About the Text
Clelia (French: Clelie, formally titled Clelia, an excellent new Romance) was written and published between 1654 and 1661 by Madeleine de Scudery, and consists of ten volumes. By this time she had an already-established reading public and met their expectations in this “mixture of historical events with imaginary ones” (Aronson 82). Clelia is considered a “roman a clef” because many of the characters in the novel paralleled real people in Scudery’s contemporary society, though it is not always clear who represents who.
Important Characters
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Clelia: Daughter of Clelius, lover to Aronce, and the female protagonist of the romance. She is often associated with the literary “birth of the heroine” (Glenieys 33).
Aronce: Found by Clelius as an infant, and subsequently raised by him. Clelie’s lover. Clelius: Clelie’s father, proud, patriotic, and insists on a Roman-born man to marry his daughter. |
Horace: Clelie’s abductor, also in love with her, and approved by Clelius because he is Roman.
Tarquin: a brutal king who takes Rome, loses it, then plots to retake it. Porsenna: Aronce’s real father, who allies with Tarquin to take Rome. Brutus: a member of Tarquin’s family who secretly plots to free Rome from Tarquin’s rule. |
Synopsis
Map of Tender (Carte du tendre) produced by Catherine de Rambouille,
among others, as it appeared in Madeleine de Scudéry's Clélie
among others, as it appeared in Madeleine de Scudéry's Clélie
There are three major plotlines in Clelia.
The novel begins with preparations for Clelia and Aronce’s wedding, which is interrupted by an earthquake which separates the two lovers. Clelia is abducted by Aronce’s rival, Horace, whom her father, Clelius, actually preferred. Aronce, who was taken in by Clelius as an infant, learns that his actual parents are the Princess Galerite and Porsenna, king of Clusium. While pursuing Clelie, Aronce’s father, Porsenna, escapes prison, retakes his kingdom, and commands Aronce to abandon his search for Clelia, since she is Roman.
Porsenna aligns himself with Tarquin, a cruel king, and around this time, Clelia falls into Tarquin’s hands. He falls in love with Clelia, unaware that she is the daughter of Clelius, one of his enemies. Tarquin’s equally cruel son, Sextus, also falls in love with Clelia, and this keeps him from harming her when he discovers who she is.
Brutus, a member of this royal family, enters the scene. He was educated abroad and, realizing the threat he posed to the throne as a male member of the family, pretends he is mentally ill upon arriving home. He is provided with a wife, and they eventually have two sons, and even his immediately family is unaware that he is not mentally ill. Brutus is committed to freeing Rome from Targuin’s tyrannical reign.
After Brutus’ wife dies, he comes into contact with a Lucrece who, through poetry, realizes that he is not actually mentally impaired. He confesses to her that he is plotting to overthrow Tarquin and free Rome. Lucrece’s father finds a letter from Brutus which reveals his intentions, and forces her to marry Collatin in order for Brutus’ life to be spared. Collatin and Lucrece move away, and Collatin invites Sextus to his house to show Lucrece off. Sextus rapes Lucrece, and she stabs herself in front of her father, husband, and Brutus. Brutus, overcome with emotion, declares revenge for Lucrece’s death. The Romans, believing that Brutus has come to his right mind, assist him in overthrowing Tarquin. Tarquin enlists Porsenna, and they attempt to reconquer the city. They attack Rome and the two sides eventually come to a truce. Cleliais sent as a hostage to Porsenna, but Tarquin’s wife, Tullie, lies to him because she wants the war on Rome to continue. She also insists that Aronce is a traitor, and he is subsequently put in prison.
Meanwhile, Lucrece appears to Clelia in a dream and warns her that Sextus is planning on abducting her. Clelia runs away and swims across to Tiber, reaching Rome. When she gets there, however, she is forced to return to Porsenna by Rome because of the armistice. Porsenna appreciates the Romans’ honest and is charmed by Clelia. He discovers his son is not a traitor, and allows Aronce to marry Clelia, thus making peace with Rome (Aronson 84-86).
