Heroes and legends of fin-de-siècle France
Subtitle: gender, politics, and national identity
By: Venita Datta
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 2011
Place of publication: Cambridge; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 264
ISBN-13: 9780521195959; 9780521186520
Subjects: Nationalism; Heroes; Sex role; Women heroes; History
Description: "In Heroes and Legends of Fin-de-Siècle France Venita Datta examines representations of fictional and real heroes in the boulevard theater and mass press during the fin de siècle (1880-1914), illuminating the role of gender in the construction of national identity during this formative period of French history. The popularity of the heroic cult at this time was in part the result of defeat in the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, as well as a reaction to changing gender roles and collective guilt about the egoism and selfishness of modern consumer culture. The author analyzes representations of historical figures in the theater, focusing on Cyrano de Bergerac, Napoleon and Joan of Arc, and examines the press coverage of heroes and anti-heroes in the Bazar de la Charite; fire of 1897 and the Ullmo spy case of 1907"--

"In Heroes and Legends of Fin-de-Sic̈le France Venita Datta examines representations of fictional and real heroes in the boulevard theater and mass press during the fin de sic̈le (1880-1914), illuminating the role of gender in the construction of national identity during this formative period of French history. The popularity of the heroic cult at this time was in part the result of defeat in the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, as well as a reaction to changing gender roles and collective guilt about the egoism and selfishness of modern consumer culture. The author analyzes representations of historical figures in the theater, focusing on Cyrano de Bergerac, Napoleon, and Joan of Arc, and examines the press coverage of heroes and anti-heroes in the Bazar de la Charit ̌fire of 1897 and the Ullmo spy case of 1907"--
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 239-254) and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction: the fin-de-siècle cult of heroes; title: 1. Gender, class, and heroism in the Bazar de la Charité fire of 1897; title: 2. Cyrano: a hero for the fin de siècle?; title: 3. 'L'appel au soldat': visions of the Napoleonic legend in popular culture; title: 4. On the boulevards: representations of Joan of Arc in the popular theater; title: 5. Opium, gambling, and the demimondaine: the Ullmo spy case of 1907-1908; title: Conclusion: from one war to the next: the end of heroes?.