Le Sang noir
Encyclopedia
Le Sang noir is a 1935 novel by Louis Guilloux
that has been described as a "prefiguration of Sartre's La Nausée", because of its concentration on the psychological alienation of an individual.
, an anarchist thinker who eventually killed himself in 1925. It is notable for its departure from the author's earlier, more staightforwardly socialist literature, since it contains elements of what was later associated with an existentialist or absurdist vision.
. Amidst the horror of the war, he feels increasing disgust at life. He remembers how, years ago, he lost his wife. He is now living alone, supported only by Maia, his lazy housekeeper. His youthful promise as a writer and thinker has long since evaporated, and his body is becoming disturbingly abnormal as his feet become excessively large due to an illness
. He hates himself, his colleagues and his students. He takes a class at which the students play up. In the afternoon he consoles himself with drink.
As the evening wears on he learns about disasters and local tragedies, deaths, robberies and betrayals which convince him of the irredeemable corruption of humanity. French soldiers are becoming mutinous as the war continues without hope of an end. Cripure becomes involved in an altercation at the railway station as disaffected soldiers riot. He hits a jingoistic "patriot" and is challenged to a duel, which he accepts. Convinced that he will be killed, he writes a will. To his surprise local people rally round to support him, including his housekeeper and old friends. Cripure's challenger is discovered to be a hypocrite and is forced to back off.
Saved from death, Cripure is more disturbed by the new evidence of human solidarity than he was by the consolation of despair. Unable to imagine a new life, he shoots himself.
's Journey to the End of the Night
... it has much in common with Celine's masterpiece in its mood of intense disgust, its savage satirical portraits, its hatred of hypocrisy and its wild, grotesque humor."
The contrast between the self-disgust of Cripure and the nominal hero, Lucien, who aspires to work for a better future has caused much comment, since the self-excoriating visions of Cripure are repeatedly portrayed as more powerful and compelling than Lucien's idealism.
and produced by BFC productions (Françoise Castro) and France 3
. Cripure was played by Rufus
. The adaptation was written by Michel Martens. It was broadcast on France 3 on 14 April 2007. The drama won awards for best screenplay and best actor (Rufus) at the Festival du film de télévision de Luchon.
Louis Guilloux
Louis Guilloux was a French writer born in Saint-Brieuc, Brittany, where he lived throughout his life. He is known for his Social Realist novels describing working class life and political struggles in the mid-twentieth century...
that has been described as a "prefiguration of Sartre's La Nausée", because of its concentration on the psychological alienation of an individual.
Origins
Le Sang Noir was based in Guilloux's memories of his philosophy tutor, Georges PalanteGeorges Palante
Georges Toussaint Léon Palante was a French philosopher and sociologist.He advocated aristocratic individualist ideas similar to Nietzsche and Schopenhauer. He was opposed to Émile Durkheim's holism, promoting methodological individualism instead.-Life:Palante was born in Blangy-les-Arras in the...
, an anarchist thinker who eventually killed himself in 1925. It is notable for its departure from the author's earlier, more staightforwardly socialist literature, since it contains elements of what was later associated with an existentialist or absurdist vision.
Plot
One day in 1917 an aging philosophy tutor, nicknamed Cripure, feels unable to give advice to a student who is departing for the front in World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Amidst the horror of the war, he feels increasing disgust at life. He remembers how, years ago, he lost his wife. He is now living alone, supported only by Maia, his lazy housekeeper. His youthful promise as a writer and thinker has long since evaporated, and his body is becoming disturbingly abnormal as his feet become excessively large due to an illness
Acromegaly
Acromegaly is a syndrome that results when the anterior pituitary gland produces excess growth hormone after epiphyseal plate closure at puberty...
. He hates himself, his colleagues and his students. He takes a class at which the students play up. In the afternoon he consoles himself with drink.
As the evening wears on he learns about disasters and local tragedies, deaths, robberies and betrayals which convince him of the irredeemable corruption of humanity. French soldiers are becoming mutinous as the war continues without hope of an end. Cripure becomes involved in an altercation at the railway station as disaffected soldiers riot. He hits a jingoistic "patriot" and is challenged to a duel, which he accepts. Convinced that he will be killed, he writes a will. To his surprise local people rally round to support him, including his housekeeper and old friends. Cripure's challenger is discovered to be a hypocrite and is forced to back off.
Saved from death, Cripure is more disturbed by the new evidence of human solidarity than he was by the consolation of despair. Unable to imagine a new life, he shoots himself.
Reception
The novel was highly praised, and was quickly translated. The English language version, published under the title Bitter Victory, was described by Time magazine as "one of the strongest French novels since CelineLouis-Ferdinand Céline
Louis-Ferdinand Céline was the pen name of French writer and physician Louis-Ferdinand Destouches . Céline was chosen after his grandmother's first name. He is considered one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century, developing a new style of writing that modernized both French and...
's Journey to the End of the Night
Journey to the End of the Night
Journey to the End of Night is the first novel of Louis-Ferdinand Céline. This semi-autobiographical work describes antihero Ferdinand Bardamu....
... it has much in common with Celine's masterpiece in its mood of intense disgust, its savage satirical portraits, its hatred of hypocrisy and its wild, grotesque humor."
The contrast between the self-disgust of Cripure and the nominal hero, Lucien, who aspires to work for a better future has caused much comment, since the self-excoriating visions of Cripure are repeatedly portrayed as more powerful and compelling than Lucien's idealism.
Dramatisation
Le Sang noir was made into a TV film in 2006, directed by Peter KassovitzPeter Kassovitz
Peter Kassovitz is a French film director and scriptwriter.He was born in Budapest, Hungary. He left the country at the time of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. He is the father of film director Mathieu Kassovitz....
and produced by BFC productions (Françoise Castro) and France 3
France 3
France 3 is the second largest French public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5, and France Ô....
. Cripure was played by Rufus
Rufus (actor)
Rufus is the stage name of Italo-French actor Jacques Narcy. He is also called Zio Vittorio...
. The adaptation was written by Michel Martens. It was broadcast on France 3 on 14 April 2007. The drama won awards for best screenplay and best actor (Rufus) at the Festival du film de télévision de Luchon.