Rating: 
Summary: Bel-Ami
Review: Georges Duroy is working as a railway clerk, earning a miserable 1,500 francs a year and 'not a sou more'. While debating between having two lunch meals before going hungry, or two dinner meals, he runs into an old friend, Forestier, who has gone from thin to healthy, poor to wealthy, and inquires as to how this could be. Forestier explains that any man can have any job, but he must have the drive and be 'pushing' enough about it:
'If someone mentioned the name of Cicero or Tiberius, would you know what they're talking about, roughly?
Roughly, yes.
Good, that's all anybody knows, except for a couple of dozen silly idiots who are quite incapable of doing anything about it. It's not difficult to appear bright. ...All men are stupid oafs and ignorant nincompoops.'
Forestier invites him along to a social gathering, urging him to be as witty and charming as possible. He notes that the young Duroy has a handsome way with the ladies, and encourages him to play on that advantage as much as possible. At first, the night is not a success, with Duroy merely drinking wine and becoming drunk, the conversation flitting from topic to topic, idea to idea, and he is left behind, unsure. But then the words turn to Algiers, a topic he is familiar with, and he begins to speak. Forestier pounces upon this, declaring that Duroy is writing an essay, and a rich older man, editor of La Vie francaise, a newspaper, commissions an article. Duroy's career in high society is born and his confidence grows, he flirts with women and dazzles older ladies with his charisma and good looks.
Duroy very, very quickly learns that the world he has entered is not as easy as all that. His first article is published, but the sequel is rejected day after day. His friend, Carpentier, wants little to do with him if all he is going to do is stammer and fail. People are curt and cold unless he excels, so excel he must. Slowly, he learns the tricks of the trade, all of the sordid little details of being a reporter. At first horrified to learn that most of the stories are made up, or embellished, or riddled with hidden advertisements, he soon puts aside that qualm, joining the ranks with an emphatic glee.
He tumbles into a romantic liaison with a married woman which, beginning well, soon sours. He finds himself spending far too much money, borrowing from friends and other newspaper staff, and lying and cheating. When his affair ends, instead of learning from this mistake and starting afresh, he plots ways to cuckold his boss' wife, twirling his moustache with satisfaction at this idea. This eventually succeeds, but it takes Carpentier's death to make it so. With his new marriage underway, Duroy - now styled Du Roy de Cantel - find himself over his head, his wife's ambition towards his career and ambivalence towards their amorous relations being something he is unprepared for. But, he succeeds in virtually all the areas he has defined as being of worth: His career, his marriage, his social liaisons. Within a very short space of time, Duroy has become a socialite of Paris.
Maupassant's writing is, for the most part, smooth and affective, although the actual word usage does not often venture into flowery passages or philosophical musings, but when it does, it is certainly worthy. An older character, walking home with Duroy one night, muses on death and time, on his life, on what it means to be alive and what it means once you are dead. While these diversions obviously cannot hold up to a full philosophical treatise, they are not supposed to, and are handled with enough grace and skill as to be thought provoking, honest, and valid. Similarly, when exercising his authorly muscles, Maupassant can write a might fine sentence. An examples of this is when describing a great fleet of ships: 'They were enormous, strange, deformed objects with excrescences and towers and rams plunging into the water as if trying to take root in the sea.' Or there is this particularly contemptuous account of an older woman's desire for him: 'Since she had hitherto been a completely honest woman, a virgin at heart, and as impervious to feeling as she was ignorant of sensuality, this prim woman, whose staid forties were like a wan autumn after a cold summer, had all at once been thrust into a sort of faded spring, full of tiny, sickly flowers and frost-bitten buds, a strange blossoming of adolescent love, a late-flowering love both passionate and naive, full of unexpected raptures, girlish squeals, embarrassing billing and cooing and outdated airs and graces that had never even been young.'
