Who was René Girard? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

French Celebrities Born In December

Also Known As: René Noël Théophile Girard

Died At Age: 91

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Martha Girard (m. ?–2015)

father: Joseph Girard

mother: Marie-Thérèse Fabre de Loye

siblings: Antoine, Henri, Marie, Marthe

Born Country: France

Historians Philosophers

Height: 5'10" (178 cm), 5'10" Males

Died on: November 4, 2015

place of death: Stanford, California, United States

Notable Alumni: École Nationale Des Chartes

Cause of Death: Long Illness

More Facts

education: Indiana University, École Nationale Des Chartes

awards: Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres‎
Prix Médicis essai
Q2330764

Guggenheim Fellowship
Knight of the Legion of Honour
Broquette-Gonin prize

Recommended For You

1

What is René Girard's mimetic theory?

René Girard's mimetic theory is a concept that suggests humans imitate the desires and behaviors of others, leading to conflict and competition.
2

How did René Girard influence the field of literary criticism?

René Girard's ideas on mimetic desire and scapegoating have had a significant impact on literary criticism, particularly in understanding the themes of rivalry, sacrifice, and redemption in literature.
3

What is René Girard's perspective on violence in society?

René Girard believed that violence is a result of mimetic desire and the scapegoating mechanism, where conflicts escalate due to imitation of others' desires and the need to blame a scapegoat for societal unrest.
4

How does René Girard's theory of the sacred and the profane relate to religion?

René Girard's theory posits that religions often emerge from the scapegoating mechanism, where a victim is blamed for societal issues and eventually deified, leading to the creation of sacred rituals and beliefs.
5

What is the significance of René Girard's concept of the scapegoat?

René Girard's concept of the scapegoat highlights how individuals and societies often blame a sacrificial victim to alleviate conflicts and maintain social order, shedding light on the origins of violence and collective behavior.

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Childhood & Early Life

Girard was born René Noël Théophile Girard, on December 25, 1923, in Avignon, France, to Joseph Girard and Marie-Thérèse Fabre de Loye. He had an older brother named Henri and a younger brother named Antoine. Girard also had two younger sisters, Marthe and Marie.

Like his father, he had worked as a local archivist. Girard was a philosophy major from a local college and then became a medieval studies research fellow at Paris's ‘École Nationale des Chartes,' a training institute for archivists and librarians.

In 1947, after his graduation, Girard moved to America due to the ongoing ‘Nazi’ revolt and pursued his PhD from 'Indiana University.' He briefly took an interest in what Americans opined about France but ultimately turned his focus to French affairs.

Interestingly, 'Indiana University' initially rejected his works, as Girard had not published enough back then, which is an irony, as he later wrote around 30 books that have, over the years, been translated into 25 languages.

Upon completing his doctorate, Girard taught at 'Indiana University,' the 'State University of New York in Buffalo,' the 'Duke,' 'Johns Hopkins' (1957–1968), 'Bryn Mawr,' and finally 'Stanford,' where he had the longest tenure (1981–1995). He released 'Le Bouc émissaire' (1982), 'La route antique des hommes pervers' (1985), and 'Quand ces choses commenceront ...' (1994) during this period.

As a lecturer, Girard was initially assigned a European literature course, something he was not familiar with back then. Hence, he began reading great European novels. In the process, he was influenced by the works of Cervantes, Stendhal, Flaubert, Dostoyevsky, and Proust.

Girard's first published French book, 'Mensonge Romantique et Vérité Romanesque' ('Deceit, Desire, and the Novel: Self and Other in Literary Structure', 1961), was a literary criticism of these great novelists. Influenced by the religious conversions of some of Dostoyevsky's characters, Girad converted to Christianity from being a self-declared agnostic.

He received his first honorary degree in 1985, from the 'Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam' (‘Free University Amsterdam’) in the Netherlands.

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French Intellectuals & Academics

Career

Following the release of his first book, Girard developed a new way of literary expression: his ''mimetic desire'' theory, or "the mimetic character of desire,'' which emphasizes the role of imitation in one's lives and how it structures one's persona.

Going forward with his works of literary criticism, he published 'Proust: A Collection of Critical Essays, Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall' in 1962 and 'Dostoïevski, du double à l'unité' ('Dostoievsky, from the Double to the Unity') the following year.

Girard's interest in ancient and contemporary sacrifice rituals and Greek mythology led to his highly recognized publication 'La Violence et le Sacré' ('Violence and the Sacred') in 1972. However, his magnum opus was 'Des Choses Cachées Depuis la Fondation du Monde' (1978), which expressed Girad's Christian views.

