Talk:Guy de Maupassant

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 * Biography from preface in public domain text

A search of the article history will show who wrote it. The Gutenburg texts contain copious amounts of public domain biography and analysis, it is almost certainly from there. Stbalbach 02:52, 2 May 2005 (UTC)

POV neutrality?
I know that Maupassant is a legendary author, but I think that referring to every single piece of work by him is probably a bit overdone. Most masters have a masterpiece or three. Possibly replace the word "masterpiece" with "short story" occasionally? —Preceding unsigned comment added by L.cash.m (talk • contribs) 03:44, 26 February 2009 (UTC)

Maupassant / Simenon
I am not sure that the comparison between Maupassant and Simenon is appropriate. Maupassant is still regarded in France as a major literary figure, whereas Simenon is a very good recreation. The two popularities are very different.

Humble drame
I translated Château de Murol from the French Wikipedia. It includes description of the castle from Maupassant's short story Humble drame which appeared in "Contes du jour at de la nuit" (1885). I would like to include a translation and could do it myself, but it occurs to me that somewhere there is an existing translation by someone with some literary expertise that would be better than my efforts. Unfortunatly, search as I may, I have been unable to find this story in English anywhere on the Internet. If anyone can point me in the right direction or has an English version I would be very grateful. Emeraude 15:53, 3 January 2007 (UTC)

Finally found it at. Emeraude 16:20, 3 January 2007 (UTC)

Some comment on the English translations?
I am currently reading The Best Short Stories of [GdM] published by Random House - in English. Nowhere in the edition is there mention of a translator (or translators). Yet as far as I can determine GdM wrote exclusively en Française. Is there a "standard" translation? Are any recognized as being superior?

Since this is the English Wikipedia, perhaps some mention should be made of the notable English editions of his works. Dmforcier 19:53, 26 October 2007 (UTC)

Penguin have a collection of the short stories called "A Parisian Affair and other stories" but that merde needs some serious updating. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 87.232.66.242 (talk) 23:14, 17 February 2009 (UTC)

Maupassante's mother and brother
I think there is a typo here. I doubt that Maupassant was 37 and his brother 5 when his mother and father separated. I suspect he was actually 7 years old, not 37. rkjong — Preceding unsigned comment added by Rkjong (talk • contribs) 11:19, 8 February 2013 (UTC)

I am surprised to read that little is mentioned of the fates of both GdM's mother and brother. GdM's mother was labled as insane prior to her death and GdM's brother as well as himself were forced to take care of her until her death. Years later, GdM brother was also labled as insane and GdM took care of his brother until his death.

On the surface this may not seem of much importance, however, it should be noted that a common motif on sanity can be found in his later pieces such as "L'Horla."

I'm afraid I can't find much in terms of citation, etc but I felt this is something that shold at least be mentioned.

This is not right. Maupassant's mother was not in any way insane, either at her death in 1903 or previously. Maupassant did look after his mother, and his brother, who died insane from tertiary syphilis in 1889. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.105.24.222 (talk) 10:27, 2 June 2012 (UTC)

Tolstoy
Worth metioning Tolstoy's critiqueWolf2191 (talk) 00:26, 10 December 2007 (UTC)

Tolstoy was a mediocre fanatic. I mean what kind of person doesnt like King Lear and Dostoyevsky? The only thing worth reading in relation to de Maupassant is his incredible ouvre. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 87.232.66.242 (talk) 23:16, 17 February 2009 (UTC)

Info misplace on page
NB: This would need verifying before adding:

--85.216.130.241 (talk) 19:01, 24 January 2008 (UTC)As I found out, the short story by Maupassant, whose title is probably La Petite Mouche – A Small Fly, was adopted for the film directed by Juraj Herz Sweet Games of the Last Summer. This film was awarded with Grand Prix in Monte Carle and Jozef Šimončič was awarded the prize for cinematography (1969). Marian Gazdik mariangazdik@htmail.com

Aversion to Society ??
Maupassant was well-known around the city of Le Havre for his gigantic appetite for sexual encounters. Although this may seem like I'm joking, while I am absolutely serious, Maupassant enjoyed an unusually large appendage which earned him the favors of many women. He would often write letters to his friend Flaubert describing his sexual performances, dwelling in particular on the many women he could satisfy in one night. Flaubert eventually grew tired of this and he wrote to Maupassant that he was no longer interested in Maupassant's imaginary performances. Furious, Maupassant hired a "huissier de justice" (sort of a bailiff, an official mandated by the government to serve as a witness in local disputes) to follow him in his nightly sprees. Every time Maupassant made love to a woman, the bailiff would take an official record of it (sometimes with minute details). Maupassant sent the official document to Flaubert to demonstrate that he was not fabulating on his sexual performances. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.57.14.131 (talk) 12:44, 15 June 2008 (UTC)

Urban legend. no. 1743 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 87.232.66.242 (talk) 23:18, 17 February 2009 (UTC)


 * No, this is not an urban legend. Surely Maupassant has an enormous sexual appetite. In his early twenties, he was obsessed with Syphilis and was seeking prostitutes who suffered from that ailment. Eventually, he himself caught the disease. As for the size of his "manhood", I have heard the story many times too, including from serious scholars who are considered experts of Maupassant. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.58.147.83 (talk) 02:03, 8 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I agree with you ; he used to read Schopenhauer and he was ill all his life since his twenty Mike Coppolano (talk) 05:12, 4 June 2012 (UTC)

