Red and Black - World Literary Classics (Introduction by Renowned Scholars)

Author: (French) Stendhal
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-05-01
Features: A great work of realism. Of course, we reopen it today because now there are so many people around us walking the path of "climbing up" that of Julien. Exquisite, mysterious, complex, with a puzzling charm—this is the work of Stendhal. This book is one of the literary works of the famous 19th-century French writer Stendhal. The protagonist of the novel, Julien, is the son of a small business owner. With his sharp wit, he seduces the mayor's wife, but when the affair is exposed, he is forced to enter a seminary. Later, in Paris, he becomes the private secretary to the Marquis de La Mole and quickly gains the marquis's favor and trust. Meanwhile, he also engages in a secret affair with the marquis's daughter. Later, under the instigation of the Church, the mayor's wife is forced to write a letter exposing him, which leads to the ruin of his meteoric rise. In anger, he shoots and wounds the mayor's wife and is sentenced to death, eventually being executed on the guillotine. The Red and the Black is the foundational work of European critical realism in the 19th century. The novel revolves around the personal struggles and ultimate failure of the protagonist, Julien, particularly his two loves, widely depicting the social atmosphere that weighed on the French people during the first three decades of the 19th century. It strongly criticizes the reactionary aristocracy, the darkness of the Church, and the base and vulgar materialism of the new bourgeoisie during the Restoration period. Therefore, although the novel centers on Julien's love life, it is not a love story but rather a "political novel." Stendhal is a masterful writer who reflects major social issues through love. Both of Julien's loves are closely tied to the political climate of the time, representing a form of class struggle. He did indeed develop genuine feelings for Madame de Rênal later, but initially, it stemmed from a petty bourgeois's desire for revenge against the nobility. Thus, when Julien first takes Madame de Rênal's hand, he does not feel the happiness of love but rather the triumph of Napoleon-like ambition—the "frenzy" and "joy," the satisfaction of his vengeful instincts. If Julien's pursuit of Madame de Rênal still contained some genuine emotions, then his love for Mademoiselle de Mathilde was purely a political struggle. Mademoiselle de Mathilde possessed the proud and willful temperament of a noblewoman, yet she was deeply influenced by the French Revolution. She believed that if there were another revolution, it would undoubtedly be led by vibrant commoner youth like Julien. Marrying Julien would not only bring romance but also provide a powerful backing. For Julien, marrying Mademoiselle de Mathilde was a means to rise to high positions and achieve success, so he was willing to deceive her for love. However, both of Julien's loves ultimately failed. This was because during the Restoration period, feudal forces launched a fierce backlash against the bourgeoisie. Julien was not part of the ruling class, and that class would never tolerate someone like him achieving his ambitions. The Red and the Black excels in the creation of typical characters in typical settings, its well-balanced artistic structure, and the use of the sketch technique. Stendhal is called the "father of the modern novel" by critics because of his exceptional talent for psychological portrayal in The Red and the Black. Realist writers emphasize the realism of details, but Stendhal was different from Balzac—he focused not on the objective environment but on the intricate and lifelike portrayal of characters' inner lives. The author often briefly describes actions and surroundings, yet dedicates extensive to the characters' inner thoughts, especially in love, with meticulous and moving detail. In the scene where Julien learns that Madame de Rênal has written a letter exposing him and kills her, Stendhal uses only three pages, while his love for Mademoiselle de Mathilde is described in hundreds of pages with meticulous detail. The depiction of Madame de Rênal's complex emotions—joy, pain, remorse, yet unwilling to give up happiness—when she falls in love, is truly remarkable.