiuts  liia  iJorsonaecs  up  in  the  iioi^al  solitude 
of  xAilch  tlio  exterior  solitude,  la  tiio  vsork  of  t±^.e  otlier  rORtantl- 
cists,  is  orten  synroollo.     Often,  ljw.t  not  always*     Balzac,  for 
instance,  i^ooples  Uie  obscurity  of  any  so]  Itudo  witli  a  siiniataire 
Bocicty  just  as  he  peoples  tdme*  de  la  Clianterie's  liouse  wltii 
ropi'osontativos  of  Uio  diief  social  iXinctlons  and  u'ArtiTe-«*3 
Cffltaaele  with  representatives  of  the  chief  social  pa?ofessione  ani 
arts*     Jn  whatever  milieu  Balzac  places  a  personage,  tl^refore, 
it  is  a  milieu  dhich  represents  one  type  of  society*     But  Ga»i, 
on  the  contrary,  places  Indiana  and  Ralph  in  a  ti'opicai  wilderness; 
Jacques  and  Pernande  alone  in  Jacques's  country  bouse |     Juliette 
and  h^ne  in  a  Sviss  Arcadia*     Mne*  de  Stael  sends  Delpliine  to 
tbe  solitudes  of  ^itserland  and  then  to  a  convent*     It  is  true 
she  places  Corinne  in  Italy  "but  she  takes  caic  to  rjolnt  owt  timt 
Italy  is  a  society  in  iMiBie  only,  since  every  individual  In  Italy 
lives  to  himself  alone*     Vi^ny's  figures  rjiove  in  a  world  ifeieh 
se€DS  to  hoM  no  one  \mt  tiiesiselves  and  Hugo  consistently  isolates 
his  protagonists*     ^e  riilieu  wiiich,   in  these  novels,  i^presents 
social  isolation  represents,  oliviaiisly,  a  world  of  coEiplete 
individual isBt,  a  wcrld  where  Rian  it,  c.    i^nad  and  lives  as  one* 

In  Ckiutler,  the  significance  of  the  iiilieu  s^lxJlic  of  pure 
egoiaa  is  equivalent  to  its  siimificanee  in  Balzac  or  Chateau- 
Ijrland*     It  coirresponds,  tiiat  is,  to  the  undesiraljle*     Rene's 
spii'itual  isolation  pi-oduced  his  jAiysical  isoltxtion  and  so  the 


inaterial  ?rlllcn  copr^cj-^onds  tv^  tho  spiritual  rteanlng,     SL'nilarly, 

Grandet's  mate 'lal  mania  i>roduces  his  spirittial  isolation.     In 

Gautier,  the  railieu  \*iich  syribolizes  the  anti-social  f!?«quentl7 

symboliBes  also  complete  lrx»«ilit7»     Qie  quality  of  irreality  will 

\t&  attached  to  tiiat  niliGU  which  corrcsix'nds  only  to  dreaE.     "Hie 

essential  attribute  of  the  drean  world  is  a  certain  nostalgia  for 

tiie  Imposeihle.     TSala  nostalgia  will  carry  Gautier^s  personages 

into  tiie  far  past,  into  the  saost  exotic  countries.  Into  the  «orld 

beyond  death*     The  niliou  wliich  is  purely  ideal  shows  the  itiersonage 

correoTJonding  to  it  to  he  a  otu^e   idealist,  rinablo  to  exist  in 

reality.     Gautier,  tiicreforc,  shoss  this  persooMiee  to  be  actually 

croixting  the  world  in  which  ho  lives,  a  world  which  he  ci^eates  in 

accordance  with  hie  droarr,     Bse  wish  fulfilraent  quality  beeonw 

apparent,  Top  exanple,  if  we  oonnare  d •Albert's  statement  as  to  hie 

ideul  of  ha!-»plnoas  irith  the  stoi^  Portiinio  in  wlilch  Fortunio  Is 

represented  aa  actually  leadinc  the  life  tJiat  d 'Albert  deeii^s. 

D*Albert  writes: 

—  TOicl  eoBBttc  Je  "le  ropr^aente  le  lx)riheur  supr^ae:- 
c*eGt  \m  >;;  and  bStinont  ciirr^  sans  fei:i3^re  au  dehors: 
tme  g::*?'jade  cour  cntoure'e  d'tinc  colonna  le  de  a»rbre  blnne, 
au  riilieu  uno  fontaine  de  crlstal  avec  un  jet  de  vif- 
argent  a  la  rmniere  srabe,  des  caisses  d*eatt.qB«z*e  ot  de 
grenadiers    x^scbs  altcriiativemcnt;     loar  ijL^dessus  un 
ciel  t2»os  bleu  et  un  ooleil  tr'cS' Janne;  —  de  grands 
l^vriers  t  .  ntiseau  de  brochet  d oi    iraient  <^  et  ih;  de 
temps  en  tonps  des  r^gres  pieds  mis  aveo  des  eercles  d*or 
aux  janbes,  de  belles  servantes  blanches  ot  svcltcs, 
liabill^s  do  vetvoents  riches  et  capricieux,  passex^ient 
entro  Iog  arcades  eVidoes,  quelque  corbcillo  au  bras, 
ou  quelque  am  Jhore  sur  la  tete»     Koi,  jo  scraia  ik,      ^ 
iruioblle,  sllerwieux,  sous  vn  daiii  1-'  toure 

de  piles  de  carreaux,  un  gmnd  lion  Z'  ri  co«^e, 

la  gorge  nue  d*une  joune  es clave  sous  non  pied  en  nmniere 
d*e8cabeau,  et  fcaaant  de  l*opiisB  dai^  une  grande  pipe 
de  jade*   (1) 

(1)  Gautier,  Msdecioisolle  de  Maunin,  222, 


D 'Albert  conea  later,  however,  to  desire  the  rillieu  in  which  ho 
actually  rinds  hlEisolT,  tlie  nilieu  7?hich  contains  Mile,  de  llaupin, 
the  milieu  which  corresponds  to  natnre  and  recility*     Tliis  Is  the 
nilimi  which  corrcs5>ond£i  to  an  adrairatjlo  art  and,  tlierexore,  to 
an  admirable  lire#     But  ths  milieu  which  corresponds  t-o  death  ana 
sterility  is  that  in  *ilsli  Eiost  of  Oau tier's  fi^oires  nove  oad,  slnee 
atost  of  than  are  representative  of  exaggci^ted  ruEsmtlciai,  the 
milieu  repi^scnts  Qautior's  cozidesanatlon  of  ixire  romanticism  as  a 
sterile  theory* 

13aB  use  of  railieu  in  Porturxlo  is  typiasil  of  Gauiior's  method*  a» 
prota£:onlst  is  repa'cscnted  as  coming  from  tiie  Cast*     The  EuBt 
ci-EbollEes  to  txs  a  macic  irorld,  a  world  of  wealth  and  vfondcrs»     It 
SijEiboliEos,  tlierQfoz»e,  that  Porttiaio  comes  frcra  a  world  -ahere  wiihea 
come  true*     It  Is  also  representative  of  the  world  of  pure  nature; 
that  is,  of  unrestricted  passion  and  uneducated  instinct*     In  such 
a  world,  man  is  canpletely  alone*     Hence,  tfhen  Portnnio  creates 
for  hiiaself  in  the  tJestern  vrorld  a  r-llieu  ?'epre3cntative  of  ths 
^st,a  mlllea  correspoocarig  to  the  description  g3.ven  by  d'Albert 
above,  Gautfer  symbolizes  its  nature  by  representing  it  as  an 
Eldorado  into  which  no  one  but  l\3rtanio  can  enter*     It  is  a  retreat 
•Jilch  corresponds  to  Pcrrturxio*£  private  dream  and  when  he  enters  It 
he  mstefPS  a  world  where  he  is  nastcr,  ;7here  everything  con»ecpooda 
to  his  wish  and  where  he  alone  possesses  v;ill*     Everything  witiiln 
this  Eldorado  Is  his  cimttel  and  a  material  ninistcr  to  his  pleasure* 
Tlhat  a  reality  slKyuld  ozlst  recalcitrant  to  his  will  is  inconceivable 
to  Portunio;     that  is,  the  existence  of  IJusidora  as  an  individual 
rather  tiaxn  as  a  chattel  is  InconcuiVtible  to  hlja*     What  his  will 
does  not  determine,  Portunlo  cannot  accept*     71ieiH?fore  he  leaves 


tJ-je  i?estei^  woi'ld  and  i^ctiims  to  tho  Eaat.     ?h.i3  a-omidomont  Is 
•^.n  abaudonaent  of  an:r  reality  erttortor  to  Uli^iseir,  an  alxiiidoi^rnent 
of  reality  i'or  dr©?ja,  of  society  for  laonadisri,  of  art  coribined 
iritii  nature  for  imtiire  alone.     He  is  abnndonin^  the  art5_flc.1aJl  gas 
for  riature^s  sun  and  inqtdres  scornfull;'-:  "--Quel  gas  pout 
renplccer  lo  solcil?'"   (1)     Ho  falls   to  realize  the  lack  of  logic 
in  his  quc-'J^tioni     nmTely,  that  t>K5  gns  does  not  ser-vo  as  t».  stJ>> 
stitiite  rai-'   the  stm  l-nit  as  s.n  embelllsliment  for  the  darkness*  The 
v'estGPn  TTorld  is  not  attempting  to  deny  nature  "but  to  add  art  to 
whcit  aatm^e  offers.     Fx)rtimio*s  retre&t  to  the  East  is  si^TxDlic 
of  Tousaea-u's  retreat  to  tiio  Golden  Ago  and  of  his  i^fusa?    ' '"^ 
aobiit  til©  virtuos  of  a  civilisation  and.  an  art  (Kusidora)  which 
requii^s  rmtience  and  tine  to  iinderstand  and  possess,  of  an  art 
which  is  not  a  mere  meoJissiical  servant  (Gmidja-Sari).     The  ailiau 
in  which  I'\)rtunio  is  xflLacod,  a  nilieu  typical  not  only  of  Taaogr 
other  of  Gautier's  personages  imt  also  of  the  majority  of  the 
"xcuinticiGt  nei*sona£ros,  is,  in  fact,  nn  artistic  re-ctatccient  of 
tlie  lAillosopiliical  belief  s^jasorlzod  in  Schopenliauer's  definition 
of  the  iiorld  as  his  idoa« 

In  -the  fevj  Mstorlool  novels,  the  tteie,  likcTftse,  hecoEics  symbolic 
ftZKl  certain  cliaract eristic  details  ray  bo  noted.     The  period  of 
aotre»I>ane  do  Paris  is  representative  of  the  dawn  of  the  RetKilsaance. 
!Eha  year  in  which  the  action  of  Cua tre-Viii^; t-Trc ise  takes  plaot 
assuaes  synbclic  ^mluc  t^Qh  Ciiaourdain  tells  Gauvn.in:     "---Cette 
anrKJe  oti  nous  seesaw  incarne  la  :;'^cl-ution."   (2)     Visny  likewise 
cliooscs  liis  period  for  the  idea  tijat  it  represents.     Gomeille, 

(1)  Gautier,  Ifou voiles,  Fortunio,  157,    Paraphrased, 

(2)  Hu^-o,  Quati^»7£nc^a^eige»  II.,  65, 


^^  ^i^v-Kars,  conrtents  tiot  -nlj  \ip<>o  tlie  slgnirioancn  of  Cln«i- 
Mars*  dGferit  Twt  alno  on  the  sicni^lctxric©  of  that  mrtlcnlar 

historical  period#     I nla«>5S  two  historical  rJOrlodc  *.r.  tixta- 

position  and  seeks   to  in^licat^  th^  essential  analog  whiu.; 

one  epoch  ty^^idl  of  the  othei*,  -m  Rnnlof^-  uhlch  resides  in  tbslr 

s'^iritual  airjnifico-nco,  hence  In  their  S3T^hollc  q^mlitV, 

Frcn  the  quotations  whi<di  havo  h-en  used  -ur;  -'':  ^  +"^-'-  ^oiat,  it  rmist 
laa.^re  bocxno  -anlfest  that  that  ri\r.lity  of  the  2»onajiticlst  imaf^inatlon 
which  is  Qvlc?enced  in  every  clement  of  their  liteiriry  work  doas 
not  fail  to  air>«5ap  also  In  the  language  in  'v?hicli  that  frork  is 
clothed.     It  is,  of  course,  -aasy  to  observe  tlmt^  ulth  certain  of 
tho  roTsejaticists,   the  is^r'jholic  rimiity  of  their  "rorl:  is  less  a 
surface  t3-»ine  and  lesf^  -^    ntter  of  langimge  than  of  tlacmght*     never- 
theless, tlM  author's  especially  vivid  cor^ciousnoss  of  t!^ 
slQnlflQeni&Q  of  certain  poT-»sonarres ,  of  cn-?t-ain  events,  of  certain 
lailioua,  ic  froquentl-^  -^-""^aled  by  the  language  Itself,  by  the 
floral  of  exTession,  even  by  an  occnslo^nl  forBml  doclarRtlon, 

Chateaubriand  sind  Har:o  both  alU-te  betray  their  attitude  In  the 
ftice  of  nature  as  symbolic;     Chateaubriand,   indirectly,  throu^  the 
laaglnative  syrnbolioK  he  ascribes  alike  to  Ghactac  and  Tcnoj 
IIuiP,  J.lrectly,  by  bis  o^m.  long  apostT^oH»T"n  v.n  ■  --.n  -.r?.r'^*.+^^''''   foroeo 
he  invariehly  recoc*nlrcs  behind  the  sffittn^il  elementa*     7       '' 
all  r».tui*e  la  a  wonan's  forrt,  Chactoa  noonles  the  solitetde  rith 
spirits.     Tic  feels  God  ii^-'-^-^r-.i^^-,  v^-. tir^r.     7-Ki  suggests  his  own 


panthcii. tic  airl  aniniatlc  luxlsit  of  -i.'nd  Ir  tlie  whole  siood  of  Mjs 

xiorrativc.     He  personifies  tha  _3iCQii  oi^  ir-turc  ooniitantly  in  such 

claaractcriBtic  Taslilon  as  tiilc:     "—  On  ^  dit  que  l*^e  de  la 

solitude  soupirjilt  dans  toxitc  I'ctcnduc  ca>  ^(<^^rt*"   (1)     Fn^:© 

iBilxiCG  every  fana  of  t<hc  limnlsiate  Yiith  -a  xr-s  u j.-^:.ioui:;  lire*     He 

n'ltes:  "Toixtcs  lee  scribroo  aains  do  la  imlt  a^m5.ent  foiiille*  oe 

aiort."   (2 )     Or,  in  a  .Taiioaee  t-^l^aro  he  hecosaeB  intoxlcatr>tt  "h-r  "•--Is 

om  eloquence: 

Lc  ru4,ii.  I  cle  I'ab^^o,  rlon  n'cst  coni;ara'blc  ^  cela. 

uppolons  1:.  ^  ,  ^  ^  cot 

anal£:a2-ie  d 'energies  incoE^nensiir^iJles  Six.   parfois  on 

fait  fT'lssonjier,  ce  c  le  ct  nO'  ^   oe  ftai 

in'ooi:  »  a  iin  cri  — — .^ao  cri,  c'os'c.  i  •oiu:-:ir,'an« 

-—  Lv.o  ..ut,±v      ^""l---  —-•',-- '.-t  i»9rte  ^Q  l'iml'7Gi»s; 
cclle-ci  Gu  c.  w.   (r) 

Moreover,  tiiG  a;,n"bollc  Ir.ia^irsation  is  constantly  r.  l.n  the 

xiark.  or  the  r  ;  icjatlcic  ta  'ay  the  tondency  they  rjjjinlEJOualy  erihlhit 
to  personify  the  inanJuato,  a  tendency  rasdo  laanifest  in  Vlgny, 
ili^o,^  and  Balzac,  especially,  and  noticeable  in  thoir  trork  because 
of  the  froqu^ait  uae  of  capital  letters  ?fh5.ch  it  cntailn.     CJaaitior 
is  apt,  on  tlie  contrary,  to  affoct  tao  use  of  t^ie  ureek  la:3g:^jge 
of  symbol,     This  is  consistent  with  the  fact  that  his  settings 
of  ton  make  use  of  the  1.  .ry  past  and  of  vaiiished.  civil  izatioas* 

131©  unreality  of  the   setting  con?espondf^  ^'    the  lansua(^:e  >vhloh 
introduces  Itoriiheus^  Poccidoin,  Karcissvts,  mvl  other  srich  personagoa 
«}30se  life  is  poroly  synbolic*     Perliaps,  of  all  th©  roraantlcists, 
I3BIO*  do  Sta'Sl's  lani?ua£e  niay  be  said  to  bcj  loist  revalat-^  „ 
the  aniiaifitic  iiablt  of  laind*     "Xet  siie,  too,  inY:lri^^bly  personifies 


[ 


1)  ChateaulTTiand,  Atala,      7, 

2)  Hu^o,  L'lloCTne  qui  rit,   I,,  111» 


^X-i. 


rr'.t-.r"^  und  t.t'.:::jlr:t-Co  c  :'c:  vli:>    .i^zzzs  of  Certain  abctcuct 

rstJCb  as  It  ^  ,  religion,  art,  "JjKjauty^ 

".  S'>clctg'«     Snr<!.  -^Uo^s  }'9i^^  de  ^-ta?il  In  thlc  rospcct  and  r. 
ccmrarlson  ""  ■'■':  oy  •'-se  will  s' u^    uu^-v   .        .rxi^actorlstic 

slcillaritloa. 

Eepotitlon  is.   Indeed,  rorj  cdiaracterlr.t,*'^  -^^    •"         ui^^iiv-iju  of  t;iie 
ronanticlsta  arid  the  tr»v?.ta>»le  corollary  of  tliDlv  ccsinion  s-saabollc 
aJr;«     Over  pjad.  over  acaln  irc  liotsr  tiic   aonc  for^niilas  frcEi  tlio  S€8M 
writers  and  the  voca"bular7  of  the  ronantlclsts  Is  Ixaundcd  alsjays 
"t?j"  certain  crrtWrB.1  deities  siich  as  Ha  tare,  ^oclotgr,  God,  Lo-ra, 
Airt^  Bea-'.it   ,        ■  ?m.tlY,     In  (»Tincctlon  'rttli  eacJi  Of  th©s©   "'-'.ttes 
r.  c^ertaln  sr»eclal  vooftTmlary  asse'»''tc   Itself  and  the  v.  i  y  necessity 
of  v.slr>£  the  aass  descriptive  words  over  and  o?TOr  in  regcrd  to 
.*  of  this  rnnantlclst  llterp.t^r'c  la  a  nine  to  the  repetitive 
URttrro  of    vbo  orlgiiial  express  ion, 

!3»  use  of  ahsoliite  antlthenls  is,  ho^e'^^r,  the  of  osrnresslon 

TOSBt  affected  '-"  '^-ae  rormnticlsts.     It  Is  throxigh  the  contrast  of 
woras  and  phr-'Ses  tMt  the  ronantlclst  micceeds  Ir.  evolrl-^n  ^nd 
naMnj^  us  as  consclmis  as  he  him  elf  is,  of  the  ahj/BS  which  separates 
tiro  ■worlds  as  widelj  as  the  antithesis  of  his  languai^e  sepamtea 
tvo  neanlngs.     The  lanox-eirro  of  these  novels  constantly  serves, 
therefore,  to  cleave  tho  shairo  dividing  line  "between  ttro  contrasting 
ideas.     It  aovos   from  ccntras-'-  ^  —  "-^-".trast,  expaciadir?^-  ''^^'^.  develop- 
ing stnd  esn'-'^nslslnj:  its  -^jolnt  and  -^11  the  nower  of  eiEtn-^a^lr*-^  In 
ronantlclsn  depends  na  the  ease  Trith  which  the  writer  avalli  hlaaself 
of  ■""-■* ^    tech-R-'"  "*    .-r.-rir.-,^     Tf   < -.    'eveloned  to  its  absolv.te,  perhaps. 


in  Hugo  and  to  read  the  follow Ir^  pasaa  :e  la   to  r»edlscovof»  all 
the  posaibilltles  latent  in  its  nac: 

—  Oul,   Je  te  ilains,     Tu  as  nienti  a  ton  capitaine.  Toi, 

chi'eticn,   tti   es^ano  Tclj   ,^toi,  hvcton,  ttt  es  sans 
honneiir;     J*al  et^ccnTle^a  ta  loyautc  et  accept^  par 
ta  tralilson;     tu  donnes  ma  mort  ^  ceux  ^  qui  tu  as  proiiiis 
na  vie.     Sais-tu  qui  tu  perds  icl?     C'eot  tol.     Tu 
proiids  ma  vie  au  r:.)i  et   Ui  dnmco  t.:u  etoi'nite' au  dor.ion« 
Va,  corarteta  ton  crinc,   c'cst  bien.     Tu  fais  laon  siarch^ 
de  ta  ^rt  d©  paradis,     Grr  "     -    toi,  le  dlablo  valncra, 
grace  a  tol,  les  eglises  t.  at,  gi^ee  \   ioi,  los 

Ellens  continueront  a  foiidre  lea  alocbes  et  d'en  faire 
des  c-nons;     on  iiitr'aillera  les  hf^rimes  avec  oe  cral 
sauvait  les  iiiaes*     En  ce  rnomont,  aX  Je  parle,  la  clo^ie 
qui  a  Sonne  ton  bapt^asie  tue  rxjut-ctro  ta  n"^re«  — - 
Contirme,  tei^raine,  ach^ve.     Je  auis  vlo^    et  tu  es 
joune,  jo  siiis  sans  ames  et  tu  es  aim©;     tiie-?iioi,   (1) 

It  is  unnecessary  to  la"bour  the  ix>int  by  quotii^  at  lengtJi*     But 

in  ord«r  that  it  nay  not  be  supposed  that  Hugo  is  unique  in  this 

respect,  a  sentence  or  two  fraa  Oauticr  w&j  bo  qtK>ted«     Spirite 

addi^osses  Guy  in  the  following  balanced  ndii'ases:     "—Nous  serons 

1  •unite' dans  la  duaiJLte,  le  raoi  dans  le  non-^rwi,  le  I'louvesnent  dalMl 

le  repos;     le  desir  dans  I'accofa  lissenient,  la  fra'icheup  dans  la 

flaane*"   (2)     An  analysis  of  the  language  employed  In  connection 

with  any  series  of  syrr>athetlc  and  unsyiapatlietic  personages  within 

the  work  of  a  ix»»anticlst  va^lter  would  reveal  the  use  cf  two 

ecntplete  vocabularies  —  one  vocabulai^y  appllcaoiv.:    oo  one  series 

of  personage©,   the  other  coatrasting  vocabulary  applicable  to  toe 

contrasting  i:«r3onages» 


Oid.y  a  series  of  quotations,  however,  can  enpi^aise  a  fact  that 
can  easily  be  corroborated  by  casual  readir^:     tlmt  the  langfuage 
of  the  novelists  of  roEianticicn  Is  essentially  symbolic  in  tr^.m  of 
itoHxse  and  dLioice  of  vocabulary.     Let  GhatoaubBiaod  speak  for 

(1)  Euro,    ^mtre-Vin£t-TrciEe,   I.,  65,  66. 

(2)  QeutlerTSplt'iie:  '^1^* 


t^cUial  D^nlx>i  111  UiO  ^'./i.-xi  or  dccion  or  s;;lrlt,     later-  Gljaetas's 

description  of  the  stoT=m  ??ill  v.se  the  s«Tie  ty^^lcal  laujiinge  witlxcait 

the  aefciuil  l'nfr'r>r'"r'-Aon  of   ■''■"^  r.-*-'ft, ' 

Mc  '     "        It  cot:/,:  c  Ics  r'  '^ '*    Isses 

t^:iu;ic-.;     _u  i.:_j.ioa  do  ce  vaate  ch^^^  ^'iiZ.\,  an 
rn^'lGsecicnt  cciifUc  fonae  r^r  le  fracas  des  ""nts,  ir^ 
ge  "  "    "       arbrea,  le  hiiplenent  ties  t^toa  r  "^       ;3. 

Ic        ^ r.'c   I«-ucci>v-,o,      -    In    r-^^z   rS-.^     .Ti 

tonncrre,  qiil  slffle  &n  s*©tel{jnant  dans  3.es  eaux*  (1) 

ElseTBliere  ho  nakcs  the  abstract  concrete:     "~  J 'en  partis  oaana 

de  la  borne  d*ou  je  voulais  E'elanccr  dans  la  ca::r*iere  do  la 

Vortu."   (2) 


♦  de  Stnol*o  language  aay  be  illustrated  by  Cast«l»iTorte*s  -napy 

typical  speech  describli^  Corinne: 

— Corinne  est  le  lien  de  ses  amis  entre  eux;     e-Tin  est 
le  nou-vcnen;^,  l*int5r^  de  notiT;  -^/le;     iiyiyi  ns 

sr  "  "^    'S  de  son  genie  j     iious 

ci"  '       _   ^    r.»liij   c*e£:t  I'lna^c  de 

notre  belle  Italie;     elle  est  ce  que  nous  serions 
sons  1*'  '.-^  I'envie,  la     "  '     :,t  l^inlDlcnce 

auasqueixL;^    .   .i-e  sort  nous  a  c  .__^  .xjL,'*     Hous  nous 
plaiaona  r-  la  conttr^pler  me  adrtil-'Svblo  iTrx^clnction 

de  notre^clltnat,  de  *^    ix-arts.  corane  un  rejet<m 

cui  :,xicro,  o-.-no  v.no   ,  '^      j  <\c  l^avonlr;     ot  "_-'ir.nd 

les  6tra5gers  insulten^  ^  co  pays,  d*a^  sont  sorties 
1       "      '  qnfl  Oi}"-  cclritvcf  1*"  '~      nont 

St-  ,.     ...   .^xrar  nos  torts,  qui     .  j. . _    ^.iheurs, 

ncnxB  lettt'  disona:     ''rosin^dcn  Oorin:ie«**   (3) 


ilugo  fi^cquently  allov/s  fcinselT  to  ''jc  ca-^-'rlod  aloi3£  in  a  very 
torrent  of  words*     Ho  nrltos  of    iuaslmodo: 

l*Sgyptc:  I'eut   •^rlo  ^-"om'  Ic  tlle^i  do  c-;  t^^ple;     le 


(1)  Clmteaubriond,  A  tola.       . 

