What Does Bel Ami Mean in French
What Does Bel Ami Mean in French
See a Problem?
Thanks for telling us about the problem.
Friend Reviews
Reader Q&A
And although Bel-Ami is less often read, it's a compelling portrait of a charming, sexy, amoral, greedy man. It strikes me he probably commits all of the 7 so-called deadly sins at one point or another... pride, avarice, lechery, envy, wrath, indolence and greed. What a guy! and how real!(less)
Community Reviews
Bel Ami is the second novel by French author Guy de Maupassant, published in 1885; an English translation titled Bel Ami, or, The History of a Scoundrel: A Novel first appeared in 1903.
The story chronicles journalist Georges Duroy's corrupt rise to power from a poor ex-NCO to one of the most successful men in Paris, most of which he achieves by manipulating a series of powerful, intelligent, and wealthy women.
Th
(Book 826 from 1001 books) - Bel-Ami = The History of a Scoundrel, Guy de MaupassantBel Ami is the second novel by French author Guy de Maupassant, published in 1885; an English translation titled Bel Ami, or, The History of a Scoundrel: A Novel first appeared in 1903.
The story chronicles journalist Georges Duroy's corrupt rise to power from a poor ex-NCO to one of the most successful men in Paris, most of which he achieves by manipulating a series of powerful, intelligent, and wealthy women.
The novel is set in Paris in the upper-middle class environment of the leading journalists of the newspaper La Vie Française and their friends.
It tells the story of Georges Duroy, who has spent three years in military service in Algeria. After working for six months as a clerk in Paris, an encounter with his former comrade, Forestier, enables him to start a career as a journalist. From a reporter of minor events and soft news, he gradually climbs his way up to chief editor.
Duroy initially owes his success to Forestier's wife, Madeleine, who helps him write his first articles and, when he later starts writing lead articles, she adds an edge and poignancy to them.
At the same time, she uses her connections among leading politicians to provide him with behind the scenes information which allows him to become actively involved in politics.
Duroy is also introduced to many politicians in Madame Forestier's drawing-room. Duroy becomes the lover of Forestiers' friend Mme de Marelle, another influential woman. Duroy later tries to seduce Madeleine Forestier to get even with her husband, but she repulses Duroy's sexual advances and offers that they become true friends without ulterior motives. ...
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز سیزدهم ماه ژوئن سال 2006میلادی
عنوان: بل آمی؛ نویسنده: گی دو موپوسان؛ مترجم: علی اصغر سروش؛ تهران، امیرکبیر، 1347؛ در 434ص؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان فرانسه - سده 19م
عنوان: بل آمی؛ نویسنده: گی دو موپوسان؛ مترجم: پرویز شهدی؛ تهران، مجید، 1384، در 440ص، شابک 9644530616؛
داستان در مورد روزنامه نگاری شهرستانی است، که برای رسیدن به اهدافش، دست به هر کاری میزند؛ از کتابهای نایاب است؛ «موپاسان» در «بل امی»، به تشریح فضای حاکم بر روزنامه های «فرانسه»، میپردازند؛ رمان شخصیتی دارد، به نام «ژورژ دوروا» که جوانی است جویای نام، و میکوشد با شناختن راههای نفوذ در مطبوعات، نامی برای خود، دست و پا کند؛ اما در این میان به خاطر زیبارو بودن، همیشه مورد توجه زنان است
نقل نمونه متن ترجمه جناب شهدی: (از کتاب بل‌آمی: بخش نخست : «ژرژ دوروا» وقتی بقیه ی سکه ی پنج فرانکی را که به صندوقدار داده بود گرفت، از رستوران خارج شد؛ از آنجا که پسر خوش قیافه ای بود، به عادت دوران خدمت در ارتش، سینه اش را جلو داد، شکمش را تو کشید، با حرکتی نظامی وار و خودمانی، تابی به سبیلش داد، و نگاهی سریع به دور تا دور رستوران، و به مشتریها که هنوز شامشان را تمام نکرده بودند، انداخت، از آن نگاههای زیبا پسرانه ای که مثل نگاههای تیز مرغی شکاری همه چیز و همه جا را در بر میگیرد
زنها سرشان را بلند کردند و چشم به او دوختند: سه دختر کارگر، یک معلم موسیقی میانسال، بدلباس، با موهای آشفته، با کلاهی پر گرد و خاک و پیراهنی بدقواره، و دو زن از طبقه ی متوسط با شوهرهاشان، که از مشتریهای همیشگی این رستوران با قیمتهای ثابت و ارزان بودند
ژرژ دوروا وقتی رسید توی پیاده رو، یک لحظه بیحرکت ماند، و از خودش پرسید: بقیه ی شب را چگونه بگذراند؛ روز بیست و هشتم ژوئن بود، و توی جیبش سه فرانک و چهل سانتیم پول داشت، که بایستی تا آخر برج با آن سر میکرد؛ مفهومش این بود که تا آخر ماه، بنا به انتخاب خودش، میتوانست دونوبت شام بدون ناهار، یا دوبار ناهار بدون شام بخورد؛ حساب کرد که چون پول هر نوبت ناهار بیست و دو «سو» و هر نوبت شام سی «سو» است، اگر به خوردن دو نوبت ناهار اکتفا کند، یک فرانک و بیست سانتیم صرفه جویی کرده است، و با آن میتواند دو ساندویچ کالباس، با دو لیوان آبجو از دکه های بلوار بخرد؛ اینها هزینه های مهم و نیز لذتهای شبانه اش را تشکیل میداد؛ بعد شروع کرد به پیمودن کوچه ی «نوتردام دو لورت»؛
همیشه طوری راه میرفت، که انگار هنوز اونیفورم سوارنظام را، به تن دارد، با سینه ی جلو داده، و پاهای اندکی از هم باز، انگار تازه از اسب پیاده شده است؛ آن وقت با خشونت، توی کوچه های شلوغ راه میافتاد، به این و آن تنه میزد، مردم را از سرراهش، دور میکرد، تا کسی، مزاحم راه رفتنش نشود؛ کلاه بلند کهنه اش را، یک بری روی سرش میگذاشت، و پاشنه هایش را، محکم به کف پیاده رو، میکوبید؛ طوری راه میرفت، که انگار با همه کس سر دعوا دارد: با رهگذرها، با خانه ها، با تمام شهر، و با قیافه ی سربازِ خوش قیافه ای، که حالا، به لباس شخصی، درآمده است؛ اگرچه، کت و شلوارش شصت «فرانک» بیشتر نمیارزید، با اینهمه، به شکلی چشمگیر، واقعا خوشپوش، و برازنده بود؛ با قد بلند، اندام متناسب، موهای بلوطی روشن، که به طرز مبهمی، به حنایی میزد، سبیل سربالا، چشمهای آبی روشن، با مردمکهایی کوچک، موها که فر طبیعی داشت و با فرقی میان سر، از هم جدا شده بود، او را، شبیه قهرمانهای محبوب رمانهای عامیانه میکرد.)؛ پایان نقل
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 15/09/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 02/07/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
...more
Georges Duroy comes from the provinces of France to Paris with the determination to make something of himself. He finds a job making a pittance, but fortunately he runs into an old friend from the army named Charles Forestier. Even though Duroy has no real writing experience, Forestier
"There are many women who would give way to a passing whim, a sudden violent desire or an amorous fancy if they weren't afraid that their brief moment of happiness would end in a dreadful scandal and bitter tears."Georges Duroy comes from the provinces of France to Paris with the determination to make something of himself. He finds a job making a pittance, but fortunately he runs into an old friend from the army named Charles Forestier. Even though Duroy has no real writing experience, Forestier decides to get him hired on at La Vie Francaise as a journalist. He wants Duroy to write about some of his experiences in the army, but the cursed white page that plagues even the most experienced writers is consuming his words before he can even dip his pen to paper.
