Frederic Stendhal - Lucien Levene (Red and White). "Red and White" ("Lucien Levene"): analysis of the novel and the image of the main character Red and White work

The novel “Red and Black” is often called a harbinger of psychological realism. Its author is Marie-Henri Bayle, better known as Stendhal.

“Red and Black”: summary

The events of the novel take place in France in the 1820s. Since the novel touches on social and political issues, a summary of The Red and the Black should begin with a description of the historical background. Thus, Stendhal’s work tells about the times of the reign of Charles X, who tried to restore the order that existed before 1789.

The mayor of the city of Veviers, Mister de Renal, decides to hire a tutor. The old curé recommended to him Julien Sorel, the 18-year-old son of a carpenter with rare abilities. Julien is very ambitious and is ready to do anything to succeed. It is worth noting that throughout the entire novel the main character faces a choice between a church career (the clergy wore clothing and military service (the officer’s uniform was red), which is why Stendhal called the novel “Red and Black.”

The summary tells that soon the wife of Mr. de Renal realizes that she loves her tutor. Julien also finds his mistress charming and decides to win her for the sake of self-affirmation and revenge on Mr. de Renal. They soon become lovers. But when Madame de Renal's son becomes seriously ill, it seems to her that this is punishment for her sin. Further, the novel “Red and Black,” a brief summary of which omits details, tells of an anonymous letter that reveals to Mr. de Renal the truth about But she convinces her husband that she is innocent, and Julien is forced to leave Veviers.

The main character moves to Besançon and enters the seminary. Here he makes friends with Abbot Pirard. The latter has a powerful patron, the Marquis de La Mole. Through the efforts of Pirard, the named aristocrat accepts Julien as his secretary. Further, “The Red and the Black,” a summary of which would be incomplete without social issues, describes the adaptation of Julien in Paris, and in particular, in the aristocratic world. Julien turns into a real dandy. Even Matilda, the daughter of the marquis, falls in love with him. But after Matilda spends the night with Julien, she decides to break off the relationship.

An acquaintance of Julien advises him to start courting someone else in order to make Matilda jealous. Thus, the proud aristocrat again falls into the arms of the protagonist. Having become pregnant, Mathilde decides to marry Julien. Upon learning of this, her father becomes furious, but still submits to his daughter. In order to somehow rectify the situation, the Marquis decides to create an appropriate position in society for his future son-in-law. But suddenly a letter appears from Madame Renal, describing Julien as a hypocritical careerist. Because of this, he is forced to leave Matilda

Further, “Red and Black,” a brief summary of which cannot convey the entire psychologism of the novel, tells about the events that took place in Verrieres. Julien enters the local church and shoots his ex-lover. While in prison, he learns that his former lover has survived. Now he understands that he can die in peace. But Matilda does her best to help him. Despite receiving a death sentence. In prison, Madame de Renal visits him and admits that the ill-fated letter was composed by her confessor. After this, Julien realizes that he loves only her, but on the same day he is executed. Matilda buries her ex-fiancé's head with her own hands.

The fate of the main character of the novel "Red and Black" reflects the peculiarities of social life in France at that time. This work is a kind of encyclopedia of the Restoration era.

The mayor of the small French town of Verrieres, Mr. de Renal, takes into the house a tutor - a young man named Julien Sorel. Ambitious and ambitious, Julien studies theology, knows Latin perfectly and reads pages from the Bible by heart. Since childhood, he has dreamed of fame and recognition, and also admires Napoleon. He believes that the path of a priest is the right way to make a career. His politeness and intelligence contrast sharply with the manners and character of Monsieur de Renal, whose wife gradually warms to Julien and then falls in love with him. They become lovers, but Madame de Renal is pious, she is constantly tormented by pangs of conscience, and the deceived husband receives an anonymous letter warning about his wife’s betrayal. Julien, by prior agreement with Madame de Renal, writes a similar letter, as if it had come to her. But rumors spread around the city, and Julien has to leave. He gets a job at the theological seminary in Besançon, impressing the rector Abbot Pirard with his knowledge. When the time comes to choose his confessor, he chooses Pirard, who, as it later turned out, was suspected of Jansenism.