M    Ibid.,     54, 

(3)  ScieT  ae  Stael,  Corinne,  665« 


rwyen 'etgo  l*©n  cr'oyait  le  <iem:>n;     11  en  ^tait  l*^e* 

A  tel  nolut  quo,  pour  ceux  qtil  aavent  que  (^luaslsiodo  a 
exist($,  Hotre-Lame  ost  aujaurd*hul  4eserto,  Inaninee, 
oorto.     C"    ■  rnt  qu'il  7  a  cuelque   cr  -  Ge 

corps  Im  ^       ost  vide;     c'est,  un  Sv  .  'it 

l*a  quitted  on  ea  voit  la  place,  et  voiltt  tout*  (1) 

Shis  is  the  lani:,ixQ£e  ox'  s^bol  but  it  ims  little  siguiricince 

since,  to  liUtiO,  viuaiiimodo  doos  not,   in  I'oality,  r©pa?esent  the 

clacrcli  but,  r-atber,   wi©  3pli\lt  of  tu©  people*     Joan  Valj^xn,  aa 

M»  i^deloine,  l>ecoiiiG3  tlie  living  cxonple  o£  the  natural  law  iAmb 

Iftigo  vriteas     "H  aemblait  qu*ll  out  pour^o  le  llvre  do  la  loi 

naturello."   (2)     Javert  is  dosci^ibod  on  various  occasions  aj^ 

alimys  on  the  amne  note*     Evi^  writes:     "c'dtait  le  devoir 

Icg^cable."   (0)     And  elsewhere:  "La  police  elle^t^e,  incamee 

dans  Jfeyert,  ixjuvait  s*y  troaper,  et  s'y  trorapa*"   (4)     Of  the  Eiore 

casuBl  personages  Hugo  likewise  sisiffiiarizes  t}ie  significance:     "A 

cote  d'EaJolras  qui  ropresentait  la  logique  do  la  x'evolutioii, 

CcJBbcferre  en  roprosentait  la  philosoiahie.''   (5)     Of  the  figures 

of  the  imdeTBorld  he  tiritca;     "Ces  quatre  liOBEoes  n*^taient  point 

quatre  hosKies;     c*etait  une  sorte  de  raystt^'ioox  voleur  a  quatro 

tctea  travalllant  en  gi^aad  sur  Paris;     c*(^tait  le  polype  irionstruwtx 

du  nal  liabitaat  le  crypte  de  la  societo*"   (6)     'ihe  historical 

fact  too  is  s^bolic  irhen  Hu^  speaks  thus;     "Ces  dmxx.  harri<»d68 

s^holes  toutos  les  deux*..."    (7)     It  is  in  tto  words  of  Enjol3?as, 

the  hsro  of  the  barricade  of  13o2,  that  Hogo  nsy  be  said  to  stmt 

up  his  o«n  liovel  and  tiiose  other  novels  of  Ills  which  aliare  its 

(IJ  Hugo,  rtotre«Daiae  dc  Paris,   I#,  177» 

(2)  Hugo,  Les  feisera]iLos^"T»T  i'«i. 

(3)  Ibid*,   I,,  im. 

(4)  ^^.,   II»,  179. 

(5)  iror,.    II,,  3G5, 
(G)  Tm.,    II.,  438. 

(7)  Tus;?..  r/.,  r. 


pat1;.ern»     Zlnjolras  speaks  to  hie  ccrirades: 

"""  -^  ^  .  .    .       -  i  a  la  i.  ..wc; 

^  ;!-^'   "  ^. ....  o  v.u  vleu:-  -  la 

"     '  "^     Or,  1:.  io. ^;^a, 

Co  /       ^  ovant  les  anges, 

ei.  -^  -  -.  ^..v.^_vw  w.*w.-..-^ — ,....j.»  i£i  ri-atex^nitoTi 

— —  ;:£iottr,  tw  as  I'aveiilp*   (1) 

Hkxi  autiior  xilmsoir  Intorvenos  lr:.ter  in  order  to  Tindenine  liis  owa 

purpose: 

Le  llvr©  c^e  lo  l^cteuz*  a  sfjus  1«b  t^ux  en  co  iiimiiit^ 
"*       ,    "*un  l30«it  a  !•.     "      ,    '  ns 

: —  „.''-. lis,  cii-alics   :-, :.  ._.„  _  ,^.  .,,  lea 

exceptions  au  les  d^r.iilanceii,  la  :::ai»ciio  l  r;.-:i 

'  ■      ,    -     I'liij      '  /      ^      ^  ^  mit 

^--  o — »  ''■'■®  "^  --t-^-w —  -  _...-,■_.._ w _>^ — N-^j    ..J  J.W  _  ^..•. _ _  J. iiXH'o 
a  la^'ie,  de  la  bcstialite  ait  d&voir,  de  l^eiifor  au  clol^ 
•^     "  '^  .     loiAt  do      ^  -.ti"^.-c,  poixit 

d* .   _'-...;.     L*liyahs3i  u.,   .  . .  ...„„^.ijnt,  I'anse  X  la 

fin^    (2) 

BsKW  Lea  Eia^^'aLas  tonsinatea  witl;:  Marl-as*a  recosr-ition:     "Lo 

forcat  s«  transfigurait  en  Clsriat,"   (3)  and  liis  isroao-uncaaont : 

"-•Cosctte,  cet  iiorEaG-la,  c'est  l*ar!,3a!  '^    (1)     vJic  sa;^5  i  ^e 

serves  to  roi«>ve  Gill  la tt  i^' nt  tha  sjiie^'e  of  Iiidi7l3iu-.l  llfs  and 

to  i^aiia&  appecront  Uic  £ii^i:.U<ki2iOQ  tJmt  Hu^  attaches  to  iiiis*     Q» 

irritos : 

Gllliatt  ctjilt  'mo  ospfeeo  de  Jo"b  de  1'ocoo.n.. 

■Bis  uii  Jol;  i--:ttuua,   .::^i  Jo'c  coa'^ui:  "        'v  froat 

ears  floa-ux,  un  Job  conr-aorant,  et,  ^_     .  ..ts 

n'otfiiont  pas    Jirop  ,  i  lioiu''  \m  pauvre  ^ot  peclieur 

de  crabes  et  de  laogoiictos,  un  Job  ProactiK^e.  (5) 

Of  tlio  minor  perscn^ageSy  Clubin  becomes:     "le  nal  — —  accouple 

a  la  probite",   (6)     Rantaine  la:     "la  force  servant  d'eir7cloi)pe.k 

;i)  ifciijo,  Le-:  Hlaei-tUjlea,  III.,  202, 

2)  r^id^  r/.;?^ 

;4)  TTt^,,   17.,  2-1^. 

)  Le^  J  clo  1p.  nor,  II«,  75» 

^6)   ^— ^->»^   1« ,  i-'.i.» 


la  I'uae".  (1)     q^g-ti^e^viQct-"     "  2  i^  f equally  isrollflc  in  the 
laaguogo  of  symbol •     A  diolocue  t>et\?eon  two  man  l^ocaaos  a: 
"uiaOx^ud  dG  I'doco  ot  do  la  hcche".  (2)     Bi9  elgnificanc©  of  the 
i  Gvoliitioii  artu  o_   oiie  ixjoic's   uiionie  is  u-ircctly  aiscusijed:     "La 
Involution,  c*©st  I'avonoEient  du  peuple;     et,  au  ffend,  le  Peuple, 
c*e3t  1*Bq^bjo«"   (3) 


Yet,  in  spite  of  certain  fundcnental  diff«rencea  between  Bogo  axiA 

Bal£«:^c,  tae  lanpumpe  of  Balzac  shares  fretjucntly  v/ith  that  of 

iiugo  tiie  syntnotlc  nitdier  tiian  Xbo  analytic  tone  and,  at  mich 

tijiies,  strikes  'iie  ajrabolic  note  quite  as  clo£irly»     In  mJkGh  a 

passage  as  Uie  Sollomijag^  Balzac  displaya  the  ssnfbolie  qimlity  of 

aaa  totaginatioQ  which  will,  conscicmsly  or  iineonscloiiiigry  sake  of 

tdos  uJciole  book  a  symbolic  tiieaae: 

iiiie  buvait  a  long^s  traits  a  la  coupe  de  I'lnoonnut,  de 
I'llaposslbl^,  du  ^^eve'.     Elle  adr.irait  l*oiscau  blou  du 
)  a*.idia  des  jeunes  filles,  qui  diantc  ^  r*  ,  et  aatn? 

; ; liel  la  rxiln  no  rieut  ;1*ir.mi3  so  ^x>2ei'^  .,  lisse 

entsNsvoir,  c^  vjio  io  plccib  d'aucun  rusil  n'attoiat,  dont 
^es  couleui*s  nar:lqiioy,   f'.ont  les  :)ic""      '  lllent, 

oblou^sent  loa  youx,  ot  qu'on  ne  X"'.  ...  qxts 

la  Kealite^  c©tte  "r'.deiiso  Harp  to  accor  ^3  de  t^oins 

et  de  Taon--. '-—■"■' -    ^  •■-*.-"',   _--^--,-a^^     Ayo±v  ao  '*  -     .-z* 
toijtes  1  ^  t!     qiiGllG 

debauciiei     quelle  ciiii<^r*Q  \  tous  crinsl    "5   coutcs  ailesl  <4) 

It  be<Mttss  obvi.aiie  that  Modesto 'a  correspcrslence  irltli  Cazsalls 

is  a  corresyixidence  with  "I'lnconnu",  r^ith  the  "R^ro"*    Again,  if 

UQ  explain  the  aeeooiation  of  lAicien  and  Vautrin  eltbeir  in  their 

osn  ooo^ie  or  in  Dalaac's,  we  are  irresistibly  <»rrled  forward  into 

the  worKL  o±  s;pilK>li»i  iftiere  Iiucien's  death  is  caused  ijy  the 

(s)  ibidi,--T!:;;SiFr~-~-— '     *' 

(4)  EEXSuc,  Loueato  Liignon,  5Z^ 


desU-uctivt!  force  inliercnt,  in  ¥autrln»     Lueien,  before  his  death, 

writes  to  Vautrin: 

—  11  y  a  la  post^rlt^  ac  Gain  et  ccllc  d^Abel,  caraae 
voiTS  c'isieB  qiw»'»f  «fois.     Ca?Cn,  djins   1©  Krand  d:-'»affae 


de  J 


3 

^vie  da 


aouffler  lo  feu  doni  la  m*c-m^i^  (Ttinccllc  avait  6te 
jet'/o  31^^  j,l7r«  — —  Oes  f'cns-l''*  lans 

la  Societe' corxvie  des  lions  le  l „.._  ^.,    ::u3 

Ho?:Tiandlc:     il  Ictir  faut  nne  T>atnre^   lis  devoivnt  des 
lioraaes       '      ire^  et  br     ■      ".  ies  -^  j     leu3?s 

5©U3C  s    .        ..    ie:'illGiix  ^    '--_-r>  fir  .r.  I'lurable 

cl'iien  dont  ils  se  sont  fait  un  co  )-q,^  une  idol©,   (1) 

FurtbQP  on  he  .jrltos:     "-- C'est  la  }x>osic  Jv  mal.*'   (2)     Balaac 

writes  that  Vatitrln  is  *'tui  dffikon    'oss^aut  un  vcdqc  attlr<^dan3 

son  enfer  pcfvar-  lo  ral*raichli^  dhme  rosee  d<5robe?e  an  rmradis"  and 

tbat  "pom'  lui,  Lucien  ctait  son '&ig  vialblo".   (3)     Aa  laiclen  bos 

es^lained  Vauti'in'c  a^xM^e  in  iiis  oxiat.cnce,  so  dooa  Vautrin 

explain  w^t  Lacien  lias  "oeen  to  hinu     Crime  arsl  Justice  eonfrtmt 

each  otisBT  as  he  faces  &•  <ifi  ^ranyille  arui  ns  he  cries:     "—On 

Miterro  en  ce   loncnt  rm  vie,  !?k  l>cautQ,  ria  vcrui,  im  conscience, 

toute  raa  for  tie*  "    (4)     Iaxc  ion's  death  docidcs  nlm  as  to  the 

InrKs&sHiilit^"  of  the  defiance  v.hich  he  had  uad«rt€ikea»    Bd  will 

xiot  renounce  hin  idea^  tut  h©  will  r'eacvnco  his  nvlteMlU     Bb 

Meditates:     "—Los  etats  qu*on  fnit  dans  le  ^orKLe  ne  sont  que  dee 

iillim  imndin;     la  reallte,  c*?ct  l^ldeel"   (5)     A  belief  such  as 

thlB  is  at  tljfc  very  heart  of  s-^mbolic  creation  and  might  easily 

be  tbe  cords  of  Vigny's  i>octeur-Nolr  so  closely  do  they  parallel 

his  statements.     It  Is  qiilte  according  to  Viguy's  £Q£iml&  that 

Balzac  shoiild  eaatirely  dis^onue  xrith  any  effort  to  eoa^i^Ll  lils 


I 


1)  ^  ^  ■"  ^  -s  et 

2)  j^ -■.»  J     ...  sj  • 

3)  Tg!5:,,   III.,  146, 
[4)  TOT,,   IV.,  25iJ. 
;5)  T?^n,>    17.,  239. 


n  c-'ui"...isanea.    III.,  117. 


'±/iX. 


Intiaition  and  sliould  at  liist  aum  up  iiia  novo!  tcfe'  the  reader : 

Ainsi  les  divci'S  latere ts  tlcrao^  ensoablo,  an  "baa  «t 

(ians^le  ca  — .-^^^   .^ - „  S^   „    ._  par 

iR  necessity,   "^prrcccntcs  par  trois  :     la  jiiotlc© 

par  *  ,  la  f         "  . , 

dc-vr;_  _      __  .ii-o,    ■     .  ,    ._      _ _..,     .,„ 

coarii^u^ait  le  aal  social  dana  sa  saimge  enersio.   (X) 


But  by  vii^tuG  or  'ciKJ  eouaistcnt  s;,a;aaoiiaE  of  his  In.  e,  Palsao's 

pei'soriaees  Rr«  rjcver-,  for  lon^,  able  to  mofvc  in  a  restricted 
a«ttiijg  detciroirttjd  bj  reality*     I:33tead  thnj  a]:»s  stiddonly  ti-ans- 
foianGd  into  alastr-act  qualities  or  types.     Ti:c7  tower  beTore  lis 
with  a  r»ew  i^aroatic;©  and,  gigantic   in  their  siTilxilie  role,  tliey  are 
divested  of  airy  ;->ossiblc   IricliTidual  idiosyncrasies  wiilch  had,  indeed, 
seiryed  oiily  to  aoa  ^o  —ic  ceiicrrd  effect  v/iiich  Bolr^c  irislied  to 
obisain,  to  licl^itsn  the  central  core  of  tlieir  boinc,  tlie  central 
^Kz^  Bhich  lis  noii  cioarly  deflnea*     Sometiacs  it  is  cue  of  the 
poi--aoriaties  wijo  cxpreose*  hla  conselotisness  of  Uie  a  .^.gnj-fioiui «  iv^l« 
of  aaotlier.     K^noe  Tirites  to  iirciand©:     "—  Le  nous  doux,  Je  Bula 
iin  peu  la  liaisaa  co-tjae  ta  mi  I'Iraasinatlon;     je  suls  l9  |p?«i^ 
Bavoir  c:.nimo  va  «a  le  f^l  /mouri"   {'^)     Or  Gamille,  whose  reXlglooa 
lovo  is  occasioned  "by  'n  eai-'iler  eartiily  l07e  fca*  Oalysto,  booortea 
a^aro  of  Calycto 'a  rolo  in  her  life:     "Jillle  jotix  Ics  -^reux  sttr 
les  detours  quu  Oaiysx.e  lui  '.xvuio  rait  .■.'aire,   ot  ieu  c.ouiJarait 
a-oz  ca-fisrains  tortuoux  de  coa  roclier»a»     Calyste  /tait  tau jours  <a  sea 
fWix  le  beau  nseasaaer  dta  ciel,  v.n  vlivln  no-'.-cteiir."   (3)     Or 
■Be*  ■  G  biir^eton  iDuks  r.t  Lucien  and  oo::.L;j.us.i-!J?     "X^  poetc  etait 
deja  la  poeiiie."   (4)     Or  when  J'xLes  beoniarcts  goes  to  visit 


(1)  Bal:5GC,  £^  3  ct      "  :   ^o^tr .  3,   17,,  238, 

'(2)  Ealzaa,   Lemolrcs  des  d'eujc  .ie'iineo  marxgT;^■^,  "JtTB, 

(3)  Balzac,   Bc^atrix,~215, 

(4)  Balzac,    Illiis 5.ons   rierdues ,    I.,    224. 


Atieuste  de  Maullncrnir,   -/Ictl^n  of  ':\'.s  fatal   curiosity,  Balzac 

vrrltes:     "J\iles  crut  voir  at:?-kless-vis  de  co  -vlnago  7.a  terr^lble  l^tc 

dc  FeTTR.r^7Jz ,  et  cetto  complete  Vengeance  ^cai^aa^^  .:.-;.  Ilaine.^'   (1) 

^  Les  -^ipIcTyes,  des  Ltipeaulx  tolla  Ralxyirdin  t!ie  cwass  of  his 

failxirej     "— Voixs  aves  contrc  vc-ns  4es  usuriei*s  et  Is  clesr^e', 

1  •argent  et  l*Sglise»"   (2)     Societ?-mes   it  is  Balsac  lil^rself  who 

Interveaec  iii  oiHier  to  expreas  230^-e  clearly  tise  idea  irliich  eonta^l* 

tliD  appear axico*     In  TIrsiilc  .  „>  ^  describes  Mi  in  th.is 

s^Eibolic  fas^iioa: 
_  / 


i.-w< 


5  la  ' 

La  CGI  Ir^  J,   -le  be  -axU*     Le, 

r..""  .  '  '  -uj  cet  o- 

s.  .^   W..W    .-.^..- .-v.-   6v.  lo     .  .:  r.sjoit 

fi'.  ':  t^'jrce  d'f^r.c  -^-ws  la  -ia.-tL  /:ioa 

qutt  pi'O-iuii,  ijia  "briital  d^clo  it   'e  la  eijair-*  (3) 


It  is  oiTtly  iiecessai'y  to  recall  tlvo  opeechss  already  qLiot€K3  whioli 
Vigny  i-uita  into  t^e  ixyutlis  of  stcllo,  Docteiir-lToir,  Ciiattortoa, 
or  otiicra  of  i.Li  ,^ei*3orjai;es  to  i>e  convinood  tliat  he,  ll:e  laigo 
Cijjd  Balzac,  sees  lifo  so  stead l}.y  in  coitis  or  s^nbol  tlmt  "liis 
language  rarely  escapes  syibolic  I'nplicAtio'is.     !:3ac  story  of 
Chatt-rton  rcacbea  its  climax  in  tno  xii'anatic  3i>30Cli  wlilc^  tli© 
jX>et  viakec    *  -  --.:"n^'  to  his  f\ci.otioii  in  th?  -rorld,  a  speech  wliich 
is  entirely  ajriUolic  in  Torn,  r^i^  er:jrefl3i-*ri,  a  long  metaphor 
InteauLod  to  ccnvoy  idoal  truth  by  noans  of  concv^ote  3;!ia^ery.     In 
Dapilmdl  lUiowisa,  t!ie  cllrmx  1e  contained  In  the  loi^  speech  in 
ittilch  Libaniuo  uses  tiic  c-^':r.;;olic  figure  of  the  mxLV^  encased  in 
its  crystal  in  order  to  convey  to  Jul  ion  a  trath  previously  only 


CI  J  r-olsac,  7oTTfa-n^^   Ip.f., 
(£^  B".1=?.C,  ^'  .,  204. 

(5)  Balsac,  t-  ^-..--    .  -.     "let,   C,, 


in  Tact,  th3W\3gh  symbolic  speeches.     Caoitruiiie  '.enaua  concl-ades 

ilia  aceouai,  ox    the  iiitei^view  betwecu  Pliis  VIx  am  ii*i.poiaon  with 

Budb.  a  spoeclj.*     DoctGUi--»Ifoij:'  Goaxilu^  ^  dIe  first  lotjg  ;i^^nvci*satloin 

witii  btello  by  ayabolie  i^elciences  tc  Hewer,  tljc  a:yrabol  of  the 

r«ei,  &IKI.  to  riatOy  Uio  ^yi^ibol  oi'  Iha  Pliilo&K>plxur'«     He  expresses 

tlxe  truth  b:/  which  Libaiiius  lives  in  tlie  language  ot  pore  symbol; 

!Xl*jiu.u3  drinics  his  tc»LJi»tj 

-^  A  V^mis-Ui^ejaio  — —  qui  etv  la  auijesaae  cl^iniellG,  la 
Venus  create,  lie  c&i  clel  que  le  ciel  cncenara 

u&xi,     •  *      '>      - — .."  cu  ao  Kiere,   '-."v    .  i:,-.  •;  ^j^  ppeniera 
dcs  .  ^rlnces  imr  l*f  „  o  Oans  tout 

l*xn;  iiOii  c-  1*1  ,         ,le 

qu'i...^.;.^>y;.-o  les  anea  v— _^.v.^  ^v.    .^■.  -^ioyances, 

et  cu'av:ait  toute  ^>r'iGf  e  aus  i.fieuit  ^      "^  :^,  vienaent 

e  et  les  Ch:  "^       j4  de  ^t 

Utmnle,  li  la  lioautd^ S&iperiasable  et  create.   (1) 
13«  lan{ji.iage  of  8''fl?ibol  Is  ccmon  alike  to  both  raaster  and  slave 
and  it  is  ?avCL  de  Larisse  v/ho  patB  into  Fords  the  s?7mbclic  con- 
clusion of  I^phne  as  he  cries : 

-«  Y,-rir>-5:       n'^tres  f».Tturs  de  la  t.ov.r.o,   rnT  1- ■■•  ATEjportez 
les     ^  "^         ,  1/t  iiuit  et  la  tr-  .  etes 

vr  ^  etendard 

^rrals  r            ts,  qui  ne  Joutez  ce  qui  vmis  est 

e             "^  ,  vous  qui 

nc   -.    ,-  -  .^-.-    .-^w   ^v.,-  v.- ^..~   --.^     ..,:.„^.^  ,. jiiii  un 


£;.      ,_     — -  Lc   del  te  dOEUior  uao    ..lace,  ^  I-aa'Darel 
-^—  Orois-le,  ti^  "    .'  ^   /    '^^^ 

qvii  asrail,    "  '  ■  llx  .,  ../   -    ^-   ^rir 

i'iilc^ale  '',1*1  ^        vcrtu,  i'id^ai  ano^n^J    (2) 


ee 


It  is  only  the  Barbarian  wiio  does  not  seek  for  the  tiiou^tht  under 
the  syrabol  and  it  is  fair  to  say,  tiiei'^sforo,   tlrnt  Vigny,  of  all 
the  rosTianticists,  is  the  laost  conscioxis  of  tiiat  fona  of  expression 

(1)  rjsivixo  do  I'aris,  1012,   r/.,  "/iccny,  Dapl^ie .  12. 


Sand's  3.an<-uase  r.ovGS  f  tlj  Ixiolr    i^vl  Torth  "be  the 

splteres  of  tlie  concroto  arid  ;  ;   .  "bears 

a  definite  "f^seiri-olanr --^  *''•  ^"'^^ '^-  r-f  rr.u  o  or  I^lsac  althoit^  more 
frcqucntay  It  ladiis  ia.^co'i,  on  lia.'iis  aiid  Balzac  *3  derinitenesa. 
Yot  she  will  rrrito :     "CciTKiin,  qui  s'ot^it  dcTotio'' tout  Ciitler  a 
l^oowTTQ  cor/nuna,  ©t,  par  conaoqucnt,  a  celui  qiii  In   pei^aonnifialt, 
au  ?x>rc  de  la  ?njnllle,»««"   (1)     Slie  doJiiio^-^   the  tlji'oo  women  of 
Conji-.ncG  Vcrrlor  in  abatroxi  terns  r     "Cea  trois  rejaKieo  s-vaient 
"beaucoj^p  d*inV:llig€nce:     la  c.-mtntPice  r»our  I'art,  la  t^ucliesse 
pour  iG  aci-^e,  jjb.  Txjtargooise  p-Jiu*  le  rnonde  et  rxmT  l'art.»"    (2) 
The  tern  which  comnreiiondt.  eacli  of  tho  oUiopd,    the  ucetaia  "Rrho  fOZ9» 
the  mean  bet  -ecn  art  aiKl  socloty,  apowks  also  not  of  the  wceaen 
as  indivldiials  tait  of  the  w-men  as   types:     '''— Je  aonpreiids  mioox 
1   •artiste  qui  asnlre  a  \m  i^v©  de  folicito'^et  de  fidollto  sii"J>li:ie«» 
que  la  Tfii.sormouae  iji^i  or  tcntento  tT*ur.o  inttoite  positivs;    ©t 
pas::;aoorc.«''    (S)     lii  the  sasae  tsr.y,  Ooi'    '.  nc\?  Decs  //eel  as  *la 
heaut«  moG^le  on  r^ei'oonno"*   (4)     Adnlalde's  s  whaA 

7tilv^<^-^  rmonn  to  her:     "—II  est,  ini,  aa  roli^ion^  isaei  r^^v^lo. tic«, 
l*lntcBa*iialrG  cntre  el?.G  ot  Dl«i'»"    (5)     Leoxi©  tells  Juliet  be  s 
"—Dans  notre  v^llee,  ent<«r^s  d*atr  !)ur,  dc  parfuEis  et  de  Fi^l<>il0« 
natin'ols,  noiis  pcatvlons  ct  nous  dcvlons  ^re  tout  mnoor,  tout 
pOQGlc,   tnxt  onthoiistasFi©,''    (6)     ftit.   In  Sand'a  trork,  ordinarily, 
tho  laagn-K'-Se  is  less  provocatiTe  of  thcueht  tlmn  of  sontinont 
and,  iD.lth'^ir.'ri  its  l"n:^cl3r;   cr  oloqtience  cor-stantly  laoTos  into  -Uio 

(1)   Sand,   Ti  ^'n-T'  --•(  cH'-"'-lr>-   59» 
r? )  Sr nft,  .'    . 

Is)  - 

,5)  Hevue  des  deux  mondes,  1861,  ill.,  3and,  ValvMre,  540. 
(6)  Poicl.,  1854,  II.,  Sand,  Leone  Looni,  175. 


