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Madame De
This is the story of Madame de ?'s earrings. It is a story of jewelery, of love, of denial, of society that has the simplicity of a fairy tale and the elegance of an 18th century roman-a-clef. This novella became The Earrings of Madame de , a 1952 Max Ophuls film.
80 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1951
276 people want to read
About the author
Louise de Vilmorin
61 books7 followersLouise de Vilmorin, de son nom complet Louise Levêque de Vilmorin, est une femme de lettres française, née le 4 avril 1902 à Verrières-le-Buisson (Essonne), où elle est morte le 26 décembre 1969. Elle était parfois surnommée « Madame de », en référence à son roman à succès porté au grand écran.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
August 31, 2020
#WITMonth
“The past begins to exist when one is unhappy,” she said to him in a low voice. “Perhaps,” he replied, “but unhappiness can be artificial.” (...) She stayed there with her back to the room until her sister-in-law, laying an arm on her shoulder, led her to the looking glass. “It’s curious,” said Mme de, “how crying always makes one’s hair untidy.
O que me puxou para “Madame de”, além do enigmático título, foi o posfácio da autoria do filho de Duff Cooper, o embaixador inglês que traduziu este livrinho minúsculo. Nele, conta que, no Natal de 1944, quando Paris já tinha sido libertado, os pais organizavam sumptuosas soirées na Embaixada de Inglaterra, com um círculo de amigos que incluíam Jean Cocteau, Nancy Mitford e Louise de Vilmorin, que viria a tornar-se amante de Duff Cooper, o que era aceite com naturalidade pela mulher deste.
Depois destes fait-divers que achei fascinantes, resta-me dizer que esta novela se centra num par de brincos de diamantes em forma de coração, que anda de mão em mão durante menos de 100 páginas e que, graças a vários golpes do destino, por vezes regressa e escorrega por entre os dedos da sua proprietária original, Madame de. Em “Madame de” confirma-se que a mentira tem pena curta e descobre-se que um joalheiro está ao nível de um padre em termos de confidências, sendo um discretíssimo depositário de segredos e pecadilhos.
“M. de bought the diamond hearts and the jeweller apologised for selling them to him for the fourth time. They shook hands like men who feel that fate has thrown them together and that they are sure soon to meet again.
“The past begins to exist when one is unhappy,” she said to him in a low voice. “Perhaps,” he replied, “but unhappiness can be artificial.” (...) She stayed there with her back to the room until her sister-in-law, laying an arm on her shoulder, led her to the looking glass. “It’s curious,” said Mme de, “how crying always makes one’s hair untidy.
O que me puxou para “Madame de”, além do enigmático título, foi o posfácio da autoria do filho de Duff Cooper, o embaixador inglês que traduziu este livrinho minúsculo. Nele, conta que, no Natal de 1944, quando Paris já tinha sido libertado, os pais organizavam sumptuosas soirées na Embaixada de Inglaterra, com um círculo de amigos que incluíam Jean Cocteau, Nancy Mitford e Louise de Vilmorin, que viria a tornar-se amante de Duff Cooper, o que era aceite com naturalidade pela mulher deste.
Depois destes fait-divers que achei fascinantes, resta-me dizer que esta novela se centra num par de brincos de diamantes em forma de coração, que anda de mão em mão durante menos de 100 páginas e que, graças a vários golpes do destino, por vezes regressa e escorrega por entre os dedos da sua proprietária original, Madame de. Em “Madame de” confirma-se que a mentira tem pena curta e descobre-se que um joalheiro está ao nível de um padre em termos de confidências, sendo um discretíssimo depositário de segredos e pecadilhos.
“M. de bought the diamond hearts and the jeweller apologised for selling them to him for the fourth time. They shook hands like men who feel that fate has thrown them together and that they are sure soon to meet again.
February 5, 2014
“Whenever love touches history, events of the past belong to the present.” The first line of this tale made me want to give up. What a ridiculous and empty sentiment. Perhaps something is lost in translation.
I bought the Criterion blu ray for Ophuls’ The Earrings of Madame de…, and this, the original novella, came with it. Though brief (in essence a short story) and not as fleshed out as the film version, the written version employs interesting devices that make it unique. Vilmarin's writing style is somewhat artless, but has its own strength apart from the movie.
