In this blog post, we’ll explore how Robbe-Grillet’s experimental writing and the Nouveau Roman movement shook up traditional realism and humanism, leading him to a symbolic position despite his conflict with the literary establishment. Robe-Grillet, Spokesperson for the Nouveau Roman From the moment he first set foot in the French literary world, Alain Robe-Grillet provoked intense and at...
Why is Balzac’s ‘The Lily of the Valley’ considered the quintessential romance novel within ‘The Human Comedy’?
In this blog post, we’ll examine the autobiographical elements in Balzac’s ‘The Lily of the Valley’, his depictions of the Touraine landscape, and the significance of his character portrayals within ‘The Human Comedy’. “The Lily of the Valley” and “The Human Comedy” “The Lily of the Valley” was serialized in ‘Le Revue de Paris’ in 1835, when Balzac was...
What Do the Two Faces of the Sun Tell Us?
In this blog post, we’ll examine the emotions and symbolism associated with the sun—a recurring motif in Albert Camus’s works—with a particular focus on Meursault, the protagonist of ‘The Stranger’. The sun plays a dazzlingly central role in Albert Camus’s literature. Since the Mediterranean sun epitomized the landscape of Algiers, where Camus grew up, he called Algiers the...
The Spirit of Classicism Found in Corneille’s ‘Le Cid’ and ‘Horace’
In this blog post, we’ll explore the spirit and significance of French classicism, focusing on Corneille’s masterpieces, ‘Le Cid’ and ‘Horace’. You’ve probably heard the saying, “Read the classics.” What comes to mind when you hear that? Chances are, you’ll picture old, antiquated books. You probably interpret it to mean that you should read books that people have...
Why does Stendhal’s ‘The Red and the Black’ use the rise and fall of Julien Sorel to expose the social ills of 1830s France?
In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at how Stendhal’s ‘The Red and the Black’ reveals the social injustices and class conflicts of the late Restoration period through the ambition and tragedy of Julien Sorel. About the Author, Stendhal Stendhal’s real name was Marie Henri Beyle. “Stendhal” was merely one of the approximately 170 pen names he used; he chose this...
Laughter in the Renaissance and Liberation: Reading Rabelais’s ‘Gargantua’
In this blog post, we’ll examine François Rabelais’s masterpiece ‘Gargantua’, focusing on the preparation required of the reader, the meaning of the laughter contained within the work, and how the historical context shapes that meaning. Rabelais’s ‘Gargantua’ and the Demand for Laughter If you’re getting ready to open ‘Gargantua’, you’d better be...
What is Lu Xun’s significance, and why are his works still important today?
In this blog post, we will examine Lu Xun’s significance and why his works remain important today. Lu Xun’s Contemporary Significance In September 2010, reports emerged that Chinese textbooks had drastically reduced the amount of writing by Lu Xun—the preeminent intellectual of the Enlightenment era—and instead included a large number of works by authors and intellectuals who provided...
Who Is Rilke, the Master of Modern Literary Art?
In this blog post, we’ll explore Rainer Maria Rilke’s life and literary career, as well as provide commentary on his major works, organized chronologically and by title. Rilke’s Life and Literature Rainer Maria Rilke was born on December 4, 1875, in Prague. At the time, Prague was the center of German-ruled Bohemia, and Rilke’s family experienced an early rift due to the personality...
Is Camus’s ‘The Stranger’ the first step toward absurdity and rebellion?
In this blog post, we’ll examine the connection between absurdity and rebellion through Albert Camus and his novel ‘The Stranger’. Albert Camus (1913–1960) was a writer born in Algeria, then a French colony. He began writing around the age of twenty and later gained widespread fame through his interactions with the philosopher and novelist Jean-Paul Sartre—whom he met in...
How does honesty ultimately lead to the death penalty and absurdity in Camus’s ‘The Stranger’?
In this blog post, I will explore how Meursault’s honesty and indifference, as depicted in Camus’s ‘The Stranger’ and the myth of Sisyphus, lead to a “dead end,” absurdity, and ultimately, the death penalty. The Work and Its Publication Background Albert Camus wrote ‘The Stranger’ (l’étranger) between approximately 1939 and 1941. Of course, he had spent a long time...