Les années soixante en Grande-Bretagne : roman et société
Institution:
Toulouse 2Disciplines:
Directors:
Abstract EN:
In the 1960s britain broke with its victorian traditions and adopted a new style of life. Despite the frivolous atmosphere of the period, many social transformations proved deep and lasting. It was british culture, as defined by eliot, trilling and williams, which was modified. The new morality brought fresh attitudes towards sexual behaviour, marriage, the family. Laws on divorce, homosexuality, bortion, censorship, reflect a desire for less unbending rules. Even the anglican church experienced internal revolt. Various aspects of the country's life and institutions underwent upheaval and change. Was this the sign of a nation seeking a new identity? many theorists have shown that literature and society are closely linked, that the novel can be used to illustrate social phenomena. Book ii, using the novels of nine authors of the 1960s who answered a questionnaire (angus wilson, iris murdoch, margaret drabble. . . ), investigates the social themes dealt with in book i. To avoid too general an overall approach, book iii offers a more detailed analysis of a limited field. By examining various features surrounding the production of the novel (role of authors, publishers, critics), we discover, here as well, a marked influence of the new cultural developments.
Abstract FR:
Les annees soixante voient la societe britannique rompre avec ses traditions victioriennes et adopter un nouveau mode de vie. Malgre l'atmosphere frivole de l'epoque, beaucoup de changements se revelent profonds et durables. C'est la culture britannqiue, telle que la definissent eliot, trilling et williams, qui subit ces mutations. La new morality entraine de nouvelles attitudes envers la sexualite, le mariage, la famille. Des lois sur le divorce, l'homosexualite, l'avortement, la censure, temoignent d'une volonte d'assouplissement. Meme l'eglise anglicane decouvre la contestation interne. Divers aspects de la vie et des institutions connaissent remous et transformations. N'est-ce pas la le signe d'un pays a la recherche d'une nouvelle identite? de nombreux theoriciens ont montre que societe et literature sont intimement liees, que le roman peut servir d'illustration a des phenomenes sociaux. Le livre iii, a travers les romans de neuf auteurs des annees 1960 qui ont repondu a un questionnaire (angus wilson, iris murdoch, margaret drabble. . . ), est consacre a l'investigation des themes sociaux degages dans le livre i. Pour eviter un survol trop general, le livre iii offre une analyse plus minutieuse d'un domaine restreint. En examinant des epiphenomenes de la production romanesque (auteurs, editeurs, reception critique), on constate qu'ici egalement se font sentir les effets de ces bouleversements culturesl.