The mayor of the small French town of Verrieres, Mr. de Renal, takes into the house a tutor - a young man named Julien Sorel. Ambitious and ambitious, Julien studies theology, knows Latin perfectly and reads pages from the Bible by heart. Since childhood, he has dreamed of fame and recognition, and also admires Napoleon. He believes that the path of a priest is the right way to make a career. His politeness and intelligence contrast sharply with the manners and character of Monsieur de Renal, whose wife gradually warms to Julien and then falls in love with him. They become lovers, but Madame de Renal is pious, she is constantly tormented by pangs of conscience, and the deceived husband receives an anonymous letter warning about his wife’s betrayal. Julien, by prior agreement with Madame de Renal, writes a similar letter, as if it had come to her. But rumors spread around the city, and Julien has to leave. He gets a job at the theological seminary in Besançon, impressing the rector Abbot Pirard with his knowledge. When the time comes to choose his confessor, he chooses Pirard, who, as it later turned out, was suspected of Jansenism.
They want to force Pirard to resign. His friend, the rich and influential Marquis de La Mole, invites the abbot to move to Paris and allocates him a parish four leagues from the capital. When the Marquis mentioned that he was looking for a secretary, Pirard suggested Julien as a man who “has both energy and intelligence.” He is very glad to have the opportunity to be in Paris. The Marquis, in turn, welcomes Julien for his hard work and abilities and trusts him with the most difficult matters. He also meets the marquis's daughter Matilda, who is frankly bored in secular society. Matilda is spoiled and selfish, but not stupid and very beautiful. The proud woman's pride is offended by Julien's indifference, and unexpectedly she falls in love with him. Julien does not experience reciprocal passion, but the attention of the aristocrat flatters him. After a night spent together, Matilda is horrified and breaks off relations with Julien, who is also tormented by unrequited love. His friend, Prince Korazov, advises him to make Matilda jealous by flirting with other women, and the plan unexpectedly succeeds. Mathilde falls in love with Julien again, and then announces that she is expecting a child and wants to marry him. However, Sorel's rosy plans are upset by a sudden letter from Madame de Renal. The woman writes:
Poverty and greed prompted this man, capable of incredible hypocrisy, to seduce a weak and unhappy woman and in this way create a certain position for himself and become one of the people... [He] does not recognize any laws of religion. To be honest, I have to think that one of the ways to achieve success is for him to seduce the woman who enjoys the greatest influence in the house.
The Marquis de La Mole does not want to see Julien. The same one goes to Madame de Renal, buys a pistol on the way and shoots his former lover. Madame Renal does not die from her wounds, but Julien is still taken into custody and sentenced to death. In prison, he again makes peace with Madame de Renal and repents of attempting to commit murder. He realizes that he has always been in love only with her. Madame de Renal comes to him in prison and tells him that the letter was written by her confessor, and she only rewrote it. After Julien is sentenced to death, he refuses to appeal, reinforcing this by the fact that he has achieved everything in life, and death will only end this path. Madame de Renal dies three days after Julien's execution.
Julien Sorel - main character novel. He wants to be a military man, but only nobles are accepted there. Therefore, he wants to wear a black cassock, since the path there is open to him. But he only craves the privileges of this garment. He doesn't believe in God himself. Smart, prudent, does not disdain his means, an ardent admirer of Napoleon, wants to repeat his fate. He thinks that if he had been born during the time of Napoleon, he would have achieved a lot, but now he has to be a hypocrite. Understands that for the sake of your goals you need to treat people you don’t like well. He tries to be a hypocrite, but it doesn’t always work out. Very emotional, vain, chasing position in society. Hot-tempered. Brave. Sometimes his feelings prevail over his mind.
Madame de Renal is the wife of the mayor of the city of Verrieres, Mr. de Renal. 30 years old. Sincere, simple-minded and naive.
Mathilde de La Mole - 20 years old; harsh, emotional, ironic towards her acquaintances, not hypocritical with her father’s friends. Acts like a child. Slowly reads his father's books (Voltaire, Rousseau). And the more modern protest there is, the more interesting it seems.
Abbot Pirard - Sorel meets him at the seminary. The abbot has sympathy for the smart student, but tries not to show it. They are similar to Sorel. Most do not like them for their intelligence, erudition, and opposition to other seminarians. Everyone is ready to report them at the first opportunity. As a result, the abbot survives from the seminary. Mr. de La Mole helps him move to another place.
