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Patriarchy and Family Structure Retif Style: The Reality of Representation

Posted by Rebecca H. Starkins on February 27, 2001 at 00:22:33:

Rebecca H. Starkins
Graded Abstract
Mr. Schwartz
February 27, 2001

Main Point:
Retif de la Bretonne, in his 1778 biographical novel "My Father’s Life," detailed the life and works of a man who he held in great esteem - his father, Edmond. Over the course of its four books, "My Father’s Life" presents an idealized (and perhaps sentimentalized) account of the virtuous, saintly Edme, also drawing into the picture Edme’s own father, Pierre. Retif’s chosen method of contrasting Pierre and Edme serves to illuminate the change in the traditional patriarchal family that was occurring in the second half of the eighteenth century. In so doing, "My Father’s Life" became more a representation of ideals and a vehicle for changing values than the factual peasant biography that it may appear to be at the surface. Retif himself acknowledges this interpretation as his intention when he says, "I also give a new impulse to filial piety, for if the son of every man of a certain standing felt obliged to write the story of his father’s life, it would have a most beneficial effect....It would doubtless be a most powerful means of curbing the rapid corruption of our morals" (Retif 1).

Historical Change:
By examining the "patriarchal" qualities of both Pierre and Edme and comparing them to each other, one can easily observe the dramatic swing toward change that was being promoted at that period in time. This is evidenced in the fact that Retif chooses Pierre to represent the traditional "tyrant of a bygone era," in sharp contrast to the "enlightened monarch" Edme, whose "methods of eliciting obedience were more in keeping with the new ideas of the day" (Schwartz 10). This trend toward change in the patriarchal family structure was accompanied by other significant changes of perspective in related areas, namely altering views regarding women, children, and even the male figure himself. Women and mothers began to be seen as the moral cornerstone of the family and society at large, as opposed to the seventeenth century Biblical belief that they were the cause of the downfall of humankind (Charlton 158). Children, once portrayed as naturally wicked, now came to be viewed as "naturally good" creatures easily influenced by the vices of their environment (Charlton 148). A father’s "natural" prerogative was that he "readily feels affection for his children," a characteristic shown by Edme, but not his father Pierre (Charlton 169). Thus, as the role of each member of the family unit changed, so did the rigid system of patriarchy. It is important to note, however, that patriarchy did not completely disappear, for there were many who still championed its virtues.

Representation by Observer:
It is interesting to observe the variety of representations that exist to reinforce the idea of the changing family. However, when studying these representations, one must keep in mind that they are more apt to portray ideals, rather than realities. Such is the case with several of the visual images. "La Regle de la Nature," which appeared in Rousseau’s "Emile," for example, depicts a mother gesturing with proud adoration to her children playing on the floor of her bedroom. Her husband sits with her, seemingly equally entranced with the show of innocence before him. Another print of the period shows a similar scene, with the mother holding a smiling baby, her husband sitting attentively at her elbow. However, these two scenes must be taken with a grain of salt and not at their face value. Both come from the popular art of the period, which, as it was widely available, was often used to promote new ideals - in these two cases that of the "natural" family in which children were kept close to their parents who loved them, as well as each other.
Boilly’s image of the tender, loving lower-class family is also interesting to take into account, as it too can be seen to promote the ideals of society, albeit on a slightly different subject. In his painting, the artist is presenting the new ideas of the "natural" family. The father stands proudly over his brood, looking contentedly on; he is not the stern, unyielding patriarch, but rather the protective, affectionate father. The children are all crowded about their mother (who is dressed in white to symbolize her "natural" goodness and morality), kneeling as a show of respect. Although all three of these pictures were presented by the artists in a realistic scene, they are in fact representations of the way the artists thought society should be, of the changes for which society needed to strive.
A literary representation of the ideals of the changing family can be found throughout Retif’s "My Father’s Life." As mentioned earlier, Retif describes Pierre as the dominating, unquestioned patriarch who is obeyed at all costs. He demands respect and obedience from both his wife and his children, and will not hesitate to show his great displease when his rule is crossed. Edmond showed more fear towards him that love, a circumstance typical of the early eighteenth century patriarchy. Edme, conversely, was "strict without being hard," for he felt the moral values were more important to instill in children than fear (Retif 120). He felt it equally as important to praise as to censure, and his punishments reflected the recommendations of the philosophers of the time, which tended more towards psychological rather than physical punishment. This shows a clear change in patriarchal attitudes from one generation to the next.

