Click picture for de Maupassant quotes

     

Through this series that revisits 19^th century authors, BriteLitesBiz invites discussion of topics that remain important to WordSmiths. The intro stated,

Although Henry James one time observed that "in dissertation M. de Maupassant does not write with his best pen," this discussion of the novel is one of the few really lucid essays on the subject.  

From Guy de Maupassant's introduction to Pierre et Jean.  

 Then, after the literary schools which have sought to give us a vision of life deformed, superhuman, poetic, tender, charming or superb, comes a realistic or naturalistic school which has professed to show us the truth, nothing but the truth, and all of the truth.

 These different theories of art must be admitted with equal interest, and the works which they produce must be judged solely from the point of view of their artistic merit, with the acceptance a priori of the general ideas which gave them birth.

To contest the right of an author to compose a poetic work or a realistic work is to wish to force him to modify his temperament, to challenge his originality, and to deny him the right to use the eye and the intelligence which nature has given him.

To reproach him for seeing the beautiful or the ugly, the small or the epic, the gracious or the sinister, is to reproach him for being formed in such or such fashion and for not having a vision that accords with ours.

Let us leave him free to comprehend, to observe, to conceive, as he pleases, provided he be an artist. Let us lift ourselves to poetic heights when we judge an idealist, and show him that his dream is mediocre, commonplace, not mad enough, not magnificent enough. But if we judge a naturalist, let us show him in what respects the truth in life differs from the truth in his book.

  Comments Invited  

Next Issue:  Du Maupassant on The Novel