The Devil by Guy de Maupassant

Name: The Devil
Author: Guy de Maupassant

A young woman's husband dies and she becomes infatuated with the devil, who appears to her in various forms, leading her down a path of moral decay and eventual destruction.

By Guy de Maupassant · First published 1881 · Genre: Realism, Tragedy, Satire · 3,209 words

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First lines

The peasant was standing opposite the doctor, by the bedside of the dying old woman, and she, calmly resigned and quite lucid, looked at them and listened to their talking. She was going to die, and she did not rebel at it, for her life was over -- she was ninety-two.

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The Devil is listed on Textopian as a short story by Guy de Maupassant, dated 1881 CE.

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Work type: Short story
Author: Guy de Maupassant
Date: 1881 CE
Language: English
Genres: Realism, Tragedy, Satire, Horror, Psychological Fiction
Length: 3,209 words
Structure: 1 section, 52 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Genres

Realism — The story focuses on the everyday life and struggles of peasants, highlighting realistic social and economic issues.
Tragedy — The narrative revolves around the death of an old woman and the moral dilemmas faced by her son, leading to a tragic conclusion.
Satire — The story critiques human greed and the absurdity of human behavior through exaggerated characters and situations.
Horror — Elements of horror are present in the depiction of death and the nurse's attempt to scare the dying woman with a devilish apparition.