BIOGRAPHY
GUY DE MAUPASSANT
Henri
Ren Albert Guy de Maupassant was a popular French author who wrote under his
name Guy de Maupassant. He is considered one of the fathers of the modern short
story as well as one of its finest practitioners. His prolific and deeply
admired body of work influenced a great number of writers including William
Somerset Maugham, O. Henry, Anton Chekhov, Kate Chopin and Henry James.
He was a popular writer during his lifetime and had the good fortune to see that his stories were widely read. As a young man he fought in the Franco-Prussian War. He drew heavily on that experience and that war provides the setting for many of his stories which often depict the tragedy and suffering of innocent civilians caught in war's path. He also found inspiration in the not-so-admirable behavior of the bourgeoisie, and made them targets of his biting pessimism and skewering pen.
His most famous work for English readers is probably The Necklace. If you are unfamiliar with his works, also consider A Piece of String, Mademoiselle Fifi, Miss Harriet, My Uncle Jules, Found on a Drowned Man and The Wreck as starting points. If you have the stomach for it, you might try his truly terrifying piece of Gothic Fiction, The Hand.
Boule de Suif is arguably considered Guy de Maupassant's finest short story. It's a bit long for the short story form, but it's length is justified by Maupassant's mastery and the treatment of his high society targets. The story is a withering criticism of the French society of the late 19th century. Maupassant takes representatives from the different classes and stations of French Society and places them all in the same carriage, which is then accidentally driven behind enemy lines during the Franco-Prussian war. In time, the true character of each participant is revealed as Maupassant passes scathing judgement upon his fellow countrymen.
Guy de Maupassant suffered from mental illness in his later years and attempted suicide on January 2nd, 1892. He was committed to a private asylum in Paris and died the following year.
He was a popular writer during his lifetime and had the good fortune to see that his stories were widely read. As a young man he fought in the Franco-Prussian War. He drew heavily on that experience and that war provides the setting for many of his stories which often depict the tragedy and suffering of innocent civilians caught in war's path. He also found inspiration in the not-so-admirable behavior of the bourgeoisie, and made them targets of his biting pessimism and skewering pen.
His most famous work for English readers is probably The Necklace. If you are unfamiliar with his works, also consider A Piece of String, Mademoiselle Fifi, Miss Harriet, My Uncle Jules, Found on a Drowned Man and The Wreck as starting points. If you have the stomach for it, you might try his truly terrifying piece of Gothic Fiction, The Hand.
Boule de Suif is arguably considered Guy de Maupassant's finest short story. It's a bit long for the short story form, but it's length is justified by Maupassant's mastery and the treatment of his high society targets. The story is a withering criticism of the French society of the late 19th century. Maupassant takes representatives from the different classes and stations of French Society and places them all in the same carriage, which is then accidentally driven behind enemy lines during the Franco-Prussian war. In time, the true character of each participant is revealed as Maupassant passes scathing judgement upon his fellow countrymen.
Guy de Maupassant suffered from mental illness in his later years and attempted suicide on January 2nd, 1892. He was committed to a private asylum in Paris and died the following year.
Historical background
The short stories of writer Guy de Maupassant
detail many aspects of French life in the 19th century. Late-nineteenth-century France was witness to
unprecedented social, economic, and technological change. In 1853, with the
appointment of Baron Georges Haussmann as prefect by Napoleon III, Paris was
transformed from a medieval city into a modern one.
Expectations/Predictions about the text
In my opinion, I think this story talks about rich
people, social class, prejudices. Conflicts between people. And how a rich
person cannot have a really happy life.
Analysis or Connection between literary work and
historical background
According to the
story, we could say that the life in French was so difficult. Because so many
people had economic problems. We can realize this aspect in the story, because
not all people had enough money to buy some things that were useful at that
time. So, I think Maupassant decided to give this style to the story because of
the situation the people lived at that time.
Literary movement (that the author belongs or
represents and what that movement is)
This is Realism: a part of the realist art movement beginning with mid nineteenth-century French literature, Russian literature and extending to the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Realist authors chose to depict everyday and banal activities and experiences, instead of using a romanticized or similarly stylized presentation.
Country
French, 1884.
Genre
The
Necklace is a fictional short story, include irony, for
its surprise ending, and morality tale, for important lessons it offers the
reader.
Did you confirm your predictions? Were they correct?
Were they wrong? How? Why?
Well, at first I thought this story talked about
social class, economic problems, and rich people. In fact, this story talks
about some of these situations.
References
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