Émile de Girardin

Research Status: Comprehensive Last Updated: 2025-01-23 Diary Coverage: Book 13 (1879), Book 14 (1880)

Émile de Girardin (1806-1881) was a prominent French journalist, newspaper publisher, and political figure. He founded the influential newspaper La Presse in 1836 and was known for his innovative journalism and political writing.

In Marie's diary:

• 1880-11-21: Marie reads his brochure "L'égale de l'homme" (The Equal of Man), a work advocating for women's equality. She finds the writing "filandreux" (wordy/rambling) despite a certain abruptness, and criticizes its logic as "not logical at all." However, she concludes "malgré tout c'est bon puisque c'est en faveur de l'égalité" (despite everything it's good since it's in favor of equality).

Historical context: Girardin was married to Delphine Gay, herself a prominent writer and society figure. He was one of the early advocates for women's rights in France, publishing works arguing for women's legal and social equality. His writing style was often criticized for being diffuse and overly rhetorical, which aligns with Marie's assessment.

Key works:

• "L'égale de l'homme" (The Equal of Man) - feminist treatise
• Founder of La Presse (1836) - revolutionary low-cost daily newspaper
• Political essays and journalism throughout his career

Significance to Marie: Reading Girardin's feminist work coincides with Marie's growing interest in the women's movement. Despite her literary criticism, she values the work's pro-equality stance. This reading directly precedes her decision to visit Hubertine Auclert and become involved in the women's rights movement. It also inspires her to pursue formal education, resolving to earn at least a baccalauréat ès lettres to be intellectually prepared for women's emergence from "humiliation."

Marie's critical yet pragmatic reading of Girardin shows her intellectual maturity—she can appreciate a work's political value while remaining unimpressed by its literary merit.