Talk about it well, talk about it badly: Mademoiselle Clairon and her social emancipation by the scene

Mademoiselle Clairon (1723-1803) was indisputably one of the greatest actresses of her time. She wrote her memoirs shortly before her death in response to a range of defamatory discourses aimed at damaging her reputation. Of these, the libels entitled Histoire de Mademoiselle Cronel accused Clairon of harbouring depraved intentions and revealed how the practice of dramatic art continued to meet with harsh criticism in the 18th century. This analysis focuses on these defamatory libels as well as the memoirs describing the actress's life and career. Both texts discuss the social emancipation Clairon experienced. Her particular case suggests that women from humble beginnings who chose a theatrical career placed themselves on the margins of society. Nevertheless, this marginal position enabled a social emancipation that was rare in the Ancien Regime.