Armance

Armance by Stendhal (1827)

Armance is a novel by Marie-Henri Beyle, better known by his pen name Stendhal. It was first published in 1827. The novel is set in Paris in the early 19th century and follows the story of Armance, a young woman of noble birth. She is in love with Octave, a young man of lower social standing, but her family disapproves of the match. Armance is torn between her love for Octave and her duty to her family. The novel is a classic example of the French Romantic movement, with its focus on the power of love and the conflict between passion and reason. It is also a commentary on the rigid social conventions of the time, and the difficulty of finding true love in a society that values status and wealth above all else.

By Stendhal · First published 1827 · Genre: Romance, Realism, Drama · 32 chapters · 67,669 words

First lines

To RICHARD ALDINGTON -C. K. S. M.

A woman of character, who has only a vague idea of what constitutes literary merit, has asked my unworthy self to correct the style of this novel. I am far from sharing certain political sentiments which seem to be blended with the narrative; so much I am obliged to explain to the reader. The talented author and I hold opposite views upon many subjects; but we have an equal horror of what are called _applications_. In London we find highly sensational novels: _ Grey, Almack's, High Life, Matilda_ and the like, which require a key. They are very good-natured caricatures of persons whom the accidents of birth or fortune have placed in an enviable position.

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Armance is listed on Textopian as a novel by Stendhal, dated 1827 CE.

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romance · 19th century · French literature · psychological · social class · identity · love · desire · melancholy · isolation · introspection · narrative style

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