Top of page

Book/Printed Material The Confession of a Child of the Century. La Confession d'un enfant du siècle

[ Volume 1 ]

More Resources

[ Volume 2 ]

About this Item

Title

  • The Confession of a Child of the Century.

Other Title

  • La Confession d'un enfant du siècle

Summary

  • La Confession d'un enfant du siècle (Confession of a child of the century) is a novel written by the French poet Alfred de Musset (1810--57) when he was 26 years old. It depicts the love affair of a young man named Octave, who, betrayed by his mistress, becomes cynical and drowns his sorrows in alcohol and debauchery. He then falls in love with Brigitte, but his jealous tendencies, his desire to "touch misfortune, otherwise called truth," put a strain on their relationship. So he decides to let go of his lover, willingly condemning himself to a life of unhappiness. This text, partially autobiographical, was written after Musset and George Sand (pseudonym of Amandine Lucile Aurore Dupin, 1804-76) broke off their relationship. While Musset accepted responsibility for the failure of the relationship, in this novel he turned their story into a tale of lovers who were cursed, akin to Romeo and Juliet. He also imparted to it an additional dimension: in his story, feelings create a connection between the individual existence of people and their social destiny. After the French Revolution and the end of the Empire, there "came upon a world in ruins an anxious truth.... Frightful despair stalked over the earth." In Musset's portrayal of society, the ideal and the dream have disappeared. In this closed, empty, and boring world, hypocrisy and cynicism rule. Only love is able to transcend the "cold star of reason," but Octave no longer believes in absolutes and his dismay intensifies. This novel, typical of the emblematic disappointment of romanticism, is presented here in its original version, published in 1836.

Names

  • Musset, Alfred de, 1810-1857 Author.

Created / Published

  • Paris : F. Bonnaire, 1836.

Headings

  • -  France
  • -  1836
  • -  French literature
  • -  Romanticism

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  Original resource extent: 2 volumes.
  • -  Original resource at: National Library of France.
  • -  Content in French.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021666975

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress is unaware of any copyright or other restrictions in the World Digital Library Collection. Absent any such restrictions, these materials are free to use and reuse. Researchers are encouraged to review the source information attached to each item. For information on contacting WDL partner organizations, see this archived list of partners

The Library asks that researchers approach the materials in this collection with respect for the culture and sensibilities of the people whose lives, ideas, and creativity are documented here.

Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

More about Copyright and other Restrictions

For additional information and contact information for many of the partner organizations, see this archived capture of the World Digital Library site from 2021.

For guidance about compiling full citations consult Citing Primary Sources.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Musset, Alfred De, Author. The Confession of a Child of the Century. Paris: F. Bonnaire, 1836. Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021666975/.

APA citation style:

Musset, A. D. (1836) The Confession of a Child of the Century. Paris: F. Bonnaire. [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021666975/.

MLA citation style:

Musset, Alfred De, Author. The Confession of a Child of the Century. Paris: F. Bonnaire, 1836. Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021666975/>.