Marie-Madeleine La Fayette Books

Oh thank goodness I bought this book because I erroneously had "La Princesse de Cleves" as an antique cutsie.

A Book such as "Facets Of A Princess" runs the risk in these times of being politically correct revisionism. In this case an author due to the times could step forward and point out a few obvious things, that no one would want to be the first to say, without losing his career and personal reputation.


In the meantime, I'd advise readers to drop any rounds of, "Hey has anybody else read La Princess de La Cleves?" First read "Facets Of A Princess" and know that you're bringing up the topic of masturbation.

I sincerely wish Michael G. Paulson felt called upon to scrutinze "The Novellino or One Hundred Ancient Tales" edited and translated by Joseph P. Consoli. A very real expert on the deliberately done sexual symbols in antiquity is needed in my opinion. These are the tales the Holy Knights of the Crusades read, loved, and retold while on the crusades, which includes the obscene "giving the finger" used during that time etc. It's the not so obvious that must be sitting there unnoticed or unmentioned, a Pandora's Box, and like a time capsule for someone to open. It's that THEY knew the One Hundred Ancient Tales! Oh, but to have a window open wide on those men, those people out there in that horror, that is accurate, not revisionism, or an attack on Christians! I'm voting that Michael G. Paulson is that potential expert.

"Facets Of A Princess" sort of makes a person want to pull out books like Aucassin and Nicolette, The Novellino, or Old French Romances for a reread as if a person
is now up to par enough to notice a few things for him or herself. It's because the rose tinted colored glasses are gone. The reader grasps, "These authors were people who wrote for people...and are not some twisted combination of cave man/Victorian Era make believe people those in the year of 2005 have them up to be." The Novellino readers and Canterbury Tale readers will do fantastic with "Facets Of A Princess" because they've already caught on that the people of the past were real people as we know people to be.

What a fine book! What can I say? How about, "It's semi large print, easy to read,
there are some paragraphs in French but it won't matter since you'll next be found at Alibris searching frantically for all the books Madame de La Fayette read thus creating her mind. "

This book is a passionate tale of a love like no other. Set in a rich, historical period, the author offers a glimpse into the life of French court society, and into the true meaning of love

I was reading away happily at the original French version (struggling occasionally over some of the older vocabulary) until I realised I really didn't have enough time (essay due in tomorrow evening), so I quickly nipped round to a friend and borrowed this translation.

And it's not good, people, not good.

While parts of it have travelled quite nicely from French over to English, a lot of it is very badly done - some word for word tranlations and FAR too many repetitions of words. For example, I'm sure I came across 'agitation' three times on one page, and I can tell you I ended up more agitated than Mlle de Chartres ever would be after trying to scrape my way through it.

Needless to say, I'll be allowing more time to read these books beforehand so that I don't have to delve into another poorly translated version again.

Get it in French.

Allegedly the music is lost in the translation, and since the novel reads like an encyclopedia entry i wouldnt bother unless you have no choice. Such and such married such and such who begat so and so... Almost absent of conflict and plot. I'm sure its 'important' literature, but leave it for those who care.

This book is written in an unusual format, almost at a remove from the main character. This however, only serves to heighten the passion of the doomed lovers. In some ways it reminds me of mme de tourvil in dangerous liaisons. Unable to help herself falling in love. Knowing she was doing the wrong thing, and hurting the people who love her most, but unable to stop.

I really enjoyed this book,and I'm sure I'll read it again one day. Apparently this is the only decent book this author ever wrote, the rest being pretty unreadable. If you want a historical novel written in an historical period itself then try this.

Princess de Cleves may on the surface seem like another court romance but the delicacy in which the writer portrays the feelings of her characters is extraordinary. There actually two levels to the story, on one level, it can just be read as a romance, and on the second level, it seems to be mocking the genre. The ending was incredible in that the reasons for the main character's final choice can be seen as both moral and life-defeating. It's hard to explains how without spoiling so please just go and read the book itself! It's short and extremely readible.

i am so glad that someone did write the teacher addtion because it the book is heard to unnderstand. the way i used was to teach a college class how to undertdand the book and do it buy chapter to chapter not by person to person. the book over all helped me understand how to teach the book so i and the students could understand a lot better. it helped greatly for my students. i have let othere teachers look at it. they enjoyed it very much too. i am getting copy for my brother who has to read the book too. it has helped a great deal because the french grammer was heard to hunderstand in the book it self. this way it takes step by step it takes you threw it too.