Rot und Schwarz

Handsome & ambitious, Julien Sorel is determined to rise above his humble peasant origins & make something of his life. By adopting the code of hypocrisy by which his society operates Julien ultimately commits a crime--out of passion, principle or insanity--that will bring about his downfall. The Red & the Black is a lively, satirical picture of French Restoration society after Waterloo, riddled with corruption, greed & ennui. The complex, sympathetic portrayal of Julien, the cold exploiter whose Machiavellian campaign is undercut by his own emotions, makes him Stendhal's most brilliant & human creation--& one of the greatest characters in European literature.