An interesting and not entirely agreeable decision of Maupassant's is to, very occasionally, slip into the thoughts of a periphery character. While, for almost the entirety of the narration, we are firmly lodged within the mind of Duroy, there are brief occasions, when the young man has done something to provoke a firm emotional reaction in another character, that we are able to spy, however briefly, on their desires, ideas and expectations. The problem with this is that it happens so rarely, every fifty pages or so, that the decision to include such an excursion seems quite odd. Whenever it happens, we are thrust outside the flow of the narrative, rejected from the world and mind of Duroy, to inhabit the alien considerations of a character who, by virtue of not being the main in such a character-driven novel, is hardly as interesting. However, these journeys are quite brief, a paragraph or two at most when they occur, and feel like more of a miss-step rather than a full blown mistake on the author's part.
The latter half of the novel sees Duroy becoming bitter at the failure of his success. That is, while he is promoted, inherits money, gains status and wealth, it never seems to be enough for him. He compares his own success to that of much wealthier, older men, and find that he often comes up trumps. This disgruntles him, and he is consumed with jealousy, which has the unfortunate effect of making him a less sympathetic character. But, as he becomes a little older and a little wiser, he mellows, understanding that patience and intelligence will gain him the status of the men he so envies, and that not everything can come to him at once. In a series of brilliant coup's, he manages to place himself in an incredible social position, admired and loved by all - except for the toes he stepped on to get there.
It is quite curious to note that, for such a meteoric rise, there is never a fall. Modern novels seem to require a fall from grace, so that the character can learn from his experiences and be happy with the life they have always had, not so with Bel-Ami. Duroy rises and rises and rises, and with it, he grows as a person and a character. Some rough edges are worn smooth, other insignificant aspects of his personality become jagged and sharp, if only for a moment, before rounding out as well. He becomes an admirable, intelligent, wealthy young Parisian socialite, accepting of his status and considerate to those around him. Once his goals are achieved, he is content, and without malice towards others. And, excepting the few women whose heart's he broke, he does not have any enemies or difficulties as such. No, he is an accomplished young man, successful in his own way, and satisfied with himself. We are allowed to observe his journey from peasant to success, and it is a wonderful, interesting and thought-provoking experience.
Rating:
Summary: Gorgeous Story on 19th Century French Society
Review: Guy De Maupassant (1850-1893), if "Bel-Ami" is any indication, must rank as one of the best writers in the history of the western world. Born in Normandy in 1850, Maupassant became a disciple of the French author Flaubert early in life. Guy quit his job with the civil service after publishing his first short story, "Boule de Suif" in 1880. What followed was a phenomenal flurry of 250 short stories and six novels before his premature death from syphilis in 1893. During his short life, Maupassant helped to form the "groupe de Medan," a loosely knit group of naturalist writers headed by Emile Zola. He also worked as a journalist, covering such important events as the French campaigns in Algeria and Tunisia. A hard worker when it came to writing, Maupassant also possessed a zest for life, including a love for the ladies that eventually killed him. "Bel-Ami" is hardly an original premise. How many books written through the years discuss the idea of a rural man heading to the city to make it big? That is exactly what happens with this book in the form of main character Georges Duroy. After a five-year stint in the French army, Duroy moves to Paris to make his fortune. Regrettably, Duroy is languishing in a lowly job as a railroad clerk until he meets his old army buddy Forestier. From this point forward, Georges is on the fast track to success. Forestier gets him a job at a scandal rag named "La Vie Francaise" where Georges rapidly ascends the ranks from lowly reporter to chief editor. Along the way, Duroy engages in all sorts of amorous adventures with women both high and low on the Paris social register. By the time the story ends, Georges is within sight of the highest positions in French society, all accomplished through sheer cunning and social maneuvering. There are so many themes running through this sordid tale of the decadent Third Republic that it is impossible to adequately describe them all here. The introduction to this Penguin edition, written by translator Douglas Parmee, does a good job of showing how incidents in Maupassant's life appear in the character of Georges Duroy. The protagonist's rural background, his experience in France's North African expeditions, his work as a reporter and the subsequent expose of the seediness of journalism, the numerous affairs, the social positioning, and the philosophical musings on