The origins of the friendship between French writers Marguerite Duras and Barbara Molinard are shrouded in mystery, but their bond was a deep one based on mutual admiration. Despite leading different lives, both women shared a significant trait: they depicted the misogyny they experienced in their fiction, which was groundbreaking for women writers at the time.
By the mid-1960s, Duras had established herself as a prolific writer and respected filmmaker among French intellectuals. Molinard, on the other hand, was relatively unknown. In her forties, Molinard passionately delved into writing short fiction, often working for weeks without pause. Little is known about her because she intentionally withdrew from public attention, going so far as to destroy nearly every page she wrote.
In the preface to Molinard’s collection of grotesque and darkly comic stories called “Panics,” Duras proclaimed, “Everything Barbara Molinard has written has been torn to shreds.” After completing a story, Molinard would tear each page into pieces, piling them up on her desk before throwing them into a fire. She would then rewrite the stories, repeating the process of tearing and reconstructing them. Only the stories in “Panics,” saved by Duras and Molinard’s husband, were spared from destruction.
Molinard is not the only writer who has chosen to destroy her own work. In 1962, after her marriage to Ted Hughes broke down due to his infidelity, American poet Sylvia Plath may have set fire to letters, her unfinished novel, or some of Hughes’s poems. The act has been interpreted as an expression of rage or despair. Tragically, Plath took her own life shortly thereafter.
Plath perhaps wanted to conceal personal details she had shared in her letters or novel. Whatever the reason, a writer’s decision to destroy their own work is complex and not simply a result of impulse or rage. It can be intentional and calculated, a fierce act of will and a dramatic final gesture.
In 1977, English novelist and poet Rosemary Tonks underwent eye surgery that left her partially blind. She moved to the seaside town of Bournemouth to recover and escape the chaos of her London life. Tonks never returned to her previous lifestyle and effectively disappeared, leading the BBC to title a radio feature about her life “The Poet Who Vanished.”
Tonks’s later life contrasts sharply with the vibrant characters in her novels. The protagonist of her novel “The Bloater,” Min, embodies the carefree spirit Tonks may have once possessed. But as Tonks aged, the allure of that life faded. The years leading up to her eye surgery were tumultuous, marked by her mother’s sudden death, neuritis in her hand, deteriorating marriage, and a search for solace that led her to embrace Christianity.
Tonks’s transformation can be seen as a midlife crisis, a psychological break, or a fervent embrace of religious redemption. However, these interpretations overlook the peace that retreat brought her and her rejection of the English society that both captivated and repulsed her. After leaving London, Tonks allegedly checked out her own books from libraries to destroy them. She refused requests to republish her work and even burned an unpublished manuscript. Only the Bible remained as her sole companion, which she distributed to strangers on street corners.
In the mid-20th century, women writers like Tonks, Molinard, and Plath were among the first generations not viewed solely as exceptions to their gender. They could be celebrated for their literary achievements, garner recognition, win prizes, and attract wide readerships. However, this newfound attention brought unwelcome scrutiny and the realization that their legacy would be shaped by others.
Tonks firmly rejected the notion that writers should be forced into the public eye and expected to express opinions constantly. Petry, too, felt overwhelmed by sudden fame and being seen as a curiosity rather than a talented writer. They both resented the loss of privacy and autonomy that came with public consumption of their work.
The experiences of these women highlight the challenges female writers faced in a male-dominated literary landscape. Despite the progress made, gender biases and societal expectations still influenced the reception of their work. However, their determination and refusal to conform left a lasting impact on literature and paved the way for future generations of women writers.
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