Write a 2000 word commentary on this excerpt from ‘L’homme double’, a short story by Marcel Schwob first published in La Lanterne on 19th March 1891.
Published in the literary supplement of the daily Parisian newspaper, La Lanterne, in March of 1891, ‘L’homme double’ is a short story by the Jewish symbolist writer, Marcel Schwob. Influenced from an early age by the works of the English crime writer, Edgar Allan Poe, ‘L’homme double’ was one his first pieces of work, recounting a judiciary process in which the accused is more than he initially appears. Suspected of having violently slit the throat of an elegant lady before stealing expensive items of jewellery, on the one hand he seems to be intelligent and respectable and yet on the other, rather uncivilized and confused. Firstly discussing his inspiration, this commentary looks to analyse …show more content…
Alongside his important inclusion of slang, these techniques allow his work to focus on the question of human morality, particularly with reference to the treatment of mentally ill patients who seem to be unable to control their thoughts or behaviour. At the same time, he explores the influence of the class system on judiciary outcomes and social judgment, asking the reader to reflect on how we personally feel towards the accused and how we would deal with the case ourselves, were we to be in the position of the magistrate. A strong realist piece, also demonstrating evidence of naturalist and surrealist influences, this story - which seems on the surface to be rather simple - hides complex questions on morality and society to which Schwob does not really provide an answer. We, as the reader, are instead encouraged to form our own moral judgements about this thought-provoking court
Published in the literary supplement of the daily Parisian newspaper, La Lanterne, in March of 1891, ‘L’homme double’ is a short story by the Jewish symbolist writer, Marcel Schwob. Influenced from an early age by the works of the English crime writer, Edgar Allan Poe, ‘L’homme double’ was one his first pieces of work, recounting a judiciary process in which the accused is more than he initially appears. Suspected of having violently slit the throat of an elegant lady before stealing expensive items of jewellery, on the one hand he seems to be intelligent and respectable and yet on the other, rather uncivilized and confused. Firstly discussing his inspiration, this commentary looks to analyse …show more content…
Alongside his important inclusion of slang, these techniques allow his work to focus on the question of human morality, particularly with reference to the treatment of mentally ill patients who seem to be unable to control their thoughts or behaviour. At the same time, he explores the influence of the class system on judiciary outcomes and social judgment, asking the reader to reflect on how we personally feel towards the accused and how we would deal with the case ourselves, were we to be in the position of the magistrate. A strong realist piece, also demonstrating evidence of naturalist and surrealist influences, this story - which seems on the surface to be rather simple - hides complex questions on morality and society to which Schwob does not really provide an answer. We, as the reader, are instead encouraged to form our own moral judgements about this thought-provoking court