First, though the setting is late 19th century, the story contains no anachronism. It could easily be transcribed to a modern setting, and even the earrings could be replaced with anything of value or significance between lovers. Second, the action revolving around an inanimate object which changes possession and meaning – this is a mature and unique device that helps reveal the characters of our three protagonists. There are no bad guys in this story, just bad circumstances and some self discovery. Third, the withholding of the characters’ family names is a lovely device. Especially in Parisian society, where names carry connotations which can be difficult to shake. Vilmorin was smart to keep the characters generic. This way, the characterizations remain subtle until revealed by circumstances.
Overall, the novella is much less melodramatic than the film, forcing the reader to pay attention to the characters’ actions. In the film, all three characters make faces, exaggerate body language and vary their lines according to their actorly interpretations. The story is much more disciplined. In the end, the side you choose to empathize with reveals something about your own inward character as a reader.
After seeing the film and reading the story, I have to honestly say I don't recommend either the book or the film. There's so little to learn from either, unless you're a film student studying Ophuls' genius camera movement (his long pans and tracking shots help propel the plot). The lessons the story tries to teach concerning the danger of lies between lovers are obvious and unnecessary.
I bought the Criterion blu ray for Ophuls’ The Earrings of Madame de…, and this, the original novella, came with it. Though brief (in essence a short story) and not as fleshed out as the film version, the written version employs interesting devices that make it unique. Vilmarin's writing style is somewhat artless, but has its own strength apart from the movie.
First, though the setting is late 19th century, the story contains no anachronism. It could easily be transcribed to a modern setting, and even the earrings could be replaced with anything of value or significance between lovers. Second, the action revolving around an inanimate object which changes possession and meaning – this is a mature and unique device that helps reveal the characters of our three protagonists. There are no bad guys in this story, just bad circumstances and some self discovery. Third, the withholding of the characters’ family names is a lovely device. Especially in Parisian society, where names carry connotations which can be difficult to shake. Vilmorin was smart to keep the characters generic. This way, the characterizations remain subtle until revealed by circumstances.
Overall, the novella is much less melodramatic than the film, forcing the reader to pay attention to the characters’ actions. In the film, all three characters make faces, exaggerate body language and vary their lines according to their actorly interpretations. The story is much more disciplined. In the end, the side you choose to empathize with reveals something about your own inward character as a reader.
After seeing the film and reading the story, I have to honestly say I don't recommend either the book or the film. There's so little to learn from either, unless you're a film student studying Ophuls' genius camera movement (his long pans and tracking shots help propel the plot). The lessons the story tries to teach concerning the danger of lies between lovers are obvious and unnecessary.
January 7, 2020
One more case of being led to the book by the movie. Nothing spectac, but satisfied my curiosity.
May 19, 2025
One of the prettiest books I own: a 1950s edition found at McNaughtan's with my friend. <3
Novelist and poet Louise de Vilmorin (1902-1969) was a friend of Jean Cocteau and was once engaged to novelist and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (of Le Petit Prince fame). I was already familiar with this novella's plot from watching The Earrings of Madame de... (1953), which is an impeccable film adaptation with lots of nineteenth-century gowns (yes, my fave).
With all the trappings of fairy tale, Madame de is charming and elegant. Star-crossed lovers, a web of lies, and a fated pair of diamond earrings that appears again and again.
Novelist and poet Louise de Vilmorin (1902-1969) was a friend of Jean Cocteau and was once engaged to novelist and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (of Le Petit Prince fame). I was already familiar with this novella's plot from watching The Earrings of Madame de... (1953), which is an impeccable film adaptation with lots of nineteenth-century gowns (yes, my fave).
With all the trappings of fairy tale, Madame de is charming and elegant. Star-crossed lovers, a web of lies, and a fated pair of diamond earrings that appears again and again.