Reality of the Observed:
In reality, sources show that the inclination towards change was indeed in place, but had not taken quite so dramatic a hold on society as the representations above may suggest. Retif, for example, writes of his father as if he lived the everyday life of every peasant, as if Edme‘s actions were those typical of the rural population in general. This, however, was certainly not the case, as Le Roy Ladurie points out. In his efforts to prompt social reform in the city, Retif, like Rousseau, sought to glorify the country life and its virtues. But Edme was undoubtedly ahead of his time in his "outward" look at society, for he, unlike many of those around him, was literate and well-traveled (meaning he had been to the city). His behavior towards his wives and his children therefore reflects his country upbringing just as much as it reflects the modern, urban influences of the city bourgeoisie.
Patriarchy itself, too, was certainly changing with time. Pierre, the stereotypical head of the family in the beginning of the eighteenth century, was strict and harsh and sometimes almost brutal with his family. He expected to be obeyed, and his word was final. Edme, however, was more lenient with his own children. As Poster says, this is "a fine expression of a transitional family pattern, midway between the traditional peasantry and the emerging bourgeoisie" (Poster 235).

Historian’s Differing Interpretations:
Because Le Roy Ladurie took an anthropological standpoint from which to analyze "My Father’s Life," one tends to find a greater tendency towards the facts and realities of life, rather than towards its representation. In regards to the patriarchy in place, he says, "In this system, at once highly hierarchical and minutely structured, problems of resistance by the young to the old, by farmhand to employer or by women to men, hardly ever arose" (Le Roy Ladurie 246). He goes on to site the beating Edme received after daring to flirt with a girl without his father’s permission. This statement, which appears to point to an unquestioning upholding of the patriarchy within the family and society, is interestingly contrasted by Poster’s view on the same subject. He believes that "complete control of the village by heads of household coupled with sever restrictions on sexuality give the appearance of a puritanical morality. But such was not the case" (Poster 232). He, in turn, refers back to Retif as a source, highlighting particular instances in which patriarchal rule was completely disregarded.

Connections:
There is another interesting connection to this subject that can be found in Le Grand d’Aussy’s article "Voyage d’Auvergne." In it, he states that, "These mountain yokels have a deep contempt and despotic disdain for women, which is proper to all savages and semi-barbarous peoples. They look on them as slaves, destined to do all the work they consider servile and which they disdain" (Le Grand d’Aussy 147). This view can say a great deal about family life, and is particularly interesting for two reasons, the first being the vantage point from which it is given. Le Grand d’Aussy was an upper-class outsider looking in, but the quote is just as significant for what it says about his own level of society as for what it claims to say about the peasants. That the author thought to remark on this suggests that things may have been a bit different in his societal sphere, where by 1788 (the date of the article), many of the new ideas of the "natural" woman had circulated and taken hold already. Traditional views, however, of the place of the woman in the family remained in rural areas longer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Works Cited:

Charlton, D. G. "New Images of the Natural in France." Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983.

Le Grand d’Aussy, Pierre Jean Baptiste. "Voyage d’Auvergne." Paris: Eugene Onfroy, 1788.

Poster, Mark. "Patriarchy and Sexuality: Restif and the Peasant Family." The Eighteenth Century. 25 (1984): 217-240.

Retif de la Bretonne, Nicolas-Edme. "My Father’s Life." Trans. Richard Veasey. Gloucester: Alan Sutton, 1986.

Schwartz, Robert M. "The Peasant as Hero: Rousseau, Retif de la Bretonne, and the Representation of Rustic Virtues." Dijon: Publications du Centre Georges Chevrier, 2000.

