Adolphe

by Benjamin Constant

Overview

Enjoying all the advantages of noble birth and intellectual ability, but haunted by a sense of the meaninglessness of life, Adolphe seeks distraction in the pursuit of the beautiful, but older and more vulnerable Ellenore. Unaware of the danger 'of appropriating the language of love, and of fostering in yourself or others emotions of the heart that are transitory', Adolphe unexpectedly falls in love, only to chafe under the burden of an illicit relationship that blocks his public career. Unable to commit himself fully to Ellenore, and yet unwilling to face the pain he would cause by leaving her, Adolphe finds himself caught up in a situation that cannot be remedied, and is resolved only with disastrous results.

Written in a lucidly analytic yet discreetly emotional style, Adolphe (1816) distils the lessons of Constant's own experiences in love, but it also reflects his anxieties about the prospects for any kind of authentic commitment, political or religious as well as emotional, in a disenchanted world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781727117677
Publisher:	CreateSpace Publishing
Publication date:	09/07/2018
Pages:	166
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.35(d)
Language:	French

About the Author

Benjamin Constant (1767-1830) was a Swiss-French political activist and writer. As an author, Constant focused on topics of political theory and religion. He was the leader of the Independent party in 1800, gaining him many powerful political connections. Constant’s views of political theory and religion refined the concept of liberty, and has an immeasurable influence on society today. With the belief that true liberty allows an individual to be free of interference from the state or society, Constant’s philosophy inspired revolutions in five countries, and have lasting effects on modern politics.

Table of Contents

	Introduction	vii
	Note on the Text	xxviii
	Select Bibliography	xxx
	A Chronology of Benjamin Constant	xxxii
	Adolphe	1
Appendix	Preface to the second edition	81
	Explanatory Notes	85

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