Sang, mort et morbidité dans Madame Gervaisais

Attempts to focus on the causes of the heroine's progressive hysteria in the Goncourts' last novel, Madame Gervaisais. Just as other cases of women the Goncourt studied, Madame Gervaisais is not merely a victim of circumstances but an active participant in the perversion of her own senses. The object of her fixation is blood that represents for her art, sensuality, religion and ultimately salvation. Her obsession culminates in physical masochism and self-destructive vampirism. (In French) (FC-H)