Claudine à l'école
Encyclopedia
Claudine at School, or Claudine à l'école, (1900) is Colette's first published novel, originally attributed to her first husband, the writer Willy
. The novel recounts the final year of secondary school
of 15-year-old Claudine
, her brazen confrontations with her headmistress, Mlle Sergent, and her fellow students. The work is assumed to be highly autobiographical, and includes lyrical descriptions of the Burgundian countryside, where Colette grew up.
, with her father, who is more interested in mollusks than his daughter. Claudine attends the small village school, which is the primary location of her many adventures, presented as an intimate journal. The journal begins with the new school year, marked by the arrival of the new headmistress, Miss Sergent, and her assistant Miss Aimée Lanthenay, as well as the boys' instructors Mr. Duplessis and Mr. Rabastens. Although Claudine begins an affair early on with Miss Lanthenay, Miss Sergent soon discovers the liaison and discourages Miss Lanthenay, ultimately taking her on as her own lover. Claudine feels betrayed and causes trouble for the two women with the help of her friends cynical Anaïs and childlike Marie Belhomme. Miss Lanthenay's sister Luce arrives at school, and Claudine mistreats her, but Luce idolizes Claudine nonetheless. Some major events of the school year documented in the novel are the final exams, the opening of the new school, and a ball to mark the visit of an important political minister to the town.
story is an example of homoerotic
fiction in the tradition of Gertrude Stein's
Fernhurst (1904), Ivy Compton-Burnett's
More Women than Men (1934), Christa Winsloe's
The Child Manuela (1933), or Dorothy Bussy's
Olivia (1949).
On 7th August 1910, the New York Times reported: "Paris, Aug. 6. -- G. P. Centenini, in conjunction with Gabriel Astruc, has obtained from Rudolph Berger the right of representation in th United States of Berger's operetta "Claudine," the libretto of which is based on a series of lively French novels by Willy, which have had considerable vogue. Berger is a Viennese and Parisian combined. He has written many popular waltzes, of one of which 2,000,000 copies were sold in a year. "Claudine" will be produced in Paris at the Moulin Rouge." The Actors' Charitable Trust in London (www.tactactors.org) has an A4 coloured poster (by Clérice Frères) for the Moulin Rouge production of "Claudine", which thankfully does mention Colette herself: "Opérette en 3 Actes de Willy, d'après les Romans de Willy & Colette Willy."
Henry Gauthier-Villars
Henry Gauthier-Villars or Willy, his nom-de-plume, was a French fin-de-siecle writer and music critic who is today mostly known as the mentor and bisexual first husband of Colette...
. The novel recounts the final year of secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
of 15-year-old Claudine
Claudine
The Claudine books are a series of four early novels by the French author Colette published from 1900-1904. The stories are the diaries of protagonist Claudine, which outline the education and growing up of the young girl, who is aged fifteen at the beginning of the first novel Claudine à l'école...
, her brazen confrontations with her headmistress, Mlle Sergent, and her fellow students. The work is assumed to be highly autobiographical, and includes lyrical descriptions of the Burgundian countryside, where Colette grew up.
Plot summary
Claudine, a fifteen year old girl, lives in MontignyMontigny
Montigny is the name or part of the name of several communes in northern France:*Montigny, in the Calvados *Montigny, in the Cher *Montigny, in the Loiret *Montigny, in the Meurthe-et-Moselle *Montigny, in the Sarthe ...
, with her father, who is more interested in mollusks than his daughter. Claudine attends the small village school, which is the primary location of her many adventures, presented as an intimate journal. The journal begins with the new school year, marked by the arrival of the new headmistress, Miss Sergent, and her assistant Miss Aimée Lanthenay, as well as the boys' instructors Mr. Duplessis and Mr. Rabastens. Although Claudine begins an affair early on with Miss Lanthenay, Miss Sergent soon discovers the liaison and discourages Miss Lanthenay, ultimately taking her on as her own lover. Claudine feels betrayed and causes trouble for the two women with the help of her friends cynical Anaïs and childlike Marie Belhomme. Miss Lanthenay's sister Luce arrives at school, and Claudine mistreats her, but Luce idolizes Claudine nonetheless. Some major events of the school year documented in the novel are the final exams, the opening of the new school, and a ball to mark the visit of an important political minister to the town.
