La Princesse de Clèves

[Pariswhenitdrizzles]

I've got to read the French novel La Princesse de Clèves for a lesson I'm giving on it.

Never read it before, and although I've heard it is a classic French novel that everyone should read, an immature and stubborn part of me can't be bothered 🙈😳 (as ashamed as I am to admit it!!)

Has anyone read it?

AIBU to give me a kick up the bum and convince me pretty please why I should read it? And what I can do to make reading it really enjoyable (e.g. ideas on which yummy snacks to choose while I read it etc.)

I know I sound horribly pathetic, but I've just had a reeeally long day and feel absolutely dog-tired 😭😭

I don't have to start reading it tonight, but would like to start ASAP. Just bought a copy, so there ain't no turning back now..! (And I probably should read it one day anyway!!)

What on earth are you teaching that you have to read this YET you hate it?

It's brilliant. It's a kind of early psychological novel about doomed complicated love among characters at the incestuous, gossipy court of Henri II -- young heiress's marriage prospects are damaged, gets married off to a safe older man and then falls for someone else terribly dashing. Lots of court intrigues, misunderstandings, courtly love, stray letters, royal scandals etc etc.

Is this the one where the "heroine" marries an obscure prince but falls for a dashing duke? Neither acts on it but they have a sort of emotional affair and her husband finds out and dies of a broken heart but forbids her from marrying him after he dies so instead of declaring undying love he buggers off and she dies alone and heartbroken?
Tbf if so I can see why you would hate it but as you have to read it...

Mirai it's for a last minute Oxbridge French interviewpreparation session that I've had to step in for. I don't think I'll hate it really, but it just always seemed a bit dry, according to what my friends said when they studied it at uni I've never been a huge fan of 18th-century French literature. I fucking love Madame Bovary though ❤️

Thanks Mortal! :) Sounds good!

Yep Whyte I think that's the one! :)

I quite enjoyed it - my copy was bound in with a couple of other works including the Scarlet Letter so it came as light relief TBH. I think that it should be read with a sharing sized (but not to actually be shared obvs) bag of maltesers and a very large glass of wine - or whatever else you would consume when watching slushy TV.

Obvs Madame Bovary is 19th century was trying to say that I've always preferred 19th and 20th century French lit to earlier French lit. Read Lettres Persanes by Montesquieu in my first year at uni 😭😭😭😭 what a faaakin drag.

Thank you londonmummy! I'm assuming the Maltesers and wine come on doctor's orders? Consider it done 😁

Great to know you're so well-prepared for some poor sod's interview

Hopefully they'll be similarly posh and slapdash and you can bumble through together

#thereisnomeroticracy

Ooh liked Madame Bovary but absolutely anything is better with wine and malteasers!

Wow, I'm glad you are not teaching my children. Just put in your big girl pants and read it.

Ttbb and Wtffgs I'm sorry for giving off a bad impression I've just had a really difficult week and am really tired. I was asked to do this interview really last minute and it wasn't an option to say no.

wtffggs why do you say that I'm posh and slapdash?

I don't know why some posters are being so rude to OP. Did you actually read the explanation that it's a 'last minute' thing she has had to 'step in for'? Of course teachers should be well versed in their curriculum material, but in a situation like interview prep, which of course they are doing in their own time on top of all their normal responsibilities, they will sometimes need to improvise.

Good luck OP! Sorry I don't have any knowledge that can help you out here.

Thanks so much Esker

Do you not know how to use the internet?
Oh.Of course you do 'cause you're on it.
What a thing to stealth boast about.

maras wow are you on the right thread? How are the OP's posts a stealth boast maras? What an inventive thing to boast about - that they've got to read a book at the last-minute after having a stressful week

maras 🙄 can someone explain to me how the OP's 'boasting'?

Hi everyone, I just wanted to say that I'm really sorry if my OP came across as entitled, smug, unprepared or boastful.

I really didn't mean to come across that way at all - I'm so sorry about this.

Point taken - I'll read the book and stop moaning - I'm clearly in no position to thank you for your lovely posts Esker, ComingUp and Hello.

(Guess I should've mentioned this thread was light-hearted, eh?)

It's a great book.
Beautifully written story of unconsumated love.

Read it. You'll like it.

I read it at uni and think I liked it well enough, but can remember practically nothing about it. Ditto Lettres persanes.

I worry about myself sometimes!

Well enjoy it OP! Read a couple of cribs and reviews and get the gist if you can't sit down and do all of it

OMG,I was posting about someone's interpretation of The Lollard Martyrs on the Mumsnet local site. Sorry paris

OP - please have a second bag of maltesers plus the rest of the bottle of wine - speaking as an absolute prole who was the first of their family to go to any university let alone Oxbridge I am appalled at the flak you have taken.

(Whisper it - I was at Brasenose with David Cameron and in the 3 years I was there never had to put up with the nonsense on this thread from him/his OE friends or their opposite numbers.)