Femmes Du Xviii Siecle

There is a form that fertilizes the literary and political fields in the 18th century: that of the letter. And more specifically that of female correspondence. It is the expression, for women of the aristocratic elite, of a progressive breakthrough from the private to the public domain. Building on the Sevignean precedent, the letter-makers understood that the letter is action. They understand that this action is real and effective, as perfectly illustrated by the sensitive reading of Nicole Garcia of the many letters from Madame de Pompadour, the most famous favorite of Louis XV, and Marie-Antoinette, the "last" queen of France. From their "passionate nature" to their "reflective nature", we appreciate the character and influence of these two powerful women, essential figures in our collective memory.