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TheParadoxofVirtue: Jean-JacquesRousseauand LaReineFantasque ROSEANNRUNTE 1hedrivetodisplayaselfradiantwith'virtue'providedthegenerative thrustofJean-JacquesRousseau'sworks."1DespiteRousseau'sclaim thatmodestyisanecessaryadjunctofvirtue,hisconceptofthe"virtuous Rousseau"requiredtheexhibitionoftheselfasalegendofhisown literarycreation.Rousseau'slackofsuccessasdemonstratoroffoun- tainsandasmusicianprecludedhisabilitytoattainthedesirednotoriety inotherareasofendeavor,asCarolBlumhassoaptlynoted.2Thusthe depictionofavirtuousselfwasbothanadmissionofotherinadequacies andaliteraryparadox.Foroncedescribedbythemodel,modestyisnot farremovedfromvanity. TheveryexistenceofthevirtuousselfpostulatedbyRousseau,and createdinhislifeasJuliewascreatedonpaper,requireda"disavowalof themalice"expressedinabodyofwritingpunctuatedbyutterancesof violenceandtaintedwithanevidentlyvoyeuristicandslightlyperverse fascinationwithsexuality.Inthesamevein,CarolBlumhaspointedout theparadoxofRousseau'sconcomitantconceptionoftheperfectwoman andtheambivalentmale/femalemodel. ThisdiscoveryofantitheticalcurrentsinRousseauisnotunique.Gita Mayhas,forexample,explainedtheparadoxofRousseau,themisogy- nouswriterwhoisadoredbywomen.3LesterCrockerhasdiscussedthe difficultyinreconcilingtheconceptsofnatureandculture,orderand 47 48 / RUNTE disorder,alienationandintegrationinRousseau'swriting.Crocker effectedthe"transformation"ofthese"antithesesintoahigherunity, onethatpreservedtheconflictingelementsinnewformsthattranscend thoseelements"throughacarefulexaminationofalogicthat"suggests orforeshadowsHegel's."4Bycontrast,MichelLaunaysuggestedthat Rousseauwasoftenbeingtransparentlyironicandintendedthereaderto reachaconclusioncountertothestateddialectic.5CarolBlumhasvehe- mentlyrejectedthispartofLaunay'sreadingofRousseauandstatesthat onecannotdismissallsuchparadoxesas"twistedironies";rather,they mayconstitute,accordingtoBlum,the"necessarycomplementof[Rousseau 's]interiorgoodness."6Moreover,herreading,unlikeCrocker's,is notbolsteredbyastudyofthelogicofthework,butratherbyademon- strationoftheutilizationofboththetextsandtheauto-generatedRous- seaulegendbyRevolutionaryfigures. OneofRousseau'sworksnotdiscussedbyanyoftheabove-mentioned criticsisindeedaverylittle-knownwork,LaReineFantasque?Pub- lishedin1756,thisparodyofafairytaleisalsoaphilosophicalcommen- tary,usingfairieswhoaresomewhatlessthanmagical,royalty,some- whatlessthannobleandaveilofillusionratherpiercedbyirony.8 FramedandintersectedbyadialoguebetweenJalamir,whotellsthe story,andaDruidwhorepeatedlyinterruptstoquestiondetails,todis- cussphilosophicalissues,andtoremindthereaderthatthisis,ineffect, afairytale,thestoryiscomposedofaseriesofantitheticalelementsand irrationalactions.Anextraordinarilygoodkingandaverycapricious queenwishtohaveachild.Thekingwisheshisprogenytobeason, whilehisqueen,Fantasque,yearnsforadaughter.Thefairy,Discrète, maintainspeacebytellingtheparents-to-bethatboththeirdesireswillbe satisfied.Andindeed,thequeengivesbirthtoidenticaltwins,oneof eachsex!Immediately,andcontrarytoformerlyexpressedpredilections, thequeenprefersthesonandtheking,thedaughter.Thekingwisheshis childrentobereasonable;thequeenwantsthemtobeattractive.The fairywillallowthekingtochoosethefateofthesonandthequeen,that ofthedaughter.Thequeenthusdemandsthatthedaughterhavewhat- everqualitiesthesonlacks.Thekingbecomesangryanddemandsthat thesonresemblehismother.TheprincewillthereforebecalledCaprice