Tea with the Divorcees: Five’o Clock Figures

Promulgated in July 1884, the divorce law introduces a new character in late nineteenth century French literature: the figure of the divorcee. This woman, who is very little portrayed in novels, however intrigues the press because of her unprecedented social status. In the short stories published in newspapers, the divorced woman often appears at tea time, a gallant Parisian hour that serves as a setting for gossip. The aim of this paper is therefore to enlighten, by using a sociopoetic approach, these figures of the crépuscule.