La critique littéraire comme apologue du temps présent

In his Cinq Tentations Giraudoux defends the paradoxical contemporary relevance of La Fontaine in the inter-war years. His vision of the poet conveys an implicit political message relating to the context of the times. The fabulist incarnates an integrity that his critic offers up as a mirror to the reader. If the effectiveness of the fables is explained by their profound nature, this reflection informs both the style of La Fontaine, and Giraudoux’s own priorities. His elegy to the poet’s indomitable spirit of freedom can be heard as an appeal to the present day.