There are twelve subplots in the novel, which are presented in the form of stories told to the main characters. Often these stories are commentary on love. One of the most famous parts of Clelia is the Carte de Tendre, an allegorical explanation of the perils, and rewards, of love. The ideal love is formulated as a tender, platonic love in which a woman can remain “happy, independent, and mistress of her destiny” (Aronson 94). Marriage, however, particularly contractual marriage, ruins this possibility.
The novel begins with preparations for Clelia and Aronce’s wedding, which is interrupted by an earthquake which separates the two lovers. Clelia is abducted by Aronce’s rival, Horace, whom her father, Clelius, actually preferred. Aronce, who was taken in by Clelius as an infant, learns that his actual parents are the Princess Galerite and Porsenna, king of Clusium. While pursuing Clelie, Aronce’s father, Porsenna, escapes prison, retakes his kingdom, and commands Aronce to abandon his search for Clelia, since she is Roman.
Porsenna aligns himself with Tarquin, a cruel king, and around this time, Clelia falls into Tarquin’s hands. He falls in love with Clelia, unaware that she is the daughter of Clelius, one of his enemies. Tarquin’s equally cruel son, Sextus, also falls in love with Clelia, and this keeps him from harming her when he discovers who she is.
Brutus, a member of this royal family, enters the scene. He was educated abroad and, realizing the threat he posed to the throne as a male member of the family, pretends he is mentally ill upon arriving home. He is provided with a wife, and they eventually have two sons, and even his immediately family is unaware that he is not mentally ill. Brutus is committed to freeing Rome from Targuin’s tyrannical reign.
After Brutus’ wife dies, he comes into contact with a Lucrece who, through poetry, realizes that he is not actually mentally impaired. He confesses to her that he is plotting to overthrow Tarquin and free Rome. Lucrece’s father finds a letter from Brutus which reveals his intentions, and forces her to marry Collatin in order for Brutus’ life to be spared. Collatin and Lucrece move away, and Collatin invites Sextus to his house to show Lucrece off. Sextus rapes Lucrece, and she stabs herself in front of her father, husband, and Brutus. Brutus, overcome with emotion, declares revenge for Lucrece’s death. The Romans, believing that Brutus has come to his right mind, assist him in overthrowing Tarquin. Tarquin enlists Porsenna, and they attempt to reconquer the city. They attack Rome and the two sides eventually come to a truce. Cleliais sent as a hostage to Porsenna, but Tarquin’s wife, Tullie, lies to him because she wants the war on Rome to continue. She also insists that Aronce is a traitor, and he is subsequently put in prison.
Meanwhile, Lucrece appears to Clelia in a dream and warns her that Sextus is planning on abducting her. Clelia runs away and swims across to Tiber, reaching Rome. When she gets there, however, she is forced to return to Porsenna by Rome because of the armistice. Porsenna appreciates the Romans’ honest and is charmed by Clelia. He discovers his son is not a traitor, and allows Aronce to marry Clelia, thus making peace with Rome (Aronson 84-86).
There are twelve subplots in the novel, which are presented in the form of stories told to the main characters. Often these stories are commentary on love. One of the most famous parts of Clelia is the Carte de Tendre, an allegorical explanation of the perils, and rewards, of love. The ideal love is formulated as a tender, platonic love in which a woman can remain “happy, independent, and mistress of her destiny” (Aronson 94). Marriage, however, particularly contractual marriage, ruins this possibility.
Historical References
This novel takes place in 6th century BC Rome and has some historical basis, though Scudery took liberties with many aspects of the plotline. Clelia was a well-known heroine from ancient Roman history, and readers familiar with Roman history would also have recognized other characters such as Horatius, Mutius, Brutus, and Lucrece. It is evident that Scudery was familiar with Livy’s History of Rome, Plutarch’s The Parallel Lives, and Dionysius of Halicarnassus’ Roman Antiquities (Aronson 82-3).
See the Clelia Textual References page to learn more about the use of this romance in Charlotte Lennox's novel.
See the Clelia Textual References page to learn more about the use of this romance in Charlotte Lennox's novel.