•piliero  of  symbol,  its  ruj^uenGSS  Tr Gqucntly  pi^a-zonts  us   Cwan 
attaching  U*^  »Aiiih  r&lidit  to  the  liierc  "Irreisoolog^  of  sonteruie  or 
speeds* 

Gauticr's  language  is,  >ii,  jiiofit  aofiniteiy  a^Eilxjlio  in  tiia 

long  exnxanatory    -aasaice^  of  i;ellt>»ci  et  oell»«lix  or  in  ihe  l<Hig 

?T-jr-oi.o^\io3  of  I*-..  anoi;>c.L^c  go  ]•  ,      Its  flavoiiriiiay  laie  savr^urtd.^ 

iio^ever,  in  stieja  a  pasou^^  as  the  f ollowliig  v^Iior-e  feiutiaa?  l3 
explaiiilii^  th£  attitude  *?hlch  Titmrce  axfijaplif las  i 

-  ^  o  au 

^  ,  --  -    .     ^  une 

etoilQ  brillajite  et  f/*;  iuo  q.x\l  noTiis   jc  ttiit  sorA  z»02oj?<i 


iT^oTii^       "      "^     ^   le  1*' 


♦T 


Tas 


son  :via.  .,  I'i;.-.  _    ^ ..    (1) 

'She  sv^eeciiss  are  very  of  tea  ii'^ayght  ffith  aoi'Jole  ni-         ;»     Gloriiaozide 
a  speech  to  ilaaaald  that  flight  bs  inercly  a  pretty  lover's 
Jii:     "— Mu.  Tie  (J3t  oaaft  la  tieeiia^  ot  ti^.it  sg  qui  est  rtoi 
vionx,  de  uii**'    (2)     ClarljBonae  is  a  vampiic;     nei"  life  ueixfuds 
liter«jLly  as  woli  as  sytr^jolicali^r  on  KoETuaid*s  and  tiae  otjecch  Is 
siiaracterir-tic  of  ti>e  laxtgaa^  In  which  Gautiei^'s  syinboli^r-.  is 
usually  cicui.ieat     -iS  w:'.Tiu  ui«  oc.iei*     oi^iuicicists^  (jftiitier*s 
jrersci^Ges  too  will  ofton  volec  tieir  oan  s;?ral>olic  interTa»et?-tion 
of  G^-^nti  or-  2^t■'v^tiv5l1S.     S-)5.rItc  trl  !.s  Gviy:     "— Cc  sic/     ■ncn 
oocv-ps,  lui  r:*i30i„'-it/  aci:   .a-nircs  c^avix"8s,  ne  poro-i^saiu  \7Ji  sysibole 
do  non  soi't;     11  m'annoncait  I'attonte  vaine  ct  la  oolituc^e  au 
nflieu  de  la  f-^xao*^   (;>)     A  s'^mthctic  lifo  a  tiro  in  th©  iimnlBiat* 
wXirro'UJQain.^a  v.iiiu:i  i*i*c'  civ^.uci.ux'iauxc  of  Ino   ;jeraona£?o«     At 
Gr*etchen*s  deptirtiii'o  to  r?.i'l3;     "La  petite  viepge  de  sa  petite 

2)  --^  ■,,  ■  -''-■^ '-'-tt^^t: 

^)  -  .  -    ^ 


cbanlirc  la  r'  it  eti"::.^.  -  avsc  scr>  jquz.  d'i^iail,  &%  la 

tcnii^^Uc,  appiijant  ^  n  4.011  u  i>u2-  1^  vici^-t^o  da  if.  reii^U-e,  faisait 
2CJair  ct  cx^aqxie-    ^w-.    _, -.i._^».  .^c  plosala*"    (1)     rLo  ajraiju-uiC 
ixu^^xr^tlcai  1-^  Apt,   i-i  -■:;.u-lxar-*3  caae,  to  ae^  peoples  as  pootrj 
or  pcr-oi»6  in&£c?££ato  uot^  o^  loi^^  foi''  iuiatauud^  siij^t,  a^  Oppressed 
or  OpiMXjssor.     la  Le  Hcl  Carif&ulo»  f.io  1:113^:  ttIH  reaark  to  Gj^ges 
in  regard  to  rJ^  aiTc^  Kyi^ia.;     '— u'oiit  uoq  statue  que  ja  t*ai 
JCait  voir  et  noEL  uaa  TcsiEie*     Jq  t'ai  pei^lls  d«  lii'o  (juaLquea 
stroplies  d'lin  l>oau    >c«aa  dont  je  rx.as'bdo  s«jui  le  Kiaauscpii,.''   (2) 
IIlsotfiiai'*G  Gautis.'"'  .;:itai>;      "Jocolra^  .    -ter,  qui  jCRie  aa  .^ette 

histolro  le  rain  do  la  iai^aliTJO  cuiti.iii©— -  *iii  un  ^ot,  c'^ftait 
1^1  i>rose  incrji'nce,  ia.  pro;;  3  daiis  toutc  Jion  etroit-csiic,  ia  prosd 
dc  Barefae  at  de  Lhu:;oiid«"   (o)     la.  ucsapciiafe,   Uie  iautjUage  used  here 
with  tDat  nliiCii,  ia  Oo-lo-oi  ot  collo-la«  or  la  Madet^iaiaelle  de 


^upi>-i^  QXylicitiy  trcjialatcs   tao  5;/i.i"!Ma,   iiic  snna  phr-aaooloo' 
will  be  roSod*    dautior  srito;*  oi:  pooa^  fuki  jjxoau  liAica*a&td  wiiere 
thQ  ofhic^  ■31'itoi'a  oT  rJSKuatieiaa  tali;  la  tonas  oT  Society, 
Intelligence,  l;Ical,  or  Lo-rc* 


[„j   _„^tJer,  l<c«-    ^"    -  ,  "      "■■•:;. on  d*c:?>  r,QG,  205. 


^VeL  I  . 


Chapter  VIXI« 
Theory  In  iic»?jantlcl3iiu 

Certain  facts  In  regard  to  the  practice  of  rcKnanttcict  art 
hftv©  becosae  clearly  evtd«it  in  the  oouro©  of  tJie  present  stiidj. 
These  facts,  briefly  stated,  are  tdieae:     Umt  reality  1© 
frequently  distorted  or  exaggerated  and  pro^^Hlty  nocleoted| 
that  rcjwantloist  flctl<K»  has  a  pi»edileotl -;n  for  Uie  ronr«^»ontatlon 
of  extsi^^ies  and  the  use  of  sharp  con t rant;     that  this  procecSure 
loses  sli;Jit  of  the  partlculnr  and  tends  to  emphasise  the  abstract 
Idea;     tliat.  If  romanticist  flctlcai,  accordingly,  cannot  T^e  said 
to  represent  characters  or  events  of  xinlvcrsal  Import,  neltiier 
does  It  represent  cdiaracte 's  or  events  with  reference  to  a 
particular  reality;     that  rc^aantlclst  flctl'm  will  be  formd,  on 
the  cwmtr^ry,  to  be  a  form  of  ci^eatlon  by  types.     Character^ 
theme,  plot.  Incident,  milieu,  foi^al  structu3?e,  the  lan.^^iaije 
Itself,  may  be  defined  by  reference  to  r.orta-ln  t^ries.     The  tyr>e. 
In  «(hatever  one  of  these  elements,  rcpresoniia  on  idcn   ■'^'id 
oorreaponds  to  that  idea  ratlier  than  to  observed  reality, 
Ci«oatlon  by  type,   therefore,  bcc<xncn  aynonynous  w^.th  citation 
by  symJ^ol  and  tlie  novels  of  r*Oi.ia:iticl8ia  are  all  alike  RKHUuaents 
raised  to  ooincieKiorato  certain  theories,  vast  symbolic  structures 
irtiose  exact  ineaning  aay  not  always  be  clear.     But  each  novel 
posaaaaea  its  o\m  loclo  and  all  its  parts  corroborate  one 
another  and  form  a  8yml>ol?.c  v^ole*     Thus  certain  fixed  assoo- 
iati<Hia  have  been  seen  to  gro>«r  un  between  certain  r>ersona^es 
and  certain  events,  and,  in  the  saiae  vray,  there  becoraos  evident 
a  certain  i^elatlonaliip  betv/eran  the  personni^es  and  tJielr 


clisuracterlstlc  milieus.  In  fact,  a  whole  syat&a   of  correspond- 
encBS   hRB  been  iir.conscloiislj  developed* 

Yet,  Is  this  ronantlciet  art  'inconsclous?  Th©  answer  riust  be 
3ou^^t  in  th©  various  stateaentB  of  their  aesthetic  canons  flftiich 
the  rcnanticista  offer  us  In  the  form  of  prefaces  or  essays. 
The  ore-valence  of  t!ie  lon^  explanatory  preface  Is,  In  foct,  a 
^ju&rantee  of  the  self-consclousnesa  of  tiiese  artists  in  regard 
to  their  art.  To  wliat  extent  does  their  theory  coincide  with, 
corroborate,  or  deny  their  practice?  This  is  a  quef-tlor  ^yhloh 
no  student  of  the  aesthetic  of  romantlclffia  can  afford  to  over- 
look. The  books  have  so  far  been  allo?;ed  to  speak  for  tti«a- 
selves.  How  let  us  oermlt  the  authors  to  speak  for  their  books. 

Of  all  tho  authors  ^ose  work  we  are  studying  none  Is  pertiaps 
laore  eager  to  present  a  complete  apologetic  for  her  art  than 
Is  Q«Mrge  Sand.  Sooe  of  her  novels  are  px*ecede<3  by  as  "^mny  as 
three  different  prefaces,  each  chax^cterlstlc  of  the  period 
froTii  wftilch  It  sprang,  yet  each  suj-geBtlve,  in  spite  of  occasional 
doubts  and  dlsclalsiers,  of  the  same,  essentially  uncbanclns, 
point  of  view.  The  very  frequency  of  the  repetition  In  these 
prefaces  must  impress  the  render  t*io  would  find  It  possible 
blandly  to  l^^ore  tiie  one  direct,  vuivartiished  statement  nade 
by  Vlgny  or  B.,^zac{  Vlgny  in  his  preface  to  Cinq-?Tars,  the 
essay  written  in  1B27  and  entitled  RelTlexions  sur  la  verite^ 
dans  I'arts  Balzac  in  his  Introduction  to  his  Coiaedie  h^iraalne. 
Op  It  rnlf-ht  be  possible  to  nlsurderstand  IIu-^'s  grandiloquence. 
A  study  of  Sand's  pjrefacea  will  serve,  therefo3*e,  to  direct 


our  attent5,on  to  the  eallent  points  of  the  ronanticist  aesthetic* 

To  Sazid  the  novel  Is  an     rtw-i'i.  itxrc.  lor  ^jToaeiywiainij,     3L\e  writes 
with  a  definite  goal  in  view  and  displays  all  lier  pcrsiiasive 
powers  to  tMs  effoct.     That   this  ia  so  she  is  quite  willing  to 
state.     Le  Ct3ig>a,;;aon  du   :.puv  >^fci  Fararioe  arxe  describes  ii%  her 
preliminary  notice  as     "  \m  livre  dont  I'lde©  evanceiiquo  i^tait 
lo  but  bi«i  declare"*    (1)     In  tiie  preface  m'ltten  for  Constance 
Verrior*  she  doolax>es:     "U'ufcilite  espereo  de  cet  ouvi^^©  consiste 
a  itianti*er  I'aiaour  vz*ai  trioaiphant  des  sophis^'ieB  des  sens  et 
des  p&j'&doxdG  d&  I'inatsinatlon*"   (2)     In  the  introduction  to 
Prancpla  le  Cha-ipi,   slie  contiiiuoa  to  atiow  cieax-iy   uuo       -  c  pro- 
occug}ution  vitli  the  laoral  utility  of  art  and  the  saiae  desire 
that  her  art  should  act  as  a  deiaoiistratlon  in  a  pro<jf.     Sand 
replies  ho  ail  objection  thus:     "Je  n*y  vols  rien  a  rtJpoadre,  en 
effet,  sin<m  que  I'art  est  une  domonntratlon  dcaat  la  nature  est 
la  preuve*"   (S) 

It  is  no  less  true  of  course  that  Sand  finds^  on  occasion^  the 
weight  of  her  responsibility  as  an  evaneellat  too  biirdc^isorao 
and  attempts  to  shift  the  burden  to  the  sliouiuora  oj.  uti'  i»eader. 
In  later  years*  too,  she  frequently  dwiies*  in  equivocal  %7ords« 
«n  intention  whlcli.  In  the  11  'Jit  of  her  own  sor>ie#iat  changed 
sentiments*  slie  ia  atteriiptin^;   ^u  palliate*     The  three  prefaces 
of  Indiana  dated  1332,  1842,  and  1053,   show  the  growUi  of  a 

(1)  Saeid,  J^  GojBpaijion  du  tour  de  France.  Ho  tic©  de  I'SGl* 

(3)  Sand,  Constance  Verrior,   Preface  de  1869* 

(3)  Sand,  Frangpis  le  Cliainpi«  Avsnt-Propos,  10,11,12* 


certain  illatruat  of  reap'msiblllty  In  connection  with  her  work. 

Sand  ceases  to  be  as  candid  ao  she  was  at  on©  sta;  e  of  her 

apostloi^ilp.  'Che  first  of  these  prefaces  Is,  Indeed,  fairly 

hesitant  but  already  in  1843  Sand  has  hecone  bol<ior  an*!  states 

that  Indjania  as  well  as  the  ^shole  series  of  novels  which  follow 

vsre  based  <m   the  s?uiie  px»anise:  on  the  xxiijust  and  inejpHl 

relationship  established  between  the  sexes  by  society.  Bi»t  in 

1062  we  find  her  disclaiming  any  such  definite  intentions.  Site 

writes  I  "On  voulut  y  voir  un  plaidoyer  bien  prdn^lte  contre 

le  marlaTe,  Je  n*cn  ohsr<^ai8  pas  si  long*,**"  (1)  In  t3ie  same 

year  she  writes  in  a  aindlar  ciood  of  deprecation  her  preface  to 

Vftlontine  i 

La  fable  soulova  des  critiques  manez  vlves  sur  la 
pr^tendue  doctrine  antliMitrii^oniale  que  j*  avals  deja 
proolariee,  disaitoon^  dans  Indiana,     Dana  l*un  et 
1*  autre  roi^ion,   j*  avals  riontr^len  dangers  et  les 
dO'.ileurs  dee  unions  mal  aaeortles,     11  oara'^fc  que, 
croyant  faire  dt    la  proso,    1* avals  fait  du  aainb- 
slwOTiiaae  sans  le  savolr.     Je  n'on  <itais  pas  alors 
a  refleclair  sur  les  rais^res  soclales*    (2) 

Yet  the  «^iole  foreword  written  for  the  Seci^taire  intlae  in  XBS4, 

while  denying  tliat  Indiana  and  Valentine  are  pamphlets  ayalnst 

marriage^  does,  noveirtheless,  ijlve  an  explicit  and  detailed 

statwnent  of  the  purt>08es  and  neanln^;  of  each  peraon&f^  of  these 

two  books* 

I'iiB  fact  that  Sand  decides  to  deny  an  explicit  doctidne  does 
not.  In  any  case,  invalidate  her  general  attitude  toward  t^e 
novel*  This  attitude  leads  her  to  regax^d  her  iidtole  work  as  a 


(1)  Saml,  Indiana,  PrelTapo  do  iar>2* 

(2)  Sand,  Valentine,  Preface  de  IBS 


doj.ionB ♦.ration*     Th©  fftl»le  —  the  plot  —  of  a  no-vel  is  to  be 
thQ  cloak  \#xlch  cove  pa  hev  ndvocacy  of  aojae  ^^vesn  sexitinent  or 
ifloa.     At  the  vexy  beginniivs  of  her  career  Sand  defines  her 
laothod  in  a  preface  to  her  first  Inpoi^tant  work:     '*tte  roirumcler 
est  le  v^rltRblo  avocat  dee  ^res  Rbstralte  q'.xi  ropres«n\.ent 
nos  passions  ©t  aoe  souffrances  devuit  le  tribunal  de  ia  force 
et  le  jtiry  d©  I'Opinioa."   (1) 

Sa»d«  ficcordin:^ly,  rejjjirde  th©  novel  as  an  artistic  parable. 
She  believes  the  goal  of  her  art  to  be  utilitarian*     In  this 
respecty  ai-jz  is  in  complete  agreebient  wit^  her  fellow  novellata* 
Chateaubx*land  makes  it  porfectlj  plain  to  his  readers  that  he 
Is  dominated  by  his  moral  iiitentioii  rand  not  only  domlnatod  by  it 
hat  inspired  by  it*     "Lea  iaoralitui>  ^iu©  j'ai  voulu  fair*  dan© 
Atala  »<»it  faciles  a  decouvriri     et  coinne  elles  aont  resunt^es 
dams  I'epilor-uc,   je  n*on  parlerai  point  ici*"   (2)     Tima  he  writes 
^^  f.tj&ltS-*     Ajad  elsewiwre  he  dadares:     "Sncore  une  fois,  l*auteur 
a  du  eorsbattre  des  poemes  et  des  roiuans  Iripies  avec  des  poemes 
et  des  rarusaia  pieux*-- —  II  a  oherclie^a  donnor  I'exemple  a^eo 
le  precept©*"   (3)     And  lie  concludes t     "Au  reste*  le  disoours 
du  i>er©  Souel  ne  lolaae  aucun  doute  our  le  t-ufc  et  les  ixiT'alttea 
reli^euses  de  l^Iiistoire  de  Hene^,"   (4)     Chateaubriand  not  <aily 
aolaiowledges  his  laoral  intentions  but  at  tlie  same  ti&ia  he 
ijodicatea  that  these  Intentions  Are  Uiiderlined  in  th©  story 
itself.     They  forta  pai*t  of  the  artistic  plan*     They  are  the 

(1)  Sand,  aidiwwa   Preface  de  1843,  ^        ^ 

(3)   Clia'-.v:.  ^,    ^rcffaco  cl^  la  prenlire  r        '   n,  ^ 

(3)  Chflte  ii-t   V    - 1  ,    i^u.ila.  iv-ene"^   Pro'^ace  d* Atala  ©o  w^.  ^»ene,  I3ditlon 

de  1805,  Hxtiwiit  de  la  I^^fenae  du  G^ie  du 
Christianigae, 

(4)  Ibid* .  Kxtiwit  du  (r^nie  du  Qiristlaniane. 


^y^, 


reason  for  tlio  existence  of  his  work.     As  svsch,  they  have 
deteiulned  l^e  vAiole  mood  of  lile  creation. 

fitee*  do  iJtael'o  theory  of  the  novel  and  of  character  oresentation 
may  be  fotmd  In  a  syntheala  of  ber  stateinents  In  rep;ar:i  to  the 
Batter  in  her  Eaeal  gur  Ics  Pletlona,  In  her  discussion  De 
i '  Influence  dee  passions  aur  le  bcm^ieiir  dos  Indlvldus  et  dee 
jntatlCTigji  In  the  lOTiff  preface  to  Delpihlnej  and  In  c^elques 
Reflealons  sur  le  tout  moral  de  Delplilne»     A  study  of  these 
writings  funiishes  irarnedlately  several  Iniportant  clues  to  Has. 
de  Stael*s  aesthetic  prlncloles  and  Liokes  it  clear  that  ^e  too 
Is  entirely  utilitarian  In  her  attltoide  towarti  her  art.     The 
«ord  utility  Is,  in  fact,  the  keynote  of  Ifeie.  de  Stael*s  work. 
The  novel  tnay  offer  acniseraent  taut  It  has,  to  her,  failed  of  Its 
purpose  If  It  does  not  also  direct  Itself  toward  raoral  utility. 

Hvigo  too  la  pleading  a  cause  when  he  writes.     He  desires  to  use 

the  literacy  art  fop  an  end  beyond  tiiat  art.     He  Is  anxious  tliat 

his  readers  should  not  fall  to  reco(7il?.e  the  Intent  whJeh 

dictated  his  books.     He  desiz>es  his  novels  to  be  z*ead  not  merely 

for  plot,  description,  or  cliaracter  Interest,  but  rather  as 

pieces  of  special  pleading;.     To  fall  to  roco.nlze  the  rjurt^ose 

of  til©  aut!ior  Is  to  fail  entirely  to  understand  his  art.     Thus 

Hu^o  writes  bluntly  in  cme  preface j 

L*suteur  aujourd'hul  peut  d^asqtior  I'ld^  polltiq^e, 
l*ld^e  soclale,  qu'll  avalt  voulu  populariser  sous 
cette  Innocente  et  candide  for.ic  lltteraire,     II      ^ 
declare  done  — —  que  Le  domicr  Jour  d*im  oondaeiiie 
n'est  autre  chose  qu*un  rer,  direct  ou  Indire'ct, 


bj  J. 


— —  ooup  I'abolltlon  d©  la  peine  d©  mori;,    (1) 
li»*lT|ni«|H,»  gill  yJt  ceases  to  be  a  novel  and  becomes  a  caoe  steudy 
of  n  political  nnd  social  {i^cmcffiiencm  hs  Uu^^o  vndtas: 

Cost  en  An^?let©,j:n?©  qua  ce  ^anoribne,  la  Beigiieurie^ 

veut  QtvG  6tud5.e,  de  meme  quo  c'oot  an  Frm^ce 
qu*il  faut  ^tudier  c©  phenotiifen©,  la  Royaute^   (2) 

Lo  vrai  titr©  d©  e©  llvr©  serait  l*.Ariafcoc£*atie.    (2) 


VOT  none  of  hla  works  does  Hxirgo  plvad  that  it  be  read  aa  a  work 
of  art*     Til©  reader  is  asked,  instead,  to  read  a  i^iilosoi^dcal 
treatiae,  a  rellcious  docianent,  n  uolitical  brtef,  a  social 
9VOg9Ha,  an  aestlwtic  argument,  or  n  histoxdoal  theory*     i^ad 
nlien  the  r«ader  turns  to  tlie  novels,  he  realises  that  it  is  from 
this  point  of  view  that  Mu^o  feels  hlrsself  justified  la  *fcla© 
iajMrti^n  of  hundreds  of  pages  of  isaterial  vihidli  in  no  \t.r'j 
affoot  th©  d©v©lopci«nt  of  t^i©  novel*     These  pat;®^  repz^sent 
Hugo's  pnrijosG  directly*     'ilney  make  no  claim  to  impersonality 
bat  ar©  the  inraediate  and  obvious  expresaicaj  of  th©  sutitor*© 
8C»itlment8  and  interests*     For  II\i^o,  art  beqaoiee  a  moans  of 
propaganda  and  is  mersly  a  more  subtl©  mean©  of  persuasitxn  than 
are  these  pages  of  dir©ct  argument. 

Vi^gtiy,  at  th©  very  beginning  of  his  artistic  career,  states 

his  point  of  view  in  a  few  trenchant  words t     "L'lDEE  est  tout* 

Le  nom  nropre  n*©8t  rion  que  l*©zeaiple  et  la  preuve  de  l*ido©*"   (3) 

(1)  Uu,':;o,  Le  dernier  Jour  d*\in  condaEgi^  Px^ace,  217. 

(2)  Hu^o,  L'Homaw  qui  rit^  Preface* 

(3)  Vi  wf."T?ipq«MarB.  R^l^lexions  sur  la  vcTrite  dans  l*art»  XII. 


'iOO, 


Balzac  too  Intends  to  lay  bar©  the  sfmno  hlcMen  imdes*  ^h» 
reality  of  tlie  contemporary  sc«ti©,     uo  uclaiowled,;©8,  however, 
that  he  hiiaself  has  already  x*ecoenised  v;hat  that  sense  is  and 
that  his  work  Is  to  be  written  in  tiie  light  of  that  reooi^tion. 
He  states  s     "Jfecris  a  la  lueur  de  d^ix  Verites  etemellest 
la  Reli^ilon,  la  Monarch!©,  deux  nooessltes  qtie  les  even®i©nts 
oontemporains  proclament,"   (1)     Balsac  tima  unequivocally 
reveals  his  intention  to  vyx>ite  a  docwient  v/hidli  will  be  a 
OGotplete  history  of  his  ovm  time*     But  liere  he  shows  hisuNilf, 
not  content  to  he  the  mere  6hx*onicler,  determined,  like  his 
fellow  rc^anticista,  to  demonstrate  certain  truths  fay  laeans  of 
his  clironlclo. 

Since  Gautier  Introduces  a  second  plmse  of  romanticist},  it  is 
unnecessary,  at  tliis  point,  to  seek  to  compare  his  aeailietic 
views  ^itli  those  of  his  predecessors*     our  purpose  is  served 
sufficiraitly  if  we  accept  the  fact  so  abundantly  demons t»ited 
by  Wm  rcHaanticists  themselves,  that  the  raoanticist  was  ft 
utilitarian  who  regarded  art  only  as  the  vehicle  of  trutli  and 
so  looked  upon  tiie  novel  as  a  sort  of  matlietQatlcal  dor.ionst ration 
of  definite  Eioral  axlons,  prinoiplos,  sentiisents,  or  ideas* 

That  the  novelist  is  a  composer  of  fables  is,  therefore,  <me 
of  the  first  tenets  of  the  rcananticist  art*     It  is  a  tenet  of 
ttie  (23^*^^®8^  importance  to  its  ooraprehension*     It  means  that 
tiiB  idea  is  all*iBiportant  and  ttiat  tli©  particular  reality  usfl«S 

(1)  Balsao,  Oeuvree  canpletes^  I.,  !•,  ^vant-.-'ropoSj  30* 


4o6. 


to  evoke  the  idea  is  negligible. 

Sand  z^aLizea  clearly  tlie  iinplicatione  of  sucii  an  {attitude: 

that  the  novel  beccsnee  a  oymbolic  vehicle  of  trath  and  fh&t 

truth  to  reality  siust  suffer  in  th»  process.     That  she  is  ccni*> 

scioua  that  her  vhole  work  is  a  vast  s^nobolic  stxnicture  ^ose 

meaning  imist  be  disoigaged  lay  tii/e  reader  rasy  ^  deduced  from 

suoh  a  sentence  as  tiiisi 

Si  l*idee  qui  a  inspire  un  livz%  n*et3t  pas  asses 
Claire  par  elleHaebe  ou  n*est  pas  asses  netteiient 
a3q;>llquoe  dans  le  podkoe  ou  le  rorum  qpii  liii  3ez*t 
d'enveloppe  ou  de  sycjbolo,  les  caiiientaires  et  les 
i^oses  ne  servent  do  rien«   (1) 

Even  clearer  is  the  follovring  passage: 

Sous  croyons  q;xe  la  mission  de  l*art  est  une  aission 
de  sentl  cnt  et  d'araour,  que  le  roraan  d*auJourdMiui 
devralt  reraplacer  la  parabola  et  1* apologue  des 
t(»sp8  nalfs,  et  que  1*  artiste  a  ime  ti^che  plus  large 
et  plus  po^tique  que  cello  do  proposer  quelques 
mesures  de  prudonce  et  de  conciliation  pour  att^uor 
l«effrol^qu»inspirent  ses  peintures.     Son  but 
devralt  etre  do  faire  idner  les  objets  de  sa 
sollicitudOf  et  au  bcsoin,   je  ne  lui  fcrais  pas  un 
reprocshe  de  les  enbellir  un  neu.    (2) 

The  «rltor  is  the  advocate  «ho  must  appeal  to  certain  soitlT^mitSi 
The  implication  vhioh  arises  here  that  the  personages  becorae 
mere  abstract  entities  illustz>ating  certain  sentinonts  is  en 
in^lication  which  will  be  discussed  later.     Heant^iile  ''oorge 
Sand  once  more  clarifies  for  us  her  mission  as  artist  by 
sug^estlnn  the  procedure  w*\ioh  will  malce  parables  of  her  novels— 


(I)  Ssndf  Le  S»cretaire  in  time.  ForewoiTd,  1854. 
(S)   Sand,  La  ^are  au  diablCj  Introduction. 


437, 


a  proeedure  lAiich  will  serve  as  ti\e  tovnala.  for  t^e  large 
xaaijority  of  then  •■  well  ne  for  those  of  her  oontonporaxdee* 
This  prooeduz^  requires^  as  she  perceives »  the  aaorifice  of 
reality  and  its  adaptation  to  s\ilt  l^ie  preconceived  ideal* 
Ck>d,  the  original  artist,  made  an  ideal  Trork  of  art.     B,^t  raon 
has  anmnged  It  badly,     133«x>eforey  the  hiraan  artist  must,  in 
hie  art,  ZH9*oreate  after  th©  original  model.     ThUa  oidginal 
aodel  he  realizes  throu^  an  instinctive  perception  isdil^ 
reveals  to  the  artist  truths  tiiat  rtay  be  hidden  froa.  the  rest 
of  mankind*     Art  ciust  act  as  a  coiveetive  of  t^ie  reality  iftileh 
man  has  debased  f rci3  its  first  naUir&l  perfecticoi*     The  subject 
of  the  ai»tist»s  parable  is  the  presentation  of  tlie  ideal—  not 
of  vliat  is  Imt  of  Kdmt  di^iht  be  and  of  nAmt  o\x-:^t  to  be* 
•L'art  n'est  pas  un©  etude  de  la  r^allte'^ positive;     c'est  una 
ree^rtihe  de  la  verite  ideale***  (1) 

The  utility  of  a  book  is  made  to  consist  in  its  ability  to 

present  the  ideal  in  a  manner  s^napatlietlc  to  its  leaders*     Sand 

Bemem  to  agree  with  B^ftXtaui  «i«n  ^xe  iTrites  that,  for  theaa  both: 

•  •••  oe  Initf  lo  but  du  raian,  c*est  de  peindre  I'lioaame; 
et  qu*<m  le  prenne  dans  un  milieu  ou  dans  I'sutre, 
aaox  prises  avec  ses  ideas  ou  avec  ses  passions y  mi 
lutte  oontre  \tn  monde  int«*leur  qui  I'agite,  ou  contre 
^  monde  est^ieur,  c'est  toujoxirs  I'hocme  en  prole 
a  toutes  les  ^notions  et  k  toutes  los  ohanoes  de 
la  vie*    (2) 

Yet  she  realizes  that,  in  fact,  a  great  difference  exists 

between  BcUitsao's  inspiration  and  her  own*     She  s^Uliresses  to 

B^alsac  the  following  apostro;^^: 

(1)  Sand,  La  Hare  au  diablej  Introduction* 

(2)  Sand,  Jeanne T'Wilee  de  1853* 


4i«. 


