French Literature Reviews - 2026
Y. Leclerc, Crimes écrits. La littérature en procès au XIXe siècle
History, Politics and Society
Yvan Leclerc
Crimes écrits. La littérature en procès au XIXe siècle
Paris, Classiques Garnier, coll. Littérature et censure, 2021
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EAN: 9782406100805
448 pages
48 €
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In 1857, Madame Bovary and Les Fleurs du mal were put on trial. Throughout the 19th century, numerous other books faced prosecution for "offenses against public and religious morality and good conduct." What happens when the Penal Code intersects with aesthetic codes?
During the 19th century, the French legal system frequently intervened in the literary sphere, often citing concerns regarding public morality and religious conduct. This period saw a tension between the autonomy of artistic creation and the state's desire to regulate cultural output. In 1857, Madame Bovary and Les Fleurs du mal were put on trial, and throughout the 19th century, numerous other books faced prosecution for offenses against public and religious morality and good conduct.
The 19th century saw various instances of prosecution where the Penal Code intersected with aesthetic codes. This work examines the historical mechanisms of censorship and the relationship between the written word and the constraints of the law. Readers interested in the history of censorship and the legal regulation of art in 19th-century France may find this work relevant.