This electronic thesis or dissertation has been downloaded from Explore Bristol Research, http://research-information.bristol.ac.uk Author: Jenkins, Clare Helen Elizabeth Title: Jansenism as literature : a study into the influence of Augustinian theology on seventeenth-century French literature General rights Access to the thesis is subject to the Creative Commons Attribution - NonCommercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International Public License. A copy of this may be found at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode This license sets out your rights and the restrictions that apply to your access to the thesis so it is important you read this before proceeding. Take down policy Some pages of this thesis may have been removed for copyright restrictions prior to having it been deposited in Explore Bristol Research. However, if you have discovered material within the thesis that you consider to be unlawful e.g. breaches of copyright (either yours or that of a third party) or any other law, including but not limited to those relating to patent, trademark, confidentiality, data protection, obscenity, defamation, libel, then please contact [email protected] and include the following information in your message: •Your contact details •Bibliographic details for the item, including a URL •An outline nature of the complaint Your claim will be investigated and, where appropriate, the item in question will be removed from public view as soon as possible. Jansenism as Literature: A Study into the Influence of Augustinian Theology on Seventeenth-Century French Literature Clare Helen Elizabeth Jenkins A Dissertation submitted to the University of Bristol in accordance with the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts. Department of French February 2006 Abstract This study investigates the effects of Jansenist theology on seventeenth-century French literature. After an initial explanation of the history of the Jansenist movement and its specific beliefs, there then follows a study into some of the works produced by members of this group. These citations have also been used in order to trace the development of the movement over the seventeenth century. For the purpose of this research, the term J ansenism has been taken to refer to the movement in the seventeenth century and has not been extended into the following century. Once this description has been given, the following four chapters each deal with an individual author and their connection to the Jansenist movement. Their principle works are then studied in order to ascertain the level of influence exerted by this form of religious piety on their literary output. Chapter Two deals with Pascal and concentrates on his Lettres Provinciales and Pensees. Chapter Three studies La Rochefoucauld's Maximes, which are a prime example of the pessimistic view of mankind that was so prevalent during this century. Chapter Four looks into two of Madame de Lafayette's novels, La Princesse de Cleves and La Comtesse de Tende. Chapter Five then studies Racine, a figure whose personal connections with the Jansenist movement, and subsequent estrangement from it, have been well studied. Finally the Conclusion draws together the findings from these chapters and demonstrates how the movement's own development led to changes in how Jansenist doctrine affected the literature of the seventeenth century. I declare that the work in this dissertation was carried out in accordance with the Regulations ofthe University ofBristol. The work is original, except where indicated by special reference in the text, and no part of the dissertation has been submitted for any other academic award Any views expressed in the dissertation are those ofthe author. 2 SIGNED: ..~ ..J.~... ... DATE: .~.o.~ ... N.~ ..1.QJt 3 To my mum, dad and Gareth 'For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow' , Ecclesiastes 1: 18 4 Acknowledgements I would like to thank my parents, without whom I would not have been able to fund this research project. Their help and support over the years has been fantastic. I would also like to thank my Supervisor, Dr Edward Forman. I would like to acknowledge the assistance of the members of staff in the Arts and Social Sciences Library at the University of Bristol, not only for their help with my academic work, but also for their kind understanding during my employment there. A big thanks should go to Natalie Coles, and her friend Stan, who have helped to keep me sane; just remember, Hac He )J.oroH}lT! Finally I would like to thank Gareth Martin for his help and love. Without him I would not have begun this research project and I certainly would not have managed to finish it. You are my everything. CqaCTbe - :no cHrapa KOTOPaH: Ha3bIBaerCJI X3MJI3T 5 Contents Abstract 2 Acknowledgements 5 Notes 7 Introduction 8 Chapter One Jansenist Writers 34 Chapter Two Pascal 75 Chapter Three La Rochefoucauld 125 Chapter Four Madame de Lafayette 163 Chapter Pi ve Racine 191 Conclusion 239 Bibliography 247 6 When a work is quoted from frequently, the full bibliographical details are provided in an initial footnote. Subsequent references are then only referred to by page number; this has been done to save repetition. Individual works will normally be found in the bibliography under the heading that refers to the chapter in which they are cited, unless they are of a more general nature. 