Mr. de La Mole - participates in secret meetings, looks like an ultra-royalist in the 1820s. Has a large library. Treats Sorel well from the very beginning, does not despise his origins. Appreciates him for his work and help with business. I immediately believed Sorel’s negative characterization. I am grateful to the abbot for his help.
Count de Thaler is the son of a Jew, simple-minded, which is why he succumbs to the influence of society and does not have his own opinion. He killed Croisenois in a duel, who defended Matilda's honor, refuting rumors about the reason for her disappearance, not believing anonymous letters. Croisenois was her admirer.
Mr. de Renal is the Mayor of Verrieres. Invites the tutor to show off to Valno. Valno himself later becomes mayor. Both worry about what others will think of them. Vain, rich in dishonest money. They talk to each other in a friendly manner, but they plot behind their backs.
Stendhal's novel "Red and Black" is varied in theme, interesting and instructive. The fates of his heroes are also instructive. I would like to tell you what two heroines taught me - Madame Where Renal and Mathilde de La Mole. To make it clear to us inner world These heroines, Stendhal subjects them to the test of love, since, in his opinion, love is a subjective feeling and depends more on the one who loves than on the object of love itself. And only love can tear off the masks behind which people usually hide their true nature.
At the beginning of the novel, Madame Renal appears. She looked about thirty years old, but she was still very pretty. A tall, stately woman, she was once the first beauty in the entire district. The rich heiress of a God-fearing aunt, she was brought up in a Jesuit convent, but soon managed to forget the nonsense that she was taught in this institution. She was married at the age of sixteen to an already elderly gentleman, Renal. Smart, quick-witted, emotional, she was at the same time timid and bashful, simple-minded and a little naive. Her heart was free from coquetry. She loved solitude, loved to walk around her wonderful garden, shied away from what was called entertainment, so in society Madame Renal began to be called proud and said that she was very proud of her origins. She had never even thought about it, but she was very satisfied when the residents of the town began to visit them less often.
The young woman could not deceive, conduct, politics regarding her man, so among the local ladies she was considered “stupid”. The courtship of Mr. Valno, who liked her, only frightened her. The life of the lady where Renal was dedicated to a man and children. And then a new feeling arose in her soul - love. It was as if she had woken up from a long sleep, began to get caught up in everything, and was lost in emotion. The feelings that Mrs. Where is Renal ignited made her energetic and decisive. Here she is, as if condemned to death, in order to save her lover, she goes to Julien’s room to pull out a portrait of Napoleon from the mattress. This, by hook or by crook, introduces Julien, a man of low birth, into the honor guard. This is thinking through an anonymous letter.
Madame de Renal is constantly in mental tension, two forces are fighting in her - a natural feeling, the desire for happiness and a sense of duty towards family, men, imposed by society, civilization, religion. When her son falls ill, she perceives the illness as God's punishment for adultery. And almost immediately after the threat to the boy’s health has passed, he again surrenders to his love. Then she returned to her beloved again, this time finally. She can no longer go against herself, her nature, her nature. She says, “My duty first and foremost is to be with you.” From that time on, she completely stopped taking moral condemnation into account. Now he simply did not exist for her. The last days she was next to Julien. Life without her loved one became meaningless for her. And three days after Julien's death, Madame Renal dies, hugging her children. She lived quietly, unnoticed, sacrificing herself for the sake of her children and her beloved, and died just as quietly.
