Body-Emotions: Melancholy in Hero's Body in French Literature in the 19th Century

Abstract

Albrecht Durer’s engraving from 1514 – Melencolia, is the starting point for our considerations. Like an angel out of Durer’s work, with a very characteristic posture, the body of the hero in literature is the key to reading its secrets.All the melancholic heroes are found sitting with their heads supported by their hands. Their eyes, focused on a distant point, are searching for something in vain. The fracture of the vertical axis in the body makes it look heavy, plunged in a dumb stupor as well as paralyzed by its atony. Durand’s theory based on the division between the daily and nocturnal order of the world allows us to admit that a melancholiac does not belong to the vertical one, characterized by intense action. He belongs to the nocturnal order which is in harmony with his body posture and behaviour. At the same time, melancholy is a state of ambivalence. Victor Hugo used to say: “melancholy is a state of joy derived from sadness”. The paradox of that statement is apparent as a melancholiac tends to intensify his sadness to derive more pleasure from it. This pleasure stems from its manifestation shown to the entire world - identified with exceptional things. Through his body, a melancholiac manifests his sadness and unexpectedly opens it to the world and people. His body and his somatic expression establish a medium for this opening. Contrary to common belief, we consider a melancholiac an eccentric hero – with the etymological significance of this word - someone who leaves his quiet but safe shelter to find contact with the outside world. This metamorphosis is made thanks to the emotions, which etymologically denote “movement”. Thus, an immobilized body of a melancholiac is revived through the creative force of its expression.