They want to force Pirard to resign. His friend, the rich and influential Marquis de La Mole, invites the abbot to move to Paris and allocates him a parish four leagues from the capital. When the Marquis mentioned that he was looking for a secretary, Pirard suggested Julien as a man who “has both energy and intelligence.” He is very glad to have the opportunity to be in Paris. The Marquis, in turn, welcomes Julien for his hard work and abilities and trusts him with the most difficult matters. He also meets the marquis's daughter Matilda, who is frankly bored in secular society. Matilda is spoiled and selfish, but not stupid and very beautiful. The proud woman's pride is offended by Julien's indifference, and unexpectedly she falls in love with him. Julien does not experience reciprocal passion, but the attention of the aristocrat flatters him. After a night spent together, Matilda is horrified and breaks off relations with Julien, who is also tormented by unrequited love. His friend, Prince Korazov, advises him to make Matilda jealous by flirting with other women, and the plan unexpectedly succeeds. Mathilde falls in love with Julien again, and then announces that she is expecting a child and wants to marry him. However, Sorel's rosy plans are upset by a sudden letter from Madame de Renal. The woman writes:

Poverty and greed prompted this man, capable of incredible hypocrisy, to seduce a weak and unhappy woman and in this way create a certain position for himself and become one of the people... He does not recognize any laws of religion. To be honest, I have to think that one of the ways to achieve success is for him to seduce the woman who enjoys the greatest influence in the house.

The Marquis de La Mole does not want to see Julien. The same one goes to Madame de Renal, buys a pistol on the way and shoots his former lover. Madame Renal does not die from her wounds, but Julien is still taken into custody and sentenced to death. In prison, he again makes peace with Madame de Renal and repents of attempting to commit murder. He realizes that he has always been in love only with her. Madame de Renal comes to him in prison and tells him that the letter was written by her confessor, and she only rewrote it. After Julien is sentenced to death, he refuses to appeal, arguing that he has achieved everything in life, and death will only end this journey. Madame de Renal dies three days after Julien's execution.

Grade 5 out of 5 stars from Dominic 07/03/2017 18:51

Varto begins with the fact that the whole life of Julien Sorel was played at roulette: he bet on red and black. Finally, having sorted everything out and transferred everything. Alas, it’s a pity, the hero had mercy. He forgot about himself. The roulette didn't play like that. This is the irrevocable and most precise sense of the novel.
Julien Sorel is one of those guys, young and ambitious, who is trying to earn a career in a cruel, bewitching marriage. To achieve this goal, he has no talents and abilities, except hypocrisy “mystery”, as a result of the confusion of panic, in order to stay up to He feels that he is in sharp control, so he carefully controls his skin, all the time he speaks in front of his interpretations and moral nature.
In the image of Julien Sorel, realistic figures meet romantic ones. Stendhal boldly breaks with the power of the romantics the straightforwardness of the portrayal of the hero, and even Julien has a super-cheerful peculiarity, although he wants to endow him with dominant rice-ambition, and he himself calls for changes in the plot of the novel.
However, in certain fragments there are extremely realistic signs, as if romanticism is “shone through.” In fact, romantics have “two lights”: the light of the ideal, the world and the light of reality. The main character, just before his death, informs those that he lives in an illusion, and not in real life. Likewise, the romantics envisioned a proud character of his own, who refused to get bogged down in high fantasy and escape from routine. The hero of “Chervony and Black” experiences the same feeling: “Julien stood on a high rock and marveled at the sky, baked by the sickle sun. You can take in the sight of the locality that stretches twenty leagues around you. Hour after hour, a hawk flew from the rocks above his head and silently chaired a majestic stake in the sky. Julien mechanically stitches his eyes behind the slender bird. He was opposed by the calm, heavy hands, the strength of the hawk, the self-confidence of the hut. This was Napoleon's share; Won and You didn’t have a trial? "
We can also trace the manifestations of romanticism in such examples: the romantic burning eyes of Julien Sorel; the place is fatal in a romantic way (he shoots at his colossus not just in God's temple, but in God's temple). The relationship between Stendhal and romanticism in the novel “Chervone and Black” cannot be felt. Julien, the main character of the novel, had the opportunity to meet rich people of different ages, different incomes, and different social backgrounds in his short life. But only two women, without a doubt, played the most important role in the life of the young man - the provincial Madame De Renal and the aristocratic Marquise Mathilde de La Mole.
Given his character, Julien is included in a number of romantic images. This is particularly striking at the end of Julien’s short life. Those who meet with the hero in a relationship, when he finds himself guilty of committing evil, can understand how he has turned to himself, to his human essence. Julien is not only getting angry under illusion, and radically overestimates his life values, recognizes the needlessness of everything to which he has so trampled. With his proclamation before the jury, Sorel is actually making a death sentence on himself. The same details are romantic. For example, Matilda’s worship of Julien’s head is a romantic attribute. Just like death Madame de Renal: Vaughn is described romantic and somewhat sentimental: “the woman quietly fades away in grief, hugging her children.” However, at the same time, posing the problem of a woman being in love is an insane merit of the most realistic literature of the 19th century.
However, the tragic conflict between proud and self-centered people and prosperity, as they are, and the conflict between rebellion and death, which are absolute signs of romanticism, are expressed in realistic ways. Due to the fact that there are two currents: realism and romanticism, this novel has gained fame and become worth reading.

