The purpose of our thesis is to show the important role of the woman in the novelistic autobiography of Leon l'Africain. Inspired by the Description de l'Afrique, written by the famous arab geographer Mohamed al-Wazzan ez-Zayyati, Maalouf converted this autobiography to a quest of a man in search of an identity exceeding the geographic, ethnic and religious boundaries. If he succeeded in arriving to the end of his journey, it's mainly due to the contribution of the woman who is present under different names and faces throughout the novel and who leads him to the dialogue of cultures.

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L’œuvre romanesque d’Amin Maalouf propose un traitement particulier du personnage qui dépasse le cadre habituel de son analyse. Objet de toutes les attentions mais aussi de tous les débordements, le personnage reflète l’ensemble des problématiques qui opèrent à l’intérieur de la fiction. On trouve ainsi dans les romans d’Amin Maalouf une contamination, voire même une dissémination, du personnage vers d’autres instances. Ces instances le prolongent en peuplant, à leur tour, le roman et en se proposant d’y laisser une empreinte poétique.Les métamorphoses et les mutations successives, dont le roman fait l’objet, viennent relayer sa présence, lui octroyant une dimension nouvelle. En multipliant ses appartenances et ses origines, la fiction propose un voyage à travers les multiples facettes du personnage qui lui permettent de renouer avec sa nature originelle. Tourné vers le mouvement, aspirant à se redéfinir au travers des autres instances textuelles, le personnage s’impose comme un véritable agent romanesque. La thèse propose ainsi de révéler précisément les tenants de ces métamorphoses et de ces mutations romanesques, afin de mettre en lumière les infinis prolongements qui concourent à l’élaboration d’une poétique singulière. / Amin Maalouf’s novels offer a special treatment of the character beyond the usual scope of its analysis. The object of all attention and excesses, the character reflects all issues operating within the fiction. Thus we find in Amin Maalouf’s fiction a sort of contamination, even a release of the character to other authorities. Throughout the novel these authorities extend adopt traits of the main character as personifications. They extend its presence their presence, occupy the fiction in their turn and try to leave a poetic mark.Metamorphoses and successive mutations, of which the novel is the subject, just relay its presence, giving it a new dimension. Increasing its appurtenances and its origins, fiction offers a journey through the many facets of character that allow it to return to its original nature. Facing movement, aspiring to redefine itself through other textual authorities, the character stands out as a true romantic agent.The thesis proposes to reveal precisely the proponents of these metamorphosis and mutations of fictions to highlight the infinite extensions that contribute to the development of a singular poetic.

The other side: collective memory in three novels by Amin Maalouf Collective memory is an expression which is used to describe the way in which societies reflect on their past and ensure their unity in the present. This thesis aims to show how narrative in general, and in particular in the novels of French Lebanese writer, Amin Maalouf, plays a crucial role in the transmission of collective memory. The thesis demonstrates that narrative fulfills this function in three ways. Firstly, narrative gives meaning to past events. Secondly, narrative changes and evolves over time. Lastly, narrative ensures a continual exchange between individual and collective memory. Thus, in its capacity to sustain aspects of individual and collective memory, narrative expresses the values that unite society. Central to our analysis of narrative in the work of Amin Maalouf is the concept of "l'autre côté" or "the other side". This is the expression used by Maalouf when referring to his passion for forgotten or uncomfortable aspects of Western and Arab cultural heritage. By informing the contemporary reader of the shared past, Maalouf strives to build bridges of understanding between the two groups. Maalouf's novels explore themes of origins, of exile and of memory. In the three novels we examine, the narrative is centered on the life of the hero who, endowed with exceptional qualities, is tested by the political and religious challenges of his time. The personal qualities of the hero, revealed in his dealings with the crises which form the particularity of his time, determine the orientation of collective memory. The first novel, Léon l'Africain, published in 1986, is based on the life of Hassan al-Wazzan who lived in Spain, Africa and Rome in the early sixteenth century. Hassan tells the story of his family, and of the political circumstances which led to the expulsion of the Arabs from Spain. The second novel, Les Jardins de lumière, published in 1991, examines the life of the poet, doctor and philosopher named Mani who lived in the third century A.D. In the Epilogue of the novel, the narrator states his intention of challenging the misconceptions and distortions concerning the life of Mani. In the third novel, Le Rocher de Tanios, published in 1993, the narrator sets out to find the truth concerning the events surrounding the birth, life and disappearance of the young man named Tanios, who lived in the narrator's village in Lebanon at the beginning of the nineteenth century. / Thesis (M.A.) - University of Adelaide, School of Humanities, 2009

