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Analysis of "The Necklace"
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"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
Presented by Jasmine De La Rosa
Guy de Maupassant
- Guy de Maupassant was born in France in 1850
- He was the oldest and had 2 siblings.
- His mother and father separated when he was eleven years old
Bibliography of Maupassant
- In 1869 he began to study law in Paris, but discontinued when he volunteered to fight in the Franco- German war. His experience of war was to provide him with material for some of his best stories.
- Maupassant was taken out of war in July 1871 and resumed his law studies in Paris.
- Before resuming studies, Maupassant’s mother, Laure, sent her son to Flaubert. This was the beginning of the apprenticeship that would help Maupassant become the writer he was.
- Whenever Flaubert was in Paris, he would invite Maupassant to lunch on Sundays, lecture him on prose style, and correct his youthful literary exercises. He also introduced him to some of the top writers during that time.
- Flaubert was the inspiration for Maupassant the writer, but he also provided him with a father figure.
- Flaubert’s sudden and unexpected death in 1880 was very hard on Maupassant.
Mapaussant Life
- During his apprenticeship with Flaubert, Maupassant published one or two stories under a pseudonym in obscure provincial magazines.
- The turning point came in April 1880, the month before Flaubert’s death. Maupassant was one of six writers, led by Zola, who each contributed a short story on the Franco-German War to a volume called Les Soirées de Médan. As soon as Boule de suif was published, Maupassant found himself in demand by newspapers.
- When Maupassant was in his early 20s, he discovered that he was suffering from syphilis like his brother had also. Maupassant was adamant in refusing to undergo treatment.
- Although Maupassant appeared to be healthy his letters are full of lamentations about his health, particularly eye trouble and migraine headaches.
- With the passing of the years he had become more and more gloomy and dark.
- On January 2, 1892, when he was staying near his mother, he tried to commit suicide by cutting his throat.
Maupassant life continued
- Maupassant’s work is thoroughly realistic. His characters inhabit a world of material desires and sensual appetites in which lust, greed, and ambition are the driving forces, and any higher feelings are either absent or doomed to cruel disappointment.
- The tragic power of many of the stories derives from the fact that Maupassant presents his characters, poor or rich and as the victims of ironic necessity, crushed by a fate that they have dared to defy yet still struggling against it.
- A lot of his later stories deal with madness, therefore it has been suggested that Maupassant himself was already mentally disturbed when he wrote them.
Maupassant works
Deconsructionist Criticism
https://go-gale-com.ezproxy.jccc.edu/ps/i.do?p=STND&u=jcl_jccc&id=GALE A559572628&v=2.1&it=r&sid=summon
I found this first article "The Necklace By Maupassant Throws Light On The Aspirations Of Middle Class" by Youth Ki Awaaz, to be deconstructionist criticism. Awaaz really focuses on the plot details and emotions in "The Necklace". She then connects these ideas to the idea of an aspiring middle class. It was stated that "the middle-class people, for centuries, have aspired to become rich and prosperous" (Awaaz). She analyzes Mathilde and sees that "Despite having a reasonably good lifestyle, Mathilde desires to own the riches and luxuries of the world". She also noted the fancy dress and jewelry that Mathilde longed for and says that "fancy clothes and jewelery are two of the most important status symbols for ladies" (Awaaz). In the article Awaaz looks at the plot and structure of "The Necklace" and breaks these components down. She really analyzes the detail maupassant used in the plot. This article was on the verge on being formalist criticism, but I thought it to be more deconstructionist.
Schools of Criticism
Biographical Criticism
https://academic-eb-com.ezproxy.jccc.edu/levels/collegiate/article/Guy-de-Maupassant/51492
The article "Guy de Maupassant" by Martin Turnell, is biographical criticism and. He doesn't focus on the short story itself, but focuses on Guy de Maupassant. He begins by looking at Maupassant's early life, such as his birth, being born in France, his parents separating, schooling, and joining the military (Turnell). When Maupassant was eleven years old his parent seperated and he later joined the military, which would go on to influence some of his later pieces(Turnell). The next section of the article focuses on Maupassant beginning his writing and who his influences were at that time. Flaubert was his father figure and one of his main inspirations. Turnell talks about Maupassant having a disease, which was later used in some of his works. He also mentions Maupassants dark style in some of his later works, which is believed to have shown a change in his mental state (Turnell). Turnell only looks at Maupassants life and he really focuses on the important details like his experience in war and his illness, which all played a role in his works.
