6533b85cfe1ef96bd12bd6bd

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Ćwok, kiep i frajer, czyli postać głupiego męża we francuskiej prozie realistycznej i naturalistycznej

subject

description

The paper discusses the theme of a stupid husband in three texts of French Realism and Naturalism: a novel by Gustave Flaubert and two short stories by Emile Zola and Guy de Maupassant. The main reference for the analysis is a paper by Stefan Symotiuk who divides the category of “fools” into several subcategories, according to reasons and signs of their stupidity. In agreement with Symotiuk’s thought, Flaubert’s Charles Bovary can be considered as a “blockhead”, dull but always glad with himself; Zola’s Mr Chabre is a “dolt”, heavily thinking and likely to hoax; finally, Maupassant’s Mr Lantin is a “dupe”, easily cheated because unable to see things as they are. All the three characters can be regarded as illustrations of the abatement of male characters in the Occidental prose after 1850.