Comedy of Marriage and Other Tales

"Comedy of Marriage and Other Tales" by Guy de Maupassant is a collection of short stories likely written during the late 19th century. The work explores the complexities of marriage through various characters and scenarios, with the initial story, "La Paix du Ménage," introducing us to the troubled relationship of Monsieur and Madame de Sallus as well as the deepened connection between Madame de Sallus and her lover, Jacques de Randol. At the start of the play, we are placed in a drawing room where Madame de Sallus engages in a secretly affectionate conversation with Jacques de Randol, highlighting their romantic tension. Their dialogue reveals the strain in Madame de Sallus's marriage with Monsieur de Sallus, who has largely been indifferent to her affections. The characters navigate feelings of love, desire, jealousy, and discontent within the bounds of societal expectations, with Madame de Sallus contemplating her feelings for both her husband and Jacques. This mix of themes sets the stage for a critical examination of marriage and infidelity, reflecting the intricacies and emotional challenges faced by the characters. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant was a 19th-century French author, celebrated as a master of the short story, as well as a representative of the naturalist school, depicting human lives, destinies and social forces in disillusioned and often pessimistic terms.