Beginning of Kundera’s Work Reception in France / Počátky recepce Kunderova díla ve Francii

Abstract

The article describes the reception of the since it’s beginning in 1957 until his resettlement to France in 1975. Its text largely attends to the reception of the novel The Joke which opened the door into French literary world for Kundera not only for it’s unexceptionable qualities but also because of the circumstances of it’s publication. The article also displays the beginning of political interpretation of Kundera’s books which he will try to shake of himslef in following decades. The article shows the popularity of Kundera’s work in France in the beginning of the 70’s when he is perceived as a dissident, a witness to the life behind the iron curtain and at the same time as the point of reference for almost every mention about Czechoslovak culture. Except for The Joke, the article is also dedicated to the reception of The Owners of the Keys, Laughable Loves or the novel Life is Elsewhere.