Mathilde de La Mole is a completely different type of female character. A proud and cold beauty who reigns at the balls, where the entire brilliant Parisian world gathers, extravagant, witty, she is superior to her surroundings. She reads Voltaire, Rousseau, is interested in the history of France, the heroic eras of the country - her active nature forces her to treat with contempt all high-born admirers who claim her hand and heart. From them, and in particular from the Marquis of Croisnois, whose marriage would have brought Matilda the ducal title about which her father appears, boredom emanates from her. “What in the world could be trivial from such a gathering?” - expresses the look of her “blue as the sky” eyes. Modern reality does not arouse any interest in Matilda. She is everyday, gray and not at all heroic. Everything is bought and sold - “the title of baron, the title of viscount - all this can be bought... end after all, to get wealth, a man can marry Rothschild’s daughter.” Matilda has a living past that appears in her imagination, entwined with the romance of strong feelings. She regrets that there is no longer a court similar to the court of Catherine or Louis XIII. On April 30, Matilda always wears a mourning dress, since this is the day of the death penalty of her ancestor La Mole, who died in 1574, making an attempt to free his friends captured by Catherine, among whom was the King of Navarre, the future Henry IV, the man of his mistress - the queen Margaritas. Matilda bows before the power of passion of Margarita, who received the head of her lover from the executioner and buried it with her own hands. A supporter of the throne and the church, Matilda feels capable of great feats for the sake of restoring old times.
Matilda pays attention to Julien because she senses an extraordinary nature in him. Just like the Count with his romantic fate (“obviously, only a death sentence distinguishes a person... this is the one thing that cannot be bought”), Julien arouses her interest and respect as someone who “... was not born to crawl.” Matilda is struck by the cloudy fire that glows in his eyes, his proud look. “Or is he not Danton?” - Matildaa thinks, feeling that this is a real person with a strong will, worthy of her. “Nowadays, when all determination is lost, his determination frightens them,” thinks Matilda, contrasting Julien with all the young nobles who show off in her mother’s salon.
The disguise of Tartuffe, the appearance of a saint that Julien puts on himself, cannot deceive her. Despite his black suit, which he does not take off, “the priestly face with which the poor fellow has to walk around so as not to die of hunger,” His Highness scares them, Matilda understands. To dare to love Julien, someone who is lower than her on social levels, corresponds to her character, the secret of which is the need to take risks. But her love is hard. She, too, like Mrs. Where Renal, is in constant mental tension. She also has a struggle between the natural desire for happiness and “civilization,” those views that society imposed on them from her very birth. Hesitating between love and hatred for Julien, contempt for herself, she either pushes him away, or surrenders with all the power of passion. She would have saved Julien from the death penalty if he had wanted it. After the death of her lover, she fulfilled his last request - she buried him in a cave on a high mountain that rises above Verrieres. “Thanks to Matilda’s efforts, this wild cave was decorated with marble statues, which she ordered from Italy at great expense.”
Both heroines are wonderful, each in their own way. Both of them evoke, on the one hand, sympathy and pity, on the other hand, their altruistic, sacrificial love evokes surprise and honor. With their love they teach us to love unselfishly and selflessly. It is a pity that their happiness did not last long, but it is not so much they who are to blame as society with its unjust laws.
The novel “Red and Black” is often called a harbinger of psychological realism. Its author is Marie-Henri Bayle, better known as Stendhal.
"Red and Black": summary
The events of the novel take place in France in the 1820s. Since the novel touches on social and political issues, a summary of The Red and the Black should begin with a description of the historical background. Thus, Stendhal’s work tells about the times of the reign of Charles X, who tried to restore the order that existed before 1789.
The mayor of the city of Veviers, Mister de Renal, decides to hire a tutor. The old priest recommended him Julien Sorel, the 18-year-old son of a carpenter with rare abilities. Julien is very ambitious and is ready to do anything to succeed. It is worth noting that throughout the entire novel the main character faces a choice between a church career (clerical clothing was worn and military service (the officer’s uniform was red), which is why Stendhal called the novel “Red and Black.”
The summary tells that soon the wife of Mr. de Renal realizes that she loves her tutor. Julien also finds his mistress charming and decides to win her for the sake of self-affirmation and revenge on Mr. de Renal. They soon become lovers. But when Madame de Renal's son becomes seriously ill, it seems to her that this is punishment for her sin. Further, the novel “Red and Black,” the summary of which omits details, tells of an anonymous letter that reveals to M. de Renal the truth about But she convinces her husband that she is innocent, and Julien is forced to leave Veviers.
The main character moves to Besançon and enters the seminary. Here he makes friends with Abbot Pirard. The latter has a powerful patron, the Marquis de La Mole. Through the efforts of Pirard, the named aristocrat accepts Julien as his secretary. Further, “The Red and the Black,” a summary of which would be incomplete without social issues, describes the adaptation of Julien in Paris, and in particular, in the aristocratic world. Julien turns into a real dandy. Even Matilda, the daughter of the marquis, falls in love with him. But after Matilda spends the night with Julien, she decides to break off the relationship.
