Danièle Sallenave, renowned author and member of the Académie française, recently spoke about her latest book, La splendide promesse. Mon itinéraire républicain, during an interview held on March 16, 2025. Sallenave's words resonate with the sentiments of many who grew up engulfed by the principles of the Republic, as she recalls her childhood spent loving its values, symbols, and myths.
"I am, at heart, a child of Victor Hugo," Sallenave expressed passionately, underscoring the deep impact the legendary poet has had on her. "Victor Hugo was the absolute hero of the republican school, of my family, of my parents, teachers. My grandmother recited Victor Hugo's poems to me, especially 'Les Pauvres Gens,' which moved me greatly as a child. Ever since, I have not ceased to read and re-read him."
Her loyalty to Hugo was evident as she expressed her frustrations with detractors who dismiss him as "grandiloquent." Sallenave argues instead, "What joy, it’s Victor Hugo!" This enthusiasm is mirrored by her commitment to poetry as part of her role within the Académie. She highlighted their initiatives, saying, "We award a poetry prize, and we are very attached to reading everything published in poetry to show the thread has not been broken, it’s still alive."
When asked about what the title of her book, La splendide promesse, signifies, Sallenave detailed its inception. The phrase had previously appeared in another work, where she attempted to portray the life of her great-grandmother, whom she never met, but about whom family members shared stories. "She had kept her whole life on her mantelpiece the framed engraving of Victor Hugo’s national funeral. Because she was imbued with this splendid promise: not mere 'liberty, equality, fraternity,' but 'justice, progress, education.'”
Sallenave's reflections weave together narrative threads of personal history and broader societal values, painting her great-grandmother as more than just family lineage but as someone carrying the weight of ideals forward. By embedding such personal anecdotes, Sallenave's narrative bridges the past and contemporary discourse around republican principles, education, and art.
Earlier in the day, she shared the spotlight on the radio program 6/9, alongside Jérôme Teillard, who heads the Parcoursup mission at the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. This segment featured discussions of educational frameworks and showcased the importance of merging culture with education.
The conversation also stitched musical influences from various artists throughout the program, noting iconic tracks by Stealers Wheel, Billie Eilish, France Gall, and others, reflecting the vibrant cultural mix shaping modern France.
Through her words, Sallenave elegantly navigates the themes of legacy, identity, and cultural heritage, inviting listeners not only to examine their own connections to the Republic but also to re-engage with its values through the prism of poetry and education.