Recepción de la novela moderna lecturas y lectores de L'astrée

Abstract

This study is part of the work on the aesthetics of literary reception conducted at the Constance School in Germany, which provided significant theoretical and not so many practical contributions. Our research focuses on the reception of L’Astrée, the monumental novel by Honoré d’Urfé published between 1607 and 1619 and completed by Balthazar Baro between 1627 and 1628. First, as an introduction, the novelistic and extra-novelistic resources put at the service of the reader were analysed and then their reading by privileged recipients in their dual capacity as writers and novel enthusiasts such as Jean-Pierre Camus, Charles Sorel, La Fontaine, Madame de Sévigné, Pierre-Daniel Huet, Fontenelle, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and George Sand, was examined. In the second part, the reception of the novel in all its manifestations is assessed, by identifying its potential readers based on factors such as age, gender, level of education, socio-economic status and geographical scope, as well as the conditions under which these readings were carried out (aloud, alone, etc.). Among the many reactions that the reading of L’Astrée provoked, the “primary reactions”, which coincide or are close to the act of reading, were initially analysed, followed by an analysis of the verbal manifestations (mentions, imitations, recitations, summaries...). This leads to the extensive domains of rewriting, whether partial (allusions, quotations, pastiches, and parodies) or total (editions, continuations, translations, versions, and adaptations). Not to mention the practical application of what was read, which gave rise –among other recreations– to numerous society games.Finally, following the study of L’Astrée in the fine arts, additional readings corresponding to the contributions of the critics have been considered.