[My Life], as Benjamin Constant entitled his manuscript, is an autobiographical text spanning 1767-1787. It was first published in 1907 by Charlotte de Constant, who gave it the now current title
Le Cahier rouge[The Red Notebook]. References in the text indicate that it was written essentially in 1811 (Roulin: 94, 108). Clearly it is the mature Constant who narrates and quite often comments on the young Benjamin’s story. Though loosely constructed, the narrative covers four recognizable phases: childhood (1767-1779); student life (1779-1785); stays in Paris, Brussels and Switzerland, when Benjamin met several women who mattered in his life (1785-1787); and a return visit to Britain (1787). Benjamin’s childhood was largely entrusted to governors, for his mother had died days…
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Citation: Morrison, Ian. "Cahier Rouge". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 27 April 2022 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=6201, accessed 23 November 2024.]