An acquaintance of Julien advises him to start courting someone else in order to make Matilda jealous. Thus, the proud aristocrat again falls into the arms of the protagonist. Having become pregnant, Mathilde decides to marry Julien. Upon learning of this, her father becomes furious, but still submits to his daughter. In order to somehow rectify the situation, the Marquis decides to create an appropriate position in society for his future son-in-law. But suddenly a letter appears from Madame Renal, describing Julien as a hypocritical careerist. Because of this, he is forced to leave Matilda
Further, “Red and Black,” a brief summary of which cannot convey the entire psychologism of the novel, tells about the events that took place in Verrieres. Julien enters the local church and shoots his ex-lover. While in prison, he learns that his former lover has survived. Now he understands that he can die in peace. But Matilda does her best to help him. Despite receiving a death sentence. In prison, Madame de Renal visits him and admits that the ill-fated letter was composed by her confessor. After this, Julien realizes that he loves only her, but on the same day he is executed. Matilda buries her ex-fiancé's head with her own hands.
The fate of the main character of the novel "Red and Black" reflects the peculiarities of social life in France at that time. This work is a kind of encyclopedia of the Restoration era.
Characteristics of Pani de Renal “Chervone and black” filed in this statistics. You can write quotes about the image of Madame de Renal in the comments.
Characteristics of the image of Madame de Renal
Mrs. de Renal is the squad of the mayor of Verrieres, the mother of the three blues. Their life is calm and unturbulent. Don't mess around with the right side of the person and deal with the hostility of the simpleton. Ale Julien Sorel, leaning into the Renals' booth in the guise of a mentor-tutor, immediately shows respect for Madame de Renal, as he admires "naive grace, pure and living."
Louise doesn't love her boyfriend. Before Julien, she had never known passion. All the while, it seems that the young tutor is transforming Madame de Renal into a stick and a self-destructive woman. The power of this love is so great that it can subdue Julien’s egoism and ennoble his inner light.
... I am all one and only devoted to you. Apparently, the word “love” is still too weak. I have such a feeling for you that only one can live before God: everything is here - reverence, love, and listening...
Julien informs you that this is not just a short-lived relationship with his wife, but something more. Someone will be born with a high sense of confidence. If Julien’s ambitious plans encourage him to separate from Madame de Renal.
Liszt, in which Louise forces the Marquise de La Mole, takes revenge on her shocking love affair with Julien Sorel. A sheet of godly character, writings in the stage of affect, being in every way the attempt of Madame de Renal to cross the love of a Kohana woman with another woman.
“Poverty and greed prompted these people, based on incredible hypocrisy, to seduce a weak and unfortunate woman and in such a way create their own deeds and become popular among people... Vine does not recognize the everyday laws of the world gії. To tell you the truth, I’m embarrassed to think that one of the ways to achieve success is for a new woman’s name, which is to pour into the booth with the greatest influx.”
Louise can’t change anything in her power, but her happiness seems insurmountable. The madness of love awakens in her a strength of spirit that she had never suspected before. After the victory of Julien, Mr. de Renal, he seeks a settlement from the Kohanim, who were condemned to the stratum. Julien turns to his feelings almost to Louise. At the end of his life, he was “drawn to gentleness and simplicity.”
Julien Nemov confesses to Madame de Renal:
“Those hours when we were wandering with you in the Verge forests, I could have been so happy, except that stormy ambition had drowned my soul in such an unknown distance. Instead of pressing this charming hand to my heart, which was so close to my lips, I allowed the future to take me from you; I was completely worn out by unhealed battles, for which I could overcome, in order to conquer this unknown camp... No, I, chanting, died without knowing that, so happily, you did not come here before me, into the bondage " .
Louise is the wife of the mayor of Verrieres, the mother of three sons. Her life flows calmly and serenely. She is not interested in her husband's affairs and gives the impression of a simpleton. But Julien Sorel, finding himself in the Renal house as a mentor-tutor, immediately draws attention to Madame de Renal, who is distinguished by “naive grace, pure and lively.” Louise doesn't love her husband. Before Julien, she had not yet known passion. But an all-consuming feeling for the young tutor turns Madame de Renal into an ardent and selfless woman.
