The Eighteenth-Century French Novel
Techniques of Illusion

A study of the transition of the French novel from the seventeenth century, to the masterpieces of the eighteenth century.

Vivienne Mylne (Author)

9780521282666, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 12 November 1981

304 pages
21.6 x 13.8 x 2.7 cm, 0.535 kg

This book deals with the ways in which the French novel of the eighteenth century marks a transition from the long, implausible and often clumsy works of the seventeenth century to the masterpieces of Balzac, Stendhal and Laubert. For her study, Professor Mylne has chosen works by Lesage, Prevost, Marivaux, Crebillon fils, Rousseau, Diderot, Laclos, Restif de la Bretonne and Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, and through her consideration of these particular authors she traces the development of the novelists' technique in the representation of life. She discusses, firstly, the theories and aims which conditioned the genre, such as the allegation of a moral purpose and the pretence that the novel is a true story, an attitude which contributed to the widespread popularity of memoir-novels and the epistolary form. Secondly, on the level of technique and structure, the author studies methods of characterisation and plot-construction, effects of style and emotional tone, and descriptive devices such as the use of factual details to increase verisimilitude.

Preface
Notes to the second edition
1. Prolegomena, theory and background
2. Fiction, history and truth
3. Memoirs and pseudo-memoirs
4. Lesage and conventions
5. Prévost: the new 'realism'
6. Marivaux: characters in depth
7. Crébillon: innovations in points of view
8. Letter-novels: history and technique
9. Crébillon's letter-novels
10. Rousseau: a new seriousness
11. Diderot: theory and practice
12. Restif de la Bretonne and Laclos: the culmination of the letter-novel
13. Bernardin de Saint-Pierre: transitional forms
14. Conclusion
15. Post-script: developments and perspectives
Select bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Literary studies: fiction, novelists & prose writers [DSK], Literary studies: c 1500 to c 1800 [DSBD]