Madame Chrysantheme — Volume 3

Madame Chrysantheme — Volume 3

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She is pretty so he's pleased, but he kept comparing her to a doll and, once, even with a piece of furniture, so I got more and more irritated. I kept reading hoping to learn more about Chrysantheme, but he's not great at figuring out what her inner life is like so she's more caricature than fleshed out character.

The writing is very descriptive, but so boring. While, I don't regret reading it, I only read it because it is a key text in shaping western attitudes toward Japan and inspired Madame Butterfly so maybe I'll have better luck with that book. Dec 12, Javier rated it really liked it. I first hated Loti and the way he carried himself when he first arrived in Japan, I haven't seen this air of smugness on previous books of his. Then, I froze and panicked when he rendered a mirror; a mirror of my own frame of mind when I went to Japan, of my own western awkwardness against the delicate temperament of Japanese culture, and grad Nagasaki Then, I froze and panicked when he rendered a mirror; a mirror of my own frame of mind when I went to Japan, of my own western awkwardness against the delicate temperament of Japanese culture, and gradually I couldn't help but position my own experience and notes in juxtaposition with his; XIXth century Western Civilization meets Meiji Japan against XXth century Western "Civilization" meets XXth century Japan.

The haunting background of this picture of Nagasaki 60 years before its destruction; the urgency of knowing that the sites, the temples, those streets and everything contained in this landscape was fated to be destroyed, hangs heavily on every page, like a sword, or the pendulum descending towards the pit Furthermore, Pierre Loti "senses" a dark "something" that crawls in the background of Nagasaki, he describes a bluish fog that appears from time to time I will put some quotes I framed later..

Lastly, the story of the apathetic love between Pierre and Madame Chrysantheme, reminded me of my own spiteful behavior with my own M Thus, whenever I felt hatred for Loti and his despicable attitude towards Chrysantheme, I was feeling spite for myself.

This book was an exercise in cutting ppl and myself some slack, especially when you can't help but to cry of pity for Pierre in the very last sentence of the book. Yes, a commentary shall be written, indeed Pierre Loti's Madame Chrysantheme is an unusual combination of a beautifully written work and a moral callousness that defies description.

It is the tale of a French sailor on extended leave in Nagasaki, Japan, who arranges for a "temporary wife" with whom to bide his time until his ship sets sail again.

Madame Chrysantheme — Volume 3 Pierre

I could imagine the readers in France and mostly male ones, if I am correct wondering if they could visit some far-off, exotic place and engage in some harmless sexual tourism. Loti's descripti Pierre Loti's Madame Chrysantheme is an unusual combination of a beautifully written work and a moral callousness that defies description. Loti's descriptions of Nagasaki are truly beautiful -- and a little heartless: Needless to say that the cicalas [cicadas?

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The mountain smells delicious. The atmosphere, the dawning day, the infantine grace of these little girls in their long frocks and shiny chignons, all is redundant with freshness and youth. The flowers and grasses on which we tread sparkle with dewdrops, exhaling a perfume of freshness.

What undying beauty there is in Japan, in the first fresh morning hours in the country, and the dawning hours of life! Besides, I am quite ready to admit the attractiveness of the little Japanese children; some of them are most fascinating. But how is it that their charm vanishes so rapidly and is so quickly replaced by the elderly grimace, the smiling ugliness, the monkeyish face?

This is the second of Loti's books I have read on the same theme: In both cases, the narrator, whom we are meant to identify as Loti himself, leaves his wife of an idle hour and goes back to see. Here is the leavetaking in Madame Chrysantheme: I took you to amuse me; you have not perhaps succeeded very well, but after all you have done what you could: And who knows, perchance I may yet think of you sometimes when I recall this glorious summer, these pretty quaint gardens, and the ceaseless concert of the cicalas.

I don't know how it strikes you, but to me it fairly drips of racist condescension. In Los Angeles, where I live, I am surrounded by Japanese, many of whom are friends to whom I would be ashamed to introduce this author.

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Pierre Loti, noted writer and member of the French Academy, was in the French Navy from to Madame Chrysantheme is the journal of his summer stay in Japan. It is rich in local color and traditions of late nineteenth century Japan. Aug 27, Monica. Diario di viaggio di un marinaio temporaneamente "bloccato" in Giappone. Il tutto si svolge come una vera contrattazione di carattere commerciale, come se non si stesse decidendo il futuro di una persona identica a lui, ma quello di un oggetto , di un animale, o di una "belva" come lo stesso autore scrive.

Storia dunque di uno squallido "matrimonio" d' interesse, senza sentimenti e senza rimpianti per entrambi. Siamo a Nagasaki nel , fra luglio e settembre. L' unico merito di questo libro va conferito alla minuziosa descrizione dell' ambiente circostante.

Madame Chrysantheme by Pierre Loti

Da qui il suo disgusto si estende a tutti coloro che ha la "fortuna" di incontrare durante il soggiorno giapponese. None of my friends have read this? This book was part of the inspiration for Puccini's opera "Madama Butterfly," however, Madame Chrysantheme doesn't commit suicide at the end. The book begins with an officer's fervent desire to get off the merchant boat he's working on, and head out to the "House of Flowers" where the next few months of his life can be arranged for a monthly fee. Japan was such a civilized country in the 19th century to allow foreigners to take on a temporary None of my friends have read this?