The power of this love is so great that it is able to overcome Julien’s egoism and ennoble his inner world. Julien realizes that this is not just a fleeting relationship with a married woman, it is something more. A reciprocal high feeling arises in him. But Julien’s ambitious plans prompt him to part with Madame de Renal. The letter that Louise sends to the Marquis de La Mole contains a shocking confession of her love affair with Julien Sorel. The half-crazed letter, written in a state of passion, was simply an attempt by Madame de Renal to prevent the marriage of her loved one with another woman. Louise doesn't do anything
can change his own destiny, but the desire for happiness turns out to be irresistible. The madness of love awakens in her a strength of spirit that she had never suspected before. After Julien's sentence, Madame de Renal seeks a meeting with her lover, who was sentenced to execution. Julien returns in his feelings to Louise. At the end of his life, “he was drawn to gentleness and simplicity.” Julien seems to be confessing to Madame de Renal: “In those old times, when you and I wandered in the Vergis forests, I could have been so happy, but stormy ambition carried my soul into some unknown distances. Instead of pressing this lovely hand to my heart, which was so close to my lips, I allowed the future to carry me away from you; I was completely absorbed in countless battles, from which I had to emerge victorious in order to win some unheard-of position... No, I probably would have died without knowing what happiness is, if you had not come to me here, in prison." It is to Madame de Renal that Julien turns to him with a request to take care of his child, whom Mathilde de La Mole is about to give birth to. Julien foresees that the fate of this child will be unenviable: Matilda will forget about him, just as over time she will forget about Julien himself. The feeling of grief and loss is so great that three days after Sorel's execution, Madame de Renal dies hugging her children.
Glossary:
– red and black characteristics of heroes
– characteristics of the heroes red and black
– Chervone and black characteristics of heroes
– Madame de Renal characteristics
– Characteristics of Pani de Renal
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Still from the film “Red and Black” (1997)
Mister de Renal, the mayor of the French town of Verrieres in the district of Franche-Comté, a smug and vain man, informs his wife of his decision to take a tutor into the house. There is no particular need for a tutor, it’s just that the local rich man, Mr. Valenod, this vulgar loudmouth, always competing with the mayor, is too proud of his new pair of Norman horses. Well, Mr. Valno now has horses, but he doesn’t have a tutor. M. de Renal has already agreed with Father Sorel that his youngest son will serve with him. The old curate, M. Shelan, recommended him the son of a carpenter as a young man of rare abilities, who had been studying theology for three years and knew Latin brilliantly. His name is Julien Sorel, he is eighteen years old; This is a short, fragile-looking young man, whose face bears the stamp of striking originality. He has irregular but delicate facial features, large black eyes sparkling with fire and thought, and dark chestnut hair. The young girls look at him with interest. Julien never went to school. He was taught Latin and history by a regimental doctor, a participant in Napoleonic campaigns. Dying, he bequeathed to him his love for Napoleon, the cross of the Legion of Honor and several dozen books. Since childhood, Julien has dreamed of becoming a military man. During the time of Napoleon, this was the surest way for a commoner to make a career and get out into the world. But times have changed. Julien realizes that the only path open to him is to become a priest. He is ambitious and proud, but is ready to endure anything to make his way.
Madame de Renal does not like her husband's idea. She adores her three boys, and the thought of someone else standing between her and her children makes her despair. She already pictures in her imagination a disgusting, rude, disheveled guy who is allowed to yell at her children and even spank them.
Imagine her surprise when she sees in front of her a pale, frightened boy who seems to her unusually beautiful and very unhappy. However, less than a month passes before everyone in the house, even M. de Renal, begins to treat him with respect. Julien carries himself with great dignity, and his knowledge of Latin is admirable - he can recite any page of the New Testament by heart.
Madame de Renal's maid Eliza falls in love with the young tutor. In confession, she tells Abbe Chelan that she received an inheritance and now wants to marry Julien. The curé is sincerely happy for his pet, but Julien resolutely refuses the enviable offer. He is ambitious and dreams of fame, he wants to conquer Paris. However, he skillfully hides it.
