This class was Professor Renan's "Overview of Nineteenth-Century French Literary Trends."
Sure enough, as soon as the class began, it became a personal show for Sophia Ivanovna—or rather, Sofin Ivanovich.
Every question Professor Renan posed, about the rise and fall of Romanticism, the emergence of Realism, the comparison between Hugo and Balzac, Flaubert's principle of "objectivity"...
She almost always raised her hand immediately, or stood up to answer without waiting to be called upon.
It must be admitted that, as a Russian noble who had received the finest French education since childhood, her foundation was exceptionally solid.
Her French was nearly perfect; she cited classics and anecdotes about literary movements and writers' lives with effortless ease, as if listing her own treasures.
Her answers were so clearly structured and eloquently worded, almost comparable to discussions in the finest Parisian salons.
"...Therefore, I believe Mr. Hugo's Les Misérables relies too heavily on coincidence in its plot, diminishing the novel's artistic merit..."
She spoke eloquently and at length, her gaze occasionally sweeping over Lionel, with obvious provocation.
Although Professor Renan was not entirely pleased with her tendency to blurt out answers and show off slightly, he had to admit the quality of her responses themselves.
Coupled with the dean's special instructions, he allowed Sophia to express herself freely.
Many students were mesmerized, impressed by her knowledge and boldness.
Louis-Alphonse almost had "adoration" written on his face; every time she finished an answer, he would lead the applause.
Lionel, however, remained silent throughout.
He sat quietly in his seat, concentrating on writing something, completely absorbed in his own world, indifferent to this "academic performance."
His attitude made Sophia feel ignored and angry.
Finally, as the class neared its end, Professor Renan posed a rather tricky question:
"We've discussed the character of Julien Sorel in Stendhal's The Red and the Black.
Some consider him a symbol of the ambition and struggle of a generation of youth after the Napoleonic era, while others criticize him as merely an extremely selfish schemer.
So, I ask you all, how do you interpret Julien's act of refusing to plead for mercy and making an eloquent statement in court?
Is this a highlight of his humanity, or another hypocritical performance of his individualism taken to the extreme?
Or do these two interpretations themselves reveal a deeper complexity in Stendhal's character?"
This question immediately stumped many students.
The character of Julien himself is full of contradictions, and his actions in court were a condensed outburst of his life's behavior, making them extremely difficult to define simply.
Sophia's eyes lit up, and she immediately stood up.
She once again demonstrated her extensive reading and nimble thinking, starting from Julien's background, education, and the historical context, analyzing his motives and quoting numerous critics' views.
Finally, she concluded:
"...Therefore, I believe this is neither purely a highlight nor entirely hypocrisy.
Julien knew well that he could not be tolerated by that hypocritical upper society; his statement was both an accusation and a self-destructive declaration of pride.
Stendhal's greatness lies precisely in his revelation of this complex human nature, intertwined with ambition and dignity, calculation and genuine emotion."
The answer was brilliant, and applause once again filled the classroom; even Professor Renan nodded slightly.
However, Sophia did not sit down, a cunning smile playing on her lips:
"...Of course, perhaps my understanding is still superficial. After all, Julien also shares the surname 'Sorel'.
I imagine, regarding the subtle psychology of a character sharing his surname, Mr. Lionel Sorel might have even more... empathetic, unique, and profound insights?
We all eagerly await your enlightenment, Mr. Sorel."
She deliberately elongated her tone, made a "please" gesture, and then sat down gracefully.
The entire class was in an uproar.
Sophia doing this was like chewing the sugarcane dry and then tossing it to Lionel, expecting him to extract more juice.
Most maliciously, she tied Lionel's surname to Julien, subtly implying that he too might harbor Julien-esque ambition and struggle.
If he answered well, it would seem to validate her point; if he answered poorly, he would immediately be disgraced.
All eyes were on Lionel.
Albert wrung his hands anxiously beside him, while Louis-Alphonse wore a triumphant smile.
Professor Renan frowned; he disliked Lionel, but he also didn't want Sophia to brazenly humiliate a Sorbonne student like this.
Moreover, she was a woman!
Just as he was about to intervene, Lionel slowly stood up.
His expression remained calm, showing no trace of annoyance or embarrassment.
He first offered a slight bow to Professor Renan, then began to answer:
"Madame Sophia, thank you for providing such a brilliant opening. Your analysis of Julien's relationship with his era is very profound."
He politely acknowledged her first, which caught Sophia slightly off guard.
But immediately after, Lionel's tone lifted slightly:
"However, I believe the key to answering your final question lies in the subtitle of The Red and the Black—'A Chronicle of 1830'."
Sophia was taken aback; clearly, Lionel's approach was again beyond her expectation.
Lionel continued:
"Julien's statement in court, rather than being a highlight of his humanity or the epitome of hypocrisy, is more accurately an indictment of that 'nineteenth century' which had just buried Napoleonic heroism and was thoroughly dominated by bourgeois mediocrity!
Julien's tragedy lies in his recognizing all of this—he saw through the hypocrisy of people like Mayor de Rênal and Marquis de la Mole, saw through the sordidness represented by successful figures like Valenod and Father Frilair—
Yet his method of resistance inevitably fell into society's only path to success, which was also a trap—that is, to become them, and then defeat them."
Lionel paused, his tone growing more serious:
"He used the language they understood—ambition, success, status—to make his final accusation, which in itself is an irony. Therefore, his statement was both a rupture and a failure.
Stendhal did not intend for us to judge whether Julien was a hero or a scoundrel, but rather to examine the era that created countless Juliens, only to inevitably destroy them.
Julien's complexity stems from the complexity of his era. Stripping away the historical context and analyzing him solely from a moral or personal psychological perspective might miss Stendhal's deepest sigh."
The classroom fell silent.
Lionel's answer did not get entangled in debates of individual good and evil, but rather elevated the question to the level of social critique and historical reflection, instantly clarifying everyone's thinking.
This not only perfectly answered the question but also subtly pointed out the potential limitations and superficiality of Sophia's overly focused psychological analysis.
He finally looked at Sophia, his tone returning to calm:
"As for the coincidence of surnames... the value of literature lies in its universal human concern, not in clinging to the self-projection of a mere symbol.
If one insists on this, one might narrow our perspective and miss the broader scenery outside the window. Don't you agree, Sophia, or rather, Sofin?"
Sophia's face instantly turned pale.
She opened her mouth but found all the eloquent words she had prepared had become weightless, utterly lacking substance.
Professor Renan gently tapped the lectern:
"A very good perspective. Connecting individual destiny with the historical context is precisely key to understanding nineteenth-century literature.
All right, that concludes today's class."
The dismissal bell rang at the opportune moment, and Professor Renan left the classroom.
Albert was the first to rush over:
"Lion, the awards ceremony is this afternoon. What are you planning to say?"
(End of chapter)
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