Author: Athan%2c Mattie Sue

1Mysteries of Paris - Volume 1

By Eugène Sue

The Mysteries of Paris (French: Les Mystères de Paris) is a novel by Eugène Sue which was published serially in Journal des débats from June 19, 1842 until October 15, 1843. Les Mystères de Paris singlehandedly increased the circulation of Journal des débats. <p></p>There has been lots of talk on the origins of the French novel of the 19th century: Stendhal, Balzac, Dumas, Gautier, Sand or Hugo. One often forgets Eugène Sue. Still, The Mysteries of Paris occupies a unique space in the birth of this literary genre: it entranced thousands of readers for more than a year (even illiterates who had episodes read to them) and was also a major work in the formation of a certain form of social consciousness. One often hears that the 1848 revolution was partly born in the pages of the Mysteries of Paris or, more appropriately, that the Mysteries of Paris helped create a climate which allowed the 1848 revolution to occur.<br><br> The hero of the novel is the mysterious and distinguished Rodolphe, who is really the Grand Duke of Gérolstein (a fictional country) but is disguised as a Parisian worker. Rodolphe can speak in argot, is extremely strong and a good fighter. Yet he also shows great compassion for the lower classes, good judgment, and a brilliant mind. He can navigate all layers of society in order to understand their problems, and to understand how the different social classes are linked.<br><br> Rodolphe is accompanied by his friends Sir Walter Murph, an Englishman, and David, a gifted black doctor, formerly a slave.<br><br> The first figures they meet are Le Chourineur and La Goualeuse. Rodolphe saves La Goualeuse from Le Chourineur's brutality, and saves Le Chourineur from himself, knowing that the man still has some good in him. La Goualeuse is a prostitute, and Le Chourineur is a former butcher who has served 15 years in prison for murder. Both characters are grateful for Rodolphe's assistance, as are many other characters in the novel

2Mystères de Paris - Tome 1

By Eugène Sue

Monsieur Rodolphe, un ange gardien mystérieux. Il sait se battre comme pas deux et est plus fort que le Maître d'École, au grand dam de la Chouette. Lors de ses recherches dans Paris, pour retrouver l'enfant de Mme Georges, disparu depuis 15 ans, il rencontre devant la maison de Bras-Rouge la jeune Fleur-de-Marie et le Chourineur, tous deux âmes en perdition mais pas encore perdues. Dans Paris rôdent également deux mystérieux Anglais qui cherchent Monsieur Rodolphe.<p></p>Cette histoire pleine d'argot est un des plus gros succès littéraires en France. Publiée dans le <i>Journal des Débats</i>, même les illettrés n'en rataient pas un épisode. (introduction par Nadine Eckert-Boulet)

3Mystères de Paris - Tome 2

By Eugène Sue

Après avoir été recueillie par Mme Georges à la campagne, Fleur-de-Marie est assaillie par des remords quant à sa vie passée. La Chouette et le Maître d'École organisent son enlèvement, tandis que Rodolphe apprend les détails de l'histoire de la famille Morel, les voisins de la Goualeuse. Ceux-ci vivent dans une misère absolue, tandis que leur fille aînée travaille comme domestique chez Jacques Ferrand, où se trouve un jeune clerc que Rodolphe cherche à retrouver depuis longtemps...<br/>Intrigues, romance, mystère, machination... (Résumé par Nadine)

4Gold Sickle

By Eugène Sue

The Gold Sickle; or, Hena the Virgin of the Isle of Sen. A Tale of Druid Gaul is the first part of Eugène Sue's The Mysteries of the People; or, History of a Proletarian Family Across the Ages, in which he intended to produce a comprehensive "universal history," dating from the beginning of the present era down to his own days. Sue's own socialist leanings made this history that of the "successive struggles of the successively ruled with the successively ruling classes".<br><br> In the first volume we meet the Gallic chief Joel, whose descendants will typify the oppressed throughout the suite of novels. Joel and his son invite a traveller to share their supper one evening, curious as they are to hear his stories. When he refuses, they capture him; the exchange of stories around the hearth turns into a debate about freedom and what freedom is worth. (Summary by Petra, partly adapted from the Translator's Preface)

