Bande Dessinée on the Periphery. Phd Thesis
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n Tannahill, Lisa (2016) Bande dessinée on the periphery. PhD thesis. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/7599/ Copyright and moral rights for this thesis are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the Author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the Author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Glasgow Theses Service http://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] Bande Dessinée On The Periphery Lisa Tannahill Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of PhD in French School of Modern Languages and Cultures College of Arts University of Glasgow Abstract This thesis examines how Brittany and Corsica are represented in the medium of bande dessinée. Both are peripheral French regions with cultural identities markedly different from that of the overarching French norm, and both have been historically subject to ridicule from the political and cultural centre. By comparing a fair selection of bandes dessinées which are either set in Brittany or Corsica or feature characters from the relevant regions, this thesis sets out to discover whether representations of Brittany and Corsica differ according to the origin of the creators of the bandes dessinées and, if so, how. To facilitate this analysis, the bandes dessinées included for study have been classified as either external representations (published by mainstream bande dessinée publishers and/or the work of creators originating from outside the two regions) or internal representations (published by local Breton or Corsican companies and/or the work of local creators). It transpires that there are clear differences between mainstream and local bande dessinée authors and illustrators with regard to their portrayal of the local culture of both ‘outlying’ regions. External representations rely on broad stereotypes and received ideas, while internal representations draw on local folklore, regional history and regional identity to create works with more local relevance. In some cases internal representations are or were clearly aimed at a local market, while others aim both at local readers and at the wider bande dessinée market. Those aimed at a wider readership have an additional function, namely that of promoting their regional cultures in French culture generally and offering an alternative to the stereotypical representations presented by larger publishers of bandes dessinées. Brittany and Corsica are examined separately, each taking up roughly half of the thesis. Each half has the same general structure, beginning with discussion of how historical events have shaped perceptions of Brittany and Corsica in French popular consciousness, followed by analysis of the respective external representations and lastly internal representations. There are also two case studies of representations of Corsica in wider visual culture. Owing to its widespread appeal, its adaptability and its capacity to reflect popular opinion in different sectors of society, the medium of bande dessinée offers a potentially rich field for the investigation of social and cultural attitudes and prejudices. It is hoped that this thesis points the way to further research on the topic. 2 CONTENTS Abstract .............................................................................................................................................................. 2 List of Figures ..................................................................................................................................................... 7 Acknowledgement ............................................................................................................................................. 8 Author’s Declaration .......................................................................................................................................... 9 Copyright Notice .............................................................................................................................................. 10 A Note on Referencing ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 12 1. Centre Versus Periphery : The Beginnings of A Stereotype ......................................................................... 23 Breton in Education ...................................................................................................................................... 27 Reform Begins Early In The Third Republic (1870-1940) .......................................................................... 29 The Complexe du Breton, The First World War And Culture Loss ................................................................ 32 Bretons In Paris: A Pays In Urban Exile......................................................................................................... 34 2. Bécassine: Devenir un autre pour être ......................................................................................................... 36 Les Aventures de Bécassine .......................................................................................................................... 36 Why Is Bécassine Problematic? .................................................................................................................... 38 Bécassine’s Beginnings: Proto-Bécassine and Caumery’s Reimagining ....................................................... 39 L’Enfance de Bécassine ............................................................................................................................. 42 Bécassine en apprentissage ..................................................................................................................... 47 1915-1919: Bécassine At War ...................................................................................................................... 52 Bécassine pendant la (Grande) Guerre ..................................................................................................... 53 Bécassine chez les alliés ........................................................................................................................... 55 Bécassine mobilisée .................................................................................................................................. 57 Bécassine chez les Turcs ........................................................................................................................... 58 Bécassine In A Changing World ................................................................................................................ 62 Les Cent Métiers de Bécassine: Social Change, Climbing and Conservatism ............................................ 63 Bécassine Voyage ..................................................................................................................................... 69 Loulotte: A New Beginning For Les Aventures de Bécassine .................................................................... 71 Bécassine Nourrice : Bécassine Falls In Love ............................................................................................ 73 Bécassine Mère ........................................................................................................................................ 75 3 Bécassine alpiniste ................................................................................................................................... 77 Les Bonnes Idées de Bécassine : Loulotte Learns Her Place ..................................................................... 80 Bécassine au Pays Basque ........................................................................................................................ 84 Exoticism and the Start of Decline: Bécassine, son oncle et leurs amis ................................................... 87 L’Automobile de Bécassine: Self-Empowerment and Self-Deprivation For the Greater Good ................ 90 Bécassine’s Last Decade: Loulotte To The Fore........................................................................................ 93 Bécassine au Pensionnat .......................................................................................................................... 94 Bécassine en Aéroplane ............................................................................................................................ 96 Bécassine fait du scoutisme : Loulotte and Bécassine Do Their Bit For Catholic Institutions .................. 99 Bécassine aux bains de mer .................................................................................................................... 101 Bécassine dans la neige : Alpiniste, Again .............................................................................................. 101 Bécassine prend des pensionnaires ........................................................................................................ 102 Bécassine à Clocher-Les-Bécasses : A Retour aux Sources For Bécassine