From Obsessive Metaphors to the Crystallization of the Personal Myth in Yourcenar’s Work

Abstract

We easily notice the hegemony of the theme of solitude in Yourcenar's work. This theme constitutes an inherent characteristic of life itself and is established as an essential condition of mankind. Indeed, one can only assert their freedom after isolating themselves and distancing themselves from the world. Whether these characters are bastards, orphans, abandoned children, or from noble families, their solitary nature is a constant from their childhood. This search for solitude is a common trait among the protagonists, which brings them together despite belonging to different eras and having roots in distinct cultures and languages. The inherent solitude of these characters appears as an essential value of the human being, and what is initially perceived as a lack is quickly embraced, even sought after, as an accomplishment. The treatment of the theme of solitude in Yourcenar's work is done through the use of analogical figures such as metaphors (coreferential, appositive, attributive, adjectival, verbal, and in determinative framework, etc.) and comparisons.