Madeleine: One of Love's Jansenists

"Madeleine: One of Love's Jansenists" by Hope Mirrlees is a story set in 17th-century Paris, and it follows the journey of Madeleine Troqueville, a young woman caught between her desires and the rigid rules of her family and society. When the Troqueville family moves from Lyons to Paris to restore the father’s prominence in law, Madeleine finds herself yearning to connect with influential figures like Mademoiselle de Scudéry and Madame de Rambouillet. She struggles with her philosophical leanings toward Jansenism while navigating the complexities of love and social expectations. Her inexperience and intellectual curiosity lead to both comical and dramatic situations, like the dinner at Madame Pilou’s, revealing her quest for meaning and acceptance as an artist trying to find her place amid the world’s constraints.