“The Necklace”
Translated from the French by Jonathan SturgesCredited in the supplied edition; textual provenance is not yet confirmed.
Borrowed glamour unravels
StorylineOne invitation, one borrowed necklace, and one dazzling chance for a restless Parisian to become the woman she dreams of being.
“She was one of those pretty and charming girls born, as if by an error of Fate, into a family of clerks.”
THE SHORT SHOT EDITION
A little glamour. A very sharp edge.
- Short Shot editionComplete story · Unabridged
- GenreSocial satire
- Estimated reading time10–13 minutesStory · extras excluded
Paperback on Amazon · opens in a new tab
At a glance
- Genre
- Social satire
- Mood
- Parisian intrigue
- First published
- 1884
- Author’s country
- France
- Translation · edition credit
- Jonathan SturgesCredited in the supplied edition; textual provenance is not yet confirmed.
Read the opening · excerpt
She was one of those pretty and charming girls born, as if by an error of Fate, into a family of clerks. She had no dowry, no expectations, no means of being known, understood, loved, or married by any rich and distinguished man; so she let herself be married to a little clerk in the Ministry of Public Instruction.
She dressed plainly, for she could not afford anything better, but she was unhappy as if she had really fallen from a higher station; since with women there is neither caste nor rank — for beauty, grace, and charm take the place of family and birth.
THE EDITOR’S TAKE
Diamonds aren't always a girl's best friend.
Why “The Necklace”?
- Champagne taste. A decidedly un-champagne budget.
- Parisian glamour with social climbing on a very slippery staircase.
- One of literature’s most unforgettable twist endings. No spoilers. Just read it.
BEHIND THE STORY
About the author
Guy de Maupassant (1850–1893), a master of the modern short story, writes about desire, ambition and the unease beneath polite society. His major works include Bel-Ami, “Boule de Suif”, “The Necklace” and “The Horla”. His precision makes a small gesture carry a very large consequence.
More by Guy de Maupassant in our collection
A question to savor
How much of what we want is shaped by the way we hope others will see us?
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