Drieu La Rochelle and the Fiction of Testimony

This study aims to reassess the literary importance of Drieu La Rochelle, focusing on his fiction rather than political or moral judgments. Drieu's conception of literature makes it difficult to entirely separate the artist from the man, as his work often intertwines the personal and the political. In analyzing Drieu's fiction, the complexities and contradictions that emerge from his characters reflect the internal struggles he faced, especially in relation to his political stance. These nuances, often overlooked in traditional political critiques, lead to a portrayal of Drieu as a reluctant fascist, one who grappled with various human commitments—whether in his roles as husband, lover, soldier, or man of letters.

While critics may point to Drieu's actions as a collaborator during the occupation and his ambiguous stance on antisemitism as evidence of his political commitment, this study argues that Drieu's reluctance permeated all aspects of his life, including his fascism. Drieu's complex character does not easily fit into a simplistic political framework, and his ambivalence towards his political ideology speaks to broader contradictions within his personal and artistic identity. Coming from an opposing political perspective, the study strives to be as objective and understanding as possible, placing Drieu's literary works at the forefront of the analysis and offering a nuanced view of his complicated legacy.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1958.