Transgression et « mauvais genre » dans cinq romans de George Meredith (1828-1909)

This article aims at exploring the notion of ‘mauvais genre’ in five novels of George Meredith (The Ordeal of Richard Feverel, 1859; Evan Harrington, 1860; The Adventures of Harry Richmond, 1871; Beauchamp's Career, 1875; Diana of the Crossways, 1885). ‘Mauvais genre’ takes on three meanings: a...

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Main Author: Marina Poisson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Presses Universitaires de la Méditerranée 2014-06-01
Series:Cahiers Victoriens et Edouardiens
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/cve/1173
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author Marina Poisson
author_facet Marina Poisson
author_sort Marina Poisson
collection DOAJ
description This article aims at exploring the notion of ‘mauvais genre’ in five novels of George Meredith (The Ordeal of Richard Feverel, 1859; Evan Harrington, 1860; The Adventures of Harry Richmond, 1871; Beauchamp's Career, 1875; Diana of the Crossways, 1885). ‘Mauvais genre’ takes on three meanings: a social transgression (something or someone looking disreputable), a sexual subversion (of gender) or a textual one (affecting the genre of the novel). The ‘mauvais genre’ is first considered as a mistake taking the shape of a ‘wrong’ style, behaviour, gender or genre, momentarily deviating from the (Victorian) norm: transgression is thus understood as mere digression, which is soon to be ousted by the social or textual norms and habits maintaining the status quo of social classes, gender behaviour or literary genre. But the ‘mauvais genre’ is then analysed as part and parcel of the aesthetics, ethics and poetics of George Meredith: transgression, transsexuality and transtextuality seem to go hand in hand. As an appeal to social, political and poetical innovation, the ‘mauvais genre’ calls for otherness and newness, creation and procreation, as it gives birth to new norms, which are no longer ‘wrong’ or ‘bad’ but ‘novel’. Social, genre and gender transgressions ultimately become synonymous with transformation and (re)generation.
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publisher Presses Universitaires de la Méditerranée
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series Cahiers Victoriens et Edouardiens
spelling doaj-art-fc9569848ecc49bb83f1e10b6d427edc2025-01-30T10:21:52ZengPresses Universitaires de la MéditerranéeCahiers Victoriens et Edouardiens0220-56102271-61492014-06-017910.4000/cve.1173Transgression et « mauvais genre » dans cinq romans de George Meredith (1828-1909)Marina PoissonThis article aims at exploring the notion of ‘mauvais genre’ in five novels of George Meredith (The Ordeal of Richard Feverel, 1859; Evan Harrington, 1860; The Adventures of Harry Richmond, 1871; Beauchamp's Career, 1875; Diana of the Crossways, 1885). ‘Mauvais genre’ takes on three meanings: a social transgression (something or someone looking disreputable), a sexual subversion (of gender) or a textual one (affecting the genre of the novel). The ‘mauvais genre’ is first considered as a mistake taking the shape of a ‘wrong’ style, behaviour, gender or genre, momentarily deviating from the (Victorian) norm: transgression is thus understood as mere digression, which is soon to be ousted by the social or textual norms and habits maintaining the status quo of social classes, gender behaviour or literary genre. But the ‘mauvais genre’ is then analysed as part and parcel of the aesthetics, ethics and poetics of George Meredith: transgression, transsexuality and transtextuality seem to go hand in hand. As an appeal to social, political and poetical innovation, the ‘mauvais genre’ calls for otherness and newness, creation and procreation, as it gives birth to new norms, which are no longer ‘wrong’ or ‘bad’ but ‘novel’. Social, genre and gender transgressions ultimately become synonymous with transformation and (re)generation.https://journals.openedition.org/cve/1173genderMeredith (George)novelsocial normstransgressionVictorian literature
spellingShingle Marina Poisson
Transgression et « mauvais genre » dans cinq romans de George Meredith (1828-1909)
Cahiers Victoriens et Edouardiens
gender
Meredith (George)
novel
social norms
transgression
Victorian literature
title Transgression et « mauvais genre » dans cinq romans de George Meredith (1828-1909)
title_full Transgression et « mauvais genre » dans cinq romans de George Meredith (1828-1909)
title_fullStr Transgression et « mauvais genre » dans cinq romans de George Meredith (1828-1909)
title_full_unstemmed Transgression et « mauvais genre » dans cinq romans de George Meredith (1828-1909)
title_short Transgression et « mauvais genre » dans cinq romans de George Meredith (1828-1909)
title_sort transgression et mauvais genre dans cinq romans de george meredith 1828 1909
topic gender
Meredith (George)
novel
social norms
transgression
Victorian literature
url https://journals.openedition.org/cve/1173
work_keys_str_mv AT marinapoisson transgressionetmauvaisgenredanscinqromansdegeorgemeredith18281909