The Charterhouse of Parma by Stendhal (Book Analysis)

This practical and insightful reading guide offers a complete summary and analysis of The Charterhouse of Parma by Stendhal. It provides a thorough exploration of the book’s plot, characters and main themes, including the importance of ambition and the impact of the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte on European society. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.

This clear and detailed 26-page reading guide is structured as follows:

• Biography of Stendhal
• Presentation of The Charterhouse of Parma
• Summary of The Charterhouse of Parma
• Character study
  • Fabrizio
  • Clélia Conti
  • Gina
  • Count Mosca
• Analysis of The Charterhouse of Parma
  • Genesis and narration of the work
  • A Bildungsroman
  • The Stendhalian hero
  • A historical document

About The Charterhouse of Parma

The Charterhouse of Parma tells the story of a young Italian, Fabrizio del Dongo, who dreams of a great and glorious military career. He initially joins Napoleon’s army, but after the French defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, he returns to Italy and embarks on an ecclesiastical career, before being imprisoned for killing a man during a fight and falling in love with the daughter of the prison governor.

The Charterhouse of Parma is a key example of the realist novel, and was admired by writers including Honoré de Balzac, Leo Tolstoy and Henry James. In particular, Stendhal’s vivid description of the Battle of Waterloo has been widely praised.

About Stendhal

Stendhal, real name Henri Beyle, was a French writer and art critic. He was one of the most important writers of the literary movement of realism, although his work was not fully appreciated until the 20^th century. He fought in Napoleon Bonaparte’s army and spend a considerable period of time in Italy, where he wrote his major novels The Red and the Black and The Charterhouse of Parma.