SOURCE: “Salvation Through Drinking in Marguerite Duras' Short Stories,” in Modern Fiction Studies, Vol. 19, No. 4, Winter, 1973-74, pp. 487-95.

In the following essay, Cismaru examines the meaning of alcohol consumption in Le Marin de Gibraltar and Moderato cantabile, concluding that alcohol allows Duras's otherwise hopeless characters a brief period of rebellion and salvation.

The following piece of dialogue from Marguerite Duras' fourth novel might well be part of the conversation of most of her personages who find in alcohol a pleasurable and solitary relief:

“The great drinkers,” she said, throwing herself back in her chair and starting to laugh, “they must be incomparably reassuring.”

“I should like to be the very greatest drunk of all the southern seas,” I announced.

“Why?” she said laughing.

“Why indeed?” I said.

“I don't know,” she answered. “How should I know?”¹

Marguerite Duras, widely known in this country as the author of...