Roman red and black summary. Ebook Red and Black

Year of writing:

1830

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Description of the work:

Stendhal's novel "Red and Black" gained popularity towards the end of the 19th century. There are many rumors and hypotheses why the novel was named that way. It is generally accepted that the colors symbolize the choice that the main character faced. On the one hand, a career in the church (black color of clothes) and on the other, a career in the army (red color of the uniform).

In 1864, the Vatican placed this novel on its list of banned books. Also in Russia, the book was banned by Nicholas I in 1850.

M. de Renal, the mayor of the French town of Verrieres in the Franche-Comté district, a smug and conceited man, informs his wife of the decision to take a tutor into the house. There is no special need for a tutor, just the local rich Mr. Valeno, this vulgar screamer, always competing with the mayor, is too proud of a new pair of Norman horses. Well, Mr. Valno now has horses, but there is no tutor. M. de Renal had already made arrangements with Father Sorel that his youngest son would serve with him. The old curé, M. Chelan, recommended to him the son of a carpenter, as a young man of rare ability, who had been studying theology for three years and was brilliant in Latin. His name is Julien Sorel, he is eighteen years old; this is a short, fragile-looking young man, whose face bears the stamp of a striking originality. He has irregular, but delicate features, large black eyes that sparkle with fire and thought, and dark brown hair. The young girls look at him with interest. Julien never went to school. He was taught Latin and history by a regimental doctor, a participant in the Napoleonic campaigns. Dying, he bequeathed to him his love for Napoleon, the cross of the Legion of Honor and several dozen books. From childhood, Julien dreams of becoming a military man. In the time of Napoleon, for a commoner, this was the surest way to make a career and go out into the people. But times have changed. Julien realizes that the only path open to him is to become a priest. He is ambitious and proud, but he is ready to endure everything in order to make his way.

Madame de Renal does not like her husband's idea. She adores her three boys, and the thought of someone else standing between her and her children drives her to despair. She is already imagining a disgusting, rude, disheveled guy who is allowed to yell at her children and even spank them.

Imagine her surprise when she sees a pale, frightened boy in front of her, who seems to her unusually handsome and very unhappy. However, less than a month passes, when everyone in the house, even M. de Renal, begins to treat him with respect. Julien carries himself with great dignity, and his knowledge of Latin is admirable - he can recite any page of the New Testament by heart.

Madame de Renal's maid, Eliza, falls in love with the young tutor. In confession, she tells Abbé Chelan that she has received an inheritance and now wants to marry Julien. The cure is sincerely happy for his pet, but Julien resolutely refuses the enviable offer. He is ambitious and dreams of glory, he wants to conquer Paris. However, he skillfully hides it.

In the summer, the family moves to Vergy, the village where the estate and the castle de Renal are located. Here Madame de Renal spends whole days with the children and the tutor. Julien seems to her smarter, kinder, nobler than all the men around her. She begins to realize that she loves Julien. But does he love her? After all, she is ten years older than him! Julien likes Madame de Renal. He finds her charming, he has never seen such women. But Julien is not in love at all. He wants to win Madame de Renal in order to assert himself and in order to take revenge on this self-satisfied Monsieur de Renal, who allows himself to speak condescendingly and even rudely to him.

When Julien warns Madame de Renal that he will come to her bedroom at night, she answers him with the most sincere indignation. At night, leaving his room, he dies of fear, his knees give way, but when he sees Madame de Renal, she seems to him so beautiful that all conceited nonsense fly out of his head. Julien's tears, his despair subdue Madame de Renal. A few days pass, and Julien, with all the ardor of youth, falls in love with her without memory. The lovers are happy, but Madame de Renal's youngest son suddenly falls seriously ill. And it seems to the unfortunate woman that with her love for Julien she is killing her son. She realizes what a sin she commits before God, she is tormented by remorse. She pushes Julien away from her, who is shocked by the depth of her grief and despair. Fortunately, the child is recovering.

M. de Renal suspects nothing, but the servants know a lot. The maid Eliza, having met Mr. Valno on the street, tells him that her mistress is having an affair with a young tutor. That same evening, M. de Renal receives an anonymous letter from which he learns what is happening in his house. Madame de Renal manages to convince her husband of her innocence, but the whole city is only engaged in the history of her love affairs.

Julien's mentor, Abbé Chelan, believes that he should leave the city for at least a year - to his friend, the timber merchant Fouquet, or to the seminary in Besançon. Julien leaves Verrieres, but returns three days later to say goodbye to Madame de Renal. He sneaks into her room, but their date is overshadowed - it seems to them that they are parting forever.

