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The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane, Volume 1
Gil Blas is born in misery to a stablehand and a chambermaid of Santillana in Cantabria, and is educated by his uncle. He leaves Oviedo at the age of seventeen to attend the University of Salamanca. His bright future is suddenly interrupted when he is forced to help robbers along the route and is faced with jail.
He becomes a valet and, over the course of several years, is able to observe many different classes of society, both lay and clerical. Because of his occupation, he meets many disreputable people and is able to adjust to many situations, thanks to his adaptability and quick wit.
He finally finds himself at the royal court as a favorite of the king and secretary to the prime minister. Working his way up through hard work and intelligence, Gil is able to retire to a castle to enjoy a fortune and a hard-earned honest life.
Gil Blas is related to Lesage's play Turcaret (1709). In both works, Lesage uses witty valets in the service of thieving masters, women of questionable morals, cuckolded yet happy husbands, gourmands, ridiculous poets, false savants, and dangerously ignorant doctors to make his point. Each class and each occupation becomes an archetype.
This work is both universal and French within a Spanish context. However, its originality was questioned. Voltaire was among the first to point out similarities between Gil Blas and Marcos de Obregón by Vicente Espinel, from which Lesage had borrowed several details. Considering Gil Blas is essentially Spanish, José Francisco de Isla claimed to translate the work from French into Spanish in order to return it to its natural state. Juan Antonio Llorente suggested that Gil Blas was written by the historian Antonio de Solís y Ribadeneyra by arguing that no contemporary writer could have possibly written a work of such detail and accuracy. (Wikipedia)
He becomes a valet and, over the course of several years, is able to observe many different classes of society, both lay and clerical. Because of his occupation, he meets many disreputable people and is able to adjust to many situations, thanks to his adaptability and quick wit.
He finally finds himself at the royal court as a favorite of the king and secretary to the prime minister. Working his way up through hard work and intelligence, Gil is able to retire to a castle to enjoy a fortune and a hard-earned honest life.
Gil Blas is related to Lesage's play Turcaret (1709). In both works, Lesage uses witty valets in the service of thieving masters, women of questionable morals, cuckolded yet happy husbands, gourmands, ridiculous poets, false savants, and dangerously ignorant doctors to make his point. Each class and each occupation becomes an archetype.
This work is both universal and French within a Spanish context. However, its originality was questioned. Voltaire was among the first to point out similarities between Gil Blas and Marcos de Obregón by Vicente Espinel, from which Lesage had borrowed several details. Considering Gil Blas is essentially Spanish, José Francisco de Isla claimed to translate the work from French into Spanish in order to return it to its natural state. Juan Antonio Llorente suggested that Gil Blas was written by the historian Antonio de Solís y Ribadeneyra by arguing that no contemporary writer could have possibly written a work of such detail and accuracy. (Wikipedia)
334 pages, Leather Bound
First published January 1, 1715
10 people want to read
About the author
Alain-René Le Sage
1,634 books30 followers
Gil Blas
(1715-1735), major novel of French writer Alain René Lesage, influenced modern realistic fiction.
Alain-René Le Sage, a prolific satirical dramatist, authored the classic in making the picaresque form a European literary fashion.
A Jesuit college in Brittany well educated always quite poor and orphaned Le Sage, who studied law in Paris. Well in the literary salons, he chose a family life over a worldly one and married Marie-Elisabeth Huyard in 1694. He abandoned his legal clerkship to dedicate himself to literature and received a pension from the abbot of Lyonne, who also taught him Spanish and interested him in the Spanish theater.
Early plays of Le Sage, adaptations of Spanish models, included the highly successful adapted comedy Crispin, rival de son maître (Crispin, Rival of His Master), which the Théâtre Français performed in 1707. He aimed satire of his prose work Le Diable boiteux (1707; The Devil upon Two Sticks) of Spanish inspiration at Parisian society. The more popular Théâtre de la Foire gave Le Sage greater freedom as an author, and he composed for that company more than one hundred comédies-vaudevilles and thus considerably succeeded Molière.
Gil Blas of the earliest concerns the education and adventures of an adaptable young valet as he progresses from one master to the next. In the service of the quack Doctor Sangrado, he practices on the poorer patients and quickly achieves a perfect record of certain fatalities, equal to that of his master. In service to Don Mathias, a notorious seducer, he also learns to equal and to surpass his master. The sunnier spirit of the character effectively civilizes the picaresque tradition. Unlike most novels of the genre, it ends happily as he retires to marriage and a quiet country life.
This author died in Boulogne.
Alain-René Le Sage, a prolific satirical dramatist, authored the classic in making the picaresque form a European literary fashion.
