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В своих произведениях Проспер Мериме — романист, новеллист, драматург и историк, ставший классиком французской литературы XIX века, — обращается как к историческим событиям, так и к современной действительности Франции, проявляет интерес к экзотике и ярким, самобытным персонажам.
28 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1971
3 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Prosper Mérimée
1,245 books168 followersProsper Mérimée was a French dramatist, historian, archaeologist, and short story writer. He is perhaps best known for his novella Carmen, which became the basis of Bizet's opera Carmen.
Mérimée loved mysticism, history, and the unusual, and may have been influenced by Charles Nodier (though he did not appreciate his works), the historical fiction popularised by Sir Walter Scott and the cruelty and psychological drama of Aleksandr Pushkin. Many of his stories are mysteries set in foreign places, Spain and Russia being popular sources of inspiration.
In 1834, Mérimée was appointed to the post of inspector-general of historical monuments. He was a born archaeologist, combining linguistic faculty of a very unusual kind with accurate scholarship, with remarkable historical appreciation, and with a sincere love for the arts of design and construction, in the former of which he had some practical skill. In his official capacity he published numerous reports, some of which, with other similar pieces, have been republished in his works.
He was also responsible for several translations of Pushkin and Gogol, when they weren't known in Europe yet.
Mérimée loved mysticism, history, and the unusual, and may have been influenced by Charles Nodier (though he did not appreciate his works), the historical fiction popularised by Sir Walter Scott and the cruelty and psychological drama of Aleksandr Pushkin. Many of his stories are mysteries set in foreign places, Spain and Russia being popular sources of inspiration.
In 1834, Mérimée was appointed to the post of inspector-general of historical monuments. He was a born archaeologist, combining linguistic faculty of a very unusual kind with accurate scholarship, with remarkable historical appreciation, and with a sincere love for the arts of design and construction, in the former of which he had some practical skill. In his official capacity he published numerous reports, some of which, with other similar pieces, have been republished in his works.
He was also responsible for several translations of Pushkin and Gogol, when they weren't known in Europe yet.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 17 reviews
May 30, 2015
Description: A Dutch slave captain, on a voyage to Cuba, faces a revolt fomented by a newly captured African slave, Tamango. The slaves capture the captain's mistress, forcing a showdown.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbuDK...
January 18, 2016
Cucerirea redutei - un locotenent abia ieşit din academia militară, preia comanda unui regimen a căui misiune presupune cucerirea unei redute importante. (2 stars)
Federigo - amestec ciudat de mitologie greacă şi credinţă creştină; pare să fi fost compusă către finele evului mediu. Poveste culeasă de Mérimée în regatul Neapole. Federogo, un tânăr dependent al jocului de cărţi primeşte de la Iisus Christos şi pe apostoli 3 dorinţe, cu ajutorul cărora se răzbună asupra jucătorilor necinstiţi care l-au sărăcit. Tânărul nu poate uita cum el a contriubuit în trecut la nenorocirea a 12 tineri sinceri şi coboară în infern să joace cărţi cu Pluton, unde îşi pune sufletul ca miză pentru 12 jocuri de cărţi, sperând să-i poată elibera pe victimele sale. (3 stars)
Vasul etrusc - Auguste Saint-Clair bănuieşte că amanta lui Mathilda a iubit un alt bărbat înaintea lui şi nu-şi poate stăpâni gelozia şi furia, căutând să intre în duel chiar cu prietenul său cel mai bun. (2 stars)
Partida de table - Roger şi Gabrielle, un cuplu pătimaş şi nepotrivit care păleşte în comparaţie cu Carmen şi Jose. Roger trişează la table iar victoria lui duce la o conştiinţă şi onoare pătată (adversarul lui se sinucide) care nu îi permite să se mai bucure de viaţă. (3 stars)
Venus din Ille - goodreads.com/review/show/921680575?b... (3 stars)
Carmen - goodreads.com/review/show/909772649?b... (4 stars)
Mateo Falcone, Tamango, Neînțelegeri, Colomba, Abatele Aubin - goodreads.com/review/show/984465072 (3 stars)
Federigo - amestec ciudat de mitologie greacă şi credinţă creştină; pare să fi fost compusă către finele evului mediu. Poveste culeasă de Mérimée în regatul Neapole. Federogo, un tânăr dependent al jocului de cărţi primeşte de la Iisus Christos şi pe apostoli 3 dorinţe, cu ajutorul cărora se răzbună asupra jucătorilor necinstiţi care l-au sărăcit. Tânărul nu poate uita cum el a contriubuit în trecut la nenorocirea a 12 tineri sinceri şi coboară în infern să joace cărţi cu Pluton, unde îşi pune sufletul ca miză pentru 12 jocuri de cărţi, sperând să-i poată elibera pe victimele sale. (3 stars)
Vasul etrusc - Auguste Saint-Clair bănuieşte că amanta lui Mathilda a iubit un alt bărbat înaintea lui şi nu-şi poate stăpâni gelozia şi furia, căutând să intre în duel chiar cu prietenul său cel mai bun. (2 stars)
Partida de table - Roger şi Gabrielle, un cuplu pătimaş şi nepotrivit care păleşte în comparaţie cu Carmen şi Jose. Roger trişează la table iar victoria lui duce la o conştiinţă şi onoare pătată (adversarul lui se sinucide) care nu îi permite să se mai bucure de viaţă. (3 stars)
Venus din Ille - goodreads.com/review/show/921680575?b... (3 stars)
Carmen - goodreads.com/review/show/909772649?b... (4 stars)
Mateo Falcone, Tamango, Neînțelegeri, Colomba, Abatele Aubin - goodreads.com/review/show/984465072 (3 stars)
April 30, 2025
Una historia anti-esclavismo que ni va de buenista ni plantea una víctima ejemplar a la hora de hacer su crítica.