The following images were also used:
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist101/Boilly1b.jpg
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist101/maternity.jpg
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist101/rule-of-nature.jpg

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: Rebecca H. Starkins : Graded Abstract : Mr. Schwartz : February 27, 2001 : Main Point: : Retif de la Bretonne, in his 1778 biographical novel "My Father’s Life," detailed the life and works of a man who he held in great esteem - his father, Edmond. Over the course of its four books, "My Father’s Life" presents an idealized (and perhaps sentimentalized) account of the virtuous, saintly Edme, also drawing into the picture Edme’s own father, Pierre. Retif’s chosen method of contrasting Pierre and Edme serves to illuminate the change in the traditional patriarchal family that was occurring in the second half of the eighteenth century. In so doing, "My Father’s Life" became more a representation of ideals and a vehicle for changing values than the factual peasant biography that it may appear to be at the surface. Retif himself acknowledges this interpretation as his intention when he says, "I also give a new impulse to filial piety, for if the son of every man of a certain standing felt obliged to write the story of his father’s life, it would have a most beneficial effect....It would doubtless be a most powerful means of curbing the rapid corruption of our morals" (Retif 1). : : Historical Change: : By examining the "patriarchal" qualities of both Pierre and Edme and comparing them to each other, one can easily observe the dramatic swing toward change that was being promoted at that period in time. This is evidenced in the fact that Retif chooses Pierre to represent the traditional "tyrant of a bygone era," in sharp contrast to the "enlightened monarch" Edme, whose "methods of eliciting obedience were more in keeping with the new ideas of the day" (Schwartz 10). This trend toward change in the patriarchal family structure was accompanied by other significant changes of perspective in related areas, namely altering views regarding women, children, and even the male figure himself. Women and mothers began to be seen as the moral cornerstone of the family and society at large, as opposed to the seventeenth century Biblical belief that they were the cause of the downfall of humankind (Charlton 158). Children, once portrayed as naturally wicked, now came to be viewed as "naturally good" creatures easily influenced by the vices of their environment (Charlton 148). A father’s "natural" prerogative was that he "readily feels affection for his children," a characteristic shown by Edme, but not his father Pierre (Charlton 169). Thus, as the role of each member of the family unit changed, so did the rigid system of patriarchy. It is important to note, however, that patriarchy did not completely disappear, for there were many who still championed its virtues. : : Representation by Observer: : It is interesting to observe the variety of representations that exist to reinforce the idea of the changing family. However, when studying these representations, one must keep in mind that they are more apt to portray ideals, rather than realities. Such is the case with several of the visual images. "La Regle de la Nature," which appeared in Rousseau’s "Emile," for example, depicts a mother gesturing with proud adoration to her children playing on the floor of her bedroom. Her husband sits with her, seemingly equally entranced with the show of innocence before him. Another print of the period shows a similar scene, with the mother holding a smiling baby, her husband sitting attentively at her elbow. However, these two scenes must be taken with a grain of salt and not at their face value. Both come from the popular art of the period, which, as it was widely available, was often used to promote new ideals - in these two cases that of the "natural" family in which children were kept close to their parents who loved them, as well as each other. : Boilly’s image of the tender, loving lower-class family is also interesting to take into account, as it too can be seen to promote the ideals of society, albeit on a slightly different subject. In his painting, the artist is presenting the new ideas of the "natural" family. The father stands proudly over his brood, looking contentedly on; he is not the stern, unyielding patriarch, but rather the protective, affectionate father. The children are all crowded about their mother (who is dressed in white to symbolize her "natural" goodness and morality), kneeling as a show of respect. Although all three of these pictures were presented by the artists in a realistic scene, they are in fact representations of the way the artists thought society should be, of the changes for which society needed to strive. : A literary representation of the ideals of the changing family can be found throughout Retif’s "My Father’s Life." As mentioned earlier, Retif describes Pierre as the dominating, unquestioned patriarch who is obeyed at all costs. He demands respect and obedience from both his wife and his children, and will not hesitate to show his great displease when his