Roman à clef (French pronunciation:[ʁɔmɑ̃n‿akle], anglicised as /roʊˌmɒnəˈkleɪ/),[1] French for novel with a key, is a novel about real-life events that is overlaid with a façade of fiction.[2] The fictitious names in the novel represent real people, and the "key" is the relationship between the non-fiction and the fiction.[3] This metaphorical key may be produced separately—typically as an explicit guide to the text by the author—or implied, through the use of epigraphs or other literary techniques.[4]
Madeleine de Scudéry created the roman à clef in the 17th century to provide a forum for her thinly veiled fiction featuring political and public figures.[4]
The reasons an author might choose the roman à clef format include satire; writing about controversial topics and/or reporting inside information on scandals without giving rise to charges of libel; the opportunity to turn the tale the way the author would like it to have gone; the opportunity to portray personal, autobiographical experiences without having to expose the author as the subject; avoiding self-incrimination or incrimination of others that could be used as evidence in civil, criminal, or disciplinary proceedings; the ability to change the background and personalities of key participants; and the settling of scores.
Biographically inspired works have also appeared in other literary genres and art forms, notably the film à clef.
^"Definition of ROMAN À CLEF". www.merriam-webster.com.
^Serafin, Steven R.; Bendixen, Alfred (1 September 2005). The Continuum Encyclopedia of American Literature. A&C Black. p. 525. ISBN978-0-8264-1777-0.
^Ousby, Ian (23 February 1996). The Cambridge Paperback Guide to Literature in English. Cambridge University Press. ISBN978-0-521-43627-4.
^ abBoyde, Melissa (1 November 2009). "The Modernist *roman à clef* and Cultural Secrets, or, I Know that You Know that I Know that You Know". Australian Literary Studies. doi:10.20314/als.dfae519805. ISSN 0004-9697.
Referencesedit
Amos, William (1985). The Originals: Who's Really Who in Fiction. London: Cape. ISBN0-7221-1069-3.
Rintoul, M.C. (2014). Dictionary of Real People and Places in Fiction
January 01, 1970
roman, clef, french, pronunciation, ʁɔmɑ, anglicised, french, novel, with, novel, about, real, life, events, that, overlaid, with, façade, fiction, fictitious, names, novel, represent, real, people, relationship, between, fiction, fiction, this, metaphorical, . Roman a clef French pronunciation ʁɔmɑ n a kle anglicised as r oʊ ˌ m ɒ n e ˈ k l eɪ 1 French for novel with a key is a novel about real life events that is overlaid with a facade of fiction 2 The fictitious names in the novel represent real people and the key is the relationship between the non fiction and the fiction 3 This metaphorical key may be produced separately typically as an explicit guide to the text by the author or implied through the use of epigraphs or other literary techniques 4 Key to vol 2 of Delarivier Manley s The New Atalantis 1709 Madeleine de Scudery created the roman a clef in the 17th century to provide a forum for her thinly veiled fiction featuring political and public figures 4 The reasons an author might choose the roman a clef format include satire writing about controversial topics and or reporting inside information on scandals without giving rise to charges of libel the opportunity to turn the tale the way the author would like it to have gone the opportunity to portray personal autobiographical experiences without having to expose the author as the subject avoiding self incrimination or incrimination of others that could be used as evidence in civil criminal or disciplinary proceedings the ability to change the background and personalities of key participants and the settling of scores Biographically inspired works have also appeared in other literary genres and art forms notably the film a clef Contents 1 Notable examples 2 See also 3 Notes 4 ReferencesNotable examples editThe Infernal Marriage 1834 by Benjamin Disraeli A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man 1916 by James Joyce The Sun Also Rises 1926 by Ernest Hemingway The Girls of Radcliff Hall 1932 by Lord Berners La vocation suspendue 1950 by Pierre Klossowski On the Road 1957 by Jack Kerouac The Bell Jar 1963 by Sylvia Plath Answered Prayers 1986 by Truman Capote The Devil Wears Prada 2003 by Lauren WeisbergerSee also edit nbsp Novels portal Allegory Autobiografiction Autobiographical novel Autofiction Blind item Creative nonfiction Defamation Gonzo journalism List of narrative techniques Nomen a clef Non fiction novel Semi fiction Small penis rule Self insertion Author surrogate TuckerizationNotes edit Definition of ROMAN A CLEF www merriam webster com Serafin Steven R Bendixen Alfred 1 September 2005 The Continuum Encyclopedia of American Literature A amp C Black p 525 ISBN 978 0 8264 1777 0 Ousby Ian 23 February 1996 The Cambridge Paperback Guide to Literature in English Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 0 521 43627 4 a b Boyde Melissa 1 November 2009 The Modernist roman a clef and Cultural Secrets or I Know that You Know that I Know that You Know Australian Literary Studies doi 10 20314 als dfae519805 ISSN 0004 9697 References editAmos William 1985 The Originals Who s Really Who in Fiction London Cape ISBN 0 7221 1069 3 Busby Brian 2003 Character Parts Who s Really Who in CanLit Toronto Knopf Canada ISBN 0 676 97579 8 Rintoul M C 2014 Dictionary of Real People and Places in Fiction Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Roman a clef amp oldid 1215903436, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
