Jean-Christophe Rufin'in Rouge Bresil Adlı Romanında Tarih ve Kurgu

Abstract

Doctor, essayist and novelist, Jean-Christophe Rufin, has published historical novels since 1997. This article studies, firstly, the career of the novelist Jean-Christoph Rufin according to his autobiography as well as the principal characteristics of his writing. Secondly, we will analyze his novel, Rouge Bresil (Brazil Red), awarded the Goncourt prize in 2001, according to the theory of the historical novel in order to extricate the way that the writer treats his imagining of a historical event occurring in the XVI century. The analysis is based essentially on the modalities of writing of historical novels, the possibilities of changing referential discourse into fictional discourse and the integration of real people into fictional characters. The alchemy that constitutes the reality and fiction in Red Brazil is all the more interesting as it presents actuality through intrigues woven around a historical event.