ABSTRACT
Chapter 3, ‘The Happiness of the Text’, examines the late literary theory of Roland Barthes, where he develops the dual notions of ‘art de vivre’ and ‘art de textualité’ to provide an aesthetic vision of the pursuit of comfort wherein reading and writing have a central role. Two works in particular by Barthes, The Pleasure of the Text (1973) and Roland Barthes by Roland Barthes (1975), are closely examined. It also explores the influence of André Gide on Barthes discussion of happiness and pleasure. Finally, this chapter provides an overview of some of the major philosophical positions on the ‘art de vivre’ dating back to ancient Greeks.