Julien arrives in Besançon and visits the rector of the seminary, Abbé Pirard. He is very excited, besides, Pirard's face is so ugly that it causes horror in him. For three hours the rector examines Julien and is so impressed by his knowledge of Latin and theology that he accepts him to the seminary on a small scholarship and even assigns him a separate cell. This is a great mercy. But the seminarians unanimously hate Julien: he is too talented and gives the impression of a thinking person - they do not forgive this here. Julien must choose a confessor for himself, and he chooses the abbot Pirard, not even suspecting that this act will be decisive for him. The abbot is sincerely attached to his student, but the position of Pirard himself in the seminary is very precarious. His enemies the Jesuits are doing everything to force him to resign. Fortunately, he has a friend and patron at court - an aristocrat from Franche-Comté, the Marquis de La Mole, whose orders the abbot regularly carries out. Having learned about the persecution that Pirard is subjected to, the Marquis de La Mole invites him to move to the capital and promises one of the best parishes in the vicinity of Paris. Saying goodbye to Julien, the abbot foresees that difficult times await him. But Julien is unable to think of himself. Knowing that Pirard needs money, he offers him all his savings. Pirard will not forget this.

The Marquis de La Mole, politician and nobleman, enjoys great influence at court, he receives the Abbé Pirard in his Parisian mansion. In a conversation, he mentions that for several years he has been looking for an intelligent person who could take care of his correspondence. The abbot offers his student for this place - a man of very low birth, but energetic, intelligent, with a high soul. So an unexpected prospect opens up before Julien Sorel - he can get to Paris!

Having received the invitation of the Marquis, Julien first goes to Verrieres, hoping to see Madame de Renal. He heard that lately she had fallen into the most frenzied piety. Despite many obstacles, he manages to get into the room of his beloved. She had never seemed so beautiful to him before. However, the husband suspects something, and Julien is forced to flee.

Arriving in Paris, he first of all examines the places associated with the name of Napoleon, and only then goes to the abbe Pirard. The abbot introduces Julien to the marquis, and in the evening he is already sitting at the common table. Opposite him sits a fair blonde, unusually slender, with very beautiful, but cold eyes. Mademoiselle Mathilde de La Mole clearly does not like Julien.

The new secretary is accustomed quickly: after three months, the Marquis considers Julien quite a suitable person for himself. He works hard, is silent, understanding and gradually begins to conduct all the most difficult cases. He becomes a real dandy and completely masters the art of living in Paris. The Marquis de La Mole presents Julien with an order. This soothes Julien's pride, he is now more relaxed and does not feel offended as often. But with Mademoiselle de La Mole, he is emphatically cold. This nineteen-year-old girl is very smart, she is bored in the company of her aristocratic friends - the Count of Quelus, the Viscount de Luz and the Marquis de Croisenois, who claims her hand. Once a year, Matilda wears mourning. Julien is told that she is doing this in honor of the ancestor of the family, Boniface de La Mole, lover of Queen Marguerite of Navarre, who was beheaded on April 30, 1574 at the Place Greve in Paris. Legend has it that the queen demanded the head of her lover from the executioner and buried it with her own hands in the chapel.

Julien sees that Matilda is sincerely excited about this romantic story. Gradually, he ceases to shy away from talking with Mademoiselle de La Mole. Conversations with her are so interesting that he even forgets his role as an indignant plebeian. It would be funny, he thinks, if she fell in love with me.

Matilda had long realized that she loved Julien. This love seems to her very heroic - a girl in her position loves the son of a carpenter! From the moment she realizes that she loves Julien, she stops being bored.

Julien himself excites his imagination rather than being carried away by love. But having received a letter from Matilda with a declaration of love, he cannot hide his triumph: a noble lady loves him, a poor peasant, she preferred him to an aristocrat, the Marquis de Croisenois! Matilda is waiting for him at one in the morning. It seems to Julien that this is a trap, that Matilda's friends want to kill him or expose him to ridicule. Armed with pistols and a dagger, he enters Mademoiselle de La Mole's room. Mathilde is submissive and gentle, but the next day she is horrified at the thought that she has become Julien's mistress. Talking to him, she barely restrains her anger and irritation. Julien's pride is offended, and both of them decide that everything is over between them. But Julien feels that he has fallen madly in love with this wayward girl, that he cannot live without her. Matilda constantly occupies his soul and imagination.

Julien's acquaintance, the Russian Prince Korazov, advises him to arouse the jealousy of his beloved and start courting some secular beauty. The "Russian plan", to Julien's surprise, works flawlessly, Matilda is jealous, she is in love again, and only monstrous pride prevents her from taking a step towards her. Once Julien, not thinking about the danger, puts a ladder to Matilda's window. Seeing him, she falls into his arms.

