- Claudine (book series)
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The Claudine books are a series of four early novels by the French author Colette published from 1900-1904.[1] The stories are the diaries of protagonist Claudine, which outline the education and growing up of the young girl, who is aged fifteen at the beginning of the first novel Claudine à l'école.[1] All of the novels are written in first-person narrative with the first three in the series implementing Claudine as the narrator. The last in the series, Claudine s'en va, introduces a new narrator Annie.[1]
The novels were written in the late 19th century, in collaboration with Colette’s first husband, Henry Gauthier-Villars, better known by his nom-de-plume Willy, who was also a writer. There has been much speculation over the degree of involvement of both Colette and Willy in the writing, particularly as Willy was known for having ghostwriters of his literary publications. Resultantly, the Claudine novels, were originally attributed under Willy’s name only, before later being published under both names. After the death of Willy, Colette went to court to challenge her former husband's involvement in the writing, and subsequently had his name removed from the books. This however was overturned after her death, as Willy’s son from a prior relationship, Jacques Gautheir-Villars, sued to have his father’s name restored, which was carried out.[1]
The Claudine novels are thought to be roughly autobiographical.[1] Whilst the stories were shocking in their time, this affectionate portrayal of a forthright and self-assured French girl who blossoms into a charismatic adult is nowadays more likely to be regarded as chastely sensual.
- Claudine à l'école (1900) - Claudine at school
- Claudine à Paris (1901) - Claudine in Paris
- Claudine en ménage (1902) - Claudine married
- Claudine s'en va (1903) - Claudine and Annie
References
- ^ a b c d e Southworth, Helen (2004), The intersecting realities and fictions of Virginia Woolf and Colette, Ohio State University Press, p. 111, ISBN 9780814251362, http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=TP_q7KHL1EkC
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