andthedaughter,Raison.Thekingandthequeeninstantlyrepentand thefairyannouncesthatthebabieshadbeenswitched,sothat,infact, theprinceisreasonableandtheprincess,capricious.Theprincewill governhiscountrywiselyandtheprincesswillmarryaneighboringking becauseofthewayheleapsandforhisattractivemoustache.Queen Fantasquediesinbedfromindigestion. AlthoughnotaworkofmajorsignificanceinRousseau'sliteraryrepe- RousseauandLaReineFantasque / 49 toire,LaReineFantasquedealsprincipallywithvirtueandisthuslinked thematicallytoCarolBlum'sdiscussionofvirtueinRousseauandthe RepublicofVirtue.WhileexaminingLaReineFantasqueasanillustra- tionoftheparadoxofvirtue,sointelligentlyandeloquentlydefinedby CarolBlum,thisessaywilldemonstratethatinthisparticularwork, Rousseauusesacombinationofironyandsatire,nottomakethereader rejecthislogicalconclusion,buttomakethereaderrejecttheexpression ofrealityandtoprepareforthenecessityoftheconstructofClarens.La ReineFantasqueisRousseau'sequivalentofVoltaire'srefrain:"toutest pourlemieuxdanslemeilleurdesmondes,"arefrainwhichalertsthe readertothenecessityoftherelativecomfortoftheworkinggarden. ThisassumptionofchronologicalprogressionofthoughtfromLaReine Fantasque(1756)toLanouvelleHéloïse(1758)doesnotinrealitycontra- dictCarolBlum'sindicationofthetwoconstantandconflictingfacetsof Rousseau'spersonalityreflectedinhisworks.Rather,whatitdoesis providealiteraryandphilosophicalprogressionasanexplanationforthe apparentlyantitheticalbaseonwhichRousseaupositedhismodelof virtue.Furthermore,thereisnoreasontoassumethattherejectionof theevilsofrealityandofRousseau'slascivioustendencieswasever totallysuccessful,orthatthelatter'srepeatedinclusioninhisworkswas notawayforRousseautoexpresshiscontrition,toenjoysomeliterary flagellation,andperhapseventodelightinthetearsshedbyaneventual reader,touchedbyhishonesty,humanityandcourage. LanouvelleHéloïserepresentsoneendofthespectrum:thesublima- tionofsexuality,theachievementofvirtuousloveandthecreationofthe all-goodandall-powerfulwoman.Lelévited'Ephraimrepresentsthe opppositeend:animageoftheresultofsexualanarchismasviolent vengeancewherethewomanservesasvictim.LaReineFantasque,onthe otherhand,presentsakindoffictionalequivalentofRousseau'sConfessions .Fantasque,theabsolutelyevilwoman,corruptsherhusband throughsexualtemptations,toapointwhereheabandonsreasonand losesallauthority.Theking'sfallfromastateofvirtueendangersthe virtueofthestate.Rousseauremindsus,however,thatthestatewas nevervirtuous,thatthevirtuousmonarchneverreallyexisted,andthat, ifhedid,hecouldnotbeeffective: IlyavoitautrefoisunRoiquiaimoitsonpeuple....Celacommence commeunContedeFée,interrompitleDruide.C'enestunaussi, réponditJalamir.IlyavoitdoncunRoiquiaimoitsonpeuple,etqui parconséquentenétoitadoré.Ilavoitfaittousseseffortspourtrouver desministresquientrassentdanssesvues:maisayantenfinreconnula folied'unepareillerecherche,ilavoitprislepartidefaireparlui-même toutesleschosesqu'ilpouvoitdéroberÃleurbouillanteactivité.Entêté 50 / RUNTE dubizarreprojetderendresessujetsheureuxilagissoitconséquemment Ãcetteidée,etuneconduitesisingulièreluidonnoitparmilesGrands unridiculeineffaçable:lepeuplelebénissoit,maisÃlaCourilpassoit pourunfou.Àcelaprèsilnemanquoitpasdemérite.