Some French Books of 1922

Extract

In an article on French literature during 1921, which was published in this review last April, emphasis was laid on what was named the ‘stationary’ character of present-day French literature. The principal cause of this, it was suggested, was to be found in the abnormal loss of her young writers and intellectuals which France suffered in the war. In the course of the past year a change seems to have come about. Without giving any comprehensive account of French literature for the last twelve months it would be impossible to state all the reasons for this impression, but close students of France’s literary production would probably agree that, although it would be idle to generalise too confidently, more idle still to talk with any definiteness of new ‘tendencies,’ yet there has been a greater spontaneity, a greater virility, less aimlessness or wanton experiment in the past year than during any year since the Armistice.

In fiction, which it is natural to take first, that being the department of literature in which France excels and best gives expression to her national genius, an increasing number of young writers have appeared, full of promise. Among those who unhappily did not survive to fulfil their promise, or rather, we should say in this connection, extend it, the most remarkable was Louis Hemon. His novel of French-Canadian life, Maria Chapdelaine, really belongs to 1921 and, as it was translated into English not long ago, little need be said of it here.