5Mystères de Paris - Tome 3

By Eugène Sue

Livres 5 et 6 des Mystères de Paris, où l’on retrouve Rodolphe, faisant de son mieux pour aider les gens pauvres en détresse, et la Goualeuse, toujours répandant le bonheur, même à la prison. L’avocat Ferrand, déjà coupable de la ruine d’un bon nombre de personnages, met tout en œuvre pour la sortir de la prison, non pour l’aider, mais pour l’éliminer. Pour arriver à ses fins il se procure l’aide d’une famille de voleurs sans scrupules… (Summary by Sonia)

6Mysteries of Paris - Volume 3

By Eugène Sue

Rodolphe, who is really the Grand Duke of Gerolstein (a fictional kingdom of Germany) but is disguised as a Parisian worker. He can speak in argot, is extremely strong and a good fighter. However he shows great compassion for the lower classes, good judgment, and has a brilliant mind. He is at ease in all layers of society and so is able to understand their problems, and how the different social classes are linked. (Summary by Michele Eaton )

7Mysteries of Paris - Volume 2

By Eugène Sue

Rodolphe, is really the Grand Duke of Gerolstein (a fictional kingdom of Germany) but is disguised as a Parisian worker. He can speak in argot, is extremely strong and a good fighter. However he shows great compassion for the lower classes, good judgment, and has a brilliant mind. He is at ease in all layers of society and so is able to understand their problems, and how the different social classes are linked. Summary by Michele Eaton

8Mysteries of Paris - Volume 4

By Eugène Sue

Rodolphe, who is really the Grand Duke of Gerolstein (a fictional kingdom of Germany) but is disguised as a Parisian worker. He can speak in argot, is extremely strong and a good fighter. However he shows great compassion for the lower classes, good judgment, and has a brilliant mind. He is at ease in all layers of society and so is able to understand their problems, and how the different social classes are linked. Summary by Michele Eaton

9Mysteries of Paris - Volume 6

By Eugène Sue

Rodolphe, who is really the Grand Duke of Gerolstein (a fictional kingdom of Germany) but is disguised as a Parisian worker. He can speak in argot, is extremely strong and a good fighter. However he shows great compassion for the lower classes, good judgment, and has a brilliant mind. He is at ease in all layers of society and so is able to understand their problems, and how the different social classes are linked. Summary by wikipedia

10Mysteries of Paris - Volume 5

By Eugène Sue

Rodolphe, who is really the Grand Duke of Gerolstein (a fictional kingdom of Germany) but is disguised as a Parisian worker. He can speak in argot, is extremely strong and a good fighter. However he shows great compassion for the lower classes, good judgment, and has a brilliant mind. He is at ease in all layers of society and so is able to understand their problems, and how the different social classes are linked. Summary by Wikipedia

11Mysteries of Paris - Volume 1 (version 2)

By Eugène Sue

Rodolphe is the Grand Duke of Gerolstein, a fictional kingdom of Germany, but disguises himself as a Parisian worker. He can speak in the secret language of criminals, is extremely strong and a good fighter. However, he shows great compassion for the lower classes, good judgment, and has a brilliant mind. In the story, he moves through different layers of society, and understands their problems and how they are all linked. (Modified from Wikipedia)

12Wandering Jew, Part 1

By Eugène Sue

The Wandering Jew and his sister Hérodiade are condemned to wander the earth and protect the Rennepont family from all harm, until the entire family has disappeared from the earth. The story follows this family and rarely features the Wandering Jew himself.<br><br> The Renneponts were Huguenots persecuted by the Jesuits under Louis XIV. Immediately before the persecution, a small fortune was entrusted to a Jewish banker. This fortune has grown to an immense sum. 150 years later, the family is summoned back to Paris to disperse this fortune. They come from the four corners of the earth and from all social levels, not remembering why they're being summoned.<br><br> However, the Jesuits want to keep this fortune for themselves. They employ agents all over the world to put obstacles in the way of the Renneponts.<br><br> Published as a serial novel, it has over 170 chapters in 3 parts. This is Part One, containing Books 1-3 of 11. NOTE: This work is overtly and intensely anti-Catholic. - Summary by TriciaG