French Literature Reviews - 2026

Barthes / Bataille, Le gros orteil ; Les sorties du texte
Literary Theory, Linguistics and Stylistics

Le gros orteil ; Les sorties du texte

Roland Barthes, Georges Bataille. Introduction by Jean-Pierre Cometti

Paris, Farrago, 2006

Toes have rarely caught the attention of writers... With The Big Toe, Bataille is something of an exception, and his anti-idealism finds in this contemplation both its justification and its measure. No matter how lofty his ideal, man remains anchored to the mud, as it were, through this very big toe. Defying linear analysis, Barthes seizes upon this text to explore its margins and silences, suggesting exits where subjectivity, laughter, and burlesque triumph... The Big Toe was first published in 1929 in the journal Documents. Barthes's text was read publicly in 1972 at the Cerisy colloquium on Bataille. Until now, these two essays have never been brought together. That is now a reality...

Georges Bataille originally published his essay in 1929 within the pages of the journal Documents. Roland Barthes's text was read publicly in 1972 at the Cerisy colloquium on Bataille. Until now, these two essays have never been brought together. With The Big Toe, Bataille's anti-idealism finds in this contemplation both its justification and its measure, as man remains anchored to the mud through this very big toe. Defying linear analysis, Barthes seizes upon this text to explore its margins and silences, suggesting exits where subjectivity, laughter, and burlesque triumph.

Readers interested in the intellectual history of twentieth-century French criticism, the legacy of Georges Bataille, and the critical reception by Roland Barthes may find this publication relevant. The volume brings together these two essays with an introduction by Jean-Pierre Cometti. Toes have rarely caught the attention of writers, making Bataille something of an exception in this regard.