Soon Mademoiselle de La Mole informs Julien that she is pregnant and wants to marry him. Upon learning of everything, the Marquis becomes furious. But Matilda insists, and the father finally gives in. To avoid disgrace, the marquis decides to create a brilliant position in society for Julien. He seeks for him a patent for a hussar lieutenant in the name of Julien Sorel de La Vernet. Julien goes to his regiment. His joy is boundless - he dreams of a military career and his future son.

Unexpectedly, he receives news from Paris: Matilda asks him to return immediately. When they meet, she hands him an envelope containing Madame de Renal's letter. It turns out that her father asked her to provide some information about the former tutor. Madame de Renal's letter is monstrous. She writes about Julien as a hypocrite and a careerist, capable of any meanness, just to get out into the people. It is clear that Monsieur de La Mole will never agree to his marriage to Matilda.

Without a word, Julien leaves Matilda, gets into the mail coach and rushes to Verrieres. There, in a gun shop, he buys a pistol, enters the Verrières church, where Sunday worship is taking place, and shoots Madame de Renal twice.

Already in prison, he learns that Madame de Renal was not killed, but only wounded. He is happy and feels that now he can die in peace. Following Julien, Matilda arrives in Verrieres. She uses all her connections, distributes money and promises in the hope of commuting the sentence.

On the day of judgment the whole province flocks to Besançon. Julien is surprised to find that he inspires all these people with sincere pity. He wants to refuse the last word, but something makes him rise. Julien does not ask the court for any mercy, because he understands that his main crime is that he, a commoner, rebelled against his miserable lot.

His fate is decided - the court passes Julien a death sentence. Madame de Renal comes to Julien in prison. She says that the ill-fated letter was written by her confessor. Julien had never been so happy. He understands that Madame de Renal is the only woman he is capable of loving.

On the day of execution, he feels vigorous and courageous. Mathilde de La Mole buries her lover's head with her own hands. And three days after Julien's death, Madame de Renal dies.

You have read the summary of the novel Red and Black. In the section of our site - brief contents, you can familiarize yourself with the presentation of other famous works.

The work that we will consider today is called "Red and Black". A summary of this novel by Stendhal is brought to your attention. This work was first published in 1830. To this day, the classic novel "Red and Black" is very popular. A summary of it begins as follows.

The mayor of the town of Verrieres, located in France (Franche-Comté district), Mr. de Renal, is a vain and self-satisfied person. He informs his wife about the decision to take the tutor into the house. There is no special need for this, just Mr. Valno, a local rich man, a vulgar screamer and a rival of the mayor, is proud of the new pair of horses he has acquired. But he has no tutor.

M. de Renal's tutor

The mayor has already agreed with Sorel that his youngest son will serve with him. M. Chelan, the old curate, recommended to him, as a man of rare ability, the son of a carpenter, who had been studying theology for three years and knew Latin very well.

This young man's name is Julien Sorel, he is 18 years old. He is fragile in appearance, short, his face bears the stamp of originality. Julien has irregular features, black eyes, large and sparkling with thought and fire, dark brown hair. Young girls look at him with interest. Julien did not go to school. History and Latin were taught to him by a regimental doctor who participated in the Napoleonic campaigns. He bequeathed to him, dying, his love for Bonaparte. Julien dreamed of becoming a military man since childhood. For a commoner during the reign of Napoleon, this was the surest way to get out into the people, to make a career. However, times have changed. The young man realizes that the only way open before him is the field of the priest. He is proud and ambitious, but at the same time he is ready to endure everything in order to make his way to the top.

Julien's meeting with Madame de Renal, the general admiration of the young men

Madame de Renal does not like her husband's idea from the work "Red and Black", a summary of which interests us. She adores her three sons, and the thought of someone else standing between her and the boys drives her mistress to despair. In her imagination, a woman already draws a disheveled, rude, disgusting guy who is allowed to scream at her sons and even beat them.

The lady was very surprised when she saw a frightened, pale boy in front of her, who seemed to her very unhappy and extraordinarily handsome. In less than a month, everyone in the house, including M. de Renal, treats him with respect. Julien carries himself with great dignity. His knowledge of Latin also causes universal admiration - the young man can recite any passage from the New Testament by heart.

Eliza's proposal

Eliza, the lady's maid, falls in love with the tutor. She tells the Abbé Chelan in confession that she has recently received an inheritance and plans to marry Julien. I am sincerely happy for the young curate, but he resolutely refuses this enviable offer. He dreams of becoming famous, but skillfully hides it.

