Influence and Role of Naturalism, Realism, and the New Popular Press in Bel Ami

Introduction

In the world of novels, Bel Ami serves as one of the most renowned pieces by Guy de Maupassant. Maupassant was a leading author of French literature in the 19^th century. Bel-Ami got published in 1885 and emerged as a masterpiece of the realist artistic and literary movement (Youssif, 2013). In this light, Maupassant’s works exist in the naturalism genre of literature. Naturalism is typically a subgenre of realism with a unique focus on objectivity, detachment, and social commentary (Conder, 2014). Both realism and naturalism portray settings and characters that could exist in the real world, with the plotlines being plausible. Nevertheless, these two gave literature and art to reflect reality in the second half of the 19^th century. This essay aims to examine the role and impact of realism, naturalism, and the new popular press in Bel Ami.

Overview of the Novel

Bel Ami sheds significant light on the varying aspects of Parisian life towards the end of the 19^th century, a period dubbed the belle epoque. In this regard, the characters’ morals, the functioning of the written press, and the colonial context of France intersect in the novel, allowing the reader to grasp the context from a realist and naturalist perspective. For instance, the protagonist’s evolution touches on classic themes linked to the realist movement, including lust, ambition, love, disenchantment, the power of money, and social rise. Moreover, themes linked to the naturalist movement, like individual outcomes determined by heredity, environment, and socio-historical conditions beyond control, are exhibited. Therefore, naturalism and realism reject the heroic, picturesque, and beautified ideas associated with ancient romanticism (Conder, 2014). For instance, realism strives to depict real-life conditions, while naturalism depicts the more natural human nature and is detached from the social world. Maupassant’s piece remains relevant in the contemporary world due to the similar nature of the political, social, and moral issues it raises. In this light, it surely initiates a debate on these issues among readers and learners.

Impact and Role of Realism

Realism is an attempt to describe contexts as they occur or might occur, as opposed to conventional romanticism, which tells stories that conform to a specific narrative convention. In this light, Maupassant utilizes visual appeal to offer descriptive scenes. Moreover, they utilize a dual-voiced discourse together with varying narrative devices to depict the realities of Paris during the belle epoque period. According to Visoi (2015), Maupassant uses description to ensure that the reader observes the characters’ manners and behavior and even visualizes every scene as it unfolds. In the French Revolution during the 18^th century, realism was linked to the harsh realities that were prevalent among the middle class. It, therefore, fostered literature that focused on offering objective depictions in the 19^th century. Bel Ami offers a unique relationship between the reader and the text where the type of narration and description methods foster self-correction regarding Paris’s social norms and cultural influences in the 19^th century. For instance, financial manipulations, journalism, social context, and even political affairs are described. Maupassant (1885), for instance, stipulates that in summer evenings, Paris often was airless. The city was hot and seemed to swelter in the stifling night atmosphere. Moreover, the sewage stench leaped throughout the air. Through such descriptions, the reader grasps the social realities of the city. Still, the double standards of the Parisian society ensure that the reader comprehends the realities of the period from the realist perspective. In this regard, Duroy is depicted as experiencing a dilemma. He strives to uphold his morals but finds that Paris is significantly adulterous and promiscuity is the norm of the day. This is epitomized when the protagonist is invited by his mistress for dinner with the husband present (Maupassant, 1885). Duroy had never experienced such harsh realities and urban scams/manipulations and must adapt to survive.

Impact and Role of Naturalism

Naturalism strives to depict life’s realities as determined by aspects like heredity, the environment, and socio-historical conditions beyond an individual’s control. In this light, Bel Ami uniquely reflects on naturalism by describing the protagonists’ social status at the start and throughout the novel. In this light, Paris is also denoted as representing the varying aspects of urban life and social distinctions of the period. An epitome is that Maupassant asserts that the protagonist (Duroy) stood outside a pavement on June 28 where, wondering what to do as he is broke and lonely. He only has three francs forty to last the rest of the month (Maupassant, 1885). The implication of this was eating two lunches and no dinner or two dinners and no lunch. The realistic mode of representation ensures that the reader understands the economic hardships of 19^th-century Paris. Moreover, Duroy, at the start of the novel, is depicted to be living in shameful poverty, as epitomized by the stained walls of his room. Therefore, the protagonist is resolute and ambitious in that he must escape poverty at all costs. In this regard, Duroy comprehends the hypocrisy and snobbery of society and eventually is successful through ethical and unethical means. Maupassant offers a unique perspective of naturalism by beckoning that society should always hesitate to condemn those that are obliged to utilize their wits to survive. Duroy constantly looks for a prey, and he gets ahead through opportunities that come his way. At the novel’s end, Paris no longer gets perceived as a hostile environment where the protagonist wanders penniless on a hot day. Instead, he anticipates his vast wedding, which has become a common societal event.

Impact and Role of New Popular Press

Towards the end of the 19^th century, the functioning of the literary press and the presence of the media was monumental for society. It meant journalists, poets, and even activists could write articles serving the socio-cultural and political contexts. Maupassant is among the writers and artists encompassed in the artistic and literary current that shaped France around the late 19^th century associated with realism. In Bel Ami, he utilizes varying narrative and stylistic devices to privilege the story of Duroy objectively. He yearned to describe the reality of the time and that associated with the whole of society. For instance, Maupassant uses flashbacks to offer the personal details and thoughts of the protagonist. When he visits his home, Duroy experiences nostalgic feelings of when he was little, playing with his mates (Visoi, 2015). Maupassant also uses the plot structure to build curiosity and suspense on the protagonist’s plight amid Paris’s numerous challenges and moral decay at the time. Dramatic irony also comes into play when Duroy has a cynical view of the individuals he once envied and termed them as filthy lot. Conversely, the belle epoque is a period that was marked by significant press achievements like the 1881 French law that gave the press new freedom (Visoi, 2015). Different authors, novelists, and playwrights could therefore delve into varying socio-cultural and political issues affecting society.

Conclusion

In summary, the essay aimed to investigate the impact and role of realism, naturalism, and the new popular press in Bel Ami. The analysis depicts that Maupassant is able to integrate aspects of naturalism, realism, and the new popular press, which ensures that the novel is informative yet exciting. In this light, it offers rich insights regarding the Parisian socio-cultural and political life during the belle epoque period. Through a dual-voiced discourse and other narrative techniques, the author ensures that the reader grasps Paris’s journalism, social life, financial aspects, and political affairs towards the end of the 19^th century.

References

Conder, J. J. (2014). Naturalism in American Fiction: The Classic Phase. University Press of Kentucky. https://scholar.archive.org/work/shp7wmcoqrdx5heekywyr2cqsu/access/wayback/https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=upk_american_literature

Maupassant, G. de. (1885). Bel Ami: The History of a Heart. Goodreads. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/780581.Bel_Ami

Visoi, M. A. (2015). 19th century Paris: Shifting Norms and Ironic Storytelling in Maupassant’s “Bel-ami”.

Youssif, B. S. (2013). Perspective narrative Dans Bel ami De Maupassant. journal of the college of basic education, 19(79), 887-899. https://www.iasj.net/iasj/download/d844a38184cd3ea4