Grade 5 out of 5 stars from Arzu 20.11.2016 17:53

It was ok to read when I was a kid

Grade 4 out of 5 stars from martyn.anna 15.05.2016 20:15

Grade 5 out of 5 stars from natochka8800 13.03.2015 15:23

Grade 5 out of 5 stars from Nastya 08/13/2013 15:10

A little about the literary features of the novel:
1. The intrigue lies in the very title of the novel. At that time in Europe it was customary to name a novel either by the name of the main character (for example, “Manon Lescaut”) or to reflect the essence of the work in the title (for example, “Dangerous Liaisons”). Stendhal acted differently - he called his novel “Red and Black”. Literary scholars have not yet come to a clear opinion regarding the etymology of the name. The author's opinion on this issue is unknown.
2.Unlike the title of the novel, the titles of individual chapters clearly reflect the events taking place in them. Moreover, all chapters (with the exception of the last four) are equipped with epigraphs (some of which are fictitious by the author), which directly warn the reader of what awaits him in this chapter. The absence of titles and epigraphs in the last four chapters increases the intrigue (how will it all end).
3. The author repeatedly addresses readers in direct speech, involving them in some kind of dialogue, expresses his opinion regarding the characters he has fictionalized, and even informs about what disputes he had with the publisher regarding individual episodes.
4. The author ends many of his thoughts with the words “etc.” etc." (apparently so that the reader himself can figure out the ending of phrases and actions).

Now about the plot:
Sorel Julien is the youngest son in a peasant family, and therefore he has only two career options: military service or priesthood. To earn money to study at the seminary, he gets a job as a tutor in the family of de Renal, the mayor of a provincial French town. Julien is a 19-year-old boy with the appearance of a 17-year-old girl and not superior to her in knowledge of life, the mayor's wife is a 30-year-old woman (14 years of marriage, three children, an elderly husband). He only knows about love what he read about it in the Bible. She married an old man at the age of 16 and knows no more about love than Pithecanthropus knows about the theory of relativity. A feeling arises between them: grabbing hands, sneaking a kiss... The romance is gaining momentum. After some time, the cuckold mayor begins to receive anonymous letters. Julien is forced to leave his family and enter the seminary. A year later he gets a job in Paris. On the way to the capital, he secretly visits Madame de Renal, who has almost resigned herself to separation. He then goes to Paris to become the secretary of the Marquis de La Mole, who has a 19-year-old daughter...

