The point of view in Maupassant's story "The Coward" is that of Viscount Gontran-Joseph de Signoles. In fact this man is by himself throughout most of the story after he challenges a total stranger whose name is Georges Lamil to a duel. Maupassant describes in detail what is going on in Signoles' mind while he is alone. This is presented not as stream of consciousness but as interior monologue. For example, Signoles examines the card he received in exchange for his at the restaurant where the incident began.
He examined the grouped letters; they seemed to him mysterious, full of confused meaning. Georges Lamil? Who was this man? What did he do? Why had he looked at the woman in that way? Was it not revolting that a stranger, an unknown man, could thus disturb a man's life, without warning, just because he chose to fix his insolent eyes upon a woman?
Signoles gradually loses his nerve as he thinks about the various aspects of the upcoming duel. Maupassant describes not only the viewpoint character's thoughts but also his physical sensations. After Signoles has a meeting with his seconds and has formalized the arrangements for the duel, his condition becomes worse.
His agitation, momentarily quietened, was now growing minute by minute. He felt a strange shivering, a ceaseless vibration, down his arms, down his legs, in his chest; he could not keep still in one place, neither seated nor standing. There was not the least moistening of saliva in his mouth, and at every instant he made a violent movement of his tongue, as though to prevent it sticking to his palate.
The protagonist is in an impossible situation. He feels incapable of going through with the duel to which he has committed himself, while at the same time he cannot think of a way out of it, and he dreads the disgrace that will ensue if he fails to appear. As an experiment he takes one of his own dueling pistols out of its case and practices raising it and taking aim at an imaginary opponent. He finds that he cannot even hold the pistol steady while he is alone and not facing danger. It is obvious that he will be a wretched spectacle when he is facing a real rather than an imaginary adversary. Finally, he can tolerate the pain of his own cowardice no longer. Having discovered that the dueling pistol had been left loaded, he opened his mouth wide and
...thrust in the barrel of his pistol with savage gesture until it reached his throat, and pressed on the trigger.
Comments
Post a Comment