Delphine (novel)

Delphine

1803 edition
Author	Anne Louise Germaine de Staël
Country	France
Language	French
Genre	epistolary novel
Publication date	1802

Delphine is the first novel by Anne Louise Germaine de Staël, published in 1802. The book is written in epistolary form (as a series of letters) and examines the limits of women's freedom in an society. Although Madame de Staël denied political intent, the book was controversial enough for Napoleon to exile the author.

A new English translation was released by Avriel H. Goldberger in 1995.

In a literary and political essay called De la littérature dans ses rapports avec les institutions sociales published in 1800, Germaine de Staël writes about the history of literature and its links with political contexts, and also advocates the ideas of the Age of Enlightenment, which doesn't please Napoleon. The emperor of the French is also afraid of Madame de Staël's political relations, and suspects her to be an opponent. Delphine's publication in 1802 makes things even worse : Madame de Staël is exiled from Paris, and forbidden to get closer than 40 lieues from the city.

When publishing Delphine, she claims she is not interested in politics any more. Yet, this novel dedicated to "the silent France" (la France silencieuse in French) explicitly talks about subjects like women's status, but also poitical and sociological subjects like Protestantism, political liberalism or emigration.

The story tales place in Paris between 1789 and 1792. Delphine d'Albémar, a young widow, arranges a wedding between one of her distant relatives, Matilde de Vernon, and Léonce de Mondoville. But she falls in love with Léonce, and as he is engaged with Matilde, their love is impossible. The story ends tragically with Delphine killing herself.