La Princesse de Clèves is a French historical novel published in 1678. It was written by Marie-Madeleine Pioche de La Vergne, comtesse de La Fayette (1634-1693) and is one of the earliest examples of the psychological novel or the roman d'analyse in western literature. The story takes place in the court of Henri II (1519-1559), king of France, in the final years of his reign. Almost all the major characters, except the heroine, are real historical characters. Although the authoress lived nearly a hundred years later, the events in the book have great historical accuracy.
The novel was an exception at the time in many ways. The popular novels of the period like L'Astrée of Honoré d'Urfé or Clélie, histoire romaine of Madeleine de Scudéry were massive books running upto ten or twelve volumes. La Princesse de Clèves, on the other hand, is a short novel with less than 250 pages in most editions.
The novel emphasises character rather than incidents. While novels of the period featured fantastic events and heroes overcoming all odds to be with the heroine and then live happily ever after, La Princesse de Clèves featured a realistic plot, and is sometimes considered to be a roman à clef.
Liebe kennt der allein, der ohne Hoffnung liebt.
- Friedrich von Schiller (1759-1805)
The novel was an exception at the time in many ways. The popular novels of the period like L'Astrée of Honoré d'Urfé or Clélie, histoire romaine of Madeleine de Scudéry were massive books running upto ten or twelve volumes. La Princesse de Clèves, on the other hand, is a short novel with less than 250 pages in most editions.
The novel emphasises character rather than incidents. While novels of the period featured fantastic events and heroes overcoming all odds to be with the heroine and then live happily ever after, La Princesse de Clèves featured a realistic plot, and is sometimes considered to be a roman à clef.
Liebe kennt der allein, der ohne Hoffnung liebt.
- Friedrich von Schiller (1759-1805)
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