ENTRE L’ICI-BAS ET L’AU-DELÀ DANS L’ŒUVRE D’ANNE HÉBERT

Abstract

The work of Anne Hébert, a prominent figure in Québécois literature, reflects an existential struggle where life and death are intimately intertwined. In her novels, death is not merely an end but marks the beginning of a new existence, as tangible as life itself. Through an in-depth analysis of the story « Le torrent » and other works, this study explores the notion of the struggle for life within her fictional universe. The characters evolve in a liminal space where death exerts a fascination tinged with fear. Hébert develops a cyclical vision of existence, illustrated by the interactions between the living and the dead, highlighting a continuity beyond death. The characters undergo constant metamorphoses and frequently confront their own inner torment, revealing a profound duality between life-affirming and death-driven impulses. This duality is embodied through transitional figures, such as the horse, and natural elements like water. By analyzing the characters’ interactions with these elements, this article sheds light on the integral fusion between the world of the living and the dead, where life transforms into death and where the forces of Eros and Thanatos converge.