The Clown by Guy de Maupassant
A middle-aged man, a former circus clown, has retired and now lives with his wife in a small town. He is struggling to adjust to civilian life after years of performing for crowds. His wife tries to help him find work, but he is unable to adapt to the mundane routines of everyday life.
By Guy de Maupassant · First published 1866 · Genre: Realism, Naturalism, Drama · 1,942 words
First lines
The hawkers' cottage stood at the end of the Esplanade, on the little promontory where the jetty is, where all the winds, all the rain, and all the spray met. The hut, both walls and roof, was built of old planks, more or less covered with tar, whose chinks were stopped with oakum, and dry wreckage was heaped up against it. In the middle of the room an iron pot stood on two bricks, and served as a stove, when they had any coal, but as there was no chimney, it filled the room, which was ventilated only by a low door, with smoke, and there the whole crew lived, eighteen men and one woman. Some had undergone various terms of imprisonment, and nobody knew what the others were, but though they were all, more or less, suffering from some physical defect and were nearly old men, they were still all strong enough for hauling. For the "Chamber of Commerce" tolerated them there, and allowed them that hovel to live in, on condition that they should be ready to haul, by day and by night.
What this Textopian page supports
The Clown is listed on Textopian as a short story by Guy de Maupassant, dated 1866 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: 1866 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Realism, Naturalism, Drama, Social Commentary, Psychological Fiction
- Length: 1,942 words
- Structure: 1 section, 36 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Clown 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
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Clown?
- How does this short story by Guy de Maupassant fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Realism first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Hermit by Guy De Maupassant
- The Old Man by Guy De Maupassant
- The Last Step by Guy De Maupassant
- Duchoux by Guy De Maupassant
- Andres Disease by Guy De Maupassant
- A Warning Note by Guy De Maupassant
Genres
- Realism — The narrative focuses on the harsh realities of life for marginalized individuals, depicting their struggles and societal conditions with detailed and unembellished descriptions.
- Naturalism — The story explores the influence of environment and heredity on human behavior, emphasizing the deterministic nature of the characters' lives.
- Drama — The plot centers around intense interpersonal conflicts and emotional struggles among the characters, highlighting themes of power, jealousy, and survival.
- Social Commentary — The work critiques social structures and the treatment of the impoverished, reflecting on issues of justice and inequality.
Tags
Psychological Fiction · Short Story · Tragic · Melancholic · Satirical · Social Commentary · French Literature · Realism · Existential Crisis · Alienation · Loneliness · Isolation