French literature

Fontenelle, Marivaux, Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Gautier: pages of French literature presented and translated.

  • The Mona Lisa according to Theophile Gautier

    gautier

    presentation of the text written by Theophile Gautier in 1867 on the portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo, known as «Monna Lisa, the Gioconda» or «the Joconde».

  • Marivaux, Slave island

    Marivaux

    In a fantasy antiquity, Iphicrate, a young Athenian nobleman, finds himself thrown on the shore of an island with his servant Harlequin. The master and the valet were joined by another duo formed by a mistress, Euphrosine, and her next, Cleanthis. Trivelin welcomes them by explaining the laws of the island: power relations are systematically reversed. The newly arrived masters and slaves had to exchange their clothes, conditions and even their names.

  • first evening of the “Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds”

    Fontenelle

    Published by Fontenelle when astronomy was in vogue after the comet of 1681, the “Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds” are an explanation of the world's different systems.

  • the stranger

    The stranger

    A stranger is ordinarily a person that is coming from another country. In the question-answers that follows, all is taking place as if the one that is answering is not the stranger _of_ anybody else. To enjoy with moderation!