In the summer, the family moves to Vergis, the village where the estate and castle de Renales are located. Here Madame de Renal spends whole days with the children and the tutor. Julien seems to her smarter, kinder, more noble than all the men around her. She begins to realize that she loves Julien. But does he love her? After all, she is ten years older than him! Julien likes Madame de Renal. He finds her charming, he has never seen such women. But Julien is not in love at all. He wants to win Madame de Renal in order to assert himself and to take revenge on this smug Mr. de Renal, who allows himself to talk to him condescendingly and even rudely.
When Julien warns Madame de Renal that he will come to her bedroom at night, she responds to him with the most sincere indignation. At night, leaving his room, he dies of fear, his knees give way, but when he sees Madame de Renal, she seems so beautiful to him that all vain nonsense flies out of his head. Julien's tears and despair conquer Madame de Renal. Several days pass, and Julien, with all the fervor of his youth, falls madly in love with her. The lovers are happy, but Madame de Renal's youngest son unexpectedly falls seriously ill. And the unfortunate woman thinks that with her love for Julien she is killing her son. She realizes what sin she is committing before God, and she is tormented by remorse. She pushes Julien away, who is shocked by the depth of her grief and despair. Fortunately, the child is recovering.
M. de Renal suspects nothing, but the servants know a lot. The maid Eliza, having met Mr. Valno on the street, tells him that her mistress is having an affair with a young tutor. That same evening, Mr. de Renal receives an anonymous letter, from which he learns what is happening in his house. Madame de Renal manages to convince her husband of her innocence, but the whole city is only engaged in the story of her love affairs.
Julien's mentor Abbe Chelan believes that he should leave the city for at least a year - to his friend the timber merchant Fouquet or to the seminary in Besançon. Julien leaves Verrieres, but returns three days later to say goodbye to Madame de Renal. He sneaks into her room, but their date is overshadowed - it seems to them that they are parting forever.
Julien arrives in Besançon and appears to the rector of the seminary, Abbot Pirard. He is very excited, and besides, Pirard’s face is so ugly that it fills him with horror. The rector examined Julien for three hours and was so amazed by his knowledge of Latin and theology that he accepted him into the seminary on a small scholarship and even assigned him a separate cell. This is a great mercy. But the seminarians unanimously hate Julien: he is too talented and impressive thinking man- this is not forgiven here. Julien must choose a confessor for himself, and he chooses Abbot Pirard, not even suspecting that this act will be decisive for him. The abbot is sincerely attached to his student, but Pirard’s own position in the seminary is very precarious. His enemies the Jesuits are doing everything to force him to resign. Fortunately, he has a friend and patron at court - the aristocrat from Franche-Comté, the Marquis de La Mole, whose orders the abbot regularly carries out. Having learned about the persecution to which Pirard is subjected, the Marquis de La Mole invites him to move to the capital and promises him one of the best parishes in the vicinity of Paris. Saying goodbye to Julien, the abbot foresees that difficult times await him. But Julien is unable to think about himself. Knowing that Pirard needs money, he offers him all his savings. Pirard will not forget this.
The Marquis de La Mole, a politician and nobleman, enjoys great influence at court; he receives Abbot Pirard in his Parisian mansion. In the conversation, he mentions that for several years he has been looking for an intelligent person who could handle his correspondence. The abbot offers his student for this place - a man of very low origin, but energetic, intelligent, with a high soul. So an unexpected prospect opens up for Julien Sorel - he can get to Paris!
Having received the invitation of the Marquis, Julien first goes to Verrieres, hoping to see Madame de Renal. He heard that recently she had fallen into the most frenzied piety. Despite many obstacles, he manages to get into his beloved's room. Never before had she seemed so beautiful to him. However, the husband suspects something, and Julien is forced to flee.
Arriving in Paris, he first of all examines the places associated with the name of Napoleon, and only then goes to Abbot Pirard. The abbot introduces Julien to the marquise, and in the evening he is already sitting at the common table. Opposite him sits a light blonde, unusually slender, with very beautiful, but cold eyes. Julien clearly does not like Mademoiselle Mathilde de La Mole.