Girard's 'Critique dans un souterrain. Lausanne: L'Age d'Homme' (1976, reprint in 1983) was a collection of his essays published between 1963 and 1972 and a criticism of the same. In 1991, he released the French translation of 'A Theatre of Envy: William Shakespeare' under the title 'Shakespeare: les feux de l'envie,' which was, however, published before the original English text.

The 'Colloquium on Violence and Religion' (COV&R), an independent group of international scholars established in 1990 (co-founded by Roman Catholic theologian Raymund Schwager), works toward developing Girard's ''mimetic model.'' It also organizes a yearly conference to discuss his theories of mimetic desire, scapegoating, violence, and religion. Girard had served as the Honorary Chair of the establishment. It also publishes an annual journal called 'Contagion: Journal of Violence, Mimesis, and Culture.'

In 1999, Girard published 'Je vois Satan tomber comme l'éclair' ('I See Satan Fall Like Lightning'), which is still considered a pivotal work on the astounding power of the gospel. His 'Oedipus Unbound: Selected Writings on Rivalry and Desire' (2004) was a thorough demythologized stand on social structures, which established cultural equilibrium through the scapegoat mechanism. Through the book, Girard released the Oedipal triangle from the shackles of Freudian theory.

The 2006-published book 'Verità o fede debole' ('Truth or Weak Faith') was a collaborative work with Italian philosopher and cultural commentator Gianni Vattimo and a take on Christianity and Relativism.

Girard was inducted to the 'Super Bowl' of French thinkers, the 'Académie Française,' France's highest intellectual honor, in 2005.

The 'Stanford University Press' collected the unpublished essays of Girard from the period when he was working on his first book (1955 to 1959) and republished them under the title 'Mimesis, and Theory: Essays on Literature and Criticism' (2008). The volume contained 20 essays on literature and theory.

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The 'Imitatio' foundation has been instrumental in advocating The "Girard Effect" worldwide. It launched a research program with a conference at 'Stanford' in April 2008, involving about 40 scholars from around the world.

Girard, along with Professor Emeritus Richard Macksey and Eugenio Donato, had established 'The Languages of Criticism and the Sciences of Man' conference, which introduced the French literary theory to America.

Girard was honored with a 'Lifetime Achievement Award' by the 'Modern Language Association' on December 28, 2008.

Toward the end of his life, Girard majorly focused on the role of forgiveness in breaking the vicious cycles of vengeance prevalent among competing clans and tribes. Several interdisciplinary types of research and experiments, such as the 'Mimetic Theory' project, which is sponsored by the 'John Templeton Foundation,' draw inspiration from Girard's prolific works.

Family, Personal Life, & Death

Girard's father was a curator of 'Château des Papes,' France's biggest medieval fortress and the ecclesiastical residence during the Avignon papacy. He was an Anticlericalist and a staunch republican, married to Marie-Thérèse, an ardent Catholic and the most eligible young woman in Drôme in Bouchet.

Girard was diagnosed with cancer in 1959. His marriage to Martha was officiated by a Catholic priest. They had two sons, Martin and Daniel, and a daughter, Mary Brown. All his children have been baptized.

Girard died on November 4, 2015, at his Stanford, California, residence, following a prolonged illness.

Facts About René Girard

René Girard was not only a renowned philosopher and literary critic, but he also had a great passion for studying anthropology and mythology, which heavily influenced his work on mimetic theory.

Girard's theory of mimetic desire suggests that humans imitate the desires and behaviors of others, leading to conflict and rivalry. This unique perspective sheds light on the complexities of human relationships and societal dynamics.

Despite facing some criticism for his ideas, Girard's work has been widely praised for its depth and originality, earning him a place among the most influential thinkers of the 20th century.

In addition to his academic pursuits, Girard was known for his humility and kindness towards others, demonstrating a genuine interest in understanding human nature and promoting empathy and compassion.

Girard's interdisciplinary approach to studying human behavior has had a lasting impact on fields ranging from philosophy to psychology, showcasing the breadth of his intellectual curiosity and innovative thinking.

René Girard Biography

You wanted to know

What is René Girard's mimetic theory?

How did René Girard influence the field of literary criticism?

What is René Girard's perspective on violence in society?

How does René Girard's theory of the sacred and the profane relate to religion?

What is the significance of René Girard's concept of the scapegoat?