Maupassant was a meticulous writer who wrote mostly about the common everyday experiences of people. His talent was in creating a “real” world on the page and addressing problems which arose in the common course of daily life. His stories often compared social classes, a common theme for writers of his time. They juxtaposed the lives of bureaucrats with those of the peasant classes to show the complexity of social life in Paris in the mid- to late- nineteenth century.
Because he focused on social juxtaposition of the classes, most of Maupassant’s short stories are laden with ironies. These ironies are often the direct result of a fatal flaw, as in “The Necklace” we see Mrs. Loisel affected by her desire to appear more respectable which is a direct result of her vanity.
This short story is littered with judgments about women: their role in society and the expectations placed upon them both socially, morally, and personally. Find some examples in the text where Maupassant is passing judgment on women. Look for examples from all the female characters. Then choose one you feel strongly about and comment on how that judgment functions in the text.
Is it an example of a common everyday experience?
Is it a common social convention of the time?
Does it reinforce the irony?
Would Maupassant’s view be accepted in today’s world?
"She had longed so eagerly to charm, to be desired, to be wildly attractive and sought after" (1).
ReplyDeleteYes, this is an example of a common everyday experience because people are always wanting to be accepted. In this story, it concerns a woman who wants to be approved of by her peers. It was a common convention of the time for a woman to be accepted by her appearance rather than her intelligence. Women were only meant to be pretty faces who stood by their husbands for other men to admire. Women were not supposed to have any opinions of their own, which is very different than society today, where women's thoughts and ideas are just as accepted as men's. This quote reinforces the irony that in this story, people only though beauty was skin-deep. Everyone thought that Mrs. Loisel was stunning with the diamond necklace at the party, and she thought she was ugly without it. She longed to be beautiful and sought after like a diamond necklace would be. However, she discovers that it is a fake, which shows the irony that the woman only felt beautiful while wearing something fake. Mrs. Loisel based her self-image on a necklace that was not even real. The irony is that the people were able to accept a woman only if she was beautiful even if there was nothing real on the inside, just like a fake diamond necklace. These people only relied on outward appearances.
“… for women have no caste or class, their beauty, grace, and charm serving them for birth or family, their natural delicacy, their instinctive elegance, their nimbleness of wit, are their only mark of rank, and put the slum girl on a level with the highest lady in the land”.
ReplyDelete“She had no clothes, no jewels, nothing. And these were the only things she loved”.
“And what do you suppose I am to wear at such an affair?”
“She danced madly, ecstatically, drunk with pleasure, with no thought for anything, in the triumph of her beauty, in the pride of her success, in a cloud of happiness made up of this universal homage and admiration, of the desires she had aroused, of the completeness of a victory so dear to her feminine heart”.
“But mine was imitation. It was worth at the very most five hundred francs”.
The first quote I stated is the one I feel most strongly about. It is an example of a common everyday experience because today’s celebrities were once average men and women. For example, Tyra Banks claims to be from “the hood”, Jennifer Lopez says, “Don’t be fooled by the rocks that I got, I’m still, I’m still Jenny from the block” indicating that she was once in a position of poverty.
This story takes place in about the 1880’s in Paris, France which is basically the fashion capital of the world, so having money in your possession appears to be a must. So I don’t believe this was a common social convention of the time. During this time I don’t believe the woman’s natural appearance meant anything, it was more than likely what she wore (clothes, jewelry), the house she lived in, and how much money she or her husband had.
During this parable, Madame Loisel became a hit at the party making it appear that a woman of her class could easily become admired and desired and during that time period it wouldn’t have happened, so this reinforces the irony.
Maupassant’s view could be accepted in today’s world (examples above) but in the United States, it wouldn’t be considered irony because it could and does happen everyday.
We see in the beginning of "The Necklace" how "unhappy" Mrs. Loisel felt, and feeling like she married below herself. Without "delicate" meals and rich clothing that her friends wore, she felt like less of a woman, and wanted the attention of everyone. She desired to be "sought after." This is ironic, because she was obviously "sought after" by her husband, he knew her beauty, and that should have been sufficient for her. Her husband sacrifices for his wife, so that she may buy an expensive "ball-dress" and even get the invitation to the ball. That was not enough for her, she decided she would not go unless she had nice jewelery as well. When she borrows a necklace from a friend and puts it on she feels beautiful and "danced madly" at the ball. People noticed her, but not because of her dress or the necklace, they noticed her because of her joy. She was able to smile and look radiant in her happiness. That was the true beauty that people saw, but she was hiding it all along behind her unhappiness. The irony of it is that she had the beauty she desired the whole time, it just wasn't revealed until she convinced herself of happiness.
ReplyDelete"'I'm utterly miserable at not having a single stone to wear,' she replied. 'I shall look absolutely no one. I would almost rather not go to the party'"(2).
ReplyDeleteHere, Maupassant shows that women are noticed only for their beauty. Madame Loisel felt that she needed fine clothing and extravagant jewelery to be accepted at the party. This judgement is an example of a common social convention; when women went out, especially to a ball, they were expected to be look attractive and act poised. This quote helped to reinforce the irony that normagrace saw: people noticed Mathilde not because of what she wore, but because of the fun she was having. She possessed the beauty that she was madly searching for the whole time. Today, Maupassant's judgement only partially applies: although there are many young girls that are too focused on their outward appearance rather than within, many women today are view for their ideas and contributions instead of solely getting attention because of their looks.
"She had no clothes, no jewels, nothing. And these were the only things she loved."
ReplyDeleteThis comment seems especially judgemental of women, in saying that it is only material possessions that matter to this woman--a representative of all women of the time. Clothes and jewels were what defined a woman of the time for one without either was not worthy of happiness--a view expressed indirectly by Madame Loisel. While clothes and jewels did define one's social status at the time in which the story was set, Maupassant appears to be exaggerating the effect to make women appear materialistic and vain.
Additionally, Mathilde is set as a women incapable of appreciation unless a valuable material object to be used to her advantage was presented to her.
Maupassant depicts women as very shallow in order to create the irony within his story.