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Le culte du moi #3
Le jardin de Bérénice
Excerpt from Le Jardin de Bérénice
Une force S'etait ainsi amassée en moi, dont je ne connaissais que le malaise qu'elle y mettait. Oú la dépenserais-jei'. (l'est toute la narration qui va suivre.
Une force S'etait ainsi amassée en moi, dont je ne connaissais que le malaise qu'elle y mettait. Oú la dépenserais-jei'. (l'est toute la narration qui va suivre.
385 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1891
2 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Maurice Barrès
283 books34 followersAuguste-Maurice Barrès (19 August 1862 – 4 December 1923) was a French novelist, journalist and politician. Spending some time in Italy, he became a figure in French literature with the release of his work The Cult of the Self in 1888. In politics, he was first elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1889 as a Boulangist and would play a prominent political role for the rest of his life.
Barrès was associated in his literary works with Symbolism, a movement which had equivalence with British Aestheticism and Italian Decadentism, indeed he was a close associate of Gabriele d'Annunzio representing the latter. As the name of his trilogy suggests, his works glorified a humanistic love of the self and he also flirted with occult mysticisms in his youth. The Dreyfus affair saw an ideological shift and he was a leading anti-Dreyfusard, popularising the term nationalisme to describe his views. He stood on a platform of "Nationalism, Protectionism and Socialism."
Politically, he became involved with various groups such as the Ligue des Patriotes of Paul Déroulède, which he became the leader of in 1914. Barrès was close to Charles Maurras founder of Action Française, a monarchist party. Despite the fact that he remained a republican, Barrès would have a strong influence on various following French monarchists, as well as various other figures. During the First World War, he was a strong supporter of the Union Sacrée. In later life, Barrès returned to the Catholic faith and was involved in a campaign to restore French church buildings and helped establish 24 June as a national day of remembrance for St. Joan of Arc.
Barrès was associated in his literary works with Symbolism, a movement which had equivalence with British Aestheticism and Italian Decadentism, indeed he was a close associate of Gabriele d'Annunzio representing the latter. As the name of his trilogy suggests, his works glorified a humanistic love of the self and he also flirted with occult mysticisms in his youth. The Dreyfus affair saw an ideological shift and he was a leading anti-Dreyfusard, popularising the term nationalisme to describe his views. He stood on a platform of "Nationalism, Protectionism and Socialism."
Politically, he became involved with various groups such as the Ligue des Patriotes of Paul Déroulède, which he became the leader of in 1914. Barrès was close to Charles Maurras founder of Action Française, a monarchist party. Despite the fact that he remained a republican, Barrès would have a strong influence on various following French monarchists, as well as various other figures. During the First World War, he was a strong supporter of the Union Sacrée. In later life, Barrès returned to the Catholic faith and was involved in a campaign to restore French church buildings and helped establish 24 June as a national day of remembrance for St. Joan of Arc.
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October 13, 2021
In “The Grey Notebook,” the author Josep Pla was fascinated by this book by Maurice Barrès. He read it in French, the language in fashion in Barcelona. The book was published in 1891 and was the last of the trilogy, Le Culte du Moi (The Cult of myself).
Perhaps what attracted Pla to this book was that it was set in regional Camargue, in the south of France, which would have a similar connection to Pla’s stay in a small town Palafrugell, in Cataluña in 1918.
A young man tries his hand at politics in the backwaters of France. Based in Arles, he meets an attractive young woman, Bérénice. She was to marry when her betrothed died. She is fascinated with medieval art, in particular, The Burning Bush triptych that featured King René. She loves the simplicity of the biblical story. Our politician is taken by her beauty and simplicity.
Bérénice is from Aigues-Mortes (Dead Waters) which sits on the marsh area of the Camargue. Near by is Le Grau du Roi, kind of like Venice but in a very rural setting. At one time it was a port for king René. But that was a long time ago.
Well you know how romances go. Boy is from the city. Boy meets country girl. Boy likes the countryside. Boy is a politician. He needs the votes. Boy uses... Oh why ruin things? Ah, that is literature. Everyone likes a good story, no matter how it ends.
Well that introduces us to M. Barrès the author. You see his theory is kind of like an early Ayn Rand. The virtue of selfishness, individualism, and the sort. Sadly, he was a die-hard nationalist. First, prevent the barbarians from arriving, give power to the common people and raise the French flag. We know how this ends.
As for the book, strategically add in political aspects, chat about philosophy, blend in the beauty of the rural area and it’s good, hard-working people and cover the whole story in a romance. Not bad for a small book. For Pla, I can see why he was reading the book. A lot of similarities to the Catalan issues.
One day our politician makes a jaunt to sleepy Saintes-Maries de la Mer. While there the author tells the story of Nero talking with Lazarus, staking his claim with the phrase Qualis artifex pereo (What an art I make of myself as I die). Rather vain. Vainly connected to our tale.
Serendipity. The real story of the sleepy town is that two Marie’s, who witness the crucifixion, along with their servant Sara, were swept away from far off Galilee and landed in this very spot, in the south of France. Sara is the patron saint of gypsies and bohemians. A few years back we drove through the Camargue and had a nice lunch after paying a visit to the 12th century church that houses the boat and relics of those saints. Saint Sara is very well visited. I liked that boat because it is suspended in the ceiling of the church.
Perhaps what attracted Pla to this book was that it was set in regional Camargue, in the south of France, which would have a similar connection to Pla’s stay in a small town Palafrugell, in Cataluña in 1918.
A young man tries his hand at politics in the backwaters of France. Based in Arles, he meets an attractive young woman, Bérénice. She was to marry when her betrothed died. She is fascinated with medieval art, in particular, The Burning Bush triptych that featured King René. She loves the simplicity of the biblical story. Our politician is taken by her beauty and simplicity.
Bérénice is from Aigues-Mortes (Dead Waters) which sits on the marsh area of the Camargue. Near by is Le Grau du Roi, kind of like Venice but in a very rural setting. At one time it was a port for king René. But that was a long time ago.
Well you know how romances go. Boy is from the city. Boy meets country girl. Boy likes the countryside. Boy is a politician. He needs the votes. Boy uses... Oh why ruin things? Ah, that is literature. Everyone likes a good story, no matter how it ends.
Well that introduces us to M. Barrès the author. You see his theory is kind of like an early Ayn Rand. The virtue of selfishness, individualism, and the sort. Sadly, he was a die-hard nationalist. First, prevent the barbarians from arriving, give power to the common people and raise the French flag. We know how this ends.
As for the book, strategically add in political aspects, chat about philosophy, blend in the beauty of the rural area and it’s good, hard-working people and cover the whole story in a romance. Not bad for a small book. For Pla, I can see why he was reading the book. A lot of similarities to the Catalan issues.
One day our politician makes a jaunt to sleepy Saintes-Maries de la Mer. While there the author tells the story of Nero talking with Lazarus, staking his claim with the phrase Qualis artifex pereo (What an art I make of myself as I die). Rather vain. Vainly connected to our tale.
Serendipity. The real story of the sleepy town is that two Marie’s, who witness the crucifixion, along with their servant Sara, were swept away from far off Galilee and landed in this very spot, in the south of France. Sara is the patron saint of gypsies and bohemians. A few years back we drove through the Camargue and had a nice lunch after paying a visit to the 12th century church that houses the boat and relics of those saints. Saint Sara is very well visited. I liked that boat because it is suspended in the ceiling of the church.
Displaying 1 of 1 review