(Un) Dressing Renée: Clothing and Identity in Zola's novel La Curée Open Access
Pauw, Clara Janet (2011)
Abstract
Abstract
(Un) Dressing Renée: Clothing and Identity in Zola's novel
La Curée
By Clara J. Pauw
This thesis analyzes themes of female sexuality and identity in
relation to clothing
in Emile Zola's La Curée. The novel's protagonist, Renée
Saccard, adorns her body with
clothing that alters her sense of her own identity and how others
perceive her. Her dress
allows Renée to negotiate her surroundings in new and
unconventional ways, through
undressing, transvestive representation, and as a visual sign of
her incestuous relations
with her stepson Maxime Saccard. Yet, using dress to identify
herself also allows the
men in her life, namely her tailor, Worms, her husband Aristide
Saccard, and Maxime, to
manipulate her. This project traces how Renée's use of dress
leads to her own downfall,
which she realizes in her prise de conscience at the end of
the novel.
This thesis also explores Zola's naturalist approach, which permits
us to view
Renée as a reflection of Second Empire French society. It
delves into Renée's vie à
outrance, as a window into her inner-identity. Beneath all
of the jewels and layers of
fabric that ornament her body, Renée is naked, searching for
something to fill the vide in
her life. Finally, as these themes are evinced through dress, this
project considers the role
of sight and visual perception in making and unmaking Renée's
identity.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Chapter
1. Introduction: Cette étrange femme de soie rose:
Clothing as a Literary Device 1
2. From "la robe de Pierrot" to "le costume en Otaïtienne":
(Un)Veiling the Female Body 8
3. Transgressing the Limits: Elements of Transvestism in La
Curée 22
4. La soie avait fait son crime coquet: Clothing and Incest
35
5. Qui donc l'avait mise nue: Dissolution of the "illusio
fondamentale" 46
6. Conclusion 58
About this Honors Thesis
| School | |
|---|---|
| Department | |
| Degree | |
| Submission | |
| Language |
|
| Research Field | |
| Keyword | |
| Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor | |
| Committee Members |
Primary PDF
| Thumbnail | Title | Date Uploaded | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
(Un) Dressing Renée: Clothing and Identity in Zola's novel La Curée () | 2018-08-28 10:41:17 -0400 |
|
Supplemental Files
| Thumbnail | Title | Date Uploaded | Actions |
|---|