Diderot, Denis
Diderot, Denis (1713–84),pre‐eminent French Enlightenment philosopher. Especially known as the editor of the Encyclopédie, Diderot was a prolific writer of essays, fiction, letters, and plays. He wrote numerous short stories (contes in French), which, besides treating ethical problems, explore the formal limits of the genre (e.g. Ceci n'est pas un conte (This is not a Tale)). His one fairy tale properly so called, L'Oiseau blanc, conte bleu (White Bird, Blue Tale), was published posthumously, although it was probably composed early in his career. The religious satire and oriental setting in this tale resemble Diderot's more famous Les Bijoux indiscrets (The Indiscreet Jewels), yet the metamorphosis of the hero into a white pigeon, his adventures in that guise, and his final de‐metamorphosis and marriage more clearly recall folkloric models. Through allegory, Diderot's tale...
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