The Story of Sapho

The Other Voice in Early Modern Europe: The Chicago Series

by Madeleine de Scudéry, Karen Newman (Translator)

Ridiculed for her Saturday salon, her long romance novels, and her protofeminist ideas, Madeleine de Scudéry (1607-1701) has not been treated kindly by the literary establishment. Yet her multivolume novels were popular bestsellers in her time, translated almost immediately into English, German, Italian, Spanish, and even Arabic.

The Story of Sapho makes available for the first time in modern English a self-contained section from Scudéry's novel Artamène ou le Grand Cyrus , best known today as the favored reading material of the would-be salonnières that Molière satirized in Les précieuses ridicules . The Story tells of Sapho, a woman writer modeled on the Greek Sappho, who deems marriage slavery. Interspersed in the love story of Sapho and Phaon are a series of conversations like those that took place in Scudéry's own salon in which Sapho and her circle discuss the nature of love, the education of women, writing, and right conduct. This edition also includes a translation of an oration, or harangue , of Scudéry's in which Sapho extols the talents and abilities of women in order to persuade them to write.

Genres: Ancient History, Literature, Fiction

155 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Madeleine de Scudéry, often known simply as Mademoiselle de Scudéry, was a French writer. She was the younger sister of author Georges de Scudéry, but is generally regarded as his superior in skill.

Madeleine de Scudéry, sœur cadette de Georges de Scudéry, morte à Paris le 2 juin 1701, était une femme de lettres française.

Reviews

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scudéry’s roman à clef supposedly runs to almost two million words, making it one of the longest novels ever written. This selection focuses on the character of Sapho (i.e. the poet Sappho), who probably represents Scudéry herself. Like the author, Sapho eschews marriage and leads a social circle concerned with the proper behavior of minor elites (they literally spend time debating the “je ne sais quois” that accompanies social refinement). The story is interesting as an instance of proto-feminism: Sapho equates marriage with slavery and argues that women ought to be well-educated, even if they ought also to be modest in their self-presentation. Unfortunately, the rivalries and dilemmas animating the story itself are only mildly engaging and not far removed from the stiff portraiture of a pastoral romance.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book and was never bored by it but...what the hell was with the plot? Not sure I liked the romance and everyone was just so perfect in the book, it was annoying!

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 Stars for the introductions and the effort that went into translating this.

3 Stars for the text. Going into it knowing it was over two centuries old I still found it so effusive and slow paced it was very difficult to get through, though there were definitely some beautiful lines.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sappho sans Lesbo


Madeleine de Scudery's Sapho mirrors the author's own life. Orphaned early and independent like de Scudery, the fictional Sapho also wishes to never marry. This doesn't however mean that Sapho eschews falling in love with a man named Phaeon and become an extremely jealous lover.
While the romance itself was interesting, de Scudery's lengthy excultations of Sapho grew tiresome at times.

[Crissy · Rating 3 out of 5]

No way the people are as amazing as they claim to be in this book. But the writer, Scudery's life sounds like she was a cool gal!

[Lulu]

1753 - 10th and final V. of Artamène; ou, Le grand Cyrus