Both during his lifetime and throughout the twentieth century, writers and critics have been unanimous in their praise of Maupassant. His mentor Flaubert, who died just as his disciple's career was being launched, had high hopes for him, and his faith was not unfounded. Such luminaries as Leo Tolstoy and Anatole France also recognized his genius. His stories were seen as masterpieces of economy and clarity, classical in their formal simplicity, uncommonly varied in their themes, and keenly evocative in their descriptions. His originality was believed to lie not in his subjects (in fact, Maupassant himself avowed readily that he lacked inspiration and found the seeds for his narratives in anecdotes recounted by friends or in newspapers) but in his style. His sobriety of expression, his masterful control, and his remarkable ability to suggest character with one deft stroke of the pen--a single phrase, a couple of well-chosen verbs--have been considered particularly noteworthy.
However, many early critics found his dispassionate narration, devoid of commentary or judgment, deeply troubling, and they were quick to criticize what they saw as a lack of moral fiber on the part of the author.
This is a free page. This page contains 184 words. This
biography contains 14,961 words (approx. 50 pages at 300
words per page).
Read the rest of this Biography with our (Henri) (Rene Albert) Guy de Maupassant Access Pass.
