Carmen (Hesperus Classics) - Softcover

Merimee, Prosper

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1843910969 ISBN 13: 9781843910961

Publisher: Hesperus Press, 2004

Synopsis

Carmen—the inspiration for one of the world’s most popular operas—is a story about the dark forces that lurk beneath the façade of civilization, where passions are brutal and erotic love is seductive and sinister. When Don José meets a gypsy woman, he has no idea that his chance encounter with the “pretty witch” will have disastrous consequences. With her magic and her malevolent spirit, Carmen exerts a powerful charm on the unsuspecting Don José, who is drawn into a seedy underworld of bandits and smugglers—exploited and humiliated, until he is driven to the ultimate revenge. In Carmen, Prosper Mérimée introduced a literary archetype: the femme fatale, who uses her sexuality and mystery to ensnare and ultimately destroy the weak, unsuspecting man. It appears here with The Venus of Ille, a brilliant tale of the supernatural. Prosper Mérimée is a noted French novelist, playwright, and short story writer.

About this title

From the Publisher

Hesperus Press, as suggested by their Latin motto, Et remotissima prope, is dedicated to bringing near what is far—far both in space and time. Works by illustrious authors, often unjustly neglected or simply little known in the English–speaking world, are made accessible through a completely fresh editorial approach and new translations.

Through these classic works, which feature forewords by leading contemporary authors, the modern reader will be introduced to the greatest writers of Europe and America. An elegantly designed series of genuine rediscoveries.

About the Author

1803 - 1870. Auteur de supercheries litteraires ("Theatre de Clara Gazul, " 1825; "la Guzla, " 1827), de romans historiques ("Chronique du regne de CharlesIX, " 1829), il doit sa celebrite a ses nouvelles ("Mateo Falcone, " 1829; "Tamango; la Venus d'Ille; Colomba, " 1840; "Carmen"; "la Chambre bleue"). Inspecteur des Monuments historiques, il fut, sous l'Empire, un des familiers des souverains. Il traduisit alors les ecrivains russes. Romantique par le choix des sujets et le gout de la couleur locale, Merimee appartient a l'art classique par la concision de son style. (Academie francaise.)

Edition details

• Publisher: Hesperus Press
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1843910969
• ISBN 13: 9781843910961
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 93