Jules Vallès Criticism
Jules Vallès, born Louis-Jules Vallez in 1832 in France, was a seminal French novelist and journalist known for his role as a historian of the Paris Commune of 1871 and his contributions to French political literature. His most famous work, the Jacques Vingtras trilogy, is a semi-autobiographical account that explores themes of rebellion, education, and the alienating effects of capitalism. The trilogy chronicles the protagonist's journey from childhood through his participation in the revolutionary Paris Commune, reflecting Vallès's own experiences. Vallès's writing is distinguished by its linguistic playfulness, which sets it apart from contemporaries like Emile Zola and Victor Hugo, as noted by Redfern.
Although Vallès’s radical politics initially overshadowed his literary accomplishments, mid-twentieth-century scholars began to appreciate the depth of his work. His critical portrayal of bourgeois society and educational systems, as discussed by Lloyd, offers a sophisticated understanding of modern institutions. Vallès's commitment to documenting the social and political upheavals of his time is evident in works like La Commune de Paris, praised by Fischer for its vivid depiction of the Paris Commune's struggles. Moreover, Edmonds highlights Vallès’s role in developing political literature that supports the working class.
Despite facing persecution and eventual exile, Vallès remained influential in literary and political circles. His work reflects a deep engagement with the struggles of Leftist intellectuals and the working class, as explored by Brombert. Vallès's legacy endures as a testament to the power of narrative to challenge social norms and inspire future generations of writers and thinkers.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Essays
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Vallès and the Pathos of Rebellion
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Brombert contends that despite Vallès's often misunderstood humor, his works viscerally communicate the tragic circumstances of Leftist intellectuals who were not accepted by existing institutions or by the revolutionary workers they wished to support.
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In Search of Jules Vallès
(summary)
In the following essay, Edmonds considers the autobiographical aspects of Vallès's Jacques Vingtras trilogy and emphasizes Vallès's contribution to the development of French political literature written to support the working class.
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Vallés and the Existential Pun
(summary)
In the following essay, Redfern examines Vallès's use of wordplay, proposing that for Vallès the pun demonstrates both the power and the inadequacy of words. Moreover, Redfern suggests, Vallès's linguistic playfulness lends a sense of freedom and vitality to his work.
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Jules Vallès: Education and the Novel
(summary)
In the following essay, Birchall considers Vallès's trilogy Jacques Vingtras in relation to the German literary tradition of the bildungsroman, or educational novel. Birchall suggests that Vallès reworks the traditional bildungsroman by yoking together individual growth and social transformation.
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Jules Vallès, La Commune de Paris (1872)
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Fischer demonstrates the value of Vallès's play La Commune de Paris as a detailed and personal history of the Paris Commune of 1871, arguing that although the plot and characterizations are unrealistic, the drama vividly portrays the social and political conflicts surrounding the event.
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The Politics of Privacy in the Works of Jules Vallès
(summary)
In the following essay, Lloyd focuses on the depiction of space in the Jacques Vingtras trilogy, arguing that Vallès's negative portrayal of private spaces underscores the loneliness and isolation of bourgeois life. Vallès's contrasting views of public and private spaces, Lloyd contends, reveal a sophisticated understanding of the evolution of modern institutions.
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The Politics of Irony and Alienation: A Study of Jules Vallés' Le Bachelier
(summary)
In the following essay, Lloyd applies Karl Marx's notion of alienation to illuminate the character Jacques Vingtras's troubled relationship to both work and workers, emphasizing Vallès's use of irony as a textual representation of alienation.
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Militancy in the Making: The Example of Le Bachelier
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In the following essay, van Slyke discusses Le Bachelier as an example of militant autobiography, using such an approach to demonstrate how the novel brings both author and reader into the text.
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L'Enfant
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Redfern examines the first book of Vallès's Vingtras trilogy, L'Enfant, focusing on Vallès's use of sensory detail and his keen perception of the joys and injustices of childhood and education.
- L'Enfant
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Exile and Return: La Rue à Londres
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Redfern discusses Vallès's exile in London, from about 1872 to 1880, focusing on Vallès's contrasting views of Paris and London and the background for Vallès's book La Rue a Londres. Redfern also describes Vallès's efforts to work in Paris following his return from London and the defeat of the Paris Commune, particularly his work on the newspaper Le Cri du peuple.
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Le Plissement and La fêlure: The Paris Commune in Vallès's L'Insurgé and Zola's La Débâcle
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Stivale contrasts Vallès's and Emile Zola's representation of the Paris Commune of 1871, arguing that Vallès's emphasis on identifying and naming historical agents in his narration of class conflict makes possible the recognition and resistance of seemingly natural sources of power.
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Vallès and the Pathos of Rebellion
(summary)
- Further Reading