The forms of separation in the Persian Letters
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.1984-1124.v0i19p3-15Keywords:
Persian letters, epistolary form, separation, castration, eunuch, exileAbstract
This article tackles the theme of separation in the romanesque device of the Persian letters, written by Montesquieu, more specifically, the so called roman du sérail. Therefore, this study intends to analyze the forms of separation that emerge in the letters written by three characters members of the serraglio, that is: the women, their husband Usbek, and the eunuch guards. Firstly, it is important to understand to what extent the epistolary form of the Persian Letters implies a separation. Thereafter, we will be able to analyze the reaction of Usbek’s wives to his leave, exposed in the letters III and VII. Then, we will see how Usbek’s exile constitutes a separation and how it makes him similar to his eunuchs. Finally, we will focus on the character of the eunuch, a slave that has his sex cut off and who seems to best embody alienation.Downloads
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