Le Sauvage Et Son Double

Le Sauvage et son Double is a comparative study of some “doubles” who are well-known figures in Western mythical literature. From the Poem of Gilgamesh to The Odyssey, and from the Bible to the Song of Roland, countless texts relate the dramatic history of two friends, two twins or two brothers, one of whom (often characterised as a savage) must die a violent death or suffer permanent injuries so that the other can found a civilisation. The introduction combines these texts under the title of “Mythical Literature,” noting the methods used and subjects discussed. The book’s five chapters respectively examine the pairs 1) Gilgamesh and Enkidu; 2) Ulysses and Polyphemus, who are compared mainly with their Mesopotamian counterparts; 3) Jean-Baptiste and Jesus, preceded by a study of a few “doubles” who are Old Testament figures: from Cain and Able to Jacob and Esau; 4) Renart and Ysengrin, whose contrasting characters are studied within the context of the incestuous relationship of the fox and the she-wolf Hersent; and 5) Roland and his doubles, particularly that of his uncle-father Charlemagne.Reading this book may remind us of the extent to which our deep-rooted attitudes towards others resemble those of the eternal “savage” dwelling within us.