Feelings develop between Madame de Renal and Julien

The family moves in the summer to the village of Vergy, where the castle and the estate de Renal are located. The lady spends whole days here with the tutor and sons. Julien seems to her nobler, kinder, smarter than all the other men around her. She suddenly realizes that she loves this young man. But is it possible to hope for reciprocity? After all, she is 10 years older than him!

Madame de Renal Julien likes it. He considers her charming, because he had never seen such women before. However, Julien, the protagonist of the novel "Red and Black", is not yet in love. A brief summary of further events will help you better understand the relationship between them. In the meantime, the protagonist seeks to win this woman for the sake of self-affirmation and revenge on M. de Renal, this self-satisfied man who speaks condescendingly and often even rudely to him.

Mistress and boy become lovers

The young man warns the mistress that he will come to her bedroom at night, to which she answers him with sincere indignation. Leaving his room at night, Julien is terribly afraid. The young man's knees give way, which emphasizes Stendhal ("Red and Black"). The summary, unfortunately, does not fully convey all the complex emotions that owned the hero at that moment. Let's just say that when he sees the mistress, she seems to him so beautiful that all conceited nonsense fly out of his head.

Julien's despair, his tears conquer the mistress. A few days later, the young man falls head over heels in love with this woman. The lovers are happy. Suddenly, the youngest son of the lady falls seriously ill. The unfortunate woman believes that she is killing her son with her sinful love for Julien. She understands that she is guilty before God, she is tormented by remorse. The mistress pushes Julien away, shocked by the depth of her despair and grief. The child, fortunately, recovers.

The secret becomes clear

M. de Renal suspects nothing of his wife's infidelity, but the servants know enough. The maid Eliza, having met Mr. Valno on the street, tells him about the affair of the lady with the young tutor. M. de Renal is brought an anonymous letter the same evening, which tells about what is happening in his house. The mistress tries to convince her husband that she is innocent. However, the whole city already knows about her love affairs.

Julien leaves town

Tragic events continue his novel Stendhal ("Red and Black"). Their summary is as follows. Abbé Chelan, Julien's mentor, believes that the young man should leave the city for at least a year - to Besancon to the seminary or to the lumber merchant Fouquet, his friend. Julien follows his advice, but returns 3 days later to say goodbye to his mistress. The young man makes his way to her, but the date is not joyful - it seems to both that they are saying goodbye forever.

Already in the second part, the novel "Red and Black" continues (summary). Part 1 ends here.

Seminary education

Julien goes to Besançon and comes to the abbe Pirard, rector of the seminary. He is quite excited. Moreover, his face is so ugly that it causes horror in the young man. The rector examines Julien for 3 hours and is amazed at his knowledge of theology and Latin. He decides to accept the young man on a small scholarship to the seminary, even allocates a separate cell for him, which is a great mercy. However, the seminarians hate Julien, because he is too talented and, moreover, gives the impression of a thinking person, and this is not forgiven here. The young man must choose a confessor for himself, and he chooses the abbe Pirard, not suspecting that this act will be decisive for him.

Julien's relationship with the Abbé Pirard

The abbot is sincerely attached to his student, but Pirard's position in the seminary is precarious. The Jesuits, his enemies, are doing everything to force him to resign. Pirard, fortunately, has a patron and friend at court. This is de La Mole, marquis and aristocrat from the city of Franche-Comté. The abbot fulfills all his orders. Upon learning of the persecution, the Marquis invites Pirard to move to the capital. He promises the abbot the best parish in the vicinity of Paris. Pirard, saying goodbye to Julien, foresees that difficult times will come for the young man. However, he cannot think of himself. He realizes that Pirard needs money and offers all of his savings. Pirard will never forget this.

Tempting offer

The nobleman and politician, the Marquis de La Mole, enjoys great influence at court. He receives Pirard in a Parisian mansion. It is here that the action of the novel "Red and Black" continues, briefly described by chapters. The Marquis mentions in a conversation that he has been looking for an intelligent person for several years to take care of his correspondence. For this place, the abbot offers his student. He has a low origin, but this young man has a high soul, great intelligence and energy. So an unexpected prospect opens up before Julien Sorel - he can go to Paris!

Meeting with Madame de Renal

The young man, having received an invitation from de La Mole, goes first to Verrieres, where he hopes to see Madame de Renal. According to rumors, she has lately fallen into a frenzy of piety. Julien, despite numerous obstacles, manages to get into her room. The lady had never seemed so beautiful to the young man. However, her husband suspects something, and Julien has to flee.