Biographical Criticism
Formalist Criticism
https://worldliteraturenow.blogspot.com/2009/12/necklace-critical-analysis.html
In the article "The Necklace (critical analysis) by Riu, I found it to be formalist criticism. He really looks at the word choice used by Maupassant and that even though some of the words are hard to understand, "if you read between the lines, you will get the true and real meaning of those words" (Riu). Riu also takes a look at how the story was structured and believes it was "cleverly planned and superbly executed". The plot has a "throbbing quality" and there is a sequenced rise and fall to keep the readers attention (Riu).
Formalist Criticism
- Out of the three articles I think the biographical one was the easiest to look at because it was straight forward. It talked about Maupassants early life, where he was born, lived. It mentioned Maupassant's experiences such as war, illness, and facing loved one's deaths. It also took a look at how his stories started to become dark and the style of them, which could be related to his mental health.
Mathilde Loisel
Mathilde Loisel is beautiful, but wants to be a "glamour" girl or someone of wealth. Mathilde is more of a flat character not very developed or complex. She's obsessed with fancy, beautiful, expensive things, and the life that accompanies them. Unfortunately, she wasn't born into a family with the money to make her dream possible. She married a man and they live "comfortably", but she still feels trapped in the middle class life. Her husband is unable to provide her the life she dreams of, but he tries to make her happy. Nothing he does makes her happy or satisfied. Towards the beginning of the story her husband brings her an invitation for a party and all she thinks about is how she doesn't have a fancy dress. Then after the dress is resolved she thinks about how she doesn't have any fancy jewelry. Mathilde is always wanting more. This makes her come across greedy. It seems there is a deeper reason for her greed, which is dissatisfaction. The dissatisfatcion is what drives her to wanting more and more. If she were truly satisfied and happy with her home, marriage, and overall life then maybe she wouldn't be dreaming of this life she can't have. Mathilde seems to be a material girl. Out of all things in life she wants expensive items. She wants fancy clothes, fancy jewelry, or anything that shows wealth, or that she's living a rich and prosperous life. In the end all of her greed got her ten years in debt and making her age faster. What I found most interesting about Mathilde is how she wouldn't just talk to her friend and instead waited all those years, but I became a little suspicious when he friend didn't really reach out to her about the necklace. If that were me I would have been calling a few days later to see where my expensive jewelry is.
Character Analysis
Significance
Maupassant was one of the greatest French short story writers. "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant is an excellent piece with different themes, lessons, symbols, and meanings. It should be included in classes because it has a lesson to learn from it and Maupassant does a great job of showing the aspirations that some of the middle class have. The lesson being taught in this story is that greed doesn't always get you what you want. It also touches base with debt and that by buying something you can't afford could make your life worse than before.
What do you think the necklace in the story symbolizes and why? Do you think there could be more than one meaning of that piece of jewelry in the story?
Question
"Guy de Maupassant." Martin Turnell. https://academic-eb-com.ezproxy.jccc.edu/levels/collegiate/article/Guy-de-Maupassant/51492. Accessed 27 Oct. 2019.
"The Necklace By Maupassant Throws Light On The Aspirations Of Middle Class." Youth Ki Awaaz, 24 Oct. 2018. Gale OneFile: News, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A559572628/STND?u=jcl_jccc&sid=STND&xid=e422f967. Accessed 23 Oct. 2019.
Works Cited
Riu, riu. “The Necklace (Critical Analysis).” The Necklace (Critical Analysis), 1 Jan. 1970, worldliteraturenow.blogspot.com/2009/12/necklace-critical-analysis.html.