(1179) Thequeenisavictimofherownappetites,noneofwhichhavebeenor couldbesublimated.Sheisalsoakindofprimevalforce,anante-social womanwhoinasenseincorporatesthemaleandthefemaleinher forcefuluseofbothherregalandseductivepowers.Theking,ifnot altogetheruselessinhelpingherachievehergoalofbecomingpregnant, isatthemostaccessory.Heisunabletocontrolherbyreasonandends byessayingillogiconlytobedefeatedagain.IfthekingrepresentsVirtue andthequeen'staskistomakeVirtuebeloved,9thenFantasqueisa dismalfailure.Onemayjustlyask,however,ifitisthequeenwhofails, orthewoman,orboth.Afteracloseexaminationofthetextthereislittle doubtthatRousseauintendedtomockboth,andthathiscomments againstroyaltywerediminishedbytimeandcircumstance,whereasthose againstwomensimplywerefromtheoutsetmorestridentandforceful. Forexample,whenFantasquedoesnotwanttolistentoreason,she "s'enfermadanssoncabinetpourbouder;occupationchérie,Ãlaquelle elleemployoitrégulièrement[sic]aumoinssixmoisdel'année"(1181). And,Fantasqueisa"nomcélèbre,qu'elleavoitreçudesesancêtresen ligneféminine,etdontellesoutenoitdignementl'honneur"(1179).Fur- thermore,themisogynyextendsbeyondFantasquetoincludethefairy Discrète"dontlesexeetlenomcontrastoientquelquefoisplaisamment danssoncaractère[sic]"(1182).Andwhenallends"well,"thatis,when theprinceisreasonableandtheprincessbeautiful,Rousseauconcludes: "endépitdesbizarreriesdelaReine,toutsetrouvedansl'ordrenaturel" (1192).Finally,whenthequeendies,itisnotaregaldeath,butthatofa woman,verymortal,verycommon,enrouteforbed.Herfunctionwas tobearchildren,nottorule.Whenthisfunctioniscompleted,sheis accessorytothetale,sheiseliminatedinamannerwhichfurtherunder- linesherfunctionallimitationsandRousseau'smisogyny. Thereis,however,onesectionofthecommentarysurroundingthe embeddedtalewhichisdefinitelynotmisogynous.Itiscontainedinthe passageonprimogenitureinwhichthistheoryisironicallyputintoques- tion.TheDruidadmitsthataprincesscalledRaisoncouldgovernwell, butthatthe"Docteurs"willcountersuchanargument,sayingthat "quoiqu'oninterdiseÃunfoulegouvernementdesonproprebien,ilest bondeluilaisserlasuprêmedispositiondenosbiensetdenosvies,"that "leplusinsensédeshommesestpréférableencoreÃlaplussagedes femmes,"andthat"lemâleoulepremierné,fût-ilunsingeouunloup,il RousseauandLaReineFantasque / 51 faudroitenbonnepolitiquequ'uneHéroïneouunAngenaissantaprès luiobéîtÃsesvolontés"(1191). LaReineFantasquecallsintoquestion,boththroughsatireandirony inthetextandthroughtheconstantinterjectionsfromthenarratorand hisinterlocutor,theverystatusofthetext.Thetaleiscertainlylessa fairytalethanaparodyofthegenre.Suspensionofdisbeliefcannot occurwhentheanachronismsinthetextareconstantlyemphasized,and whenthenormalfairy-taleprocessoftransformationofsexualityto spiritualityissupplantedbythepassagefromsexualitytoburlesque brutality.IfRousseauisslightlyvoyeuristicinLanouvelleHéloïse,he abandonsthevisualaspectinLaReineFantasqueandsubstitutesoral identification,alowerlevelofFreudiandevelopment.Thequeenis depictedasananimalwhoeats,shoutsandconsumesbothfoodand men.Indeed,thetalebeginswithhereffortstobearachild,andends withherdeathbyindigestionfromaningurgitationofasurfeitofchick- ens'feet.Insteadofanogrebeingconsumed,theogressdieseating.The talehasaSisypheanqualityinthatthereisnoconclusion:theprincess, anexactcopyofhermother,carriesonthefamilytradition.Yetwhilethe storylacksasenseoffinality,itincludesadoubledenouement:thefirst, logicalandunfortunate,isrejectedinfavorofthesecond,moretradi- tionalendingwhichisplacedindoubtbothbyitspositionasanaddi- tionalconclusionandbyitsridiculousinversions. TheRousseauianqualitiesofvirtuedescribedbyCarolBluminclude therejectionofluxuryandtherequirementformodesty.Fantasquedisplaysneither .BlumcitesRousseau'sdesireto"letallfemininefinerybe