Claiming One’s Place in the Mesh of the Text: Forms and Functions of the Un-speakable in Anne Griffon’s Work

Abstract

During the 17^th century, the spread of female mystical writings gained considerable prominence with the arrival of the Carmelites in France and the religious revival encouraged by the Counter-Reformation. The writings of several women of the period, including those of Anne Griffon (1581-1641), a Carthusian who lived at the Mont-Sainte-Marie de Gosnay monastery, in the Pas-de-Calais Department, are prominent examples. This nun’s manuscript, Œuvres d'une religieuse chartreuse nommée Anne Griffon – preserved in three non-original copies at the Mazarine Library of Paris (ms 1082 and ms 1083) and the Charleville-Mézières Library (ms 236) – gradually sank into oblivion, due to the mistrust of Dom Le Masson, who became the general of the Carthusians around 1675, at a time marked by the decline of mysticism (COGNET 1995). This study aims to restore the recognition that Anne Griffon and her writings deserve. First, we will present her life and her work. Next, we will demonstrate that the unspeakable emerges as a prominent feature in her text. Therefore, we will explore the forms and functions of this literary device to highlight its strategic role: the assertion of the nun’s identity and the preservation of her superiority as a woman chosen by God.