L'Archange et le Procureur

[amie-de-rimbaud.livejournal.com]

I read the novel L’Archange et le Procureur by Christophe Bigot over winter break and thought I’d briefly share a few of my thoughts. I was surprised to see such positive reviews online, since my own is rather lukewarm.

The story is narrated by Annette Duplessis, who is fulfilling the request of Horace (in a letter from Haiti) to impart his parents’ ‘true’ story. On the level of historical content, there weren’t any serious problems that I can remember. In terms of characterization, Bigot doesn’t glorify the Desmoulins couple; both have their flaws, related and qualified by Annette, the moral anchor of the novel. Saint Just is the most ‘evil’ presence; although he doesn’t appear much, his influence over Robespierre determines the fates of Camille, Lucile, and the Revolution. When she goes to plead for her daughter’s life, Annette glimpses a shirtless Saint Just in Robespierre’s bedroom.

When I first saw the title, I assumed that Lucile was the ‘archange,’ which made me wary of an idealized portrait. But it actually refers to a quotation from Marc Bloch that opens the novel (“L’histoire, à condition de renoncer elle-même à ces faux airs d’archange...”) and to Saint Just, who reminds Annette of an engraving in the Desmoulins home of the “archange de la liberté.” Lucile isn’t quite an angel, which is good; she ranges from coquettish to callous, but isn’t overall very interesting, her primary quality being extreme devotion to Camille.

The novel doesn’t take an especially new or different angle on the Desmoulins story. I’d recommend it if you have some time to spare, but it’s not a must-read for any Camille fan.

Comments

[sibylla-oo.livejournal.com]

The rumours of Saint Just-Robespierre intimate involvement are of a late date. There are no proofs such rumours circulated when they were alive nor such "accusation" appeared in the Thermidorian pamphlets, a fact I find particularly significative.
Moreover, neither of them was accussed of homosexual behaviour inividually in his lifetime or soon after his death, though there's a mysterious quote by Danton about Saint Just's love of Turkish baths, whatever Danton meant by it.
I fin extremely eloquent the fact that the Thermidorians did not, as far as I know, bring up such accusation, as they brought up against Robespierre anything that came on their mind.
Quite on the contrary, Saint Just was accused of 1) executing women who refused him 2) having affaires with actresses. The only hint at homosexual interests might be that of Nodier (or is it Duval?), in his memories written decades after Thermidor, but even in this case the narrative makes one feel more like the author was interested in Saint Just than Saint Just in the author ;-)
As for Robespierre, there are other experts here to talk about Thermidorian propaganda, but if any hints on Robespierre's sexual inclinations were made, I have NEVER found ANY comtemporary/thermidorian ones relating him to ANY of his CPS colleagues.

[celine-carol.livejournal.com]

lol, so gracious of them to spare him that stigma... Just wondering, do they really know if he was actually engaged to Eleanor or not? (Since E. and his sister had drastically different opinions on the matter)
Hmm.. I looked up to see what Turkish baths were, and Wikipedia (the most reliable of internet sources) said that they were very similar to Greek/Roman bathing rituals, so I guess that could make sense, since SJ was pretty keen on classical culture?

[sibylla-oo.livejournal.com]

Well, I know what Turkish baths are, I have even visited them several times. What I meant was that I did not know what they stood for in the late 18th century Paris. For example, sauna, a perfectly innocent family activity in Northern and Central Europe, refers in Spain to a place of casual male gay encounter (so if you are in Spain and see a "sauna" neon on a builing, think twice whether it's really what you are looking for).

As for the engagement with Eleonore: that's quite a different story, because at least there are testimonies coming from some of the people actually involved, though these testimonies are contradictory. It's a matter of giving credibility to different sources. In case of R-SJ involvment, there are no such sources to interpret.

[celine-carol.livejournal.com]

Well, that's interesting... I think things like that (the Northern/Southern difference in that meaning) are fascinating in a way. (I'm from America and have never been to Europe, so the idea of any sort of non-private bathing ritual completely baffles me to begin with).

Sorry if my last comment implied I didn't think you knew what Turkish baths were btw! I didn't intend it that way :)

[sibylla-oo.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, public baths...a beautiful Roman heritage preserved by Mediterranean Muslims, as Mediterrean Christian countries let it disappear in the Middle Ages due to 1)Church anti-bath campaigns 2)plague 3) wave of cold weather lasting for a couple of centuries....Now the urban spas seem to bring it back.

No need to apologize, btw.