« “Nous sommes biches” par vocation ». Vocation (?) d’une demi-mondaine d’après les mémoires de Céleste Mogador, de Cora Pearl et de Rigolboche

Abstract

« “Nous sommes biches” par vocation ». Vocation (?) d’une demi-mondaine d’après les mémoires de Céleste Mogador, de Cora Pearl et de Rigolboche The present paper aims to explore the topic of the vocation of a courtesan in the 19th-century France, by analyzing memoirs of tree demi-mondaines of the time: Céleste Mogador, Cora Pearl and Rigolboche. Does such a vocation exist ? If yes, how can we define this notion ? The first part tries to show that prostitution isn’t chosen by women because of the their inclination to debauchery, but is the result of the failed education and parental abandonment. The second part focuses on the importance of independence in the courtesan’s life, as a part of their vocation, and the manner to gain it.