The Diamond Necklace by Guy de Maupassant
A middle-aged woman's husband buys her a diamond necklace on credit from a jeweler, who promises to deliver it later. The woman is thrilled and shows off the necklace to her friends, but when she asks for it back, the jeweler claims he never received payment and refuses to return it. The woman's reputation is ruined as people begin to suspect that she stole the necklace.
By Guy de Maupassant · First published 1880 · Genre: Realism, Drama, Tragedy · 3,464 words
First lines
The girl was one of those pretty and charming young creatures who sometimes are born, as if by a slip of fate, into a family of clerks. She had no dowry, no expectations, no way of being known, understood, loved, married by any rich and distinguished man; so she let herself be married to a little clerk of the Ministry of Public Instruction.
Similar titles
- A Trivial Incident by Anton Chekhov
- The New Villa by Anton Chekhov
- An Odd Character by O. Henry
- Madame Hussons May King by Guy De Maupassant
- The Dowry by Guy De Maupassant
- Boule De Suif by Guy De Maupassant
Genres
- Realism — The story focuses on everyday life and the struggles of the middle class, depicting realistic characters and situations.
- Drama — The narrative centers on emotional conflicts and personal transformation, particularly through Mathilde's experiences and realizations.
- Tragedy — The plot involves a downfall due to a character flaw, leading to a life of hardship and regret for Mathilde.
- Short Story — The work is a concise narrative with a focused plot and a twist ending, typical of the short story format.
Tags
Short Story · French Literature · Realism · Psychological Insight · Social Commentary · Marriage · Deception · Appearance vs Reality · Materialism · Class Distinction · Female Empowerment · Victorian Era
What this Textopian page supports
The Diamond Necklace 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: Realism, Drama, Tragedy, Short Story, Social Commentary
- Length: 3,464 words
- Structure: 1 section, 123 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Diamond Necklace by Guy de Maupassant
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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