1^  i^smoB,  VOU&  voulez  et  savoz  peindx*o  l^hxjstnam  tel 
qu'll,  eat  soxxa  noa  yeux,  eoitl     Uol,  je  ne  sens 
porte  a  le  (5©tzK3r©  tel  que  Je  souhalte  qu*il  aoit, 
tel  que  je  crola  quHl  dolt  etx»e,   (1) 

Her  aearch  for  the  ideal,   she  adiaita,  laust  turn  her  away  from 

reality! 

De  noa^  Jours,  — ->  !,•  artiste,  qui  n'est  quelle  reflet 
et  Iteoho  d*xaie  ceneration  assea  ^aeeiiblable  a  3.ul, 
^prouve  le  besoin  iinp«5rleux  de  dotoumer  la  vue  et 
de  dletralr©  !•  imagination,  en  ae  reportant  vers 
un  ideal  de  oaliie,  d'lnnocwice  et  de  r^Verie,  (2) 

i?9hat  Sazid  la  in  aearch  of,  «hat  she  intends  to  z>epresent  through 

her  art  is,  therefore,  the  '*beau  ideal'*. 


Vigny  is  quite  a»  explicit  in  Ms  denial  of  observed  reality. 
Ilia  atatanent  is  the  intellectual  defence  of  an  attitude  ^hieh 
Sand  adsdta  to  be  vi-th  her  a  saatter  of  instinct  and  s^itlstmit* 
Vi|3By*s  x>eferenceB  are,  of  course,  references  to  lilstory  ainoe 
Vl(53y*8  conception  of  art  la  inextricably  bound  up  with  hig 
attitude  toward  history.  Of  hi  a  novels,  Cii>q.»MarB.  £tel3-o« 
Servltudo  et  /rrandeur  railitaireaj  and  Daphne,  the  first  and 
last  raay  be  olasaei  dofinitely  aa  hl.storloal  novels  and  the 
other  two  make  hiatorlcal  fact  the  baais  of  fioti(»i«  Bat 
history  is  wily  a  record  of  a  past  real.lty.  Vigpy  recognizes 
it  as  tlie  necessazy  baaia  of  Ma  art  for,  aa  he  aaya,  tl^ 
reality  tiMoh  ia  observed  by  man  louat  always  be  the  fundamental 
Itasia  of  any  art  for  it  is  not  given  to  man  to  know  anything 
but  hlfjiself  and  the  nature  wMeh  surrounds  him.  txA   reality 
in  itself  is  too  inconclusive  and  not  sufficiently  informed  with 
intelligeneo.  The  exact  representation  of  reality  would  be 


(1)  Sand 

(S)  Sand 


•  I«e  Corapar^ian  du  tour  de  Finance «  Notice  de  18&1« 
,  La  petite  Fadette«  notice  de  1851« 


439. 


fut'ilo  anal  unn»0988&ry«     viiat  tlie  widter  naiat  do  Is  to  select 

and  grou]^  according  to  a  oJ^iosim  centr©  —  an  Invented  centra. 

WiAt  will  determine  tills  centt»o?    Vl^piy  does  not  sujT,frest  the 

obvious  answer  to  tlxis  quostlonj     that  is,  that  this  ceritx^ 

will  InevitMibly  reflect  the  pox»sonal  philosophy  mid  the 

aesthetic  doctidne  of  tho  vnrltep*     Reality  as  seen  in  Matory 

is  not  f^iat  is  of  ''.npoi'tanco.     Rather  It  Is  the  Idea^  i*il<^ 

th5.s  reality  is  jtidged  hy  the  vn?itej»  to  represent  v^ilcn  As  of 

iiamense  l-nportaaoe.     JUst  as  tii©  peoples  of  antiquity  felt  no 

responsibility  as  to  the  truth  of  faots  in  feioir  historical 

and  njythologicsal  le;^«iid8  ^mt  created  thest  in  the  apl^t  of 

Interpretation  x^athor  than  the  spirit  of  statistical  truth,  so 

jaust  tiie  writer  Isavo  tJi©  real  «fitloh  is  iiiiporfeot,  Incomploto, 

ineemsist^nt,  nnd  inconcltislve  and  j^epresent  the  Ideed  i#il<di 

the  real  suggostn  to  tho  artist.     ?!an2dlnd  desires  that  a 

oertain  nsral  significance  be  dlsencacod  froa  reality.    This 

nost  be  tho  artist* s  taslu     It  la  for  hlra  to  see  ideal  "boauty 

and  to  rer>XH»8«it  it  —  to  see  hlstorlofa  figures  as  idi^s 

reprostmtatlve  of  their  times  and  of  all  tlzne  *«  not  as  srare 

turn  Qsvi  mmon  incosaplete  either  in  good  or  evil*     Thus  Vigny 

wAt^at 

Le  fait  adopte  est  tou jours  nieux  ooiapos^  que  lo 
vral,  et  n*e8t  aaao  adopts  que  nai»ce  qu'/Ll  est 
plus  beau  que  lulj     c'est  que  l«ramANlTE  T7:n'iiraE 
a  besoin  que  ses  destines  aoient  Dour  elle«c:^^ne 
une  suite  de  l^Qonsj^  plus  lndlff^eotcqu»on  ne 
pense  sur  la  KKal^iTK  drs  FAITS,  elle  cherclie  "E 
perfeotl(»moi'  I'ev^anoit  pomr  lui  donner  une  a?*a"de 
slsniflcatiQn  iaorale«.-<— -  repeo^mt  las  vidos, 
voilant  lea^dlsparp.tea  do  sa  vie  et  lui  rmulent 
^ette  unite  oarfa-lte  d©  conduit©  quo  nous  aimons 
a  voir  represented  irtSra©  dans  le  rial,  si  ell© 
conserve  d'allleurs  la  cliose  essentiolle  "^ 


44U. 


l♦instn:cti^an  du  »ond©,  le  j-enle  d©  I'epoque,  jo 
ne  saia  pourquol  I* on  sei>«i.t  plua  dlffloiXo  avec 
elle  qa*  aV8C  oofcto  "/ois  dcs  peuples  qui  fait 
aubix*  ohcuiue  lour  a  ohaque  fait  do  si  grandes 
imitatia:is«   ( 1 ) 

History,  its  ovents  and  its  heroes,  as^s  for  Vl^y,  obviously, 

no  raoiye  Umn  a^Aabols  of  the  "beau  idi^"* 


Th©  intenticm  to  i»epre3ait  the  ideal  ratiier  than  the  real  is 
an  intent! tm  necessitated  by  tii©  utilitarian  arKi  ifioralistlo 
point  of  view.     Tli©  desire  to  edify  is  Inconsistent  with 
delist  in  Tsdiat  exists  and  acceptance  of  it.     The  x»0fora»r*e 
instinct  carries  with  it  a  reconstruction  of  reality  according 
to  dreao, 

Bjtt  Vliat  Ssdsd  realises  sentimentally  and  Vigny  Intellootually, 

nhftt  9&ch  states  unequivocnlly  and  with  a  lof;ical  consistency 

«hlOh  disregards  tii©  practical  aspect  of  life  and  sort,  is 

reeognized  by  the  loss  extrewdst  Mno«  do  Stael  to  be  a  sturabling- 

blo<^  to  the  effectiveness  of  her  art*     In  lier  eesay  Sur  les 

Fictions  lifeie*  d©  stael  conderans  aUc^^ory  most  explicitly.     Her 

condenmation  is  not  directed  against  its  Intention  but  r«th©p 

against  the  unsatisfactory  nature  of  the  result*     The  artifice 

is  too  evident  and  the  moral  goal  is  only  half  attained  because 

it  receives  caily  half  the  attention*     She  wrltess 

La  parfa|.te  finess©  de  1' ©sprit  ecliappe  a  toutes 
les  allei^ories}     les  nuances  des  tableaux  ne  sont 
jKiaals  a\issi  doiicatea  que  les  aper<ju.s  raetaphysiques* 
— —  II  Cl'artlsteJ  ^a  un  double  but,  celui  de  falre 
resBortir  une  vcritc  isioral©,  et  d'attacher  oar  le 

(1)  Vigny,  Cinq-Mars,  Reflexions  sur  la  veritc^dans  l*art.  X,XI, 


441. 


rcclt  de  la  faMe  qui  en^est;  I'canbleiaef     preoque 
ton  jours  I'un  e^t  numque  par  le  besoln  d'attelndr©  ^ 
l*autpoj     l*idee  abetralte  eat  VR/;:?iement  repri^eentee, 
«t  le  tableau  n*a  point  d*  of  ret  drssiaatique.   (1) 

The  idillosopMc  novel  also  founders  on  the  rock  of  IrappobabHityj 

On  a  fait  une  clasae  a  part  de  ce  qu*on  appelle  les 
FOBaans  pMloeoi^ilques;     tous  dolvent  l*#tre,  car 
totxs  dolvent  avoir  un  but  moral:     nals  oeut-^re 


7  aBi&ijM»t«-on  sioins  surcxient,  lorsque  dlrlgeant 
les  TGcitB  vers  urio  Idee  princlpale,  l*on  8e  di 


tous 
_  ^  _     dispense 

SMBfi  de  la  vrttirenblancc  clans  l*«iclia£n.6Bi^nt  des 
situations;     ciiaque  chapljj;re  alora  est  une  sort© 
d* allegoric,  dont  les  ovenenents  no  sont  jeaiale  que 
I'ltaage  de  la  maxliM  qui  va  suivra.    {2) 

The  oonoluflion  can  be  deduced  that*  since  all  novels «  according 

to  tee.  de  Staelf   sliould  be  r>hilosoi:^iic  novels,  all  novels 

vill  be  a  sort  of  allegory  but  t^e  allegory  should  be  conecmled 

by  a  less  obvious  method  and  by  a  greater  air  of  probability. 

VShat  attention  to  reality  does  Sftae*  de  staSl  advocate v     <.. 

synthesis  of  lier  statements  on  this  point  would  show  her  as 

desirous  of  obtaining  the  effect  of  reality  and  as  assured  that 

this  effect  cannot  be  obtained  imless  great  care  is  tak^i  to 

make  tiie  fiction  conform  to  experience  and  observatiOTi*     SSie 

confers  her  praise  on  those  novels  "qui  prendx»alent  la  vie  tcllo 

qu'elle  est**.   (3)     But  !JaMi,  de  Sttiel  by  no  neans  appi<<»<icl.es  our 

usual  idea  of  zN»aliffia  for  she  sayse 

Les  x^sTiians  ont  aussi  les  convenances  draraatiqucs;     11 
n*y  a  de^n^oescalr©  dans  1* invention  que  ce  qui  peut 
a^puter  a  I'effet  de  ce  qu*on  inventei  — ««•  aiais  le 
detail  scrupuleu^:  d'un  ^vt^ieraont  or^iinairc,  loin 


(1)  Itae,  de  Stael,  Sur  les  fictions >  S5, 


Ibid.-  68, 
(3)  TSm/,  65. 


442. 


di*aco3?oitx»o  la  vraisomblanoe,  la  dlnJ-nuo,   (1) 

Keno©,  sh©  scse!ca  pi»ol\«ib5.11t7  bat  -jhe  x}"-.!!  not  aooim  the  usual 

conventions  vjhlch-  help  to  r-ilvc  drj5nat5-c  effect.     Thin  ef:feet 

le  usually  obtained  "bj  a  c©3*tain  artAil  exaij^-eration  of  t^^ 

z^al^  an  ©xa^s^ratlon  ishlch  will  teryl  to  idoallz©  tho  I'eal  but 

not  to  .falsify  It,     Thla  1»,  of  course,  tho  cnix  of  tiie 

aesthetic  problem.     And  '%t6#  do  Stnel  staters  it  cloarlyj 

L»  iria^lnntfwon  qtil  a  fait  1©  siico^f5  de^tous  ces 
^i©f a-d' o«uvre  tlent  par  dos  llena  tres  fopts  a  la 
palson;     ©He  Inspire  1©,  bocoin  dp  s' Clever  ra;.'-d©lrv 
des  bornos  do  In  ir^alite,  laais  clle  ne  poxiiet  cle 
rlen  dire  qui  Bolt  or.  contmete  avec  cott©  i^nllt© 
ii»l^*     Noua  avone  toua  ou  for^i  de  no  tire  ^ne  mm 
Ide©  confiis©  de  co  qi.il  est  n5.«ux,  d©  ce  qiii  est 
iaoillour,  de  co  qui  eofc  plus  ^^rond  que  2ious;     c*©st 
c«  q:a»on  appello,  «wx  tout  £;«s\re,  1©  beau  Ideal, 
c*©3t  l*obj©t  auquol  asplrent  txwteB  les  wioa  dou©o« 
d«  quelque^dlgnlt©  natusreXley     mala  co  qui  est 
ott^tralz^  a  nos  connaisaancoBf  a  nos  Idoea^positivoa, 
d©p3Lait  ^  I'l-nanlnatlon  pT'ecquo  autant  qiA*a  Ic. 
raiaon  sieiao*   {2} 


n®ic©  it  beoocoea  clcwarly  onougli  evident  that  Jlrae,  do  Sta'-fel^,  leaa 
eublii  ely  unaware  of  the  dlfflcultloa  Involved,  intends,  never- 
tlieleao,  to  represent  "1©  beau  id^al**,  tlie  nature  ooz*reeted  by- 
art.     That  eh©  Intonda  to  ta!:©  aufficiont  account  of  reality  so 
that  her  reader*  a  a^iae  of  actuality  nay  not  bo  off ©adijd  la 
aerely  a  geatur©  of  expediency;     it  doea  not  altor  the  aalient 
trtitli  timt,  in  fact,  tfci©,  do  Stael  Intends  to  i:^progent  in  h&p 
art  not  reality  but  only  so  nuch  of  it  as  muat  aceompa'ay  **le 
beau  ideal"  in  order  to  make  the  latter  acceptable* 

It  la,  llkewiae,  an  ideal  world  that  Hugo  intenda  to  repr©8«it» 

(1)  itee*  de  Stael,  v^ur  lea  Flctiona^  70, 
(S)  tSem*  de  Stael,  Preface  to  DelphJne.  337, 


443. 


Ills  coniMJmtlve  lndepp>ndence  of  Gr-ctnr'loT'  natii-^e  Hu/^o  acknowled.-^os* 
li©  writes:     "I*  reel  n*eKt  eff.lcai-v^ient;  point  qu»a  3.a  clarte' 
de  1» Ideal."   (1)     It  ie  not  direct  observation  ii*ilch  will 
dictate  tJaa  fnm  of  his  cr«fiatlon  but  ratlier  hla  eonceptJon 
«hioh  will  dictate  tiie  Manner  in  \*ilch  the  li^ts  slcvH  shadows 
falling  upon  reality  will  be  made  to  distort  it. 

That  Eialzao  intends  to  paint  "la  vie  telle  qu'elle  est*,  la 
accordance  vdth  Sand's  ,]iidem®cit  in  his  r^nrdf  mif^t  also  be 
adduced  froia  such  a  well»knoiai  statemmit  as  t3ie  follotilnc: 
"La  Sooi^te^fren^aiao  allait  ^tre  1 'his  tori  en,  j©  nc  de'yais  ^tr© 
que  le  sacx'^taijre* "   (2)     Yet  it  is  necessary-  to  bear  in  nind 
that  in  ttie  next  mojaent  BaXsac  cim  adds     "Enfln,  a.pvhB  rvolr 
Chaz>ohe  — m.-  co  notour  soclel,  re  fallal t-11  pas  medltor  suz' 
lea  prinoipea  naturels  et  voir  en  quol  lea  Soci^tes  s'ecartent 
ou  s«  i^pprochent  de  la  rer?le  etemelle^  du  vrai,  dn  beau?"   (2) 
Mo  suggestion  as  to  tlic  source  of  iialzac's  Imowlodce  of  tho 
"vral",   Uxe  "beau"     (synonyasous  terras  for  the  utilitar!^an 
»»aanticiat)     is  offered.     If  he  intends  to  coiapnT'e  fJic  nnectacle 
that  reality  offers  hia  with  some  "beau  ideal"  in  suppr/sod 
c(»ifox»ulty  with  natural  law,  Balzac  seesas  to  su^jgest  tl^nt  his 
observation  and,  accordin/rly^  his  re«>presentation,  cxlll  be  anda 
in  the  light  oi'  soiaa  preconceived  ideal  vdiich  reality  does  not 
reproduce. 

Chateaubriand  does  not  explicitly  deal  vith  tliis  question;     Itos. 

(1)  Hugo*  Preface  nliilosophiQue.  399. 

(2)  Balgac.  '^ffivreia  Completes*  I. »  !•,  Avon t» Propose  S9. 


444. 


d«  Stael  is  hsaitantt     Bugo's  g«iez>allzftti<ma  ntay  8«aei  rath«r 
▼aguai     BttIsao*8  anncnmced  intentions  oontradictory*     It  is^ 
BfvertheleaSf  appax^nt  t^mt  tlia  romanticist  theory  is,  cioro  or 
lass  eonsaiofuslyy  directed  totraM  tbm  roprasMxtation  of  an 
ideal  beauty  and  trutOif  an  ideal  not  visible  in  reality  but^ 
in  spite  of  this  faet«  vividly  pres^at  to  tti©  imaginaticii  of 
the  artist* 

nuenee  does  the  artist  raoaive  this  isipressicm  of  the  ideal« 

an  impression  n^oh  determines  the  nature  of  his  vftiola  creation? 

Hugo  ia  EK>8t  «cplicit  in  this  regax^*     He,  like  Vi^psy,  ilka 

all  of  tlie  roBianticiatSf  aeknovledges  tlie  neoessity  isider  vliioh 

Ban  labours,  of  receiving  his  first  liopressions  fross  an  out«p 

reality.     But  the  vision  of  the  real  is  not  the  true  viaicm* 

Zt  aa&at  be  extended*     Hugo  esqplains  the  prooasai 

XI  n*eat  paa  aur  la  terre  un  ^tre  pmaaat  en  qui  le 
apeotaole  da  l*u>iiver8  ne  fasjse  une  lente  o(»i8truotion 
da  Dieu*  — »—  Pour  I'hunanite^,  le  natiumliisne  ae     ^ 
raaout  ea.  relii',ion«     La  nature,  cr^^  par  Die^i,  cree 
Di«tt  dans  I'haeBna*  — »-•  Ia  vision  du  reel  ae  dilate 
forc6rient  ju8qu*a  l*id^l«     T^tes  le  pouls  acux  ehoses. 
voua  sen  tea  aous  I'effet  lUi  palpitation  da  la  omxae*  (1) 

Zt  will  be  noted  that  knowledge  of  the  ideal  ia  nafdte  ayncmyneus 

with  the  knowledge  of  Ood.     Sudi  coiammication  «il^  the  ideal 

ia  poaaible  only  by  means  of  the  intuition*     Ifuge  writes: 

Httia  I'obaiasanca  aux  lueurs  intiiaes,  la  confianca 
8ux  irx^diations  infinies,  la  foi  U  la  ecai^oionoe, 
la  foi  IT  I'intuiticm,  c*est  la  chose  sacr^  ....m. 
o*est  la  eoiarauiiioaticai  avec  Dieu  sans  intenaadiaire* 
e'aat  la  religion*     Ca  qua  la  conscience  dit,  ella  la 
aaiti     06  que  1* intuition  declare,  elle  le  voit;     la 
consci^icc  salt  en  dehors  de  nous;     1* intuition  voit 

(1)  Hugo* 


345. 


en  dehors  de  nousf     or  savolr  et  voir*  o*68t  la  base 
d*«ri8el^er  et  prouveri     done  la  consolenoe  rniaelgrve, 
dtme  !•  Intuition,  prouve.     Qul5K»ique  ocmsiiltera 
I'intultloo  sera  bien  Infonadu  -  Je  le  s^aa  par 
lntuJ.tl<Hij     5©  le  porc^ls  par  Intultlcmj  •  cela  est 
•ap4»*l«ur  eaxx,  sylloolsnies*     SI  par  hasard  11  arrl^mlt 
que*  done  im  caa  dormrf^  IMUitultlem  contredlt  le 
dlai•ctiq^e«  c*est  du  c^e'de  l*lntultlon  que  Je 


Obeerre  how  dear  the  rolatlonahlp  beeoraee  hexHi  betwe^i  tSm 
art  that  desires  to  teaesh  and  prove  and  the  Intuition  vfiiltih 
supplies  the  vision  Mtolch  the  artist  will  seek  to  prove.     She 
Intuition  Is  In  Itself  sufficient  proof  to  the  man  v&io  e?!perlene«s 
it*     In  ox^er  to  teach  and  prove,  the  artist  nust  first  have 
a  knowled^^e  based  on  such  on  Intuition*     The  artist  Is*  tliere* 
fore,  necessarily  In  direct  conmunlon  with  <0>d,  the  Ideal, 
by  means  of  his  intuition*     Zt  la  to  be  noted  that  truth,  ideal, 
or  religion  becosoe  In  this  manner  subjective  experiences 
unrelated  to  any  possible  oonnur-lty  of  e^^erlence  of  reality* 
Bsterior  nature  may  be  explained  by  such  an  Intultlcm  but  cannot, 
by  observation,  yield  a  vislcai  as  true  as  tliat  which  the  instinct 
reveals*     Hotiee  BEugo  accepts  the  voice  of  instinct  In  haaaanity 
as  the  voice  of  God*     Hiysioal  nature  Is  only  a  S3?iabol  *rtilch 
also  must  reveal  «ie  voice  of  Ood,     So  Hugo  writes:     "La  loi 
■orale  ne  d^ent  jamais  la  loi  physique,  qui  n*est  que  son 
«2Nbole«''  (2) 


B^igo  escploins  the  iMthod  by  lAilch  he  proves,  he  makes  it 


(1)  rtu^.  Preface  rfiilosoidilQue.  371* 

(2)  Ibid*.  350. 


446. 


that  ttiia  l8  a  method  of  analo;^  and  oomparlseai:   "le 
siQnd«  visible  eat  Xa  nanifestatlon  s^mbolique  du  manAe  imoAt^rtel^ 
U  nous  eeXairo  peu^  analosle*"  (1)  Analo,^^  bovever^  la  a 
system  of  proof  nfiiich  depends  for  Its  efflcaolty  on  the  tvattt 
of  an  orir^lzial  hypothesis*  Analogy  is.   In  fact*  not  proof  bat 
illustration*  Hsnoe  the  actual  conteiqplatlon  of  and  aasooiation 
fdth  physical  nature  will  make  man  more  pz*ofoundly  aware  of 
His  truth  of  his  own  Imiop  vision.  It  will  remiforce  i3od*8 
Upoies  and  so  will  serve   to  reveal  that  voice  to  nan*  Haturs 
bseoiaes  holy*  Hugo  writes:  ^Ia   fait  rellgieuxj  o*est  la  saints 
nature  etemells.*'  (2) 

A  coordination  of  Hw^*8  statam«it8  leads  us  therefore  to  a 
definite  aes^etic  systera  «hldi  Is^  at  the  ssoe  tiiaOf  a  religious 
fl»d  i^^iilosophic  systSBi*  This  systera  asserts  man  and  nature 
to  be, equally,  nere  instruments  idiich  reveal  Ood*  Ood  is  revealed 
la  asm  by  the  instinct,  in  nature  by  Its  natural  manifestaticms* 
The  analogy  between  the  vast  s^bollc  structure  of  physical 
naturs  and  th«  sqiually  symbolic  hanfln  nature  will  be  recognised 
by  the  intuition.  The  vision  of  the  ideal  Is  granted  by 
the  intuition  end  its  proof  xmist  be  nade  by  a  dsnonstration 
of  the  syrabollo  sl^jiificance  of  nan  and  natuz*e. 

8aeh  an  absolute  affinoation  of  the  presEainonce  of  the  intuition 
is  not  made  by  the  other  rociantlelsts  In  their  prefaces  or 
essays*  Zt  is,  as  we  have  seen,  not  cmly  liapllcit  in  their 


(1)  HugOf  Preface  philosophigue*  369* 
(e)  Ibid*, 


447. 


woi?k  but  also  frequently  becoraes  explicit  as^  for  ^xetmol^f   ^ere 

Vlgny  defines  tlie  poet*8  art  and  life  In  Stello,  The  oozH^Uary 

of  oudh.  an  affirmation  raust  of  necessity  be  that  the  vjrk  of 

art  has  its  genesis  in  the  author's  j^stinctive  nature  and 

uses  exterior  reality  only  in  order  to  corroborate  tiftiat  his 

sentiment  has  already  accepted  as  true*  If  the  poet  expresses 

his  ovtn  instinctive  feeling  he  has  becoiae  Grod's  prophet  and 

the  message  revealed  by  his  words  is  the  Evangel  of  the  new 

religion*  Hugo  writes: 

Le  raisoonet&ent  vul,  aire  raaxpe  s^ir  Ics  surf&eos} 
I'lntoition  explore  et  scrute  le  Aeseous*  — «« 
L*  intuition*  cocsne  la  conscience^  ,.^m»»  est  faite 
d6  olart^directef     elle^vient  de  plus  loin  q^e 
I'hOBsnei     elle  va  au-dela  de  I'hoamej     elle  f)st 
dans  l^hoome  et  dans  le  layst^x**!     ce  qu*elle  a 
d'ind<$rini  finit  tou^oura  par  arrlverj     le 
prolongement  de  I'intuitiony  c'est  Id^i*   (1) 

^Qius  the  asntiiaent  beeoaes  the  orlQinf  the  inspiratlony  and 

the  criterion  of  trut^  of  the  tiK)xic  of  art* 

Sflsid  too  fs^eely  eonfesses  that  her  novels  are  conceived  and 
her  personages  created  in  order  to  satisfy  and  to  express  the 
s«iticB0nt  that  prcKlocilnates  in  her  at  the  particular  moment  of 
creation*     If  we  oone  to  this  conclusion  frcra  a  study  of  her 
woiic,  we  are  cuKrely  oonfixming  viiat  her  prefaces  indicate  in 
quite  unequivocal  faalilon*     The  fact  that  the  sentiment  idiich 
dictates  the  ^nhole  xoood  snd  direction  of  a  novel  is  a  sentimflnt 
prior  to  reascd  Is  clearly  acknowledged  by  3and  on  ocoasioB* 
Thus  she  writes: 


(1)  Hu^oy  Prefaoe  philoeoiahique*  570* 


448. 


C6fux  qjil  iQ*ont  lu  oan©  preventlcm  oomprennwit  qafr. 

i*al  eorlt  Indiana  avoc  le  sentlnent  non  ralsonne, 
1  eat  vrcdf  nals  profond  et  legl,tlme,  da  X'injxistico 
et  de  la  bartoarie  des  lois  qui  re^t^lasent  encoi?e 
X*«adlsten<»«  da  la  fcnsae  dans  le  siaria^e^  dans  la 
fanllle  et  la  aocl^te'^  (1) 

9ueh  a  santlnent  Is  Inculcated  In  her  by  Ood  himself.  In  this 
8«BM  praf^toa  aihe  writes:  "Alnal^  ,)e  le  repete^  j*al  ecrlt 
Indiana  et  3*ai  du  I'ecrlz^i  5*al  oede'k  \m   Instinct  puissant 
de  plainte  et  de  x>eproche  que  Dleu  avalt  mis  en  tool,  Dieii  qui 
ne  fait  rim  d*lnutlle...."  (2)  Even  isore  explicitly  does  dhe 
state  her  attitude  In  the  foreword  to  anotlier  early  works  "Kais 
l*anteur  8*est  depuls  lnri,^>enp8  resolu  ^  ne  jonaia  pelndr^  que 
les  speotacles  qui  ont  evellle^ses  8;^vqpatdiies  •><->-  car  11 
&•  plaldera  jamais  au  profit  d*un  systeme*'*  (3)  It  Is  not  any 
logical  system  determined  by  e:Q>erlencey  observation  and  reason 
that  she  p:irasents«  It  Is*  rather^  she  says,  a  picture 
corresponding  to  hor  natural  predilections  and  to  her  instinct- 
ive syapaUiiea*  In  the  latest  preface  to  Indiana*  tS?je  writes: 
"J'etais  deoia  l*'^ge  ou  l*on  eorlt  avec  ses  Instincts  et  ou  la 
reflexion  ne  nous  sez*t  qu*a  nous  confinaer  dans  nos  tendances 
naturellss***  (4)  At  this  date  ehe  seens  to  deny  that  the 
inspiraticai  of  her  later  work  will  continue  to  have  the  saae 
8ouroe«  Itet  ethe  does  not  hesitate  to  note  on  a  later  oeoasion 
that  a  work  was  composed  under  the  domination  of  a  certain 
sentiiaant^  a  sentiment  which  cannot  fail  to  seem  to  us  arbltx*ary 
since  no  observaticoi  of  fact  is  adduced  In  Its  support^  8lnce« 


(1)  Sand*  Indiana.  Prefaee  de  1842« 

(2)  Ibid. 

