The Lieutenant of France

Author: John Fowles
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-12-01
Features: The story of this book takes place in Britain in 1867. Charles Smithson, a wealthy young man and an amateur fossil collector, visits the town of Lyme to meet Miss Henrietta Freeman, whom he is engaged to. By the sea, he meets Sarah Woodruff, known as the "French Lieutenant's Woman." It is said that this woman is "debauched," yet her unique charm and feminine allure fascinate Charles. He becomes infatuated with Sarah and fervently pursues her, which leads to the dissolution of his engagement to Henrietta Freeman. However, when Charles finally manages to find Sarah, she is already under the protection of a famous person and has become a "new woman" who emphasizes freedom and gender equality. In the novel, John Fowles criticizes the imbalances in British Victorian society, such as technological progress not benefiting most people. He particularly fiercely denounces the conservatism and hypocrisy of the moral consciousness at the time, where people lack freedom and understanding of one another. As a result, the book holds profound social significance. Two notable techniques in the creation of this work draw attention: one is that the author inserts various comments during the narrative; the other is that the author designs three different endings for the story, believing that this is closer to the reality of life.