French Literature Reviews - 2026
Wajdi Mouawad, The Inner Shadow That Writes
Theatre and Performance
“Hero that he is, Ulysses asks to be bound to the mast of his ship to resist the sirens' song. In much the same way, the poet fiercely resists the attraction of knowledge. Not that he is opposed to knowledge—quite the contrary—but stubbornly, tenaciously, he seeks to keep inaccessible a fragment that has always eluded knowledge. If every object casts a shadow, knowledge too has its own, which it is, by definition, impossible to illuminate with its light. To venture into this shadow, a stalker is essential. Certain things cannot be taught. Not only can they not be taught, but the very act of wanting to teach them instantly cancels them out. They owe their presence to the erasure of reason. Perhaps to madness, a trance, a loss, a drift. Perhaps also, undoubtedly even, to blood, which plays a major part in the fervor of a shadow that finds its roots deep within our violence and our barbarity.”
This book is derived from the inaugural lecture delivered at the Collège de France on Thursday, February 6, 2025, by Wajdi Mouawad, visiting professor in 2024–2025 for the annual chair 'The Invention of Europe through Languages and Cultures', created in partnership with the Ministry of Culture.
This volume preserves the inaugural lecture delivered by Wajdi Mouawad at the Collège de France for the annual chair titled The Invention of Europe through Languages and Cultures. Lectures of this kind traditionally introduce a visiting professor's broader trajectory and thematic focus within a prestigious academic institution, bridging public address and scholarly inquiry. Readers interested in contemporary francophone literature and modern reflections on the arts may find this publication relevant to their pursuits.