(3)  Steai^g  Le  S»cretai3^  intlne.  Preface  de  ld34« 

(4)  Sand,  Indiana.  Preface  de  1852. 


449. 


too,  thm   stiidy  of  a  suocessioatx  of  works  may  shew  continual 
InoQiislsteQciea  tdiioh  Ssod  makes  no  effort  to  haxioonise*  In 
wsaqf  eaae,  it  is  possible  to  ccmclude  that  ^en.   Sand  began  to 
write*  she  did  so  in  order  to  exfivesu   truths  of  vdiioh  sfbe  felt 
that  ^e  had  an  instinctive  cognisance  and  to  express  the  saood 
itfilcih  these  truths  indueed*  The  resulting  sentitsent  took  fozm 
as  a  novel  and  the  i^napsthetic  personages  of  the  novel  echo 
the  smxtiraent  #iicli  inspired  the  book* 

&it  #i&t  Sand  sad  Hu^  freely  concede  is  true  likewise  of  their 
fellows.  CSiateaubriand*  s  obser-zaticms  are  directed  1^  his 
Catholic  s^iti^ents  and  these  aentirients  determine  i^iat  he  sees 
and  represents  just  as  i3alsao*s  faith  in  a  traditional  society 
determines  igmt  he  sees  and  represents*  %Bxat  observaticm  and 
ea9erlenoe  raeqr  o^ginally  have  offered  to  the  artist  as  naterial 
for  his  intelligence^  sentinent  has  laid  hold  on  and  transforaed 
to  its  purposes*  It  tlien  continues  to  doasiinate  the  Intellisenee 
and  direct  the  eharactor  of  the  observations* 

The  roinanticists  are  especially  aware  of  the  results  of  their 
aethc^  of  cz>eati<m  as  it  affects  i>ersonage*  In  this  respect* 
once  again*  Sand  is  not  only  very  explicit  but  she  is  also 
•uffioiently  self<»conseious  to  understand  her  own  procedure 
vexy  accurately*  The  iiaagin«tion  ixMch  moves  from  idea  to 
persona^  (the  type  of  Ima^^^ination  confesaed  by  Hugo)  is  a  type 
whidi  tecfcds  to  produee  pure  abstractions  since  the  per8<mage  is 
not  based  on  lAmt  exists  in  fact  but  rather  on  what  the  author 
feels  Should  exist  in  t±teory*  The  ideal  personage  is  apt* 


450. 


thmvfov9p  to  fail  to  oaptiire  oax*  s^nepatliy  imleas  a  regard  for 

positive  x*eality  px%v«ite  too  great  a  deviation  from  it*     Sand^ 

for  exasaple*  muirkSf  on  occaaionf  the  dieadvantagea  that  atie 

incurs  by  her  too  exclusive  idealizati<»i  and  her  failtire  to 

regard  the  probabilities  sufficieatly*     3o  she  writes  of  Leliat 

Cette,  predilection  pqur  le  persomiage  fier  et  souffrant 
de  LbViaL  ra*a  conduit  a  ure  crreur  grave  au  point  de 
vue  de  I'artt     c*est  de  lui  dotmer  une  ezistenoG  tout 
a  fait  inpossible*  et  qui«  a  cause  de  la  demi-realit^ 
^ee  autreii  pM>8onna^^«  ssnible  ehoquante  de  r^alit^ 
a  force  do  vouloir  ^re  abstraite  et  synibollque*   (1) 

s  most  ©5cact  statement  r)f  hor  conception  of  •ocr?!ona(*e  foUovsi 

I*©a  s«is  qui  ne  font  pas  d'ouvragcs  a '  imagination 
oroleat  que  eela  tm  ae  fait  qpi'avec  des  wmvenirs.  et 
vous  deaandent  toujourdt     "Qui  done  avea-vous  voulu 
peindre?"     lis  se  troo^snt  bescicoup  s'ils  cx<olent 
cpi'll  solt  possible  de  fai2»e  d'un  personnage  reel  im 
type  de  rorian^  netae  dans  un  rcsaan  oussi  peu  ronanesque 
que  celui  de  Luor^gia  Floriani*     II  faudrait  tou Jours 
tenement  aider  &  la  realite  de  eet  etre»  pour  le 
^  rendx^  logique  et  soutenu,  dans  tm  fait  fictiff  ne 
f^t«ce  que  pendant  vJUigt  pages*  q^*il  la  vingt  et 
tuii^se  vous^  series  deja  sort!  de  la  ressectblanoe*  et 
"4  la  trentieme^  le  t^e  que  vous  auriee  px^tendu 
Ibftz^cer  aural t  entier^aent  dispara*     Ce  qui  efit 
possible^  faire*  e'est^l' analyse  d*un  sentiirt^it* 
Pour  qu'il  ait  un  oena^a  l^lntallisonoe,  on  passant 
a  travers  le  prlnw  des  imaginatioiuiy  il  faut  done 
cr^r  los  personnages  poiir  lo  sentiment  qu'on  veut 
d^rire*  et  mm  le  sentiiaent  pmir  los  personna^^es* 

Ski  aoins  o'est  la  oon  procede*  et  Je  n'en  ai  ^annis 
pu  trouver  d* autre.   (2) 


iBcediatoly  the  isovd  "type"  uaed  so  frmjuently  in  t^iese  prefaces 
by  Sand  i^ecelves  its  explanatic»:i»     Its  usage  in  su^  a  passage 
as  this  is  diaracteristio : 

Je  n*al  fait  poser  personne  pour  esquiseer  c© 


(1)  Sandp  L^lia,  Preface* 

(2)  Sand,  Liici^ezia  Floriani^ 


Notice  de  1855. 


451. 


X>ortndt;     J«  l*al  prls  nulle  part,  co^«  !•  typ« 
do  d^vouoBient  SiyeucX^  ^o  j*al  oppose  a  e«  type 
^  peraonnallte  sazuB  frein*     Ces  daux  types  sont 

What  is  eternal  is  not  the  personage  as  Sand  presents  him  but 
tut  iSie  saatlnont*     The  sentiment  of  devotion  or  the  indivlduolisa 
itfiioh  is  sag^ressed  in  egoistic  ambitltm  xAll  alirays  exist  and 
will  slways  constitute  part  of  cian's  humanity  but  in  neither  of 
thsse  siNitiiiisnts  can  msn^s  liiole  humanity  be  said  to  consist* 
It  is  appar^it  that  Ssnd's  personages  are  rasant  to  represent 
the  ideal  of  cme  form  of  sentiment*     Of  that  sentirient  they 
present  the  ideal  type  <—  the  Platonic  idea*     Whereas  in  man  all 
is  incomplete  and  finite^  in  these  types  the  absolute  is 
represented* 

Zt  is  the  eternal  idea  that  Vi^iy  too  hopes  to  represent  rather 
tiian  tdie  particular  perscm*     He  states  dearly  idbat  the  histoxdeal 
figures  lAio  will  be  selected  to  move  throu(^  the  ideal  world 
of  a  ficti<m  which  is  truer  tlian  truth  will  be  <^osen  only 
*pour  representer  des  idlies  phil080];diiques  ou  morales'*^*   (S)     Xt 
is  possible  that  he  will  rejpresent  a  purely  fictional  personage* 
Zn  this  case  he  will  be  so  chosen  and  oQBqposed  that,  '*rasscB3ibl«at 
les  traits  d*tui  CAliACTERB  ^^ars  dans  miUe  individus  oonplets* 
elle  en  oofq;>ose  un  TZPE  dont  le  nom  seul  est  iiaaginslre"*   (2) 

Wan  ma  a  type  assumes  a  definite  hierarchic  rank  and  plaoe  In 

the  universe*     BoIsas  zaakes  a  clear  statement  of  the  meaning  whidh 

(1)  Sand,  Horace*  Hoticf^da  1353*  ^      ^ 

(2)  VljTXvr >  Cinq*ifeuro *  Reflections  sur  la  verite  dans  I'axi;.  XII* 


452. 


he  asslfTis  to  the  word*     Km  believes  that  mankind  is  divided 

into  types «  according  to  genus  and  species »  in  the  ssane  nuunnep 

as  t£te  aniaals*     He  deelares  unequlvoeellyt 

n  n^j  a  qvL^vai  anlraal*     Le  ereateur  ne  8*est  servi 
qpxa  d'lm^sflul  et  iaeb»  patrcm  pour  totis  les  vtres 
organises*     L*  animal  est  xm  prinoipe  qixi  prsnd  sa 
foxtae  ext|iriefurep  ou^  pour  parler  plus  esanotement^ 
les  diffemmees  de  sa  forrae*  dans  les  siilieux  c^  il 
est  app^ld  it  se  d^elopper,  «~—  Sous  oe  rapport «  la 
floeiet*  ress«jd>lait  ^  la  Mature*     La  Soelete  ne  fait- 
•lie  pas  de^*hoaane,  suivant  les  milieux  ou  son 
action  sa  deplole^  autant  d*hc»BMi8  dilT^«its  qa*il 
7  a  varl6tea  en  soologie?  -«— «  II  ajLcxxc  existe^  11 
ttdstera  done  de  tout  tec^s  dee  Espeoes  Sooiales  oobbmi 
11  7  a  des  Ei^ees  Zodlo^ques*  (1) 

It  is  apparent  from  th«  tibove  statetnsnt  that  the  perscnages  that 

Balsao  intsnds  to  present  will  be  figures  vhese  distinctive  fona 

will  be  topreesed  on  them  by  the  allieu  they  iidiablt*     This 

raillea  will  be  cQn^>osed  of  various  elei?ients  and  one  of  the  raost 

important  of  these  elements  will  be  man  himself* 

Balsfte*s  interest  in  personage  is  an  Interest  In  soolecy  as  a 
Tiiible*     Re  writes  t 

En  dreaoont  l*inventaire  des  vices  et  des  vertus«  en 
rassantblant  les  prlncipaox  faits  des  passions^  en 
pei^Tumt  les  caracteres.  en  c^oisissant  les  ^veneraemts 
j^cdn^ipaux  de  la  Soci^tey  en  ccnposant  des  types  par 
la  reunion  des  traits  de  plusieurs  earacteres  hanM^«nes« 
peixt^tre  pouvais»|e  arriver~a  ^erire  l*hlstoire 
oubUtfi  par  tant  ^.'historiens*  celle  des  xooeurs*  *— - 
Ve  devals«5e  pas  etudier  les  raisons  ou  la  ralson  de 
oes  effets  sodaux*  surprendz^e  le  sens  oAChe  dans  cet 
iammse  asseoiblege  de  fl^^ures^  de  passicms  et 
d*^«ieaients*  {sT 

In  this  passage  it  is  evident  that  Balsao  is  not  c(»ioexned  with 

in  his  individual  manifestation*     Rather*  he  is  oonoemed 


(1)  Balsacf  Oeuvres  Completes*  I»,  !•«  Avant«Propos« 
(fi)  Ibid«.  ^ 


40^. 


witti  the  iQOV«Bi«nt  of  society  as  a  idiole  and  with  tiie  diseovery 
of  the  hidden  ppinoipl.es  of  its  aoticoi*     It  is  not  isan  as 
observed  in  his  inner  being  that  attracts  Bftlsae's  attention^  it 
!•  asn  in  so  far  as  his  action  is  social^  in  so  far  as  nis  being 
is  esqpressed  t^irou^  society*     Accordingly*  Balsao  promises 
that  his  observation  of  individiial  figures  will  be  used  in 
order  to  detendae  the  types  of  activity  in  society  and  5ja  order 
^  compose  types  by  bmmhus  of  imiting  traits  observed  in  hooe* 
gcncKms  oliaracters* 

Ibat  then  does  the  word  "type"  meaxt  to  8.^X8*0?    It  is  c^p^arent 
that  the  personage  con9>osed  in  this  manner  is  coo^KMied  in  view 
of  the  li^t  he  will  throw  upcm  the  movenent  of  society*     The 
basic  spring  of  society  is  passion*     Balstac  writes  s     ''La  passion 
est  touts  l*hisaanite*     Sans  elle«  la  reli£;ion«  I'histoire,  le 
roiasny  l*art  serai^it  inu tiles."  (1)     Sfaus  the  personages  must 
be  9aap099d  so  that  t^ey  any  represent  the  typical  passions 
idiioh  aot»ate  society  and  l^ey  aaust  be  presented  so  as  to 
dSBx^strate  the  eventiialities  insulting  from  these  passions* 
Balsac*s  personages  will  live  in  and  throui^  their  social  Amotion 
and  their  action  will  be  action  representative  of  their  social 
function*     So  at  least  RalMie  seems  to  promise  in  this  clear 
statement  of  his  preooeopation  with  society* 

S«nd*s  pexmonages*  as  she  tells  us*  are  types  of  sentinMoitsf 
Vigny's  repressnt  the  ideas  which  deteznine  the  course  of  history* 

(1)  BcCLsae*  Oeuvres  Ccmoletes*  I*,  1*,  Av6ait«»Propos.  S4. 


454. 


Rkiao  adadts  tluit  in  hla  «ox4e  It  is  "l*idee  engendx^nt  le 

pareonnace"*  (X)     The  point  of  view  from  iiliic&  ho  creates  nay 

bo  judgod  by  the  foIlo«dn^  typical  passftgot 

1m  torre  n*08t  blmx  vue  que  du  haut  du  oiel«     la  via 
n*08t  bien  ]«oga:p&^  quo  du  aouil  do  la  ^o^tm*     H 
faait  qu*imo  ^tudo  de  la  mloire^  pour  x»eiaplix>  son 
dovoir*  aaatfatlmm  lapHeitonoat  a  deux  eihoaoas    una 
aaaEaation  aux  baanoe^  une  application  allant  plus 
haut*     Pour  blen  ¥blaix%r  la  plaie  que  vous  ^Yyad3?les 
gu^rir^  ouvres  sur  elle  toiite  grondo  l*id^o  divine* 
L6' souffle  religieuxy  pwiotnmt  la  pltio' aooiale^ 
en  augsonte  le  fsdaaon*     Le  xf^l  n*est  officaceiaent 
p(4nt  <ia*a  la  olaj?to  de  l*i^»al«   (2) 

fhis  sjrstiB  tenda  to  degrade  on  the  one  hand  and  to  exalt  oa 

the  otiier*     It  foUomi*  therefox^^  that  the  ao<-oallod  "r^eal" 

will  actually  n^reaent  only  one  arbitnudly  ftitiosen  aapeet  of 

the  real  azMt  iriJl  tiierefore  ooinoide  Just  as  little  with  t^ 

gtneral  obaewaticm  as  will  tdie  ideal  represented* 

Aa  Bjigo  aolaiowledges  of  tlie  flgorea  in  Han  d»l8lande«  his 

perscmagea  are  oMde  all  of  one  piece*    Re  reollaee  that  his 

ereaturea  raust  not  be  too  hi<^y  individualised  if  the  validity 

of  hia  arcuoMit  ia  to  be  aoknowledged*     "Za  particularity  ne 

r^t  ptM  la  generality***  (3)     In  iStm  aoaroely  veiled  ari^aamit 

•f  Le  daanii^  Jour  d»"»*  '^^YllF"*^*  Boge  plainly  indieates  hia 

desire  to  attain  to  universality; 

Et  pour  que  le  plaldoyer  soit  aussi  vaate  q\ae  la 
Muaoy  il  a  du  -"- —  ^la£;uer  de  toutes  parts  dana  son 
mj,et  le  conting«it«  l*aocid«nt»  le  pai^iealier»  le 
speoialf  le  relatif|»  le  xaodifiable«  I'lfpisode*  I'snecdotOy 
I'evelfianMnty  le  nora  propre^  et  se  bomer  •>«—  "S  plaider 

il)  EugOf  Lea  Kia«^blea.  I*»  Quoted  from  a  letter  of  H\2go*s,  311* 
8)  lbxsp$  Preface  phlloaoidjiique *  399.    y        y 
5)  Hago#  Le  dernier  Jfour  d'lin  oondaana*  Prefaooy  253* 


455. 


la  cau8«  d*un  cumdanne  quelconque*  execute'vixi  jour 
({luiIooKMjiMf  pour  %m  crim*  (jpiaXoonque.   (1) 

IftiiveraaXity  cannot^  however^  be  obtained  vhan  the  general  case 

presented  appc&ra  aa  the  oppositlan  of  two  esctroeiea*     n?he 

universal  oe^sot  be  the  extraoi^din^oy.     Hence  Hu(^  falls  between 

the  two  axid  his  personages*  as  he  hisiself  intended*  reveal 

thflSMralves  as  syxaax>lic  of  his  sentixsenta  but  are  not  neoesearl]^* 

as  he  InixaxUxid,  universally  valid  symbols* 


»•  de  Stael  does  not  approve  of  the  auunner  in  which  the  sarly 
novelists  introduced  various  G<x^a  ^^  order  to  brixxg  the  events 
of  their  ficti(»is  to  a  proper  conclxxsion*    These  gods  of  the  old 
taytbolosi  ^^io  interfered  in  the  aetion  and  represented  the 
personification  of  fate  tfiould  be  replaced*  for  the  sake  of 
probability  and  truth*  by  aoral  causes  which  mxat,  naturally*  be 
personified  in  order  to  represent  effective  interference*    llhis 
result  of  the  discarding  of  the  old  a:;abol8*  althou;;^  not  stated 
by  Use*  de  Stael*  seems  to  be  the  logleal  corollary  of  her 
arsumsnt*     The  aioral  oauees*  than*  are  reduced  to  sentiments  or 
passions.     They  control  the  development  of  the  action  and  the 
action  becomes  quite  secondary  in  importance*  a  raere  oat\mrd 
indication  of  the  utility  of  eeartain  passions  in  attaining 
happiness*     It  is  thus  Ubm*  de  Stael  writes:     "Lea  ^v^easnts  ne 
doivent  "dtre  dans  lee  roiaans  q\xe  1*  occasion  de  developper  les 
l^utisicms  du  eoeur  huoaln***  (8)    Hence  the  evoits  become  aere 
pegs  to  #iich  to  attadh  differ«it  s^itinents*  different  passions. 

(1)  Eugo*  i;^  dernier  Joiir  d'un  condsgne*  Preface*  213* 

(2)  ^as*  de  Stael*  Preface  to  Vggjgjggj^,  3^6* 


456. 

"La  Borallte  deo  i^oracna  tlent  plus  au  develc-m^iiaait  dea 
swuvflmenta  Interleiirs  ds  X*'ane  qu'aux  ev^.tarionxis  qu'an  y 
raoonte*"  (X) 

The  p«raonag«s  In  Sine*  de  StGbeI*0  novels  serve^  tlierefc>r'o«  for 
an  analjBla  of  Uia  pasaioiis*     The  usual  paaalan  analyved  In 
no'»»la  la  love  but  Mm*  de  Stael  wz>ltes  eny^ualasticalXyt 
"()ael8  dlTveloppeniesits  pSiiloaophiquea^  si  l*on  a*attac(b&it  a 

N. 

WffpTOt^xidlr,  a  analyse^'  toutee  lea  passionet  eoiame  l^aoiour  l*a 

4t9  6MnB  lea  rotaanat"  (2)     It  la  but  natural  tiiat  tlie  reader 

eotpeots  the  flgurea  In  Itoe*  de  Stael* a  novels  to  beeome  living 

•Tnbols  of  the  differmit  c&iaptera  of  Iier  eaaay  De  I'Influaacjy 

dea  paaalona*     iBut«  t^iou^  f3M  ideal  beauty  is  to  be  represented* 

it  is  Aae*  de  Stael* s  avoiwed  intention  not  to  repreaent  it  in 

any  cue  figure  for  she  lays  do«n  the  z^ile: 

Et  lea  roeaans  qui  poignent  la  vie  no  doivent  pas 
presenter  des  earactwpes  p«rfaits>  mais  des  eiuraiet^res 
qui  laontrent  ee  ^*il  y  a  de  bon  et  de  blaiaable^  dans 
les  actions  husiaines*  et  quelXes  sent  les  oonaaquenoes 
naturolles  de  ces  aotions*   (3) 


To  cQ9i^>are  Mae*  de  Stael*  s  stateK&ents  with  Bui^*s«  Vigny*s« 
Sand* 8  or  Balzao'a  is  to  seo  tliat  slie  likewise  intwkda  to 
oocnpose  her  personages »  that  her  analysis  of  iaox*al  causes  and 
passions  will  be  peznsonified  throui^  **typea**«  but  that  the 
artist  herself  reoainsy  to  a  lar^^e  extent «  imoonseious  of  the 
Saplioations  of  her  otsi  statements  and  believes  it  to  be  possible 


111 


MRie«  de  Staelf  Sup  les  Fjctioaae.  69« 

-   I^lid«#  'fO* 
S)  !S5oT  de  stael,  auelguee  R^flfexione  eur  le  bat  morml  de  Delphine. 


457. 


to  do  thla  and  to  r»pr©«enb  obsicrved  reality  at  lii©  emm  tlxM* 
■er  dooa  Chateaubidand  moko  any  definite  avomaXs  as  to  him 
aetfaod  of  dhoz'acter  oi^eatlon*     It  Is  the  later  x<cisanticl8t« 
«ho  8ho»  thfloeeXves  nore  conscious  of  the  methods  of  romsntlclaa« 
Even  they,  it  la  to  bo  noted*  do  not  make  a»y  lar^  ua©  of 
the  DOZHi  ssvibolm    They  pi^ofer  to  discuss  tlielr  pe2*son&^:fNs  as 
^tYP—^9    Yet  SaaoA  has  been  seen  to  e^mowlcidge  that  one  of 
her  figures  beeasss  too  abstract  due  to  her  desire  to  be  STSolbelio* 
Vi^iy  has  iMtBi  obe«»?ved  to  cciqmre  his  metliod  of  cx'eation  of 
character  to  that  of  the  ancients  sho  r^;>resent  aioraX  truth  by 
BMas  of  STUibolic  presentation*     Bu^o^  althou^  avsldlng  the 
word  syBA)ol  in  rega:pd  to  his  personages,  adaits  unreservedly 
that>  in  his  vie«»  the  shole  vnlverse  is  a  vast  s^Tmbolic  structure* 

In  speeifie  eas^#  Ssnd  is  even  ellling  to  explain  tiie  nature 

of  the  synfeollan  inTolvod  in  her  (fliaracterlBtlc  creation  by  type. 

Chateaubriand  rnvSL  Mas,  de  Stael  likewise  snalyse  a  specific 

persensge  at  sotae  length  end,  in  this  analysis,  Shov  dearly  the 

likeness  between  their  attitude  and  that  of  their  contenporaries* 

Chateaubriand  writes  thus  of  Renei 

U  reste  a  parler  d*un  etat  do  l*sbae  q:ui,  ce  nous 
secable^  ^'a  pas  encore  4t4  blen  observ^^f     o'eet  oeluii 
qui  precede  le  d^veloppeoient  des  grandee  pasisions, 
loxnsque  toutM  les  facult^s  jeuno^,  actives,  entilres. 


^  __  _'on 

n*a  plus  d*illviBion8«  — —  11  est  ^tonnant  q^xe  les 
eorivains  nodemes  n'aient  pas  <moove  scHigiT  ii£  pelndre 
cette  singuJULere  position  de  l*^e«   (I) 

Xt  is  tlie  soul,  the  spiritual  state,  with  n^ch  Chateaubriand  is 

(1)  Chateaubriand,  A^la«  _Rsne>  Preface  de  1805,  Eztrait  du 

Qwiie  du  Chi*istianlsne> 


458. 


concerned  —  nan  under  hla  religious  aspect.     It  is  tills  aspect 
fftiidtiy  to  hira,  determines  the  xoan*     Rene  ls«  there  fore  9  Inocmplete 
US  ft  hunan  being  because  the  very  texms  of  his  creation  re<;^r« 
that  he  exMtolt  only  one  facet  of  belns.     His  lne«nplet©ness 
as  man  does,  however,  make  him  the  perfect  IncExiiation  of  a 
fliood  end  gives  him  the  permanent  qiiality  of  the  syaibol,     Jienm 


la  Chateaubriand's  charactertstlc  persona£:,e  and  In  the  stiidy 
of  the  construction  of  Atala  and  Rene  the  fact  that  the  authoj 
has  thus  defined  his  aesthetic  attitude  Is  very  Ultaalnatlng* 


U  de  Steel  has  much  to  say  of  Delphlne  and  of  the  pez*sona^8 
aho  surround  har*     Delphlne  Is,  according  to  l^ae*  de  Stael,  a 
true  "child  of  natoxv"  ond  la  intended  to  rep3?esent  the  perscxna^ 
eapable  of  the  C3?eatest  possible  suffering.     Matllde,  the  wlfe« 
Is  the  figure  ndiose  "/Irtue  Is  Intended  to  "fair©  ressortlr  lea 
torts  de  Delphlne".   (1)    Aa  Ifcie.  de  Stael  escplalnsj     "Si  Je 
l*avml8  suppose  des  vioea  ^  Matllde,  j*aurals  avlll  ses  droltai 
si  Je  lul  avals  donne  beatieoup  de  eharmes,  Je  pr^als  a  la 
vax'tu  une  force  etrangere  a  elle***   {%)     Thus  Matilda  Is  to 
aynfbollze  social  virtue  but  social  virtue  Is  to  be  reparesented 
aa  lacking  In  charm.     Iianedlately  Ibie*  de  Stael*  s  technique  la 
exposed  aa  contrary  to  her  own  theory.     Her  theory  of  morality 
adsilta  no  personc^];e  to  be  perfect  j     In  this  respect,  Matllde'a 
lack  of  charm  constitutes  an  l»?>erfectlon.     But  neither  should 
t^e  personage  appear  deprived  of  the  fine  m;ance8  of  life  n^JLeh 
fop  probability.     If  Matllde  Is  to  appear  -—  In  order  ta 


(1)  Mtae.  de  Sta<^l,  g^elgues  Kcflexions  sjir  Ic  but  noral  da  Pelsahlne. 


45  9. 


serve  Etee  de  Stael*a  thesis  —  laokinf;  in  <diann  but  absolutely 
irll^out  vice  5  tlte  extvoae  has  taken  the  place  of  the  hxsnan  and 
Matilda  haa  taken  Ivnf  place  as  a  symbol  lAio  fails  to  give  the 
illusicm  of  life  end  vhoy  beeause  of  thla  failure,  serves  to 
underline  the  gene3?al  aymbolic  purpose.     It  is  evldeait,  too, 
from  thm  above  oitaticny  tliat  ttaa*  de  Stael  x^alises  that  her 
fl^j?e«  €UPe  created  prlaauplly  in  order  to  coincide  with  her  own 
sentiment  ax^  only  asecaidarily  with  reality. 

