The Red and the Black

Examine the role of hypocrisy in The Red and the Black. How does Stendhal portray social, political, and religious hypocrisy? To what degree does Julien’s character reflect the hypocrisy of his environment?

Compare and contrast the characters of Mme. de Rênal and Mathilde de La Mole. How does each woman represent a different aspect of love, society, and femininity in the novel?

To what extent is The Red and the Black a Romantic novel, and to in what ways does it critique or satirize Romantic conventions? Identify Romantic tropes in the work and evaluate how Stendhal participates in or comments on these tropes.

How does Julien’s desire for upward mobility shape his identity and relationships?

Napoleon is a vital figure in Julien’s life. How does Napoleon’s legacy function in Julien’s imagination and within French society?

Examine Stendhal’s use of psychological realism. How does the novel explore the inner life of Julien and other characters?

How does The Red and the Black critique the aristocracy and the clergy? What similarities and differences do Stendhal find between these institutions?

How do different locations—such as Verrières, Besançon, and Paris—reflect stages of Julien’s development?