Germaine de Staël Criticism
Germaine de Staël, a prominent French critic, novelist, historian, and playwright, played a crucial role in introducing Romanticism into French literature and political thought. Her work emphasized the relativity of critical judgment and the importance of historical context, as articulated in De la littérature considérée dans ses rapports avec les institutions sociales (The Influence of Literature upon Society). This work distinguished between the classical literature of southern Europe and the burgeoning Romantic literature of the north. Although her novels, such as Delphine and Corinne; ou, L’Italie, are considered secondary to her critical essays, they remain significant for their exploration of feminist themes.
Raised in an intellectually stimulating environment in Paris, de Staël's early life was marked by exposure to influential thinkers, which shaped her liberal ideals. Her marriage to the Swedish ambassador, Eric de Staël-Holstein, and her writings, including Lettres sur les ouvrages et le caractère de J. J. Rousseau, established her as a theorist advocating Enlightenment values. Her political outspokenness led to conflict with Napoleon, resulting in her exile and the establishment of a renowned intellectual circle at Coppet. Her seminal works, such as De l’Allemagne, highlighted German literature and philosophy, although they faced censorship under Napoleon.
De Staël's major works include dramas and critical essays exploring themes of passion, ambition, and the role of fiction. Her epistolary novel Delphine critiques social constraints on women, while Corinne blends travelogue and romance, focusing on its protagonist's artistic genius and tragic love. As noted in Portraits: A Feminist Appraisal of Mme de Staël's Delphine, Delphine presents a daring social critique. De Staël’s influence on Romanticism and feminism has been profound, as she inspired writers like Victor Hugo and Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve, and her novels continue to be recognized for their feminist insights, as explored in works such as Tragedy, Sisterhood, and Revenge in Corinne.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Essays
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Portraits: A Feminist Appraisal of Mme de Staël's Delphine
(summary)
In the following essay, Swallow assesses Delphine as it depicts 'the oppressive effects of patriarchal hegemony.'
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Forging a Vocation: Germaine de Staël on Fiction, Power, and Passion
(summary)
In the following essay, Gutwirth analyzes de Staël's views on love, passion, and ambition as expressed in De l’influence des passions.
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History and Story
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Hogsett examines de Staël's attempts to insert feminine ways of narration into a masculine-oriented history and literature in De la littérature considérée dans ses rapports avec les institutions sociales and Delphine.
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Tragedy, Sisterhood, and Revenge in Corinne
(summary)
In the following essay, Heller evaluates the impact of de Staël's feminist narrative in Corinne on twentieth century readers.
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Communication and Power in Germaine de Staël: Transparency and Obstacle
(summary)
In the following essay, Bowman considers the problem of communication in de Staël's writing.
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Corinne: The Third Woman
(summary)
In the following essay, Schor examines the relationship between death and femininity in Corinne.
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Forays into Fiction: Delphine
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Besser surveys the story, theme, and critical reception of Delphine. Staël's two principal novels were to earn her spectacular success. Her first full-length work of fiction, and her only experiment with the epistolary form, was the hugely popular Delphine. Recapitulating themes touched on in her short stories, Delphine has a well-developed if convoluted plot, presents a number of sharply defined characters, exemplifies social criticism at its most daring, and marks Staël's emergence as a best-selling writer.
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Staël, Translation, and Race
(summary)
In the following essay, Massardier-Kenney investigates de Staël's critique of cultural values in her work, particularly in the antislavery sentiment of Mirza.
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Speech in Action: Language, Society, and Subject in Germaine de Staël's Corinne
(summary)
In the following essay, Birkett discusses the dynamics of subjective and collective narrative voice within the feminist text of Corinne.
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Exile and Narrative Voice in Corinne
(summary)
In the following essay, Coleman contends that the influential narrative voice of Corinne is traceable to Staël's own experience with exile and other political expressions.
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The Painful Birth of the Romantic Heroine: Staël as Political Animal, 1786-1818
(summary)
In the following essay, Isbell argues that de Staël chose to produce literary art in response to her exclusion from politics as a woman.
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An Early Dissident: Madame de Staël
(summary)
In the following essay, Winegarten probes the results of de Staël's exile from France during the Napoleonic regime.
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Portraits: A Feminist Appraisal of Mme de Staël's Delphine
(summary)
- Further Reading