French Literature Reviews - 2026

C. Cazenobe, Au malheur des Dames. Le roman féminin au XVIIIe siècle
Novel and Narrative Prose

Colette Cazenobe

Au malheur des Dames. Le roman féminin au XVIIIe siècle

Honoré Champion

Coll. Dix huitième siècle

2010

416 p.

EAN : 9782745314253

75 euros

Publisher's overview:

In what ways can a woman's novel be described as specifically feminine? In what sense, and to what extent, can an authentically feminine novel echoing "women's misfortune" be characterized as "feminist"? These are the overarching questions this book aims to answer as clearly and precisely as possible. To do so, it proceeds from the premise that there is no timeless essence of femininity or feminism, and therefore no valid answer outside of a historically determined cultural context. The framework of reference adopted here is that of the late 18th century. The works of four talented female novelists—Mme Riccoboni, Mme d'Épinay, Mme de Charrière, and Mme Cottin (the first two writing before the Revolution, Mme de Charrière during it, and Mme Cottin afterwards)—form a corpus sufficiently homogeneous to reveal underlying similarities, yet broad enough across time to trace evolving trends. They are the subject of a thematic analysis focusing on key "moments" in women's lives, the ideas and feelings these inspired in the female novelists, and the grievances and demands they expressed regarding them. The book thus offers a front-row seat to the birth of the modern women's novel, which differs markedly in content, purpose, and worldview from contemporary women's fiction. Feminist? Not quite, when compared, for example, to the novels of George Sand, which it anticipates without quite heralding their advent. Without intending to, 18th-century female novelists opened up perspectives on a future they were not in a position to foresee.

The study of eighteenth-century narrative prose often involves examining how domestic and sentimental plots intersect with emerging social critiques. During this period, prose fiction served as a prominent medium for exploring the conditions of female existence within a strictly codified society. Scholars examining this tradition frequently analyze the ways in which narrative structures reflect the domestic realities, emotional constraints, and intellectual aspirations of women writers working within the cultural parameters of the Enlightenment and the revolutionary era.

Colette Cazenobe investigates the works of four female authors—Mme Riccoboni, Mme d'Épinay, Mme de Charrière, and Mme Cottin—to explore the overarching questions of what makes a woman's novel specifically feminine and whether it can be characterized as feminist. The volume proceeds from the premise that there is no timeless essence of femininity or feminism, adopting the framework of the late 18th century. Readers interested in the history of the eighteenth-century novel and the origins of women's fiction may find this study relevant.