The novel is written with a certain amount of humor. It is hilarious to read how Julien, dying of fear, sneaks down the corridor at night to his mistress de Renal, hoping that her husband is not sleeping, and there is a plausible reason to refuse a night date. Or how Julien draws up a written plan to seduce his next victim, so as not to forget what he told her and what he did. And the story with the rewriting of letters will make Nesmeyana laugh: Julien’s friend provided him with a set of letters written by his acquaintance to his beloved, Julien numbered them, copied them word for word and sent them to his victim (of course, there were some incidents).

Expelled from the Ecole Polytechnique in 1832 for his republican views, Lucien Levene, the son of a wealthy Parisian banker, entered the 27th Lancers regiment stationed in Nancy as a cornet. Met with extreme hostility by his colleagues and the target of insulting anonymous letters, Lucien meets representatives of the local nobility; they suffer from boredom and therefore accept him into their circle. The true content of the hero’s spiritual life becomes his love for Madame de Chastelet, a rich widow, “a pure and unearthly being.” Stendhal's hero is noble, intelligent, ready for great things, ardent in heart and passionately dreams of happiness. But the young man will be disappointed in everything. He breaks up with his beloved, quits serving in the army, and plunges into political intrigue. “I didn’t arrange my life well...” - Lucien Levene is forced to admit, summing up.

Publisher: "Leningrad publishing house" (2011)

Format: 84x108/32, 608 pages.

ISBN: 978-5-9942-0809-0

On Ozone

Other books by the author:

BookDescriptionYearPriceBook type
Vanina VaniniThe story of the great French writer Stendhal "Vanina Vanini" (1829) is dedicated to the struggle of Italian patriots (Carbonari) against Austrian rule. Deeply sympathetic to the struggle of the Italian... - Yunatstva, (format: 84x108/32, 32 pages)1983 130 paper book
Parma monasteryStendhal (real name Henri Beyle; 1783-1842) is a famous French writer. "The Parma Monastery" is the second novel after "The Red and the Black" about the Restoration era. The action of this action-packed... - Fiction. Moscow, (format: 60x90/16, 414 pages) Classics and contemporaries 1982 190 paper book
Red and Black: Chronicle of the 19th CenturyThe novel reveals the tragic life story of Julien Sorel, “in whose soul there is a struggle between natural nobility and the dangerous mirages of ambition.” Showing the life of the hero, the author at the same time... - Radyanska School, (format: 60x90/16, 400 pp.)1990 80 paper book
Red and blackWe bring to your attention the largest and most famous novel from Stendhal’s creative heritage “Red and Black” - NATA, (format: 84x108/32, 520 pp.) Library of foreign classics 1994 90 paper book
Red and blackStendhal's novel The Red and the Black is a generally recognized literary masterpiece of the nineteenth century. It is known that A. S. Pushkin, having read the first volume of a literary novelty in French in 1831, came to ... - ABC, ABC-classics, (format: 84x108/32, 576 pp.) World classics 2014 92 paper book
Parma MonasteryIn the novel “The Monastery of Parma” by the French writer Stendhal (Henri Bayle), against the backdrop of political events of the post-Napoleonic wars, destinies and extraordinary characters, tragic love are shown... - Amalthea, (format: 60x84/16, 400 pp.) Family library 1993 160 paper book
Italian ChroniclesStendhal's chronicles provide pictures of the people's struggle for Italian independence over a long period of time, from the Renaissance to the beginning of the 19th century, showing strong female characters - Children's literature. Moscow, (format: 70x108/32, 334 pages)1981 60 paper book
Red and blackThe novel traces the formation of a young man's personality. The fate of Julien Sorel is not only the path of a young man from the bottom, striving to take a place in life according to his intelligence and talent, but also... - True, (format: 84x210/32, 552 pp.) School library 1977 120 paper book
Red and blackStendhal is one of the most famous French writers of the 19th century. Stefan Zweig called him "the new Copernicus of the astronomy of the heart", the most skillful psychologist of all time, a great expert on human... - Folio, (format: 84x108/32, 496 pp.) School library of Ukrainian and foreign literature 2013 217 paper book
Red and Black (MP3 audiobook on 2 CDs)The author of the novel "The Red and the Black" - Marie Henri Bayle, better known under the pseudonym Stendhal - is an outstanding writer, a classic of French literature of the 19th century. An ordinary case from a criminal chronicle... - ARDIS Studio, XIX century Foreign prose audiobook 330 audiobook
Red and blackIn the novel "Red and Black" the author paints a broad picture of French society on the eve of the July Revolution of 1830. But the main thing in the novel is the description of the dramatic single combat of young Julien Sorel... - Prioksky Book Publishing House, (format: 84x108/32, 496 pp.)1993 80 paper book
Parma monasteryWe bring to your attention a reissue of the novel by a classic of French literature of the 19th century - Omsk Book Publishing House, (format: 84x108/32, 480 pp.)1987 200 paper book
Red and blackStendhal is one of those writers who made the glory of French literature of the 19th century. He penned many wonderful works, but the pinnacle of the writer’s creativity was the novel “Red and Black”... - Art, (format: 84x108/32, 528 pp.) Literature and screen 1992 170 paper book
Red and blackThe work of the French writer Stendhal (Henri Beyle, 1783-1842) contains not only a chronicle of the events that shook Western Europe in the 19th century. The tragic fate of a young man, a “plebeian”, his feelings... - Amalthea, (format: 60x84/16, 446 pp.) Family library 1992 180 paper book
Italian Chronicles. Life of NapoleonThe collection of the classic of French literature of the 19th century, Stendhal, included the “Italian Chronicles” and a fictional biography of Napoleon Bonaparte, in which the author is a passionate republican who defends... - Pravda, (format: 84x108/32, 528 pp.)1988 70 paper book

