Title French literary fascism : nationalism, anti-Semitism, and the ideology of culture / David Carroll

Published Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, ©1995

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Description 1 online resource (viii, 299 pages) Contents Introduction: Literature, culture, fascism -- part 1. The fathers of French literary fascism: The use and abuse of culture: Maurice Barrès and the ideology of the collective subject -- The beautiful community: the fascist legacy of Charles Péguy -- The nation as artwork: Charles Maurras and the classical origins of French literary fascism -- part 2. Literary fascists: Fascism as aesthetic experience: Robert Brasillach and the politics of literature -- The fascist imagined community: the myths of Europe and totalitarian man in Drieu la Rochelle -- Literary fascism and the problem of gender: the aesthetics of the body in Drieu la Rochelle -- Literary anti-semitism: the poetics of race in Drumont and Céline -- The art of anti-semitic rage: Lucien Rebatet's aesthetics of violence -- A literary fascism beyond fascism: Thierry Maulnier and the ideology of culture -- Afterword: Literary fascism and the case of Paul de Man Summary This is the first book to provide a sustained critical analysis of the literary-aesthetic dimension of French fascism--the peculiarly French form of what Walter Benjamin called the fascist "aestheticizing of politics." Focusing first on three important extremist nationalist writers at the turn of the century and then on five of the most visible fascist intellectuals in France in the 1930s, David Carroll shows how both traditional and modern concepts of art figure in the elaboration of fascist ideology--and in the presentation of fascism as an art of the political. Carroll is concerned with the internal relations of fascism and literature--how literary fascists conceived of politics as a technique for fashioning a unified people and transforming the disparate elements of society into an organic, totalized work of art. He explores the logic of such aestheticizing, as well as the assumptions about art, literature, and culture at the basis of both the aesthetics and politics of French literary fascists. His book reveals how not only classical humanism but also modern aesthetics that defend the autonomy and integrity of literature became models for xenophobic forms of nationalism and extreme "cultural" forms of anti-Semitism. A cogent analysis of the ideological function of literature and culture in fascism, this work helps us see the ramifications of thinking of literature or art as the truth or essence of politics. -- Publisher description Analysis Antisemitism History 20th century France Antisemitism in literature Fascism and literature History 20th century France France Politics and government 20th century French literature History and criticism 20th century Geschichte 1930-1945 Nationalism and literature History 20th century France Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 263-293) and index SUBJECT Barrès, Maurice 1862-1923 gnd Brasillach, Robert 1909-1945 gnd Céline, Louis-Ferdinand 1894-1961 gnd Drieu La Rochelle, Pierre 1893-1945 gnd Drumont, Édouard 1844-1917 gnd Maulnier, Thierry 1909-1988 gnd Maurras, Charles 1868-1952 gnd Péguy, Charles 1873-1914 gnd Rebatet, Lucien 1903-1972 gnd Subject French literature -- 20th century -- History and criticism Fascism and literature -- France -- History -- 20th century Nationalism and literature -- France -- History -- 20th century Antisemitism -- France -- History -- 20th century Antisemitism in literature. LITERARY CRITICISM / European / French Antisemitism Fascism and literature French literature Antisemitism in literature Nationalism and literature Politics and government Faschismus Literatur Französisch Letterkunde. Frans. Nationalisme. Antisemitisme. Fascisme. Antisémitisme -- Dans la littérature. Nationalisme et littérature -- France -- 20e siècle. Antisémitisme -- France -- 20e siècle. Littérature française -- 20e siècle -- Histoire et critique. Fascisme et littérature -- France -- 20e siècle. SUBJECT France -- Politics and government -- 20th century. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85051484 Subject France France -- Politique et gouvernement -- 20e siècle. Französisch. Genre/Form Criticism, interpretation, etc. History Form Electronic book LC no. 94020035 ISBN 9780691223032 0691223033

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