Both a sweeping chronicle of 19th-century France and a coming-of-age story of a young, idealistic social climber, The Red and the Black is one of the great works in world literature, and widely considered to be the first psychological novel.
It charts the misadventures and romantic escapades of Julien Sorel, a timber miller's son who idolises Napoleon and dreams of military glory. But post-Waterloo, the path to power does not lie with the army (the 'red'), but with the Church (the 'black'), so he decides to study for the priesthood. Then an opportunity arises to further increase his status as tutor to the mayor's children — and when the mayor's wife, Mme de Renal, falls in love with him, he seduces her.When their affair is discovered, he is forced to leave Verrières and enter the seminary - only for his life to be transformed when his mentor, Abbé Pirard, finds him a job in Paris, as private secretary to the aristocratic Marquis de la Mole. Finally, Julien has an entrée into high society - and when he wins the heart of the Marquis' beautiful, haughty daughter Mathilde, he seems to have the world at his feet. But as his past returns to haunt him, Julien commits a terrible crime that will seal his fate....
Published on by Dramaverse
Categories: Audio Drama Fiction