La Brière
Encyclopedia
La Brière is a 1923 novel by Alphonse de Chateaubriant
that won the Grand prix du roman de l'Académie française
for that year.
The novel is set in the rustic fenland landscape west of Nantes
, known as Brière
, in which the traditional occupation of peat-cutting is becoming increasingly unsustainable as the peat runs out. The independence of the local population is threatened by outsiders, who have plans for modernisation.
after a long trip, he discovers that his wife, Nathalie, has sold the family linen to fund their estranged son who lives in Nantes. Aoustin had cursed his son for marrying a Nantes girl, rather than a local Brièronne. His daughter Théotiste now also wants to marry a lad from outside the region, from a despised village of basket weavers, who are traditionally looked down upon by the independent-minded fenlanders. Aoustin utterly refuses to give her hand in marriage to the youth, Jeanin. He leaves his wife and daughter to live in his childhood cottage and rejoice in his independence and the traditional ways of fenland life.
Meanwhile, the local mayors are attempting to resist a drainage and modernisation project that threatens the independence of the Brièrons. Aoustin is given the task of finding a lost historical document signed by Louis XVI confirming the rights of the local people. He travels throughout the fens to find whether any of the locals possess it, eventually locating it in the home of Florence, a madwoman who lives inside an ancient dolmen
.
Théotiste seeks Aoustin out, telling him that she is pregnant by Jeanin, but he still refuses to assent to the marriage, insisting that he will curse the couple. The superstitious Théotiste takes this threat seriously since her brother's wife died after her father's curse. Aoustin also contrives to have Jeanin arrested for poaching ducks. Jeanin seeks revenge, and when Aoustin is sent to Nantes to deposit the document Jeanin shoots him during his return journey. Théotiste, anxiously seeking Jeanin, gets lost in the marshes, suffers a miscarriage, and spends the night sheltering in Florence's dolmen. Aoustin survives the shooting, but loses his hand. He refuses to give Jeanin up to the police, but seeks revenge himself.
Théotiste is accused by a spiteful neighbour of having given birth and drowned her child in the marsh. She is arrested, but released through lack of evidence. Jeanin now refuses to marry her because of her "shame", and Théotiste is shunned by most of the community. Aoustin has a false wooden hand made to replace his loss. He kidnaps Jeanin, intending to kill him and bury him under his cottage, but news arrives that Théotiste has had a mental breakdown. He locks Jeanin up, and attempts to take the deranged Théotiste through the marshes to a hospital. He cannot control his boat adequately with his wooden hand, and gets lost in the freezing cold marsh. During the night Théotiste dies. In despair, Aoustin returns to his cottage but cannot bring himself to kill Jeanin. He lets him go.
in a style of pictorialist naturalism. The music from the film by Paul Ladmirault
was published as the Symphonic poem
, La Brière.
In 1926 an edition illustrated by René-Yves Creston
was published.
Alphonse de Châteaubriant
Alphonse Van Bredenbeck de Châteaubriant was a French writer who won the Prix Goncourt in 1911 for his novel Monsieur de Lourdines and Grand prix du roman de l'Académie française for La Brière in 1923....
that won the Grand prix du roman de l'Académie française
Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française
Le Grand Prix du Roman is a French literary award, created in 1918, and given each year by the Académie française. Along with the Prix Goncourt, it is one of the oldest and most prestigious literary awards in France...
for that year.
The novel is set in the rustic fenland landscape west of Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
, known as Brière
Brière
Brière is the marsh area to the north of the Loire estuary in France at its mouth on the Atlantic Ocean. The residents of Brière are called Brièrons...
, in which the traditional occupation of peat-cutting is becoming increasingly unsustainable as the peat runs out. The independence of the local population is threatened by outsiders, who have plans for modernisation.
