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Thesis

French

ID: <

10670/1.s1sbwb

>

Where these data come from
Séraphîta and the Bible : Scriptural Sources of Balzac’s Mysticism

Abstract

Séraphîta (1833-1835) is Honoré de Balzac’s mystical novel in which the author condensed his religious feelings nursed since his youth. In this work he introduced numerous biblical citations and images alongside mystical and theosophical thoughts. The present thesis aims to bring to light the diverse biblical and mystical sources of Balzac’s spiritual text, including his own readings and interpretations. Part one is a bibliographic study of Bibles used by Balzac and Swedenborg, as well as those used by Daillant de La Touche and Jean-Pierre Moët, who introduced swedenborgian thought into France; following this, biblical citations found within Séraphîta are analysed. In part two, three biblical representations of Séraphîta-Séraphîtüs are explored, namely: the Seraph, the Christ and the Word. Inspired by Théophile Bra’s statue of an angel, Balzac developed the image of the angelic being in the course of its redaction. At the same time this angel fulfils the function of the Christ, in both concrete and symbolic ways, and in its final ascension becomes the Word itself. In the third and last part, there is an exploration of mystical authors read by Balzac and their influence on his text, namely: Thomas a Kempis, Saint Teresa of Avila, Jacob Boehme, Antoinette Bourignon, Mme Guyon, Fénelon, Saint-Martin, Eckartshausen, and especially Swedenborg. It will be argued that by taking the Bible as his foundation, and drawing spiritual ideas from various mystics and theosophists, Balzac sought to refresh Christian mysticism and lead his readers, in their period of doubt, to faith and love in God.

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