“Exploring the Richness of Apuleius’ L’Âne d’or: A Study Day for Researchers and Literature Aggregators”

SATURDAY 3 JUNE 2023 (2 p.m.-5.30 p.m.)

Ecole Normale Supérieure (45 rue d’Ulm), Resistance Hall (1^is stage)

For several years, L’Âne d’or is the subject of renewed interest in different branches of knowledge, from narratology to reception studies, including the history of religions. We take advantage of its registration in the comparative literature program of the external aggregation of modern letters to connect researchers and teachers who are interested in these different aspects of the work, while proposing elements of reflection or deepening for the aggregates before the oral tests on the “Animal fiction” program.

This study day, which is therefore aimed both at researchers interested in Apuleius and at modern literature aggregators, will be organized into five short interventions devoted to very varied aspects of the work and the problems it poses. . We will thus be interested in the genericity of the work, between narrative fiction and satire, by questioning the animality of its protagonist (J. Soler) and the religious elements that enamel the text (N. Correard). We will broaden the question of characters by questioning the female role in the economy of narration (S. Hébert). Finally, we will give perspectives of openness to work on L’Âne d’or by showing the limits of the categories of modern literary analysis on an ancient text (C. Rouanet), before concluding on elements of study of reception, which will show other images of L’Âne d’or (C. Boidin et T. Mauffrey).

As much as possible, we want to open the dialogue between researchers, teachers and future teachers, in order to multiply the perspectives on the text and show all its richness.

Program (2 p.m.-5.30 p.m.):

2 p.m.: Welcome and introductory remarks (Carole Boidin and Cyril Rouanet)

2:30 p.m.: “The Metamorphoses of Apuleius: an animal autofiction? » (Joelle Soler, Paris Sorbonne University)

3:00 p.m.: “Of the restlessness of the soul: how far does religious satire go in L’Ane d’or ? » (Nicolas Correard, University of Nantes)

3:30 p.m.: “Female characters who prepare the union of Lucius with Isis” (Séléna Hébert, Academy of Lille)

Discussion and break

4:15 p.m.: “Elements for a problematization of the categories of analysis of L’Âne d’or : a dialogue between Antiquity and modern literary studies » (Cyril Rouanet, College of France)

4:45 p.m.: “Apulée seen from elsewhere: receptions and re-readings far from L’Âne d’or (concluding remarks) (Carole Boidin, Paris Nanterre University, and Tristan Mauffrey, Sorbonne Nouvelle University).

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Videoconference link available on request: cyril.rouanet@college-de-france.fr