Julien in Paris

And now, again, Stendhal's novel "Red and Black" takes us to Paris. The summary further describes the main character's arrival here. Arriving in Paris, first of all he inspects the places associated with the name of Bonaparte and only then goes to Pirard. He introduces the Marquise Julien, and in the evening the young man is already sitting at his table. An unusually slender blonde with beautiful, but at the same time cold eyes sits opposite him. Julien clearly does not like this girl - Mathilde de La Mole.

Julien, the hero created by F. Stendhal ("Red and Black"), is quickly accustomed to a new place. The brief content described by us does not stop at this in detail. Note that the Marquis considers him already after 3 months a person quite suitable. The young man works hard, he is quick-witted, silent, and gradually begins to do difficult things. Julien turns into a real dandy, fully accustomed to Paris. The marquis presents him with an order, which calms the young man's pride. Now Julien is more relaxed and does not feel offended so often. However, the young man is pointedly cold towards Mademoiselle de La Mole.

Mademoiselle de La Mole

Matilda wears mourning once a year in honor of Boniface de La Mole, the ancestor of the family, who was the lover of Queen Margaret of Navarre herself. He was beheaded in the Place de Greve in 1574. According to legend, the queen asked the executioner for the head of her lover and buried it with her own hands in the chapel. You will still remember this legend when reading the novel "Red and Black" (a summary of the chapters).

New woman in Julien's life

Julien Sorel sees that this romantic story genuinely excites Matilda. Over time, he ceases to shy away from her company. The young man was so interested in conversations with this girl that for a while he even forgets the role of the indignant plebeian, which he took on. Matilda realized long ago that she loved Julien. This love seems very heroic to her - a girl of such high birth falls in love with a carpenter's son! Matilda stops being bored after realizing her feelings.

Julien, on the other hand, rather excites his own imagination than is really attracted to Matilda. However, having received a letter from her with a declaration of love, he is unable to hide his triumph: a noble lady fell in love with him, the son of a poor peasant, preferring him to an aristocrat, the Marquis de Croisenois himself!

The girl is waiting for Julien at one in the morning at home. He thinks that this is a trap, that in this way Matilda's friends planned to kill him or laugh at him. Armed with a dagger and pistols, he goes to the room of his beloved. Matilda is gentle and submissive, but the next day the girl is horrified, realizing that she is now Julien's mistress. When talking with him, she barely hides her irritation and anger. Julien's pride is offended. Both decide it's over between them. However, Julien realizes that he fell in love with this girl and cannot live without her. His imagination and soul are constantly occupied by Matilda.

"Russian plan"

The Russian prince Korazov, Julien's acquaintance, advises the young man to arouse her anger by starting to court another secular beauty. To Julien's surprise, the "Russian plan" works flawlessly. Matilda is jealous of him, she is in love again, and only great pride does not allow the girl to take a step towards her beloved. One day, Julien, not thinking about the impending danger, puts a ladder to Matilda's window. Seeing him, the girl gives up.

Julien achieves a position in society

We continue to describe the novel "Red and Black". A very brief summary of what happened next is as follows. Mademoiselle de La Mole soon informs her lover that she is pregnant, as well as her intentions to marry him. The marquis, having learned about everything, becomes furious. However, the girl insists, and the father agrees. In order to avoid shame, he decides to create a brilliant position for the groom. For him, he takes out a patent for a hussar lieutenant. Julien now becomes Sorel de La Vernet. He goes to serve in his regiment. Julien's joy is boundless - he dreams of a career and a future son.

fatal letter

Suddenly, news comes from Paris: his beloved asks him to return immediately. When Julien returns, she hands him an envelope containing Madame de Renal's letter. As it turned out, Matilda's father asked for information about the former tutor. A monstrous letter from Madame de Renal. She writes about Julien as a careerist and a hypocrite, capable of committing any meanness in order to break through to the top. It is clear that Monsieur de La Mole will now not agree to marry his daughter to him.

Julien's crime

Julien, without saying a word, leaves Mathilde and goes to Verrieres. In the weapons shop, he acquires a pistol, after which he goes to the Verrières church, where the Sunday service is taking place. In the church, he shoots Madame de Renal twice.

He learns already in prison that she was only wounded, not killed. Julien is happy. He feels that he can now die in peace. Matilda follows Julien to Verrieres. The girl uses all connections, gives out promises and money, hoping to commute the sentence.

The whole province flocks to Besançon on the day of judgment. Julien discovers with surprise that all these people inspire sincere pity. He intends to refuse the last word given to him, but something makes the young man rise. Julien does not ask for mercy from the court, as he realizes that the main crime committed by him is that he, a commoner by birth, dared to rebel against the miserable lot that fell to him.

execution

His fate is decided - the court issues a death sentence to the young man. Madame de Renal visits him in prison and informs him that the letter was written not by her, but by her confessor. Julien has never been so happy. The young man realizes that the woman standing in front of him is the only one he can love. Julien feels courageous and cheerful on the day of his execution. Matilda buries his head with her own hands. And 3 days after the death of the young man, Madame de Renal dies.

