Elsa Triolet: The politics of a committed writer

Abstract

Elsa Triolet (1896–1970) was an important literary and political figure on the Left in Europe. The first woman to win the Prix Goncourt, she was also a decorated heroine of the French Resistance and a peace activist in the post-war era. She was a journalist, a biographer, a translator of Russian prose and poetry, a theater critic and, most important, a novelist whose books are a unique blend of political engagement, humor and fantasy. Unfortunately, the politics of the Cold War have obscured Triolet's many achievements. Married to Louis Aragon, member of the Central Committee of the French Communist Party, she herself was inevitably identified as a communist writer and therefore, could be safely ignored by the non-communist critics. Yet, she never conformed to the dictates of Socialist Realism and was far too intellectually independent to have the approval of the Party. Thus, she was neglected by the Left as well. But today, the radical and feminist themes of many of her novels have sparked a renewed interest in her work.