ON INDETERMINACY. HEGEL, WOMEN, AND UNFIXED NARRATIVES

In this article, we present an interpretation of the literary writing concerned with the limits of the French Revolution – conveying the political, cultural, and social contradictions of the era – in contrast with the more traditional philosophical mode of exposition inherited from the 18th century. To this end, we propose a non-Hegelian interpretation of Hegel’s notion of indeterminacy (Bestimmungslosigkeit) as an analytical tool for critiquing a limited understanding of freedom. We connect this critique to Jean Copjec’s analysis of Fixierarbeit, positioning it in opposition to a more expansive notion of freedom aligned with the concept of Haftbarkeit. To further explore this distinction regarding the possibilities of emancipatory narratives, we examine the writings of Mme. de Staël as primary reference points, while also drawing on other significant works of the period, including those of Mme. de Duras and Olympe de Gouges.