Le Flaubert réel establishes a new concept of realism in Flaubert research. This re-definition is the result on the one hand of an occupation with disciplines such as medicine and psychiatry. On the other, following Hegels definition of Romantic art and Auerbachs studies on the gospel and realism, modern literature has its primal scene in the incarnation and crucifixion. It is born out of the spirit of an anti-christian Christianity, which turns out to be a metamorphosis of antique idolatries. Yet this progressive gestus of a critique of Christianity only provides one aspect. On the back of this irony, Flaubert establishes modern literature by unfathomably out-christianising Christianity beyond all secularisation.

Barbara Vinken, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München;Peter Fröhlicher, Universität Zürich, Schweiz.