Le miroir brisé : le délire à l’œuvre dans Trou de mémoire
et L’Antiphonaire d’Hubert Aquin
This paper treats the question of insanity in Hubert Aquin’s novels. It studies two novels specifically: Trou de mémoire and L’Antiphonaire. Subsequently, the object of this study is that of two distinct mental illnesses: psychotic delirium (which is displayed in Trou de mémoire) and epilepsy (which is displayed in L’Antiphonaire). The subject of mental or neurological disease is approached both from a thematic and structural point of view. Even if the majority of this paper is dedicated to covering the thematic aspect of the question, the analysis of the novels structure is fundamental since one of the primary hypotheses is that the effect of mental illness reflects upon the narrative structure of both Aquin’s novels. The hypotheses proposed at the beginning are confirmed by numerous elements extracted from a number of non literary sources. As well as calling upon medical information and texts more closely linked to psychology, this research delves into the history of epilepsy, contrasting the common beliefs shared during the renaissance and those more prevalent today. Although this study borrows from numerous scientific fields, it is also interested in one aspect only lightly reviewed by those who study the theme of insanity in Aquin’s works : its impact on the narrative structure of the novels.
Hubert Aquin Structure Insanity Epilepsy Novel