Insights and Limitations of a Feminist Reading of "La Princesse de Clèves" According to Queer Theory Cover Image

Pertinences et apories d’une lecture féministe de "La Princesse de Clèves" au regard de la théorie queer
Insights and Limitations of a Feminist Reading of "La Princesse de Clèves" According to Queer Theory

Author(s): François-Ronan Dubois
Subject(s): Literary Texts
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
Keywords: Clèves; Lafayette; queer; feminism; 17th century

Summary/Abstract: Often interpreted from the feminist perspective, "La Princesse de Clèves" has come to represent a tale of feminine oppression and feminine heroism. As enlightening as such a reading may be, this paper seeks to further explore the gendered identities at stake in the novel, with the help of a Nietzschean queer theory. Underlining the role of Madame de Clèves in the economy of desire that constructs space and power in the world of the text is an important step toward a more subtle understanding of the narrative.

  • Issue Year: 8/2013
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 129-137
  • Page Count: 9
  • Language: French
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