LO: Exploration of ‘The Necklace’ -by Guy de Maupassant Genre and Style: Literary Movement Realism and Naturalism • In the mid-19th century, two artistic movements emerged that opposed the prevailing Romantic style: realism and naturalism. Where Romantic writers such as Victor Hugo often portrayed doomed or noble characters, realism focused on the contemporary world and characters familiar to the reader, such as farmers, laborers, and bureaucrats. Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary is not only a classic example of realist fiction but also was written to show the tragic failure of Romanticism as a worldview for its main character, Emma Bovary. • Naturalism sharpened the clear-eyed view of realist writers by taking a scientific and journalistic approach to the collection of materials and presentation of characters. French writer Émile Zola was a naturalist who tried to describe the world objectively and presented characters whose behavior and identity are shaped by their environments. • Many writers, including Guy de Maupassant, have been classified as both realists and naturalists. Maupassant himself worked as a journalist, which gave his writing a steady flood of contemporary material, and he was proud of having only written about things he had himself seen. In "The Necklace" readers can see Maupassant's naturalism in his description of the cab after the ball, the social interaction at the ball itself, and small details such as Monsieur Loisel's plans to buy a gun for recreation. It is most visible, though, in the descriptions of the 10 years of hard labor the couple put in to pay off their debt and how the struggle affects Madame Loisel. Context “The Necklace,” or “La Parure” in French, first appeared in the Parisian Newspaper Le Gaulois in 1884. The story was an immediate success, and Maupassant later included it in his short-story collection Tales of Day and Night (1885). Flaubert’s influence on Maupassant is evident in “The Necklace,” and the story is in many ways similar to Madame Bovary. Both works, for example, revolve around attractive yet dissatisfied young women who seek to escape their destinies. More important, both works are also among the finest examples of realist fiction, a style of writing first appearing in the mid nineteenth century that sought to expose the grittier realities of ordinary people’s lives. Above all else, Maupassant sought to explore the deeper meanings of everyday events, and his writing style has influenced other literary greats such as Anton Chekhov and O. Henry. Context: Author’s bio Henri Rene Albert Guy de Maupassant was born on August 5, 1850, to an affluent family at the Chateau de Miromesnil, in France. As a child, Guy adored his mother and loathed his absent father. His mother was very literary and passed on her love of books to her son, Guy, and his brother, Herve. Much of Guy’s childhood was spent in the countryside playing sports or simply spending time outdoors. The Franco-Prussian War erupted shortly after Maupassant finished college. Maupassant enlisted as a volunteer and then, in 1871, left the army to work as a clerk in the navy for the next ten years. During this time he became close with Gustave Flaubert, a friend of his mother’s and the author of Madame Bovary (1857). Flaubert introduced him to several other prominent writers and spurred Maupassant to focus on his writing. As a result, Maupassant began producing a fair amount of short fiction on his own and eventually found work as a contributing editor for several prominent French newspapers in 1878. Despite this early focus on writing, however, Maupassant didn’t publish any of his work until he turned thirty. Dowry system in France late 1800’s https://www.geriwalton.com/marriage-etiquette-france-late-1800s/ https://victorianparis.wordpres s.com/2011/07/18/themarriage-market-2/ https://frenchgenealogy.typepad.com/genealogie/2010/01/dowries-andmarriage-contracts.html Decadent vocabulary Candelabras a large branched candlestick or holder for several candles or lamps. "candles in iron candelabra shed some light" 1. a special uniform worn by the servants of a wealthy household. 2 : the business of keeping horses and vehicles for hire : a place ( livery stable ) that keeps horses and vehicles for hire. a small room leading to a main one. "the antechamber to an interview room" Locations Champs-Élysées The Rue des Martyrs is a road that passes through the 9th and 18th arrondissements of Paris. It is an old historic route leading up to the village of Montmartre. It is known for its theatres, cafés, and luxury shops. Structure Climax https://prezi.co m/vhj3apomfrb/thenecklace-byguy-demaupassant/ Complications / inciting factors Denouement Exposition "surprise-inversion" ending used in "The Necklace." Author & Main Characters Symbolism Coursework Titles Explore the portrayal of women in two or more texts from part two of the anthology. How is identity portrayed in texts from the anthology (part 2)? How do texts from part two of the anthology convey status? How is isolation depicted in texts from the anthology? How is the theme of confinement addressed in texts from the anthology? How are elements of suspense incorporated into texts from the anthology? How do texts from the anthology deal with psychological issues? How is the theme of loss explored in the anthology texts? What texts explore dislocation in the anthology? Significant Cigarettes (from the Road Home) Queen Elizabeth 2nd Edward Elgar Whistle and I’ll come to you (from The Woman in Black) The Woman in Black is a 1983 horror novel by Susan Hill, written in the style of a traditional Gothic novel. The plot concerns a mysterious spectre that haunts a small English town, heralding the death of children. The story begins with Arthur Kipps, a retired solicitor who formerly worked for Mr. Bentley. One night he is at home with his wife Esme and four stepchildren, who are telling ghost stories. When he is asked to tell a story, he becomes irritated and leaves the room, and begins to write of his horrific experiences several years in the past. Many years earlier, whilst still a junior solicitor for Bentley, Kipps was summoned to Crythin Gifford, a small market town on the north east coast of England, to attend the funeral of Mrs. Alice Drablow. Kipps is reluctant to leave his fiancée, Stella, but he is eager to leave the London smog. The late Drablow was an elderly and reclusive widow who lived alone in the desolate and secluded Eel Marsh House. Night –by Alice Monroe The Woman in Black is a 1983 horror novel by Susan Hill, written in the style of a traditional Gothic novel. The plot concerns a mysterious spectre that haunts a small English town, heralding the death of children. Ether and its effects Diethyl ether, or simply ether, is an organic compound in the ether class with the formula (C 2H5)2O, sometimes abbreviated as Et2O (see Pseudoelement symbols). It is a colorless, highly volatile flammable liquid. It is commonly used as a solvent in laboratories and as a starting fluid for some engines. It was formerly used as a general anesthetic, until non-flammable drugs were developed, such as halothane. It has been used as a recreational drug to cause intoxication Effects The effects of ether intoxication are similar to those of alcohol intoxication, but more potent. Also, due to NMDA antagonism, the user may experience distorted thinking, euphoria, and visual/auditory hallucinations at higher doses. Literature In Tolstoy's War and Peace (set in 1812 and published in 1869) Countess Rostova's sitting-room is described as having a strong smell of Hoffman's drops (Book 3, part 3, chapter 13). In an autobiographical work French author Patrick Modiano mentions his use of ether during the early '60s[6] and an indirect references occur in his novels. Dr. Wilbur Larch, in John Irving's novel The Cider House Rules, is an ether addict. Ether and its effects PJ Harvey’s ‘Trapped Under Ether’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFWCF8NAZGo The lyrics and the title quote T.S. Eliot's Four Quartets (East Coker- movement number III[6]) which seems to be a prominent influence on some other songs from the album (for example "The Mountains"). Eliot's words are "[...] Or when, under ether, the mind is conscious but conscious of nothing - I said to my soul, be still, and wait without hope"; the theme of that section of the poem is about the feelings of the traveler.