7 Introduction INTRODUCTION The influence of Augustinian thought on both religion and philosophy has been immense throughout the history of ideas. The saint's beliefs also took on a vital role in the French Church; after the Council of Trent the Augustinian tradition "remained strong in the Catholic Church", I despite continued fierce religious debate which threatened to weaken religious unity. The publication of Augustine's works in ten volumes by Erasmus in 1529 no doubt aided the dissemination of the saint's beliefs and ideas around Europe. However it was in the seventeenth century that these beliefs came to the fore in France. The importance of these doctrines is most evident in the religious group which came to be known as the Jansenists. This group has been well studied since its conception,2 yet it remains difficult to find an authoritative definition of Jansenism itself, a fact that has added to these debates. As Benichou states, "it n'est pas facile ... d'attribuer une signification precise au courant de pensee qu'on nomme ...jansenisme".3 It is not immediately obvious whether the movement should be explained through the Augustinus; the five propositions; the numerous theological works produced by its supporters; by the religious practices undertaken at the convent of Port-Royal; by the beliefs of certain personalities, such as Jansenius, Saint-Cyran, Antoine Arnauld, or Nicole. Taveneaux has rightly stated that "il existe donc non pas un jansenisme mais des jansenismes".4 The difficulty in producing a precise definition is rendered even greater by the relative lack of study of contemporary documents. 5 It is interesting that the century which produced some of the most important religious debates of the period has also "been celebrated for its many towering literary figures". 6 The literature which originates from this time is considered as some of the best. It has also been suggested that Jansenism "influenced some of the outstanding literary figures I Richard Bonney, The European Dynastic States 1494-1660, Oxford, 1991, p.9 2 Perhaps the two best known, and most exhaustive, works are Orcibal's Les Origines du Jansenisme and Sainte-Beuve's Port-Royal 3 Paul Benichou, Morales du grand siecle, Paris, c 1948, p.77 4 Rene Taveneaux, La vie quotidienne des jansenistes aux XVlIe et XVIIIe siecles, Paris, 1973, p.13 S Lucien Ceyssens, Sources relatives aux debuts dujansenisme et de I'antijansenisme, 1640-1643, Louvain, 1957, p.v 6 Nicholas Hammond, Creative Tensions: An Introduction to Seventeenth-Century French Literature, London, ]977, p.9 8 Introduction of the seventeenth century, including Racine, Pascal. .. La Rochefoucauld and Madame de Lafayette".7 The movement, and its connections with the convent of Port-Royal, have also fascinated individual authors over the centuries. In the twentieth century, the novelist Mauriac is said to have portrayed a level of Jansenist belief within his work, whilst Henry de Montherlant produced his own play depicting the events at Port-Royal. Despite the many studies which have already been made into the Jansenist movement, it remains an important area of research. One reason for this is the fact that it played such a vital role in the development of church doctrine: Biyidi has explained that religious debate occupied "la premiere place" in seventeenth-century France.8 This is hardly surprising; during the previous century the country had been ravaged by the Wars of Religion, and the effects of this conflict lasted into the following century. Religious discussions permeated this period of French history, the nature of grace often being at the centre. Many different groups and individuals debated this question and it is considered to be "probablement la clef de la litterature du XVIIe siecle".9 The rise in importance of Augustinian theology during this period can have only contributed to this. The aim of this research is to determine the importance of the impact of Jansenism on French literature of the period. In order to do this, it will be necessary to produce a detailed explanation of the different forms which Jansenism took, since the influence of a movement cannot be measured easily unless the true nature of that movement is known. Therefore before any proper study of seventeenth-century French literature is undertaken, a brief explanation of the many facets of Jansenism, and its popularity as a whole, would be helpful.