Forestier sends Duroy to his wife Madeleine. She will get him sorted. It doesn't take long for Duroy to realize who in the Forestier family is doing most of the writing. As he starts to mix in the circles surrounding the newspaper, he starts to see the potential for not only continuing to better his position but also the plethora of opportunities to seduce other men's wives.
He is a handsome rake.
"He had a fund of small talk, a pleasant voice, a caressing glance and his moustache was irresistible. Crisp and curly, it curved charmingly over his lip, fair with auburn tints, slightly paler where it bristled at the ends."
It isn't long before the women, and even the men, are referring to him as Bel-Ami.
As he gains confidence, he also becomes bolder. His first conquest is Madame Clotilde de Marelle.
"'I've never seen such pretty earrings as yours, Madame de Marelle.'
She turned to him with a smile.
'It's an idea I had to fasten a diamond like that, simply on the end of a wire. They look just like dew, don't they?'
Alarmed at his temerity and terrified of saying something silly, he murmured:
'It's charming...but the ear must take some of the credit, too.'"
Her ample bosom first catches his eye, but of course, only a low class lout would compliment a woman's breasts. By showing an interest in her earrings, he unknowingly hits upon something of which she is proud, her creativity. As you will see when you read this novel, Duroy frequently gets luckier than he deserves. At the same time, I can't help rooting for him even as he takes on characteristics that are beneath a man on the rise.
Forestier is very sick with tuberculosis. The disease is wasting him away. A young man, only in his late twenties, he will not only leave a higher position open at the newspaper, but he will also leave a young, beautiful, ambitious woman a widow. Both the job and the widow are of interest to Duroy. To him, she represents the pinnacle of success, but she will only prove to be a stepping stone for a man as ambitious as he is.
The Forestier death scene is particularly poignant because of his deathbed terror of the unknown, which even envelopes Madeleine and Duroy, who are devotedly attending his last moments, despite already scheming about a life after Forestier. When Guy De Maupassant was writing this novel in the 1880s, he already knew he was living under a death sentence. Syphilis was eroding his health at an alarming rate. When he wrote Forestier's last moments, I couldn't help thinking that he was recording his own fears and projecting his last curtain call upon this man who was dying too young.
First things first, Madeleine changes his name. He is now Duroy de Cantel or D. de Cantel. There are reasons why actors and actresses change their names, not only to be someone else, someone larger in even their own minds when they are acting, but to also have a memorable name that will easily trip off the tongue of those who hear it. Duroy is becoming an accomplished actor in the drama of his own life.
He has come a long way from the first squalid rooms he used in Paris. "His wallpaper, grey with a blue floral pattern, had as many stains as flowers, ancient, dubious-looking stains that could have been squashed insects or oil, greasy finger-marks from hair cream or dirty soap suds from the wash-basin. It all reeked of poverty and degradation, the poverty of Parisian furnished lodgings."
I know it isn't possible for everyone to experience poverty, but for me, while trying to pay for college and at times walking around with just a few slender dimes in my pocket, the prospect of missing meals certainly honed my appreciation for what being successful really means. Though being successful takes on different meanings for different people, my vision of what a successful life is has certainly changed in the last few years. "The road to success is thus largely paved by wily mediocrity; but, fortunately, as a counterbalance and a sort of poetic justice, Maupassant takes pains to underline the basic futility of ambition." We see this philosophy in how Duray, excuse me, D. de Cantel adjusts to his rising prosperity. He is besotted by bitter envy of the triumphs of others to the point that he can't enjoy the vaulted position he has achieved.
Achieved may be too strong a word.
He does still recognize who he is.
"A smart, low, open carriage came by drawn at a brisk trot by two slim greys with flowing manes and tails, driven by a small blonde young woman, a well-known high-class tart, with two grooms sitting behind her. Duroy stopped and felt like waving and applauding this woman whose success had been won on her back and who was boldly flaunting her luxury by taking her drive at the same time as these aristocratic hypocrites."
I wonder, if we looked in on Duroy twenty years in the future, if he would still see the woman as an act of defiance to be celebrated, or will he be so steeped in the conventions of his new class that he will see her as someone to be vilified for her impertinence?
The women are so well drawn in this book. I find myself admiring them more than the men. They are competent, intelligent, and in many cases, use Duroy as much as he uses them. I especially admire Madeleine Forestier, who,
through her subtle astute suggestions, guides Duroy to better opportunities, and even suggests women he should strategically get to know better. She has no illusions about how either one of them are ever going to rise to a place of comfort.
The spectre of death, the dissatisfaction with success, the unseemliness of unquenchable ambition, and the hypocrisy of the aristocracy all make for a scathing, enjoyable romp through the dark alcoves, the boudoirs, and the secluded settees of Paris, as seeking fingers grope for the flesh beneath the silk.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
Guy de Maupassant was responsible for a couple of items named Bel-Ami. One was his very successful 1885 novel and the other was his small sailing yacht.
Here is what the latter looked like, from a Sale advertisement.
Advertisement for the sale of Guy de Maupassant's Yacht 'Bel-Ami' (litho) (b/w photo)
In Maupassant's mind both the novel and the boat must have had a great deal in common, for we must remember that le bateau in French is of a masculine genre.
I also see a link in the great deal of ple
Guy de Maupassant was responsible for a couple of items named Bel-Ami. One was his very successful 1885 novel and the other was his small sailing yacht.
Here is what the latter looked like, from a Sale advertisement.
Advertisement for the sale of Guy de Maupassant's Yacht 'Bel-Ami' (litho) (b/w photo)
In Maupassant's mind both the novel and the boat must have had a great deal in common, for we must remember that le bateau in French is of a masculine genre.