Synopsis
Aoustin, a rough peat-cutter and "ranger" employed to protect the traditional rights of the people of Brière, comes into conflict with his wife and daughter. Having returned home to the ile de FédrunSaint-Joachim
Saint-Joachim is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France. It is in the centre of the Brière marsh, and comprises a group of "islands" within the marsh.-References:*...
after a long trip, he discovers that his wife, Nathalie, has sold the family linen to fund their estranged son who lives in Nantes. Aoustin had cursed his son for marrying a Nantes girl, rather than a local Brièronne. His daughter Théotiste now also wants to marry a lad from outside the region, from a despised village of basket weavers, who are traditionally looked down upon by the independent-minded fenlanders. Aoustin utterly refuses to give her hand in marriage to the youth, Jeanin. He leaves his wife and daughter to live in his childhood cottage and rejoice in his independence and the traditional ways of fenland life.
Meanwhile, the local mayors are attempting to resist a drainage and modernisation project that threatens the independence of the Brièrons. Aoustin is given the task of finding a lost historical document signed by Louis XVI confirming the rights of the local people. He travels throughout the fens to find whether any of the locals possess it, eventually locating it in the home of Florence, a madwoman who lives inside an ancient dolmen
Dolmen
A dolmen—also known as a portal tomb, portal grave, dolmain , cromlech , anta , Hünengrab/Hünenbett , Adamra , Ispun , Hunebed , dös , goindol or quoit—is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of...
.
Théotiste seeks Aoustin out, telling him that she is pregnant by Jeanin, but he still refuses to assent to the marriage, insisting that he will curse the couple. The superstitious Théotiste takes this threat seriously since her brother's wife died after her father's curse. Aoustin also contrives to have Jeanin arrested for poaching ducks. Jeanin seeks revenge, and when Aoustin is sent to Nantes to deposit the document Jeanin shoots him during his return journey. Théotiste, anxiously seeking Jeanin, gets lost in the marshes, suffers a miscarriage, and spends the night sheltering in Florence's dolmen. Aoustin survives the shooting, but loses his hand. He refuses to give Jeanin up to the police, but seeks revenge himself.
Théotiste is accused by a spiteful neighbour of having given birth and drowned her child in the marsh. She is arrested, but released through lack of evidence. Jeanin now refuses to marry her because of her "shame", and Théotiste is shunned by most of the community. Aoustin has a false wooden hand made to replace his loss. He kidnaps Jeanin, intending to kill him and bury him under his cottage, but news arrives that Théotiste has had a mental breakdown. He locks Jeanin up, and attempts to take the deranged Théotiste through the marshes to a hospital. He cannot control his boat adequately with his wooden hand, and gets lost in the freezing cold marsh. During the night Théotiste dies. In despair, Aoustin returns to his cottage but cannot bring himself to kill Jeanin. He lets him go.
Other versions
The novel was filmed in the year after its publication by Léon PoirierLéon Poirier
Léon Poirier was a French film director, screenwriter and film producer best known for his silent films from 1913 onwards. He directed some 25 films between 1913 and 1949 .His most famous film today is his drama-documentary depicting the World War I Battle of Verdun...
in a style of pictorialist naturalism. The music from the film by Paul Ladmirault
Paul Ladmirault
Paul Ladmirault was a French composer whose music expressed his devotion to Brittany.-Life:Ladmirault was born in Nantes. A child prodigy, he learned piano, organ and violin from an early age. At the age of 8, he composed a sonata for violin and piano. At the age of fifteen, when still a student...
was published as the Symphonic poem
Symphonic poem
A symphonic poem or tone poem is a piece of orchestral music in a single continuous section in which the content of a poem, a story or novel, a painting, a landscape or another source is illustrated or evoked. The term was first applied by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt to his 13 works in this vein...
, La Brière.
In 1926 an edition illustrated by René-Yves Creston
René-Yves Creston
René-Yves Creston , born René Pierre Joseph Creston, was a Breton artist, designer and ethnographer who founded the Breton nationalist art movement Seiz Breur...
was published.