Lasting Love by Guy de Maupassant

Name: Lasting Love
Author: Guy de Maupassant

The story revolves around a young woman who marries an older man for financial security and convenience. She becomes pregnant but has an affair with her husband's nephew, leading to a complicated web of relationships and moral dilemmas. The narrative explores themes of love, morality, and the societal pressures that shape human behavior. The protagonist's actions are driven by a desire for comfort and security, rather than genuine emotional connection or romantic passion. Throughout the story, Maupassant critiques the social conventions of his time, highlighting the hypocrisy and superficiality of upper-class relationships. The narrative ultimately raises questions about the nature of love and whether it can truly exist in a society that values material possessions and social status above all else. The story's tone is one of subtle irony and nuanced characterization, with Maupassant using the protagonist's experiences to comment on the broader societal issues of his era.

By Guy de Maupassant · First published 1880 · Genre: Romance, Drama, Psychological Fiction · 2,369 words

First lines

It was the end of the dinner that opened the shooting season. The Marquis de Bertrans with his guests sat around a brightly lighted table, covered with fruit and flowers. The conversation drifted to love. Immediately there arose an animated discussion, the same eternal discussion as to whether it were possible to love more than once. Examples were given of persons who had loved once; these were offset by those who had loved violently many times. The men agreed that passion, like sickness, may attack the same person several times, unless it strikes to kill. This conclusion seemed quite incontestable. The women, however, who based their opinion on poetry rather than on practical observation, maintained that love, the great passion, may come only once to mortals. It resembles lightning, they said, this love. A heart once touched by it becomes forever such a waste, so ruined, so consumed, that no other strong sentiment can take root there, not even a dream.

What this Textopian page supports

Lasting Love is listed on Textopian as a short story by Guy de Maupassant, dated 1880 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: 1880 CE
Language: English
Genres: Romance, Drama, Psychological Fiction, Social Commentary, Tragedy
Length: 2,369 words
Structure: 1 section, 40 paragraphs
Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)

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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Romance — The central theme revolves around love, exploring its nature and the possibility of loving more than once.
Drama — The narrative is driven by emotional and dramatic elements, particularly in the story of the chair-mender's unrequited love.
Psychological Fiction — The story delves into the psychological aspects of love, obsession, and human behavior.
Social Commentary — The story critiques societal attitudes towards class and the value of love among different social strata.