Henry James: The Missing Name in French Literary Genealogies
Recent French essay collections have explored the evolution of the novel, featuring numerous notable authors including Cervantes, Rabelais, and Proust. However, the omission of Henry James has sparked discussion among critics like Hervé Gauville, who questions whether this oversight is due to disinterest, an error, or the distinctiveness of James’s narrative style. Gauville posits that James’s literary contributions may hold a concealed importance within the context of French literature, drawing a parallel between his works and the metaphor of the "purloined letter," suggesting a deeper value that has yet to be fully acknowledged by literary scholars.
Key facts
- Recent French essay collections on the novel's history omitted Henry James.
- Authors cited include Cervantes, Rabelais, Sterne, Diderot, Sade, Stendhal, Flaubert, Proust, Kafka, Céline, Musil, Broch, Gombrowicz, Faulkner, Hemingway.
- Hervé Gauville wrote the text questioning this omission.
- The omission may be due to disinterest, forgetfulness, or James's unclassifiable work.
- Gauville compares James's absence to the 'purloined letter' in literary history.
- The article was published in artpress in July 1995.
- Henry James is a novelist often considered difficult to categorize.
- The essay raises questions about canon formation in French literary criticism.
Entities
Artists
- Henry James
- Hervé Gauville
- Miguel de Cervantes
- François Rabelais
- Laurence Sterne
- Denis Diderot
- Marquis de Sade
- Stendhal
- Gustave Flaubert
- Marcel Proust
- Franz Kafka
- Louis-Ferdinand Céline
- Robert Musil
- Hermann Broch
- Witold Gombrowicz
- William Faulkner
- Ernest Hemingway
Institutions
- artpress
Locations
- France
Sources
- artpress —