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December 15, 2022"Whenever love touches history, events of the past belong to the present."
in the same vein as maupassant's infamous 'the necklace', vilmorin's gorgeously tragic novella madame de initially uses a piece of jewellery (a pair of heart-shaped diamond earrings here) as a significant symbolic motif to unpack the excesses and shallow materialism of the upper class. the earrings start off as a flashy wedding gift from the titular madame de's husband, a transaction much like their marriage. however, the jewellery's meaning alters during its circular passage, sold and rebought four times in total, becoming a symbol of love, nostalgia and eventually a memento mori of its owner's existence.
as dave kehr notes in his review of ophüls's 1953 film adaptation, this novella feels very much like a bare bones draft and the starting basis for the masterful film. this novella is charming (i was reminded of zweig, one of my favourite authors) but does not reach the sublime heights of ophüls's film, which i find more sympathetic and emotionally charged in its telling of madame de's plight overall— . vilmorin's novella is still a pleasure to read for its rich characterisation; while madame de's emotional transformation from glibness to heartbreak touches the heart deeply, the ambassador's cultivated cruelty also stood out to me as highly accurate.
as much as i enjoyed this, vilmorin's madame de still seems more like a lovely but inferior version of zweig's novellas or its filmic adaptation — not sure who it is for, aside from curious ophüls fans.
in the same vein as maupassant's infamous 'the necklace', vilmorin's gorgeously tragic novella madame de initially uses a piece of jewellery (a pair of heart-shaped diamond earrings here) as a significant symbolic motif to unpack the excesses and shallow materialism of the upper class. the earrings start off as a flashy wedding gift from the titular madame de's husband, a transaction much like their marriage. however, the jewellery's meaning alters during its circular passage, sold and rebought four times in total, becoming a symbol of love, nostalgia and eventually a memento mori of its owner's existence.
as dave kehr notes in his review of ophüls's 1953 film adaptation, this novella feels very much like a bare bones draft and the starting basis for the masterful film. this novella is charming (i was reminded of zweig, one of my favourite authors) but does not reach the sublime heights of ophüls's film, which i find more sympathetic and emotionally charged in its telling of madame de's plight overall— . vilmorin's novella is still a pleasure to read for its rich characterisation; while madame de's emotional transformation from glibness to heartbreak touches the heart deeply, the ambassador's cultivated cruelty also stood out to me as highly accurate.
as much as i enjoyed this, vilmorin's madame de still seems more like a lovely but inferior version of zweig's novellas or its filmic adaptation — not sure who it is for, aside from curious ophüls fans.
July 21, 2021
Interesting enough for a novella. Personally I prefer fuller novels, so I would have liked more to the story and characters. Though, I also understand its short form helps aid the intention- much like the characters not having names. Looking forward to watching the film and seeing the characters come to life. Such a short story will surely lend itself to a screen adaptation.
February 18, 2024
Read along with watching the amazing movie . But I thought the changed ending of t h e movie was better.
July 30, 2016
While looking through my shelves for suitable books for Women in Translation month, I found Louise de Vilmorin’s novella Madame de___. It’s a perfect one-sitting read, short enough to squeeze into a spare hour or two. Despite being published in 1951, Madame de ___reads like a classic 19th-century French novel, albeit in miniature. It is a beautifully constructed story: elegant, artful and poignant all at once.
Madame de___ is a woman of some distinction. She and her husband, an astute and wealthy man, belong to a circle of society that values elegance, discretion and reputation. They are no longer in love with one another but have moved into a different phase of their marriage; nevertheless, it suits both of them to remain together.
Even though her husband never questions the amount of money she spends on clothes, Madame de ___ likes to think of herself as rather clever and prudent. Consequently, she keeps the true extent of her expenditure hidden from her husband. After this has been happening for few years, Madame de ___ finds herself with significant debts to settle. Unwilling to confess her position to her husband for fear of losing either his respect or his confidence, she decides to sell some of her jewellery in secret. After some deliberation, Madame de ___ settles on a pair of earrings made of two glittering heart-shaped diamonds, a gift from her husband on the day after their wedding.
She called on her jeweller. He was a thoroughly reliable man; in the houses of many of his most important customers he was as much a friend as a jeweller. She swore him to secrecy, and spoke to him in such a way that he received the impression that M. de ___ was aware of what his wife was doing. The jeweller assumed that M. de ___ had some private money troubles, and wishing to help him without letting Mᵐᵉ de ___ realise what he suspected, he tactfully asked:
“But, Mᵐᵉ, what will you say to M. de ___?”
“Oh,” she answered, “I shall tell him I’ve lost them.”
