Tag Archives: RKS French Literature

RKS French Literature: The Danger of Following a Pretty Woman at Night (Victor Hugo)

As a practical philosopher of the streets of Paris, Gringoire had remarked that nothing is more favourable to a state of reverie than to follow a pretty woman without knowing whither she is going. In this voluntary surrender of one’s free will – in this fancy of another, while that other is totally unconscious ofContinue reading “RKS French Literature: The Danger of Following a Pretty Woman at Night (Victor Hugo)”

RKS French Literature: Necessity Can be So Ungracious! (Victor Hugo)

‘Tis an unpleasant thing to go without one’s dinner. ’Tis less gratifying still to go without one’s supper and not know where to sleep. Gringoire was at that point. Without food, without lodging, he found himself pressed by necessity on every hand, and he thought necessity very ungracious. He had long discovered this truth –Continue reading “RKS French Literature: Necessity Can be So Ungracious! (Victor Hugo)”

RKS French Literature: Esmerelda Dances (Victor Hugo)

Every look was fixed upon her, every mouth was open in the circle about her, and, indeed while she danced to the sound of the tambourine which her two round and delicate arms lifted above her head – slender, fragile, active as a wasp – with her golden girdle without a fold – her skirtContinue reading “RKS French Literature: Esmerelda Dances (Victor Hugo)”

RKS French Literature: Esmerelda the Gypsy (Victor Hugo)

She was not tall, but the elasticity of her slender shape made her appear so. She was a brunette, but it was obvious that in the daylight her complexion would have that golden gleam seen upon the women of Spain and of Rome. Her tiny foot, as well was Andalusian, for it was at onceContinue reading “RKS French Literature: Esmerelda the Gypsy (Victor Hugo)”

RKS French Literature: Quasimodo the Bell Ringer, the One Eyed, the Bandy Legged, the Hunchback of Notre-Dame (Victor Hugo)

Or rather, his whole person was a grimace. His large head, bristling with red hair-between his shoulders an enormous hump, to which he had a corresponding projection in front- a framework of thighs and legs, so strangely gone astray that they touched only at the knees, and when viewed in front, looked like two sicklesContinue reading “RKS French Literature: Quasimodo the Bell Ringer, the One Eyed, the Bandy Legged, the Hunchback of Notre-Dame (Victor Hugo)”

RKS French Literature: Entertainment for the Masses in 1482 Paris (Victor Hugo)

‘Messieurs, the citizens and squires of Paris-by the Holy Rood! I know not what we are doing here. I do indeed see, down in that corner upon that stage, some people who look as if they wanted to fight. I know not whether that be what ye call a mystery; but I do know thatContinue reading “RKS French Literature: Entertainment for the Masses in 1482 Paris (Victor Hugo)”

RKS French Literature: The Joyous Life of a Cardinal in 1482 Paris (Victor Hugo)

However he was a very worthy man. He led a joyous cardinal’s life; was wont to make merry with wine from the royal vintage of Challuau; did not detest Richard-la-Gamoise and Thomas-la-Saillarde, gave alms to pretty girls rather than old women and for all those reasons was in great favour with the populace of Paris.Continue reading “RKS French Literature: The Joyous Life of a Cardinal in 1482 Paris (Victor Hugo)”

RKS French Literature: The Capitalist Vultures Circling in on One of their Own Mortally Wounded (Émile Zola)

“He had listened to the various offers. People tried to beat him down, to minimize the value of this splendid prize, this pit that had been completely renovated and refitted, where only a lack of ready cash was preventing production. He would be jolly lucky to recoup a sufficient sum to pay off his creditors.Continue reading “RKS French Literature: The Capitalist Vultures Circling in on One of their Own Mortally Wounded (Émile Zola)”

RKS French Literature: Is the Leader of the French Coal Miner Strikers Corrupted by Bourgeois Refinement? (Émile Zola)

“His education was complete, and he was leaving newly armed, a philosopher soldier of the revolution, having declared war on the society he saw around him and condemned. In his delight at going to join Pluchart, at going to be Pluchart, a leader that was listened to, he started making speeches to himself rehearsing theContinue reading “RKS French Literature: Is the Leader of the French Coal Miner Strikers Corrupted by Bourgeois Refinement? (Émile Zola)”

RKS French Literature: The Army From the People Now Armed Against the People (Émile Zola)

“As he walked along, he thought of these soldiers, of these men of the people who had been armed against the people. How easy the revolution would have triumphed had the army suddenly came over to their side! All it needed was for the working man or the peasant in his barracks to remember hisContinue reading “RKS French Literature: The Army From the People Now Armed Against the People (Émile Zola)”