Provence and Languedoc as reflected in the modern French novel Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Bryson, John Maurice, 1912- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 09/10/2021 17:22:54 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/553298 PROVENCE AND LANGUEDOC AS REFLECTED IN THE MODERN FRENCH NOVEL by John M. Bryson A Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Department of French in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Graduate College University of Arizona 1956 6 ? The writer wishes to express his sincere appreciation to Dr» Sydney Barlow Brown for M s invaluable and generous as­ sistance In the preparation of this thesis. 1*5587 TABLE OF COI1TEHTS IHTEOIlUCTIOH PART I . 1 Chapter I — Alphonse Bsudet 1 II - Paul Arone III — Jean Aicard f& 17 - Edmond Jaloux 54 V — Jean-Loula Vaudoyer - 41 71 - Jean Hartet 4® PART II Chapter I — Ferdinand Fate® 51 II — Georges Beaune 64 III - Jesn-Touss&Int Sanat 70 17 — H«iry de Montherlant . 7* lUTROttJCTIOH TO PARTS I H AMD If 79 PART III - Reflections of Provence 81 Chapter I - Geographical Description, Climate, and Landmarks 81 II - Atmosphere and General Impression 101 III — Racial Characteristics 107 If - Customs, Legends, Festivals, Language, Dress, and Sports 116 PART IV - Reflections of Languedoc 157 Chapter I - Geographical Description and Architectural Remains 157 II — Racial Characteristics# Customs# and Religion 147 III — Industries and Products 162 CONCLUSION 176 BIBLIOGRAPHIC 178 maorocnoe The purpose of the ensuing study is to show how Provence and Langue­ doc are reflected la the modern French novel. It should be understood, however, that it has been the author’s intention to make this a repres­ entative rather than an exhaustive treatment of the subject. The novels included date from approximately 1860 to the present day. The study is divided into four parts* first, a brief discussion of the lives and works of the authors representing Provence with synopses of tlie novels here specifically dealt with; second, a similar treatment of those representing Languedoc; third, "reflections* of Provence, con­ sisting of observations substantiated by typical, illustrative passages taken from the novels themselves, and fourth, "reflections* of Langue­ doc. It has been impossible, in spite of a definite attempt, to maintain an even balance in the discussion of the various novelists, since some of them have become known so recently that very little, if any, material concerning their lives and works can be found. In order to reveal something of the underlying spirit or "fond* of the novels rather than to give merely their bare plot outline, it was judged necessary to make the synopses somewhat more detailed than is sometimes done in similar studies. Lastly, in solving the question as to just how much of the longer citations to include, it was decided that, if the passages were to be sufficiently representative to avoid giving false or fragmentary im­ pressions, it would be advisable to present them in their entirety. PABT I Chapter I Though Alphonse Baudot was Languedocien by birth, it is nainly Provence that is reflected in his writings. Baudot was b o m in Nines in 1840* Because of delicate health, he was left alone a great deal, and, endowed with an unquenchable thirst for adventure, be had to create around himself an imaginary world* Mien he was eight years old, his father* s silk business was ruined by the revolution, and the family was forced to move to Lyon# At the College de Lyon, Alphonse was given the nickname **le Petit Chose**, because of his timidity and email stature* The eight years he spent in this school were painful for the sensitive child* In order to avoid his harsh masters and his bullying schoolmates, he often escaped to the woods to spend long hours by himself* In spite of this comparative in­ attention to study, he always managed to stand high in hie literary courses, and it was during the last years there, that he began to write verso. The family was then completely broken up when M s father, still pursued by ill luck in his business enterprises, became a commercial traveler. Alphonse, only sixteen years of age, had to accept a posi­ tion as study-master or usher at the College d* Alois In order to earn M s living. Already made eeneiti^ 1 8> i.oly by hie school life and the misfortunes of kls / i i then entered an even worse per­ iod, h: oy l „6 , 1' » 1 :: ued by hie employers. At the * * o: — bl i le .uft in 1857 with the intention of taking ►.. i lit. + r' 3 s,r in Paris, where his older brother, Ernest, was a His first years in the capital were spent in a bohemian atmosphere on the outskirts of the city. Soon after his arrival, he published a collection of verses, IfSE Amoureases, which enjoyed a fair success, and of which Le Figaro spoke highly. Then for five years (1860-1865), he served as secretary to the distinguished Duke de Moray, the president of the Corps Legis- latif and presiding genius of the empire. Hie position, which he filled rather as an observer than as a politician, gave him leisure for writing and an inside view of the political and social life of Paris which he later portrayed so strikingly in Le Nabab and Hums Rouaestan, After the duke's death In 1865, Daudet consecrated himself wholly to his writing. For several years, in fact, he was hailed as the greatest master of the short story In France. The events he witnessed during the War of 1870 had & profound influence on his work. Besides his short stories, he published many novels, the most famous beings Les aventures prodigieuseg de Tartarin de Taragcon, 1872; Promont Jeune et Rlsler a$ne. which won the Academy's Jouy prize in 1874; Los role en exil. 1879; Jack. 1876; Le Nabab, 1877; Hums Rouaestan, aoeurs pnrlsiennes. 1881; L'Evangeliste. 1885; Tartarln eur lee alpes. 1886, and r 1888, a bitter satire against the Ac&demie Francaise In his later years, Daudst suffered front insomnia, failure of health and consequent use of chloral. He died in Paris in 1897. Early in his career, ho had turned to the "roman do moeurs," Loved by the public which he had already gained through his verses, he quickly became even more popular when he began to present his plays and publish his novels. He pleased many of the admirers of the realistic school with his qualities of observation, and those of the romantic novel by his depth of feeling. He was willingly cited with Zola and 1 Goncourt as one of the masters of the contemporary novel. La Grande Encyclopedia points however to what it calls *un certain injustice* In this judgment# *Au contraire de ceo deux chefs d'ecolo, Baudot manque de slncerite dans 1 *observation# il cherche surtout a plaire et a anuser, et son proc^dcf est plutot celui d fun chroni- queur quo d'un ronencier d* observation.. .Pcu dou<£ du cdte de 1*invention, il a...une faculty singulibre de saisir le cote pittoresquo des choses et un veritable don d 1expression... See personnages.«.resumes d ’une serio d*observations true jnotes et quelquefois penetrantes, donnent 1 'illuoion de la vie. Mais, si habile quo soit la mise en oeuvre, on sent^ parfois que la vie profonde manque, quo I ’uniti du caractere n*exist8 pao.Q.Le charae de ces romans n«en est pas moins tree vifj le principal talent do 1 ’auteur consiste dans le melange do I ’ironie ot do la sensibilite.2 Nouveau Larousse Illustre observes tiiat the name best fitted to him is that of impressionist, but adds# Jamais il n*a nieux roussi que dans l 1expression des choses qui avaient emu son ame...Aucun autre des roman- ciers frangais nodomes n'dgale peut-etre Alphonse Daudet pour le talent de rentire les attitudes, les physionomieB, les coutuses, tout le pittoresque et le dramatique de moeurs. Et cela ne veut pas dire que ce pointre nerveil- leux soit un mediocre psycholpgum. Sa psychologie, c o m e 1. U^Grande^cTOlopedio. vol. 15. p. 965. 2# ses descriptions, est vivante, II no l **etalo pas en fnstidieux comentaires» KLle fait corps &vcc les per- sonnages, elle sc traduit par leurs metes et lours paroles.* Speaking of his realign and his psychology, Jules Leaaitre says* Le realiste, c’est lui et non M, Zola, Zola me 1'a eonfesse l rautre jour..,Ses personnages no nous scat prls- m%4a que dans les moments 6b. lie agiscont; et 11 n ’est pas un de leurs sentiments qui ne soit pas acconpagne d*tm goats, d,«B air de visage, commontl par uno attitude, une silhouette. C o o t h. cause de cola qu*ils nous entreat si eirant dans 1*imagination et qu*ils nous rostent dans le m6 aoire.,, Ce rlalisto est cordial. II aims; il a pitiej il ne d^daigne point,..Alphonse Baudot a 6t6, dans un coin de tous ces livres, le podte affoctueux dee petite# gens et dee bumbles destinies,,,Ce realiste est kubsI un grand historian des moeurs et qui sfeet iimrrl aieemont tfgal aux plus grands stijete,., Ai-je defini cet adorable ecrivain? Helasl non, C ,eet qu'il est tr6s complete dans son transparence..