The Mourning of Cassandra: Yourcenar, a Case of Solastalgia?

Walter Wagner

Abstract


The article explores the question of whether and to what extent Yourcenar’s non-fictional works illustrate the concept of solastalgia, referring to the suffering caused by environmental degradation or destruction. Based on this hypothesis, first the ecological issues mentioned in the relevant texts will be identified. Then, the environmental rhetoric used by Yourcenar will be studied in order to differentiate between solastalgia and terms which denote similar ideas such as nostalgia, ecological grief, and eco-anxiety. Finally, the resilience strategies adopted by Yourcenar will be explored to find out whether she achieves peace of mind in the face of increasing ecological challenges.


Keywords


ecology; solastalgia; nostalgia; ecological grief; eco-anxiety

References


Albrecht, G. A. (2005). “Solastalgia”. A New Concept in Health and Identity. PAN : Philosophy, Activism, Nature, 3, 44–59.

Albrecht, G. A. (2019). Earth Emotions. New Words for a New World. Cornell University Press.

Askland, H. H., & Brunn, M. (2017). Lived experiences of environmental change : Solastalgia, power and place. Emotion, Space and Society, 27, 16–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emospa.2018.02.003

Böhme, G. (1989). Für eine ökologische Naturästhetik. Suhrkamp.

Coffey, Y., Bhullar, N., Durkin, J., Islam, S., & Usher, K. (2021). Understanding Eco-anxiety: A Systematic Scoping Review of Current Literature and Identified Knowledge Gaps. The Journal of Climate Change and Health, 3, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joclim.2021.100047

Cunsolo, A., & Ellis, N. R. (2018). Ecological grief as a mental health response to climate change-related loss. Nature Climate Change, 8(4), 275–281. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-018-0092-2

Dubois, P. (2021). Le chagrin écologique. Petit traité de solastalgie. Seuil.

Finkielkraut, A. (2019, 29 août). Plaidoyer pour une écologie poétique. Le Figaro, 19.

Fuller, G. (2017). Von der heiteren Hoffnungslosigkeit im Angesicht der ökologischen Katastrophe (2e éd.). Meiner. (Original work published 1993)

Galway, L. P., Beery, T., Jones-Casey, K., & Tasala, K. (2019). Mapping the Solastalgia Literature: A Scoping Review Study. In International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(15), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16152662

Gracq, J. (1989). La Terre habitable. In B. Boie (Ed.), Liberté grande. OEuvres complètes I (pp. 306–314). Gallimard. (Original work published 1946)

Meadows, D., H., Meadows, D. L., Randers, J., & Behrens III, W. W. (1974). The Limits to Growth. A Report for the Club of Rome’s Project on the Predicament of Mankind (2e éd.). Signet. (Original work published 1972)

Servigne, P., & Stevens, R. (2015). Comment tout peut s’effondrer. Petit manuel de collapsologie à l’usage des générations présentes. Seuil.

Usher, K., Durkin, J., & Bhullar, N. (2019). Eco-anxiety: How thinking about climate changerelated environmental decline is affecting our mental health. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 28(6), 1233–1234. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12673

Wagner, W. (2009). Un homme obscur : le testament écologique de Marguerite Yourcenar. Écho des études romanes. Revue semestrielle de linguistique et littérature romanes, V(1-2), 89–100.

Wagner, W. (2017). « Notre monde de fin de monde ». Sur la rhétorique apocalyptique de Marguerite Yourcenar. SIEY, 38, 73–89.

Wilson, E. O. (1984). Biophilia. Harvard University Press.

Yourcenar, M. (1972). Patrick de Rosbo. Entretiens radiophoniques avec Marguerite Yourcenar. Mercure de France.

Yourcenar, M. (1979). Présentation critique d’Hortense Flexner suivie d’un choix de Poèmes. Gallimard.

Yourcenar, M. (1980). Les yeux ouverts. Entretiens avec Matthieu Galey. Le Centurion.

Yourcenar, M. (1988). « …Si nous voulons encore essayer de sauver la Terre… ». In N. Duplé (Ed.), Le droit à la qualité de l’environnement : un droit en devenir, un droit à définir. Actes de la Ve

Conférence de droit constitutionnel (pp. 21–33). Éditions Québec/Amérique.

Yourcenar, M. (1991). Souvenirs pieux. In M. Yourcenar, Essais et Mémoires (pp. 705–949). Gallimard. (Original work published 1974)

Yourcenar, M. (1991). Le Temps, ce grand sculpteur. In M. Yourcenar, Essais et Mémoires (pp. 273–423). Gallimard. (Original work published 1983)

Yourcenar, M. (1991). Quoi ? L’Éternité. In M. Yourcenar, Essais et Mémoires (1185–1433). Gallimard. (Original work published 1988)

Yourcenar, M. (1995). Lettres à ses amis et quelques autres. Gallimard.

Yourcenar, M. (2002). Portrait d’une voix. Vingt-trois entretiens (1952–1987). Gallimard.

Yourcenar, M. (2003). Les trente-trois noms de Dieu (A. Halley, Ed.). Éditions Fata Morgana.

Yourcenar, M. (2011). Persévérer dans l’être. Correspondance 1961–1963 (J. Brami, & R. Poignault, Eds.). Gallimard.

Yourcenar, M. (2016). En 1939, l’Amérique commence à Bordeaux. Lettres à Emmanuel Boulot-Lamotte (1938–1980) (É. Dezon-Jones, & M. Sarde, Eds.). Gallimard.

Yourcenar, M. (2019). Le Pendant des Mémoires d’Hadrien et leur entier contraire. Correspondance 1964–1967. (D’Hadrien à Zénon, IV). Gallimard.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17951/lsmll.2025.49.2.51-61
Date of publication: 2025-07-02 14:37:24
Date of submission: 2024-03-02 15:00:30


Statistics


Total abstract view - 0
Downloads (from 2020-06-17) - PDF (Français (France)) - 0

Indicators



Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2025 Walter Dr. Wagner

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.