Marianne by George Sand
"Marianne" by George Sand is a novel centered on the life of its titular character, Marianne Chevreuse, a young woman who embodies the author's own ideals of independence and creativity. Set in the idyllic countryside, reminiscent of Sand's own estate, the narrative explores Marianne's solitary existence, her love for her horse, and her deep, unacknowledged affection for Pierre André, an old family friend. The story unfolds as Pierre, plagued by self-doubt and complacency, becomes entwined with Philippe Gaucher, a charming yet superficial Parisian who seeks to win Marianne's heart.
Through Marianne's interactions, Sand critiques societal norms, emphasizing the importance of recognizing true love and individual agency. The plot examines themes of jealousy, friendship, and the significance of understanding beauty in both nature and human relationships. Ultimately, the novel conveys an optimistic message about self-realization and the transformative power of connection, suggesting that genuine relationships require action and awareness to flourish. With its rich characterizations and philosophical musings, "Marianne" invites readers to reflect on the essence of love and the pursuit of personal fulfillment.
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Marianne by George Sand
Excerpted from an article in Magill’s Survey of World Literature, Revised Edition
First published: 1876 (English translation, 1883)
Type of work: Novella
The Work
The twenty-five-year-old heroine, Marianne Chevreuse, represents the young George Sand as she might have been had she remained Aurore Dupin a few years longer, instead of rushing into marriage. Sand emphasizes the joys and pleasures of an unencumbered existence for an independent woman. Marianne’s country estate of Mortsang is very similar to Sand’s Nohant. Remaining unmarried, with her horse Suzon as her chief companion, Marianne is gaining the reputation of being a bit eccentric and too fond of solitude. In fact, she is in love with Pierre André, an old family friend who is also her godfather. In a situation typical of Sand, Pierre is so accustomed to Marianne that he cannot see that he loves her. Sand’s optimistic view of human nature requires that this common but usually insuperable situation must change.
Pierre is a man of considerable talent and abilities who utterly lacks self-confidence. Life has dashed his early unrealistic dreams, and on the brink of middle age he is about to resign himself to empty bachelorhood. Old school ties, however, lead to the arrival of Philippe Gaucher, a Parisian dandy, into Pierre’s life as an unwelcome houseguest. Gaucher is in search of a bride with a dowry, and Marianne has been recommended to him.
Jealousy plays a part in waking Pierre from his lethargy. Sand is at her most deft in delineating attractive, imaginative, worldly people who nevertheless fail to understand what is really important. The charming Gaucher, besides being a man of the world and a connoisseur of beauty, is a dilettante landscape painter. He drives Pierre to despair with his bold and poetic wooing of Marianne. Pierre warns Marianne that Gaucher is trying to compromise her, and he expresses surprise that Marianne never allows her old friend such liberties. In a conundrum typical of Sand, Marianne explains that she purposely never allows anything that would give rise to gossip about her and Pierre because she wants Pierre to be under no obligation to marry her. The excuse that Pierre would gladly have had for getting married, without admitting love, is removed.
Marianne is an artist in her own way, as expressed in her development of the park bordering her estate. She uses nature to create beauty. In her view, the dilettante Gaucher is deeply mistaken when he claims that because he is a painter, he sees the beauty of the countryside more clearly than those who actually live there. Marianne summarizes George Sand’s aesthetic credo when she tells Gaucher: “Beauty is like God, which exists by itself and gains nothing from all the hymns and paeans of praise lavished upon it.” Angered, Gaucher accuses her of being a philistine and finds that her words “are like a caterpillar on a rose.” To this, Marianne fervently replies that a caterpillar may be just as beautiful as a rose—and indeed, she has never seen an ugly caterpillar.
The ending is happy, not because of sensual bliss, or the triumph of true devotion, or the defeat of the false and empty—though all these come to pass—but because the main characters achieve their best chance to realize themselves through one another. Merely being suited to each other does not ensure that two people will make the match that they seem to be meant for. Sand’s heroines must act to bring it about, or it will not happen.
Bibliography
Atwood, William G. The Lioness and the Little One: Liaison of George Sand and Frédéric Chopin. New York: Columbia University Press, 1980.
Blount, Paul G. George Sand and the Victorian World. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1979.
Cate, Curtis. George Sand: A Biography. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1975.
Eisler, Benita. Naked in the Marketplace: The Lives of George Sand. New York: Counterpoint, 2006.
Harlan, Elizabeth. George Sand. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 2004.
Maurois, André. Lélia: The Life of George Sand. Translated by Gerard Hopkins. New York: Harper, 1953.
Peebles, Catherine M. The Psyche of Feminism: Sand, Colette, Sarraute. West Lafayette, Ind.: Purdue University Press, 2004.
Powell, David A. While the Music Lasts: The Representation of Music in the Works of George Sand. Lewisburg, Pa.: Bucknell University Press, 2001.
Schocket, Deborah Houk. Modes of Seduction: Sexual Power in Balzac and Sand. Madison, N.J.: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 2005.