Croisilles

by Alfred DeMusset

Genre: Drama
Setting:
Format of Original Source: Novella
Recommended Adaptation Length:

Candidate for Adaptation? Not Reviewed

EXCERPT:

There is one thing that must be said in justice to love; it is that the stronger, the clearer, the simpler the considerations opposed to it, in a word, the less common sense there is in the matter, the wilder does the passion become and the more does the lover love. It is one of the most beautiful things under heaven, this irrationality of the heart. We should not be worth much without it. After having walked about the room (without forgetting either her dear fan or the passing glance at the mirror), Julie allowed herself to sink once more upon her lounge. Whoever had seen her at this moment would have looked upon a lovely sight; her eyes sparkled, her cheeks were on fire; she sighed deeply, and murmured in a delicious transport of joy and pain:

“Poor fellow! He has ruined himself for me!”

COMMENTS:

The story revolves around a young man who turns to suicide when his family fortunes are ruined, and those around him to try to save him. There are huge plot holes in this story, and we wouldn’t recommend trying to plug them in order to save the rest. On the other hand, in the second half of the story, there’s a sneakily-touching series of scenes in which a hithertobefore indifferent woman warms to our hero when she sees the lengths to which he is willing to go in order to win her. (She’s made the financial stakes too high for him, and he literally gambles everything he has in ordr to get the money necessary to have her.) You might explore the second half of the story and possibly set it in fable/allegory; it could be funny and possibly even moving.

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