Thus ends the novel "Red and Black" (summary). Part 2 is the final one. The novel precedes the appeal to the reader, and completes it with a note by the author.

The meaning of the name

You may ask why Frederik Stendhal called his work "Red and Black". The summary presented above does not answer this question. So let's explain. There is no unequivocal opinion on this point in the literature. It is traditionally believed that such a name symbolizes the choice of the protagonist between a career in the army (red) and a career in the church (black). However, there is still debate about why Frederik Stendhal called his novel "Red and Black". A brief summary of the chapters or a cursory acquaintance with the work, of course, does not give the right to be included in these disputes. This requires a deep analysis. This is done by professional researchers of Stendhal's work.

Frederik Stendhal
Artwork “Red and Black”

The mayor decides to outdo Valno. The curé, M. Chelan, recommends to M. de Renal the carpenter's son, "a young man of rare ability," Julien Sorel. This is a fragile eighteen-year-old boy, young girls look at him with interest.
Madame de Renal does not like her husband's idea. She loves her children very much, and the thought that someone else will stand between her and the children drives her to despair. Her imagination draws her a rude, disheveled guy who will yell at the children. Therefore, she is very surprised when she sees this “pale and frightened boy” in front of her. In less than a month, everyone in the house begins to treat Julien with respect. At the same time, the young man himself behaves with great dignity, and his knowledge of Latin is admirable - he can read any page from the Bible by heart. Soon the maid Eliza falls in love with Julien. She really wants to marry him, which she tells the abbot Chelan in confession. Julien learns about this from the abbot, but refuses, since most of all he dreams of fame and the conquest of Paris.
Summer is coming. The mayor's family comes to the village where their castle and estate are located. Here Madame de Renal spends whole days with her children and her tutor. Gradually, she comes to the conclusion that she is in love with Julien. And he wants to win her only in revenge on the “smug Monsieur de Renal”, who speaks condescendingly and even rudely to Julien.
One day, the young man tells the mistress do Renal that he will come to her at night. At night, leaving his room, he dies of fear. But when he sees Madame de Renal, she seems to him so beautiful that he forgets all his conceited thoughts. A few days later, he falls in love with her without a memory. The lovers are very happy, but then the youngest son of Madame de Renal falls ill. It seems to the unfortunate woman that the cause of her son's illness is her love for Julien. She pushes the young man away from her. The child is recovering. As for Monsieur de Renal, he does not suspect anything, but the maid Eliza tells Monsieur Valeno that her mistress is having an affair with a tutor. That same evening, Monsieur de Renal receives an anonymous letter informing him of the same. However, Madame de Renal convinces her husband of her innocence.
Julien's mentor, Abbé Chelan, believes that he should leave the town for at least a year. Julien leaves for Besançon and enters the seminary. He does not study badly, but the seminarians unanimously hate him. The main reason for this attitude towards Julien is his intelligence and talent. Through the rector of the seminary, Julien meets the Marquis de La Mole, who has long been looking for a secretary. Thus, there is an opportunity to fulfill Julien's long-standing dream - to visit Paris. Before this trip, the young man meets his beloved again. However, Madame de Renal's husband suspects something and Julien flees.
In the house of the Marquis, the young man meets a young and pretty girl, Matilda de La Mole. However, he does not like her. The former tutor quickly learns a new job, begins to conduct all the most complex affairs of the marquis. In addition, he becomes a real "dandy" and even receives an order from the Marquis. This assuages the young man's pride, but one problem remains: he still doesn't get along with Mathilde de La Mole. She seems too romantic to him, but soon the estrangement between them passes. Young people are starting to turn more. One day, the girl realizes that she has fallen in love with Julien. She writes him a letter declaring her love. Having received the letter, Julien triumphs: a noble lady fell in love with him, the son of a carpenter. The girl is waiting for him at night in her room. Julien comes to her, they become lovers. But the next morning, Matilda regrets what she has done, the young people quarrel. Julien realizes that he is also in love with the girl, so the quarrel between them upsets him very much. He is advised to arouse the jealousy of Matilda, Julien begins to court another lady, the plan works. One night, Julien breaks into Mathilde's room through the window. Seeing him, Matilda falls into his arms.
Soon the girl tells her father that she is pregnant by Julien Sorel. The Marquis is furious, but agrees to give his daughter to Julien. To do this, it is necessary to create a position in society for the young man, for which the Marquis is accepted. He seeks to appoint Julien as a lieutenant. Julien goes to his regiment.
After some time, he receives news from Paris: Matilda asks him to return immediately. As it turns out later, a letter came to the Marquis's house from Madame de Renal. It tells about Julien as a hypocrite and a careerist, capable of any meanness. The Marquis de La Mole does not at all think that he needs such a son-in-law. Julien leaves Mathilde and goes to Verrieres. There he buys a pistol and shoots Madame de Renal in the church of Verrières. He is put in prison and already there he learns that his beloved did not die, but was only wounded. He is happy, and calmly reacts to the news that he has been sentenced to death. One day, Madame de Renal herself comes to the prison and reports that the ill-fated letter was written by her confessor. Now the young man understands that this woman is the love of his life.
Three days after Julien's execution, Madame de Renal dies.
Thus ends Stendhal's novel Red and Black.

