Red and Black (Includes CD-ROM)

Author: Stendhal
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-08-01
Features: The Red and the Black is a representative work of French critical realism literature in the 19th century. The protagonist of The Red and the Black, Julien, is the son of a carpenter in the small town of Verrières. Young, handsome, willful, and clever, he has always dreamed of rising to the upper class through personal effort. After the restoration of the monarchy, Julien finds that the path to success through the red uniforms of the army is blocked, so he decides to climb the social ladder by wearing black clerical attire. Taking a position as a tutor in the mayor's house marks Julien's first step into society. Driven by a desire for revenge against the mayor and a willingness to test his courage, he develops an ambiguous relationship with the mayor's wife. When the affair is exposed, Julien enters the Seminary of Besan?on and later follows Abbé Pirard to Paris, becoming the secretary of the Marquis de La Mole. Due to his intelligence and personality, he not only earns the marquis's favor but also wins the heart of the marquis's daughter. They marry in secret, and though the marquis is furious about the marriage, he cannot do anything about it. As a result, Julien is granted the title of knight, the rank of lieutenant, and an annual income of 26,000 francs from a manor. However, good fortune does not last long. Just as Julien is on the verge of triumph, he falls into the trap set by the aristocracy and the clergy and is ultimately sent to the guillotine, becoming a victim of the ruling class's schemes.