Reactions to anarchism in the works of Maurice Barres and Georges Darien,1885-1914.

Abstract

This thesis looks at the fiction of two very different authors, Maurice Barrés (1862-1923) and Georges Darien (1862-1921). Despite their posthumous reputations (Barrés the proto-fascist, Darien the anarchist individualist), the ideological and literary development of both these writers have their roots in their reactions to anarchism. In this thesis, I examine the effect these reactions to anarchism had on their status in the champ littéraire, their politics and the construction of their texts. In the opening chapter, I address the overarching issues of the nature of anarchism, political engagement and the champ littéraire of fin-de-sìècle Paris. I refer to secondary sources such as Pierre Bourdieu, Susan Rubin Suleiman and Richard Sonn to inform my inquiry. I also establish the historical framework of this period, including Boulangism, the Dreyfus Affair, nationalism and anarchism. The second chapter examines the lives and careers of Maurice Barrés and Georges Darien in the context of the champ littéraire. The following chapters all examine issues which both Barrés and Darien privileged in their fiction. The writers' treatment of the self, education, crime and corruption and national identity are discussed through a detailed comparison of two texts in each chapter. This discussion takes place within the context of both authors’ engagement with and reactions to anarchism. Throughout this thesis, my method is a close and comparative reading of selected passages taken from significant novels and didactic works.