Over the years, the history of women has changed drastically. They have gained voting rights, work everyday jobs just like men do; they can even run for president. But during older times, women were but a mere shadow. They would stay home, prepare meals for their families, and do work around the house. During the nineteenth century in France, women could not really work for themselves or make any money for themselves. Guy de Maupassant is influenced by these limitations in his writing.
In “The Jewelry” he attempts to develop irony using the lives of urban people, especially due to the decline of morals in the society. Set in Paris, the story of Maupassant revolves around the life of Mr. Latin, a chief clerk at the French Ministry of Interior and his wife, a Mrs. Latin.
The actual name of the wife remains unknown to the reader throughout the story. At the beginning, the reader is introduced to the first meeting between Mr. Latin and his future wife, which took place at the house of a superintendent. Latin immediately falls in love with the young women. This short story focuses more on Character and irony than it does to other literary techniques.
French society imposed many limitations on women’s opportunities such as achieving social standing and class, having a job to work for their own money, and being satisfied. In the nineteenth century, social standing and class was important in French society. A wealthy aristocrat marrying a poor peasant was practically impossible. Women did not have many job opportunities compared to men. They would stay home and do basic labor, or they had minor indoor occupations.
According to Maupassant, the girl first appears “…very ideal of a pure and good woman to whom every young man can entrust” (The Jewelry 634). This quote is one of the most important indications of the wife’s character, and is actually an irony because the woman was not pure but a prostitute in disguise.
After the marriage, their first six years are full of happiness and understanding. However, woman has a passion for “fake” jewelry and “fake” theatres. But she is a good housekeeper, neat and decent. These characteristics provide Mr. Latin with a luxurious life.
After sixth year of marriage, Mr. Latin’s wife went out to the opera one cold night, but later came “back home freezing” (The Jewelry 635). She got a bad cough and within one week, she died from pneumonia. Mr. Latin’s was unable to touch or change anything owned by his late wife because they reminded him of her and her love for him.
Mr. Latin decides to sell his wife’s jewels, but he was surprised to realize that they were genuine and worth thousands of Francs. The reader concludes that she must have been an immoral woman who was ready to betray his husband to get a decent lifestyle. Mr. Latin decided to sell every jewel owned by his wife, quitted his job and useв the money to fund his life.
Maupassant focuses on characters and irony. The character of Mrs. Latin is questionable. While the wife presents as a decent and loving wife, the author provides the reader with a clue that she must have been cheating on the husband. She is possessed with the love for jewelry, decent lifestyle and entertainment.
In the jeweler’s store, Mr. Latin realized that the wife must have had another source of income. He realized that she must have been practicing prostitution, something that could have made her love going out at night.
It is also ironic for the young woman to have such sources of income, yet she looks simple and even uses the benefits of her immorality to please his husband. It is also ironic for Mr. Latin to live with her for six years and fail to note her other side of life after her death.
