Cosmopolis

Cosmopolis is a novel by French author Paul Bourget that explores the contrast between the modern and the traditional set against the backdrop of Rome. The novel follows several characters who find themselves in Rome including an ex-revolutionary a traditionalist Catholic a high-society exile and an American artist. The characters are all struggling with their own identity and place in the world. They are torn between their desire for the modern and their yearning for tradition and the past. This conflict is epitomized by the city of Rome itself which is steeped in history and tradition but also represents the modern world. Through the characters experiences Bourget offers a deep insight into the human condition and the struggles we all face in finding our place in the world. The author shows how we are all trying to balance our desire for modernity with our need for tradition and how this struggle can lead to conflicts within ourselves and with others.