Le féminisme apocalyptique et hétérochronique de Chloé Delaume

The present article aims to shed new light on the notion of apocalypse in Chloé Delaume’s œuvre, notably by exploring multiple connections with the Foucauldian theory of hétérochronie. Firstly, a corpus of five books and a short story by Delaume will be contextualized and examined with the objective of elucidating how each text engages with a specific conception of apocalyptic temporality. This analysis will illustrate the link that the author establishes between the “end of the world” as a metaphor and her own feminist thinking of a new beginning. Secondly, an analysis of selected Foucauldian references in Delaume’s work will show how her literary perspective can enter into dialogue with Foucault’s philosophical reflection on world ending as a means for questioning the connection between sexuality and power. The depiction of apocalypses as both individual and collective is a distinctive feature of Delaume’s works, serving as a catalyst for the act of self-writing. The Foucauldian framework will underline how her literary practice is intertwined with political engagement, an entanglement which lies at the center of what we call a “féminisme apocalyptique et hétérochronique”.