The other side: collective memory in three novels by Amin Maalouf Collective memory is an expression which is used to describe the way in which societies reflect on their past and ensure their unity in the present. This thesis aims to show how narrative in general, and in particular in the novels of French Lebanese writer, Amin Maalouf, plays a crucial role in the transmission of collective memory. The thesis demonstrates that narrative fulfills this function in three ways. Firstly, narrative gives meaning to past events. Secondly, narrative changes and evolves over time. Lastly, narrative ensures a continual exchange between individual and collective memory. Thus, in its capacity to sustain aspects of individual and collective memory, narrative expresses the values that unite society. Central to our analysis of narrative in the work of Amin Maalouf is the concept of "l'autre côté" or "the other side". This is the expression used by Maalouf when referring to his passion for forgotten or uncomfortable aspects of Western and Arab cultural heritage. By informing the contemporary reader of the shared past, Maalouf strives to build bridges of understanding between the two groups. Maalouf's novels explore themes of origins, of exile and of memory. In the three novels we examine, the narrative is centered on the life of the hero who, endowed with exceptional qualities, is tested by the political and religious challenges of his time. The personal qualities of the hero, revealed in his dealings with the crises which form the particularity of his time, determine the orientation of collective memory. The first novel, Léon l'Africain, published in 1986, is based on the life of Hassan al-Wazzan who lived in Spain, Africa and Rome in the early sixteenth century. Hassan tells the story of his family, and of the political circumstances which led to the expulsion of the Arabs from Spain. The second novel, Les Jardins de lumière, published in 1991, examines the life of the poet, doctor and philosopher named Mani who lived in the third century A.D. In the Epilogue of the novel, the narrator states his intention of challenging the misconceptions and distortions concerning the life of Mani. In the third novel, Le Rocher de Tanios, published in 1993, the narrator sets out to find the truth concerning the events surrounding the birth, life and disappearance of the young man named Tanios, who lived in the narrator's village in Lebanon at the beginning of the nineteenth century. / Thesis (M.A.) - University of Adelaide, School of Humanities, 2009

Cette étude comparée s'intéresse à deux auteurs francophones, J.MG. Le Clézio et A. Maalouf, qui appartiennent à deux sphères géoculturelles éloignées l'une de l'autre et différentes, et dont les œuvres n'ont jamais fait l'objet jusque-là d'une recherche comparatiste. La confrontation des textes porte sur deux thématiques d'actualité : l'altérité et la marginalité et bénéficie de l'éclairage apporté par l'étude de la poétique et le vécu des auteurs, eux-mêmes, marginaux à plusieurs égards. L'altérité se présente comme la cause de la situation marginale des personnages ; elle met en lumière leurs différences physiques, la vulnérabilité de leur situation sociale, leurs problèmes identitaires et leur relation particulière avec l'espace. D'un autre côté, c'est la confrontation deu personnage avec l'autre ( en tant qu'adjuvant ou opposant ) et avec l'ailleurs ( à travers la quête des origines et la réalisation d'un parcours initiatique ) qui lui permet de dépasser sa marginalité et son mal-être. La poétique de l'altérité et de la marginalité étudiée dans ce travail trouve son accomplissement dans l'esthétique scripturale adoptée par les auteurs. Fondée sur l'éclatement, le dépassement des limites, l'hétérogénéité générique et l'oralité, l'écriture devient la traduction de la marginalité et de l'hybridité qui caractérisent les personnages. Deux auteurs, deux univers romanesques mais une idéologie et une sensibilité scripturale communes au service d'un même combat : favoriser l'interculturalisme et lutter contre toutes les formes de discrimination. Corpus : Poisson d'or, Hasard, Révolutions, Le Rocher de Tanios, Les Echelles du Levant, Origines.

La traduction culturelle, indispensable pour la communication entre les peuples, est une tâche complexe en raison de la subjectivité de ceux qui sont impliqués et des différents aspects qu´interviennent à la présentation de la culture d'origine pour la culture de la réception. La littérature est un moyen privilégié de faire la médiation entre cultures. Léon, l'Africain et A incrível e fascinante história do Capitão Mouro, de Amin Maalouf et Georges Bourdoukan, respectivement, sont des romans historiques qui présentent la culture arabo-musulmane au lecteur occidental. À travers l'Histoire, la langue, la conception d'espace, les relations interpersonnelles, les coutumes et les rituels, ils donnent la parole à une culture traditionnellement étouffée dans l'Occident, et contribuent pour la médiation de conflits. / A tradução cultural, fundamental para a comunicação entre os povos, é uma tarefa complexa, devido à subjetividade dos agentes envolvidos e aos vários aspectos que interferem na apresentação da cultura de origem para a cultura de recepção. A literatura é uma forma privilegiada de fazer esta mediação entre culturas. Léon, l´africain e A incrível e fascinante história do Capitão Mouro, de Amin Maalouf e Georges Bourdoukan, respectivamente, são romances históricos que apresentam a cultura árabe-muçulmana ao leitor ocidental. Exploram a História, a linguagem, a construção espacial, o relacionamento interpessoal, os costumes e os rituais, dando voz a uma cultura tradicionalmente sufocada no Ocidente, e com isso contribuindo para a mediação de conflitos. / The cultural translation, essential for communication between peoples, is a complex task due to the tranlator´s subjectivity and the various aspects involved in the presentation of the culture of origin for the culture of reception. The literature is a privileged way of doing this mediation between cultures. Léon, l'africain and A incrível e fascinante história do Capitão Mouro, from Amin Maalouf and Georges Bourdoukan, respectively, are historical novels that present the Arabic-Muslim culture to the Western reader. They explore the History, language, design space, interpersonal relationships, customs and rituals, giving voice to a culture traditionally smothered in the West, helping to mediate conflicts.

