European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

In this period of sanitary crisis – Covid-2019, the article investigates the fictional portrayal of women in Charles Perrault’s and Voltaire’s writings. By analyzing the tales, we examine the gender-specific elements put forward in the philosopher’s prose and thus to define a possible contribution to current women rights. In an effort, first, to determine the historical and social context, a consideration of “the image of women in 18th century France” has been established. Then the author derives from the observation of several critical studies, emphasizing on Charles Perrault’s and Voltaire’s contradictory attitude towards women. Therefore, this chapter attempts to provide an intelligible answer to the question if the free-thinker must be considered as a misogynist or as a precursor of feminism. The main part of this paper presents a synthetic overview, as well as a descriptive analysis of the female protagonists’ profile, followed by a discussion of a few remarkable main characters and, finally, a review of closely related themes. The study concludes that, despite the strong masculine values dominating his epoch, Charles Perrault’s and Voltaire’s fictional work, in its historical definition, can partly be considered as a key in feminist efforts.