Passion et pouvoir. Lespinasse et Diderot dans leurs lettres d'amour - article ; n°1 ; vol.20, pg 7-20

Recherches sur Diderot et sur l'Encyclopédie - Année 1996 - Volume 20 - Numéro 1 - Pages 7-20
Jürgen Siess : Passion and Power. Lespinasse and Diderot in their love letters.
Although the love letters of Julie de Lespinasse and Diderot are private, one can nevertheless see in the way the two write about love the implicit power relations which come from sexual difference. Diderot, inspired by the myth of the androgyn, dreams of unity between male and female, but he is not ready to question his position as an active dominant man. Julie, on the other hand, prefers a passion which involves the whole being, while still wishing for equality between the sexes. The reasons for this difference are linked to the social status of the two writers, for the hostess of a salon does not have the same independence as an established author and his inequality seems to be associated with sexual difference. Correspondence is here seen as a space in which reflection on the link between private and public relationships can be carried on.
14 pages
Source : Persée ; Ministère de la jeunesse, de l’éducation nationale et de la recherche, Direction de l’enseignement supérieur, Sous-direction des bibliothèques et de la documentation.