Nouvelle 35 from Marguerite de Navarre’s Heptaméron

This extract is the beginning of Nouvelle 35 from Marguerite de Navarre’s Heptaméron, recounting the tale of how a devout and esteemed woman becomes obsessed with a priest. Hircan, the devisant, prefaces with “la nature des femmes et des hommes est de soi encline a tout vice”, demonstrating that the purpose of the nouvelle is to portray the fundamental differences between men and women, and how women bear less self-control than men. I will examine how the language of the text reflects this ideology, and how the woman struggles to maintain society’s expectations of her in face of her lust.

The commencing five lines set the scene, while also deploying techniques that make the events of the nouvelle appear universal. In the first line, the proper noun “Pampelune” produces a mental image of the capital, making it more relatable to the ensemble. The phrase “y avait” establishes that the text sustains a narrative structure, and the use of the imperfect tense indicates that it is told by an omniscient narrator. This, paired with the utilisation of the third person (“elle aimait”, line 2), creates distance between the narrator and the story. The main character is introduced as “une dame”, and she is never named. By not giving specific details in conjunction with establishing a level of indifference, the moral of the text (that all women cannot be as faithful as men) appears as a universal truth.

The societal expectations of women are explored in this passage. This moral is established by the utilisation of the superlative phrase “la plus chaste et devoté”, describing what the dame has been viewed as before the events of the nouvelle, and how every woman should be. These societal standards place her, and all women, on a pedestal, therefore when she falls from grace there is a stronger reaction from the reader. The husband also holds her to these standards, as shown by how “il se confiait en elle”. This indicates that she is bound by these in society, as well as in her personal life. The crossing of the two provide evidence to the reader that she is truly “chaste et devoté”, therefore later it will be more shocking to the reader. This is supported by mentioning her “enfants”. This common noun presents her as a motherly figure, as she actively sets an example for them (“demeurer comme elle”). The abstract noun “demeurer” enforces the virtuous life she leads, as she wants her children to follow the religious path too. Her sinful thoughts later in the extract are less anticipated. “Enfants” have connotations of innocence, therefore involving them makes the reader judge the woman more harshly, especially with society’s high expectations of mothers.

When the extract introduces the Cordelier, we gain insight into the religious ideals presented, and how the characters differ. They are held to the same expectations however the woman is the only one to break them. The proper noun “carême” has connotations of giving up and new beginnings. The nouvelle presents these themes in an unexpected way, as she gives up her old devout ways for the Cordelier. The text introduces the Cordelier by telling the reader that he is “tenu de tout le peuple un saint homme”. The noun phrase “saint homme” shows that he is expected to conform to this figure he’s been established as. He is described as “un des beaux hommes du monde”, reflecting

...