rule is crossed. Edmond showed more fear towards him that love, a circumstance typical of the early eighteenth century patriarchy. Edme, conversely, was "strict without being hard," for he felt the moral values were more important to instill in children than fear (Retif 120). He felt it equally as important to praise as to censure, and his punishments reflected the recommendations of the philosophers of the time, which tended more towards psychological rather than physical punishment. This shows a clear change in patriarchal attitudes from one generation to the next. : : Reality of the Observed: : In reality, sources show that the inclination towards change was indeed in place, but had not taken quite so dramatic a hold on society as the representations above may suggest. Retif, for example, writes of his father as if he lived the everyday life of every peasant, as if Edme‘s actions were those typical of the rural population in general. This, however, was certainly not the case, as Le Roy Ladurie points out. In his efforts to prompt social reform in the city, Retif, like Rousseau, sought to glorify the country life and its virtues. But Edme was undoubtedly ahead of his time in his "outward" look at society, for he, unlike many of those around him, was literate and well-traveled (meaning he had been to the city). His behavior towards his wives and his children therefore reflects his country upbringing just as much as it reflects the modern, urban influences of the city bourgeoisie. : Patriarchy itself, too, was certainly changing with time. Pierre, the stereotypical head of the family in the beginning of the eighteenth century, was strict and harsh and sometimes almost brutal with his family. He expected to be obeyed, and his word was final. Edme, however, was more lenient with his own children. As Poster says, this is "a fine expression of a transitional family pattern, midway between the traditional peasantry and the emerging bourgeoisie" (Poster 235). : : Historian’s Differing Interpretations: : Because Le Roy Ladurie took an anthropological standpoint from which to analyze "My Father’s Life," one tends to find a greater tendency towards the facts and realities of life, rather than towards its representation. In regards to the patriarchy in place, he says, "In this system, at once highly hierarchical and minutely structured, problems of resistance by the young to the old, by farmhand to employer or by women to men, hardly ever arose" (Le Roy Ladurie 246). He goes on to site the beating Edme received after daring to flirt with a girl without his father’s permission. This statement, which appears to point to an unquestioning upholding of the patriarchy within the family and society, is interestingly contrasted by Poster’s view on the same subject. He believes that "complete control of the village by heads of household coupled with sever restrictions on sexuality give the appearance of a puritanical morality. But such was not the case" (Poster 232). He, in turn, refers back to Retif as a source, highlighting particular instances in which patriarchal rule was completely disregarded. : : Connections: : There is another interesting connection to this subject that can be found in Le Grand d’Aussy’s article "Voyage d’Auvergne." In it, he states that, "These mountain yokels have a deep contempt and despotic disdain for women, which is proper to all savages and semi-barbarous peoples. They look on them as slaves, destined to do all the work they consider servile and which they disdain" (Le Grand d’Aussy 147). This view can say a great deal about family life, and is particularly interesting for two reasons, the first being the vantage point from which it is given. Le Grand d’Aussy was an upper-class outsider looking in, but the quote is just as significant for what it says about his own level of society as for what it claims to say about the peasants. That the author thought to remark on this suggests that things may have been a bit different in his societal sphere, where by 1788 (the date of the article), many of the new ideas of the "natural" woman had circulated and taken hold already. Traditional views, however, of the place of the woman in the family remained in rural areas longer. : : ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ : Works Cited: : Charlton, D. G. "New Images of the Natural in France." Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983. : Le Grand d’Aussy, Pierre Jean Baptiste. "Voyage d’Auvergne." Paris: Eugene Onfroy, 1788. : Poster, Mark. "Patriarchy and Sexuality: Restif and the Peasant Family." The Eighteenth Century. 25 (1984): 217-240. : Retif de la Bretonne, Nicolas-Edme. "My Father’s Life." Trans. Richard Veasey. Gloucester: Alan Sutton, 1986. : Schwartz, Robert M. "The Peasant as Hero: Rousseau, Retif de la Bretonne, and the Representation of Rustic Virtues." Dijon: Publications du Centre Georges Chevrier, 2000. : The following images were also used: : http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist101/Boilly1b.jpg : http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist101/maternity.jpg : http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist101/rule-of-nature.jpg

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