Effi Briest
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Author Description
'I loathe what I did, but what I loathe even more is your virtue.'Seventeen-year-old Effi Briest is steered by her parents into marriage with an ambitious bureaucrat, twenty years her senior. He takes her from her home to a remote provincial town on the Baltic coast of Prussia where she is isolated, bored, and prey to superstitious fears. She drifts into a half-hearted affair with a manipulative, womanizing officer, which ends when her husband is transferred to Berlin. Years later, events are triggered that will have profound consequences for Effi and her family.Effi Briest (1895) is recognized as one of the masterpieces by Theodor Fontane, Germany's premier realist novelist, and one of the great novels of marital relations together with Madame Bovary and Anna Karenina. It presents life among the conservative Prussian aristocracy with irony and gentle humour, and opposes the rigid and antiquated morality of the time by treating its heroine with sympathy and keen psychological insight.ABOUT THE SERIES:For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
Menrva's Summary
THE PULSE
Effi Briest finds her life irrevocably altered when a youthful indiscretion resurfaces years later to shatter her marriage and social standing. Seventeen-year-old Effi is married off to a man twice her age, moving to a desolate Baltic town where isolation and boredom lead her into a brief, ill-fated affair with a local officer. The narrative follows her struggle against the rigid expectations of Prussian aristocratic society, which values honor and reputation above individual happiness. The story unfolds with a focus on the psychological toll of societal pressure and the inevitable consequences of defying established moral codes.
INSIDE THE PAGES
- Exploration of the rigid Prussian social hierarchy and its impact on personal autonomy.
- Psychological character study of a young woman trapped in an incompatible marriage.
- Use of irony and subtle humor to critique conservative aristocratic values.
- Atmospheric depiction of the remote Baltic coast as a catalyst for the protagonist's isolation.
- Examination of the double standards regarding infidelity and honor in the 19th century.
- Detailed portrayal of the domestic sphere and the limitations placed upon women.
- Focus on the long-term consequences of past actions on future stability.
- Narrative structure that emphasizes the slow, inevitable progression of social ruin.
THE COLLECTIVE ECHO
Readers and critics frequently compare this work to other seminal novels of marital discord like Madame Bovary and Anna Karenina. Discussion often centers on Fontane's ability to balance a sympathetic portrayal of his heroine with a sharp, ironic critique of the era's antiquated morality. Many highlight the precision of the prose and the author's keen psychological insight into the constraints of Prussian life. The pacing is noted for its deliberate, measured approach, which mirrors the stifling environment Effi inhabits. Ultimately, the novel is regarded as a foundational text that effectively captures the tension between individual desire and social duty.
Page Count:
272
Publication Date:
2015-06-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0199675643
ISBN-13:
9780199675647
German
Realism
Germany
classic
Historical
Social Commentary
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