Belle du Seigneur by Albert Cohen (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide

By Bright Summaries

Unlock the more straightforward side of Belle du Seigneur with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!

This engaging summary presents an analysis of Belle du Seigneur by Albert Cohen, which tells the story of a passionate love affair between Solal, a high-ranking diplomat, and Ariane, a woman trapped in a loveless marriage. Many of the characters, including the two protagonists, are obsessed with creating and projecting an idealised image of themselves, and the novel explores the various consequences that this mindset can lead to. It is also heavily influenced by its author’s Jewish roots and the prevailing anti-Semitism of the era it is set in. Albert Cohen was one of the most prominent Francophone authors of the 20th century, and Belle du Seigneur is often considered his masterpiece.

Find out everything you need to know about Belle du Seigneur in a fraction of the time!

This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:

• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection

Why choose BrightSummaries.com?

Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you on your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.

See the very best of literature in a whole new light with BrightSummaries.com!

• Language: English
• Publisher: BrightSummaries.com
• Release date: Sep 22, 2017
• ISBN: 9782806296443

Book preview

French-language novelist and essayist

Born in Corfu (Greece) in 1895.

Died in Geneva (Switzerland) in 1981.

Notable works:

Solal of the Solals (1930), novel

Book of My Mother (1954), novel

Les Valeureux (The Valiant, 1969), novel

Albert Cohen was born in Corfu in 1895. He and his parents emigrated from the island in 1900, and he eventually settled in Geneva in 1914, studying law and literature at the university there. He proved a brilliant student, and went on to become a civil servant at a branch of the International Labour Organization. This experience proved highly inspirational for his novel Belle du Seigneur.

His writing was influenced to such an extent by both his Jewish roots and his own life that some of his work has been dubbed mythobiographical. Even when his characters bear no overt resemblance to him, they often share his own values and beliefs, such as Zionism (a political ideology based on Jewish nationalism). Cohen is one of the most significant figures in 20th century Francophone literature.

Love as a fantasy

Genre: novel

Reference edition: Cohen, A. (2005) Her Lover: (Belle du Seigneur). Trans. Coward, D. St Ives: Penguin Classics.

1st edition: 1968

Themes: reality and imagination, true love, anti-Semitism, death, religion, postmodernism

Belle du Seigneur was published in 1968 and was awarded the Grand Prix du Roman