Introduction

Introduction L E ROM AN DE BALZAC. For over twenty years the phrase had a special meaning, especially with those nouveau romanciers and critiques who wanted to distinguish the New Novel from earlier efforts. Despite spirited defenses by such writers as Michel Butor and Lucien Dàllenbach,1 for Nathalie Sarraute, Alain Robbe-Grillet, Jean Ricardou, and others, le roman de Balzac was a “ système mort,” “ la vieille littérature de Représentation,” “ la sacro-sainte analyse psycholo­ gique,” works of prose rather than “ poésie,” narrations with an overdependence on outmoded conventions and unrealistic plot and character, pathetically transparent fiction which provided no adventures for readers, but rather encouraged the slothful acceptance of radically dis­ tanced stories.2 Le roman de Balzac became the generic term for the “ former” novel, for “ l’ancienne conception du roman” (Sarraute 108). Of course, such a view was by no means the only one. As chapter ten of the forthcoming Cabeen Critical Bibliography o f French Literature: The Nineteenth Century (scheduled for 1992) will make clear, first-class critics continued to read Balzac’s creations and to read them well. Even today La Comédie humaine offers modern readers both significant chal­ lenges and attractive adventures. This issue of L ’Esprit Créateur was suggested to me several years ago at a session devoted to Balzac at the Colloquium in Nineteenth-Century French Studies. The large room was filled to capacity and included both novice and distinguished Balzacians. Because there was no doubt that a significant portion of the best work on Balzac was being done in North America, I thought that such an issue as this might be useful. Certainly, the studies that follow demonstrate once again that La Comédie humaine can be profitably approached from many different directions and with many different methodological commitments. Individually, I believe the essays add to our knowledge and understanding of Balzac’s work. Together, they demonstrate that le roman de Balzac lives. Allan H. Pasco Notes 1. Butor, “ Balzac et la réalité,” Répertoire [/] (Paris: Eds. de Minuit, 1960), 79-93; Dàllenbach, “ Du fragment au cosmos: (La Comédie humaine et l’opération de lecture VOL. XXXI, NO. 3 3 L ’E spr it C réa te u r I),” Poétique 40 (1979): 420-31; “ Le Tout en morceaux: La Comédie humaine et l’opération de lecture II,” Poétique 42 (1980): 156-69; “ D’une métaphore totalisante: La Mosaïque balzacienne,” Lettere Italiane 33 (Oct.-Dec. 1981): 493-508; “ Le Pas— tout de la Comédie,” M L N 98 (1983): 702-11. 2. E.g., Jean Ricardou, “ Le Nouveau Roman existe-t-il?” Nouveau Roman: Hier, aujourd’hui, Communications et interventions du colloque tenu du 20 au 30 juillet 1971 au Centre Culturel International de Cerisy-la-Salle, 2 vols. (Paris: 10/18, 1972); I, 20; Alain Robbe-Grillet, Pour un nouveau roman, Collection Idées (Paris: NRF, 1963), 17-18, 34-37; Nathalie Sarraute, L'Ere du soupçon: Essais sur le roman (Paris: Galli­ mard, 1956), 55-57, 60-64, 108-09. 4 F a l l 1991 ...