DOBRA ŚMIERĆ CHRZEŚCIJANINA OCZAMI SOPHIE DE SÉGUR (1799–1874)

Abstract

This paper attempts to analyse how Sophie de Ségur (1799–1874) performed the mission of spreading the Catholic faith through children’s literature. The biography of this Russian woman who converted to Catholicism is presented at the beginning, together with her connections with the Ultramontane environment being active in nineteenth-century France. This is to prove that de Ségur’s writing activities were part of a planned programme aimed at shaping society in the spirit of Catholicism. The analysis is carried out on the examples of how she presented scenes of a good Catholic death in three novels for children: "Les vacances, Jean qui grogne et Jean qui rit and La sœur Gribouille". The study is divided into three parts: the death of the mother, the death of the child, and the death of the sinner, according to the criterion whose death was described. It is shown that in de Ségur’s perspective, a good death is a reward for a good and pious life. The social aspect of death and good preparation for it are also important.