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THE CHARACTER OF JULIEN SOREL IN STENDHAL’S NOVEL
THE RED AND THE BLACK
Akramova Nazira Abdusamatovna
EFL teacher at Practical English and literature department
Faculty of foreign philology
National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ullugbek
Abdulhamidov Hikmatillo
G'ulomjon o’g’li
3rd-year student at Practical English and literature department
Faculty of Foreign Philology
National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ullugbek,
abdulhamidovhikmatillouzb@gmail.com
Annotation: This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the character
Julien Sorel, the protagonist of Stendhal’s seminal novel The Red and the Black (Le
Rouge et le Noir), first published in 1830. Set in post-Napoleonic France during the
Bourbon Restoration, the novel examines the psychological, social, and moral
development of a young man from a modest provincial background who is driven by
intense ambition and a desire for upward mobility. The article explores the major
dimensions of Julien's character, including his psychological complexity, intellectual
abilities, identity struggles, and evolving emotional life. Particular attention is paid
to his conflicting desires to achieve greatness either through a military or clerical
career—symbolized by the novel’s title—as well as his manipulative yet ultimately
vulnerable approach to love and social advancement.
The annotation outlines how Julien’s personal ambitions are shaped and
limited by the rigid class structure of 19th-century French society, leading to a tragic
end that reflects not only his personal flaws but also the broader injustices of his time.
His relationships with Madame de Rênal and Mathilde de la Mole serve as turning
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points in his character development, revealing the tension between authenticity and
pretense, emotion and ambition. By examining Julien’s inner conflicts and social
interactions, the article shows how Stendhal uses this character to criticize the moral
hypocrisy and inflexibility of the aristocracy and the Church.
Furthermore, the article situates Julien Sorel as one of literature’s early
psychologically complex characters, portraying him as a prototype of the modern
anti-hero. His self-reflective nature, existential doubts, and shifting sense of identity
align with broader themes in 19th-century literature and anticipate developments in
20th-century modernist and existentialist thought. The annotation concludes by
highlighting the continued relevance of Julien Sorel in today’s discussions about
meritocracy, ambition, and the cost of personal authenticity in a conformist society.
This detailed character study will be valuable to students and scholars of
literature, particularly those interested in French realism, Romanticism, and the
development of the modern European novel. It also serves as a useful reference for
anyone exploring the relationship between individual psychology and societal
expectations in classic literature.
Annotatsiya: Ushbu maqola fransuz yozuvchisi Stendalning mashhur asari —
Qizil va Qora (Le Rouge et le Noir, 1830) romanining bosh qahramoni Jyulen Sorel
obrazining har tomonlama tahliliga bag‘ishlangan. Asar Napoleon davridan keyingi,
Burbonlar restavratsiyasi davridagi Fransiyada sodir bo‘ladi va jamiyatdagi qat’iy
ijtimoiy tabaqalanish fonida provinsiyalik kambag‘al yigitning psixologik, ijtimoiy va
axloqiy rivojlanish jarayonini o‘rganadi. Maqolada Jyulen obrazining asosiy
jihatlari – uning murakkab psixologiyasi, aqliy salohiyati, o‘zlikni anglashdagi
ziddiyatlari va hissiy hayotidagi o‘zgarishlar tahlil qilinadi. Ayniqsa, harbiy yoki
ruhoniy yo‘l bilan buyuklikka erishish istagi (roman sarlavhasida ramziy tarzda
ko‘rsatilgan), hamda uning sevgiga va ijtimoiy ko‘tarilishga nisbatan hisob-kitobli,
biroq mohiyatan zaif yondashuvi alohida urg‘u bilan ko‘rib chiqiladi.
Maqolada
shuningdek,
Jyulenning
shaxsiy
ambitsiyalari
19-asr
Fransiyasidagi qat’iy sinfiy tuzum tomonidan qanday cheklanayotganini ochib
beradi. Bu uning halokatli yakuniga sabab bo‘ladi — bu faqat uning xatolari emas,
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balki jamiyatdagi chuqur adolatsizliklarning natijasi sifatida ko‘rsatiladi. Jyulenning
Madam de Renal va Matilda de la Mol bilan bo‘lgan munosabatlari uning shaxsiy
o‘sishida muhim burilish nuqtalarini tashkil qiladi. Bu munosabatlar orqali Stendal
obraz orqali samimiyat va sun’iylik, tuyg‘ular va ambitsiyalar o‘rtasidagi ichki
kurashni yoritadi. Shu tariqa, muallif aristokratiya va cherkovning axloqiy
ikkiyuzlamachiligi hamda qat’iyligiga tanqidiy yondashadi.