STENDAHAL

STENDHAL (real name Henri Marie) (1783 - 1842), French writer. "Racine and Shakespeare" (1823 - 25) - the first manifesto of the realistic school. The novels are marked by psychological mastery and a sober and realistic depiction of social contradictions: “Red and Black” (1831) - about the tragic career of a talented “plebeian” striving to take a “high” place in a society that rejects him (a conflict of ambition and ); “The Parma Monastery” (1839; about Italy during the Carbonari times) - poeticization of the free; "Lucien Levene" (1834 - 36, published 1855), which is dominated by an exposure of the political reaction of the period of the July Monarchy. Stendhal is distinguished by the thoroughness of his intellectual analysis of love and selfish thoughts; The lofty ideals of the heroes are determined both by the “iron laws” of the real world and by their own inability to renounce its norms. Books "The Life of Haydn, Mozart and Metastasio" (1817) and about the art of Italy; psychological "On Love" (1822). Diaries.

Stendhal's novel "The Red and the Black" is the most famous work of the French prose writer. The life and love story of Julien Sorel has become a textbook. Today the work is included in the compulsory school curriculum and is rich soil for literary researchers.

The novel "Red and Black" was published in 1830. It became Stendhal's third work and tells about the events of 1820, when France was ruled by King Charles X. The plot was inspired by a note the author read in a criminal chronicle. The scandalous story took place in 1827 in the city of Grenoble. The local court was considering the case of nineteen-year-old Antoine Berthe, the son of a blacksmith. Antoine was raised by the city priest and worked as a tutor in the house of a respectable noble family. Subsequently, Berthe was tried for the fact that during a church service he shot first at the mother of the family in which he worked, and then at himself. Berthe and his victim survived. Antoine, however, was immediately sentenced to death. The sentence was immediately carried out.

French society invariably condemned the scoundrel Berthe, but Stendhal saw something more in the executed young man. Antoine Berthe and hundreds like him are the heroes of the present. Ardent, talented, ambitious, they do not want to put up with the established way of life, they crave fame, dream of getting out of the world in which they were born. Like moths, these young men bravely fly towards the fire of the “big” life. Many of them get so close that they burn. New daredevils are taking their place. Perhaps some of them will be able to fly to the dazzling Olympus.

