A Chambermaid's Diary

"A Chambermaid's Diary" by Octave Mirbeau is a novel written in the late 19th century. The story is narrated by Célestine, a French chambermaid who has taken a position in the country with a wealthy couple. Through her diary entries, she offers a candid and satirical glimpse into the lives of both the upper class and the servants, revealing the dark underbelly of social dynamics, exploitation, and the often grotesque nature of human relationships. At the start of the novel, Célestine reflects on her experiences as a chambermaid and her latest employment at the Priory estate. Feeling a mix of anxiety and dissatisfaction, she details her arrival, first impressions of her new masters, Monsieur and Madame Lanlaire, and her disdain for the mundanity and hypocrisy surrounding her. Her observations on the disparaging attitudes of both her employers and fellow servants, along with the satire of bourgeois norms, hint at deeper issues of class and morality that will be explored throughout the diary. Célestine's character is complex; she is both proud and vulnerable, conveying a yearning to break free from the constraints of her position while simultaneously entangled in the very fabric of the social hierarchy she critiques. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Octave Henri Marie Mirbeau was a French novelist, art critic, travel writer, pamphleteer, journalist and playwright, who achieved celebrity in Europe and great success among the public, whilst still appealing to the literary and artistic avant-garde with highly transgressive novels that explored violence, abuse and psychological detachment. His work has been translated into 30 languages.