Le Roman graphique face aux tragédies contemporaines: le cas de Lamia Ziadé et de Zeina Abirached

Abstract

This article explores the theme of war in the main graphic novels of Lamia Ziadé and Zeina Abirached, two Franco-Lebanese artists. Following a tripartite plan, it scrutinizes the pictorial and scriptural aesthetics of the artists in Bye Bye Babylond (2010), Ô nuit, Ô mes yeux (2015) and Ma très grande mélancolie arabe (2017) by Ziadé and in Le Jeu des hirondelles: mourir partir revenir (2007), Je souviens: Beirut (2008) and Prendre refuge (2018) by Abirached. The article examines each author’s approach to the history of the Middle East, especially that of Lebanon, as well as the impact of the so-called ‘duty of memory’ on bandes dessinés that manifest a clear autobiographical temptation.