Characters in Claudine at School
- ClaudineClaudineThe Claudine books are a series of four early novels by the French author Colette published from 1900-1904. The stories are the diaries of protagonist Claudine, which outline the education and growing up of the young girl, who is aged fifteen at the beginning of the first novel Claudine à l'école...
- The 15-year old protagonist. Claudine is an only child who lives alone with her father. Extremely bright, Claudine revels in nature and feels underchallenged at school. - Mlle Sergent, the new headmistress, a stern woman who frequently clashes with Claudine. At the same time, she admires Claudine's strength of character and finds her high-spirited pranks amusing.
- Mlle Aimée Lanthenay, a new instructor - Young and attractive, Mlle Aimée soon attracts the attention of Claudine. She begins as Claudine's English tutor; but after the two show signs of beginning a homosexual affair, she is forbidden to see Claudine and instead takes up with Mlle Sergent.
- Luce, the neglected younger sister of Mlle Aimée, whom she resents. She adores Claudine, who frequently bullies her.
- La grande Anaïs, a tough-minded and amoral friend of Claudine.
- Marie Belhomme, a friend of Claudine, sweet and rather simple-minded.
- Antonin Rabastiens - the music teacher who woos Claudine. He also teaches courses for the male students.
- Claire - the foster sister (sœur de lait) of Claudine.
Major themes
Claudine at School as well as being a coming of ageComing of age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from childhood to adulthood. The age at which this transition takes place varies in society, as does the nature of the transition. It can be a simple legal convention or can be part of a ritual, as practiced by many societies...
story is an example of homoerotic
Homoeroticism
Homoeroticism refers to the erotic attraction between members of the same sex, either male–male or female–female , most especially as it is depicted or manifested in the visual arts and literature. It can also be found in performative forms; from theatre to the theatricality of uniformed movements...
fiction in the tradition of Gertrude Stein's
Gertrude Stein
Gertrude Stein was an American writer, poet and art collector who spent most of her life in France.-Early life:...
Fernhurst (1904), Ivy Compton-Burnett's
Ivy Compton-Burnett
Dame Ivy Compton-Burnett, DBE was an English novelist, published as I. Compton-Burnett. She was awarded the 1955 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for her novel Mother and Son.-Life:...
More Women than Men (1934), Christa Winsloe's
Christa Winsloe
Christa Winsloe was a 20th century German-Hungarian novelist, playwright and sculptor, best known for her play Gestern und heute, filmed in 1931 as Mädchen in Uniform and the 1958 remake.- Biography :...
The Child Manuela (1933), or Dorothy Bussy's
Dorothy Bussy
Dorothy Bussy was an English novelist and translator.-Family background and childhood:Dorothy Bussy was a member of the Strachey family, one of ten children of Jane Strachey and the great British Empire soldier and administrator Lt-Gen Sir Richard Strachey...
Olivia (1949).
Literary significance and reception
Upon its publication in 1900, Colette's novel was heralded by Charles Marras for its "maturity of language and style" It was immediately successful, yet it brought Colette scandal as well.Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
Claudine at School has had several French film adaptations.- Claudine à l'école (1917)
- Claudine à l'école (1937)
- Claudine à l'école (1978 - made for TV)
On 7th August 1910, the New York Times reported: "Paris, Aug. 6. -- G. P. Centenini, in conjunction with Gabriel Astruc, has obtained from Rudolph Berger the right of representation in th United States of Berger's operetta "Claudine," the libretto of which is based on a series of lively French novels by Willy, which have had considerable vogue. Berger is a Viennese and Parisian combined. He has written many popular waltzes, of one of which 2,000,000 copies were sold in a year. "Claudine" will be produced in Paris at the Moulin Rouge." The Actors' Charitable Trust in London (www.tactactors.org) has an A4 coloured poster (by Clérice Frères) for the Moulin Rouge production of "Claudine", which thankfully does mention Colette herself: "Opérette en 3 Actes de Willy, d'après les Romans de Willy & Colette Willy."
External links
- Claudine à l'école in French