The Red and the Black

The Red and the Black is a historical psychological novel by Stendhal published in French in 1830 as Le Rouge et le noir. The novel set in France during the Second Restoration (1815-30) is a powerful character study of Julien Sorel an ambitious young man who uses seduction as a tool for advancement. M. de Rênal the mayor of the provincial town Verrières hires Julien Sorel to be his children's tutor. Julien is only a carpenter's son but dreams of following in the footsteps of his hero Napoleon. However in Julien's time men gain power in the Church and not in the army. Even though he is training to become a priest Julien decides to seduce the mayor's wife Mme. de Rênal because he thinks that it is his duty. They become lovers but M. Valenod the mayor's political adversary finds out about the affair and begins to spread rumors. M. de Rênal is profoundly embarrassed but his wife convinces him that the rumors are false. M. Chélan the town priest and Julien's mentor sends him to the Besançon seminary to avoid any further scandal.The director of the seminary M. Pirard likes Julien and encourages him to become a great priest. Julien does very well at the seminary but only because he wants to make a fortune and succeed in French society. The other priests at the seminary are not aware of Julien's hypocrisy but are jealous of his intelligence. M. Pirard is disgusted with the political involvement of the Church and resigns. His aristocratic benefactor the Marquis de la Mole wants M. Pirard to be his personal secretary in Paris but M. Pirard tells him to hire Julien instead.Julien is both enthralled and repulsed by Parisian society at the same time. He tries to fit in among the nobles but they treat him as a social inferior. However the Marquis's daughter Mathilde falls in love with Julien and they become lovers. When Mathilde gets pregnant and tells the Marquis about her affair he is furious but soon ennobles Julien so Mathilde can marry hi