(A)céphales of modernity. Transformations of the “headless women” theme in Émile Zola’s novel Au Bonheur des Dames

The article reflects on the “headless woman” motif, taking into account its transhistorical and transsemiotic character, in Émile Zola’s novel Au Bonheur des Dames. The eleventh volume of Les Rougon- Macquart describes the moment of the transition from the economy of the “ancien regime” to capitalism. This naturalistic view of socio-economic modernity is reflected in the depiction of figures, mainly female ones. The aim of the article is to show that although the presentation of the new femininity is based on the old figure of ambivalence, this time the axis of opposition runs between the “hysterical fever of novelty” and reason or logic.

The article reflects on the “headless woman” motif, taking into account its transhistorical and transsemiotic character, in Émile Zola’s novel Au Bonheur des Dames. The eleventh volume of Les Rougon- Macquart describes the moment of the transition from the economy of the “ancien regime” to capitalism. This naturalistic view of socio-economic modernity is reflected in the depiction of figures, mainly female ones. The aim of the article is to show that although the presentation of the new femininity is based on the old figure of ambivalence, this time the axis of opposition runs between the “hysterical fever of novelty” and reason or logic.