“You are so charming that I am sure people always believe whatever you say,” said the jeweller, and he bought the earrings.
Mᵐᵉ de ___ paid her debts, and her beauty, free of care, shone brighter than ever. (pgs. 12-13)
This unfortunate act sets in motion a sequence of lies and acts of deceit that come back to haunt Madame de ___ over the course of this story. Perhaps she really did believe the jeweller when he flattered her with the notion that people will always accept whatever she says without probing too deeply…
To read the rest of my review, please click here:
https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2015...
Madame de___ is a woman of some distinction. She and her husband, an astute and wealthy man, belong to a circle of society that values elegance, discretion and reputation. They are no longer in love with one another but have moved into a different phase of their marriage; nevertheless, it suits both of them to remain together.
Even though her husband never questions the amount of money she spends on clothes, Madame de ___ likes to think of herself as rather clever and prudent. Consequently, she keeps the true extent of her expenditure hidden from her husband. After this has been happening for few years, Madame de ___ finds herself with significant debts to settle. Unwilling to confess her position to her husband for fear of losing either his respect or his confidence, she decides to sell some of her jewellery in secret. After some deliberation, Madame de ___ settles on a pair of earrings made of two glittering heart-shaped diamonds, a gift from her husband on the day after their wedding.
She called on her jeweller. He was a thoroughly reliable man; in the houses of many of his most important customers he was as much a friend as a jeweller. She swore him to secrecy, and spoke to him in such a way that he received the impression that M. de ___ was aware of what his wife was doing. The jeweller assumed that M. de ___ had some private money troubles, and wishing to help him without letting Mᵐᵉ de ___ realise what he suspected, he tactfully asked:
“But, Mᵐᵉ, what will you say to M. de ___?”
“Oh,” she answered, “I shall tell him I’ve lost them.”
“You are so charming that I am sure people always believe whatever you say,” said the jeweller, and he bought the earrings.
Mᵐᵉ de ___ paid her debts, and her beauty, free of care, shone brighter than ever. (pgs. 12-13)
This unfortunate act sets in motion a sequence of lies and acts of deceit that come back to haunt Madame de ___ over the course of this story. Perhaps she really did believe the jeweller when he flattered her with the notion that people will always accept whatever she says without probing too deeply…
To read the rest of my review, please click here:
https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2015...
January 20, 2013
This short novel, or long short story, I read when I was a teenager and studying French literature. I found the Livre de Poche edition in the school library, and devoured it. I didn't think about it again until reminded of Louise de Vilmorin in a review of her novel Les Belles Amours on Vulpes Libris. Then I remembered what a little gem of French manners was Madame de . Not brave enough to seek out the Livre de Poche this time, I've gone for an elegant English translation by one of Louise de Vilmorin's many lovers, Duff Cooper.
The pivot of the story is a pair of diamond heart-shaped ear-rings belonging to Madame de . I won't even begin to tell you how these ear-rings are the driver of the plot, as it is so unique and original, apart from to say that they are her downfall. When I read the novel as a teenager, I thought that Madame de was an immoral and heartless woman who probably was punished more than she deserved, but not much more. This time, I see her very differently. I see the novella as a tiny, elegant tragedy, and Madame de as the tragic heroine, at the mercy of the world of men. Isn't growing up wonderful?
This novella was made into a classic film by Max Ophuls (1952) which I have seen only once many years ago, and must now look for again.
The pivot of the story is a pair of diamond heart-shaped ear-rings belonging to Madame de . I won't even begin to tell you how these ear-rings are the driver of the plot, as it is so unique and original, apart from to say that they are her downfall. When I read the novel as a teenager, I thought that Madame de was an immoral and heartless woman who probably was punished more than she deserved, but not much more. This time, I see her very differently. I see the novella as a tiny, elegant tragedy, and Madame de as the tragic heroine, at the mercy of the world of men. Isn't growing up wonderful?
This novella was made into a classic film by Max Ophuls (1952) which I have seen only once many years ago, and must now look for again.
September 17, 2008
Read this translation as part of the bonus booklet in the Criterion DVD release of the Max Ophuls film version. Loved the book, loved the movie. Read my review here.
December 28, 2014
Reminiscent of La Ronde and one or two other French novellas, telling of the travels of a pair of heart-shaped earrings sold, regained and resold among the upper reaches of French 1880s society. A beautiful soufflé.
