Abstract
One might consider the work of Milan Kundera as a variation on adultery. It is ripe with seducers, extra-marital liaisons and random sexual encounters. But the word must be understood in a deeper sense. While it is true that the characters in Kundera's fiction are defined to a large extent by their sexuality, this sexuality does not simply belong to the physical body but to a complex of values, ideas, meanings, phantasies and symbols, which largely determine identity. It involves a dynamic of curiosity that is possibly the foundation of all intellectual activity. Thus the term adultery does not only apply to illicit sexual activities but also, by extension, to all kinds of heterodoxy, infidelity and secrecy. The main point of this analysis is to demonstrate that Kundera in his fiction - in this case the famous short story « Edouard et Dieu » from Amours risibles - actively explores the possible dimensions of adultery in order to understand and represent the human condition.
| Translated title of the contribution | Hvorfor sige sandheden?: Utroskab og oprigtighed hos Milan Kundera |
|---|---|
| Original language | French |
| Journal | Neohelicon |
| Volume | 39 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| ISSN | 0324-4652 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2013 |
Keywords
- Faculty of Humanities