Sand  defines  the  symbolic  nature  or  the  figures  in  Adrlagii  and, 
indeed,  in  the  majority  of  her  novels  i&iiw  she  writes;     **X1  y  a 
autent  de  i?mnieree  de  comprendre  et  do  aentir  l*ex:K?ur  qa*il  y  a 
de  types  hisaains  sur  la  terre."   (1)     The  "type"  is  detenain^,  is 
lisdted,  and  is  defined  by  his  nanner  of  understanding  eand 
feelii^  love*     Occasionally  tiie  personage  instead  of  voicing 
an  attitude  toward  love  repsrasents  rather  an  attitude  tonmrd 
art.     Such  is  tJxe  ease,  for  instance,  in  Le  qi&tega  dee  D^sertea. 
of  titiioh  Sand  writes  >     "Le  Cti&teaa.  des  Deseartes  est  une  analyse 
de  quelqpies  idees  d*art  plut^  qu*une  analyse  de  sentir^ienta. "  (S) 
These  two  sentlsaents  placed  in  juxtaposition  ^ive  us,  indeed, 
limtever  clue  is  necessary  to  Sand's  ndiole  artistic  erection. 

other  more  specif ie  statements  nay,  however,  be  adduced,     t'^ie 
such  stata:Mnt  may  serve  furtlier  to  emphasise  the  self-oonsclouS'-' 
ness  of  Sand's  art.     She  writes » 

Leila  a  ete^  et  reste  dans  ma  pensee  un  essal  poetique. 


(1)  Sand,  Adriani*  Prifaoe^.  ^ 

(2)  Sajul,  tie  Chateau  des  Deaertesm  Preface. 


Y- 


460. 


un  rojaam  fanta6,quo  on  lea  persoimages  ne  aont  rJ. 
oosoapletflsnent  I'oelBy  c<x!ime  l*ant  voulu  ]^s  anateux>B 

aXX9QorlqpMB,  ootsci*  l*ont  jug^^^elques  esp2*lta 
«yiitli^tlqa»a^  mala  <nl  lis  r^z^etitent  oluunm  ima 
fraction  de  l^l^telll.^enoe  phlloso.^hlqpie  du  XIXe 
•IsoXes     ThUchovie,  l*oplcu7eisDie  he'rdtior  des 
80phl8m©«  du  sleble  demler;     Bt^ilo,  I'sntlicfusiaarae 
eti^la  falblesa©  d*3jn  toc^s  ou  l*intelli(;enoe  monte 
tres  hsEut  ontrainee  par  I'lsiAgination,  et  tosibe  tr^s 
bae^  ^r-as^  jpar  une  v^edXt^  sans  poeaie  et  snns 
grandeur}     Ueiffaxa,  le  debris  d*\xn  clers^oogrom^u 
ou  abratif     ot  ainsi  den  autrea*     Quant  a  Lelia^  je 
dole  avouer  qua  eette  figure  la'est  appaini©  en.  t:ravai»a 
d'\m©  fiction  plvie  aalaiasonte  que  oelle.e  qui  ^ 
l*esitoarent«     Ja  me  aouTlena  de  is*m;re  eoeqpXu  a  eo. 
falz^s  la  peraonniflcatlcm  encore  plus  qii©  i*avocat 
du  8piritualisz*ie  de  cea  tectma*^!}     splrituallssne  qui 
a'aat  plus  tSamn  I'hoaBie  ^  l^atat  de  vertu«  puisqu'll 
a  cease  de  crolre  au  dOi^e^qiii  le  lul  pre sc rival t, 
mia  qixi  rcr teet  reatere~a  Jatuaism  chaa  lea  Jtatioaos 
delair^s»  "^  I'atat  da  beaoln  et  d*  aspiration  Bubliaa» 
]^^2iaqa*lX  est  l*essaaea  laoiBa  des  inteHlgencea 
alavMa*   (1) 


Vlgny  too  descrlbea  hia  paracxnagaa  exactly  in  prefaces  or  in 
his  journal  but  he  doea  not  deaoribe  tlion  &&  people  tut  as 
particular  ideas  or  sentimanta*     He  writes  of  ClnqJEars;     ".T'a:'wd.a 
daaaaln  da  paindz^  lea  troia  aorlias  d'aabitlon  qui  nous  peuvant 
raaoar  at^  a  c^e  d*allas»  la  beaute  du  sacrifice  de  8oi«ai£me 
^  una  g^n^nRuie  poia^a*"  (S)    IBien  «a  naka  the  aaqoalntanee  of 
Riaheliaun  Loula^  Cinq-TJarSf  and  de  Thou,  it  is  avidant  that, 
to  Vi£^y,  tliey  are  not  znen  but  syabols  of  three  types  of  aioibition 
ttid  of  <m©  tjpe  of  diainterestedneas.     In  Vigny'a  journal  there 
are  to  ba  fouzvl  nuraarous  references  to  Daphne  although  not  all 
of  than  are  equally  applicable  to  the  ooiapleted  voric*     The  znoat 
illUBiinating  of  the  atateraanta  found  therein  la  the  brief 


(1)  Sand^  Lelia«  Profaee^, 

(2)  Vi;7isr/pinq>'l larn ,  Reflexion 


a  ^^ir  ,la^  verito  d&ns  l^art,  VI, 


461. 


«lggi8tlon!:     ^Dlvln.lflQr  la  conaolonco'*.   (1)     It  Is  this  eStovt 

ajad  Vtiia  ralluro  ii£)ldi  is  a^ysibolisod  in  the  person  of  J^lan* 

That  Virpny  identifiea  in  spirit  Julien,  StelXo^  &nd  himself 

is  svidsnt  not  only  in  his  1)ook  Stello  but  in  his  r^ferenoss 

to  Jtilion  in  his  journal,     A«  early  as  1833  ws  find  Vljjuy 

writing} 

J©  no  puis  valncj?©  la  sympathie  qu©  j'ai  toujoiirs 
eus  poup  Jull«Ki  I'Apofltat, 

Si  la  xoetoipsycose  existe  J*ai  9te  est  horame. 

C*s8t  l^hOBBUi  dont  le  x^la^  la  vie,  le  earaotere 
a*«ass«rit  Is  mleux  conv&xm  dans  I'histoire*   (2} 

lis  idsntifiea  ^hxllen  and  Stelln  in  such  an  apostro^jhs  as  tas 

fdllovln^: 

Julian  dflsuialtt  faisoit  doainar  st  recsvait  la  xoort 
avec  la  sourix*e  sur  les  liv3*os« 

Soui^iro  da  pitie^ 

Sourij?©  de  paisibla  dosaspolr, 

Le  v^tre,  'S  Stellol   (3) 
In  so  identifying  Julian  and  Stello  Vl£;ny  is,  in  rsality, 
definlns  there  as  synbols  of  the  divine  side  of  human  nature.  It 
is  lnte2»Q8tlng  to  observe  tliat,  in  his  cicw^arlson  of  Jiilien 
with  hiraaelf  f  he  shows  his  j^ealiaatlcm  of  the  fact  tatiat  his 
original  choiee  in  the  natter  of  persono^je  is  a  xnattor  of  sent- 
iment and  not  of  reasofi* 

The  eyldenoe  so  far  nakes  it  plain  that  all  tlio  roniantlciats 
ware  agreed  as  to  tihe  moral  n;oal  of  their  art  and  as  to  their 


5iJ  ^?^»  .J^iSiaLja!iSl.J2^IS*   116. 

(2)  Xbld«,  36. 

(3)  SI2*»  92. 


462. 


deeiro  to  picture  "1«  b««u  id^al***  The  vision  of  the  Ideal 
is  to  be  obtained  directly  froa  Ood  tlirou^  the  intuition*  In 
its  repveeentaticm  not  all  of  then  are  as  willing  to  neglect 
probability  entirely  but  it  is  the  gwieral  ccmseniRis  of  qE^Lnion 
that  the  work  of  art  is  wigendered  in  the  artist's  mind  according 
to  his  idea  or  sentiment  and  then,   the  artist  consults  reality 
only  in  order  to  adduce  the  necessary  proof  for  id«Ei  or  sentiment* 
ftuoh  a  method  results  in  fi^^res  #io  eaq^ress  and  represent  a 
single  aood  (Qiateaubrisnd)*  who  represMit  passions  or  noral 
ofluses  (Mae*  de  Stael)»  ytao   represent  ideas  or  sentiiaents 
(Hugo) 9  ifto  are" types"  (Balsao,  Vi£;ny,  Sand).  In  their  further 
analysis  Vigny  and  Sand  iinplicitly  reeognize  that  a  "type"  is 
a  symbol  axui  they  interpret  particular  fi('];ures  for  us* 

Of  tlxe  events  in  irtiidi  these  personages  parti  cipatSy  of  the 

Kllieu  in  which  they  taov;   little  is  said*  On  the  shole^  Idie 

rtmantlcists  seeai  to  have  been  unaware  that  they  were  exteniing 

their  method  of  creation  to  the  #iole  structure  of  tiie  novel 

as  well  as  to  the  single  field  of  tfuuraoter  presentation* 

BalMM  is  the  (sily  one   of  these  authors  sho  states  directly t 

*Han  seuleBHnt  les  hommes,  mais  encore  les  ^enerasnts  principaux 

de  la  vie,  se  fonaealont  par  des  types*  **  (1)  Vi£;ny  aokaswledgea 

that  events  too  must  be  reoomposed  in  order  to  represent  Idea 

when  he  writes x 

Aussiy  lox«que  la  UUSE  •»— -  vient  raconter,  dans  sea 
fovaes  passionne^Sy  les  aventores  d*un  persmmage 
que  je  sals  avoir  v^cu,  et  qu*elle  recceqpose  ses 


(1)  BalsaOf  Oeuvres  Ccmpletes*  I*,  1*»  Avmit-Propos.  56* 


463. 


•VMMMBitSy  soXon  Xa  plus  grande  idee  de  vice  ou 
de  vertu  que  X*on  puisse  ooncevoir  de  Ixil* •••(!) 

»•  de  Stael  iraye:  "Lea  ^^esaents  ne  dolvcoit  etre  dana  lea 

romana  que  l*oooaalon  de  developper  los  passions  du  ooeur 

faaanaln**  (8)  But  she  doea  not  carry  out  her  statmnmit  to  Ita 

logieal  ooncluslcm*  She  aeena  to  realise  neither  that  ahe 

Boat  peraonlfy  differmt  pasaiona  if  she  ia  to  anaXyae  them 

tlirou^^  peraonagea  nor  that  the  eventa  muat,  if  used  aa  mere 

attidbutea  of  certain  paasiona^  be  reduced  to  typea  oorreapeod* 

ing  to  the  personagea  and  ao,  like  thrnxk^   beoccie  8ymtx>l* 

B«l»ae  givea  aoat  attention  to  Hva  qtieation  of  milieu.  He 

realisea  that  a  definite  aaaociation  la  aet  up  between  man  aad 

hie  environment*  He  writeas 

Alnai  I*eeuvre  a  faire  devait  avoir  una  triple  forme i 
Xea  henaeSf  lea  feenef  et  lea  eScumm^^   e'aat-a^ire  lea 
peraonnee  et  la  repx^sentation  materielle  qu'ila 
donnent  de  leur  pwieees  enfin  I'hoame  et  la  vie^ 
ear  la  vie  eat  notre  v'^ement*  (3) 

Here  flulaac  ia  making  the  atatement  that  Hugo  haa  already  madet 

that  the  irihole  universe  inolviding  man  ia  a  vast  s^rmbolic 

atruoture  in  v^fiich  t^ie  raaterial  aa  well  aa  t^ie  human  is  nothing 

but  a  a^sibol  of  the  divine*  But  Q^alaao  ia  more  conseioua  of 

tSie  i&^licaticma  of  such  a  atateramt*  He  perceives  that  the 

Baterial  atmoaphere  nhidli  invests  man  ia  part  of  man*  a  life  and 

an  extmiaion  of  hia  being*  Similarly^  man  himaelf  fonas  part 

of  the  flutterial  atmoaphere  and  is  oo-extensive  vith  it*  It  Is 

in  this  vay  that  Balaae  eaqpreaQes  the  mystioiam  of  the  romenticiats 


1)  Vigny,  Cing-Mara*  Reflexions  aur  la  yerit^  dana  I'art*  X,  XI* 

S)  Itae*  de  stael*  Preface  to  I?elphine*  SSBl 

5)  Balsae^  Oenvres  CoppX^tee*  I«.  1**  Avant-Propoa*  27, 


464. 


for  vhora  the  aTopathy*  the  luumony,  and  tlie  xinlty  of  the 
sentient  and  the  non«>8antient  manifeatationa  of  God*  a  thou^^t 
was  Ml  eaaantiaX  t^iet*     It  la  for  this  reason  that  we  find 
onm  Ijurge  class  of  Balsao*s  personages  itioae  aole  fimeticm  it 
is  to  provide  the  baek^pround  and  to  determine  the  niXieu*     flisy 
are  apeeial  mmifestations  of  the  life  of  the  tlmef     they  have 
groan  out  of  that  life  and  they  fona  In  their  pez^sons  tiie  soil 
iriiidh  will  be  fH^ourable  or  trnfavourabXe  to  tlie  new  growth  of 
a  later  QeoiBvatlon*     It  is  for  this  reaa<m  that  peTB(m&e9  and 
vilistt  aoy  and  do  beoome  aynon^aDus  terras*     But  that  millsu 
^piwsrs  aceording  to  its  "type"  sad  that  definite  cozrespondsnees 
exist  between  milieu^  events  end  personagiey  no  other  of  the 
romantioiats  suggeats  exoept  perhaps  very  vaguely* 

Ihat  the  romanticists  regard  their  work  aa  a  religious  docnasnt 
Riay  be  perceived  by  reference  to  the  reoaxteSf  easual  or  otdier* 
wisSf  of  every  one  of  thmu     Chateaubriand*  a  i^Aiole  thau<^t  is 
suioasd  up  in  the  sentence i     "Encore  \xne  fois»  l*auteur  a  d^ 
eontoattre  dea  poeraea  et  des  romans  isipies  avec  des  po^taaes  st 
des  roraans  pieux***  (1)    Ites*  de  Stael  intends  to  repx^sent  the 
true  basis  of  virtue*     The  philosophical  basis  of  the  novel 
tfiouldf  3!»  deslareSf  represent  iaan*s  virtue  to  reside  in  certain 
s«ttl2nents*     "•«**et  la  vertu,  telle  que  je  la  eoni^la^  appar~ 
tlent  b^oicoup  au  ooexir}     je  1*b1  noBsnee  blenfaiaancey  ncn 
dana  l*acceptlon  trea  bomes  qu'«i  dcMine  a  ce  mot«  male  en 
deaignant  alnsl  toutes  los  actions  de  la  bonte***   (2)     Send 

(1)  Chateaubriand^  Atala.  Ren^«  Preface  de  1805«  Extralt  d«  la 

Defense  du  Osnie  du  Ghriatlania^* 
(8)  Stee*  de  Sts«l«  De  I'Influenos  des  passions,  ife 


465. 


dMKivib«s  ^rft  ^^^TTBiiiili  "^^  ^Q^^  ^^  Fpaiaee  aa  "  tin  Xivre  dont 
I'ld^  evazif^lique  ^talt  le  but  biexi  declaro"*   (X)     Belsoe 

lie  ohri.stlaniaiB««  «t  surtout  le  caldioliciaBHi,  ^tant 
"^rr"  vn  systoms  oompXet  de  z>e^3?es  edon  des,  tendances 
di^prav^^B  de  VYiamnm^  est  le  plus  grand  el^ra^t 
d*Ordx«  Social*  — -—  La  pensTO^i  prlnoipe  dejs  maux 
et  des  blensy  ne  peut  '^re  pz^parM,  dosi^tM* 
dlrlgi(e  ^pie  pap  la  relisl<m«*»«   (3) 

SlnoA  BalsaOf  as  «e  have  tmen^  Intends  to  represent  espeoialXy 

"l*Oz>dre  Social"  9  and  since  religion  is  to  him  its  most  isi^portant 

elencHit*  it  is  evident  ttiat  Balzao  too  considers  his  vork  to 

have  a  distinct  religioixa  foundation*     Hugo  states  of  feee 

HlwtrableB;     "Le  livre  qu*on  va  lire  est  un  livre  religieux."   (3) 

Bjat  it  is  ViQny»e  statement  that  makes  itiost  apparoit  the 

relationa^iip  between  philosophy*  reli(j;lon,  tmd  aesthetic  theory 

in  roiiianticiaBa  and  raakes  most  appairant  also  hov  close  a 

relationship  exists  betise«i  rollGion  and  s^robol*     The  philosoi^hie 

point  of  view  is  in  Vigny  always  closely  allied  to  the  poetic  •» 

or  t^ie  aeatSietie*     He  writes: 

XI  y  a«  dans  les  oeuvres  d*art^  deux  points  de  vuet 
l*un  philosophique*  l*autr>e  poetiqiie«     Le  point  de 
vue  phiXosophique  doit  soutenlr  X'oouvre,  drsme  ou 
Xlvre*  d*wi  p^le^a  X*autre«  pr^cisiSment  ecBsoe  X*ax8 
d*un  gXobe}     liiais  le  globe*  dons  sa  foxne  arrondie 
et  eoopXete^  avec  3^9  oouXeurs  varices  et  briXlantes* 
est  tme  iaage  de  X'art  qui  dolt  "^re  tou jours  en  vue« 
oa  toumont  autour  de  la  pens^  philosophique  et 
X'emportant  dans  son  atmosplHire****   (4) 

It  is  noticeable*  even  as  lie  writes  this  «xplanation  of  the 

z>elaticmiaiip  of  the  philosophic  and  the  aesthetic  that  the 

X)  Sand*  Le  Corapapyion  du  tour  de  f^pance*  Notice  de  1851« 
2)  BaXsac*  Oeuvres  Comple]tee*  I»»  l**"Xyant-»Propoa«  50« 


5)  Hugo*  Prt^f'ace  phllosoTAiiquej  317* 
4)  Vi/ggr.'Taamal  d'un  po^te*  154* 


466. 


WQilanfttion  is  clothed  in  the  liaagQy  tlh»   symbol*  In  this 

respeott  relir^lon  ls»  to  Vigny*  essentially  a  woxlc  of  art*  He 

asslnilates  religion  to  poetry  in  aeny  pasMigee*  Ue  writes «  for 

Instanoe,  on  two  different  oooaslonat  "Les  T>elislone  eont  dee 

oeuvree  de  poeale*"  (1)  He  asoribee  to  poetry  the  virtues 

tAiioh  he  has  ascribed  to  religions  t 

(^il«  Xa  po^ie  esjb  vaam  volupte«  rmis  vaam  volupW 
eouvrant  la  pensee  et  la  r^idejit  liui'neuse  par 
1* eclat  de  son  oristal  pr^servateuTy  qui  lui 
peznettra  de  vivre  etemellement  et  d*eolalrer 
sans  fin*  <2) 

that  poetry  does  not  neeessarlly  find  fonaal  eaqpresslcxa  in  art 
but  can  he,   x>athsr«  a  foxn  of  contemplation  is  also  an  integral 
part  of  Vi^iy's  point  of  view  and  ls«  pesrhaps*  a  natural 
eorollasy  of  his  Idsntlfleatlon  of  poetry  with  religion.  He 
writes t  "Ii'gtude  pour  1' etude ■  o*est  la  ce  qu»il  faut  dire, 
et  non  I'art  pour  l*art#  L*^tude  nene  au  perieoticnuMnant  de 
sill  I  Alia  et  des  autres*  Ii*art  conduit  a  un  petit  trlcBBpha  de 
vanlte»**  (3)  It  Is  evident  tdiat  all  these  oonolusions  are 
o<mtained  in  Daphne  for,  sinoa  l)aphn<^  o<meems  reli^imi,  it  alae 
directly  concexna  the  work  of  poetry*  If  religion  is  alwaya 
syBa>olie  of  an  idoa»  so  to  Vlgny  Is  poetry  alwc^ra  a  fo»i  of 
m^tAiol^     'SiM  recurring  syabolism  in  Vi^pny's  work  Is  only,  there- 
fore, a  reearrln^3  proof  of  the  idea  ocmtained  in  Daitow< 

To  apply  the  sum  fomula  to  Vl^piayis  art  is  inevitable*  Tkim 
preface  to  his  earliest  prose  work  nada  plain  his  int«^ti(»i 

(1)  Vlgny,  Journal  d'un  po^te*  90,  154* 

(2  Ibid.;  ws: — —  — 

(5)  ISP*^  244. 


467. 


tihat  ttie  historlc«il  Incident  flhouXd  be  subservient  to  the  ZdMU 
Bat,  just  aa  pjoatme  stakes  plain*  tlie  Pure  Xd««i  needs  a  medlijira 
of  interpretation  for  insaanity*    This  medium  «^  the  xK>et*0 
Hot^a  —  is,  of  neceastty,  ssw.bol.     If  it  is  religion  wMcJi 
preserves  the  essence  of  laoralltyi,  it  is  art  ^nisose  fable  pro* 
partes  the  essence  of  truth,  concealing  the  Pure  Idea  under 
t3ie  sjHBTibolic  cloak  of  hletorlcal  personage  and  hlstortoal 
incident* 

After  the  study  of  a  generation  of  wrltears  "Shose  aestSietle 
theories,  in  spite  of  evidsoit  differ<»ices.  Show,  nevert'ieless, 
a  r;:flneral  slioilarity  of  outlook,  it  is  instructive  to  excrmine 
the  «oz4c  of  ^Hieophile  Oautler  «nd  to  observe  the  manner  in 
which  his  theories  serve  as  a  ooesaentary  on  ronanticlam  and,  at 
the  sasw  tiim,  fox^  a  logical  oontinuation  of  the  romantic 
attitude* 

The  adoption  of  the  novel  in  the  eif^tiMnth  century  as  a  gsnrtt 
iNNPllAjf  of  serious  ccmsideration  had  been  acoonpaaie'i  hj  eat 
effort  to  ennoble  it«     Ihis  tdie  ei^teentSi  o<mtury  writers  had 
thought  to  accomplish  by  deiaonstiraitlnc;  titie  fitness  of  the  novel 
ae  a  vehicle  for  aorsd.  or  philosophic  teaching*     As  «e  have 
•een,  the  novelists  of  the  early  nineteenth  centuxy  accepted 
this  theory  with  enthusiavn,  the  more  so  because  the  wrltezv 
of  the  rocoantioist  pez4od  had  come  to  regard  truth  and  l:>eauty 
as  aynanynous  texvui  and  Iiad  aeeepted  the  metier  of  tihie  r>o«t 
with  the  conviction  that  t^e  poet  was  necessarily  invested  with 
ttie  mission  of  the  px<<n3het«     As  t&e  afjjHMiBmtatives  of  Ood  on 


468. 


•artb  their  voices  cried  out  t^e  abonizmtions  and  sine  of  this 
vorldf  calling  upon  man  to  i^opont  and  to  build  a  nev  Eden  after 
the  fomulft  iHiioh  they  pi^eecribed*  tThe  novel  becasae  the 
revelation  of  the  poet's  divinely  Inepired  dressui  and^  la  the 
early  nineteentii  c«itux7«  theee  dreams  Showed  a  predomina&t 
intereffi  %n  eoolal  bettexvent*  If  the  individual  were  naturally 
good  and  yet  life  tsos  not  a  dz>cem  of  liappineas*  t^ie  culprit  zaust 
be  eoeiety*  Besuse  a  nawev,   more  perfect  form  of  society  must 
be  devised*  From  Cihateaubrland  and  Khrn*  de  Stael  to  Htxgo,  Vlgny, 
Balzae,  and  Sand»  U»  search  for  t^e  fonoola  for  happiness 
was  continued  in  successive  novels »  novels  idiich  sou^t  to 
peraisaAs  and  dsoonstrate  by  swans  of  a  spurious  logie  deteznined 
in  advanoe  by  j.  griort  eonvicti(»is« 

In  Oeutier  a  double  reaction  i^^linst  the  premises  of  these 
writers  appears*  Xet*  ri^^tly  understood^  his  reaetidi  against 
ronanticiam  asy  be  seen^  nevertheless,  to  leave  him  in  the 
romanticist  oarip*  It  is  for  tMa  reason  tSiat,  as  ne  have  seen, 
his  asthod  of  (diaraoter  presentaticm  Shows  less  variaticm  frcst 
the  aetheds  of  Ms  fellow  roonnticists  than  mi|^t  seen  at  a 
eeimal  glance  to  be  the  case* 

In  a  study  of  6autisr*s  prefaces  to  his  prose  works  very  little 
can  be  fouz^  which  bears  directly  upon  hia  conception  of 
dsairaeter  cx^aticm*  On  the  other  hand,  Qautier  takes  care  to 
define  certain  aspects  of  his  aesthetic  theory  with  an  eaphasis, 
a  violenosji  evon  —  i^iich  makes  it  obvious  that,  for  hiai,  the 
pendulum  has  swung  to  the  opposite  extrene  to  that  which  called 


469. 


foz*th  his  px^test  and  coca^gex^ted  his  attitude* 


Th»  vead/BT  of  Gautier^s  preface  to  hi  a  first  volvaoB  of  pros© 
voslcs  will  find  not  only  a  key  to  the  ideas  *hi<3\  reaprxsau?  ?Ji 
the  preface  to  Wftfltnoleelle  de  Maaoin  but  also  a  def initiotn  of 
certsdn  of  the  (duumoteristics  v^tiioh  are  those  of  the  earlier 
novelists  of  romantlcloiu     Zn  a  brief  par«gra|ih  (l)  Gmitier 
ridiooles  the  predileetion  of  the  conteiaporary  novelists  for 
r^ardlng  themselves  as  prophets  of  a  new  falth|  the  nateiral 
ttayQmiCfj  of  this  attitude  to  result  in  the  lan^xage  of  n^ftfe  and 
allagorjs     the  neoessaarily  ulterior  goal  iftiidbi  midb.  prefaces 
iftMW*     2^  denying  the  artist  his  divine  mission  Qautier  at  the 
•me  tiJM  denies  Mat  the  ri^^t  to  BBTtaonlze  tlirou^  the  sodium  of 
his  art*     He  writes t     '*Quant  a  Tacm  opinion  sur  l^art«  je  pense 
^IM  e*est  ime  Jcmslerie  pare  — —  En  f?iit  d'aartistes,  je  n»estlB» 
que  lea  aerobates."  (2)    Th»  artist  is  a  ticJitrope  walker  rather 
than  a  proisi^t.     The  spectator  admires  the  ease  and  grace  of 
t3ie  perfonasnoe  but  he  does  not  search  for  a  raoral»     His  sole 
©oncern  is  wiiii  the  art  vfhlcSn  pexrilts  of  a  tcn^>orary  tr1.ta^h 
over  aatter  and  its  laws*     Such  an  art  has  no  and  beyond  itself* 
It  is  its  o«n  cp»l  and  has  no  other*     The  theory  of  art  for 
art's  sake  plaees  Gsutier  In  direct  opposition  to  the  series 
of  novelists  we  have  studied  i*io,  thou£?^  difforing  from  each 
other  in  many  respects «  possess  a  fundasisntal  tx*ait  In  eonison  in 

(1)  Oeutior^  Les  Jeunee^Freaiee*  Preface* 

(2)  Ibid* 


470. 


th©  fact;  tSiRt  «a<Ai  writes  wltai  a  novel  or  pMloeopMc  rmrponeg 
E  purpos©  uhlcih  domljiateo  his  art  and  l8*  lnd««d»  its  detezodnlng 
inspiration* 

Yet,  rettdins  OflMtler  attwitlvely,  the  contrast  between  Mb 
attitude  ftnd  that  of  hie  nortfwrNorRrip.B  cefwwi  to  ditnljilsh,     "^je 
pirefaoe  to  Fii'tmiio  iiftii(di  begins  as  a  lao^Eery  of  t^e  lnt«rmin- 
ahly  lane  and  bju*^  tioo  frequent  prefacea  Characteristic  of 
the  novels  of  the  day,  goea  on,  hoiwver,  to  the  stateniantl 
"gbrt<inio  eat  un  hysmo  a  la  beRute,  a  la  riehcase^  au  b<Nlhmp» 
lee  trois  seules  dlvinltee  qtie  nous  reconnainaione.,«.«"  (1) 
f?«oitler»8  art  «-  like  tJiat  of  the  novelists  ttoow  he  mocks  •— 
seams  likewise  to  re««nEble  ft  f*>*w  of  rellgioua  feeling*     Buft 
in  his  ease  the  eexnon  beecnes  a  hgsm  and  Hm  h^an  apotheoaiaes 
a  new  divinity  -•  beauty.     Bemitv  la  tJie  keynote  to  Gaaxtler^a 
aeethetlea  and  it  is  evident  that  Oetutier  — -  at  least  in  FortuniON'« 
la  setting;  up  beauty  as  an  ideal  nnd  aa  tiie  sole  valuable 
l<?oal#     The  ffliolce  of  Ideal  —  the  fact  thnt  It  Is  an  aesthetic 
rather  than  a  noral  <me  —  mav-es  no  eaaentlal  differeno©  In 
rejrard  to  tho  basic  method  of  his  art.     Thm  very  f«ujt  that 
GsPitier  too  is  xinder  the  necessity  of  flndinc  a  faith  and  of 
deciding  upon  his  personal  criterion  of  the  ideal  —  this  f/ory 
fact  est^j.bllrtics  a  bond  between  htn  nrwi  the  rooiantieists.     ^Phe 
personal  faith  has  replaced  objective  authority.     The  sui^gestlcaa 
la  -- .  a  »\v3geetion  only  to  be  confitroed  by  a  study  of  Oauti«>*8 
suiii  •>-  that,  like  the  other  romanticistay  his  r^resantatica 
of  the  world  is  bassd  less  on  observation  than  on  en  Ideal 

(l)(ie3itiery  Nouvelles.  Fortunjo.  Preface. 


