Bel-Ami'His rise testifies to the decline of a whole society.' Jean-Paul Sartre Maupassant's second novel, Bel-Ami (1885) is the story of a ruthlessly ambitious young man (Georges Duroy, christened 'Bel-Ami' by his female admirers) making it to the top in fin-de-siècle Paris. It is a novel about money, sex, and power, set against the background of the politics of the French colonization of North Africa. It explores the dynamics of an urban society uncomfortably close to our own and is a devastating satire of the sleaziness of contemporary journalism. Bel-Ami enjoys the status of an authentic record of the apotheosis of bourgeois capitalism under the Third Republic. But the creative tension between its analysis of modern behaviour and its identifiably late nineteenth-century fabric is one of the reasons why Bel-Ami remains one of the finest French novels of its time, as well as being recognized as Maupassant's greatest achievement as a novelist. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more. |
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appeared asked began beginning Bel-Ami better called close continued dinner don’t door dressed Duroy Duroy’s everything eyes face feeling felt Forestier francs French front gave gazing Georges give hair hand head heart hundred husband I’ll I’ve idea It’s journalist kind kiss laugh leave light live longer looked Madeleine married Maupassant Maupassant’s meet mind Mme de Marelle Mme Walter Monsieur morning moved murmured never night novel Paris passed political remained replied returned round seemed side silence sitting slowly smile soon speak stammered standing stood stopped story suddenly talk tell things thought tomorrow tone took turned understand Vie française voice waiting walked watch wife woman women writing young