Stable Perfume by Guy de Maupassant
The story revolves around a young woman who becomes infatuated with her husband's mistress and begins to emulate her behavior. The protagonist's obsession with the mistress leads to a series of events that ultimately destroy her marriage and relationships.
By Guy de Maupassant · First published 1881 · Genre: Satire, Social Commentary, Comedy · 1,347 words
First lines
Three ladies belonging to that class of society which has nothing useful to do, and therefore does not know how to employ its time sensibly, were sitting on a bench in the shade of some pine trees at Ischl, and were talking incidentally of their preference for all sorts of smells.
What this Textopian page supports
Stable Perfume is listed on Textopian as a short story by Guy de Maupassant, dated 1881 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: 1881 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Social Commentary, Comedy, Romance, Drama
- Length: 1,347 words
- Structure: 1 section, 20 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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- Work identity for Stable Perfume by Guy de Maupassant
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Stable Perfume?
- How does this short story by Guy de Maupassant fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Similar titles
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Genres
- Satire — The story critiques the superficiality and eccentricities of the upper class, using humor and irony.
- Social Commentary — It explores societal norms and the peculiarities of aristocratic preferences and behaviors.
- Comedy — The narrative employs comedic elements through exaggerated character traits and absurd situations.
- Romance — The plot involves romantic entanglements and the consequences of unconventional attractions.
Tags
French Literature · Realism · Psychological Fiction · Short Story Collection · 19th Century · Social Commentary · Marriage · Infidelity · Deception · Morality · Society · Class