*SttaB  "art  fox*  art's  sake"  wust  be  riodlflod  to  "art  for  b««uty*s 
i^'J-c"«     fhe  dlfferonce  betevaen  this  foxnolA  ami  such  a  one  a« 
no  «di^t  aacrlba  to  Hugo  —  "art  for  tlie  sake  of  humanltarianlsai'' , 
for  inatancw  — •  resides  In  the  fact  -ttiat  a  cortalji  harsKwiy 
betwacn  art  tmd  beauty  has  always  be«n  £^«nerally  r<aoo^ii2:ed*  "let. 
If  a  work  t*iich  Is  uniertalcen  for  tlie  sake  of  beauty  sets  out 
to  prove  the  suprene  value  of  beauty,  a  certain  SBioraalfmrntess 
results.     B«u2ty  nay  be  miz-arded  as  tine  ^oal  of  the  fine  arts 
wl12i0ut  necflttsarlly  belns  regained  as  t2io  Qoal  of  life  in 
general  or  as  the  laethod  by  i*iloih  happiness  Is  attained.     If, 
for  Qaiatler,  beauty  is  to  esrve  as  the  soigle  fomula  #ii(^  trill 
provide  the  open  sesffioe  to  happiness  and  if,  in  Gautier's  v?oz^, 
ttie  IdMJL  world  la  to  revolve  around  the  possoasifai  of  beauty, 
ti^exL  Gautlcr's  art  cnn  l^e  seen  t*  be  reduced  to  tltA  charaoter*- 
Icttie  notSiod  of  roaanticisQw 

Bor  can  one  neglect  the  significant  confession  in  the  preface 
to  Lea  Jmmes-»rranco  nftxere  Gautier  writes:      "Par  sulto  &Q  !aa 
concentration  dans  laon  e£o,  cette  Id^  la'eat  venue,  naintes 
fois,  que  j'etais  seul  eu  ■ilieu  de  la  creation*"   (1)     This  la 
tite  pineictlcal  result  of  the  acceptance  of  the  Idcalisra  so 
Buccesn fully  propounded  by  German  jdiiloaophcrs.     The  world  of 
sensaticm  and  feeling  is,  necessarily,  a  subjective  world  in 
nftiioh  all  standards  are  relative  aiKi  no  unlversals  are  possible* 
The  norld  of  feeling  is  a  world  of  particulars  and  the  contlncjent. 
It  is  a  world  of  isolation.     The  social  world  is  replaced  by 

(1)  Oautior,  Lea  Jeunes-France.  Preface. 


4Yii. 


tlio  ©go  and  tii©  a3pix»atlon  of  tiiat  ego  is  toward  the  iopossible 
since.  In  a  world  #ilch  is  a  subjective  croaticm*  all  things 
may  happen  no  matter  how  inpoasible.  The  author  1*10  lives 
admittedly  in  a  world  dominated  i^y  his  own  ego  can  create  and 
repreeait  no  other  type  of  woi*ld.  Objective  reality  is 
thoorotically  denied.  Practically,  c^any  of  the  rosuanticiats 
found  It  convenletit  to  deny  their  own  pr^saises,  ^et  tii©  baaio 
foundation  of  Gautier*s  artistic  world  sMy  b©  largely  dedueed 
from  this  single  atatetnent  ©veti  th^mgh  such  a  stateiu^it,  unless 
its  exact  implications  are  furtlier  developed,  laay  prove  more 
misleadlns  tiian  enllght©aln<2. 

tSoreovor  any  conclusicm  to  be  dra«n  ftroaa  Oauti©r*3  prefaces 
cannot  be  valid  if  it  does  not  take  into  account  the  preface 
in  vliidhi  Gantler*s  tSioucJit  appears  most  clearly,  the  famous 
preface  to  Mademoiselle  de  Maupin,  This  preface  will  lead  us 
to  modify  the  iiapresaion  created  by  Uie  above  citations  and 
will  eoQ^iasi^  Gautier's  rejection  of  the  extremes  of  ronanticisn* 
It  contains  a  violent  attack  on  tlie  prevalent  taate  for  laorali^ 
and  utility  in  litem  ture  -~  a  taste  «daicli  tranaforoie  tlie 
BtandaM  of  critioisn  and  maizes  of  those  virtues  the  goal  of 
art.  The  natural  concocoltaBii  of  the  rejection  of  the  utilit- 
arian point  of  view  is  tho  rejection  of  the  idea  of  progress 
and  perfectibility*  In  other  words,  Oautier  declares  that  t2ie 
art  triiose  goal  is  liicral  and  idiose  utility  la  supposed  to 
consist  in  tlie  influence  tdiidh  it  exercises  toward  tho  progress 
of  Rumkind,  tha^:  this  art  is,  after  all,  tuseless,  since  these 
ideas  are  futile  and  false*  On  the  other  hand,  nothing  Interuied 


473. 


for  utility  has  beauty* 


Ri«n  de  ce  qui  est  b«au  n*ent  indispensable  k 
Xa  vie,  — .— 


II  n'y  a  do  vrainent  beau  que  ce  qui  ne  peut 
servlr  a  rienf     tout  ce  qui  est  utile  est  laidf 
ear  e^est  1*  expression  de  quelque  b<9s;;^in,  et 
efmx  de  I'hoene  sont  i gobies  et  denoutantSf 
MMM  sa  paulve  et  infirme  nature*  Tl) 

Tliere  is  here  the  definite  statemmit  of  the  gratuitous  quality 

of  beauty.     This  is  eq^xivalent  to  a  statoaient  of  the  grattdtous 

quality  of  Qaatier*s  books  as  also  of  tlie  ideal  «iorld  idiidi 

he  reps^sents  and  of  the  ideal  personoc^s  "fi^  live  therein* 

It  is  in  harciony  witli  suoh  a  statement  that  Gaatier*8 
per8<magea  ^ould*  as. have  obseznred  to  be  true^  app€»ar  under 
•a  entirely  unsocial  aspect |     for  such  an  attitude  preclxtdes 
any  desire  to  present  tlie  irorld*     It  results  rather  in  the 
representaticm  of  individuals  v^io  i^ore  society  since  they 
lack  axxj  interest  in  social  eldiic  and  the  s/exiBveJL  bettem^it 
of  mankind*     Tba  reaction  a^^nst  the  general  interest  in 
sociology  ist  in  fact*  the  peculiar  quality  of  Gautier*s 
artistic  ideal  idiich  sets  him  apart  frora  his  fellov  romantioista* 
Sand's  ideal^  for  exas^le^  appears  as  a  Utopia  constructed 
aa  an  answer  to  the  social  pz^blems  of  poverty  and  class 
distincti<»i  and  its  z^presantatlim  will  be  that  of  a  Utopia 
for  the  individual  ego*     Cteutier's  conoenif  on  tiie  contrary^ 
is  for  tiie  individual  attainment  of  beauty,  a  beauty  lediicli 
mat  be  eacpexlenced  throxig^  the  soisea*     7et  both  attitudes 

(1)  Qautier«  KadeiBDiselle  de  Maupin*  Preface,  23* 


-Z    I     ~£  • 


are  indications  of  a  raateriallstio  point  of  vi««  for  Sand*  8 
attention  to  aatiafaetion  in  social  life  shova  the  predotainanoe 
of  her  interest  in  tlie  pl^sieal  ooinforts  of  this  world  ifhile 
aautier's  eoneexn  is  «i^  a  world  nMoh  nay  be  known  prSmarlly 
only  throu^  tlie  senses* 

Bat«  in  spite  of  Gtaoitier's  apparent  relationship  to  rcmGnticisrat 
in  spite  of  t^e  subjective  basis  of  his  art«  and  in  spite  of 
bis  conscious  exaltation  of  beauty  as  the  centre  of  his 
universe^  Omitier  does«  nevertheless^  part  ocaapany  with  the 
voBianticists.  The  subjective  basis  of  his  art  talces  Gautier 
beycmd  pure  subjectivism  into  the  z*ealn  of  the  fortuitous  and 
the  relative*  Subjectivism  in  Sajiid»  on  the  ecmtrary^  reroained 
in  the  realm  of  l^e  passionate «  the  voluntary »  and  the  absolute* 
Hence  Sand,  as  we  have  seen,  conceives  of  the  social  religion 
wjilch  is  her  subjective  interpretati<m  of  the  world  as  a 
religion  valid  for  all*  Her  effort  to  esqiMUod  tiie  individual 
to  the  \iniversal«  the  relative  to  the  absolute ,  the  ego  to 
society^  is  eiqpJSHMiseA  in  art  by  utilitarianism*  Gautier,  on   the 
contrary 9  realises  the  presence  of  other  worlds  besides  the 
subjective  one  he  has  created*  He  may  at  tinies  Imagine  hi-nself 
to  be  alone  in  the  universe  but  even  as  he  oherislies  the 
Illusion  Iw  knows  it  to  be  illusion*  Hence  his  ''relici<^'*  of 
beauty  is  not  social  in  its  aims  emd  lacks  all  moral  (hence 
all  "useful**  )  relations*  Every  man  oust  seek  and  find  his 
owa   individual  beauty* 

Thus,  thou,c^  Qautier  does  not  substitute  an  objective  absolute 


475, 


for  tiie  rmtantiolat  ccmTusionSf  It  Is  evid^at  that  vitli  him 
vogoaantioiam  has  entered  a  n«w  phase*  The  desilal  of  dualism 
had  meant  to  the  roraantloiets  the  necessary  Identity  of  rioz^ 
truth  and  artistic  beauty*  It  had  nteant  too  the  absolute  faith 
in  the  ego  since  each  man*8  nature  was^  by  definition^  C^od* 
In  Qautler's  vrltingt  rcnaantlclsm  tiiows  Itself  onee  more  to 
have  becooie  ocmscious  of  the  existence  of  distinctions*  Iftiity 
is  once  more  broken  up  into  variety*  Man  is  no  longer  Identical 
vith  infinity*  On  the  ccmtrary^  his  is  a  '*pauvre  et  Infinne 
nature"*  (1)  The  direeticm  of  tho   development  of  r(»nantlol8ia 
is  hex^  distinctly  foreshadowed  azid  the  i>osalblllty  of  a  new 
type  of  subjectivisa  any  be  foreseen*  But  l^e  dualism  of 
olas8ioiffa«  the  authority  of  the  objective^  the  noral  respons- 
ibility of  the  individuelf  tliese  are  principles  «)hlch  continue 
to  rsBiain  in  abeyance* 

Thm   analysis  of  the  deolarations  of  the  rc^nantlcists  has  ahova 

us  a  very  definite  consciousness  In  z*e^unl  to  their  adssion 

and  their  intentions*  It  reveals  also  a  certain  oon^r^ensicm 

of  the  implications  of  such  an  attitiide  and  in  certain  writers^ 

as*  for  instansef  in  Sand  and  Vigny»  analysis  shows  that  they 

have  definitely  labelled  their  work  as  symbolic  and  have*  on 

e<wa8i<my  bewi  sufficiently  complaisant  to  translate  tlie  8;^zabol 

for  the  reader*  IVhat  literary  Inportanoe  can  be  attached  to 

ttiese  facts?  Ihat  is  the  importance  of  the  teidmlque  in  art 

whioh  found  its  Innovation  with  the  romanticists?  Th»  answtr 
can  oTxly  te  terttatlve.. 

(1)  Sand,  Madartiolselle  de  Haupin*  Prof  ace,  22* 


CmioXuftion. 

Th*  trtM  understanding  of  th*  f«ets  «hl<Ai  t^ils  thAcla  h&s 
dMBoaattratod  depends  ttpon  an  iindexm tending  of  the  doctrine 
of  elassioisBi  and  sn  appreciation  of  the  fundamental  inoonsK* 
patibility  between  this  doctrine  and  that  of  roaantioiam*  The 
ovi^in  of  the  classio  doctrine  and  of  the  eonoeption  of  ehar* 
eeter  which  is  its  concomitant  BBist«  in  fact^  be  sought  in  tJhe 
Reneissanee  period*  H«aoe  the  Importance  of  the  aesthetic 
tenets  of  romantleiaa  can  be  properly  evaluated  only  through  a 
eaiHpiret»e]isi<»i  of  the  tradition  from  vdiieh  it  rebelled  and  the 
laq»ortanee  of  their  influence  only  throu^  a  stiidy  of  tlM 
tradition  it  has  engendered* 

The  splMt  of  the  Renaiasanoe  had  manifested  itself  in  six* 
teenth  eentuxT'  Pranoe  throu^  two  aaia  ■oreawatst  the  Ismmn* 
istio  movement  and  the  Reform  taovcanent,  Vith  the  asoension  of 
Henri  IV  to  the  thrcme^  thm   Refom  movement  no  Icmger  had  any 
doadnant  influence  on  a  Franco  iidiieh  was  destined  to  remain 
Catholic*  But  the  religious  passions  ehieh  had  been  roused 
during  the  long  muE*s  had  had  the  off  est  of  wakening  in  mankind 
a  personal  conscience,  a  religious  sentiment  idiioh  made  him 
freshly  aivare  of  the  dualima  of  hie  om  nature  and  of  the 
reality  of  original  ain*  Contrary  to  the  Proteatantimn  ehieh 
made  divine  grace  the  sole  neeessity  for  salvation,  Catholicism, 
throon^  saint  Francois  de  Sales,  shoved  that  the  human  will 
was  of  efficacy  in  opening  the  way  to  this  graee  and  that  it 


Vt«*«>*npf 


1© 


*>:«   c 


•>«    »:. 


»/ 


eifS  TLC  irh. 


dt;X/oiruJ  xX«o  9t 


lo.t;*jnp'-:o- 


-f^^' 


T.r. 


rrntfftr 


XX.tv 


.  rl  ttt-^  ^1 


arid"  . 


11, <  f (-,•>»/  \/^t     r- 


lo  eri.-fWM   \,J. 


.rrt"* 


«a»Xjii^-^  Hi) 


ft  V  / 


vas  possible  for  man  to  rork  toward  his  o«n  rsgsasratloa.  (1) 
Thus  Cattiollclsm  prepared  the  way  for  the  surprising  allianee 
ehidh  was  to  fona  the  main  current  of  seventeenth  eenturj 
thou^t  — >  the  alliances  that  is^  with  the  philosophy  of  stoic- 
leoBx  whidh  had  been  Introduced  into  France  by  Montaigne  and 
nod^nised  by  him  and  his  sueeessors«  The  whole  idea  of  Fremeh 
classicism  rested  on  this  double  basis  of  Christian  end  stoic 
tradition*  The  (Suristlan  tradition  affirmed  titie  dualism  of 
Bsn^s  natures  the  stoic  tradition  emphasised  the  possibility  — 
throu^  right  judenent  —  of  developing  each  separate  faeulty 
to  Its  highcat  exeellence*  Vice  was  considered  to  be  an  error 
of  Jud@nent  for  the  vrill  was  always  in  hanaony  wlt^  nftuit  tiie 
jud^aent  decided  was  good* 

The  ereatitm  of  character  in  French  dassloisn  was,  neeessarily^ 
conditioned  by  the  ideals  of  the  tine  and  by  the  literary 
aesldietlc  which  these  ideals  had  pi*oduced*  The  ideal  of  unity 
dexoinated  the  political^  religioas«  and  artistic  worlds*  In 
actual  11 fe^  classicisn  had  set  up  the  type  of  the  ideal  char- 
acter »>  the  "honnete  hoerae*  <•-  who  was  the  model  of  itiat  man 
lAxould  be  •  In  literature,  accordingly,  there  was  set  up  for 
the  artist  on  imaginary  type  who  would  represent  mankind's 
tmiversal  ideal*  Xn  the  measure  that  the  created  character 
eseteewed  extreaies  and  approached  the  ideal  norm,  in  midh.  a 
measure  did  he  possess  excellence*  The  ideal  nona,  it  rmist  be 


(1)  Saint  Francois  de  Sales.  Tmft— iuction  a  la  vie  d^9fm* 
nature  of  saint  Francois  *s  teachings  is  clearly  evitlwn 


The 
r^ced 
here* 


■«w 


!■•  r  f  .?  1 . 


vbuog    tUTHT 


tt*.^' 


^lj«*^:!t>   e»ill* 


-M.Ci 


t :.»-«'«    *i*     ^.'V. 


StU  ft; 


11'. -ist  =ivy 


'JUT 


9' 


4VtS. 


[g   ho««v«r»  waa  the  Ideftl  of  perfoctlon  intvoduaed 
thx>ouf^  the  doctrine  of  the  etoloa.  tbm,   la  developlag  every 
T>at*t  of  his  natux*e  to  its  most  perfect  form«  would  beecne  the 
■ttpeman  of  olaeeical  literature  and  true  happiness  vould  b« 
the  result  of  a  discipline  determined  by  reason*  This  is 
Comeille's  Cldf  the  typical  heroic  tihaz^eter  of  Pren<^  clas* 
sioisBu  This  too  is  tiie  ideal  to  vhich  Racine  *s  heroes  viU 
e<mfom  although*  in  Raoine»  the  hez^io  is  tecqsered  by  tbe 
•leasnt  of  sensibility  lidiich  he  introduces*  It*  thereforo* 
becoaes  true  that  the  conventional  corx^sponds  to  the  good  and 
the  individual  is  subjeeted  to  the  convention  of  a  Txnivers&l 
good*  The  writer  of  the  classic  period  negleotedf  therefore^ 
with  impunity  ->-  negleetedf  in  fact*  on  principle*  any  des- 
cription of  details  i^ii^  would  be  applicable  only  to  iti» 
individual*  He  ecmoentrated  his  attention  exelusively  on 
lihat  was  gmerally  oharaeteristic  not  only  in  the  inner  but 
also  in  the  outer  life  of  the  personage*  The  charaeteristic 
struggle  which  provides  the  action  of  the  class! oal  novel  or 
play  is  the  struggle  of  the  opposing  forees  witiiin  raan*s  own 
nature*  The  drana  depends  less  on  the  exterior  events  irtiieh 
preeipltate  the  sjtruggle  than  on  its  progress  within  the 
ehaipaeter  and  on  title  noral  ohoies  wliic^  he  is  forced  to  i&ake* 
fhe  diolce  is  made  according  to  the  generally  reoo^ized 
standard  which  set  up  the  "honnete  hoane"  as  the  universal 
eiini4>lar*  Hmma  reascm  has  chosen  the  true  good  —  as  in  Le 
Cid  —  we  have  the  typical  hero  of  dassieisa  and*  at  the  sane 
tlBSf  a  character  who  is  of  universal  interest  nad  iBq;>ort* 


ft«orf>ft*)f;Jft? 


'r-?^  ^<»  X«©M  erf^  9it^  .fftr'wwrf  ,  »s*n«'f?«»*w^ 


•90 


il'. 


t» 


^ 


-o  ®a>i 


^«»7:^    " 


•20 


m 


tfL  ^r 


>»  y-pja 


■-n  orf::-  rso  h-nK 


^£bi  4ii 


47  9 . 


P«xtiaps  the  aoat  fundaiaontaX  aesthetic  principle  of  ctne* 
sielflBt  had  Its  origin  in  the  tri»>le«^arted  ei^  general 
aooeptonce  of  a  oosataon  oonveation*  The  eonmon  convention 
irtiich  accepted  CathoXieiaa  as  its  faiths  monarohj  ax  its  gov- 
eraxumtp   the  "hcmn^te  home*  as  its  social  ideal «  placed  the 
enphasis  on  constituted  authority*  tUm  knew  a  practical 
approximaticm  to  the  ideal  in  every  i^iase  of  his  life  end  he 
was  free  to  struggle  tomu^  an  ideal  which  he  ndght  observe 
in  practice.  He  founds  in  faot«  the  approxJUoate  incamaticm 
of  the  universal  ideal  in  the  finite  world  around  him*  His 
aspirations  were  confined  to  the  reasonable,  therefore,  to  the 
finite«  He  accepted  a  faith,  a  ruler,  and  a  conventlcm  and 
•oui^t  hie  happiness  within  these  liiaits  and  knew  his  happlnees 
to  depend  upon  the  manner  in  lAiich  he  conforoed  to  the  establish- 
ed ideal.  The  seventeenth  century  was  not,  thez*efore,  concerned 
with  the  infinite*  Its  attention  was  directed  toward  constit- 
uted society  as  it  then  existed.  The  sevmteenth  ccmtury 
artist,  thez*efoz^,  recognised  that  his  artistic  activity  was 
eoneemed  with  the  iiaitation  of  nature,  that  is,  of  huatfui 
nature  as  it  appeared  in  existing  society.  The  exact  meaning 
of  tdiese  words  laif^t  be  a  matter  of  dispute  but,  in  gcmeral, 
it  was  reoognized  that  such  imitation  requix>ed  an  attmition 
to  probability  and  truth  and  necessitated  superior  powers  of 
observation.  We  have  already  noted  the  manner  in  which  the 
eharaeteristio  persozwges  of  classicism  reveal  an  attention  to 
observed  reality  rather  than  to  syllogistic  logio.  They  are 
eharacters  who  approach  the  ideal  but  do  not  spring  frcsa  it* 
TlMy  have  their  basis  in  actual  esperlenoe  just  as  man's 


itO    h 


HMT 


«^w  S?,' 


JTCt    *: 


riT 


480. 


IntelXeotual  llf«  dep«mds  upon  his  eox*por«l  eadatonoe* 

But  the  clasaiolsa  tdHoh  had  been  founded  on  a  heroic  ideal 
oame»  little  by  little^  to  asaurae  the  fox%i  of  a  do^^Enatio 
ocsiventicm  and  the  figure  of  the  "honne^e  hoarae"^  tnily  huaan- 
Istlc  in  Its  oxdginai  concepticai,  beearae  vith  the  advent  of 
neo-olaasieiam^  oa  artificial  sodel  to  be  Imitatwi  not  sol 
Imaginary  ideal  to  be  created*     For  neo-olassieifsm  hsA  oocie 
to  re«t  Ite  theory  upon  outer  authority  rather  than  on  ixmer 
pera«ption  and*  in  this*  it  had  lost  the  spirit  of  trae  eXas* 
sieiSBU     The  resixlt  was  that  classioisst  m^dh,  according  to 
Irving  Babbitt,  is  an  "laaslnative  perceptlOTi  of  the  TmlT©r8al*» 
had  developed  instead  Into  a  set  of  rules  and  principles 
founded  on  tx*adltion  and  intended  to  preserve  the  ideed  of 
deoorun*     The  doctrine  of  imitation  had  Regenerated  into  an 
laitation  of  accepted  forms  and  laodeXs  and  the  neeessity  for 
probability  excluded  all  elffiient  of  surprise*     Reason^  tiMoh 
had  been  understood  by  the  classicists  to  roean  reasonableness, 
was  nov  limited  in  its  meaning  to  the  reason  lAxic^  is  ratiooin* 
ation.     &ocordl2igly,  z<«a8oa  had  been  set  in  absolute  oppoalticm 
to  the  Izaaginatlon*     Slrxilorly,  nature,  uSiioh,  to  the  classicist, 
aMois  noznal  tesaan  nature,  had  cooe  to  be  a  term  practically 
synonyiaoua  with  reason*     Convontional  dogjaa  had  replaced  the 
reality  of  classiciffliu     At  the  saste  time,  en^irioion  and 
ilUl:osi«niaBi  had  apparently  suooawfted  in  lockings  hunwiity 
within  title  bounds  of  a  raath^suitieal  fonouXa*     The  limitations 
wlilGh  neooclassioiaa  ioposed  were  seconded  by  the  restrictive 


481. 


tt»oB  of  th«sa  dootrinos* 

With  til©  devttiopraent  of  the  aaotlonal  ronemtlclsn  of  the  late 
eifTihteanth  century^  th«re  was  a  br««k  xrith  both  the  Christian 
and  the  olasaio  tr»adltion«     5h«  degioa«ration  of  olaas^sisBi 
into  a  dogna  ^ilfiJh  fapreaaed  all  spoitanelty  of  perception  and 
d«Qlad  may  nu^boidty  lAiloh  was  abo^TO  reason  was  Obib  sufflelMit 
cause  for  the  Immediate  popularity  and  the  inramiae  influeance 
of  the  new  attitude.     Romantlcisn  aoeepted  the  absolute  divorce 
set  up  between  reason  and  ioaelnation  by  the  ncK}*oXas8icist8 
but  did  so  in  order  to  rejeet  reason  in  favta^ir  of  ttie  imagln- 
atioiu     The  free  play  of  the  imagination  was  only  possible  If 
feeling  —  or,  in  other  words «  instinct  —  reiplJiecd  reastm  as 
the  guide  to  truth*     Deooruis  flffid  rules  and  slatriih  imitation 
of  set  models  were  to  be  replaced  by-  on  eranhasla  on  'shat  was 
original  and  8urpi*ising«     The  esMsiew  of  Housseauisn  is  con- 
tained in  the  new  Interpretation  o£  the  word  "nature",     A» 
Babbitt  says* 

A  iftiole  revolution  is  implied  in  this  reinte*;** 
pretation  of  tlie  word  nature.     To  follow  nature 
in  the  classical  sense  is  to  i^aitate  «hat  is 
noxvial  and  representative  in  man  and  so  to  be* 
ocsae  deeorous*     To  be  natural  in  the  now  sense 
one  saxst  begin  by  getting  rid  of  imitati<m  and 
deoonaa,  *«« >•  Tkui  priiaitiwist  <-«•>»  means  hf 
natux^  the  spontaneous  play  of  Inpulse  and 
temperament f  and  inaszauch  as  this  liberty  is 
hizidex'Sd  rathar  than  helped  by  reason^  he  in* 
ellnes  to  look  on  reas<m«  not  as  the  equivalent 
but  as  the  opposite  of  nature*   (1) 

Thus  prijsitiviara  came  to  be  a  virtue  in  itself  and^  vhen  tiie 
(I)  Babbitt,  Bousseau  and  Reman ticis^Sa  38. 


fc' 


:*?'.-  f'^ .  fat   -i  ff,^. 


