Search

The book and the belly. Jean Bouche d'or, Anthure, Dieudonnée and the vagaries of (re)writing. The article focuses on a comparison of the three texts: Renaud’s La vie de saint Jehan Bouche d’or, La vie de sainte Dieudonnée anonymous and the Miracle de saint Jehan Crisothome et de Anthure, sa mère from the collection of Miracles de Notre dame par personnages. These are three versions of the legendary saint’s life, the last two of which introduce the character of his mother. The changes which the subsequent authors brought into the plot concern two areas: on one side - the body and gender relations, on the other side – the writing, which plays an essential role in the life and character of John. Both sets of modifications are undoubtedly associated, since the writing is opposed to the speech like the feminine to the masculine and the spirit to the body, these oppositions being hierarchical and subjected to the power of which writing is a tool. However, the analysis of the three texts shows the relationship between writing and speech as more complex, since it presents itself not only in terms of opposition but of complementarity.