Who is the author of the realist novel Bel-Ami published in 1885?
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Guy de Maupassant is the author of the famous realist novel Bel-Ami, published in 1885. This novel, one of the most important in French literature, vividly depicts late 19th-century Parisian society and the mechanisms of power, notably through the themes of ambition, manipulation and social success.
The protagonist of Bel-Ami is Georges Duroy, an ambitious, unscrupulous young man who climbs the ladder of Parisian society through charm and manipulation. Duroy, nicknamed “Bel-Ami” for his seductive appearance, uses the influential women he meets to advance his career as a journalist and gain a position of power. Maupassant paints a cynical portrait of a society where personal relationships, especially with women, are exploited to achieve social and economic success. Through Duroy, the author shows an individual’s ability to rise to the top through opportunism, while underlining the fragility of this success.
Bel-Ami is part of the literary movement of realism, of which Maupassant is a leading exponent. Realism aims to faithfully represent reality, focusing on social classes, human behavior and social inequalities. In this novel, Maupassant pays particular attention to depicting the hypocrisy and materialism that govern human relations in the bourgeois milieu of the time. The world of journalism, business and Parisian salons serves as the backdrop for Duroy, who epitomizes the individual who will do anything to succeed.
Bel-Ami also tackles the theme of morality. Georges Duroy’s lack of scruples and cynical use of others highlights the moral drift of a society focused on money and power. Maupassant, through his meteoric rise, denounces the corruption, lack of ethics and superficiality of human relationships.
Maupassant’s precise, incisive style brings to life his descriptions of the characters and of Parisian society. His critical eye, combined with an elegant pen, gives Bel-Ami a dimension that is both realistic and deeply satirical. Indeed, behind the story of Duroy’s social rise, the author offers us a broader reflection on the place of women in society, often relegated to roles as instruments of power and social status for men, as well as on the emptiness of personal ambitions not founded on ethical principles.
In addition to realism, Bel-Ami also contains elements of naturalism, a literary trend close to realism but more marked by science and social determination. Maupassant, influenced by Émile Zola and other naturalists, explores the social influences and human instincts that shape the behavior of his characters.
Bel-Ami is a novel that not only illustrates the shortcomings of late 19th-century French society, but still resonates today with its timeless themes of ambition, the quest for power and manipulation. With great literary mastery, Guy de Maupassant depicts the social struggles and moral compromises faced by individuals in their quest for success.
literature
Who is the author of the realist novel Bel-Ami published in 1885?
Answer
The author of the realistic novel Bel-Ami, published in 1885, is Guy de Maupassant, a famous 19th-century French writer.