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And those signs of secret ill divined everywhere under this
wholesome prose surround it for those who knew and loved him with
a pathos that is inexpressible。 ｛signature｝
INTRODUCTION
BORN in the middle year of the nineteenth century； and fated
unfortunately never to see its close； Guy de Maupassant was
probably the most versatile and brilliant among the galaxy of
novelists who enriched French literature between the years 1800
and 1900。 Poetry； drama； prose of short and sustained effort； and
volumes of travel and description； each sparkling with the same
minuteness of detail and brilliancy of style； flowed from his pen
during the twelve years of his literary life。
Although his genius asserted itself in youth； he had the patience
of the true artist； spending his early manhood in cutting and
polishing the facets of his genius under the stern though
paternal mentorship of Gustave Flaubert。 Not until he had
attained the age of thirty did he venture on publication；
challenging criticism for the first time with a volume of poems。
Many and various have been the judgments passed upon Maupassant's
work。 But now that the perspective of time is lengthening；
enabling us to form a more deliberate； and therefore a juster；
view of his complete achievement； we are driven irresistibly to
the conclusion that the force that shaped and swayed Maupassant's
prose writings was the conviction that in life there could be no
phase so noble or so mean； so honorable or so contemptible； so
lofty or so low as to be unworthy of chronicling；no groove of
human virtue or fault； success or failure； wisdom or folly that
did not possess its own peculiar psychological aspect and
therefore demanded analysis。
To this analysis Maupassant brought a facile and dramatic pen； a
penetration as searching as a probe； and a power of psychological
vision that in its minute detail； now pathetic； now ironical； in
its merciless revelation of the hidden springs of the human
heart； whether of aristocrat； bourgeois； peasant； or priest；
allow one to call him a Meissonier in words。
The school of romantic realism which was founded by Merimee and
Balzac found its culmination in De Maupassant。 He surpassed his
mentor； Flaubert； in the breadth and vividness of his work； and
one of the greatest of modern French critics has recorded the
deliberate opinion； that of all Taine's pupils Maupassant had the
greatest command of language and the most finished and incisive
style。 Robust in imagination and fired with natural passion； his
psychological curiosity kept him true to human nature； while at
the same time his mental eye； when fixed upon the most ordinary
phases of human conduct； could see some new motive or aspect of
things hitherto unnoticed by the careless crowd。
It has been said by casual critics that Maupassant lacked one
quality indispensable to the production of truly artistic work；
viz： an absolutely normal； that is； moral； point of view。 The
answer to this criticism is obvious。 No dissector of the gamut of
human pas… sion and folly in all its tones could present aught
that could be called new； if ungifted with a viewpoint totally
out of the ordinary plane。 Cold and merciless in the use of this
point de vue De Maupassant undoubtedly is； especially in such
vivid depictions of love； both physical and maternal； as we find
in 〃L'histoire d'une fille de ferme〃 and 〃La femme de Paul。〃 But
then the surgeon's scalpel never hesitates at giving pain； and
pain is often the road to health and ease。 Some of Maupassant's
short stories are sermons more forcible than any moral
dissertation could ever be。
Of De Maupassant's sustained efforts 〃Une Vie〃 may bear the palm。
This romance has the distinction of having changed Tolstoi from
an adverse critic into a warm admirer of the author。 To quote the
Russian moralist upon the book：
〃 'Une Vie' is a romance of the best type； and in my judgment the
greatest that has been produced by any French writer since Victor
Hugo penned 'Les Miserables。' Passing over the force and
directness of the narrative； I am struck by the intensity； the
grace； and the insight with which the writer treats the new
aspects of human nature which he finds in the life he describes。〃
And as if gracefully to recall a former adverse criticism；
Tolstoi adds：
〃I find in the book； in almost equal strength； the three cardinal
qualities essential to great work； viz： moral purpose； perfect
style； and absolute sincerity。 。 。 。 Maupassant is a man whose
vision has penetrated the silent depths of human life； and from
that vantage… ground interprets the struggle of humanity。〃
〃Bel…Ami〃 appeared almost two years after 〃Une Vie；〃 that is to
say； about 1885。 Discussed and criticised as it has been； it is
in reality a satire； an indignant outburst against the corruption
of society which in the story enables an ex…soldier； devoid of
conscience； honor； even of the commonest regard for others； to
gain wealth and rank。 The purport of the story is clear to those
who recognize the ideas that governed Maupassant's work； and even
the hasty reader or critic； on reading 〃Mont Oriol；〃 which was
published two years later and is based on a combination of the
motifs which inspired 〃Une Vie〃 and 〃Bel…Ami；〃 will reconsider
former hasty judgments； and feel； too； that beneath the triumph
of evil which calls forth Maupassant's satiric anger there lies
the substratum on which all his work is founded； viz： the
persistent； ceaseless questioning of a soul unable to reconcile
or explain the contradiction between love in life and inevitable
death。 Who can read in 〃Bel…Ami〃 the terribly graphic description
of the consumptive journalist's demise； his frantic clinging to
life； and his refusal to credit the slow and merciless approach
of death； without feeling that the question asked at Naishapur
many centuries ago is still waiting for the solution that is
always promised but never comes？
In the romances which followed； dating from 1888 to 1890； a sort
of calm despair seems to have settled down upon De Maupassant's
attitude toward life。 Psychologically acute as ever； and as
perfect in style and sincerity as before； we miss the note of
anger。 Fatality is the keynote； and yet； sounding low； we detect
a genuine subtone of sorrow。 Was it a prescience of 1893？ So much
work to be done； so much work demanded of him； the world of
Paris； in all its brilliant and attractive phases； at his feet；
and yetinevitable； ever advancing death； with the question of
life still unanswered。
This may account for some of the strained situations we find in
his later romances。 Vigorous in frame and hearty as he was； the
atmosphere of his mental processes must have been vitiated to
produce the dainty but dangerous pessimism that pervades some of
his later work。 This was partly a consequence of his honesty and
partly of mental despair。 He never accepted other people's views
on the questions of life。 He looked into such problems for
himself； arriving at the truth； as it appeared to him； by the
logic of events； often finding evil where he wished to find good；
but never hoodwinking himself or his readers by adapting