March 26, 2019
An interesting read- about deceptions and excuses which can never be undone. Short enough to read in an hour or two, but thought-provoking enough to stay with you a little while longer.
July 4, 2019
Madame de is Madame Bovary done well.
October 19, 2025
The Earrings of Madame de…, based on the novel by Louise de Vilmorin, directed by Max Ophüls
A different version of this note and thoughts on other books are available at:
- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... and http://realini.blogspot.ro/
This is a very good romantic comedy.
And you can find it on The New York Times’ Best 1,000 Movies ever Made List:
- http://www.listchallenges.com/new-yor...
the director, Max Ophüls was one of the most acclaimed filmmakers…
- Lola Montes, La Ronde, Le Plaisir and The Earrings of Madame de…are among the most appreciated movies
Charles Boyer is also a glorious actor.
He is sophisticated, majestic, at times flamboyant, aristocratic in manner, charismatic and able to play both sides.
He has been a perfect villain in the recently viewed and noted on Gaslight, but he can act in comedies perfectly:
- Barefoot in the Park is the perfect testimony
As for his opponent in The Earrings of Madame de…, Viitorio de Sica is one of the Gods of cinema, with an impressive career as actor…
But he is also sure to be included in the history of motion pictures for the masterpieces that he has directed:
- Bicycle thieves for instance is among the best movies ever made, perhaps among the best five
- Two Women, The Gold of Naples, Umberto D., Shoeshine, The Garden of Finzi- Continis, Marriage Italian Style and others are also among the best ever made films!
Charles Boyer is Général André de... and he is married to the Comtesse Louise de…
In the first stages of the narrative, the Comtesse is trying to sell her earrings.
And as the title suggests, these jewels will be one of the important personages of the story and they will change hands.
The jeweler is offering a good sum, since they are not just diamonds, but have been bought from his own shop.
Nevertheless, he announces the baron, especially given the circumstances under which their loss has been announced.
Because they were a present from the general, the wife makes up a lie about their being lost on the way to the opera.
Given their immense value, a theft is not excluded and this is when the Jeweler thought it better to talk to the general.
The latter buys the earrings- again- and then he makes them a gift, but…not to his own wife, but to a mistress.
This one is departing from Istanbul, where she engages in roulette games where she loses everything and has to sell the jewels.
Enter the stage the Baron Fabrizio Donati, portrayed by Viitorio de Sica, the man who buys the earrings.
He meets the Comtesse Louise de… and is fascinated and a relationship is developing between the two.
She even faints at one hunting party, when she sees with binoculars that the baron has fallen from his horse.
It is also an amusing incident, for the husband is reproaching the duration of the faint, which was inappropriate:
- Keep your lapses short my dear
Throughout the film, the parties involved act with incredible politeness and extraordinary restraint, up to when duel is in question.
This viewer was often tempted to quote:
A different version of this note and thoughts on other books are available at:
- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... and http://realini.blogspot.ro/
This is a very good romantic comedy.
And you can find it on The New York Times’ Best 1,000 Movies ever Made List:
- http://www.listchallenges.com/new-yor...
the director, Max Ophüls was one of the most acclaimed filmmakers…
- Lola Montes, La Ronde, Le Plaisir and The Earrings of Madame de…are among the most appreciated movies
Charles Boyer is also a glorious actor.
He is sophisticated, majestic, at times flamboyant, aristocratic in manner, charismatic and able to play both sides.
He has been a perfect villain in the recently viewed and noted on Gaslight, but he can act in comedies perfectly:
- Barefoot in the Park is the perfect testimony
As for his opponent in The Earrings of Madame de…, Viitorio de Sica is one of the Gods of cinema, with an impressive career as actor…
But he is also sure to be included in the history of motion pictures for the masterpieces that he has directed:
- Bicycle thieves for instance is among the best movies ever made, perhaps among the best five
- Two Women, The Gold of Naples, Umberto D., Shoeshine, The Garden of Finzi- Continis, Marriage Italian Style and others are also among the best ever made films!
Charles Boyer is Général André de... and he is married to the Comtesse Louise de…
In the first stages of the narrative, the Comtesse is trying to sell her earrings.