This is how the idea for the novel “Red and Black” was born. Let's remember the plot of the immortal masterpiece of the brilliant French writer.

Verrieres is a picturesque town in the French region of Franche-Comté. A visiting traveler will certainly be touched by the cozy streets of Verrieres, houses with red tiled roofs and neatly whitewashed facades. At the same time, the guest may be confused by a roar similar to continuous thunder on a clear day. This is how the huge iron machines of the nail factory work. The city owes its prosperity to this industry. “Whose factory is this?” - an inquisitive traveler will ask. Any inhabitant of Verrieres will immediately answer him that this is the factory of Mr. de Renal, the mayor of the city.

Every day Mr. de Renal walks along the central street of Verrieres. He is a well-groomed, pleasant man in his late fifties with regular facial features and noble gray hair that has silvered in places. However, if you are lucky enough to watch the mayor a little longer, the first pleasant impression will begin to wear off a little. In behavior, in the manner of speaking, holding oneself, and even in gait, one feels complacency and arrogance, and with them limitation, poverty, and narrow-mindedness.

This is the respected mayor of Verrieres. Having improved the city, he did not forget to take care of himself. The mayor has a magnificent mansion in which his family lives - three sons and a wife. Madame Louise de Renal is thirty years old, but her feminine beauty has not yet faded, she is still very pretty, fresh and good. Louise was married to de Renal while still a very young girl. Now the woman pours out her unspent love on her three sons. When Mr. de Renal said that he planned to hire a tutor for the boys, his wife fell into despair - would someone else really come between her and her beloved children?! However, it was impossible to convince de Renal. Being a governor is prestigious, and Mr. Mayor cares about his prestige more than anything else.

Now let's move to Papa Sorel's sawmill, which is located in a barn on the bank of a stream. Monsieur de Renal went here to offer the sawmill owner to give one of his sons as a tutor for his children.

Father Sorel had three sons. The elders - real giants, excellent workers - were my father's pride. The younger one, Julien, was called by Sorel nothing more than a “parasite.” Julien stood out among the brothers because of his fragile build and looked more like a pretty young lady dressed in a man's dress. The elder Sorel could forgive his son's physical imperfections, but not his passionate love of reading. He could not appreciate Julien's specific talent; he did not know that his son was the best expert in Latin and canonical texts in all of Verrieres. Father Sorel himself could not read. Therefore, he was very glad to quickly get rid of the useless offspring and receive a good reward, which the head of the city promised him.

Julien, in turn, dreamed of breaking out of the world into which he had the misfortune of being born. He dreamed of making a brilliant career and conquering the capital. Young Sorel admired Napoleon, but his long-standing dream of a military career had to be rejected. To date, the most promising profession has been theology. Not believing in God, but guided only by the goal of becoming rich and independent, Julien diligently studies theology textbooks, preparing himself for a career as a confessor and a bright future.

Working as a tutor in the house of the de Renals, Julien Sorel quickly wins everyone's favor. The little pupils adore him, and the female half of the house is impressed not only by the education of the new tutor, but also by his romantically attractive appearance. However, Mister de Renal treats Julien arrogantly. Due to his spiritual and intellectual limitations, Renal sees in Sorel, first of all, the son of a carpenter.

Soon the maid Eliza falls in love with Julien. Having become the owner of a small inheritance, she wants to become Sorel’s wife, but is rejected by the object of her adoration. Julien dreams of a brilliant future; a wife-maid and a “small inheritance” are not included in his plans.

The next victim of the charming tutor is the mistress of the house. At first, Julien views Madame de Renal solely as a way to take revenge on her smug husband, but soon he himself falls in love with the madam. The lovers devote their days to walks and conversations, and at night they meet in Madame de Renal's bedroom.