I also see a link in the great deal of pleasure that Maupassant must have had sailing in his boat and in my enjoyment when flowing through his textual Bel-Ami.
The story in this book is after all one of a voyage of transformation. It traces the adventures of the scoundrel Georges Duroy as he surfs the seas of Parisian society. He is a real "fripon", which is, unsurprisingly, a name often given to vessels (incidentally, "Fripon" in Spanish translates as "Bribón", which is the name of the sailboat of His Royal Majesty, Juan Carlos I, King of Spain).
And here is the royal Bribon.
Georges Duroy is a lucky man. To begin with, he is beautiful, charming, engaging and.. bewitching. When he also polishes his gear he reaches such a point of elegance that he does not recognize himself when he sees his reflection in the mirror. The novel is the account of how, as if he were a boat, he transforms himself from a provincial raft into a seductive canoe and eventually into a magnificent yacht. I picture the something as alluring as this:
In this account of navigation we witness the exploration of Duroy's remarkable personality who is always on the look out for new opportunities or new ports as he moves through the social, political and economic mesh of Paris in the late nineteenth century. His elegant gliding is possible thanks to his ability to detect from where the wind blows and let himself be carried by that impulse. So, even if he starts out of a standing of poverty and misery, he recognizes the buoy that is his friend, M. Forestier, and succeeds in keeping afloat.
And from this timely impulse from the friend Duroy advances and steers on towards success, thanks to his wafting allure. A great part of his journey is accompanied by the crew of women in his life as they lay out the course for him. For amongst his abilities we hear him sing mesmerizing chants to the mermaids of the Parisian salons while he also skirts the shores formed by the cabarets where he can find banks of "other females". For not all women play the same role. One offers a harbour of love. Another provides a piquant tour along the reservoir of the Folies Bergere. And a very secure anchor is provided by a third, who appropriately lives in Rue Fontaine, until it is time for him to unmoor and head out for a richer heiress and final landing pier.
But not all the crossing is made thanks to the dames. Journalism also offers rich waters for further discoveries and, as he embarks in this new career, we follow him to its zenith. For during the Third Republic newspapers acquired a new power and depth in which there was a lot to fish. Duroy recognized this clearly. As hidden finance deals blended with journalism into dense and murky seas, he succeeds in breaking the waves and casting his net in these new profundities and pull out fantastic treasures.
As he also learns how to cruise through the currents of public opinion, he begins to scan the coasts of Northwestern Africa, following the wake that the political and economic interests of French Foreign Policy were leaving behind. Duroy proved always ready to catch major opportunities in these colonial maneuverings when France interfered with the interests of Morocco, Algiers and Tunisia.
But for the entirety of this voyage, capital is needed if one is not to drift into dangerous currents. And since just floating will not take you anywhere, and just as Duroy is beginning to drown in his own debts he manages to emerge because he starts swimming in other people's money. As his stroke improves he eventually triumphs as he creams the foam of society's fortunes and riches.
And as he has set his sails his itinerary eventually takes him out into the open ocean of high politics. By then Duroy has earned all his stripes and elevated his name to that of Baron du Roy de Cantel. He is then more than ready to make direct headway towards the not too distant coast of the French Parliament, which standing as a beacon in the horizon, is where he plans to cast anchor, finally.
And if Duroy's story seems like a miracle, we have to remember the recurring analogy established in the novel between our maritime hero and the often mentioned, and fictitious, painting depicting Jésus marchant sur les flots .
And if I ever could succeed in life and managed to get myself a Yacht like this one:
I would also call it BEL-AMI.
...more
It really brings this period to life, and though this isn't edge of the seat stuff, the pages turn just as quickly following the exploits of George Duroy - journalist ( reputedly ) serial adulterer ( certainly ) and general rake, who'll stop at nothing to attain wealth, power, and recognition. Even though this was written in 1885, it seems that nothing
Guy de Maupassant's 1885 portrayal of a scoundrel of the highest order, is set in Paris and was written with great style and not a little humour.It really brings this period to life, and though this isn't edge of the seat stuff, the pages turn just as quickly following the exploits of George Duroy - journalist ( reputedly ) serial adulterer ( certainly ) and general rake, who'll stop at nothing to attain wealth, power, and recognition. Even though this was written in 1885, it seems that nothing much changes, and characters like George's are still alive and kicking!
...more
I love so much about this book. I love the straightforward, accessible language, the believable dialogue and the descriptions of Paris life in 1885. I love the use of humour, such as in the duelling scene. I love the poignancy of some of the scenes: for example (view spoiler)[the death of a secondary character, Forrestier, which is masterfully written (hide spoiler)].
However, the character of Georges Duroy is the novel's greatest achievement. He is the centre around whom everyting turns and he is a fascinating creation. De Maupassant initially evokes sympathy for Georges. He is poor, and while ambitious, he suffers humiliation because of his poverty. But any sympathy is stripped away as the narrative progresses. Georges is a person who can never be content with what he has. Each gain, each achievement only leads to more envy and increased greed. (view spoiler)[In another novel, a character like this would ultimately get his comeuppance. But not here. George goes from success to success, taking every opportunity presented to him with cynical disregard for anyone other than himself. (hide spoiler)]As a character, Georges is both horrifying and compelling.
This novel is a wonderful illustration of how a total lack of virtue can bring great rewards. There is no doubt that this remains as true today as it was in Paris in 1885.
...more
'Bel-Ami' although a solid enough read just didn't leave me with that same feeling of his shorter work. Zola, Balzac and Flaubert I find far more engaging
A while back, I happened to read some of De Maupassant's darkly humorous short stories from the 'Parisian affair' collection and found them a pure delight. He no doubt had a talent of capturing the bourgeousie society and predominantly focusing on relationships between men and women, exploring the nature of the human character, thumbs up here.'Bel-Ami' although a solid enough read just didn't leave me with that same feeling of his shorter work. Zola, Balzac and Flaubert I find far more engaging when it comes to expansive novels, and even though this is far from being a huge novel it lacked something to keep me fully absorbed, it didn't help that right from the off I pretty much knew Georges Duroy (Bel-Ami) was a character that was not going to win me over, as it seems he was following a sinful path that had only one destination. Greed.
The story itself is a basic one (The power to succeed in journalism regardless of who gets hurt along the way) with the focus more on how certain characters react to certain situations, De Maupassant does have a strength for writing of the bond between people and does that well here, but nothing close to as good as in 'A Parisian Affair'., the panoramic descriptions of Paris's right bank society
was handled really well, making this characteristic my highlight of the whole novel.
