Imagology and social discourse in Montesquieu's Persian Letters

Art can be a reflection of historical or social events in a given time. In all the arts, this reflection is essential, among others, the literature can be seen as the mirror of history. Montesquieu, writer and philosopher of the eighteenth century, in his book The Persian Letters, is interested in the image of Eastern cultures, and more specifically, that of Iran, to transmit his critical remarks about his own company. Two Iranian travelers for the first time in France and visit Paris and find different aspects of this society. They will communicate with their families and friends about their ideas. In this article, we intend to make a sociological study, from the view of Marc Angenot, Canadian critic. This approach may reveal the image of France in the eighteenth century.