The subtlety and refinement of military eloquence

In the midst of the golden age of barracks humor, the garrisoned military character appears to be a target of choice for caricatures of dogmatism. With his attention to attention! and his indigestible rhetoric, this character may serve to underscore, to the contrary, the figure of the writer. Courteline, Allais, Anatole France, or even Christophe contrast martial language with humor and verbal creativity, showing that one does not have to be stern to be taken seriously.