French Literature Reviews - 2026
Writing and Thinking as a Modern (1687-1750)
History, Politics and Society
Écrire et penser en Moderne (1687-1750), Honoré Champion, "Les Dix-huitièmes siècles" series, 2015.
Edited by Christelle Bahier-Porte and Claudine Poulouin
EAN13: 9782745329585.
448 p.
80 EUR
Publisher's overview:
Until the 1750s, the Quarrel of the Ancients and the Moderns continued to leave its mark on minds and shape political, philosophical, and aesthetic choices, precisely because it was far more than a mere war of positions—it was a moment of intense debate. The researchers contributing to this volume—specialists in literature, musicology, philosophy, and the history of ideas—have sought to shed light on the complex stances adopted by those involved in the Quarrel, the subtlety of the debates, and even the significant marginality of certain figures. The result is a fresh perspective on a period when everything—from theology to musical theory and practice, from philosophy to the changing role of women in a rapidly evolving society—was subjected to the scrutiny of a mind confident in its own power. Claiming the identity of a Modern meant, above all, embracing the dynamism generated by a new way of thinking that encouraged the exercise of critical reason while inviting a creative freedom and a refined aesthetic experience capable of transcending all divides. This is further evidenced by the evolution of a taste that was increasingly informed and open to bold innovation.
Christelle Bahier-Porte is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Saint-Étienne and a member of the Institute for the History of Classical Thought (CNRS-UMR 5037). Her research focuses on Lesage, Marivaux, and Houdar de La Motte, particularly within the context of the Quarrel of the Ancients and the Moderns.
Claudine Poulouin is a Professor at the University of Rouen, managing editor of the Revue Fontenelle, and a member of CÉRÉdI. Her research interests include the writing of history, the transmission of intellectual heritage, the early Enlightenment, and the transition between the 17th and 18th centuries.
The Quarrel of the Ancients and the Moderns represents a pivotal intellectual shift in late seventeenth and early eighteenth-century France, marking a transition toward Enlightenment thought. By challenging the perceived superiority of classical antiquity, the Moderns advocated for the legitimacy of contemporary progress in arts and sciences. This volume explores how the movement influenced diverse fields including theology, musicology, and philosophy. Readers interested in the evolution of eighteenth-century intellectual history may find these scholarly perspectives on the period's shifting aesthetic and social norms relevant.
The essays collected in Écrire et penser en Moderne (1687-1750) investigate the nature of the Modern identity, emphasizing the role of critical reason and creative freedom during this era. By examining both prominent figures and those on the margins of the debate, the contributors highlight the complexity of the period's intellectual landscape. The volume covers the changing status of women, the development of musical theory, and the emergence of new tastes that favored innovation, illustrating how the tension between tradition and modernity shaped the cultural and philosophical foundations of the early Enlightenment.