A Jesuit college in Brittany well educated always quite poor and orphaned Le Sage, who studied law in Paris. Well in the literary salons, he chose a family life over a worldly one and married Marie-Elisabeth Huyard in 1694. He abandoned his legal clerkship to dedicate himself to literature and received a pension from the abbot of Lyonne, who also taught him Spanish and interested him in the Spanish theater.
Early plays of Le Sage, adaptations of Spanish models, included the highly successful adapted comedy Crispin, rival de son maître (Crispin, Rival of His Master), which the Théâtre Français performed in 1707. He aimed satire of his prose work Le Diable boiteux (1707; The Devil upon Two Sticks) of Spanish inspiration at Parisian society. The more popular Théâtre de la Foire gave Le Sage greater freedom as an author, and he composed for that company more than one hundred comédies-vaudevilles and thus considerably succeeded Molière.
Gil Blas of the earliest concerns the education and adventures of an adaptable young valet as he progresses from one master to the next. In the service of the quack Doctor Sangrado, he practices on the poorer patients and quickly achieves a perfect record of certain fatalities, equal to that of his master. In service to Don Mathias, a notorious seducer, he also learns to equal and to surpass his master. The sunnier spirit of the character effectively civilizes the picaresque tradition. Unlike most novels of the genre, it ends happily as he retires to marriage and a quiet country life.
This author died in Boulogne.
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April 27, 2025
(ελληνική κριτική μετά την αγγλική)
The History of Gil Blas of Santillane stands as one of the seminal works of early European fiction and a pioneering forerunner of the modern novel. In a narrative characterised by wit and vitality, Lesage traces the endless adventures and vicissitudes of Gil Blas, a young man of humble origin, as he navigates the fortunes and misfortunes of life in Spain.
Written in a tone at once sardonic and often scathingly humorous, the work serves as a mirror to human nature and society, offering a trenchant critique of institutions such as the aristocracy, the Church, and the judicial system. Through Gil Blas’s continual shifts in fortune — from servant to thief, from favourite to outcast — Lesage underscores the futility of social advancement and the inescapable frailties of the human condition.
Lesage’s prose deftly combines light-hearted comedy with biting irony, producing a stylistic mode that profoundly shaped the evolution of European realism. The immediacy and rhythmic vitality of the text sustain the reader’s engagement throughout, despite the novel’s considerable length. Although often drawn with broad strokes, the characters remain vividly alive, serving as archetypes of moral and social types.
While the influence of Spanish sources (notably Cervantes) is undeniable, Lesage infuses the work with a distinctively French finesse and his own brand of satirical acuity. Gil Blas may be enjoyed both as a delightful work of entertainment and as a valuable piece of eighteenth-century social commentary.
Rich and multi-layered, the novel endures through the centuries thanks to its intelligence, its satirical vigour, and its psychological insight. It is a classic deserving of renewed attention, both by lovers of literature and by those interested in the development of the European novel. For readers seeking a modern work in a similar spirit, Peter David’s brilliant series Sir Apropos of Nothing offers a particularly compelling contemporary parallel.
H “Ιστορία του Ζιλ Μπλας ντε Σαντιλιάν” αποτελεί ένα από τα σημαντικότερα έργα της πρώιμης ευρωπαϊκής μυθοπλασίας και έναν από τους πρωτοπόρους προδρόμους του σύγχρονου μυθιστορήματος. Σε μια αφήγηση γεμάτη σπιρτάδα και ζωντάνια, ο Lesage ακολουθεί τον Γκι Μπλας, έναν νεαρό άνδρα ταπεινής καταγωγής, στις ατελείωτες περιπέτειες και μεταπτώσεις της ζωής του στην Ισπανία.
Γραμμένο με σαρκαστικό και συχνά σκωπτικό ύφος, το έργο λειτουργεί ως ένας καθρέφτης της ανθρώπινης φύσης και της κοινωνίας, γεμάτος κριτικές απέναντι σε θεσμούς όπως η αριστοκρατία, η εκκλησία και το δικαστικό σύστημα. Ο Γκι Μπλας, μέσα από τις διαρκείς του αλλαγές τύχης — από υπηρέτης σε κλέφτης, από ευνοούμενος σε έκπτωτο — γίνεται όχημα για τον Lesage να αναδείξει τη ματαιότητα της κοινωνικής ανόδου και την αναπόφευκτη ανθρώπινη αδυναμία.
