Eighteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society

Abstract

As the nineteenth-century intellectual “power couple,” Alfred de Musset’s career rose to soaring heights due to his turbulent and passionate relationship with his muse, George Sand. The nature of their relationship thrived off of intellectual stimulation, infidelity, and convoluted emotional and physical ties. During the twentieth century, two new thinkers emerged as the “new” Musset and Sand- Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre. The two lived as writers, philosophers, and lovers- much like their 19th-century counterparts. However, unlike Sand, Beauvoir resolved to set her course employing her femininity to her advantage without taking the backseat to men in her field. In the wake of Musset’s relationship with Sand and seen through the lens of second-wave feminism, this paper delves into the overshadowing of Simone de Beauvoir by her on-and-off lover, Jean-Paul Sartre as an example of how women scholars in the early 20th century often found their ideas and writings accredited to or in the shadow of men. However, in reality, women brought innovative, lasting perspectives to the scholarly dialogues of their time. While much of the research into Beauvoir concentrates on her writings in reaction to Jean-Paul Sartre, Beauvoir pioneered the modern feminist movement with an enduring mark beyond that of Sartre. By inspecting Beauvoir’s writings as unique, radical, and unremitting pieces, this argument sheds light on the ingenuity of Beauvoir found in her ability to remain distinctive, modern, and pertinent in an ever-changing society almost four decades after her death in a way that Sartre cannot.