Reception Les Aventures de Télémaque

1 reception

1.1 reception
1.2 influence on rousseau
1.3 later reception

reception
early reception

although set in far off place , ancient time, télémaque recognized contemporaries scathing rebuke autocratic reign of louis xiv of france, wars , taxes on peasantry had reduced country famine. book angered louis xiv banished fénelon versailles, confining him diocese, remained, few exceptions, rest of life.

yet few years later royal panegyrists hailing young king louis xv new telemachus , flattering tutors new mentors . later in century, royal tutors gave book charges, , king louis xvi (1754–93) marked it.

the french literary historian jean-claude bonnet calls télémaque true key museum of eighteenth-century imagination . 1 of popular works of century, immediate best-seller both in france , abroad, going through many editions , translated every european language , latin verse (first in berlin in 1743, in paris Étienne viel [1737-87]). inspired numerous imitations (such abbé jean terrasson s novel sethos (1731), supplied plot mozart s opera idomeneo (1781).

with message of world peace, simplicity , brotherhood of man, télémaque favorite of montesquieu , of jean-jacques rousseau, , through him of french revolutionaries , of german romantics such johann gottfried herder (1744–1803), approvingly quotes fénelon s remark love family more myself; more family fatherland; more fatherland humankind . favorite of thomas jefferson, re-read frequently.

one critic explains popularity of télémaque way:

fénelon s story stood powerful rebuke aristocratic court culture dominated european societies, perceived artificiality, hypocrisy, , monumental selfishness. book did not express these feelings; helped shape , popularize them. wellspring of sentimentality, river of tenderly shed tears flow straight through eighteenth century, fed richardson, greuze, , rousseau, among others, pour out broad sea of romanticism.

influence on rousseau

in rousseau s Émile (1762), treatise on education, eponymous pupil given 2 novels (although young man, reads poetry , other literature): child given daniel defoe s robinson crusoe inculcate him in resourcefulness , self-reliance; , when becomes young man, political treatise télémaque, put hands intended, sophie, has read , fallen in love fictional hero.

the education of Émile completed journey during institutions of various nations studied. tutor inculcates principles him sum essentials of social contract. telemachus in hand teacher , pupil establish scale of measurement judging various existing societies. fénelon s story presents models , counter models of monarchs. princes , governments of real world compared them.

in rousseau s novel, Émile , tutor travel salento (which formerly included of calabria , apulia, italy), seek idomeneo , whom fénelon s novel had relocated former kingdom in crete kingship of new , reformed government.

contrary louis xiv, whom resembles in many traits of character, idomeneus renounces conquest , able make peace neighbors. prosperous fields , laborious capital schools of virtue, law rules on monarch himself. here brought down noble , frugal simplicity, and, in harmony of strictly hierarchical society, combines in common utility.

later reception

tennyson, in poem ulysses (1842), may implication referring fénelon s conception of telemachus s stodgy civilizing mission, (from point of view of romantic aesthetics, valued poetic lyricism on moralistic prose) antiquated, meritorious: