Estudios Románicos (Nov 2016)
Thérèse and Isabelle, the writing challenge
Abstract
Originally, Thérèse et Isabelle has not been designed by Violette Leduc indepen- dently. The text was the first part of an autobiographical novel, Ravages, who was published by Gallimard in 1954. However the episode “Therese and Isabelle” does not appear in the novel, the editor will cut into a hundred-fifty pages, considered at the time as unprintable as too bold, at least from the pen of a woman. We will have to wait until the year 2000 that was finally published the full version of Therese and Isabelle. How Leduc it deals with sexuality and female desire by combining a precise description of gestures and feelings, metaphors and highly poetic images defy taboos of the time. Throughout our study, we will have the opportunity to discover a particular poetic; Leduc says the desire, the pleasure in a pure state, without resorting to preconceived images of women and draw a new picture of the woman.
