September 2010 Guest Editor Belle de Jour on Stendhal...
I find his books are incredible for how dense they are with detail – it’s like the entire plot of any other novel, on each page. But in particular his heroes are engaging, especially Julian Sorel in The Scarlet and the Black. A classic schemer and loner who, through a set of unlikely circumstances, discovers about life and love what very few ever realise.
Handsome, ambitious Julien Sorel is determined to rise above his humble provincial origins. Soon realizing that success can only be achieved by adopting the subtle code of hypocrisy by which society operates, he begins to achieve advancement through deceit and self-interest. His triumphant career takes him into the heart of glamorous Parisian society, along the way conquering the gentle, married Madame de Renal, and the haughty Mathilde. But then Julien commits an unexpected, devastating crime and brings about his own downfall. The Red and the Black is a lively, satirical portrayal of French society after Waterloo, riddled with corruption, greed and ennui, and Julien the cold exploiter whose Machiavellian campaign is undercut by his own emotions is one of the most intriguing characters in European literature.
Henri Marie Beyle (1783-1842) had a post in the Ministry of War and followed
Napoleon's campaigns before retiring to Italy. Here, as 'Stendhal', he began
writing on art, music and travel. He later wrote novels, literary criticism, and
various biographical and autobiographical works.
