The Peddler by Guy de Maupassant
A poor peddler travels to a small town and sets up his stand on the outskirts. He sells various goods but struggles to make sales due to the local merchants' control of the market. The peddler's wares are eventually stolen, leaving him destitute.
By Guy de Maupassant · First published 1888 · Genre: Realism, Drama, Psychological Fiction · 3,304 words
Editions
First lines
How many trifling occurrences, things which have left only a passing impression on our minds, humble dramas of which we have got a mere glimpse so that we have to guess at or suspect their real nature, are, while we are still young and inexperienced, threads, so to speak, guiding us, step by step, towards a knowledge of the painful truth!
What this Textopian page supports
The Peddler is listed on Textopian as a short story by Guy de Maupassant, dated 1888 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Guy de Maupassant
- Date: 1888 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Realism, Drama, Psychological Fiction, Social Commentary, Adventure
- Length: 3,304 words
- Structure: 1 section, 88 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Peddler by Guy de Maupassant
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Similar titles
- The Wooden Shoes by Guy De Maupassant
- The Beggar by Guy De Maupassant
- Madame Telliers Establishment by Guy De Maupassant
- Artfulness by Guy De Maupassant
- The Cattle Dealers by Anton Chekhov
- The Peddler by Guy De Maupassant
Genres
- Realism — The narrative focuses on everyday life and ordinary characters, depicting realistic situations and social interactions.
- Drama — The story involves emotional and interpersonal conflicts, particularly the tension between the peddler and his wife.
- Psychological Fiction — The text delves into the inner thoughts and suspicions of the protagonist, exploring themes of trust and deception.
- Social Commentary — The narrative reflects on societal norms and the human condition, particularly through the lens of marriage and economic survival.
Tags
French Literature · Realism · Short Story · Social Commentary · Class Struggle · Poverty · Exploitation · Human Nature · Morality · Ethics · Societal Critique · Critique of Capitalism