Od idealizovanej vízie k degradovanému objektu: obraz hrdiniek cez prizmu rozprávača v románoch abbého Prévosta (From idealized vision to disgraced object: image of female characters through the narrator’s prism in abbé Prévost’s novels)

Abstract

Prévost’s novels are all written in the form of memoirs and thus favor one character: a narrator-hero who is recalling his past love adventures. The main subject of this narrative is the female character, to which the reader has access exclusively through the view of the male narrator. The most famous example is The Story of the Chevalier Des Grieux and Manon Lescaut, whose variations can be found in his later works. These are, in particular, The Greek Girl’s Story and The Memoirs of Malta, novels of the period also known as the „pessimistic turn“ in Prévost’s œurve. In this perspective also the image of the female characters undergoes degradation, proceeding from the embodiment of perfect love to the corruptible object of desire.

Keywords

• French novel of the 18th century
• memoirs
• first person narrator
• female characters in abbé Prévost’s novels
• Manon
• Théophé
• Helena