Jean Genet’s literary genius is crafted from traditional elements, yet his work strikes a novel balance that leaves a profound impact. His narratives, largely autobiographical, dive deep into existential and moral themes, challenging societal norms with originality. Genet’s distinctive approach to confession, the normalization of homosexuality, existentialism, and the reversal of moral values frames his complex literary landscape.

The Confession

Genet’s works, such as Our Lady of the Flowers, Miracle of the Rose, and The Thief’s Journal, are fundamentally autobiographical. They embody an underlying quest for escape—from a life marred by petty crime, imprisonment, and prostitution. This escape is achieved through the cathartic act of writing, which externalizes his experiences and seeks acceptance from others. Genet’s literary journey is described as “une marche vers l’homme,” a progression towards virility or perhaps away from dehumanization.

Normalization of Homosexuality

In the context of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, homosexuality was viewed as a societal and moral aberration. Genet’s work emerges in a time when perceptions were gradually shifting. He portrays homosexual relationships as emotionally profound and intense as heterosexual ones, if not more so. Genet’s narratives reflect a desire to depict his emotions as deeply moving and genuine, challenging prevailing prejudices.

Existentialism and the Self

The relationship between Genet and existential philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre is intricate. While Sartre’s existentialist ideas, particularly those in Being and Nothingness, heavily influenced Genet, Sartre, in turn, acknowledged Genet’s literary contributions. Genet extends Sartrean ontology, suggesting that the self’s essence is defined by external perception rather than internal thought. This notion pervades Genet’s work, where mirrors and doubles symbolize the existential quest for identity.

Reversal of Moral Values

Genet, influenced by Christian and Dostoevskian ideologies, posits that evil can be more authentic than good. He suggests that humility, the highest Christian virtue, can only be involuntarily achieved through humiliation. Thus, acts resulting in societal rejection, like murder or treason, become pathways to sanctity. This provocative moral reversal is a central theme in Genet’s exploration of crime and punishment.

Attack on the Establishment

Genet’s rejection of conventional moral values is a broader rebellion against societal norms, reflected in his anarchistic philosophy. His allegiance rests with societal outcasts, such as criminals and marginalized groups, rather than any political ideology. Genet’s Funeral Rites illustrates this defiance, as he simultaneously mourns and glorifies a Nazi lover, standing in opposition to both bourgeois and resistance establishments.

Genet’s fascination with masks, symbols, and the paradox of identity marks his work as uniquely poetic and symbolic. His characters, with their elaborate nicknames, mirror his passion for duality and mysticism, serving as the foundation for his storytelling.

Our Lady of the Flowers

Neither Our Lady of the Flowers nor Miracle of the Rose adheres to a traditional plot structure. In Our Lady of the Flowers, Genet weaves a tapestry of interlinked episodes, focusing on the transformation of Louis Culafroy into Divine, and Divine’s own evolution. The novel’s circular narrative begins and ends with Divine’s death, blurring the lines between past, present, and identity.

Divine embodies a purity born from the convergence of good and evil, dragging her lovers into her sanctity and annihilation. The theme of sacrilege permeates the narrative, as characters like Our Lady embrace confession as a form of defiance against divine judgment.

Miracle of the Rose

In Miracle of the Rose , Genet’s autobiographical content is more pronounced. The narrative follows Genet’s experiences in the prisons of Fontevrault and Mettray, where he endures and bestows significance on the dehumanizing brutality. Symbols and memories intertwine, transcending time and space, as Genet’s characters navigate a sacred existence...