Selected Short Stories of Maupassant (Famous Works, Translated and Illustrated Edition)

Author: Guy de Maupassant
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-06-01
Features: Maupassant excelled in subjects he had personally experienced—France's War of 1870–1871, his decade-long career as a minor clerk, and his youth in his Norman homeland. These three environments provided him with abundant themes for his short stories. These works celebrate the patriotic fervor of the people, depict rural customs and social manners, and realistically reflect the monotonous and rigid life of a petty clerk. They each have unique artistic characteristics and are not repetitive, like the facets of a gem that collectively refract brilliant light. Mr. Zhao Shaohou began publishing translations as early as the 1930s, with particularly fruitful results in the 1950s. His translations primarily consist of middle and short stories by authors such as Maupassant, Flaubert, and De Maupassant, among whom Maupassant's middle and short stories are most numerous, with 22 selected and translated. These are essentially works that blend intellectual depth and artistic excellence. There is no battlefield shrouded in smoke and fire, nor any battle marked by flashing swords and clashing steel. Yet through the forced surrender of the prostitute Olympe, Maupassant portrays characters with distinct traits, especially painting a vivid picture of the bourgeoisie's ugly face, who abandon national dignity for personal gain. Olympe, proud and resilient, refuses to yield, embodying the unwavering integrity of patriotism, yet she is pushed into the fire by her hypocritical compatriots. To compel Olympe to comply, they each use clever words and a mix of soft and hard tactics, even the seemingly pious nuns are involved in the conspiracy. With realistic details, concise language, and masterful craftsmanship, Maupassant constructs a vivid portrayal of French society during wartime through this novel. The work presents constant, subtle contrasts between good and evil, making readers naturally develop hatred for war, sympathy for the people, and contempt for the so-called upper class. It is indeed a model of excellence in both intellectual depth and artistic brilliance.