Nothing is ever enough for Duroy, the son of peasant tavern owners in Normandy all too quickly forgets his past. His lucky break is also quickly forgotten and a growing sense of deserving money and influence starts to grow in his corrupted heart. Duroy appears completely oblivious to the pain caused to others, with both wife and mistress coming off second best to his logic. And the more he climbs social ladders the less of a good-natured person he becomes, and does not see love in anyway shape or form. It's a fear, a fear of failure that drives Duroy forward, De Maupassant builds up the picture slowly, and this does build character development, which goes down well, I was far more interested in wife/mistress aspects of the story rather than Bel-Ami himself. It starts slowly as Duroy takes his first tentative steps into society, but by the end as the issues become more complex the reader is still able to navigate around the world of newspaper, foreign ministers and sexual escapades, to come to the same conclusions as before. That Duroy is dangerous and unlikeable.
The cutthroat world of journalism has changed a hell of a lot since this publication, but human behaviour has not, which will see Bel-Ami continue to be classed as a timeless piece of writing.
But he is just short of being in the same league as Zola or Balzac. 3.5/5
G d.M. is known as a short story writer and there are scenes here - the visit to Bel Ami's coarse childhood home; the remarkable dueling scene, which is a spectacular depiction of the way terror elides time; the creeping death of a friend; the depression of an elderly poet; the first meeting with a new lover - that stand alone quite well. But my favorite scene of all is a party toward the end of the book, when all the characters share the stage for the first time as they whirl around each other at the height of the society. You realize with a thrill that you know so many of them intimately, that despite the close alignment with the book's lead, you understand an entire tableau and look at them with affection. That this is one hell of a novel.
Oh, and the ending is just absolutely a knockout. That last sentence sticks the landing.
...more
I Bel-Ami. What a great discovery! I frankly enjoyed reading this very much. It's fluid and captivating, really, and Maupassant offers us a good range of characters from the time, all more or less exciting but with a specific role in the plot, which I greatly appreciate. I particularly liked the (nonetheless realistic) pessimism of the poet Norbert de Varenne - I believe that Maupassant put a little of him in this character (they are both obsessed and devoured by the idea of death, especially).
In any case, it is radically different from Une vie, which is much more descriptive and takes us into a much heavier atmosphere (which is the intended goal, moreover). It did not surprise me to read in the afterword that Bel-Ami was written in one go and in the form of a serial - hence the permanent feeling of being held in suspense -, whereas Une Vie reported in 7 years! I also find a very "Zolien" side to Bel-Ami, which I liked!
And then George Duroy; I love passionate characters, so I love George Duroy against all odds! A more modern Valmont and a little less vile, a man for women as I like them (literally speaking, of course!), Who uses his charms to rise in society, but who, despite all his ephemeral and self-interested conquests, remains attached to Madame de Marelle, his first lover, to whom he remains irresistibly attracted and maybe the only one he - and who - truly loves her.
In short, I had a great time with this novel, and I recommend it to anyone who would like to escape to a distant time and yet very little different from ours in terms of human aspirations and ambitions.
...more
Just who is Bel Ami? 'bel ami' (beautiful/handsome friend) is Georges Duroy, ostensibly a love rat, a man intent on procuring fortune and social status by way of the women in his life rather than by more usual means. A man of humble parentage, he's an ex-soldier with nothing to live on but his desire to do better for himself; trading on his charm, his wit, good looks and sex appeal. Never satisfied with what he has, Duroy furthers his status, employment and bank balance via his wife and his mist
Just who is Bel Ami? 'bel ami' (beautiful/handsome friend) is Georges Duroy, ostensibly a love rat, a man intent on procuring fortune and social status by way of the women in his life rather than by more usual means. A man of humble parentage, he's an ex-soldier with nothing to live on but his desire to do better for himself; trading on his charm, his wit, good looks and sex appeal. Never satisfied with what he has, Duroy furthers his status, employment and bank balance via his wife and his mistresses. His employment as a journalist is procured by meeting an old army buddy; Bel Ami will soon step into that same man's shoes in more ways than one. The story is back-dropped by events leading to France's colonization of North Africa.
Although published in 1885, Bel Ami is still relevant today: the parallels between our society and late nineteenth century are part of the appeal. Another surprise is considering it's male author and the book's 'hero', Bel Ami is amazingly devoid of raunchy sex scenes. No sweaty in-depth sex depictions here, De Maupassant rather neatly tells you all he needs to in a single sentence. I kept going back over lines convinced I had missed something.
My rusty schoolgirl French is not up to the task so I read the English translation. Does the novel lose something when not read in it's native tongue? I'll never know. I do know Du Maupassant has a wonderful way of telling a tale, a gift with dialogue and a rich descriptive talent. You may just read it so you can add French Authors to your credit but you won't regret it.
Basically, Bel Ami is mild enough to pass on to your granny, the book that is, not the man, while remaining relevant enough for everyone else from fifteen year old upwards to ponder as well. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Recommended Reading. 4.75★
...more
This is a really good novel and I totally loved it.
I mean I LOVED it.
When you come across fiction that it this good you must stand up and clap. I am clapping.
OK now, Chrissie, explain why you loved it.
I loved it because I was laughing from start to finish. I loved it because it has a message that is oh so true. The message being that those who succeed, those who attain power, and position and money and fame very often do it by the least of admirable methods. This dire message is neverthele
This is a really good novel and I totally loved it.
I mean I LOVED it.
When you come across fiction that it this good you must stand up and clap. I am clapping.
OK now, Chrissie, explain why you loved it.
I loved it because I was laughing from start to finish. I loved it because it has a message that is oh so true. The message being that those who succeed, those who attain power, and position and money and fame very often do it by the least of admirable methods. This dire message is nevertheless achieved in a humorous fashion. No lectures are delivered. This is the way life is, but rather than moaning and complaining we laugh. This is achieved by the author throwing together a group of characters NONE of which are admirable so they all deserve each other and whatever happens to them. You cannot feel sorry for the loosers; they all chose to take part in this fashionable game for sex and power and money and fame. If they loose it is their own fault. That is how I see it.
The sex is tantalizing, alluring, seductive. No depictions of crude behavior. Hints are given that attract rather than repulse.
OK, what about the narration by John McDonough of this Recorded Books audiobook? The voice of this narrator is that of an elderly man. In the beginning I thought why have they chosen such a voice, given that the main character, journalist Georges Duroy, is a young man? Still it was wonderful. He is telling us a story of the goings-on in Paris in the latter half of the 1800s, so in fact this elderly voice works stupendously. The French pronunciation is spot-on. Yeah, even when the women ball and shriek, it all works. Oh the shrieking, the family eruptions and pissed-off men - I was laughing and laughing and laughing.
