Cheri (Frederic Peloux)

Cheri, whose given name is Frederic Peloux, is the main character of Cheri and The Last of Cheri. Cheri covers Cheri's life from the age of nineteen to twenty-five, the years of his relationship with a courtesan named Lea de Lonval. Lea is twenty-four years older than Cheri and acts both as a mistress and a mother figure. Cheri is the son of a wealthy courtesan and spends his life with servants and eccentric characters so he has no maternal foundation, making the relationship with Lea even more important. When it comes time for Cheri to marry, he is led into an arranged marriage with a wealthy young girl named Edmee who acquiesces to Cheri in every way. Edmee is six years younger than Cheri and he finds little of interest in her and stays away from the home as much as possible. Cheri longs for...