In the complex tapestry of Stendhal’s 1830 psychological novel “The Red and The Black” Julien Sorel emerges as a compelling study of ambition and cunning. The humble yet resourceful protagonist traverses the class-divided landscape of post-Napoleonic France, a journey brought to life by his relationships with two pivotal women – Madame de Rênal and Mathilde … Continue reading The Romantic Machiavelli: Julien Sorel in ‘The Red and the Black’