One more thing: the translation from French to English was marvelous. THIS is a story that is easy to follow, even if it was first published in 1885. The language used made you feel you were in Paris and it made you fully aware that what happened then could just as easily happen today. It is a wonderful translation. I do not know who the translator was! I loved the lines, I forgot to tell you how wonderfully Guy de Maupassant depicts people and places and events, such as marriages and duels and charity fencing competitions! So the translation was perfect too. I am sure Guy de Maupassant would be happy to hear the story being told in this manner. The translation makes this book feel relevant even today. We are delivered a piece of art that speaks to readers more than a century after it was written. This is a book that holds year after year after year, and that is what makes it a true classic. Why is it is still relevant today? Because unfortunately people do NOT change.
...more
Isaiah's comment highlighted for me why the book is so fascinating. Most people don't want to admit to themselves how important
On the surface, the moral of the book is simple: be a complete bastard, treat all the women you meet like dirt and exploit them as much as possible, and you'll be a stunning success. The author stays deadpan thoughout; it's impossible to tell for sure whether he's being ironic, though one strongly suspects he is. Fans of the Flashman series will probably enjoy this too.Isaiah's comment highlighted for me why the book is so fascinating. Most people don't want to admit to themselves how important the connection is between sex and power, but Maupassant puts it center stage. Another work that does the same thing is the musical Evita. I was reminded of the chorus from "Goodnight and thank you", a duet between Eva and Ché:
There is no one, no one at all
Never has been, and never will be a lover
Male or female
Who hasn't an eye on
In fact they rely on
Tricks they can try on
Their partner
They're hoping their lover will help them or keep them
Support them, promote them, don't blame them
You're the same
I wonder how compromised Maupassant have been in forging reports as a journalist.
Matching Soundtrack :
Moulinet-Polka, op. 57 - Josef Strauss
--------------------------------------------
Un roman sacrément rusé sur l'appre
A sneaky short novel about a crook journalist giving false reports on subjects he never covers, a gigolo changing names, an upstart using expendable friends, all in all a very successful swindler which makes for a very successful carreer in Paris under the dawning Third Republic!I wonder how compromised Maupassant have been in forging reports as a journalist.
Matching Soundtrack :
Moulinet-Polka, op. 57 - Josef Strauss
--------------------------------------------
Un roman sacrément rusé sur l'apprentissage d'un escroc à Paris, dans les débuts de la IIIème république. Faux reportages, emploi de prête-noms et de faux noms, amitiés de circonstance, liaisons avantageuses, Duroy apprend toutes les ficelles.
Je me demande à quel point la partie journalistique reflète l'expérience et les pratiques de Maupassant dans ce milieu qu'il a fréquenté de près.
Phonographe :
Moulinet-Polka, op. 57 - Josef Strauss
This was my first Maupassant novel and it impressed me as a brilliantly told story about how a journalist-turned-parvenu of low-born parentage attained status, wealth and power by sleazy means in Third Republic France.
In a witty and crisp style, the story flows smoothly along as the protagonist jumps from one woman's embrace to the next, gathering each time more worldly benefits like career advancement, social recognition, wealth and status. His only weapon of conquest is his youth and his hands
This was my first Maupassant novel and it impressed me as a brilliantly told story about how a journalist-turned-parvenu of low-born parentage attained status, wealth and power by sleazy means in Third Republic France.
In a witty and crisp style, the story flows smoothly along as the protagonist jumps from one woman's embrace to the next, gathering each time more worldly benefits like career advancement, social recognition, wealth and status. His only weapon of conquest is his youth and his handsome face, hence his nickname "Bel Ami", apart from a heart of steel. Maupassant sketches with virtuosity each of his cold, calculated social-climbing ventures with smirking irony, barely hiding his own scornful snide at the Parisian society's bourgeois-capitalist immorality and journalistic farce.
After reading the first few chapters, I thought the protagonist seemed to bear resemblance to Eugene de Rastignac in Balzac's "Le Pere Goriot" and Julien Sorel in Stendhal's "The Red and the Black". When I reached the end though, I had to conclude that Georges Duroy is the true heartless, predatory and hypocritical villain of the three.
This novel, being a 19th century work of realist fiction, deals with themes that are just as contemporary as they are historical. It makes one mull over the connection between today's unbridled capitalism and societies' lack of scruples.
...more
"Rick Von Slonecker is tall, rich, good-looking, stupid, dishonest, conceited, a bully, liar, drunk and thief, an egomaniac, and probably psychotic. In short, highly attractive to women."
That description from a 1990's Indie comedy of manners could apply to Georges Duroy, aka Bel Ami, the quintessential unlikeable protagonist of Maupassant's 1885 masterpiece. Grante
In Whit Stillman's film, Metropolitan, one character describes his rival as follows in a funny scene at a Debutante Ball after-party:"Rick Von Slonecker is tall, rich, good-looking, stupid, dishonest, conceited, a bully, liar, drunk and thief, an egomaniac, and probably psychotic. In short, highly attractive to women."
That description from a 1990's Indie comedy of manners could apply to Georges Duroy, aka Bel Ami, the quintessential unlikeable protagonist of Maupassant's 1885 masterpiece. Granted Duroy is neither alcoholic nor stupid, and he doesn't start out rich. Otherwise, the description suits him to a tee.
After serving a hitch as a junior officer in Algeria, Duroy, the son of peasant innkeepers, tries his luck in Paris. A fortuitous meeting with an old friend launches a career in journalism. Soon, Georges is climbing the social ladder over the bodies of several influential society women, including his friend's wife. Dubbed Bel-Ami by one of his mistresses' daughters, he conquers with a charm reminiscent of the amorous cartoon skunk, Pepé Le Pew. The rags to riches story incorporates a clever sub-plot in which a cadre of unscrupulous politicians and their journalist cronies profit from a colonial power grab in North Africa.
Duroy reminded me of Edith Wharton's predatory social climber, Undine Spragg (The Custom of the Country). The fictional adventures of such amoral scoundrels are often more engaging than those of worthy protagonists. That's especially true when a great storyteller such as Maupassant or Wharton tells the tale. I highly recommend "Bel Ami" to anyone interested in the Belle Époque, and especially to those who prefer an acerbic alternative to a sugarcoated Cinderella story like the musical "Gigi."
