French literature of the 19th century

[LitNetIsGreat]

I’m looking for suggestions as to what to read next after suffering panic attacks while reading Guy de Maupassant’s Bel Ami.:eek2: I have ordered Pierre and Jean, and Une Vie, but I want to read something along similar lines by different authors. I only have time for about 8/10 other novels really, as I need to be getting on with other reading. I am looking mainly for prose, as I am reading Baudelaire and a few of the French Symbolists in verse, but I am open to other areas of literature or philosophy, art, music etc, if it is essential to understanding, but I am mainly fishing for prose “musts”.

Perhaps the logical choice is to read some of Zola's novels, but which ones? Or perhaps I should turn to Flaubert’s Sentimental Education as a priority?

Any suggestions would be most welcome.

[JCamilo]

I do not think you will go wrongly if you read Nerval and Merimee besides the obvious (Flaubert, Balzac, Hugo, Mallarme, Lautreamont, Gautier, Rimbaud, Verlaine)...

[Emil Miller]

If you have just finished Bel-Ami, the logical book would be L'Education Sentimentale written by Maupassant's mentor Flaubert. It is a terrific novel by any standards but it's style is quite different from Maupassant's writing and a more suitable follow-up would be Zola's L'assommoir or Therese Raquin which convey the same intensely parisian atmosphere.

[LitNetIsGreat]

Yes I have considered both of those, I'll add them to the list, thanks.

[March Hare]

Perhaps Stendhal's The Red and the Black among the other suggestions above.

[Emil Miller]

Perhaps Stendhal's The Red and the Black among the other suggestions above.

Yes, another great one.

[stlukesguild]

Check also Gautier's tales (and poetry), Lautreaomnt's Maldoror, and don't forget Nerval or Balzac.

[LitNetIsGreat]

Thanks for all the suggestions, I have several on order now.

[Whifflingpin]

Given some of the names listed already, I am surprised that no-one has mentioned Dumas.

[JCamilo]

Yes, we did. We said Nerval...

[stlukesguild]

Yes, we did. We said Nerval...

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

[mono]

You have received many worthy suggestions, and I would like to second and place emphasis upon two in particular, Flaubert and Balzac. Good stuff! :nod:
Also, I have heard great things about George Sand, but have never gotten around to reading her - perhaps something to keep in mind.

[LitNetIsGreat]

Yes you can always rely on people here for good suggestions.

I have ordered both the Maupassant novels, the Flaubert and Zola's Therese Raquinand. I have Maldoror and The Red and Black on standby and I have pencilled in the other suggestions. I have read a little Balzac before, but I shall strongly consider him in there too. It all depends on how long it takes me to read them before ordering the others, because I must get on with my Milton really, but as I am on holiday I should be able to race through them, with few distractions.

Just waiting for the postman to bring my goodies, don't you just love it when you are waiting for a delivery?

[crystalmoonshin]

Also, I have heard great things about George Sand, but have never gotten around to reading her - perhaps something to keep in mind.

How about "Francois le Champi"?

[zealandzen]

Maupassant had that effect on me too! Sentimental Education is a good bet.

[Alexander III]

Have to agree with the many suggestions of Balzac, I think he was one of frances finest prose writers.

Of Balzac I would suggest Pere Goriot and Le Chef-d'oeuvre inconnu from Balzac's La Comédie Humaine.

[Ghuyuran]

La Peau de Chagrin - Balzac

Pure genius material!

[dfloyd]

Emil Zola's Nana, probably better than Bel Ami, and Gautier's Mademoiselle de Maupin, an 1835 novel which deals with crossdressing and homosexuality, rather taboo subjects for that date in time.

[Emil Miller]

Emil Zola's Nana, probably better than Bel Ami, and Gautier's Mademoiselle de Maupin, an 1835 novel which deals with crossdressing and homosexuality, rather taboo subjects for that date in time.

Personally, I would not say that Nana is probably better than Bel Ami. They are both marvellous books but, whereas Bel Ami is Maupassant's finest novel, Nana is not the best of Zola. We all have our favourites but, for my money, La Bete Humaine and Therese Raquin are as good as it gets among all of Zola's wonderful works.

[dfloyd]

so its probably personal opinion. Therese Raquin and Germinal are not among my favorites. Nana is because it's a portrait of the demimonde life which I find interesting, much more interesting than a murder and coal mining. That is also why I like Camille. The French courtesans of the 19th century led interesting, if not moral, lives. I believe a movie was made of Bel Ami with George Sanders, a cad in real life as well as on film. He also played Strickland, the fictional Paul Gauguin, in The Moon and Sixpence

[Emil Miller]

so its probably personal opinion. Therese Raquin and Germinal are not among my favorites. Nana is because it's a portrait of the demimonde life which I find interesting, much more interesting than a murder and coal mining. That is also why I like Camille. The French courtesans of the 19th century led interesting, if not moral, lives. I believe a movie was made of Bel Ami with George Sanders, a cad in real life as well as on film. He also played Strickland, the fictional Paul Gauguin, in The Moon and Sixpence

I agree that Zola's portrayal of the demi-monde is very convincing but it is only one facet of the life in 19th century France that is covered by the Rougon-Macquart series of novels. Each book deals with a particular activity, which together add up to a comprehensive picture of France during that time. That is why coal, the railways, farming, finance, politics, the military etc. are all present in the series. While some may be better than others, they are all marvellous works of literature.

[Mariamosis]

I agree with Brian Bean; Nana is not my favorite work of Zola. I prefer "L'Œuvre", "Germinal", "La Terre" or really any of the other works that I have read in Les Rougon-Macquart.

Flaubert interests me, but I found his "Sentimental Education" to be quite boring next to "Madame Bovary".

I also just finished Balzac's "The Black Sheep" (La Rabouilleuse) and was delighted! I will definitely be reading more Balzac!