Comment cerner le roman au XVIIe siècle ?

This study addresses the evolution of French seventeenth-century novel theory, with particular reference to the notion of imitation. The chosen research perspective focuses on a chronological overview of the most important French treatises by authors such as Honoré d’Urfé, Fancan, Jean-Pierre Camus, Georges de Scudéry, Pierre-Daniel Huet, Jean-Baptiste Trousset de Valincour, Jean-Antoine de Charnes and Du Plaisir. The evolution of the novel in the 17th century went hand in hand with the development of increasingly in-depth theoretical thought. Towards the end of the century, the short peritexts of the beginning of the century became autonomous treatises. However, whatever the form or length of the theoretical texts, part of the poetological reflection was regularly devoted to the problem of imitation. Critics attempted to reconcile the concept of fiction as imitation with the licence for invention specific to the novelistic genre. They found the answer by favouring a conception of imitation based on vraisemblance. On the other hand, the idea of imitating the Ancients, which had become one of the objectives of fictional creation towards the middle of the century, was gradually abandoned after the publication of The Princess of Cleves.