Bundan tashqari, maqolada Jyulen Sorel adabiyotdagi ilk psixologik jihatdan
murakkab qahramonlardan biri sifatida baholanadi. U zamonaviy antiqahramon
timsoli bo‘lib, o‘zini tahlil qiluvchi tabiati, hayotiy shubhalari va o‘zligini izlashdagi
murakkab jarayonlari orqali 19-asr adabiyotidagi umumiy mavzular bilan
uyg‘unlashadi. Shu bilan birga, u 20-asr modernistik va ekzistensialistik fikrlarning
boshlanishi uchun zamin yaratadi. Maqola yakunida Jyulen Soreldagi obrazning
bugungi kun meritokratiya, shaxsiy ambitsiya va konformistik jamiyatda o‘zligiga
sodiq qolish kabi dolzarb masalalar bilan qanday bog‘liqligi ta’kidlanadi.
Ushbu chuqur tahliliy maqola fransuz realizmi, romantizmi va Yevropa
roman san’atining shakllanishi bilan qiziqadigan adabiyotshunoslar va talabalar
uchun foydali manba bo‘lib xizmat qiladi. Shuningdek, bu asar klassik adabiyotda
shaxsiy psixologiya va jamiyat talablari o‘rtasidagi murakkab munosabatlarni
o‘rganayotgan har bir o‘quvchi uchun muhim qo‘llanmadir.
Introduction
Stendhal’s
The Red and the Black
(
Le Rouge et le Noir
), published in 1830, is
widely regarded as one of the earliest psychological novels in European literature and
a profound critique of post-Napoleonic French society. At the center of this work
stands Julien Sorel, a young man of humble origins whose ambition, intelligence, and
internal contradictions make him one of the most memorable and complex characters
in 19th-century fiction. Julien is not a traditional hero; rather, he embodies the
struggles of an individual who seeks to rise above his social class in a rigid and
hierarchical society that favors birth over merit.
The novel takes place during the Bourbon Restoration, a time when France
was transitioning from revolutionary ideals back to monarchy and conservatism. This
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backdrop intensifies Julien's conflict: he idolizes Napoleon and dreams of a military
career (the “red”) but must pursue the clergy (the “black”) as a more practical path to
power. His story is both personal and political—a tale of ambition, love, hypocrisy,
and self-discovery.
This article explores Julien Sorel's multifaceted character, focusing on his
social background, psychological development, romantic relationships, and tragic
downfall. By analyzing how Julien navigates between his personal desires and
societal constraints, we gain deeper insight into Stendhal’s critique of his time and his
creation of a protagonist who continues to captivate modern readers with his timeless
internal struggles.
Literature Review
The character of Julien Sorel in
The Red and the Black
has been the subject of
extensive literary scholarship since the novel's publication in 1830. Scholars and
critics have interpreted Julien as a symbol of ambition, a product of post-revolutionary
France, and one of literature’s earliest psychologically nuanced anti-heroes.
One of the foundational studies on Julien Sorel is found in Victor Brombert’s
critical essays, where he highlights Julien’s inner conflict between personal ambition
and emotional vulnerability. Brombert argues that Julien is driven by a need to assert
his individuality in a rigid society that resists change, reflecting the broader Romantic
tension between the self and societal norms.
1
Frederick C. Green examines Stendhal as a bridge between Romanticism and
Realism, identifying Julien as a product of both movements. Green emphasizes how
Stendhal uses Julien to portray a realistic, psychologically complex character who
simultaneously exhibits Romantic idealism and manipulative realism.
2
Christopher Prendergast expands on this by analyzing the role of
mimesis
—
imitation of reality—in Stendhal’s narrative style. He situates Julien within a system
of performative behavior, noting how Julien constantly masks his true self in order to
1
Victor Brombert,
Stendhal: A Collection of Critical Essays
(Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall,
1962), 85–97.
2
Frederick C. Green,
Stendhal: Prophet of Romantic Realism
(London: Hamish Hamilton, 1950),
103–115
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advance socially.
3
This interpretive lens reinforces the idea that Julien is a man split
between authenticity and social calculation.
Georg Lukács, in
The Historical Novel
, argues that Stendhal’s characters are
historically grounded and shaped by material conditions. Julien’s actions are, in
Lukács’s Marxist reading, the consequence of a decaying aristocratic society and a
stifled bourgeois class, rather than just internal flaws. Julien’s tragedy is thus not just
personal, but structural—rooted in the contradictions of Restoration-era France.
