Open AccessLourdes. Processioner og kraft i Zolas roman Valfartsstedet
Author(s) -
Katrine Frøkjær Baunvig
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
religionsvidenskabeligt tidsskrift
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.111
H-Index - 3
eISSN - 1904-8181
pISSN - 0108-1993
DOI - 10.7146/rt.v0i66.104055
Subject(s) - humanities , art , art history , personalism , feudalism , philosophy , cartography , law , theology , political science , politics , geography
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This article outlines the emergence of Lourdes as a shrine. This sketch records how procession practices seem important in the cultural grounding of the site. But the article's real center of attention is a study of how French author-jounalist and intellectual, Republican free-thinker, Émile Zola’s novel Lourdes depicts processions. The novel is driven forth by a critique of contemporary religious life. Nevertheless, this critique is somewhat softened in the description of the ritual performances of the processions. Pertaining in particular to the interest in force-metaphors, Zola in these passages shows a perhaps surprising resemblance to formative figures within the study of religion such as Émile Durkheim.DANSK RESUME: Denne artikel skitserer fremvæksten af Lourdes som helligsted fra midten til slutningen af 1800-tallet. Denne skitse tegner blandt andet konturerne af processionspraksissers betydning for helligtstedets etablering. Men artiklens egentlige tyngdepunkt er undersøgelsen af processionsskildringerne i den franske forfatter-journalist og intellektuelle, republikanske fritænker Émile Zolas roman Valfartsstedet fra 1894. Denne roman er en religions- og samtidskritik; men denne kritik nedtones påfaldende i beskrivelserne af processioners kraft og virkning. I disse passager viser Zola et måske overraskende slægtskab med den formative religionsvidenskabs interesse for ’religiøse kræfter’ som den formuleres fx hos Émile Durkheim.