Famous Translations -- The Unholy (Color Illustrations Edition)

Author: André Gide (France)
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2006-03-01
Features: The Immoralist promotes Gide's doctrine of immorality, which is embodied in the bold defiance of all established moral concepts by the novel's protagonist. Breaking through the shackles of religion and family, the protagonist indulges in the natural instincts of humanity and pursues a life ideal of individualism. In terms of art, the novel shatters the traditional 19th-century novelistic model, employing the perfect form of French classical literature to express the complex thoughts and emotions of modern people, thereby forging a new paradigm for traditional novelistic conventions. In 1947, Gide was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for The Immoralist and other works "for his bold love of truth and keen psychological insight into the problems and circumstances of humanity." The Immoralist is a novel with strong autobiographical elements by French writer André Gide, recounting the story of a man who defies traditional customs and seeks to follow his personal inclinations. The protagonist, Michel, travels to North Africa with his wife, Madeleine, where he contracts tuberculosis. While caring for him, Madeleine discovers that he has no love for her and is homosexual. Upon returning to France, Michel meets the morally transcendent Ménardet, who advises him to forget the past and indulge in sensual pleasures. Soon after, Madeleine falls ill and dies, and the completely free Michel decides to give in to his desires.