The contradictions of freedom : philosophical essays on Simone de Beauvoir's The mandarins / edited by Sally J. Scholz and Shannon M. Mussett.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Scholz, Sally J.

Mussett, Shannon M.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Beauvoir, Simone de, 1908-1986.

Beauvoir, Simone de.

Beauvoir, Simone de, 1908-1986. Mandarins.

Physical Description:

vii, 244 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Albany : State University of New York Press, [2005]

Summary:

This unique collection examines the various contradictions of freedom in Simone de Beauvoir's The Mandarins, the tumultuous epic about the personal and political lives of post-World War II French intellectuals. Fifty years after its publication, Beauvoir's book transcends the narrow confines of time and place to speak powerfully to audiences today. Contributors address political turmoil, collective responsibility, individual choice and commitment, love relationships, subjectivity, art, and freedom. With an extensive introduction that explores the historical period surrounding France after World War II, Beauvoir's own account of the novel's creation, and the initial reception of the novel around the world, this book is an essential companion to Beauvoir's celebrated novel.

Contents:

1 The Conflict of Ideologies in The Mandarins: Communism and Democracy, Then and Now / William L. McBride 33

2 Sustained Praxis: The Challenge of Solidarity in The Mandarins and Beyond / Sally J. Scholz 47

3 Living on Rails: Freedom, Constraint, and Political Judgment in Beauvoir's "Moral" Essays and The Mandarins / Sonia Kruks 67

4 Testimony, Historicite, and the Intellectual in Simone de Beauvoir's The Mandarins / Ursula Tidd 87

5 The Return of Commitment: Simone de Beauvoir's The Mandarins Revisited / Karen Vintges 105

6 "Politics Is a Living Thing": The Intellectual's Dilemma in Beauvoir's The Mandarins / Gail Weiss 119

7 Personal Choice and the Seduction of the Absolute in The Mandarins / Shannon M. Mussett 135

8 Love, Theory, and Politics: Critical Trinities in Simone de Beauvoir's The Mandarins / Jen McWeeny 157

9 Simone de Beauvoir on Achieving Subjectivity / Thomas W. Busch 177

10 When a Woman Loves a Man: Ownness and Otherness in The Mandarins / Eleanore Holveck 189

11 Salon-Haunters: The Impasse Facing French Intellectuals / Peg Brand 211.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0791465594

0791465608

OCLC:

57186180