4
Arnold Hauser, in his social history of art and literature, considers Stendhal a
representative of Romantic Realism, and suggests that Julien’s social climbing and
inner turmoil reflect the values and anxieties of a generation caught between the fall
of Napoleon and the rise of conservative rule. This historical and artistic tension,
Hauser notes, is embodied in Julien’s conflicting attraction to the “red” (military
glory) and the “black” (clerical power).
5
On a more psychological level, Ernest Crawley interprets Julien as a tragic
hero. His analysis of Julien’s fate focuses on the young man’s inability to reconcile
his genuine emotional needs with his cold, calculated drive for advancement. Julien’s
relationships with Madame de Rênal and Mathilde de la Mole, according to Crawley,
expose this duality and eventually lead to his downfall.
6
Recent scholarship has increasingly framed Julien as a prototype of the
modern anti-hero. Critics point to his existential questioning, emotional
contradictions, and rejection of traditional moral frameworks as qualities that
foreshadow the introspective characters of 20th-century modernism and
existentialism.
3
Christopher Prendergast,
The Order of Mimesis: Balzac, Stendhal, Nerval, Flaubert
(Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1986), 59–72.
4
Georg Lukács,
The Historical Novel
, trans. Hannah and Stanley Mitchell (London: Penguin,
1989), 313–330.
5
Arnold Hauser,
The Social History of Art: Vol. 3 Rococo, Classicism and Romanticism
(London:
Routledge, 1999), 201–215.
6
Ernest Crawley, "The Tragic Hero in Stendhal's
The Red and the Black
,"
The Modern Language
Review
48, no. 2 (1953): 183–194.
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Together, these studies highlight that Julien Sorel is not a one-dimensional
character but rather a multifaceted individual shaped by both personal psychology and
the historical forces of his time. Stendhal’s ability to depict such depth through a
single character affirms the novel’s place as a landmark in European literature and
demonstrates how Julien’s story continues to offer rich material for interpretation.
Background and Social Origins
Stendhal’s novel
The Red and the Black
(
Le Rouge et le Noir
), published in
1830, is a powerful psychological and social novel set in post-Napoleonic France. The
protagonist, Julien Sorel, is a complex and ambitious young man whose personal
journey reflects both the turmoil of French society and the inner struggles of the
human soul. Through Julien's character, Stendhal explores themes of ambition,
hypocrisy, love, and identity.
Julien Sorel’s background plays a crucial role in shaping his ambitions,
worldview, and inner conflicts throughout
The Red and the Black
. Born into a lower-
class family in the small provincial town of Verrières, Julien is the son of a coarse,
uneducated carpenter. His father and brothers are physically strong but intellectually
limited, and they look down on Julien’s interest in reading and education, considering
it a sign of weakness and arrogance. From an early age, Julien feels alienated from
his family and aware that he is different—more sensitive, more curious, and far more
intellectually gifted.
Despite his modest upbringing, Julien possesses an exceptional memory and
a deep passion for learning, especially in Latin and the history of Napoleon Bonaparte.
His secret reading of the
Mémorial de Sainte-Hélène
, a book detailing Napoleon’s
reflections during his exile, inspires in Julien a burning desire for greatness and glory.
To him, Napoleon represents the ultimate example of a man who rose from obscurity
to power through talent, courage, and determination. Julien’s admiration for the
Emperor becomes symbolic of his own desire to break free from the limitations
imposed by his birth.
However, Julien’s dreams are incompatible with the social and political
climate of post-Napoleonic France. The Bourbon monarchy has been restored, and
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society is once again dominated by aristocratic privilege and conservative values.
Military advancement, once possible during the revolutionary era, is now closed to
men of humble origin like Julien. As a result, he turns reluctantly to the clergy as an
alternative route to influence and status, not out of religious devotion, but as a
strategic decision.
This background sets the stage for Julien’s lifelong internal conflict: the clash
between his longing for heroic achievement and the oppressive reality of a society
that values birth over merit. It also explains his deep resentment toward the upper
classes and his willingness to manipulate religion, love, and social norms to achieve
his goals. His social origin does not merely provide context—it is the foundation of
his identity and the engine driving his ambition, pride, and ultimate downfall.
Ambition and Identity Crisis
Julien’s life is defined by his obsessive ambition to rise above his station. He
is determined to escape the limitations of his birth through education, religion, and
strategic social climbing. Torn between two symbolic paths—the red of the army and
the black of the clergy—Julien ultimately chooses the priesthood as a more accessible
route to power in the reactionary France of the 1820s. Yet his motivations are never
purely spiritual. Religion is for him a tool, not a calling, and this utilitarian view
creates inner tension and moral ambiguity.