The secret becomes clear

No matter how the lovers hide, soon rumors begin to creep around the city that the young tutor is having an affair with the mayor’s wife. Mister de Renal even receives a letter in which an unknown “well-wisher” warns him to keep a closer eye on his wife. It is the offended Eliza who burns with jealousy for the happiness of Julien and her mistress.

Louise manages to convince her husband that the letter is false. However, this only deflects the storm for a while. Julien can no longer stay in the de Renals' house. He hastily says goodbye to his beloved in the twilight of her room. Both hearts are gripped by a poisonous feeling as if they are parting forever.

Julien Sorel arrives in Besançon, where he improves his knowledge at the theological seminary. The self-taught applicant passes the entrance exams with flying colors and wins the favor of Abbe Pirard. Pirard becomes Sorel's confessor and his only comrade-in-arms. The inhabitants of the seminary immediately disliked Julien, seeing a strong rival in the talented, ambitious seminarian. Pirard is also an outcast from the educational institution; for his Jacobin views, they are trying in every possible way to get him out of the Besançon seminary.

Pirard turns for help to his like-minded person and patron, the Marquis de La Mole, the richest Parisian aristocrat. By the way, he has long been looking for a secretary who could keep his affairs in order. Pirard recommends Julien for this position. Thus begins the brilliant Parisian period of the former seminarian.

In a short time, Julien makes a positive impression on the Marquis. Three months later, La Mole entrusts him with the most difficult cases. However, Julien had a new goal - to win the heart of one very cold and arrogant person - Mathilde de La Mole, the daughter of the marquis.

This slender nineteen-year-old blonde is developed beyond her years, she is very smart, insightful, she languishes among aristocratic society and endlessly refuses dozens of boring gentlemen who drag after her because of her beauty and her father's money. True, Matilda has one destructive quality - she is very romantic. Every year a girl mourns for her ancestor. In 1574, Boniface de La Mole was beheaded on the Place de Greve for having an affair with Princess Margaret of Navarre. The august lady demanded that the executioner give her lover's head, and buried it in the chapel herself.

An affair with the carpenter's son seduces Matilda's romantic soul. Julien, in turn, is incredibly proud that a noble lady is interested in him. A whirlwind romance breaks out between the young people. Midnight dates, passionate kisses, hatred, separation, jealousy, tears, passionate reconciliation - what happened under the luxurious arches of the de La Moley mansion.

It soon becomes known that Matilda is pregnant. For some time, the father opposes the marriage of Julien and his daughter, but soon gives in (the Marquis was a man of progressive views). Julien quickly gets the patent of the hussar lieutenant Julien Sorel de La Verne. He is no longer the son of a carpenter and can become the legal husband of an aristocrat.

Preparations for the wedding are in full swing when a letter from the provincial town of Verrieres arrives at the house of the Marquis de La Mole. The mayor's wife, Madame de Renal, writes. She reports “the whole truth” about the former tutor, characterizing him as a low person who will stop at nothing for the sake of his own greed, selfishness and arrogance. In a word, everything written in the letter instantly turns the marquis against his future son-in-law. The wedding is cancelled.

Without saying goodbye to Matilda, Julien rushes to Verdun. On the way he buys a pistol. Several shots alarmed the Verrieres crowd, who had gathered for the morning sermon in the city church. It was Father Sorel's son who shot the mayor's wife.

Julien is immediately arrested. During the court hearing, the accused does not try to dispute his guilt. Sorel is sentenced to death.

In a prison cell he meets Madame de Renal. It turns out that the wounds were not fatal and she survived. Julien is incredibly happy. Surprisingly, having met the woman who destroyed his brilliant future, for some reason he does not feel the same indignation. Only warmth and... love. Yes Yes! Love! He still loves Madame Louise de Renal, and she still loves him. Louise admits that her confessor wrote that fateful letter, and she, blinded by jealousy and frenzy of love, rewrote the text in her own hand.

Three days after the sentence was carried out, Louise de Renal died. Mathilde de La Mole also came to the execution; she demanded the head of her lover and buried it. Matilda no longer mourns for a distant ancestor, now she mourns for her own love.