And as the title suggests, these jewels will be one of the important personages of the story and they will change hands.
The jeweler is offering a good sum, since they are not just diamonds, but have been bought from his own shop.
Nevertheless, he announces the baron, especially given the circumstances under which their loss has been announced.
Because they were a present from the general, the wife makes up a lie about their being lost on the way to the opera.
Given their immense value, a theft is not excluded and this is when the Jeweler thought it better to talk to the general.
The latter buys the earrings- again- and then he makes them a gift, but…not to his own wife, but to a mistress.
This one is departing from Istanbul, where she engages in roulette games where she loses everything and has to sell the jewels.
Enter the stage the Baron Fabrizio Donati, portrayed by Viitorio de Sica, the man who buys the earrings.
He meets the Comtesse Louise de… and is fascinated and a relationship is developing between the two.
She even faints at one hunting party, when she sees with binoculars that the baron has fallen from his horse.
It is also an amusing incident, for the husband is reproaching the duration of the faint, which was inappropriate:
- Keep your lapses short my dear
Throughout the film, the parties involved act with incredible politeness and extraordinary restraint, up to when duel is in question.
This viewer was often tempted to quote:
August 24, 2019
This is an aristocratic work much derived from the lifestyle of the author. She was towering over her work and very much present.
Her own life was fascinating. In the afterword, the acclaimed historian John Julius Norwich wrote of his affection of her when he was in his teen years. In fact, the author was a mistress of his ambassador father and yet grand friend with his knowing mother.
This book was made into a film but the life of the author might make a sophisticated mini-series. Reading about the author was more interesting than the book.
I love the process of discovering such a book.
Her own life was fascinating. In the afterword, the acclaimed historian John Julius Norwich wrote of his affection of her when he was in his teen years. In fact, the author was a mistress of his ambassador father and yet grand friend with his knowing mother.
This book was made into a film but the life of the author might make a sophisticated mini-series. Reading about the author was more interesting than the book.
I love the process of discovering such a book.
December 30, 2023
Da una piccola menzogna ad un crescendo di equivoci lungo la strada per la tragedia finale -Madame De*** è un personaggio straordinario nella sua semplicità, nel suo tentare di tenere insieme la propria vita, mentre proprio la vita ogni volta, crudelmente, le rinfaccia quell'unico errore. Vittima di sé stessa e del fato, Madame de*** rimane una figura dignitosissima, tratteggiata senza fronzoli ma con cui è facile identificarsi. E' la figura battiatesca che "Cambierebbe un po' di leggerezza e di stupidità", ma vittima anche delle proprie passioni, ad un certo punto, non può che soccombere.
July 10, 2017
The French novelette from 1951 lacks the depth and captivating style of the 5-star movie (The Earrings of Madame de...) that came two years later. But it's an okay read.
"Madame de... was a very elegant, distinguished and celebrated woman. Seemingly destined to a delightful, uncomplicated existence. Probably nothing would have happened had it not been for those jewels..." (the prologue to the film)
"Madame de... was a very elegant, distinguished and celebrated woman. Seemingly destined to a delightful, uncomplicated existence. Probably nothing would have happened had it not been for those jewels..." (the prologue to the film)
January 27, 2023
“Las miradas portadoras de los más profundos silencios hacen nacer a veces una especie de inercia, de la que no es tan fácil salir.”
Si te gusta la literatura “galante”, es por acá. Cortita y muy divertida. Tiene mucha inspiración en La princesa de Clèves.
Si te gusta la literatura “galante”, es por acá. Cortita y muy divertida. Tiene mucha inspiración en La princesa de Clèves.
August 26, 2023
Je ne saurais dire si c’était satyrique ou simplement ridicule. Mais vu que j’adore les poèmes de Louise de Vilmorin, j’aimerais croire qu’elle avait assez de génie que pour créer intentionnellement avec Madame De un personnage qui inspire autant d’empathie que de moquerie.
December 18, 2018
Roman à l’eau de rose sans intérêt intrigue très improbable des personnages plats
July 4, 2022
Short novella about a pair of diamond heart earrings that make the rounds
November 21, 2022
this was very good, i recommend this be read in all schools honestly!
April 20, 2024
Interesting little tale, I like the choice to focus on an item more than the world around it.
