Bel-Ami

Bel -Ami is a novel by Guy de Maupassant, which is published in 1885. He describes the professional and social advancement of the former non-commissioned officer Georges Duroy in Paris in the late 19th century. The various German translations also appeared under the title The beautiful girlfriends or The beautiful George.

Content

The uneducated, addicted Duroy retaliatory strikes, almost penniless, his former comrades again Forestier, who now works at the newspaper " La vie française ". This gives him a job there as a reporter and posted. But Duroy has to realize that it lacks any talent for writing; he can therefore help of Forestier's wife, with whom soon joins him a friendship.

Meanwhile leads him Forestier in society, and quickly makes Duroy thanks to his acquaintances with several high-ranking ladies career. Ironically, a child, the daughter of his first love, gives him the nickname " Bel Ami", under which he is known soon.

After Forestier's death he married his widow, but has soon enough of her and takes the opportunity to surprise them in the act of adultery. Duroy seduces shortly after the daughter of newspaper editor Walter, one of the richest men of Paris, who has made his money by buying up landscapes, what the government would support soon. Although Walter against a marriage of Du Roy ( he changes his name in the course of the novel a few times ) are reluctant, he must concede to him finally, as you unceremoniously kidnapped Roy Walters daughter. His second marriage makes it definitely a respected man and tells him to climb to the top of society.

The bitingly ironic novel counts with more than 50 editions until 1887 the most successful works of Guy de Maupassant.

Expenditure

• Guy de Maupassant: Bel - Ami. Garnier, Paris, 1988, ISBN 2-04-017405-2.
• Guy de Maupassant: Bel - Ami. Roman Dtv, Munich 2001, ISBN 3-423-12934-4.
• Guy de Maupassant: Bel - Ami. island paperback, Berlin 2012, ISBN 978-3-458-35740-7.

• Guy de Maupassant: Bel - Ami. Audiobook. Delta Music, Frechen 2006, ISBN 3-86538-222-3 (5 CDs, read by Simon Roden ).
• Guy de Maupassant: Bel - Ami. Audiobook. PolygramKlassik, Hamburg 1996 ( 9 audio cassettes, read by Christopher Bantzer ).

Adaptations

• Willi Forst (director): Bel Ami ( 1939).
• Louis Daquin (director): Bel Ami ( 1955).
• Mac Ahlberg (director): Bel Ami (1976).
• Declan Donnellan, Nick Ormerod (director): Bel Ami (2012 ).

• Guy de Maupassant: Bel ami. Radio play. The Hörverlag, Munich 2001, ISBN 3-89584-874-3 (2 cassettes, edited by Helmut Peschina, directed by Claudia Johanna Leist, Christian Brückner, Annathal Bach, Werner Wölbern, Angelika Bartsch, Hermann lice and Others Music: Henrik Albrecht ).

• Hans Fritz Beckmann: Bel Ami (song).

• Peter Kreuder: Bel Ami (Musical). In 1960.