The Necklace

The Necklace
source
Name	The Necklace
Author	Guy de Maupassant
Country	France
Language	French
Genre	Short story, Realism
Published in	Le Gaulois
Publication date	17 February 1884
English pub date	1907

The Necklace. "The Necklace" is a renowned short story by the acclaimed French writer Guy de Maupassant, first published in the Parisian newspaper Le Gaulois in 1884. A quintessential work of literary realism and a masterpiece of the conte cruel form, the narrative explores the devastating consequences of vanity, social class aspiration, and chance through the tale of a woman who borrows a diamond necklace. The story's famous ironic twist and sharp social critique have cemented its status as a classic of 19th-century French literature.

Plot summary

The story centers on Mathilde Loisel, the discontented wife of a minor clerk in the French Ministry of Education. When her husband secures an invitation to an elegant ball hosted by the Minister of Public Instruction, Mathilde borrows a stunning diamond necklace from her wealthy friend, Madame Forestier. After a triumphant evening at the ministerial ball, she discovers the necklace is lost. Unable to find it, the Loisels secretly replace it with an identical one, incurring a crippling debt of 36,000 francs. They spend the next decade in grueling poverty to repay the loans. Years later, a haggard Mathilde encounters Madame Forestier on the Champs-Élysées and confesses the truth, only to learn the original necklace was a mere imitation made of paste, worth only 500 francs.

Characters

* Mathilde Loisel: The protagonist, a charming but profoundly dissatisfied woman who believes she was born for a life of luxury and is trapped by her modest middle-class circumstances. Her longing for high society and material wealth drives the story's central conflict. * Monsieur Loisel: Mathilde's husband, a kind and unassuming clerk content with his station. His efforts to please his wife, including securing the invitation and sacrificing his own inheritance, highlight the disparity in their values and the costs of her ambition. * Madame Forestier: Mathilde's affluent friend from their days at the convent school. Her willingness to lend the jewelry inadvertently sets the tragedy in motion, and her revelation of the necklace's true value delivers the story's crushing final irony.

Themes and analysis

The story is a penetrating critique of social class in Belle Époque France, illustrating the hollow pursuit of status symbols and the illusion of wealth. Mathilde's suffering is presented as a direct result of her pride and her inability to accept her own reality, a common theme in Maupassant's work influenced by Schopenhauerian pessimism. The lost necklace serves as a powerful symbol of deceptive appearances, while the relentless irony of the conclusion underscores the role of cruel fate and the absurdity of human striving. Literary scholars often place the story within the traditions of Naturalism for its deterministic view of character and Zola-esque attention to the brutal details of poverty.

Publication history

"The Necklace" was first published under its French title "La Parure" in the February 17, 1884, issue of the conservative daily newspaper Le Gaulois, where Maupassant was a regular contributor. It was subsequently included in his 1885 collection Contes du jour et de la nuit ("Tales of Day and Night"). The first English translation appeared in 1907 as part of The Odd Number, a collection translated by Jonathan Sturges. Its concise structure and powerful denouement have made it a staple in anthologies worldwide, including widely used textbooks like The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction.

Adaptations

The story's dramatic plot has inspired numerous adaptations across media. In film, early versions include a 1921 silent adaptation and a 1949 Mexican film titled El collar. It was adapted for American television on programs like Alfred Hitchcock Presents in 1955 and Studio One. A notable Indian adaptation is the 2006 Kannada film Aishwarya. The story has also been frequently adapted for radio drama, including productions by BBC Radio 4, and has been staged as a one-act play in various repertory theaters.

Category:1884 short stories Category:Short stories by Guy de Maupassant