The Use of Abuse

Richard Griffiths

Part I: Introductory, 1 Polemic and the Affair, The Issues behind the Polemic, Polemic and the Affair - A Chronology, 2 Truth and Justice, The Devaluation, The Philosophical Debate, Weapons of Attack, Cartoons and Visual Polemic, The Aftermath, Part II: Methods, 3 Plot Myths and Assertions of Certainty, Language and Imagery, Formulae of Certainty, A Further Aspect of the 'Plot' Myth: The 'Syndicat de Trahison', 4 Formulae of Popular Polemic, Metonymy, Dirt and Cleansing Repetition and 'Homeric' Epithets in Personal Abuse, Word Formulations: The Suffix '-ard' , Other Pejorative Formations and Phrases, 'L'Armee de Conde' and Other War-cries, 5 Techniques of Irony, Mockery of the Slogans of the Affair, Gohier and 'le parti de I'etranger' 'La Revanche', Rochefort and 'le sabre et le goupillon', 6 Religious Imagery: The Power of Catholic Discourse, 7 Attitudes to Personal Abuse, Violence and Vileness, A Libel: Zola the Thief's Son, A Libel: Drumont the Police Spy, A Libel: Clemenceau the British Agent Private and Public Attitudes: The Case of Barres, Part III: Three Individuals, 8 Zola, The Affair: The Three Figaro Articles, 'Lettre alajeunesse', 'Lettre ala France' , ']'accuse', The Aftermath, 9 Leon Bloy and the Cliches of the Affair, The Affair as Sign, Scatology and Eschatology, The Unknown Visitor, 10 Peguy's Attacks onJaures, The Natural Tone, and Complicity, The Attacks onjaures: 'L'Argent' and 'L'Argent, Litanies and Repetition with the Reader, The Attacks on Jaures: 'Notre jeunesse' (1910) suite' (1913)