Book Review: "Mademoiselle de Maupin" by Théophile Gaultier

Reading literature of this time period is always great because it is on the cusp between being morally good and dangerously hedonistic. Eras during the 19th century, starting with early Romanticism and moving through to the Belle Epoque and all the way through aestheticism have always tried to challenge the notion and term of 'polite society' by making high society perfectly impolite to be around. Books like: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by RL Stevenson, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, A Rebours by JK Huysmans and yes, this book Mademoiselle de Maupin by Théophile Gaultier all challenge the idea that high society is 'good' and an 'example of morality to others'. Though scandalous for its time, Mademoiselle de Maupin by Théophile Gaultier is a study in art, desire and immorality whilst also being a criticism of high society. The preface, by the way, needs to be read to set up the rest of the book.

In the 19th century era of love and desire, our first person narrator Chevalier d'Albert, is quite the Casanova of the time. He has this complete romantic nature about him, written beautifully, he tends to get caught up in volatile love affairs which include idolising women and presenting to the reader what the ideal woman is and why beauty, though subjective, is a type of higher art form. The images of goddesses, nymphs and angels only entice this book towards looking through the lens and only of the lens of Chevalier d'Albert. There is a lot of Arthur Schopenhauer here as well, the criticism of art, the nature of beauty and ideas surrounding death are all included within his philosophies as well.

These ideas of romanticism in the 19th century are intertwined with moments of comic relief in which Chevalier d'Albert notices that the paintings he has are all of beautiful women that he could not attend to now. He asks one of his people if he could borrow their face for the next thirty years and if you would like to know the context of that moment, then you are going to have to read the book. You will have to read the book because this part is particularly important to the symbolism in the story.

After these strange affairs, he get deeper yet and decides that he and his lover are pretty much sick of each other's company. It is not only that though, they seem to have lost all will to live. They have been together like this for a while now that going back seems like death. The way death is discussed in the novel bends from this particular moment all the way to the end of the book shows us that death is not just a physical thing, it is also spiritual and psychological. Actually, in this text in particular, death seems to be very psychological.

Like Oscar Wilde and his two-page preface to The Picture of Dorian Gray - Théophile Gaultier expresses his own 'art for art's sake' views and tells people where they are getting it all wrong when it comes to art, criticism and the way in which we respond to the good and the bad.

The fact remains that the world cannot pretend anymore being modest and virtuous, and I think it’s too old to be childish and virginal without making itself ridiculous.

In conclusion, I have to say that I enjoyed this book far more than I had actually intended. I just have a wish that if I was in my bed with a cup of coffee reading that book, that would be a lot better in terms of the experience. As for the book - it is timeless.