Pia Livia Hekanaho

Valheen jäljillä

Introduction

Valheen jäljillä. Tutki Marguerite Yourcenarin récit-genreä, sen petollisia kertojia ja itsepetosta teoksissa Alexis, La Nouvelle Eurydice ja Le coup de grâce. Käsittelee totuutta, salailua ja lukemisen etiikkaa.

Abstract

Marguerite Yourcenar’s deceptive narrators and récit genre One of the most characteristic features of Marguerite Yourcenar’s oeuvre is her recurrent interest in the distinctly French literary genre of récit. Typically, a récit is a very concentrated, rather short piece of fiction related to novella and dominated by the narrator’s ”voice” and point of view. The elliptical narration of récit questions the reliability of the narrator and the confessional mode. The three texts, addressed in this article, are Alexis (1929), La Nouvelle Eurydice (1931), and Le coup de grâce (1939). In each one of the texts, the unreliability of the narration functions on several levels, the central feature being the inevitable acts of self-deceit of the narrators. The present article explores the various textual strategies of confession and concealment throughout the narratives. In these texts by Yourcenar, modes of confession and disclosure function actually in order to deceive and conceal, and to elaborate upon the intertwined concepts such as truth and untruth, honesty and dishonesty or knowing and unknowing. Questions related to ethics of reading and interpretation are combined with an analysis of the dialectic of the textual closet, in other words a complex relation between veiling and unveiling (especially and typically) a sexual secret. Furthermore, the article maintains that both narration and interpretation are activities characterized by control and power relations. Thus, the self-reflection concerning the ethics of reading relates also to theoretical approaches and ideologies present in the critical community. Especially, the ethics of reading is a topical issue when the critical community encounters various anti-normative, counter-hegemonic theories and approaches.

Review

The article, titled "Valheen jäljillä" (On the trail of a lie), promises a compelling exploration of Marguerite Yourcenar’s distinctive narrative style, specifically focusing on the French literary genre of récit. The authors adeptly identify Yourcenar's recurrent interest in this concentrated, narrator-dominated form, particularly highlighting how its elliptical nature questions the reliability of the narrator and the confessional mode. Examining *Alexis* (1929), *La Nouvelle Eurydice* (1931), and *Le coup de grâce* (1939), the article posits that the unreliability of narration operates on multiple levels, centrally underscored by the narrators' inherent acts of self-deceit. This establishes a clear and pertinent focus on the complex interplay between truth and untruth within Yourcenar's oeuvre. A significant strength of this piece lies in its rigorous analytical framework, which pledges to delve into the various textual strategies of confession and concealment. The abstract clearly articulates how modes of disclosure in Yourcenar's work paradoxically function to deceive and conceal, thereby enriching the intertwined concepts of honesty, dishonesty, knowing, and unknowing. The article further distinguishes itself by combining these textual analyses with an insightful examination of the ethics of reading and interpretation. Its engagement with the "dialectic of the textual closet"—the complex relation between veiling and unveiling, especially concerning sexual secrets—promises a nuanced understanding of Yourcenar's challenging narratives and their broader implications for literary studies. Beyond its textual analysis, the article makes a valuable theoretical contribution by asserting that both narration and interpretation are activities deeply embedded in control and power relations. This self-reflection on the ethics of reading is particularly salient in the current academic climate, where critical communities increasingly engage with anti-normative and counter-hegemonic theories. By connecting Yourcenar's narrative complexities to contemporary theoretical approaches, the article positions itself as a timely and relevant intervention. Overall, this promising submission offers a sophisticated and theoretically informed analysis of Yourcenar’s work, poised to significantly advance discussions on narrative unreliability, ethical reading, and the power dynamics inherent in literary creation and reception.

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