Date : 1997
Type : Livre / Book
Type : Thèse / ThesisLangue / Language : français / French
Gunn -- Neil Miller -- 1891-1973 -- Critique et interprétation
Résumé / Abstract : Neil gunn, romancier ecossais du xxe siecle, a passe la plus grande partie de son existence dans les highlands, fortement marque par la situation politique, economique et culturelle de l'ecosse moderne. Il est devenu tres tot un militant nationaliste actif mais discret. En revanche, sa production litteraire est une oeuvre engagee dans laquelle l'auteur se fait l'avocat devoue d'un socialisme reflechi et pragmatique et d'un nationalisme qui sait garder ses distances par rapport aux dictatures de l'entre-deux-guerres. Il oppose la douceur d'un age d'or mythique qui aurait ete l'expression la plus pure de la civilisation et de la culture celtes, a la societe moderne ecossaise pervertie par l'instauration progressive d'un nouveau mode de vie apporte par l'anglicisation de la societe traditionnelle et par le liberalisme economique. L'avenir et la prosperite de l'ecosse ne seront assures que si le pays recouvre la maitrise de son destin. La lecture gunnienne de l'histoire passee des highlands est mise au service d'une ideologie qui tente de batir l'avenir du pays. Cette these, qui se situe a la confluence de la litterature, de l'histoire et de la civilisation, demontre comment neil gunn reecrit l'histoire en fonction d'une vision politique personnelle de la societe. Elle s'appuie essentiellement sur trois romans : butcher's broom, the silver darlings, et the grey coast, qui couvrent deux siecles de l'histoire moderne de l'ecosse, et souligne la coherence de la vision gunnienne de l'histoire moderne ecossaise. La these situe d'abord le romancier militant dans son contexte litteraire et politique, puis analyse la signification du recours au mythe de l'age d'or, avant d'etudier les soubresauts politiques, historiques, sociaux et culturels qui ont frappe l'ecosse. L'histoire moderne des highlands est presentee a travers trois periodes cruciales successives: les evictions ("clearances"), le developpement des industries de la peche et la desertification des highlands.
Résumé / Abstract : Neil gunn, the xxth century scottish novelist spent most of his life in the highlands, and was stongly influenced by the political, economic and cultural situation of modem scotland. Very early, he became an active but unassurning nationalist militant, although in his literary works, he appears to have been the dedicated champion of a pragmatic but well-thought-out socialism which succeeded in standing aloof from the dictatorships of the interwar period. He contrasts the sweetness of a mythical golden age, which night have been the most perfect expression of celtic culture and civilisation, with modern scottish society, perverted by economic liberalism and by the progressive development of a new way of life under english influence on the traditional society. The future and prosperity of scotland will not be certain unless the country recovers mastery of its destiny. The explanation that neil gunn gives of the past of the highlands is meant to be at the service of an ideology trying to build the future of the country. This thesis, which not only deals with literature, but also with history and civilisation, shows how neil gunn writes history according to his personal and political view on society. It is mainly based on three novels: butcher's broom, the silver darlings, and the grey coast, covering two centuries of modem scottish history, and underlining the coherence of gunn's vision. The thesis places the novelist in his literary and political context, then it analyses the significance of gunn's use of the golden age myth, before studying the political, historical, social and cultural troubles which scotland has suffered from. Gunn's view on the history of the highlands is presented covering three successive crucial periods, i.e. The massive clearances, the development of the fishing industries and the desertification of the highlands.