Japan was such a civilized country in the 19th century to allow foreigners to take on a temporary wife, a highly exotic wife, during the few months that they were staying in the land. Of course, the fact that the foreigner could buy a kingdom of a semi legal wife was very exciting. In great anticipation the main character learns some Japanese while on the boat, and indeed gets himself quickly all set up.

Then the reality sets in, he's been housed, and housed in every sense of the word. His world is cornered by the police, the wife agents, his wife, his mother-in-law to whom he pays the monthly fee of the daughter, his rented house to house his wife, and the proprietors of property. His social life becomes making rounds at night escorting his wife and his wife's friends, other foreigners' "spouses", to the gardens at night where they all buy knickknacks and eat sorbet. Then the delusions of cross-culturalism: He dislikes her singing and playing of the shamisen.

His understanding of the word is limited because of the poverty of his Japanese. He describes his stay in Japan in the very racist terms and views the Europeans had of the Japanese. Half way through the book the author says something very interesting about how his visions of being a European in Japan, and how his pre-conceptions of Japan, were in essence false. This makes the Europe he left false, and the Japan he arrived in false. The end of the book has tinges of guilt and destructive impulses in it, he's behaved badly, he's been permitted to behave badly and he even paid money for it.

The prayer at the end where he prays to entirely forget his Chrysantheme is telling. The writing is poetic and descriptive, ephemeral even, and gives a good deal of scope into the basic and not so basic story of a flower girl and a passing barbarian. I'm not sure how I came across wanting this book, but I had to buy it used from Amazon.

I love the used edition I got: They really bring the dialogue to life.

Also, being a used book, it had a dedication in the beginning: To Ramona, Happy Birthday, Love, Ben sigh That dedication was the most interesting thing of the I'm not sure how I came across wanting this book, but I had to buy it used from Amazon. Who were these readers? Where are they now?

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What did they think of this? This is a loose memoir of a French naval officer's Pierre short summer in Japan. While his ship was in port, he opted for living quarters in the town of Nagasaki. His experiences are described in lengthy, flowering prose, almost as if every day of his life was a new painting he's describing to you.

Since the time period is the 's, the book is held up to some importance as being a contemporaneous account of the times. It's also viewed in part as the genesis of the opera, Madam Butterfly. As to the story Immediately upon arrival, Pierre arranges for a "wife" It was never crystal clear to me what all that meant, but it didn't seem to extend into anything beyond live-in companionship The trouble is, Pierre arrived with preconceived obsessions as to what this Japan would be like, and how much he would love all things Japan.

He found himself conflicted on a variety of fronts: The final scene with his geisha was emblematic of the whole story: A really nice idea, but he's so conflicted about what he really thinks and the writing is so flowery, that it's really tough to love this book. Here's the premise, fairly simple: He rents a house and a pretty local girl to serve as his "wife" that's what he calls her. The book is mostly composed of a series of vignettes describing people, places and customs.

There is no action in the traditional sense of the word: The main suspense comes from his Great and awful. The main suspense comes from his speculations as to the mutual fascination between his wife, the eponymous Madame Chrysantheme, and his friend Yves. Yet there is nothing boring about this book.

It's charming in its style and appalling and interesting in its substance. The depictions of the late 19th-century Nagasaki, of its crooked streets, lush temple gardens and dark shops are highly evocative, and one can almost feel the summer heat, the mosquitoes, the damp sweetness of the air. The style is very peculiar, whimsical and arrogant, but at the same time amusingly self-conscious. There is a moment when the narrator chides himself for the constant use of the word "little" - and of course quickly finds an excuse.

Yes, "little" in all its meanings is the word which he abuses when describing Japan, its culture, its ethics and its women. He considers his wife's and her friends' heads as too small to contain any significant thought. Japanese culture is too dainty, too weak to be of any inspiration. Japanese ethics and religion are too superficial, its ceremonials and polite forms serving only as a means and justification to obtain the maximum personal gain But what was the poor narrator expecting, coming on shore with a firm resolution to buy himself a "wife" for his silver dollars?

And this is the main interest of this book, this unabashed attitude of a 19th-century supposedly cultured person writing for other cultural persons. How has it all changed! Would you like to tell us about a lower price? If you are a seller for this product, would you like to suggest updates through seller support? It contains classical literature works from over two thousand years.

Madame Chrysantheme

Most of these titles have been out of print and off the bookstore shelves for decades. The book series is intended to preserve the cultural legacy and to promote the timeless works of classical literature. With this series, tredition intends to make thousands of international literature classics available in printed format again - worldwide. Read more Read less. Here's how restrictions apply.

About the Author Pierre Loti wurde am Be the first to review this item Would you like to tell us about a lower price? Start reading Madame Chrysantheme - Volume 3 on your Kindle in under a minute. Don't have a Kindle? Share your thoughts with other customers. Write a customer review. Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers.

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