death are all expressions of Maupassant's personality and activities. I do hope, however, that Maupassant was not as big of a cad as Georges Duroy because this character may be one of the biggest jerks in the history of literature. You cannot help but hate Duroy. He has little self-control except when he realizes that holding off on a conquest might mean self-advancement. Georges takes his mistress to the same theater where he picks up prostitutes, takes money from people without paying them back, corrupts women of high moral standards, sleeps with his boss's wife, seduces his boss's daughter, and physically assaults his mistress. There is just no way to sympathize with this guy, and the fact that he gains riches and fame is particularly galling to anyone with any sense of decency. But that is the message De Maupassant is trying to convey; that the complete decadence of French society during this time allows the likes of Duroy to succeed, and to succeed with a smile. Witness the scene towards the end of the book when Walter, Duroy's boss, grudgingly accedes his daughter to Georges's slimy scheme. "He will go far," says Walter, with more respect for Duroy's distasteful achievement than disdain for his lack of morals. Another theme in the book, and one that runs through the pages like a 400-pound gorilla, is hypocrisy. The propensities for backstabbing, lying, and blatant disregard for self-realization in "Bel-Ami" is laugh out loud astonishing. These are shallow, manipulative people without a shred of decency, and Maupassant never passes up an opportunity to expose these despicable people. The hypocritical stance of the characters and situations often vie with powerfully descriptive passages of Paris and the French countryside, which are truly beautiful to read and have probably accounted for thousands of tourist trips to that country. The characters in "Bel-Ami" may be of no account morally, but they move and live in an environment of unsurpassed beauty. Maupassant's knowledge of his own impending death weighs heavily in the story. Two sections highlight his musings on mortality: the monologue of the poet Norbert de Varenne and the death of Forestier. For the author, his slow deterioration from a disease made death a daily reality. What seemed to worry De Maupassant the most about death was not punishment from God but the idea of nothingness and being forgotten by the living. Of course, death makes no impression on Georges Duroy, who experiences only a moderate twinge over the passing of Forestier before making a play for that man's wife in order to improve his social position. I am elated that I discovered this author. Guy De Maupassant is a brilliant writer whose early death robbed the world of a great talent. Although his short stories are considered some of the best ever written, do not pass by this novel. I have rarely seen an author who can write about mundane, daily situations with as much aplomb (see the scene about the fencing party as a prime example). De Maupassant's masterful abilities make this ordinary plot strikingly original and I will revisit this author again in the future. You should too.
Rating:
Summary: right up there with Madame Bovary
Review: I would never have known that Guy de Maupassant wrote novels along with his great short stories if another amazon reader hadn't turned me on to their existence. This novel, reminiscent of Madame Bovary (a male version, you might say) is terrific. You'll get a great deal of description of Paris in the late 19th century with period details worthy of any great novelist. The plot is typical: poor, rural young man from the outskirts (Rouen) has no money and no position in life, but longs to find fame and fortune. Thanks to his manly wiles (he's a natural ladies' man), he manages to sleep his way to the top. Like Madame Bovary, happiness is never really there no matter how much money and power he attains - the more you get, the more you realize that others will always have more. Still, Monsieur Duroy, even at his most calculating retains somewhat of a sympathetic quality that allows us to relate to him and root for his success. Despite its length, this novel is a fast read. One of my favorites of the year.
Rating:
Summary: right up there with Madame Bovary
Review: I would never have known that Guy de Maupassant wrote novels along with his great short stories if another amazon reader hadn't turned me on to their existence. This novel, reminiscent of Madame Bovary (a male version, you might say) is terrific. You'll get a great deal of description of Paris in the late 19th century with period details worthy of any great novelist. The plot is typical: poor, rural young man from the outskirts (Rouen) has no money and no position in life, but longs to find fame and fortune. Thanks to his manly wiles (he's a natural ladies' man), he manages to sleep his way to the top. Like Madame Bovary, happiness is never really there no matter how much money and power he attains - the more you get, the more you realize that others will always have more. Still, Monsieur Duroy, even at his most calculating retains somewhat of a sympathetic quality that allows us to relate to him and root for his success. Despite its length, this novel is a fast read. One of my favorites of the year.