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Hans Christian Andersen The work “Road Comrade” Johannes is the son of a poor peasant who inherited 50 riksdaler from his father and gave his last money for the burial of another poor man who miraculously turned out to be...
Adalbert Stifter The work “Notes of my great-grandfather” The hero, describing the old house that belonged to his great-grandfather, a village doctor, recalls: “the old utensils surrounded us with an indelible chronicle, and we, children, got used to it, ...
Kondratiev Vyacheslav Leonidovich The work “Sasha” Sasha flew into the grove, shouting: “Germans! Germans!" - to preempt their own. The commander ordered to move behind the ravine, lie down there and not a step back. The Germans to that ...
Chekhov Anton Pavlovich The work "Uncle Vanya" Cloudy autumn day. In the garden, on an alley under an old poplar, a table is set for tea. At the samovar is the old nanny Marina. "Eat, father," - offers ...
Oscar Wilde The Selfish Giant Every day after school, the children played in the wonderfully beautiful garden. But one day the giant returned - the owner of this garden. He kicked out all the children and forbade them to return. He...
Sholokhov, Mikhail Alexandrovich Product “Food Commissar” The food commissar who arrived appointed Bodyagin a district commissar, instructed him to collect 150,000 poods of grain, and gave him a month's deadline. He ordered to shoot the malicious hiders of grain, since the grain ...
Paustovsky Konstantin Georgievich The work “Smoke of the Fatherland” Having received an invitation from the famous Pushkinist Schweitzer to come to Mikhailovskoye, the Leningrad restorer Nikolai Genrikhovich Vermel postponed hasty work on the frescoes of the Trinity Church in Novgorod and ...
Bestuzhev-Marlinsky Alexander Alexandrovich The work “Blood for Blood” The action of the pseudo-historical story takes place near Narva near the remains of the Eisen castle, with which many memories are associated with the local population. Ruled in this strong castle...
Johann Ludwig Tieck The work “Blond Ekbert” The action takes place in the German city of Harz in the Middle Ages. Fair-haired Ekbert, a knight of forty, lives with his wife Bertha. They love each other, but...
Vorobyov Konstantin Dmitrievich The work “This is us, Lord!” Lieutenant Sergei Kostrov in the fall of 1941 was taken prisoner. After keeping the prisoners for several days in the basements of the destroyed Klin glass factory, they were built five by five ...
John Galsworthy "For Rent" (Novel, 1921) The action takes place in 1920. Jolyon is already seventy-two years old, his third marriage lasts twenty years. Soames is sixty-five years old, Annette is forty....
Carlo Goldoni The work “The Family of the Antiquary, or Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law” The affairs of Count Anselmo Terraziani more or less improved when, disregarding class arrogance, he married his only son Giacinto to Doradice, daughter ...
Baratynsky Yevgeny Abramovich The work "Gypsy" The action of the "story" (as the author calls "Gypsy") takes place in Moscow. Drunken guests disperse early on a summer morning. The owner, Yeletskoy, with a “obese eye” looks over the traces of “violent revelry” in his ...
Victor Marie Hugo The work “The Ninety-Third Year” In the last days of May, soldiers and a candienne of the Parisian battalion “Red Cap” stumble upon a Breton peasant woman with three children in the Sodreian forest ...
Goethe Johann Wolfgang The work “The Years of Wanderings of Wilhelm Meister, or the Renouncers” The novel is a continuation of the “Years of the Teaching of Wilhelm Meister”. The hero who, at the end of the previous book, became a member of the Tower Society (or Forsaken, as they are...
Byron George Gordon "The Corsair" The pictorial contrasts in the "Giaur" characterize the next work of Byron's "Eastern" cycle - the more extensive poem "The Corsair", written in heroic couplets. In a short prose...