El relato tiene un protagonista especialmente incómodo: Tamango, un esclavista de origen senegalés que vive a base de vender esclavos a los europeos (aún cuando en esa época ya era ilegal). El hombre, para celebrar su último negocio, coge una borrachera de cuidado y acaba vendiendo por error a una de sus esposas. Nada más se entera a la mañana siguiente, sale tras el buque negrero, se cuela dentro e intenta comparla de vuelta. Los franceses le dicen que nanai, que la mujer se queda, y bueno, ya que están, le ponen unos grilletes y deciden venderlo a él también.
Y es aquí que empieza lo interesante. Es difícil no empatizar con Tamango ante los abusos de los marineros, su condición de víctima de la trata y sus intentos de rebelarse contra los blancos. Y es cuando estás de su lado, que te has olvidado de su pasado y estás esperando el momento en el que Tamango por fin le de una patada en el culo al capitán, que te viene a la memoria que todos los negros están ahí por su culpa.
El final podria haber estado más afinado, la resolución es bastante simplona. Me ha faltado más desasosiego. Aún así, he disfrutado como lector de esas sensaciones contradictorias respecto al personaje de Tamango y vivir esta batalla inútil, donde las víctimas están abocadas a la tragedia ganen o pierdan.
El relato tiene un protagonista especialmente incómodo: Tamango, un esclavista de origen senegalés que vive a base de vender esclavos a los europeos (aún cuando en esa época ya era ilegal). El hombre, para celebrar su último negocio, coge una borrachera de cuidado y acaba vendiendo por error a una de sus esposas. Nada más se entera a la mañana siguiente, sale tras el buque negrero, se cuela dentro e intenta comparla de vuelta. Los franceses le dicen que nanai, que la mujer se queda, y bueno, ya que están, le ponen unos grilletes y deciden venderlo a él también.
Y es aquí que empieza lo interesante. Es difícil no empatizar con Tamango ante los abusos de los marineros, su condición de víctima de la trata y sus intentos de rebelarse contra los blancos. Y es cuando estás de su lado, que te has olvidado de su pasado y estás esperando el momento en el que Tamango por fin le de una patada en el culo al capitán, que te viene a la memoria que todos los negros están ahí por su culpa.
El final podria haber estado más afinado, la resolución es bastante simplona. Me ha faltado más desasosiego. Aún así, he disfrutado como lector de esas sensaciones contradictorias respecto al personaje de Tamango y vivir esta batalla inútil, donde las víctimas están abocadas a la tragedia ganen o pierdan.
February 16, 2024
Read for uni. No, just no.
September 7, 2024
Lecture insupportable :) vision de l’époque esclavagiste très fidèle à elle-même : considérer les hommes comme une marchandise qui se troque avec de l’alcool et des broutilles.
June 2, 2021
This short story, originally published in 1829, only a few years after the British and American abolition of the Atlantic slave trade, gives a startling contemporary account of the continuing clandestine trade of the time, whether entirely fictional or based on true events. It’s an interesting read, a violent, gruesome story, but not one to return to.
This public domain edition has some quality issues but seems complete.
The author’s tone attempts a matter-of-fact neutrality, on the one hand arguing the equality and equivalence of all men, but on the other being dismissive of Africans as naive and easily led. This is plot relevant, however, as the titular protagonist, an African warrior and slave trader who falls foul of his white customers, dominates the other African slaves through manipulating their superstitions.