...more
boudoirs to ballrooms in this worldly social comedy. The
story is very contemporary : it reveals print journalism
with its tricky newshounds, vulgar publishers and ambitious
scenesters - pretentious, posturing - for whom insincerity
is almost enough. The observant Maupassant says that too
often nothing succeeds like mediocrity and a big portion
of luck. Ironic, pitiless and monstrously humane. Maupassant's accidental careerist moves with charm from
boudoirs to ballrooms in this worldly social comedy. The
story is very contemporary : it reveals print journalism
with its tricky newshounds, vulgar publishers and ambitious
scenesters - pretentious, posturing - for whom insincerity
is almost enough. The observant Maupassant says that too
often nothing succeeds like mediocrity and a big portion
of luck. Ironic, pitiless and monstrously humane. ...more
In Bel-Ami, Maupassant proved himself to be an excellent social observer and commentary. Set in late 19th century Paris, Bel-Ami is a story of a scoundrel. That much we can see from the start because the word scoundrel is actually the part of the title, for the full title reads: " Bel- Ami: or the History of a Scoundrel. " Very descriptive title, wouldn't you agree? When the story opens, our protagonist George Duray is a poor young man, who having left the French colonies and the army, tries to find his luck in Paris. Soon nicknamed Bel-Ami (for his good looks), he climbs the social ladder with stubbornness that is hard not to admire despite his almost complete lack of morals, for if Bel-Ami is immoral, so are the others. As Bel- Ami becomes gentlemen Du Ray, he learns the social rules he needs to learn. One doesn't have to be intelligent or educated to climb the social ladder, being cunning is often enough. Bel-Ami, the boy from the province, seems cunning enough. Plus, Bel-Ami is willing to profit from his ability to charm women- of all ages. The women in this novel are fascinating characters, much more interesting that the protagonist himself. That didn't surprise me, for I know Maupassant as an wonderful portraitist of the female soul.
This novel isn't short, but it is easy to read. It kept my interest throughout. Having finished Bel-Ami, I had a feeling I had read a much shorter work for the whole story seemed to just fly before my eyes. I simply couldn't get enough of the characters and their interactions. The plot makes sense and the writing is engaging. Bel-Ami is not a plot driven novel, though, although it may seem so. You have to keep your focus on the writing to catch all the witticism and the clever jokes, but it is one of those books that more that rewards its reader for his attention. The social commentary in Bel-Ami is extremely well done. You will quite possibly find yourself very interested in the fate of the immoral protagonist, even if you try to fight it- and even if you dislike him. The writing is so natural, it makes it hard for you to hate anyone in particular. What you get to see is perhaps a portrait of a society reflected in a group of people and their weaknesses- and who is to judge them? Bel-Ami is full of twists and turns, but even more than that, it is interesting for its implications. Will Bel-Ami achieve his goals or will he fall victim to his own greed? What is enough? Why do we always want more?
...more
Since most of my holiday reading books were complete & total dreck, seeing my Kindle used for good as well as evil was a bit of a relief.
& I'm not saying that Georges was good! For me, the change in Georges from a pleasant if rather aimless young man to evil personified was a bit abrupt, but that could have been the translation or me not paying enough attention to the clues being laid. Certainly not a word was wasted.
The ending genuinely surprised me. My first read of this author but defin
4.5 *Since most of my holiday reading books were complete & total dreck, seeing my Kindle used for good as well as evil was a bit of a relief.
& I'm not saying that Georges was good! For me, the change in Georges from a pleasant if rather aimless young man to evil personified was a bit abrupt, but that could have been the translation or me not paying enough attention to the clues being laid. Certainly not a word was wasted.
The ending genuinely surprised me. My first read of this author but definitely not my last!
...more
Had George Duroy (he later changed it to "George Du Roy" after he succeeded in marrying into money to make his name more aristocratic-sounding)
If Flaubert has his heroine Madame Bovary, then Guy de Maupassant has his hero, George Duroy, nicknamed "Bel Ami" ( can't understand, however, why in the English translation of the book "Bel Ami" is translated as "Pretty Boy" when it actually means "good friend" and "pretty/beautiful boy" is "beaux garcon"). Both characters, you will either love or hate.Had George Duroy (he later changed it to "George Du Roy" after he succeeded in marrying into money to make his name more aristocratic-sounding) and Madame Bovary gotten married, they would have been a most exciting couple. For one, they are both good-looking, love fame, money and sex. True, they surely would not have been faithful to each other but their mutual infidelity would not have been without any reason. For Madame Bovary, most likely it would be out of boredom, after marital passion had simmered down; for the Pretty Boy, the irresistible temptation that wealthy women drag him into.
What I find admirable about Flaubert and De Maupassant is the decency in the manner they write their scandals. A modern author like J.G. Ballard, for example, would describe a lovemaking inside a car even to the last spurt of semen creaming the steering wheel. Most readers would find this repulsive, as too much of anything deadens the senses. De Maupassant, in contrast, simply glides over these scenes like they're unimportant yet the pages throb with eroticism. He simply writes, for example, that: "The cab rocked like a ship." Then he makes the woman tell her lover afterwards: "It is not so nice as in our room." Simple, yet far more effective than having semen on the steering wheel.
Don't get the impression, however, that De Maupassant is shy or inhibited. When sex is still in the mind, and when its charm is most potent, his creative juices flow like an endless ejaculation. Witness this scene, for example, when George Duroy has not become a gigolo yet. He is dining with two wealthy, attractive, married ladies--both of whom have the hots for him and who later will become his mistresses. They were dining and, of course, talking. Then:
"the conversation, descending from the elevated theories, concerning love, strayed into the flowery garden of refined indecency. It was the moment of clever double meanings; veils raised by words, as petticoats are lifted by the wind; tricks of language; clever disguised audacities; sentences which reveal nude images in covered phrases; which cause the vision of all that may not be said to flit rapidly before the eye and the mind, and allow the well-bred people the enjoyment of a kind of subtle and mysterious love, a species of impure mental contact, due to the simultaneous evocation of secret, shameful, and longed-for pleasures. The roast, consisting of partridges flanked by quails, had been served; than a dish of green peas, and then a terrine of foie gras, accompanied by a curly-leaved salad, filling a salad bowl as though with green foam. They had partaken of all these things without tasting them, without knowing, solely taken up by what they were talking of, plunged as it were in a bath of love."
Ah, yes. The French, indeed, write the best sex books!
...more
Bel-Ami is the story of a young man chasing life. Known mostly for his shorter works, Maupassant here shows his skill in crafting a longer narrative, using an episodic structure. A simple novel,
One of the joys of goodreads is scrolling through all the editions, looking for the one in my hand. Surveying all those covers amounts to another approach of a book review, plus offers international insights. What do different countries perceive as the image that best represents the essence of this book?Bel-Ami is the story of a young man chasing life. Known mostly for his shorter works, Maupassant here shows his skill in crafting a longer narrative, using an episodic structure. A simple novel, a simple story; Maupassant at his finest.
...more
"Life is a slope. As long as you're going up you're looking towards the top and you feel happy; but when you reach it, suddenly you can see the road going downhill and death at the end of it all. It's slow going up but quick going down."
Georges Duroy is a frightful snob and a wonderful creation by Maupassant, as he exposes French demi-monde society for all its shameful, tawdry hypocrisy. The story is fast paced and our anti-anti-hero, blessed with good looks and no education to speak of, but end
"Life is a slope. As long as you're going up you're looking towards the top and you feel happy; but when you reach it, suddenly you can see the road going downhill and death at the end of it all. It's slow going up but quick going down."
