Ourika: Easy to Read Layout

by Claire de Duras

First published anonymously in 1823, Ourika is a poignant and thought-provoking work that explores themes of race, identity, class, gender, and social alienation in 19th-century France. Ourika's unrequited love for Charles adds a layer of emotional depth, underscoring her sense of rejection and hopelessness.



The book, which is one of the earliest French literary works to address race and the psychological effects of racism and exclusion, had a lasting impact on French literature.



This new large print edition comes with an Easy to Read Layout designed to make reading comfortable.

35 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 15, 2025

About the author

Claire de Duras left her native France for London during the French Revolution in 1789, and returned to France in 1808 as the Duchess of Duras. She maintained a famous literary salon in post-Revolutionary Paris and was the close friend of Chateaubriand, who she had met while in exile in London, and who helped her to publish her books.

Ourika was published anonymously in 1823, one of five novels Claire de Duras had written during the previous year; only two of them were published during her lifetime. The three novellas that she did publish were only done so in order to prevent any possible plagiarism.

Claire de Duras treated complex and controversial subjects, primarily dealing with oppressed/marginalized characters. She explored many fundamental principles of the French Revolution, and touched upon the intellectual debates of the Age of Enlightenment, particularly the equality of all men—and women. In holding with these subjects, tragedy is a common theme. For a long time she was seen as the writer of small and unimportant sentimental novels, but recent criticism has revealed her works to be treasure troves of postmodern identity theory. It is likely she has not been well read because her choice and treatment of subject could not be appreciated until recently; she was ahead of her time.