Julien’s identity is fragile and often performative. He constantly adapts his
behavior to fit into different social circles, pretending to be what he is not. This
duplicity is both a strategy and a source of deep anxiety. He struggles with feelings
of inferiority and self-loathing, especially when interacting with the aristocracy. At
times, he views himself as a modern-day Napoleon; at others, he feels like a fraud.
Romantic Relationships and Emotional Growth
Two central relationships shape Julien’s emotional life: his affair with
Madame de Rênal and his later involvement with Mathilde de la Mole. These
relationships reveal different sides of his personality and contribute to his
development as a character.
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Madame de Rênal, the wife of the mayor of Verrières, is Julien’s first love.
Their relationship begins as a calculated seduction but soon turns into a genuine, albeit
tragic, emotional bond. Madame de Rênal awakens a tenderness and vulnerability in
Julien that contrasts sharply with his usual cold ambition.
Mathilde de la Mole, the daughter of a powerful Parisian nobleman, represents
a different challenge. Proud, brilliant, and eccentric, Mathilde is attracted to Julien’s
intellect and defiance. Their relationship is marked by games of power and pride.
When Julien successfully seduces her, he attains the recognition he has long sought—
but it leads to further complications, including a forced engagement and his eventual
downfall.
Conflict with Society and Tragic Fall
Julien’s rise through the social ranks is met with increasing resistance from a
society that values birth over merit. His carefully constructed facade eventually
collapses when Madame de Rênal, manipulated by a priest, writes a letter exposing
his past relationship with her. This letter ruins Julien’s marriage prospects with
Mathilde and seals his fate. In a fit of rage and wounded pride, Julien attempts to
murder Madame de Rênal, an act that leads to his arrest, trial, and execution.
Stendhal uses Julien’s tragic fall to critique the hypocrisy and rigidity of
French society. Julien is not executed for the attempted murder alone, but for daring
to challenge the social order. His intelligence and ambition threaten the aristocratic
elite, and his death is as much a political statement as a moral judgment.
Psychological Depth and Modern Relevance
Julien Sorel is one of the first truly modern characters in European literature.
He is introspective, self-conscious, and psychologically complex. His inner
monologues reveal a man constantly at war with himself, torn between ambition and
emotion, authenticity and performance.
Stendhal’s portrayal of Julien anticipates later existential and psychological
literature. Julien’s search for meaning, identity, and personal worth resonates with
readers even today. He is both a product of his time and a timeless figure representing
the universal human struggle for recognition and purpose.
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Conclusion
Julien Sorel stands as one of the most compelling and psychologically
complex characters in 19th-century literature. Through his rise and fall, Stendhal
presents not just the story of a young man striving for greatness, but a broader critique
of French society in the post-Napoleonic era—a society marked by hypocrisy, rigid
social hierarchies, and the suppression of individual merit. Julien’s life is shaped by
his lower-class origins, his fierce ambition, and his internal struggle between genuine
emotion and calculated self-promotion.
What makes Julien’s character so powerful is his constant tension between
opposing forces: ambition and love, pride and insecurity, idealism and manipulation.
He is neither a hero nor a pure villain, but a deeply human figure whose contradictions
mirror the complexities of the society around him. His ultimate downfall is not only
the result of his personal flaws but also of a world that refuses to allow individuals
like him to rise honestly and freely.
In portraying Julien Sorel, Stendhal created more than just a social climber or
tragic figure—he introduced a modern anti-hero whose psychological depth and
moral ambiguity continue to resonate with readers today. Julien’s story invites us to
reflect on the price of ambition, the nature of authenticity, and the enduring struggle
between the individual and society.
REFERENCES
1.
Stendhal.
The Red and the Black
(Le Rouge et le Noir). Translated by Roger
Gard, Penguin Classics, 2002.
2.
Brombert, Victor.
Stendhal: A Collection of Critical Essays
. Prentice-Hall,
1962.
3.
Weinstein, Arnold.
Fictions of the Self: 1550–1800
. Princeton University Press,
1981.
4.
Hauser, Arnold.
The Social History of Art: Volume 3: Rococo, Classicism and
Romanticism
. Routledge, 1999.
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5.
Crawley, Ernest. "The Tragic Hero in Stendhal's The Red and the Black."
The
Modern Language Review
, vol. 48, no. 2, 1953, pp. 183–194.
6.
Prendergast, Christopher.
The Order of Mimesis: Balzac, Stendhal, Nerval and
Flaubert
. Cambridge University Press, 1986.
7.
Green, Frederick C.
Stendhal: Prophet of Romantic Realism
. Hamish Hamilton,
1950.
8.
Lukács, Georg.
The Historical Novel
. Translated by Hannah and Stanley
Mitchell,
Penguin,
1989.
