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Articles

Volume 12, Number 2 (1987)

The Bible and Myth in Antonine Maillet's Pélagie-la-Charette

  • Paul G. Socken
Submitted
May 22, 2008
Published
1987-06-06

Abstract

The story in Antonine Maillet's Pélagie-la-Charette is the Biblical account of the exodus in a modern context enhanced and reinforced by elements of mythology. The Acadians are compared to the Israelites, with Pélagie as Moses. As in Exodus, Maillet's characters depend heavily upon ritual and symbolism. In addition to Biblical allegory, the novel uses patterns and symbols associated with ancient mythology. There is a constant repetition of events and of dialogue, linking past, present, and future; this not only mythologizes the novel, but also confirms the motifs of renewal and rebirth. Ultimately, the cumulative effect of the two kinds of imagery is to convey the idea that Acadia's return is part of an eternal cycle.