August 23, 2024
All this? Over earrings?
I was entertained.
I was entertained.
November 15, 2025
A very curious read! Happy I came across Vilmorin’s depiction of a long lost society. Charming that it all revolves around a pair of earrings :)
October 1, 2019
A short, fascinating tale of interlocking stories and coincidences, told via the journey of a pair of diamond earrings. Nothing spectacular, but a clever read.
December 16, 2013
I am extraordinarily grateful that Louise de Vilmorin chose to write this story. That gratitude, however, is not related to anything contained within her words, but in the fact that Max Ophüls later used the almost depth-less prose to craft one of the greatest films in cinematic history.
Madame de (in its original written iteration) has some interesting ideas contained in its pages. The way in which events revolve around the axis of the earrings creates a fiction that seems almost carnival-esque, albeit in a haughty, upper crust fashion befitting the characters and their "high society."
But such is where Madame de falls apart. The novella seems very much a part of the depitcted aristocracy, even if Vilmorin wrote it about fifty years following the story's events around the fin de siècle, as the turn of the 19th century was referred to in French society. It sympathizes with the kindness and generosity of its characters (Madame de-, Monsieur de-, and the Ambassador), all three of whom are upstanding bourgeois citizens. It's incredibly forgiving of any transgressions, dismissing the consequences of actions, however terrible those consequences might be, and letting the characters off the hook with the notion that their hearts were in the right place. And it certainly wastes no time in setting them apart in their demographic. On the very first page (at least in the translation of the story placed in the Criterion Collection booklet that accompanies the film), the Madame is described in relation to her contemporaries as "original in all her ways." In fact, she "set the fashion among those who knew her and, as the men said she was inimitable, sensible women sought to imitate her."
The style of the writing itself does nothing to redeem the lazy handling of the protagonists. Of course, it can be a tricky line in cases such as these, deciding whether the author is to blame for the words, or if it can be attributed to a less than stellar translation. That being said, the latter can usually only be accountable for the nuances in the reading of a sentence, and generally won't change its greater meaning or construction. And here, exposition is frequently (generally at least several times a page) used to clarify the feelings of a character that was already abundantly clear based on the knowledge of prior events or even already established characterization. A good portion of the writing is nothing more than superfluous fluff.
For instance, one passage describes how Madame de- "suffered not only from knowing that she was no longer loved, but also from not understanding why the Ambassador, instead of explaining himself, avoided the woman whose heart he had won after having courted her for so long." There are three components to this sentence, and every one of them has already been expounded upon at length. The preceding pages are entirely devoted to Madame de-'s lovelorn agony and its root in the Ambassador's sudden abandonment, a turn from the pages entirely devoted to their courtship. Essentially, it amounts to nothing more than an awkward clincher statement at the end of a body paragraph from a junior high student's English essay.
Thankfully, the film that grew out of it, The Earrings of Madame de... removed the shallow and superficial look at its characters and replaced it with a much sharper eye that highlighted the hypocrisies on display, that even while it sympathized with the three caught up in this love triangle, it took them to task for their rampant indiscretions. It's one of the most effective balancing acts in motion pictures, with one of the most cynically ironic closing shots in history. It's funny, then, that this profound work of art (in a medium often considered inferior to that of its source material) grew out of a story I can easily imagine Parisian housewives sitting around reading in the early 1950s, just as their modern day American counterparts devour 50 Shades of Grey.
Madame de (in its original written iteration) has some interesting ideas contained in its pages. The way in which events revolve around the axis of the earrings creates a fiction that seems almost carnival-esque, albeit in a haughty, upper crust fashion befitting the characters and their "high society."
But such is where Madame de falls apart. The novella seems very much a part of the depitcted aristocracy, even if Vilmorin wrote it about fifty years following the story's events around the fin de siècle, as the turn of the 19th century was referred to in French society. It sympathizes with the kindness and generosity of its characters (Madame de-, Monsieur de-, and the Ambassador), all three of whom are upstanding bourgeois citizens. It's incredibly forgiving of any transgressions, dismissing the consequences of actions, however terrible those consequences might be, and letting the characters off the hook with the notion that their hearts were in the right place. And it certainly wastes no time in setting them apart in their demographic. On the very first page (at least in the translation of the story placed in the Criterion Collection booklet that accompanies the film), the Madame is described in relation to her contemporaries as "original in all her ways." In fact, she "set the fashion among those who knew her and, as the men said she was inimitable, sensible women sought to imitate her."