Η γραφή του Lesage συνδυάζει την ανάλαφρη κωμικότητα με την πικρή ειρωνεία, δημιουργώντας ένα ύφος που επηρέασε βαθιά την εξέλιξη του ευρωπαϊκού ρεαλισμού. Η αμεσότητα και ο ρυθμός του κειμένου διατηρούν το ενδιαφέρον αμείωτο, παρόλο που το μυθιστόρημα εκτείνεται σε μεγάλο όγκο. Οι χαρακτήρες του, αν και συχνά σχηματικοί, παραμένουν ζωντανοί και λειτουργούν ως παραδείγματα ηθικών και κοινωνικών τύπων.
Παρά την ισχυρή επιρροή ισπανικών πηγών (λέγε με «Θερβάντες») ο Lesage προσδίδει στο έργο του μια αυθεντική γαλλική φινέτσα και ένα δικό του σατιρικό αποτύπωμα. Το «Gil Blas» μπορεί να ιδωθεί τόσο ως διασκεδαστικό ανάγνωσμα όσο και ως ένα πολύτιμο κοινωνικό σχόλιο του 18ου αιώνα.
Πλούσιο και πολυεπίπεδο, το έργο αντέχει στο χρόνο χάρη στην ευφυΐα, τη σατιρική δύναμη και την ψυχολογική του διορατικότητα. Ένα κλασικό έργο που αξίζει να ανακαλυφθεί ξανά τόσο από τους λάτρεις της λογοτεχνίας όσο και από όσους ενδιαφέρονται για την εξέλιξη του ευρωπαϊκού μυθιστορήματος. Αν σας άρεσε, και θέλετε να βρείτε κάτι αντίστοιχο γραμμένο από πιο σύγχρονη θέμα, υπάρχει η εξαιρετική σειρά “Sir Apropos of Nothing” του Peter David.
The History of Gil Blas of Santillane stands as one of the seminal works of early European fiction and a pioneering forerunner of the modern novel. In a narrative characterised by wit and vitality, Lesage traces the endless adventures and vicissitudes of Gil Blas, a young man of humble origin, as he navigates the fortunes and misfortunes of life in Spain.
Written in a tone at once sardonic and often scathingly humorous, the work serves as a mirror to human nature and society, offering a trenchant critique of institutions such as the aristocracy, the Church, and the judicial system. Through Gil Blas’s continual shifts in fortune — from servant to thief, from favourite to outcast — Lesage underscores the futility of social advancement and the inescapable frailties of the human condition.
Lesage’s prose deftly combines light-hearted comedy with biting irony, producing a stylistic mode that profoundly shaped the evolution of European realism. The immediacy and rhythmic vitality of the text sustain the reader’s engagement throughout, despite the novel’s considerable length. Although often drawn with broad strokes, the characters remain vividly alive, serving as archetypes of moral and social types.
While the influence of Spanish sources (notably Cervantes) is undeniable, Lesage infuses the work with a distinctively French finesse and his own brand of satirical acuity. Gil Blas may be enjoyed both as a delightful work of entertainment and as a valuable piece of eighteenth-century social commentary.
Rich and multi-layered, the novel endures through the centuries thanks to its intelligence, its satirical vigour, and its psychological insight. It is a classic deserving of renewed attention, both by lovers of literature and by those interested in the development of the European novel. For readers seeking a modern work in a similar spirit, Peter David’s brilliant series Sir Apropos of Nothing offers a particularly compelling contemporary parallel.
H “Ιστορία του Ζιλ Μπλας ντε Σαντιλιάν” αποτελεί ένα από τα σημαντικότερα έργα της πρώιμης ευρωπαϊκής μυθοπλασίας και έναν από τους πρωτοπόρους προδρόμους του σύγχρονου μυθιστορήματος. Σε μια αφήγηση γεμάτη σπιρτάδα και ζωντάνια, ο Lesage ακολουθεί τον Γκι Μπλας, έναν νεαρό άνδρα ταπεινής καταγωγής, στις ατελείωτες περιπέτειες και μεταπτώσεις της ζωής του στην Ισπανία.
Γραμμένο με σαρκαστικό και συχνά σκωπτικό ύφος, το έργο λειτουργεί ως ένας καθρέφτης της ανθρώπινης φύσης και της κοινωνίας, γεμάτος κριτικές απέναντι σε θεσμούς όπως η αριστοκρατία, η εκκλησία και το δικαστικό σύστημα. Ο Γκι Μπλας, μέσα από τις διαρκείς του αλλαγές τύχης — από υπηρέτης σε κλέφτης, από ευνοούμενος σε έκπτωτο — γίνεται όχημα για τον Lesage να αναδείξει τη ματαιότητα της κοινωνικής ανόδου και την αναπόφευκτη ανθρώπινη αδυναμία.
