La Bruyère's Portrayal of Irène

Extract

[...] This is Irene (l.9) Passage to direct speech Direct speech allows for varying the rhythm and making the scene more lively, and as a result, Irene appears more painful. But my sight weakens + I weaken + I am no longer as healthy or as strong as I was (l.9/10) Repetition + compound past Insistence on Irène's general weakness. The compound past allows for creating a comparison between her youth and the present ? Irène's ailments are in reality linked to the fact that she is aging (loss of sight, loss of energy). [...]

[...] This creates a comedy of repetition and gives a burlesque character to the text. Lasse et recrue of fatigue (l.2) Redundancy Irene says the same thing twice because 'lasse' means 'tired': emphasis on the fact that she complains a lot. Lasse, fatigue, insomnia, no appetite, annoying, indigestion (l.2 to Vocabulary of Suffering Irene seems to be accumulating a lot of health problems that she presents as serious when they are actually very common. Few, n'to be in bed what (l.5) Adverb + restrictive negation Esculape invites Irène to have a reasonable life, the use of these two processes clearly illustrates the measure expected by the god. [...]

[...] The Characters, Irène - Jean de la Bruyère (1688) - How La Bruyère Teases Irène? - Oral bac of French Citations Procédés Analysis Irène (l.1) Etymology: Irène means 'peace' in Greek ? Antiphrase The name of the character is an antiphrase because Irène is a hypochondriac anxious person, she is therefore not at peace as her name suggests. Epidaure, Esculape, temple (l.1) Vocabulary of Antiquity Inscribed in the scene within an antique frame. At great expense + on all his ills (l.1 and 2 hyperboles Exaggerate the hypochondriac character of the character ? [...]

[...] (l.16) Restrictive turn of phrase Mocking irony of the god: if she knew all that, she wouldn't have needed to consult him ? he openly mocks her and makes her ridiculous. Shorten your days (l.16) Euphemism The euphemism highlights that if she is as ill as she claims, she is taking a mortal risk by making this journey. Show the credulity of Irene who thought to use all her strength to obtain a miracle. However, science can do nothing against the passage of time, so she must remain humble in the face of this. [...]

[...] Wear glasses (l.9) Imperative The imperative can translate an exasperation of Esculape who would have had enough of giving sensible advice to Irène. The scene takes place in Antiquity but glasses did not exist at the time: the anachronism allows the reader to understand that it is indeed the contemporaries of La Bruyère who are the target of this criticism. III- The Ironical Counsels of Esculape References Methods Analysis The shortest Irène, is to die (l.12) Lapalissade The god mocks her. [...]