Le mariage dans les oeuvres romanesques de george sand
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Paris 8Disciplines:
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Abstract EN:
The works of george sand, in particular her novels, present very widely the theme of marriage, which she approaches from two angles : the ups and downs of an unhappy union and the trials neccessary to a happy marriage. George sand analyses in her novels one of the great social problems of the 19th century, the legal forms of marriage being shattered by the historical events of this time. The behaviour within the framework of this institution varies entirely accordingly to the social class, for example the attitude to each other of the married couple and the relation of the father to his children. As the marriage is considered as a means of consolidating the social standing of the family, it is obvious that the marriage of convenience constitutes the most common type of union during the restoration. This custom is the most strongly contested by george sand throughout her works, because money, education and beauty were at the time the only means of social mobility. George sand makes a plea for the marriage of love : her heroes all love passionately, which allows them the power to unite with their lover without being corrupted. To escape conformism and corruption they have to either move outside society (to hide their love, to die ou love outside the bounds of marriage) or to revolt against it and to have unconventional relationships. George sand also envisages the improvement of society and the establishment of an equality between the sexes which would allow happiness in marriage. Thus, "the soul and the faith", which she bequeaths us from the period of her novels between 1832-1848, to which our study is limited in its historic and thematic perspectives.
Abstract FR:
L'oeuvre de george sand, ses romans en particulier, presente tres largement le theme du mariage, qui est aborde selon deux angles ; celui des aleas d'une union malheureuse, et celui des epreuves necessaires pour aboutir au bonheur dans le mariage. George sand analyse dans ses romans l'un des grands problemes sociaux du xixe siecle, dont les evenements historiques ont bouleverse les formes legales. Le comportement des individus vis-a-vis de cette institution varie du tout au tout selon les classes, ainsi que l'attitude reciproque des conjoints, et la maniere d'agir du pere envers ses enfants. Puisque le mariage est considere comme un moyen de consolider la situation sociale de la famille, il est evident que le mariage de convenance constitue le type d'union le plus commun sous la restauration. Il s'agit aussi de la coutume la plus contestee par george sand a travers son oeuvre, car l'argent, l'instruction et la beaute servent alors uniquement a l'ascension sociale. George sand, elle, plaide pour le mariage d'amour : ses heros aiment tous passionnement, ce qui leur donne la force de s'unir avec la femme aimee sans se corrompre. Pour echapper au conformisme et a la corruption de la societe ils leur faut fuir hors de la societe (se cacher, mourir, ou pratiquer l'union libre) - ou se revolter contre elle et avoir des amours antisociales. George sand envisage egalement l'amelioration de la societe, l'etablissement d'une forme d'egalite des sexes qui permettrait de trouver le bonheur a l'interieur du mariage. Voici "l'ame et la foi" qu'elle nous legue au travers de ses romans de la periode 1832-1848 a laquelle se limite notre etude entreprise dans des perspectives historiques et thematiques.