Selected Short Stories of Guy de Maupassant

Author: Guy de Maupassant
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Guy de Maupassant is known as the "King of Short Stories." He was born on May 8, 1850, in Dieppe, a declining noble family in the Normandy region of western France. His childhood was spent in a beautiful estate in his hometown. The estate faced the sea, surrounded by lush trees. He spent his days playing in the woods, sometimes even going out to sea with fishermen, which fostered his love for nature and his affection for the rugged, humorous fishermen and farmers. His childhood left him with wonderful memories. Later, he described his beautiful hometown and the people he loved with deep emotion again and again. Maupassant is one of the recognized masters of language in French literature. He abandoned ornate vocabulary and used standard language; his writing was clear, concise, accurate, and vivid, like a pool of transparent water. For example, his description of the moonlight in "The Moonlight" is one of his most celebrated works. In general, Maupassant's short story writing reflects a complete set of artistic techniques for realistic novel creation. He not only inherited the writing style of previous realistic novels but also supplemented it, making it even richer and more diverse.