La Question De L'oeuvre Chez Foucault

Abstract

This article explores the singular and complex status of literature and the concept of the "work" (œuvre) in Michel Foucault's thought, particularly within his History of Madness (Histoire de la folie). It investigates the ontological paradox between madness—understood as an exteriority subjected to objectification—and literary creation, which Maurice Blanchot conceptualizes as an inverted world wherein the unobjectified truth of madness re-emerges.

By analyzing Foucault’s concept of the "absence of work" (absence d'œuvre) in dialogue with literary and philosophical figures such as Mallarmé, Nietzsche, Artaud, Roussel, and Blanchot, the paper demonstrates how Foucault resolves this tension. Furthermore, the study highlights Foucault’s critique of the "founding subject" (sujet fondateur) and the author function, shifting the focus from individual sovereignty to the autonomous mechanics of discourse, while contrasting his views with those of Lyotard and Benjamin.