La tentation du sacre dans l'oeuvre d'andre malraux
Institution:
Paris 4Disciplines:
Directors:
Abstract EN:
By combining a lexicological study of words relating to the sacred in the works of malraux, with an analysis of the network of recurring symboles which appear in certain textual sequences, this thesis illustrates the implicit at the same time explicit nature of the expression of the sacred of malraux. Historicaly speaking. The sacred evolves from its original state, which corresponds to the archaic phase of human history; it attains a "humanised" form which reflects man's aptitude to gain a mastery of that which is beyond his own existence. Expressed by artistic means, this manifestation shows the reflux of the sacred in proportion to the artist's confirmation of his individual values. This phenomen can be grasped by following the evolution of the sacred architectural space accompagnied by the humanisation of monumental sculpting. A second approach defines the sacred as an intrinsic element of human nature which is perpetuated in its original form by the inconscious mind in which it has its roots. Man must discipline the negative tendency of his nature so as to gain access to that consciousness which is the prerogative of his race. The malraux concept of the sacred is summed up in two parallel developments: one attested to by artistic forms in accordance with the transformation of feeling with regard to transcendency, and one expressed by the constitution of humanism from the revolutionary hero to the pacifist artist. The "temptation" of the sacred is understood in two ways: it follows the experiences lived by man when he shakes himself free from the alienating constraints of the primeval destiny of the world; it describes the conquering process wageg by the civilizing force whose mission is to create order from chaos. In its structure the work of malraux illustrates the permanence of this conquest which unfolds according to a contrapuntal scheme whose hidden model is furnished by le temps du mepris.
Abstract FR:
Combinant l'etude lexicologique des mots relatifs au sacre dans l'oeuvre de malraux, et l'analyse d'un reseau de symboles recurrents apparaissant dans certaines sequences de texte, cette these demontre le caractere a la fois explicite et implicite des manifestations du sacre malrucien. Historiquement, le sacre evolue depuis son etat originel, correspondant a la phase archaique de l'histoire de l'humanite, jusqu'a une forme humanisee refletant l'aptitude de l'homme a maitriser ce qui le depasse. Realisee par les moyens de l'art, cette mise en forme montre le reflux du sacre proportionnellement a l'affirmation des valeurs autonomes de l'artiste. On saisit ce phenomene en suivant l'evolution de l'espace sacre architectural qu'accompagne l'humanisation de la sculpture monumentale. Une seconde approche definit le sacre comme une composante intrinseque de la nature humaine qui se perpetue, par l'inconscient dans lequel il s'enracine, dans sa forme originelle. L'homme doit discipliner la tendance negative de son etre pour acceder a la conscience dont sa race a l'apanage. Le sacre malrucien se resume dans le parallelismede deux evolutions: celle dont attestent les formes artistiques en accord avec la transformation du sentiment a l'egard de la transcendance, et celle dont fait preuve la constitution de l'humanisme depuis le heros revolutionnaire jusqu'a l'artiste pacifiste. La "tentation" du sacre se comprend de deux manieres: elle retrace l'experience vecue de l'homme s'affranchissant des contraintes alienantes du destin originel du monde; elle decrit le processus de conquete menee par le civilisateur qui a pour mission d'organiser le chaos. Par sa structure, l'oeuvre de malraux illustre la permanence de cette conquete qui se developpe selon un schema contrapuntique dont le temps du mepris fournit le modele cache.