La traduction culturelle, indispensable pour la communication entre les peuples, est une tâche complexe en raison de la subjectivité de ceux qui sont impliqués et des différents aspects qu´interviennent à la présentation de la culture d'origine pour la culture de la réception. La littérature est un moyen privilégié de faire la médiation entre cultures. Léon, l'Africain et A incrível e fascinante história do Capitão Mouro, de Amin Maalouf et Georges Bourdoukan, respectivement, sont des romans historiques qui présentent la culture arabo-musulmane au lecteur occidental. À travers l'Histoire, la langue, la conception d'espace, les relations interpersonnelles, les coutumes et les rituels, ils donnent la parole à une culture traditionnellement étouffée dans l'Occident, et contribuent pour la médiation de conflits. / A tradução cultural, fundamental para a comunicação entre os povos, é uma tarefa complexa, devido à subjetividade dos agentes envolvidos e aos vários aspectos que interferem na apresentação da cultura de origem para a cultura de recepção. A literatura é uma forma privilegiada de fazer esta mediação entre culturas. Léon, l´africain e A incrível e fascinante história do Capitão Mouro, de Amin Maalouf e Georges Bourdoukan, respectivamente, são romances históricos que apresentam a cultura árabe-muçulmana ao leitor ocidental. Exploram a História, a linguagem, a construção espacial, o relacionamento interpessoal, os costumes e os rituais, dando voz a uma cultura tradicionalmente sufocada no Ocidente, e com isso contribuindo para a mediação de conflitos. / The cultural translation, essential for communication between peoples, is a complex task due to the tranlator´s subjectivity and the various aspects involved in the presentation of the culture of origin for the culture of reception. The literature is a privileged way of doing this mediation between cultures. Léon, l'africain and A incrível e fascinante história do Capitão Mouro, from Amin Maalouf and Georges Bourdoukan, respectively, are historical novels that present the Arabic-Muslim culture to the Western reader. They explore the History, language, design space, interpersonal relationships, customs and rituals, giving voice to a culture traditionally smothered in the West, helping to mediate conflicts.

La traduction culturelle, indispensable pour la communication entre les peuples, est une tâche complexe en raison de la subjectivité de ceux qui sont impliqués et des différents aspects qu´interviennent à la présentation de la culture d'origine pour la culture de la réception. La littérature est un moyen privilégié de faire la médiation entre cultures. Léon, l'Africain et A incrível e fascinante história do Capitão Mouro, de Amin Maalouf et Georges Bourdoukan, respectivement, sont des romans historiques qui présentent la culture arabo-musulmane au lecteur occidental. À travers l'Histoire, la langue, la conception d'espace, les relations interpersonnelles, les coutumes et les rituels, ils donnent la parole à une culture traditionnellement étouffée dans l'Occident, et contribuent pour la médiation de conflits. / A tradução cultural, fundamental para a comunicação entre os povos, é uma tarefa complexa, devido à subjetividade dos agentes envolvidos e aos vários aspectos que interferem na apresentação da cultura de origem para a cultura de recepção. A literatura é uma forma privilegiada de fazer esta mediação entre culturas. Léon, l´africain e A incrível e fascinante história do Capitão Mouro, de Amin Maalouf e Georges Bourdoukan, respectivamente, são romances históricos que apresentam a cultura árabe-muçulmana ao leitor ocidental. Exploram a História, a linguagem, a construção espacial, o relacionamento interpessoal, os costumes e os rituais, dando voz a uma cultura tradicionalmente sufocada no Ocidente, e com isso contribuindo para a mediação de conflitos. / The cultural translation, essential for communication between peoples, is a complex task due to the tranlator´s subjectivity and the various aspects involved in the presentation of the culture of origin for the culture of reception. The literature is a privileged way of doing this mediation between cultures. Léon, l'africain and A incrível e fascinante história do Capitão Mouro, from Amin Maalouf and Georges Bourdoukan, respectively, are historical novels that present the Arabic-Muslim culture to the Western reader. They explore the History, language, design space, interpersonal relationships, customs and rituals, giving voice to a culture traditionally smothered in the West, helping to mediate conflicts.