The new secretary gets used to it quickly: after three months, the Marquis considers Julien to be a completely suitable person for himself. He works hard, is silent, understanding and gradually begins to handle all the most complex cases. He becomes a real dandy and fully masters the art of living in Paris. The Marquis de La Mole presents Julien with the order. This calms Julien’s pride, now he behaves more relaxed and does not feel insulted so often. But with Mademoiselle de La Mole he is distinctly cold. This nineteen-year-old girl is very smart, she is bored in the company of her aristocratic friends - Count Quelus, Viscount de Luz and the Marquis de Croisenois, who is vying for her hand. Once a year, Matilda mourns. Julien is told that she is doing this in honor of the family's ancestor Boniface de La Mole, the lover of Queen Margaret of Navarre, who was beheaded on April 30, 1574 at the Place de Greve in Paris. Legend has it that the queen demanded the head of her lover from the executioner and buried it in the chapel with her own hands.
Julien sees that Matilda is sincerely concerned about this romantic story. Gradually he stops avoiding conversations with Mademoiselle de La Mole. Conversations with her are so interesting that he even forgets his role as an indignant plebeian. “It would be funny,” he thinks, “if she fell in love with me.”
Matilda has long realized that she loves Julien. This love seems very heroic to her - a girl of her position loves the son of a carpenter! From the moment she realizes that she loves Julien, she stops being bored.
Julien himself is more likely to excite his imagination than to be carried away by love. But having received a letter from Matilda with a declaration of love, he cannot hide his triumph: a noble lady loves him, a poor peasant, she preferred him to an aristocrat, the Marquise de Croisenois! Matilda is waiting for him at her place at one in the morning. It seems to Julien that this is a trap, that Matilda’s friends want to kill him or make him a laughing stock. Armed with pistols and a dagger, he enters Mademoiselle de La Mole's room. Mathilde is submissive and gentle, but the next day she is horrified at the thought that she has become Julien's mistress. Talking to him, she can barely contain her anger and irritation. Julien's pride is hurt, and both of them decide that everything is over between them. But Julien feels that he has fallen madly in love with this wayward girl, that he cannot live without her. Matilda constantly occupies his soul and imagination.
Julien's acquaintance, the Russian prince Korazov, advises him to arouse the jealousy of his beloved and begin to court some social beauty. The “Russian plan,” to Julien’s surprise, works flawlessly, Matilda is jealous, she is in love again, and only monstrous pride prevents her from taking a step towards him. One day, Julien, not thinking about the danger, places a ladder against Matilda's window. Seeing him, she falls into his arms.
Soon Mademoiselle de La Mole tells Julien that she is pregnant and wants to marry him. Having learned about everything, the Marquis becomes furious. But Matilda insists, and the father finally gives in. To avoid shame, the Marquis decides to create a brilliant position in society for Julien. He seeks for him a patent as a hussar lieutenant in the name of Julien Sorel de La Verne. Julien goes to his regiment. His joy is boundless - he dreams of a military career and his future son.
Unexpectedly, he receives news from Paris: Matilda asks him to return immediately. When they meet, she hands him an envelope with a letter from Madame de Renal. It turns out that her father turned to her with a request to provide some information about the former tutor. Madame de Renal's letter is monstrous. She writes about Julien as a hypocrite and a careerist, capable of any meanness, just to get out among the people. It is clear that Monsieur de La Mole will never agree to his marriage with Matilda.
Without saying a word, Julien leaves Mathilde, gets into the mail coach and rushes to Verrieres. There, in a gun shop, he buys a pistol, enters the Verrieres church, where Sunday services are being held, and shoots Madame de Renal twice.
Already in prison he learns that Madame de Renal was not killed, but only wounded. He is happy and feels that now he can die in peace. Following Julien, Mathilde comes to Verrieres. She uses all her connections, gives out money and promises in the hope of reducing the sentence.
On the day of the trial, the entire province flocks to Besançon. Julien is surprised to discover that he inspires sincere pity in all these people. He wants to refuse the last word, but something makes him rise. Julien does not ask the court for any mercy, because he understands that his main crime is that he, a commoner, rebelled against his pitiful lot.
His fate is decided - the court sentences Julien to death. Madame de Renal comes to Julien in prison. She says that the ill-fated letter was written by her confessor. Julien had never been so happy. He understands that Madame de Renal is the only woman he is capable of loving.
On the day of his execution, he feels cheerful and courageous. Mathilde de La Mole with my own hands buries the head of his lover. And three days after Julien’s death, Madame de Renal dies.