Rating: 
Summary: rien ne se traduit! il faut apprendre le français
Review: je ne peux pas comprendre les gens qui lisent la littérature française en anglais. d'abord, rien ne se traduit (tradurre e' tradire). deuxièmement, en lisant, par exemple, "Fauxpassant" vous devenez l'esclave totale du traducteur. ce que vous lisez correspondre non pas à ce qu'a écrit Maupassant, mais aux idées plates d'un traducteur qui ne sait même pas comment écrire! (c'est pour cela, n'est-ce pas, qu'il travaille comme traducteur...)
Rating:
Summary: A truly 'modern' classic
Review: Maupassant's characters are more real and colourful than those created by any of the other French naturalists. Bel Ami, his first fill length novel, is simply a joy to read. It tells the story a young ex-soldier, fighting for social position and materialism in the rat race of 1870s Paris. This novel could easily be transported to present day and loose nothing of its impact. Scandal, political intrigue and sexual manipulation are described with Maupassant's cutting pessimism, yet beautifully balanced by his black wit and appreciation for the simple joys of life.
Rating: 
Summary: social climbers
Review: The novel can make you wonder how the society can be so porous to allow somebody to advance from dire poverty to filthy richness. It is important to note that Georges Duroy, unlike Rastignac from Balzac's "Pere Goriot/Old Goriot", was never torn between good and evil and, unlike Julien Sorel from Stendhal's "le Rouge et le Noire/the Red and the Black" never won women's hearts as a plebeian. Georges Duroy may personify the cynical and corrupt society, however his success would not have been possible without the society, in spite of all its vises, being so sensuous (especially the female part of it).
Rating:
Summary: social climbers
Review: The novel can make you wonder how the society can be so porous to allow somebody to get from dire poverty to filthy richness. It is important to note that Georges Duroy, unlike Rastignac from Balzac's "Pere Goriot/Old Goriot", was never torn between good and evil and, unlike Julien Sorel from Stendhal's "le Rouge et le Noire/the Red and the Black" never won women's hearts as a plebeian. Georges Duroy may personify the cynical and corrupt society, however his success would not have been possible without the society, in spite of all its vises, being so sensuous (especially the female part of it).
Rating:
Summary: Social climbing for profit
Review: The rise and rise of a sexual opportunist in 1880's Paris. What makes the story so contemporary is that the anti-hero is both contemptible and fascinating, so while acting deplorable you are rooting for him all the way (Tony Soprano, anyone?). Also astonishing is how explicit it is in the sexual behaviour of its protagonists, perhaps not so remarkable for the French, but you would never read of such goings on with such frankness in the contemporary English novel of this period. The first half rambles a bit but is better focused in the second half and improves as it goes along. A relatively unsung masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: Sleaze, Manipulation, Mediocrity
Review: This is a story of how sleaze, manipulation, and mediocrity prevail and get certain people ahead in life. Georges Duroy is one of those incompetent losers who gets others to do his work for him and sleeps his way to the top, basically. This story is an expose of the corrupt and unscrupulous aspects of the newspaper publishing world and the immoral seductions of Parisian high society. Duroy begins in the poverty and squalor of a worker's tenement building where he's struggling to make a living. Through sheer determination to change his situation and make something of his life, he moves to Paris and soon finds himself in the artistic salon of a wealthy and intelligent political hostess and the home of a rich Jewish banker and newspaper owner. Here Maupassant skillfully shows how a mediocre, untalented nobody becomes really successful in life through cunning, through good luck... and good connections! David Rehak
author of "Love and Madness"
|
