"He had turn into the dandy of the unpredictable."
A quest for brand spanking new sensations--and an avowed wish to shock--possessed the Decadent writers of fin-de-siècle Paris. certainly, the years 1880-1900 observed a unprecedented, hothouse flowering of expertise, that produced the most unique, stylized, and cerebral literature within the French language. dying and Eros hang-out those pages, and a polymorphous perversity by means of turns hilarious and frightening. Their tales teem with addicts, maniacs, and murderers as they try to outdo one another.
This extraordinary choice by way of Stephen Romer-whose translations brilliantly trap the classy wit and black humor of the originals--brings jointly 36 of the easiest decadent stories from the French fin-de-siècle, together with paintings via famous writers reminiscent of Maupassant, Lorrain, Mirbeau, and Villiers in addition to lesser identified figures similar to Léon Bloy, Jean Richepin, and the Belgian Georges Rodenbach. Romer's enticing advent offers an entire context for the tales, underscoring the relevant literary, philosophical, clinical, and political traits of the time, which fed into their authors' loathing of the fashionable global, and the invention of the subconscious.
The booklet additionally contains biographical notes at the authors and explanatory notes to explain cultural references, plus a chronology of the most important guides and major occasions of the period.
About the Series: For over a hundred years Oxford World's Classics has made on hand the broadest spectrum of literature from around the world. every one cheap quantity displays Oxford's dedication to scholarship, delivering the main actual textual content plus a wealth of alternative worthy beneficial properties, together with specialist introductions via best professionals, voluminous notes to explain the textual content, updated bibliographies for extra learn, and masses extra.
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Sample text
Before long, Ma Zhong, who had actually caught Guan Yu, came hustling his prisoner before him. “I had long admired you for your great virtue,” said Sun Quan to Guan Yu, “so I offered you an alliance through marriage. Why did you refuse? You always regarded yourself 61 invincible—how come you are my prisoner today? ” Guan Yu answered, cursing indignantly at his enemy: “You blue-eyed brat! You red-bearded rat! I pledged in the Peach Garden with my sworn brothers to uphold the Hans. Do you think I will ever associate with a rebel like you?
On his return to Lukou the messenger told his new commander that Guan Yu was very much pleased and would cease to worry about threats from them. Lu Xun, delighted with the result, at once sent out spies to gather more information on Guan Yu’s moves, and they returned to say that most of the troops in Jingzhou had been removed to assist in the siege of Fancheng, which was to be seriously assaulted as soon as Guan Yu recovered from his wound. This news was promptly sent on to Sun Quan, who at once called in Lu Meng to decide upon the next move.
The first order issued by Lu Meng was to spare the people. Instant death was to be the punishment for any murder or robbery. The various officials in the city were allowed to retain their offices and continue their work. Guan Yu’s family was put in safe accommodation without any danger of being assaulted by outsiders. A report was sent immediately to Sun Quan. One very wet day Lu Meng, with a few horsemen as escort, was going round the four gates of the city when he saw a soldier taking a local resident’s broad-brimmed hat and putting it over his armor to keep it dry.