French Literature Reviews - 2026
Zofia Litwinowicz-Krutnik, Joseph Malègue, entre réalisme intégral et impressionnisme. Les multiples éclats d’une œuvre oubliée
Other Literary Studies
Joseph Malègue, entre réalisme intégral et impressionnisme. Les multiples éclats d’une œuvre oubliée is the first comprehensive study of the life's work and literary imagination of an overlooked writer. Joseph Malègue (1876–1940) played a significant role in the literary, aesthetic, philosophical, and theological landscape of the interwar period. This volume aims to shed light on his aesthetics—situated at the crossroads of integral realism and impressionism—in active dialogue with his thought. The corpus examined includes several previously unpublished materials, such as correspondence, notebooks, and drafts, which earlier scholarship, largely focused on his first novel, had overlooked. By analyzing his complete writings, this study restores Joseph Malègue to his rightful place as an author who brilliantly bridges philosophical rigor, tenderness toward the sensory world, and spiritual elevation.
Zofia Litwinowicz-Krutnik holds a PhD in French Literature from Sorbonne University. A former student at the University of St Andrews in Scotland and a French Government scholar, she is currently a lecturer in aesthetics and poetics at the Faculty of "Artes Liberales" of the University of Warsaw.
Excerpt from the introduction...
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The interwar period in French literature was characterized by a complex tension between traditional narrative forms and the emergence of modern aesthetic sensibilities. Authors of this era often navigated the intersection of theological inquiry and secular realism, seeking to reconcile intellectual rigor with the nuances of sensory experience. This study situates the work of Joseph Malègue (1876–1940) within this broader intellectual climate, examining his complete writings, including previously unpublished materials such as correspondence, notebooks, and drafts.
The concepts of integral realism and impressionism serve as the primary lenses through which the volume interprets Malègue's literary imagination. Integral realism suggests a commitment to representing the totality of experience, while impressionism in literature emphasizes subjective perception and sensory phenomena. Readers interested in the evolution of early twentieth-century French aesthetics and the intersection of theology and narrative form may find this examination of Malègue's diverse writings relevant to their research.