M. Harrigan, Veiled Encounters. Representing the Orient in 17th-Century French Travel Literature

Compte rendu publié dans le dossier critique d'Acta fabula, "Littératures de voyage (juin 2010, Vol. 11, n°6) : "Visions d'Orient à l'âge classique" par Olivia Ayme.

M. Harrigan, Veiled Encounters. Representing the Orient in 17th-Century French Travel Literature, Rodopi, collection "Faux Titre", 2010. EAN13 : 9789042024762.

RÉSUMÉ

Travel narratives were the principal source of knowledge about thelands of the Near East and the Indian Ocean Basin in 17th-centuryFrance. Claiming the authority of first-hand observation, theyparadoxically rely for their legitimization on the tropes of anestablished literary tradition. The status of these texts remainedambiguous, not least because of their anecdotal depictions of greatriches, brutality or sexual promise. Drawing on the insights ofpost-colonial scholarship, this study tackles a question given scantattention in previous work and suggests that beyond the hazyrepresentation of the Orient, an opposition emerges between thethreatening Near East and the indolent East Indies. Distinguishingrecognizable representations from those generated by new encounters,this book questions the feasibility of cultural representation throughtravel, exploring a large corpus of original sources written by Frenchecclesiastics, gentlemen-travellers, ambassadors and adventurers.Linguistic, religious, cultural or geographical barriers meant mosttravellers remained distanced from the peoples on which they wouldsimultaneously become authoritative. The encounter was furthertransformed in narratives which were intended to entertain and tosatisfy the criterion of curiosité.The ‘Oriental' that emerges is a supremely variable entity, alternatelynaked or veiled, barbaric or civilized, menacing or attractive.

TABLE DES MATIÈRES

Acknowledgements
List of Illustrations
Introduction
Chapter 1. Capturing Cultural Encounter
Chapter 2. The Literature of Encounter
Chapter 3. Threat and the Near East
Chapter 4. The East Indies: le Jardin de l'Orient
Chapter 5. Aventures in the Orient
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index