The Red and the Black by Stendhal (Book Analysis)

This practical and insightful reading guide offers a complete summary and analysis of The Red and the Black by Stendhal. It provides a thorough exploration of the novel’s plot, characters and main themes, including adultery, love and ambition. 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 27-page reading guide is structured as follows:

• Biography of Stendhal
• Presentation of The Red and the Black
• Summary of The Red and the Black
• Character study
  • Julien Sorel
  • Madame de Rênal
  • Mathilde
  • Secondary characters
• Analysis of The Red and the Black
  • Subjective realism
  • Julien’s ambition
  • Julien’s mistakes
  • A fast and natural piece of writing

About The Red and the Black

The Red and the Black was first published in 1830. It takes place sometime between 1826 and 1830, towards the end of the Bourbon Restoration. It tells the story of the romance between a young seminarian named Julien Sorel with a married older woman, whose husband cannot understand her.

Although The Red and the Black is now recognized as being ahead of its time, it was not very successful when it was first published. The title of the book has been interpreted in many different ways – some see it as a representation of a military uniform and a priest’s cassock, while others believe that the black symbolizes hypocrisy and that the red stands for sacrifice.

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.