The Confession (Maupassant): Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 22:26, 29 May 2023

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The Confession

Summary of the Short Story

Microsummary: A strict, austere man confessed to his wife that he had been unfaithful during a drunken night, but instead of being upset, she found the situation amusing and laughed uncontrollably.

Captain Hector-Marie de Fontenne married Laurine d'Estelle, a charming and wealthy young woman. Laurine was known for her laughter and wit, while Hector was a serious and austere man.

👨🏻‍✈️

Captain Hector-Marie de Fontenne — austere, ingenuous, single-minded, and strict; husband of Laurine.

👩🏼

Laurine d'Estelle — pretty, slender, and self-possessed; charming, tactful, and quick-witted; wife of Captain de Fontenne.

They got along well, with Laurine often sharing stories of her charitable deeds with her husband.

One summer, Hector took part in military exercises and found himself drinking more than usual one evening. He became intoxicated and ended up spending the night with an actress. Overwhelmed with guilt, he confessed his sins to a priest and took the sacrament. However, he still felt a deep sense of remorse and believed he owed a confession to his wife as well.

When Laurine returned from visiting her parents, she noticed Hector's troubled demeanor and pressed him to share his secret. Reluctantly, he confessed his infidelity to her.

I confess to you as I would confess to a priest, Laurine.

Instead of reacting with anger or sadness, Laurine burst into uncontrollable laughter. She found the situation so amusing that she couldn't stop laughing, despite her husband's growing anger.

You… you… you have deceived me. Oh! oh! oh!

Hector, offended by Laurine's reaction, called her vulgar and stormed out of the room. Laurine, still laughing, continued to find the situation hilarious even as her laughter began to fade.

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 | Literary form = short story
 | Year of publication =
-| Microsummary = A man confessed to attempting to kill his illegitimate child by exposing him to the cold, but ultimately regretted his actions and suffered immense guilt when the child later died of illness.
+| Microsummary = A strict, austere man confessed to his wife that he had been unfaithful during a drunken night, but instead of being upset, she found the situation amusing and laughed uncontrollably.
 }}
 {{Start of text}}
-A man, known for his honesty, passed away and left behind two children, a son and a daughter. After his funeral, the children and their son-in-law, Monsieur Poirel de la Voulte, gathered to read his will.
+Captain Hector-Marie de Fontenne married Laurine d'Estelle, a charming and wealthy young woman. Laurine was known for her laughter and wit, while Hector was a serious and austere man.
 {{Character
-| Name = Monsieur Poirel de la Voulte
+| Name = Captain Hector-Marie de Fontenne
-| Description = narrator's son-in-law; a lawyer; practical, serious
+| Description = austere, ingenuous, single-minded, and strict; husband of Laurine
-| Emoji = 👨🏻‍💻
+| Emoji = 👨🏻‍✈️
 }}
-In the will, the man confessed to a terrible crime he committed when he was 26 years old and living in Paris. He had taken a mistress and she became pregnant. He was unhappy about the situation and secretly wished for the child to die before it was born. However, the child was born and the man found himself trapped in a life he didn't want. He fell in love with another woman and wanted to marry her, but he knew her strict parents would never approve if they knew about his illegitimate child.
+{{Character
+| Name = Laurine d'Estelle
+| Description = pretty, slender, and self-possessed; charming, tactful, and quick-witted; wife of Captain de Fontenne
+| Emoji = 👩🏼
+}}
-One cold December night, the man opened the window in the room where his child slept, hoping the freezing air would kill the baby. He eventually closed the window, filled with guilt and horror at what he had done.
+They got along well, with Laurine often sharing stories of her charitable deeds with her husband.
+One summer, Hector took part in military exercises and found himself drinking more than usual one evening. He became intoxicated and ended up spending the night with an actress. Overwhelmed with guilt, he confessed his sins to a priest and took the sacrament. However, he still felt a deep sense of remorse and believed he owed a confession to his wife as well.
+When Laurine returned from visiting her parents, she noticed Hector's troubled demeanor and pressed him to share his secret. Reluctantly, he confessed his infidelity to her.
 {{Quote
-| Text = I felt it there in my head, in my heart, in my whole body; it devoured me like a wild beast.
+| Text = I confess to you as I would confess to a priest, Laurine.
-| Context = The narrator describes the overwhelming guilt and torment he experienced after attempting to kill his illegitimate child. This quote highlights the intensity of his emotions.
+| Context = Captain de Fontenne is confessing his infidelity to his wife, Laurine, after she insists on knowing what is troubling him.
 }}
-The child became ill and the man sent for a doctor, who diagnosed the baby with inflammation of the lungs. The child eventually died, and the man was haunted by his actions for the rest of his life.
+Instead of reacting with anger or sadness, Laurine burst into uncontrollable laughter. She found the situation so amusing that she couldn't stop laughing, despite her husband's growing anger.
 {{Quote
-| Text = I could not rest quietly in my last sleep did I not make this confession to you from beyond the grave.
+| Text = You… you… you have deceived me. Oh! oh! oh!
-| Context = This quote is from the beginning of the narrator's confession, which he left for his children to read after his death. It sets the tone for the rest of the story.
+| Context = Laurine is laughing uncontrollably after hearing her husband's confession of infidelity, finding the situation amusing rather than upsetting.
 }}
-After reading the confession, the family decided to burn the pages containing the man's secret. They watched the pages burn and the daughter crushed the ashes to ensure the secret would never be revealed.
+Hector, offended by Laurine's reaction, called her vulgar and stormed out of the room. Laurine, still laughing, continued to find the situation hilarious even as her laughter began to fade.
 {{End of text}}