Analysis
Maupassant uses a variety of symbols and motifs throughout A Woman’s Life to dramatize class and gender issues as they appeared in nineteenth-century France. One of the most impactful tactics he employs is the use of letters. Particularly in the novel's latter chapters, Maupassant includes letters addressed to Jeanne and, in doing so, introduces new perspectives and voices into the narratives. Most of the letters are from her errant son, Paul de Lamare, who seeks to manipulate his doting mother out of her money. The letters are a double-edged sword of sorts, indicating that although the characters do indeed communicate, this communication is problematic and born of one-sided goals.
The theme of poor or nonexistent communication is pervasive throughout the novel; from the beginning of her relationship with Julien, Jeanne struggled to effectively express her desires and feelings to others and, as a result, seldom advocated for her own needs. In addition, the people she cares about refuse to communicate truthfully and honestly. The letters are a painfully ironic tool that indicates that although the characters are connected, this connection is flawed and disjointed. They illustrate Jeanne’s yearning for earnest communication and inability to articulate this desire and juxtapose her longing with the malaise and disinterest of those she loves.
A prominent symbol in the text is Jeanne’s family chateau, known in English as The Poplars. When the threat of financial ruin forces Jeanne to sell the estate, she is overwhelmed with despair at the loss of this relic of her family history. She spends time observing each room and sifting through countless objects during the days leading up to her departure from the house. Jeanne’s preoccupation with the memories the house holds indicates an unwillingness to let go of the past. She cannot help but feel sorry for herself when she considers how her life has turned out. Looking back on the buoyant hope she fostered in her girlhood, she succumbs to the abject misery she feels in her old age. Letting go of The Poplars means she must let go of the future she envisioned for herself. It is a painful process, and Jeanne, understandably, struggles to reconcile herself to the new, bleak life that lies ahead.
Finally, the novel’s commentary on issues such as gender and class is progressive, considering the era of its publication. Jeanne is constantly objectified, subjugated, and mistreated by the men in her life, save for her ailing father. Jeanne’s dissatisfaction with her life as a neglected, controlled wife expected to tolerate (if not embrace) her husband’s infidelity indicates a proto-feminist perspective about the consequences of female domesticity.
Characters like Rosalie defy feminine stereotypes as well: she is a savvy, independent woman who never married, yet she is, by far, the most likable character in the text. Her ability to be practical and empathetic makes her the voice of reason—and easily the most intelligent character, irrespective of gender. Rosalie defies class stereotypes because she is successful and financially literate despite being a single mother and a member of the working-class peasantry. When Jeanne descends into fits of self-pity, Rosalie reminds her that privilege has afforded Jeanne many comforts that the poor lack. This emphasis on contextualizing suffering and understanding the intersectionality of experience makes Maupassant’s text somewhat subversive for its time.
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