Georges Duroy is a frightful snob and a wonderful creation by Maupassant, as he exposes French demi-monde society for all its shameful, tawdry hypocrisy. The story is fast paced and our anti-anti-hero, blessed with good looks and no education to speak of, but endowed with boundless ambition, a frenzied sexual appetite and great self confidence, eases his way, through various seductions into the world of his 'elders and betters' and so begins a career in journalism (and late nineteenth century 'fake news'). 'Bel Ami' is a rollicking tale full of warning to any scheming would-be 'flaneur', turned lothario, that such unashamed unscrupulousness, and outrageous lies, atrocious deceits and frequent shameless infidelities, will soon be heading for a nasty and, possibly, very public fall.
Born of peasant stock in Normandy Georges Duroy finds himself "excluded from high society, having no connections where he would be accepted as an equal and being unable to frequent women on terms of intimacy" and so he joins the French Army. The story begins upon his return, unscathed, from service in a North Africa, (a colonial war in Algeria), and short of money and prospects he is still hoping for better things, and is dreaming of "greatness and success, fame, wealth and love". But love turns quickly to hate, and friends to enemies, as Maupassant sets out his stall to help Georges find all five of these, fleeting, sensations.
Blessed with few attributes, apart from his looks, and no literary or journalistic skills Georges decides that women with power and influence is probably "still the quickest way to succeed". Calling in favours from old friends gets him started on his way and then through casual dalliances he earns promotion through the ranks of the La Vie Française – the sort of daily newspaper that steers its "course through the waters of high finance and low politics". But in setting out to find "a woman of refinement and distinction" he reveals a callous and mysoginistic nature, and as
as he woos, and beds, and betrays and deserts , so there is to bound to be a reckoning.
Maupassant has great fun with his characters and although Georges Duroy might think he is in control of events but he hasn't counted on the feisty mettle of some formidable women, who soon get his number, and although Madame Forestier agrees to his unseemly hasty proposal of marriage, before they have even buried her husband, she adds a codicil, that she can continue to do as she pleases. She insists "on being free, completely free to act as I see fit, go where I please, see whom I choose, whatever I wish. I could never accept any authority or jealousy or questioning of my conduct."
Maupassant never moralises but clearly enjoys Duroy's agonising over whether he is being played by his many duplicitous women, and knowing that many of his associates have been cuckolded themselves, by him, he now discovers the pain, himself, of betrayal and double standards. The manipulated are soon doing the manipulating, as the story unfolds weaving a treacherous plot from the machinations of the greedy and ambitious parasites feeding off a rotten bohemian Parisian society.
...more![[P]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1486240560p2/40516522.jpg)
Bel Ami, Guy de Maupassant's fine novel, begins with the above-named hero skulking around a hot and foul-smelling Paris, evidently frustrated and ill-at-ease. He barges people with his shoulder, he wants to throttle anyone who has more money than him [which is pretty much everyone], he longs for the touch of a woman and for a drink to ease his rasping throat. Maupassant reveals that he was once in the Army and describes his attitude, in one of the book's most memorable lines, as being like 'an NCO let loose in a conquered land,' and reference is made to shooting Arabs while on duty. One gets the impression that Duroy might be dangerous, physically dangerous, and I must admit that I wasn't expecting anything quite so dark, so noirish.
It is a brilliant, thrilling introduction, but it is, I think, slightly misleading. When Duroy gets a new job as a journalist, he is shown to be nervous, lacking in self-confidence, without any great talents or merits. The clearest indication of this is when he attempts to write an article, but finds that he is incapable, that he cannot even start it. Far from being a Machiavellian cad, with supernatural charm, he is pretty much dull-witted; he is slow on the uptake, naïve [or green, as he describes himself, I think]. Moreover, he is, for at least two-thirds of the book, honest or at least transparent. For example, when his mistress, Clotilde, wants to go for a walk he initially says that he would rather stay inside, but when pressed he confesses that he doesn't have the money to pay for their entertainment. He doesn't do this because he is trying to elicit sympathy, or manipulate her into giving him money [even though she does] but because he is simply unable to keep his fear or worry to himself.
What is most striking about the first part of the book is that Georges Duroy is thoroughly average, is unexceptional in every way, except perhaps his looks; even his motivations and ambitions are, for want of a better word, standard, are the kind almost everyone has. He wants money in his pocket and a woman…well, don't we all? Yes, he also wants to get ahead, to raise himself up, but he actually lacks the mental wherewithal to accomplish it on his own. Indeed, every time Duroy does move up in the world, or gets a break, his success is courtesy of someone else, or at least something outside of himself; his victories are, more or less, pure dumb luck. For example, his journalism job comes via an old military friend who works for a paper, his first article is written by his friend's wife, his standing in the paper is increased when he survives a duel, and so on. For the most part, things happen to Duroy, he doesn't make them happen.
Perhaps in recognition of his own limitations, Duroy's character is, until late in the novel, primarily a docile one. It is Madeleine Forestier who advises him to go see the woman he makes his lover; when Madeleine requests that he keep their impending marriage quiet, he acquiesces; and when she tells him to break it off with Clothilde, he again does just as he is told. This may sound exceedingly dull, and I accept that it lacks the sturm and drang of most other 19th century French novels, but it did feel fresh; and the novelty makes it engaging. In fact, one of the most satisfying aspects of the novel is how adult, how contemporary the relationships are [again, in the first part]. For example, when Duroy thinks about making love to Madeleine he is told in no uncertain terms that she finds all that preposterous, and will not countenance it. Moreover, when the couple speak of marriage she makes it clear that he will only be accepted if he grants her the freedom to which she is accustomed and treats her as though she is a partner, an ally, not his possession.
It ought to be clear then that Bel Ami is somewhat removed from the grand romanticism and emotional bombast one finds in Balzac et al. If I had to make a comparison I would say that Maupassant's novel has more in common with the work of Georges Simenon or even Charles Bukowski, that his protagonist is reminiscent of the cowering and gloomy Ferdinand Bardemu, the narrator of Celine's novels. It is not until some two hundred pages into the book [out of two hundred and ninety] that Duroy begins to exhibit the kind of traits and behaviour one would expect of a immoral scoundrel in a classic French novel. I must admit that my interest waned a little from this point onwards; the dumb-fun-factor is greater, but the story becomes familiar and predictable. Moreover, I did not feel as though the change in Duroy's character was well handled – it is too abrupt, too extreme – and, ultimately, I got the impression that the author himself wasn't really sure what was behind it.