The style of the writing itself does nothing to redeem the lazy handling of the protagonists. Of course, it can be a tricky line in cases such as these, deciding whether the author is to blame for the words, or if it can be attributed to a less than stellar translation. That being said, the latter can usually only be accountable for the nuances in the reading of a sentence, and generally won't change its greater meaning or construction. And here, exposition is frequently (generally at least several times a page) used to clarify the feelings of a character that was already abundantly clear based on the knowledge of prior events or even already established characterization. A good portion of the writing is nothing more than superfluous fluff.
For instance, one passage describes how Madame de- "suffered not only from knowing that she was no longer loved, but also from not understanding why the Ambassador, instead of explaining himself, avoided the woman whose heart he had won after having courted her for so long." There are three components to this sentence, and every one of them has already been expounded upon at length. The preceding pages are entirely devoted to Madame de-'s lovelorn agony and its root in the Ambassador's sudden abandonment, a turn from the pages entirely devoted to their courtship. Essentially, it amounts to nothing more than an awkward clincher statement at the end of a body paragraph from a junior high student's English essay.
Thankfully, the film that grew out of it, The Earrings of Madame de... removed the shallow and superficial look at its characters and replaced it with a much sharper eye that highlighted the hypocrisies on display, that even while it sympathized with the three caught up in this love triangle, it took them to task for their rampant indiscretions. It's one of the most effective balancing acts in motion pictures, with one of the most cynically ironic closing shots in history. It's funny, then, that this profound work of art (in a medium often considered inferior to that of its source material) grew out of a story I can easily imagine Parisian housewives sitting around reading in the early 1950s, just as their modern day American counterparts devour 50 Shades of Grey.
February 16, 2017
Madame De piques the interest immediately with its strange title. Although it was first published in 1951, the omission of the proper noun and its replacement with a blank space alerts readers to a device used to hint at a real-life subject (i.e. a roman à clef) while at the same time suggesting a universal type. Madame De _____ could actually be someone the reader knows (or knows of) but she could also be ‘a typical woman’. Either way, it is hard to escape the conclusion that the author despised Madame De . The characterisation is much kinder to her husband.
I like to think that De Vilmorin set her tale in the past and wrote in the style of 19th century French fiction because she was pleased that women such as Madame De no longer existed. I have recently bought Les Parisiennes: How the Women of Paris Lived, Loved and Died in the 1940s by Anne Sebba and although I’ve only read a couple of chapters, the book shows that reality of life under Nazi Occupation meant that there were grave risks for weak-willed women dependent on men for their sense of self. Then again, the 21st century is replete with celebrity airheads who marry foolish rich men, and maybe De Vilmorin was satirising the behaviour of collaborators.
An idle woman with no children, Madame De is preoccupied with being elegant because that is the mark of merit in the circle of society to which Mme De belonged. She sets the fashion and others follow. Balzac wrote many stories about women such as her, often in contrast to women who used their wit and intelligence to achieve something worthwhile despite the patriarchal society they lived in.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2017/02/16/m...
I like to think that De Vilmorin set her tale in the past and wrote in the style of 19th century French fiction because she was pleased that women such as Madame De no longer existed. I have recently bought Les Parisiennes: How the Women of Paris Lived, Loved and Died in the 1940s by Anne Sebba and although I’ve only read a couple of chapters, the book shows that reality of life under Nazi Occupation meant that there were grave risks for weak-willed women dependent on men for their sense of self. Then again, the 21st century is replete with celebrity airheads who marry foolish rich men, and maybe De Vilmorin was satirising the behaviour of collaborators.
An idle woman with no children, Madame De is preoccupied with being elegant because that is the mark of merit in the circle of society to which Mme De belonged. She sets the fashion and others follow. Balzac wrote many stories about women such as her, often in contrast to women who used their wit and intelligence to achieve something worthwhile despite the patriarchal society they lived in.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2017/02/16/m...
November 25, 2015
Review online at http://fictionalfix.blogspot.com/2015...
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