heldincontempt."10Fantasqueenjoysdressingup,eveninamonk's gown:"iln'yavoitsortedemascarademonastique,dontsadévotionne s'avisât;etcommeelleavoitunpetitairéveillé,quilarendoitcharmante soustouscesdéguisements,ellen'enquittoitaucunsansenavoireusoin des'yfairepeindre"(1180).Fantasque'slackofmodestyleadsherinto themonks'cellsandcauseshertobreakandsmashallinherwayandto kisseveryoneshemeetswhensheishappy. CarolBlumnotesthatvirtueimpliestheavoidanceofsexualityandthe adherencetothefunctionsofreproductionandnurturingofwomen's bodies."Thequeen,however,usesherassignedreproductivefunctionas anexcuseforsexualactivityandpleasure.Herbehavioris,byimplica- tion,promiscuous,andwhenshelearnsthatsheistobecomeamother, sheisdelightedforallthewrongreasons:"Elleneconnoissoitpoint, disoit-elle,deravissementpareilÃceluid'avoirunenfantÃquiellepût donnerlefouettoutÃsonaise,danssesmomentsdemauvaisehumeur" (1180).ThisrecallsBlum'sreminderthatRousseauhimselfwas"fondof actsofsubmission."BlumalsocitesBernardindeSaint-Pierrewho 52 / RUNTE remembersRousseau'srecountingofthetaleofthecountryboywho goestoParisandembracesMadamedeBerry'sexposedbosom.12The storyillustratesthedesiretoabuseboththenutritivefunctionofthe bodyandaninvitationpromptedbyafashionablelackofmodesty. SophieisinstructedtocoverherselfandJulielearnstogarbherselfinher maternalguise.QueenFantasque,however,istotallyindomitable.She cannotbecontrolledbyherhusband.Rather,shecontrolshim,and whenhedoesnotsatisfyherneeds,shewill,itissuggested,boldlyseek fulfillmentelsewhere.Sheislikeananimalatthepre-socialstage.The functionofwomanaseducatorisnotconceivableinhercase.Asifa demonstrationwereneeded,shecallsallofthecabinetministersintothe deliveryroomtoharanguethenewborn,muchtothechagrinoftheking who"voulutluireprésenterquec'étoitavilirlaMagistratureÃpureperte, etjetter[sic]uncomiqueextravagantsurtoutlecérémonialdelaCour qued'allerengrandappareilétalerduPhoebusÃunpetitmarmotavant qu'illepûtentendre,oudumoinsyrépondre"(1183). Blumfurtherremindsusthatthe"frivolousqualityoffemalelife" could,alongwith"exhaustion"duetotheexigenciesoffemalesexuality, "threatenmen'sveryexistence."13ThismusthavebeenwrittenwithFan- tasqueinmind:"Vive,étourdie,inégale,folleparlatête,sageparle cÂœur,bonnepartempérament,méchanteparcaprice,voilÃenpeude motsleportraitdelaReine"(1179). Rousseaufirmlybelievedbothinthenaturalgoodnessandinthe corruptibilityofthechild,asCarolBlumremindsusinherchapteron"A SocietyofPerfectBeings."ThisbeliefisillustratedinLaReineFantas- quebytheimportanceattachedtothequalitiestheroyalcouple'schil- drenweretoreceiveatbirth.Nothingcanbedonetoaltertheeffectsof thefairy'sinitialgifts.Educationisnotevenhintedatasawayof attenuatingtheevilorimprovingthegoodnaturebestoweduponthe children.Rousseau,however,hadalreadybeguntobringsomeattention tothepossibleeffectsofreadingmaterialsonchildren.Jalamirsatiri- callystates:"Sijevouslaissoisfaire,vouschangeriezbientôtunContede Féeenuntraitédepolitique,etl'ontrouveroitquelquejourdansles cabinetsdesPrincesBarbe-BleueouPeau-d'âneaulieudeMachiavel" (1191). Ifvirtueisassociatedwiththequalityoftransparencydescribedby JeanStarobinski,thereisonelevelaftertheotherofopacityinLaReine Fantasque.Thecharactersneverspeakdirectlyindialogue.Theirtaleis embeddedinanarrativeonwhichotherscomment.Allisinthepastand weareassuredbythefirstsentencethatnoneofwhatistobetoldistrue. Thegenreisnamed."CecicommencecommeunContedeFée,interrom- pitleDruide.C'enestunaussi,réponditJalamir...

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