After a happy start to his marriage, Duroy begins to resent the fact that his wife once belonged to someone else, and suspects that she cuckolded her first husband. As noted, in the previous two hundred pages one could not say that he has been a nice man, but he certainly hasn't been a irredeemable bastard, either. Therefore, it is natural to suppose that his jealousy is the reason that he begins to behave as wickedly as he does from this point onwards. However, while I can accept that jealousy could lead someone to thinking 'fuck it, feelings are for idiots, I'll have no more of that, and will therefore treat everyone like shit and please myself,' I don't see how this feeling is then transformed into an overwhelming, passionate envy, directed towards anyone in a superior position, and a obsessive desire to supplant them and become top-dog. I don't, either, buy that he would swing from tormenting jealousy to, well, complete indifference where his wife is concerned. More importantly, during this final section of the novel Duroy is able to do things without breaking sweat or batting an eyelid, that before he found difficult or impossible. He lies, he schemes; he shows intelligence, talent, daring, cunning, and so on. Maupassant had spent the greater part of Bel Ami giving the reader the impression that his hero was an average, albeit attractive, schmo who frequently gets lucky, and yet suddenly he is some sort of Devilish Byronic figure who has complete command over himself and everyone else? Come on.
With this in mind, my preferred interpretation is that the catalyst for his caddish manoeuvres is a series of existential confrontations with death. In the first instance, consider his proposal to Madeleine Forestier, which comes while the couple are watching over the dead body of her husband. On the surface, this seems like an outrageous, cynical step, and yet a panicky Duroy appears to be genuinely struck by his own mortality, and the need to make the most of his time on earth, and as such his offer of marriage is hardly an example of cold-hearted manipulation. There are, in addition, two other incidents, prior to Forestier's passing, where death is on the agenda: a kind of soliloquy delivered by a colleague, Norbert de Varenne, and a duel. These two passages are, for me, Bel Ami's finest moments; and both appear to have a profound effect upon Duroy.
The duel is, of course, particularly significant, because it involves, not death as an abstract, as something happening to other people, but the very real threat of it happening to Duroy himself without too much delay. Again, I have to credit Maupassant with a modern outlook, because his hero does not take it in his stride, he does not rise to the challenge, nor welcome the opportunity to defend himself against unfair criticism. No, he does what most of us would do: he gets scared. He isn't necessarily a coward, but rather a rationalist; he wants to avoid fighting because it is, well, dangerous; he questions the absurd dictates of honour, which have put him in a situation whereby he must fire at a man he has never met and has no real beef with. It isn't difficult to imagine that if someone has had a brush with death it might spur them on to being more ruthless in pursuit of their desires and dreams, but how much this theory holds weight, when one considers that Duroy's character does not immediately change in the way that it does following the jealousy chapters, I don't know. In any case, being someone who is terrified of dying I understand myself how motivating that fear can be; in fact, I consider it to be responsible for a great many of my actions, both positive and negative.
"We breathe, sleep, drink, eat, work and then die! The end of life is death. What do you long for? Love? A few kisses and you will be powerless. Money? What for? To gratify your desires. Glory? What comes after it all? Death! Death alone is certain."
I have spent much of this review focusing on the particulars of Duroy's character, without, as yet, saying anything about the wider significance of the action. To this end, John Paul Sartre said of Maupassant's creation that 'his rise testifies to the decline of a whole society.' If I am honest, I'm not entirely sure what he meant by this. What Duroy's ultimate victory suggests to me is that the structure of French society, maybe western society as a whole, was changing; but whether that was for the better or worse I cannot say. Duroy comes, one must remember, from low stock; his parents are tavern owners, and he frequently refers to them as peasants. As the novel reaches a climax Georges, in a sense, has infiltrated the upper reaches of French society, and laid his hat there. Maupassant seems to be suggesting that he is one of the new breed of men, the nouveau riche, who will usher out the old aristocracy, taking their money, their positions, and their titles. It isn't just Duroy either; the biggest winner in the novel is the Jewish financier, M. Walter, who in some kind of stock market scam earns millions. Does unscrupulous common men making all the money and having all the power testify to a decline? It is certainly a sign of the times, is more in keeping with the world we live in now than that of privileged barons and lords, but I'm less than convinced that it is a bad thing, certainly in comparison to the alternative.
...more
This 1885 tale by the master story teller, Guy de Maupassant, is so very entertaining and Duroy is the perfect example of a true bâtard, who captures the heart of everyone he encounters on his way to the top. Highly recommended.
...more
This is a story of journalists with dubious ethics, of politicians who use their position for personal gain, of men and women caught up in the quest for power, money and social status.
And at the centre of it all is Georges Duroy. He was an ordinary man, a former soldier, who rose from the bottom of society to the very top. An old frie
I have been to 19th century Paris, but I barely knew it. Because I have read a book with a style, with themes, with a story, that felt so very, very contemporary.This is a story of journalists with dubious ethics, of politicians who use their position for personal gain, of men and women caught up in the quest for power, money and social status.
And at the centre of it all is Georges Duroy. He was an ordinary man, a former soldier, who rose from the bottom of society to the very top. An old friend gave him a foot in the door, finding him a position as a journalist, and introducing him to society. And then Duroy, who was both handsome and charming, was able to seduce wealthy women, the bored wives of powerful men, and use their money, their connections, the things they told him to rise further and further up the ladder.
But he was never satisfied. There was always somebody who had a little more than he did, somebody whose position he had to emulate. Or usurp.
He was not a nice man, but he was a fascinating character. At first it was easy to empathise with a man who had served in the army and had subsequently struggled. Easy to be pleased when fortune seemed, finally, to be favouring him. But that changed, as it became clear that he never appreciated what he had, that he was prepared to do almost anything to further his own ends.
He mirrored the society around him. Every man, and every woman, was motivated by the same things. Every one of them would have done exactly the same in his position, and not one of them would have even thought that maybe there was a different way they could live.
That made the story horrifying, fascinating, and more than a little sad.
The story is very much the focus. The style was quite neutral, and very readable. Only the scenes that move the story forward were played out. Dialogue was always to the point. Descriptions were scarce. And there were no characters that didn't have significant roles to play.
But there was enough variation to keep things interesting. Drama, and a little humour, when the time came for a duel. Upset, and a little self-interest, when there was a death. And an interesting diversity of outlooks and responses among the many mistresses.
All of that could make it the classic for people who don't like classics. The 19th century novel that isn't tied to its era. It really was timeless. I suspect that the author realised that, because he did nothing to pinpoint his setting.
The final scene was perfect. Then, as now, it is the ambitious and not necessarily the righteous who prosper. Not an ending, but a fitting conclusion.
...moreNews & Interviews
Welcome back. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account.
Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/780581.Bel_Ami
Posted by: goslingtooll1983.blogspot.com