French Literature Reviews - 2026

V. Léonard-Roques, Cain, Figure of Modernity.
Comparative and World Literature

Bibliographic reference: V. Léonard-Roques, Caïn, figure de la modernité., , 2018.

Just published:

Véronique Léonard-Roques, Caïn, figure de la modernité (Conrad, Unamuno, Hesse, Steinbeck, Butor, Tournier), Paris, H. Champion, coll. Littérature générale et comparée, vol. 35, 2003. 376 p. €62.

Excerpt from the back cover:

There are names and emblematic figures that stimulate the imagination. Might Cain—the fratricide condemned to eternal wandering, yet also the civilizer and founder of the first city—represent the dark side of humanity? Drawing upon the profound ambiguity and ellipses of Genesis, the 20th century transforms the biblical character into a champion of the paradoxes of modernity, capable of giving shape to both the fractures and the aspirations of the human condition.

An agrégée in modern letters and holder of a doctorate in general and comparative literature, V. Léonard-Roques is a senior lecturer at Blaise-Pascal University (Clermont-Ferrand II).

Read a review on Acta Fabula by S. Meitinger: "From Blood Crime to Ink Crime" (Autumn 2003)

The literary tradition has long engaged with biblical archetypes to interpret contemporary existential and social dilemmas. Within comparative literature and cultural history, figures from Genesis frequently serve as conceptual lenses through which writers examine alienation, rebellion, and the complexities of human civilization. The adaptation of sacred myths allows authors to address the spiritual and political crises that mark the modern era, bridging ancient narratives with twentieth-century concerns. Readers interested in the afterlife of biblical motifs within modern narrative traditions may find this study relevant.

Véronique Léonard-Roques examines the representation of Cain across works by authors such as Joseph Conrad, Miguel de Unamuno, Hermann Hesse, John Steinbeck, Michel Butor, and Michel Tournier. Drawing upon the ambiguities of the Genesis account, the book addresses how the fratricide and wanderer who became a city founder embodies both the dark aspects and the aspirations of humanity. The volume explores the ways in which twentieth-century writers transform the biblical character into a figure capable of articulating the paradoxes of modernity.