Mad? (Maupassant): Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 21:13, 29 May 2023

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Mad?

Summary of the Short Story

Microsummary: A man with a mysterious magnetic power could put people and animals to sleep and move objects with his gaze, causing him great distress and fear of himself.

A man named Jacques Parent suffered from a strange and terrifying condition that caused him to hide his hands and move them in abrupt jerks. He confided in a friend that he possessed an extraordinary magnetic power that made him afraid of himself, especially during electric evenings.

🙎🏻‍♂️

Jacques Parent — narrator's friend; tall, thin, with black eyes; disturbed, frightened, and tormented by his magnetic power.

I am endowed with a faculty … no … a power … no … a force … Well I don’t know what to call it, but I have inside me such an extraordinary magnetic action that I am afraid, yes, afraid of myself.

Jacques claimed that his power extended not only over humans but also over animals and objects. One evening, Jacques demonstrated his power on his friend's dog, Mirza. He put the dog into a trance-like state and made her perform various actions, such as fetching a handkerchief and pretending to chase a hare. Jacques even commanded the dog to bite her master, but stopped her before she could do any harm. He then released the dog from her trance, and she left the room, visibly shaken.

Jacques then showed his friend how objects obeyed him as well. He made a dagger on the table move towards his hand without touching it, causing his friend to scream in terror.

👨🏻

The Narrator — Jacques' friend; curious, concerned, and frightened by Jacques' power.

Jacques explained that he spent entire days testing his power, moving objects around and never growing tired of it.

Magnetism! Do you know what it is? No. No one knows. But it is known that there is such a thing. It is recognised, doctors practise it, and one of the most famous, M. Charcot, teaches it; so there can be no doubt that it exists.

As a storm began, Jacques told his friend to leave him alone, saying that the rain would calm him and he needed to be by himself.

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 | Literary form = short story
 | Year of publication =
-| Microsummary = A man, driven by jealousy and obsession, becomes convinced that his lover finds pleasure in horseback riding, leading him to take drastic measures to end her happiness and their relationship.
+| Microsummary = A man with a mysterious magnetic power could put people and animals to sleep and move objects with his gaze, causing him great distress and fear of himself.
 }}
 {{Start of text}}
-A man was deeply in love with a woman who owned him body and soul. He was obsessed with her physical appearance, but despised her personality. Their initial months together were filled with passion, but eventually, the woman grew tired of him.
+A man named Jacques Parent suffered from a strange and terrifying condition that caused him to hide his hands and move them in abrupt jerks. He confided in a friend that he possessed an extraordinary magnetic power that made him afraid of himself, especially during electric evenings.
 {{Character
-| Name = The Narrator
+| Name = Jacques Parent
-| Description = narrator; jealous, obsessive, and tormented by his lover's perceived infidelity
+| Description = narrator's friend; tall, thin, with black eyes; disturbed, frightened, and tormented by his magnetic power
 | Emoji = 🙎🏻‍♂️
 }}
-{{Character
+{{Quote
-| Name = The Lover
+| Text = I am endowed with a faculty … no … a power … no … a force … Well I don’t know what to call it, but I have inside me such an extraordinary magnetic action that I am afraid, yes, afraid of myself.
-| Description = the narrator's lover; sensual, passionate, and seemingly unfaithful
+| Context = Jacques Parent confesses his mysterious power to the narrator during a stormy night, explaining his fear and the reason for his strange behavior.
-| Emoji = 👩🏻‍🦳
 }}
-The man became jealous and suspicious, watching her every move and waiting for her to betray him. The narrator is reflecting on his feelings for his lover, questioning whether he truly loves her or if he is just obsessed with her physical appearance.
+Jacques claimed that his power extended not only over humans but also over animals and objects. One evening, Jacques demonstrated his power on his friend's dog, Mirza. He put the dog into a trance-like state and made her perform various actions, such as fetching a handkerchief and pretending to chase a hare. Jacques even commanded the dog to bite her master, but stopped her before she could do any harm. He then released the dog from her trance, and she left the room, visibly shaken.
-{{Quote
+Jacques then showed his friend how objects obeyed him as well. He made a dagger on the table move towards his hand without touching it, causing his friend to scream in terror.
-| Text = I have loved this woman to madness—and yet, is it true? Did I love her? No, no!
-| Context = The narrator is reflecting on his feelings for his lover, questioning whether he truly loves her or if he is just obsessed with her physical appearance.
+{{Character
+| Name = The Narrator
+| Description = Jacques' friend; curious, concerned, and frightened by Jacques' power
+| Emoji = 👨🏻
 }}
-One day, the man noticed that the woman seemed happy and full of desire again, but he couldn't figure out the reason. He observed her closely for months, until he finally realized that her happiness came from her daily horseback rides. The man became jealous of the horse and everything that brought her joy during her rides.
+Jacques explained that he spent entire days testing his power, moving objects around and never growing tired of it.
-Seeking revenge, the man set a trap for the woman and her horse. He tied a rope across her favorite path and hid in the grass, waiting for her to come galloping by. When she did, the horse tripped on the rope and fell. The man caught the woman in his arms and then shot the horse dead.
-Enraged, the woman attacked the man with her riding whip, striking him twice across the face. In response, the man shot her as well. The narrator describes the overwhelming physical effect his lover has on him when she undresses, revealing the depth of his obsession with her body.
 {{Quote
-| Text = I felt in all my limbs, in my legs and arms, in my panting chest, an infinite and cowardly weakness.
+| Text = Magnetism! Do you know what it is? No. No one knows. But it is known that there is such a thing. It is recognised, doctors practise it, and one of the most famous, M. Charcot, teaches it; so there can be no doubt that it exists.
-| Context = The narrator describes the overwhelming physical effect his lover has on him when she undresses, revealing the depth of his obsession with her body.
+| Context = Jacques tries to explain the nature of his power to the narrator, comparing it to the known phenomenon of magnetism, but admitting that its true nature remains a mystery.
 }}
-Despite his actions, the man insisted that he was not insane. This is the final line of the story, where the narrator reveals that he has killed his lover after shooting her horse, and questions his own sanity.
+As a storm began, Jacques told his friend to leave him alone, saying that the rain would calm him and he needed to be by himself.
 {{End of text}}