Η γραφή του Lesage συνδυάζει την ανάλαφρη κωμικότητα με την πικρή ειρωνεία, δημιουργώντας ένα ύφος που επηρέασε βαθιά την εξέλιξη του ευρωπαϊκού ρεαλισμού. Η αμεσότητα και ο ρυθμός του κειμένου διατηρούν το ενδιαφέρον αμείωτο, παρόλο που το μυθιστόρημα εκτείνεται σε μεγάλο όγκο. Οι χαρακτήρες του, αν και συχνά σχηματικοί, παραμένουν ζωντανοί και λειτουργούν ως παραδείγματα ηθικών και κοινωνικών τύπων.
Παρά την ισχυρή επιρροή ισπανικών πηγών (λέγε με «Θερβάντες») ο Lesage προσδίδει στο έργο του μια αυθεντική γαλλική φινέτσα και ένα δικό του σατιρικό αποτύπωμα. Το «Gil Blas» μπορεί να ιδωθεί τόσο ως διασκεδαστικό ανάγνωσμα όσο και ως ένα πολύτιμο κοινωνικό σχόλιο του 18ου αιώνα.
Πλούσιο και πολυεπίπεδο, το έργο αντέχει στο χρόνο χάρη στην ευφυΐα, τη σατιρική δύναμη και την ψυχολογική του διορατικότητα. Ένα κλασικό έργο που αξίζει να ανακαλυφθεί ξανά τόσο από τους λάτρεις της λογοτεχνίας όσο και από όσους ενδιαφέρονται για την εξέλιξη του ευρωπαϊκού μυθιστορήματος. Αν σας άρεσε, και θέλετε να βρείτε κάτι αντίστοιχο γραμμένο από πιο σύγχρονη θέμα, υπάρχει η εξαιρετική σειρά “Sir Apropos of Nothing” του Peter David.
March 30, 2018
Fast paced, very funny and successfully operating on multiple levels AT THE SAME TIME.
The novel concerns one Gil Blas, who sets out to display his slack-jawed idiocy to the world. As just one example of what I mean by multiple levels, early on (I don't think I'm giving away too much here) he is captured by bandits, imprisoned and forced into servitude. He effects his escape by robbing a member of the clergy and is consequently plunged into a series of adventures where he is alternately imprisoned or in servitude. So you have an interesting story, a moral and character development. Also, by placing Gil Blas at the bottom of society, Le Sage can aim his satire squarely at the ruling classes.
This is an episodic novel. I like an episodic novel but I'm prepared to admit that the main problem with them is that they are, well, episodic. But here there's a smooth richness to the segues that really adds something. And the whole undertaking is elevated by recurring themes and characters and a mirroring of incident from one episode to another.
Just a word on this edition, the Everyman. It's Malkin's revision of Smollett's translation. I had a quick look at Smottlett's and Malkin appears to follow him structurally clause by clause, but often using different words, near synonyms etc. I suppose it was an updating at the time, but now both are old-fashioned. But don't let that put you off. It's well written and the style fits the nature of the story. There are no notes in the Everyman and there are a number of references which I couldn't understand specifically though they're usually clear from the context. Le Sage categorically denies that the characters who are objects of his satire are based on real people. Frankly, I don't believe him. I suspect that a scholarly edition would identify those individuals. That's the only place where I really missed having notes.
The novel concerns one Gil Blas, who sets out to display his slack-jawed idiocy to the world. As just one example of what I mean by multiple levels, early on (I don't think I'm giving away too much here) he is captured by bandits, imprisoned and forced into servitude. He effects his escape by robbing a member of the clergy and is consequently plunged into a series of adventures where he is alternately imprisoned or in servitude. So you have an interesting story, a moral and character development. Also, by placing Gil Blas at the bottom of society, Le Sage can aim his satire squarely at the ruling classes.
This is an episodic novel. I like an episodic novel but I'm prepared to admit that the main problem with them is that they are, well, episodic. But here there's a smooth richness to the segues that really adds something. And the whole undertaking is elevated by recurring themes and characters and a mirroring of incident from one episode to another.
Just a word on this edition, the Everyman. It's Malkin's revision of Smollett's translation. I had a quick look at Smottlett's and Malkin appears to follow him structurally clause by clause, but often using different words, near synonyms etc. I suppose it was an updating at the time, but now both are old-fashioned. But don't let that put you off. It's well written and the style fits the nature of the story. There are no notes in the Everyman and there are a number of references which I couldn't understand specifically though they're usually clear from the context. Le Sage categorically denies that the characters who are objects of his satire are based on real people. Frankly, I don't believe him. I suspect that a scholarly edition would identify those individuals. That's the only place where I really missed having notes.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews