The Red and the Black - Stendhal

[Kristel]

5: a blend of romanticism and political satire. inspired Flaubert, Zola. Psychological observation
3: more character study than plot but we examine religion, war and society
4: characters, mostly unlikable represent the the time and culture well
3: Readability
4: achievement, inspite of much criticism it holds on to the identification of important French lit

Rating 3.8

The book is about Julien, the son of the sawmill operator, is our main character. Julien is a Napoleon want a be but he also would like to be a priest even tho he is an unbeliever. Julien never makes any real decisions but floats from one opportunistic situation to the next. We also are given a picture of Julien in his "chasing women". First he seduces the wife of his employer, then he uses one woman to incite jealousy in another. Out author, who sees himself as a scientist of love, is showing us all the types of love. He also creates many triangles. Besides romance, the book is a historical book, set in post reformation France with a look at rigid class structure; the nobility, the clergy, and everyone else. There is reference to the liberals. The right wing were the aristocrats, landowners and clergy who controlled the French government. The liberals were independents and were a mixed group that were against the Bourbon monarchy and wanted to restore revolutionary principles.

Themes
Love: The author reportedly considered himself a scientist of love; passion, physical, vanity and stylish. Do you agree? I do not think he was an expert on love. But he certainly did explore passion, physical, vanity and stylish displays in the book. He created many triangles but the main one would be Julien, Madame de Re'nal, and Mathilde.

Religion: The book is set in post reformation France. During the reformation, France was divided with French Huguenots (Protestants) who left the Church of Rome. Curé Chélan and Abbé Pirard are religious men with integrity, the first is removed from his position and the second is surrounded by enemies, persecuted for his Jansenism. Like Pope Adrian VI, they are incapable of blocking the deterioration of the Church, and remain only a negation of it. Julien is not a believer but still sees a career in the church as viable option.

War:
The French people had no established rights and the king had all the power over government, economy, and the church. Catherine de Medicis is mentioned int he book, as well as Napoleon, or a recollection of Robespierre. So it is a historical novel as well as a satirical novel.

Hypocrisy

[Gail]

The Red and the Black is a deeply satirical novel in which the author views his characters through the lens of real historical events and cultural corruption . Over the course of the book many of Stendhal's characters, in particular our Main Character Julien, succumb to ambition and hubris through a twisted descent into a number of love affairs which reflect no true caring. Julien's internal considerations are shared with the reader as he swims in the French nobility's society and intrigues where his liberal and individualistic philosophical foundations are sorely tested. One gets the impression that the author didn't like any of his characters either, as we are left with little sympathy for them.
I enjoyed the writing and the use of character development to substitute for action based plot but because I didn't care for Julien, it was not the 5 star read I was expecting.

[Jessica]

3.5 stars

I'm just not 100% into Julien, the handsome. ambitious young Frenchman trying to advance himself in society.

Julien Sorel is the son of a carpenter and has gotten himself an education and is pretty well-read. Napoleon is his idol and Julien yearns to advance higher in society. He gives the military an attempt (the red) and the clergy (the black). He ends up being hired as a tutor by a wealthy family where he decides to lure the wife into an affair...and so begins his conniving ways to move up in the world.

I just didn't like Julien. at.all. It made it hard for me to like this book more. I can appreciate the writing and it helped me learn more about French society in the 1800s.