French Literature Reviews - 2026

Bolla Stefano, Puss in Boots on Trial
Comparative and World Literature

This surprising interpretation of Puss in Boots sets out to solve certain riddles of the tale by focusing on the figure of the lawyer. Drawing on adages, proverbs, and satirical or edifying stories, Stefano Bolla analyzes frescoes, engravings, caricatures, and allegories to rigorously and innovatively explore how legal professionals were perceived in the minds of both common folk and elites. By intersecting this material with Charles Perrault's fable, the author writes a fascinating chapter in European cultural history, spanning from the Renaissance to the present day.

Featuring a preface by historian Michel Porret, the volume includes over sixty color and black-and-white illustrations, alongside the original text of Puss in Boots.

Fables and fairy tales have long served as mirrors for social anxieties, particularly regarding institutional authority and professional classes. The figure of the cunning trickster navigating legal and social systems appears across various European folkloric traditions, often bridging oral narratives and written literature.

Visual representations and proverbial literature provide insight into the cultural reception of legal professionals across centuries. Readers interested in the intersection of folklore, visual culture, and the history of law in European literature may find this illustrated volume a relevant exploration.