Maupassant in the Hall of Mirrors: Ironies of Repetition in the Work of Guy de Maupassant

This study of the work of Guy de Maupassant (1850-93), uncovers the basic techniques of his writing and then links these to a close reading of his newspaper articles, which have rarely been explored as a body of work in their own right. The analysis reveals the themes of misogyny, nostalgia and elitism which it then applies to the key areas of character, narrative structure and imagery in Maupassant's fiction. His novels are given particular attention in this examination. Dr Harris offers a reassessment of Maupassant's role as a theorist of literature and shows how he was feeling his way towards a very 20th century view of writing.