The protagonist is a villain through and through, as immoral a slaver as the captain of the ship he ends up on, a brutal and violent bully, who not only captured and sold to the Europeans the other slaves on the ship, but coerces them into a futile rebellion which only results in a tormenting death stranded in the middle of the ocean on a ship none can sail as the crew was massacred. Only the protagonist survives so that his tale becomes known, but it is not told in his words. Rather, the story is presented as a fait divers, in almost journalistic fashion.
The protagonist is certainly no idealised hero, victim, or caricature, but comes across as a larger than life but very real figure of the time and place. Slavery being a stark and emotional subject, it is interesting to read a dispassionate contemporary tale that unflinchingly relates the horrors and the atrocities committed by all parties involved in the trade, African and European, without projecting a modern view and sensibilities on the events of the past.
Reading about the controversial (at the time) film adaptation on Wikipedia is also quite interesting.
This public domain edition has some quality issues but seems complete.
The author’s tone attempts a matter-of-fact neutrality, on the one hand arguing the equality and equivalence of all men, but on the other being dismissive of Africans as naive and easily led. This is plot relevant, however, as the titular protagonist, an African warrior and slave trader who falls foul of his white customers, dominates the other African slaves through manipulating their superstitions.
The protagonist is a villain through and through, as immoral a slaver as the captain of the ship he ends up on, a brutal and violent bully, who not only captured and sold to the Europeans the other slaves on the ship, but coerces them into a futile rebellion which only results in a tormenting death stranded in the middle of the ocean on a ship none can sail as the crew was massacred. Only the protagonist survives so that his tale becomes known, but it is not told in his words. Rather, the story is presented as a fait divers, in almost journalistic fashion.
The protagonist is certainly no idealised hero, victim, or caricature, but comes across as a larger than life but very real figure of the time and place. Slavery being a stark and emotional subject, it is interesting to read a dispassionate contemporary tale that unflinchingly relates the horrors and the atrocities committed by all parties involved in the trade, African and European, without projecting a modern view and sensibilities on the events of the past.
Reading about the controversial (at the time) film adaptation on Wikipedia is also quite interesting.
December 6, 2021
Доволі дивна новела. Цікава і жорстока, я не читала ще їй подібних. Описаний час, культура, події - все дуже самобутньо. На жаль, через дивну звичку автора писати "я не впевнений в назві" і так далі пару разів у тексті, ламається сприйняття реальності, адже твір розповідається від третьої особи, і часто передаються думки та почуття різних персонажів, про яких оповідач точно не міг знати. Це ламає четверту стіну, винурює з твору.
Цікаво розглядати новелу в історичному контексті: чи справді таке траплялось тоді, чи справді так поводились у 19 сторіччі, чи справді африканці мали такі правила в племенах? На ці питання важко буде знайти відповіді, адже до першоджерел не дістатись, а в статтях інформацією можна легко грати, через політичні мотивита гострі наразі теми, але нормальні для років життя автора.
Це дійсно цікавий твір, привід замислитись над культурними змінами та ще більше заглибитись в історію того часу. Але він мені не сподобався, чисто пізнавальний ефект, просто нормальна новела, тому 3 бали.
Цікаво розглядати новелу в історичному контексті: чи справді таке траплялось тоді, чи справді так поводились у 19 сторіччі, чи справді африканці мали такі правила в племенах? На ці питання важко буде знайти відповіді, адже до першоджерел не дістатись, а в статтях інформацією можна легко грати, через політичні мотивита гострі наразі теми, але нормальні для років життя автора.
Це дійсно цікавий твір, привід замислитись над культурними змінами та ще більше заглибитись в історію того часу. Але він мені не сподобався, чисто пізнавальний ефект, просто нормальна новела, тому 3 бали.
November 7, 2018
Interesting writing technique. 18th century story, full of tragedy, but in PM's style, story with a moral.
July 25, 2023
Une nouvelle réaliste de Prosper Mérimée qui traite de l'esclavage. Le personnage principal est un africain vendeur d'esclaves. Une idée originale et une aventure violente.
May 29, 2024
Merci la prof de francais !
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October 23, 2024J'ai lu. C'est à étudier pour développer son esprit critique sur ce qu'est le regard blanc, surtout quand il se veut défenseur des opprimés
December 18, 2022
Tamango is a story about a slave-ship rebellion, which is referenced in Diop's Le temps de Tamango, one of the reasons I decided to take up Mérimée before going on to my next long project.
February 18, 2014
Not really my style.
March 9, 2015
Dénoncer l'esclavage sans tomber dans le stéréotype du bon sauvage, Merimée déjà très moderne, je me réconcilie avec l'auteur que je n'avais pas apprécié étant élève.
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May 18, 2016Mateo Falkone
Nevjerovatno
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January 15, 2019მიყვარს მერიმე💕
Displaying 1 - 16 of 17 reviews