It's an interesting psychological picture of a young man making his way in the world, but unconvincing at the end when he shoots and wounds Madame de Renal and is executed.
Why the red and the black? Passion vs reason?
Friday, July 20, 2012
78. The Red and the Black
Now I've caught up to the book I've just finished. The Red and the Black is about Julien Sorel, the son of a carpenter, who is intelligent and ambitious. He becomes a priest (and seduces Madame de Renal) and then secretary to the Marquis de la Mole (and seduces the Marquis' daughter Mathilde). He despises the people around him and is proud that he can manipulate them; but is also flattered by their attention, I think.
77. The Betrothed
An Italian novel about a humble couple who want to marry and are prevented by an oppressive aristocracy allied to corrupt priests; but there's a happy ending thanks to the intervention of a few good men.
76. Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
Our first American novel on the book list. It's a ripping yarn complete with beautiful heroines and noble savages.
73. Melmoth the Wanderer by Charles Robert maturin
Different again - a kind of gothic horror story. I can see how this story foreshadows Oscar Wilde (Portrait of Dorian Gray) and Edgar Allan Poe.
72. The Monastery by Sir Walter Scott
Scottish Protestants vs Catholics, and an interesting insight in Scottish history with some attractive characters.
69. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Catherine's adolescent fantasies are confronted with mundane reality.
68. Persuasion by Jane Austen
Back to lovely Jane, and the tribulations of Anne Elliott and Captain Wentworth.
65. Emma by Jane Austen
Emma and Mr Knightley - he understands the flaws in her character but loves her anyway. (Oops, slipping into Mills and Boon descriptions.)
64. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
Fanny is the poor but virtuous and soft-hearted poor relation of the Bertrams. In the end, her cousin Edmund recognises and values Fanny's virtue over the dubious attractions of Miss Crawford.
63. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Elizabeth and Mr Darcy - who was proud, and who was prejudiced? And in the end, was it the sight of Mr Darcy's estate that changed Elizabeth's mind about him?
59. Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth
I shouldn't leave it so long between finishing the book and writing the blog, I had to resort to '1001 Books' to remind myself of the plot. The story of the gradual decline of the Rackrent family is told by Thady Quirk, the steward. It's not very flattering about the Irish squirocracy.
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