-«C»i 


■.■.■^A,•*prf 


'/  Aus;^. 


»fe 


-?v;   ■i<;'.e<ni«.»solE  , 


4ts<:. 


break  vith  Ghzdstlan  tradition^  throuj^  the  medium  of  deleft 
and  the  solentiflo  theory  of  endless  progress,  siade  it  possible 
for  the  Rousseauist  to  proclaim  the  natural  virtue  of  aati, 
prindtive  nan  was  coneeived  of  as  natarally  good*  uncorrapted 
by  the  hmssn  law  irtilch,  in  replacing  natural  law,  had  sreated 
erll.  Thus  the  exaltation  of  the  expansive  instincts,  of  the 
unconscious,  of  primitive  nature  aand  prlaltiT©  tnan,  aialtes  it 
inevitable  that,  to  the  romantic,  virtue  itself  should  beeoaw 
an  instinct  since  virtue  ie  considered  instinctive  in  man, 

Sueh  a  develoynent  as  sadism  —  an  aspeet  of  roasntioisa  lAiich 
ori,3irjat©d  with  the  atar^iais  de  Sade  —  is  sn  evidence  of  the 
possiMlitles  contained  in  the  romantic  doctrine*  For  rostan* 
ticiam  rejects  discipline,  religious  or  otherwisoj  indivldmal- 
Ism  is  its  creed  and  the  exti»ome,  bordering  on  secentriclty  or 
laadness,  beoosies  its  ideal,  in  striking  contrast  to  the  nom 
which  classiclsa  had  established*  Ronmnticlsat  develops  than 
very  naturally  its  ttieories  of  the  i»omantic  genius,  of  the 
"beau  id^J.*,  of  f3^e   inevitable  clash  betwe«i  ideal  ana  real, 
of  rorMmtio  love  and  rornantic  melancholy. 

The  rejection  of  diseipline  and  thio  ccMoplete  acoeptanoe  of 
Impulse,  intuition,  instinct,  as  positive  goods  bewame,  xutt* 
urally,  a  part  of  the  aesthetic  theoi^-  of  rofnantieisa*  The 
olassieist  had  pleoed  his  tBophasis  on  foxsa  and  structure  and 
had  sou^t  to  congress  axd  restrain  within  a  given  form  the 
infinitely  expansive  matorlal  le^lch  nature  offered  him.  Bwt 
the  romantic  was  averse  to  any  idea  of  restraint*  To  lialt 


'l^-sy 


■:ir  itreff 


■m 


.JJ^VJJ 


,f!5©*r 


.Vi..^-.t.      -. 


hnr.  eTtrrtnr 


-o 


iiiza.  e£o<sq;i3QO  cj 


tX«      mt 


•iOO. 


hla  loaterlal  to  siiit  the  requiroBawits  of  the  form  iigii:^  hm 
«a«  using  waa  aa  contrtuy  to  his  theory  aa  it  vould  have  been 
to  oheok  his  eaqpanalve  ixapulsea  to  auit  the  reijuiretaenta  of 
nomal  human  nature*     The  eaisihasia  fonae::'ly  placectjon  fona 
glvea  way  to  an  exiQ>ha8ia  txi  natter*     Hugo*  for  inataoi^,  is 
notorioue  for  his  neip.6et  of  fom  and  hia  inaertlon  of  grwit 
zaiuisea  of  extroneous  aatter  into  the  texture  of  his  work*     The 
inability  to  rejeot  material  tihich  offers  itself  is  conecniitant 
vith  the  inability  tc  differentiate*     Where  all  ia  e<2:aally 
good  end  no  reatroining  atandard  iiaposea  itself,  the  relative 
values  are  loat*     The  severs  of  Paris  becosie  aa  ixapoz^ant  as 
the  battle  of  Waterloo  or  1ib»  arohlteetore  of  Faria  and  all 
are  equally  important  as  the  main  thesMi  of  the  novel.     Thia 
anomalcnia  poaitlon  leads  later  to  the  atreas  on  the  teohniqpxe 
of  literature  and  of  literary  art  and  to  the  theory  of  art 
for  art's  s&Ice  —  both  syaptoms  of  the  unnatural  aeparatlon 
effected  between  fom  and  matter  due  to  the  laelc  of  discridi* 
inaticm  of  which  the  roroantic  artiat  oade  a  virtue* 

The  "hoon^te  hOBaae"  of  tlie  elasslc  period  had  retreated  before 
the  advent  of  the  roauntic  senius*     Tlic  change  is  reflected 
in  the  literature  and  the  iaQ>ox^ance  of  the  peraonage  ia  no 
longer  in  dix»eot  ratio  to  his  universality  but  depends  rather 
on  the  manner  in  «&iich  he  reflects  the  extreoec  of  individualo 
laa«     For  reason  n^  be  univcz>sal  but  foelizig,  of  necessity^ 
ia  individual*     The  personage  becomes «  therefore «  the  reflection 
of  the  author's  individual  ideal  •>«  an  ideal  determined  by 


0£ 


.iA  . 


»<>¥<; 


foellng.  The  pathological  literature  of  the  preaent  day  with 
Its  onpb&sls  on  the  sab«noznal  «ind  t^  ateormal  individual 
was  forecast  In  the  early  nineteenth  century  by  a  aeries  of 
literary  creations  tiho  displayed  great  morbidity  and  oscillated 
between  the  extreoes  of  the  most  ^rlolwit  idealism  and  ttie  noet 
bratal  realicEu 

It  la  to  be  noted,  raoreov&r,  that  the  classical  emphasis  on 
structure  ^^vea  tray  to  the  roBianticlst  str»eB8lng  of  details. 
This  is  in  eon^uncticai  with  the  deslz^  for  the  elenent  of 
novelty  end  sui^rise  nflilch  makes  reBjanticlsn  tend  tOfRird  the 
picturesque,  the  concrete,  and  the  historically  correct  detaila 
«*iieh  serve  to  provide  local  colotir#  The  personage  is  now 
aaAe  the  subjeet  of  a  detailed  description.  His  concrete 
setting  is  hli^y  partlcularisjed  and  once  a^ttln  the  universal 
is  saerlficed  to  the  local  and  individual, 

Sudi  a  personage,  then,  extrene  even  to  eccentricity  or  madn^Bt, 
since  he  represents  the  author's  philosophical  attitude,  is 
shown  as  naturally  sood.  It  is  to  be  observed  that  %laae 
expressly  denies  the  Rousseoaistio  theory  of  man's  natural 
virtue.  But,  althou^  he  denies  that  all  the  evil  In  man's 
nature  cotMs  fspom  society,  nevertheless,  he  too  places  the 
responsibility  for  the  suppression  or  development  of  mui's  evil 
tendenelea  not  on  the  individual  man  but  on  the  society  i*il^ 
surrounds  hia«  Actually,  the  roraantic  personage  laeks  character 
since  he  ajakes  no  itusral  choice.  The  creators  of  these  pex*aon* 
ages  have  denied  the  essential  dualiara  of  laan's  nature  and 


iJtr« 


plaoed  thd  moral  respo3itlblllt7  on  eooioty  ftt  th^ 
tliae  that  thmy  bave  ftPMd  man  from  its  yok**     Passive  oreatux^s 
of  feeling  «-  passive  inasoMb  as  they  are  reinpesented  as 
respcaxsive  to  ov&jyy  sosgestlon  froa  tbe  outer  irorld  «-•  l^bese 
iK>aantic  tlnirBB  nurt'rn  all  their  vitality  from  tl»l?  will 
ttoieh  i8»  indeed,  their  sols  torn  of  expression  —  for*  the 
feeling  isdiiah  begets  desire  finds  Its  outlet  In  rlll»     llie 
•trusgle  «hioh  classic  art  represents  as  between  the  dual 
forces  In  man's  natui?e,  ronantic  art  represents  as  the  straggle 
between  natural  nan  and  oorruptlns  society.     rSan,  in  order  1-^ 
allow  free  play  to  Ms  crpanslve  natiire,  may,  i^en  he  oonsa 
into  conflict  with  luoaon  law,  as  represented  by  society,  either 
bend  soeiety  to  his  will,  suecuafl}  to  it,  or  withdraw  fvoa  it« 
The  8ti*tBgth  of  a  pevsoaase  seHea  to  be  synompMHUi  with  tbm 
•tvettgth  of  his  ds  sires  and  of  tlie  ^11  uniieh  eiq^resses  them* 
Will  at  the  service  of  desire  Is  the  ke^iiote  of  the  romantic 
personage* 

The  exaltation  of  the  life  of  feelins  brings  with  it  a  trans- 
fonsation  of  the  idea  of  love*     Wcnsn  eho  is  conceive:!  to  be 
all  feeling  and  passion  is  exalted  to  ^e  sphere  of  tfce  angels 
for  the  foeling  vihich  ohe  Inspires  w5.tli  ita  itluslon  of 
infinity  awst  necessarily  bring  lum  closer  to  Ood  —  since,  to 
the  roiimatic,  the  feeling  of  infinity  is  God*     Leve  beeoass  a 
necessity  for  existence  and  the  ri^ts  of  man  are  extended  to 
include  an  eqEual  right  to  happiness*     Happiness  is  no  leseer 
thouj^t  of  as  the  result  of  a  reasoned  discipline  of  life 


0.1 


tc. 


486. 


l3Ut  rather  afl  tl^e  rewdLt  of  sm  oatpoctsicm  of  feeling*     Aceord* 
Ingly,  happiness  Is  most  fj'equontly  anrtQ&QGd  as  tbe  ?»eaTAlt 
of  love,     *Je  veux  etre  alroe*  Is  tbe  cry  of  the  iHsaantic  and 
he  -v^ic  is  incapable  of  arousing  or  experiencing  love  eirike 
into  rcxaantlc  Toelancholjr,     Literary  ohajpaoterlzafeion  reflects 
thl3  phase  of  rooantlolara  in  the  aanner  in  stolch  troraten  are 
px*980nted« 

Sudh  la,  "briefly,  the  spirit  of  ronumtlclisnu     Sutdi  are, 
briefly,  eomo  of  the  effects  most  noticeable  in  the  prea^snt- 
atlon  of  perB<»iase«     It  is,  hotiever,  the  all-pervasive  syabol- 
its  ^shi ch  dete7i!iineo  the  special  nature  of  such  pz>esezitatiosi 
of  personage.     In  conclusion,  therefore,  the  general  question 
of  the  relationaliip  iCilch  exists  betveesi  syjaboliam  and  the 
roaontic  aestaietlo  imist  be  studied,     Ricarda  Huch,  in  her 
diaeaeslon  of  eynbolic  airt,  yields  ns  some  very  illussinatlng 
riMarlcs  in  Te^BLvd  to  this  relationship,     She  cites  the  con- 
clusions of  Tieck  and  Solsert 

Der  Punkt,  wo  Phllosopaile,  Rali.jion  utjI  Pocsle  si^ 
ber^ihren,  iat  die  %8tik,     ?3ystik  — .—  ist  das 
unraittelbare  OefftEhl  d«8  Blnsseins  ndt  def  Welt  und 
Gott,     Kunst  ist  anjtewandte  Mystik,     Auf  bemisst 
ongewandter  i^ystlk  t5eruht  die  Allegorio,  auf  tin- 
bewuBSt  angtwendter  die  Syrobelik,     "Bcide  h&bTT. 
ihre  Grens©*,  so  heisst  ss  5.n  Sol,^er*8  eisn©!:^.  V/ort,en, 
"wo  die  Aiio^oi>le  In  blesses  Vew^tandesspiel  und 
die  Synbollic  in  Nachohaaine;  der  Hatttr  ^ber;p:eht, 
Zvisohen  diesen  beiden  'Ansscrsten  Punkten  .^ht  denn 
in  dor  Tat  die  Well0nboTi'O£?jnn  der  KJanate  auf  und 
nleder,"   (1) 

As  a  distlnsulshlnis  criterion  betwe«n  allegory  and  ayaiboliaa 
<1)  Ihioh,  Blutegeit  der  Romantll^,  337, 


4«Y  . 


tills  la  pepitaps  ac  uaoful  as  any  such  cQneral  statecaent  eould 
b»«     It  la  to  be  noted,  of  cout^se,  that  In  ^ils  essay  ^^^carda 
Huch  13  apdakini^  of  the  a2*t  of  painting,     Hor  findlnga  aay 
apply  •dually  vell»  howovei",   to  thjt  art  of  11  ter^.tiirc,     '?he 
deflndtlon  of  :4;,'3tic^3ii,       •'■^•30'.t  ,•',   cu     ...3    ..a  at  once  to  recall 
the  ciiai^cteidstlo  ronantlc  corfiiaion  of  nature  with  5jigtlnet 
a&&  of  l:i3tiiict  with  God,     Tlw  baiwony  itoich  tlie  ropi8c?*tic 
artist  —  or  Ulie  rn^nantlc  genius  —  la  supposed  to  perceive 
between  htmffelf  and  t3ie  world,  betr/een  h-inself  and  Ood,  Hust 
be  T'evealod  In  ols  art.     He  can.  Indeed,  be  en  artist  In  ^« 
romantic  aenae  only  If  he  perceives  this  unity  and  sets  hla» 
•elf  to  reveal  It*     lie  Is  a«rjc*e  of  the  infinite  and  he  laast 
wxgSfBs  it  throuh  the  finite.     This  le,  payohDlogl<Mll7, 
tlie  ver^  ea««noe  of  aytibolian. 

aoreovor,   the  exaltation  of  th«  p09t  to  the  i*ole  of  prooiiet, 
the  Mewiianic  role   -iven  to  the  artist,  has  Its  origin  In, 
this  conoeptl(>n  of  the  artist  as  nystle.     The  roansoitie  artist 
••ea  tha  world  in  tlie  ll.^t  of  Its  taeanlng  and  luhen  he  expresae* 
the  world  throu^^  his  art  he  cannot  do  so  without  giving 
©xpreaclon  to  the  neanlng  that  he  percftiven,     To  quote  Bioarda 
Smdi  once  nore: 

-.i.    '  •■    ,        '"      "\>  :-■  :'--::.■  o'V^'Tor   -  ■;■■  r,  :- - .   -f^', 

ur_:.  -ii-.  -:-;i-.::-,  ...       -'Ti  aiv  ^vo-^-a^tiLo.:/,  ; -ic:-.  :io,:or 
liTklorun^  des  Begrlffos,  flJrilich  bel-anptan,     P'or 
d«a  aatr    'Matasi  1st  die  ^It,  fiir  den  Spiritual- 


Isten  b.  .t  sle  emao,  flera  I^omantlker  —  oJer 

sase  na     "'    TFler  Oder  Idealisten  ■—  ist  und 
ba^Rite  '    '  — *el,  wla  wenig  er  sich  dieser 

inneren  .,         >ewus9t  seln  rfd^e,     Iia  riclt** 

alt6r  dor  Koi-iantlk  froilioli  rjusste  auch  don 


o^. 


488. 


naivr'     "         "  '       ".  -'^-oii  "  '  >r  olu 

Denk---j— .  - ^,--,     -  lo  laoi-  ....      '1  -  .xqv  ver- 

atanden  sicli  ©o«nso  gut  oder  bosser  &iif  d<m  Slim 
Ihrar  SeDj^pfungdn  ils  oaf  daa  AflSsaff«i«   (1) 

lilt  ai'tlst,  aocoTHilJiij  to  the  rceaantic  conception,  bocowK, 

necQsaapily,  the  .t-rnboli  at  iisln'::  the  natarlal  to  exenpaas  tSaa 

ijAritual, 

But  9uch  a  oorxceptlcwn  of  jnyBtlclsm  aa  that  quoted  abcrre  la,  of 
ocfva^eg  ptOMii^  vaataitio,     Tlxere  is  no  cf.ie3tiozi  of  discipline 
in  this  myatioiara.     ^e  artist  feels  h!jn3elf  caio  ^th  tlic 
woi^'ld  and  God.     Reli,_ion  lir.a  "bccos^  i^ligious  feeling  nnd  to 
Sllilli;ioiia  aiaclpliaa  there  has  auoceeded  the  cult  of  naturisau 

.8  l3  a*^:)m0r.ticiflw  bound  to  pirliaitivlaa  and  time  does  it 
beeosne  may*o  than  evei*  appax^ent  tiiat  the  natural  forta  of  its 
expressictti  ouat  be  syipJ.'olic*     For  prizoittmi  «|sm  iMiTe  alvagrt 
expresaed  thomselrea  tlirou^h  the  nedlxun  of  symbol  and  the 
complete  nRturl?3Ki  of  the  G5:«eeks  obtained  ejq^resaion  ir.  a  ccoi" 
plete  HQTtliology  and  in  a  hiei»archy  of  oO<i»  *^  ^^o  ^^  ^^^ 
aejrae  tijne  tlie  synibolio  expreaalon  of  abatract  qualitios.     Aa 
Santoysna  sayat 

Etaotlone  -.v.  jentirJLly  capable  of  c'  "       "  ""caticxa, 

as  woll  a:.  -  .,._osslons  of  sense;     an:.     _       _  „■ 
-.Tcll  bellove  tha^,  a  rrljnitive  and  Inarporienced 
consclousnes':  "  '  lo  the  '.^orlcL  with 

^oata  of  Itc      -■-     _  _      -    .  ._  ^vaBBlcme  than  witli 
projections  of  those  lusiinous  and  ra?.tlies2atical 
cc         ■-   ■"'■'■  ■    '■  -'  •      -*-'havo  forwod. 

T:__   ^ .,    -  -  of  thon^t 

atiil  holds  l.tD  oxm  at  the  confines  of  Imotrlodge, 
istoers  necliiinlcal  explanatlona  are  not  found,   (2) 

The  roiaantlc  haa  dies  carded  analysis  and  logic  and  mechanical 

(1)  Hucii,  Blutogcxt  dor  Honanti*:^  358. 
(2;  Santayana,  Hie  Sense  of  Bettuty.  47« 


^ 


ro 


QQnooptioas*  Plfieiiig  his  f«itli  lAwXXy  In  hla  «iiotlona«  it 
is  ia«vi table  that  hs  will  shar*  the  anlaistio  and  aorthoXoaioal 
habit  of  Eilnd*  The  Xeat  this  habit  of  mind  la  restricted  by 
ialtation  of  natiire  the  »sre  oibvioas  will  the  synribolisn  be- 
•ene*  The  obviousness  of  Halo's  symbolism  is  due  to  the 
synthetio  <|ualit7  of  hie  mind*  The  observation  i^iioh  laenpePB 
BaXaao*s  remsntieisa  sad  pmaAtB  a  closer  ixaitation  of  nature 
Muses  his  symbolism  to  lie  maoh  nearer  tftiat  limit  of  nhieih 
Rioavda  Hueih  speaks* 

To  oonolude  thent  the  rcaaantieist  receives  his  interpretation 
of  the  world  throu^  his  intuition*  His  trutli  is  an  ^  prtori 
revelation  rather  than  a  reasoned  oc^iolusion  dexdved  from 
observed  data*  But  in  order  that  his  revelation  may  reoeive 
the  sanotion  of  validity  the  artist  aniat  regard  the  eorld  enly 
in  the  li(^t  of  this  Intuitively  felt  knowledge*  The  artist 
oreates  his  world  —  a  world  whlflfti  will  satisfy  his  feeling; 
he  does  not  observe  a  world  ihish  will  determine  his  feeling* 
the  roioantio  writer  does  not  present  observed  personages*  He 
oreates  or  reecmatltutes  pereonages  who  are  so  many  vlsal 
tuqpressions  of  his  pexvonal  Intuition*  These  personages  are 
destined  to  translate  this  intuition  to  tis*  In  their  role 
as  finite  interpretations  of  the  Infinite  harmony  intuitively 
pereeived  by  the  artist »  they  are  espressicms  of  his  feeling 
Sttdf  aeeerdingly*  ineamations  of  his  feeling  rather  than 
individuals  In  their  own  rig^ti  iftio  eacist^  that  is»  beosase 
of  their  humanity  not  because  of  thoir  slgnifieanoe*  Ho; 


ft-7:'.rf. 


'sr^fk^isoe 


-•yr- n  "     if  ? 


i^-' *"*:K*^'/;"'-""^:'V, '  :     s.  ^  r'    T't^-^  t•■'^'^^- .\  '    .'?!-■ 


'!,?■:    n'wrr,  .,r.?> 


'lO 


-«  .-«';■  -  -^i. 


r,-, . 


'V       *   ■  •••^ 


«%i3 


i*U3 


0.1    «■ 


*  "^  <f  .. 


.V  (^  At    ?■; 


.03   %hrt'^ 


4yu. 


for  the  roaiiaatiOf  the  world  not  011I7  j|£  but  it  Must  have 
Mtanlngj     Tha  parttmaft  in  romantio  XitexHutura  is  not  a 
bMoan  baiag  la  ^Aum  raaaon  and  amotion  »aat  and  elatii  •»* 
iili»aa  end  Ilea  in  hia  auffioiant  appvoaoh  to  a  univeraaX 
Idaal  of  imiaanity*     He  ia»  inataad»  a  pex^sonaga  ahoaa  oi^»aoity 
for  feeling  oonatitutea  hia  raaacm  for  existanoe  and  v^io 
baedMaa  ajpbolia  of  the  feeling  nAiiah  ia  hia  snode  of  life* 
It  ia  tiiua  thatf  to  the  roaantie«  Sapelaen  auat  alvaya  beeom 
a  tymbol  and  hia  hiatery  a  legend* 

Litwrature«  in  genevalf  haa  long  aade  uae  of  the  e«iv«ntiaA 
#ilob  B^cea  voaan  tbta  syabol  of  beauty*     The  doctrine  iSiiaih 
r^>p»aaata  woman  aa  tlie  angel «  halfnagr  betwaan  (Murth  «^ 
haaven,  halfvaj  i>etv<een  man  and  Ck>d»  «aa  incorporated  into 
the  roatantle  theory  ainoe  «oiaa&  »  aa  being  more  purely  feeling 
taA  intuition  -«  waaf  eorr«8p<mdingly«  reeognlaed  to  be  eloaer 
to  the  revelation  of  the  divine*     In  rtmaatic  lit^ftteUM^ 
thereforoi^  tlia  wmmt  aerve  to  portxniy  the  aeathetic  doetrinea 
ef  Maantioiaau     Their  aynbolio  repreaaatation  of  beauty  ia 
lOsa  aore  eaaily  obacrvod  in  that  they  are  often  alaoat  laj 
figurea^  their  function  being  xsarely  to  oall  forth  the  typical 
vaapenae  to  beauty  froa  the  oilier  pere<ma£^a* 

The  lAiole  aooioloi^ieal  ethioa  of  the  nineteenth  eentury  la 
liMit  tenda  to  make  its  literature  ao  inesctriaably  mingled 
with  philoaoi^»  ethlesf  and  religion*     Xhe  roaaantie  noveliet|» 
deairing  to  expX&Xn  the  souroea  of  good  and  evil  in  the  world* 


••^-■t_'>■■ 


§sm^ 


;?><•(      J.WC- 


m>.^...    ....        '•'^  "'^  •*^->  =  >  -'^- -•■•   -"'*''-   ■*--^'-'  = '''^*in»iJ»3  ''' 


^V*  4   .  -*. 


li: 


^  tm^ili»:'  .  •-■..v.■..v,.•'- 
'uf-i  f  ".u  "t  .;■£    .      ,     •/ 


^-  .   ,  ,v    .  .•**■?'•* 


■.aTO«""r  - 


491. 


d»Xv68  into  tha  abja*  of  th^   Infinlt**  Trcm   that  tCtyjan  h« 
returns  again  to  the  world  of  artlatio  creation  in  order  ^xat 
he  nay  translate  his  vision,  3at  the  transXatiatt  of  that 
visicm  involves  the  creation  of  a  new  wertLd  •-  the  world  of 
the  novel.  Faced  with  the  tranendeus  tasl:  of  T^^r^BrnitinQ 
a  wex^ld  according;  to  his  visian^  the  romantic  novelist,  as 
we  have  seen^  can  treat  only  the  great  fundmeaital  elenesits 
of  life*  His  w(w^  oen  present  only  the  essential  enotloxisy 
the  prljaitive  passions «  «hloSi  are  the  necessary  cqa^pcBenta  of 
«he  world  of  nature*  3inee  the  source  of  his  woxte  is  in 
hie  own  laystical  feeling  and  its  esqpression  is  throu^  sutih 
giRttrie  S3Nt>ols  as  virtue «  evil*  beauty*  death*  the  avt  of 
iaa»  reoantic  novelist  may  ho  Jx:tdged  isere  olearly  if  it  he 
|uAe^  <^  A  fom  of  lyric  poetry  rather  than  as  novel* 

That  the  rooantlo  novel  aharec  all  the  eharactflrieties  of 
lyvlo  poetry  has  bocan  clearly  denoastrated  in  the  course  of 
this  study.  One  of  the  rsost  important  corollaries  of  such  a 
statfitaent  is  thist  lyric  poetry  suggests  an  eootion  and 
ewates  a  nood.  It  is  suoeessftil  only  in  so  far  as  that  stood 
is  re*creat«l  in  the  r««dev  so  that  his  imagination  responds 
to  the  suggestion  of  l^e  poetry  and  gives  life  and  sobstanee 
to  the  abstraot  esntian.  It  is  this  effort  that  the  rociantie 
novelist  re<{airde  of  his  reader*  Uhless  the  abstract  syasibols 
are  re^oreated  by  the  reader  in  tlie  foxw  of  living  personages* 
th«i  ttie  sfflTOtlon  which  dictated  the  novel  is  lost  and  ttie 
ideas  iemtained  in  these  syabols  (ideas  presented  sentiaentally 


,ie^ 


ir^a^'t?"'  ciiairf'"? 


^f^Kltl.-sr^m^^.Ct-f-'-   '^"    '■"'■■"*    »iMlA«Wiaei^'^^    acf-j 


.  1«'»0' 


so 


dtUR 


1?»  «•••; 


1<.7 


!3i«"iA^^: 


.."-?     '=»j"l^ 


i>fp»<«(«l       f 


J  i'i  i^ 


maua.  .. 


•!ffy.TR    ?^.r: 


« 


492. 


ratSier  than  rationally)  have  no  validity, 

Th«  tttddeney  of  literature  to  suggest  rather  than  to  state* 
to  r8q:ttire  that  the  reaufter  auppl«aent«  Imaginatively,  -^mt 
the  itriter  only  vaguely  indicates  — -  this  is  a  tondency  «hlQh 
received  direct  tSieoretloal  ejqpresslon  with  the  advent  of  the 
S5?mbolist  noverjent  in  i)oetry«  But  it  la  not  a  tendency 
confined  tc  poetry.  In  the  novels  of  the  late  nineteenth  and 
early  trrentieth  coiturles,  ths  tendeney  nay  be  eeen  quite  as 
clearly  as  in  the  novels  of  the  raoontlcist  period*  The 
novela  of  "auTealiane"  or  of  "dadaiaiue"  ai>e  the  extresoe  aan* 
ifestations  of  a  fora  of  art  iihose  root  lies  in  the  particular 
type  of  symbolism  initiated  by  the  romantic  novollsts  we  have 
been  discussing. 

Hot  only*  therefore,  must  the  saode  of  creation  in  the  romantic 
novel  of  the  early  nineteentli  century  be  clearly  understood 
in  order  that  Its  sigilficance  and  Its  results  laay  be  properly 
judged,  but  also  a  cooq^rehension  of  tliis  mode  is  neoessary  in 
order  that  the  continuity  of  the  aesthetic  tradition  in  tta* 
French  literature  of  the  nineteenth  end  t^erentieth  ceut'j«dea 
may  be  properly  evaluated. 


.b;yi- 


■  ■in 


is.f  '    I  --rr^  ■' 


"»'? 


493. 


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