Is George Sand a Novel Heroine?

George Sand is the writer who has been academically studied because of her wide range of works, her pioneer attitude in the field of women rights. Not only in the 19th century but also in this century does she hold an important place among the most read authors. In 2004 several researches were done on her works and many symposiums and conferences were held on her life and works. In addition, her works have been translated into many languages for her 200th birthday. Her colorful personality and extraordinary lifestyle, her radical attitude in the literature world not only gave her a deserved reputation but made her role model for many novelists to create women characters in their works. For instance, many critics have tried to establish close links between Camille Maupin and George Sand in the novel “Beatrix” by Balzac. It cannot be denied that there are some similarities between the two writers: the one who uses a nickname “George Sand” although her real name is Aurore Dupin and the other one -Felicite des Touches who uses the nickname Camille Maupin in the novel of Balzac. These similarities are not only important for the physical portraits but also important for moral, intellectual and soci—cultural frameworks. Both of their physical natures overlap, their love experiences and emotional fluctuations reflect the same mood, a nineteenth century unusual woman portrait is portrayed, and also both of them are exposed to negative reactions from the local people due to their free lifestyles. However, the life story of Camille Maupin shows few similarities to the life story of George Sand. The fictional character Camille Maupin is the typical hero of Balzac whereas George Sand is the one not reflected in the novel characters but is a strong model for the creation of them.

Keywords

Novelist, novel hero, comparison, portrait, fiction.