The Diamond Necklace (Unabridged) (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. A French realist tale of social ambition and marriage, culminating in an ironic, devastating twistBy Guy de Maupassant
Length1h 50m
About this audiobook
Guy de Maupassant's "The Diamond Necklace" is a masterwork of French realist short fiction, rendered here unabridged in all its sharp economy and moral precision. The story follows Mathilde Loisel, a young woman of modest circumstances whose longing for elegance and social distinction leads to a single evening of glamour and a decade of ruinous consequence. Maupassant's prose is lucid, ironic, and unsentimental, placing the tale within the late nineteenth-century realist tradition while anticipating the modern short story's reliance on compression, reversal, and psychological exposure. Maupassant, a protégé of Gustave Flaubert, brought to his fiction a disciplined style and a keen eye for the hypocrisies of bourgeois society. His experiences in post–Franco-Prussian War France, his journalistic career, and his familiarity with Parisian social ambition sharpened his understanding of class performance, vanity, and economic vulnerability. In this story, those concerns are distilled into one of his most enduring narrative designs. This edition is recommended for readers interested in classic realism, irony, and the art of the short story. Brief yet devastating, it rewards close reading and remains essential for students and general readers alike.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author's life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 4.3 (42)
Includes Amazon, Goodreads
GenreGeneral Fiction, Literary Classics
Length1 hr 50 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateApr 16, 2015
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The Diamond Necklace (Unabridged) (Annotated)
2Introduction
3Synopsis
4Historical Context
5Author Biography
Show all chaptersShow less
6The Diamond Necklace (Unabridged)
7Analysis
8Reflection
9Memorable Quotes
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