M. de Renal, the mayor of the French town of Verrières in the Franche-Comté district, a smug and conceited man, informs his wife of the decision to take a tutor into the house. There is no particular need for a tutor, just the local rich Mr. Valeno, that vulgar screamer, always competing with the mayor, is too proud of a new pair of Norman horses. Well, now Mr. Valno has horses, but there is no tutor. M. de Renal had already made arrangements with Father Sorel that his youngest son would serve with him. The old curé, M. Chelan, recommended to him the son of a carpenter, as a young man of rare ability, who had been studying theology for three years and was brilliant in Latin. His name is Julien Sorel, he is eighteen years old; this is a short, fragile-looking young man, whose face bears the stamp of a striking originality. He has irregular but delicate features, large black eyes that sparkle with fire and thought, and dark brown hair. The young girls look at him with interest. Julien never went to school. He was taught Latin and history by a regimental doctor, a participant in the Napoleonic campaigns. Dying, he bequeathed to him his love for Napoleon, the cross of the Legion of Honor and several dozen books. From childhood, Julien dreams of becoming a military man. In the time of Napoleon, for a commoner, this was the surest way to make a career and go out into the people. But times have changed. Julien realizes that the only path open to him is to become a priest. He is ambitious and proud, but he is ready to endure everything in order to make his way.

Madame de Renal does not like her husband's idea. She adores her three boys and the thought of someone else standing between her and her children drives her to despair. She is already imagining a disgusting, rude, disheveled guy who is allowed to yell at her children and even spank them.

Madame de Renal's maid, Eliza, falls in love with a young tutor. In confession, she tells Abbé Chelan that she has received an inheritance and now wants to marry Julien. The cure is sincerely happy for his pet, but Julien resolutely refuses the enviable offer. He is ambitious and dreams of glory, he wants to conquer Paris. However, he skillfully hides it.

When Julien warns Madame de Renal that he will come to her bedroom at night, she answers him with the most sincere indignation. At night, leaving his room, he dies of fear, his knees give way, but when he sees Madame de Renal, she seems to him so beautiful that all conceited nonsense fly out of his head. Julien's tears, his despair subdue Madame de Renal. A few days pass, and Julien, with all the ardor of youth, falls head over heels in love with her. The lovers are happy, but Madame de Renal's youngest son suddenly falls seriously ill. And it seems to the unfortunate woman that with her love for Julien she is killing her son. She realizes what a sin she commits before God, she is tormented by remorse. She pushes Julien away from her, who is shaken by the depth of her grief and despair. Fortunately, the child is recovering.

Julien's mentor, Abbé Chelan, believes that he should leave the city for at least a year - to his friend the lumber merchant Fouquet or to the seminary in Besançon. Julien leaves Verrieres, but returns three days later to say goodbye to Madame de Renal. He sneaks into her room, but their date is overshadowed - it seems to them that they are parting forever.

Julien arrives in Besançon and visits the rector of the seminary, Abbé Pirard. He is very excited, besides, Pirard's face is so ugly that it causes horror in him. For three hours the rector examines Julien and is so impressed by his knowledge of Latin and theology that he accepts him into the seminary on a small scholarship and even assigns him a separate cell. This is a great mercy. But the seminarians unanimously hate Julien: he is too talented and gives the impression of a thinking person - they do not forgive this here. Julien must choose a confessor for himself, and he chooses the abbot Pirard, not even suspecting that this act will be decisive for him. The abbot is sincerely attached to his student, but the position of Pirard himself in the seminary is very precarious. His enemies the Jesuits are doing everything to force him to resign. Fortunately, he has a friend and patron at court - an aristocrat from Franche-Comté, the Marquis de La Mole, whose orders the abbot regularly carries out. Having learned about the persecution that Pirard is subjected to, the Marquis de La Mole invites him to move to the capital and promises one of the best parishes in the vicinity of Paris. Saying goodbye to Julien, the abbot foresees that difficult times await him. But Julien is unable to think of himself. Knowing that Pirard needs money, he offers him all his savings. Pirard will not forget this.

Julien sees that Matilda is sincerely excited about this romantic story. Gradually, he ceases to shy away from conversations with Mademoiselle de La Mole. Conversations with her are so interesting that he even forgets his role as an indignant plebeian. It would be funny, he thinks, if she fell in love with me.

Matilda had long realized that she loved Julien. This love seems to her very heroic - a girl of her position loves the son of a carpenter! From the moment she realizes that she loves Julien, she ceases to be bored.

Without a word, Julien leaves Matilda, gets into the mail coach and rushes to Verrieres. There he buys a pistol in a gun shop, enters the church of Verrières, where Sunday worship is taking place, and shoots Madame de Renal twice.