Falsely attributed stories?
One of the standard English editions of Maupassant's complete short stories published in the early 1900s included dozens of stories that had been falsely attributed to him, i.e. they weren't written by him. Does anyone have detailed information on this subject? Perhaps a list of authentic Maupassant stories would be a useful inclusion in the main article or as a sub-article? I have a vague recollection that the fake stories were around in the original French too, but I just can't seem to find any useful information about this on the internet. It quite frankly amazes me as it is such a well-known issue, and I'm sure I've seen it mentioned in some Maupassant biography I read many years ago. You'd expect to find an article or few about the fake stories, especially as the internet is full of Maupassant stories, presumably including the fake ones still wrongly attributed to him. Anyone? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 88.114.237.184 (talk) 13:05, 7 August 2008 (UTC) There are indeed fake Maupassant stories. Francis Steegmuller exposed and listed 65 of them in his biography “Maupassant. A Lion in the Path” (Macmillan, 1949, p. 353-360). They are all in English, none appear in French. Since publishers frequently publish old translations of Maupassant’s works, naming no translator, some may well be still circulating. All English translations should give the original French title, as the translation of the title varies from translator to translator. For this reason the Wikepedia list of English titles is not much use without the original French alongside. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.105.24.222 (talk) 10:19, 2 June 2012 (UTC)

war
He might have been brave..however, Maupassant actually never fought in the war.
 * Yes, you are right, but it was not a coward anyway, he practiced fencing Mike Coppolano (talk) 05:10, 4 June 2012 (UTC)

Unfortunate turn of phrase
The article says, of GdM's mother:


 * She was a woman of no common literary accomplishments

On a normal reading this would suggest that she had truly outstanding literary achievements, but then we are told that she 'but was very fond of classic literature, especially Shakespeare'. Someone's zest for flowery usage seems to have got the better of them. Norvo (talk) 23:49, 11 April 2011 (UTC)


 * In the absence of comments for over a month I've taken the liberty of changing the above to ' an exceptionally well read woman and was very fond of classical literature, especially Shakespeare'. Norvo (talk) 01:48, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

Files
I have some problems to put files in order in this article. I have uploaded on Commons (with an ukrainian contributor) the File: Maupassant seven years old) ... There is also this file thumb|150px|Maupassant' father. Anyway see for files but it is not so best >>> fr:Guy de Maupassant. Is there anybody in the place. Mike Coppolano (talk) 05:08, 4 June 2012 (UTC)

translation showing
Get an expert in translation to tell you what is wrong with this, then redo the entire translation. "He wrote and play himself..." 71.163.117.143 (talk) 12:39, 22 August 2014 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 14 December 2014
Nietzsche never wrote an autobiography. Ecce Homo which is the closest candidate for an auto biography does not include the quote about Maussant.

38.122.26.110 (talk) 06:26, 14 December 2014 (UTC)

❌ The google books version of Ecce Homo here clearly includes that quote. Please note however that Google Books do not always show the same results. - Arjayay (talk) 16:52, 16 December 2014 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 17 September 2015
Please add 'Femme Fatale' where alphabetically appropriate under the 'Short Stories' section of 4. Bibliography.

46.64.213.239 (talk) 18:16, 17 September 2015 (UTC)
 * ✅ based on this reference - Arjayay (talk) 09:31, 18 September 2015 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 31 July 2016
He also wrote "A Day in The Country" so that should be added to the list

144.92.96.61 (talk) 17:55, 31 July 2016 (UTC)


 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: There is a film by that title based on de Maupassant's "A Country Excursion" (which is listed). Temporal Sunshine  Paine   19:51, 31 July 2016 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 1 November 2016
Add "Was It A Dream" to list of short stories 2602:306:329B:6480:B1B8:688E:BF64:8863 (talk) 04:33, 1 November 2016 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. Topher385 (talk) 09:39, 1 November 2016 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 16 November 2016
Under short stories, I want to add the title of another short story by Guy De Maupassant--'Lost!'.

Sourima Rose (talk) 11:37, 16 November 2016 (UTC) If you want to suggest a change, please cite reliable sources to back up your request, without which no information should be added to, or changed in, any article. - Arjayay (talk) 12:12, 16 November 2016 (UTC)
 * ❌ This is not the right page to request additional user rights.

Semi-protected edit request on 27 January 2017
add to guy de maupassant list of short stories: "A Grandmother's Advise" Reddoginn (talk) 01:25, 27 January 2017 (UTC)
 * ❌---Please provide WP:RS supporting the inclusion of your statement. Winged Blades Godric 14:30, 29 January 2017 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 9 May 2017
Another short story he wrote: "Was It A Dream?

2602:306:CFCB:E940:CD99:5C99:F5BF:6A0E (talk) 01:26, 9 May 2017 (UTC)

Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. You have mentioned "a book", a date, and a publisher, but have not given the title of the book, so that source is incomplete. It would help considerably if you can provide any online sources to support this, otherwise it might have to wait until an editor is willing to visit a library. Thanks. Murph 9000 (talk) 21:08, 10 May 2017 (UTC)

A Commons file used on this page has been nominated for deletion
The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page has been nominated for deletion: Participate in the deletion discussion at the. —Community Tech bot (talk) 12:06, 9 August 2018 (UTC)
 * Gravesite Guy De Maupassant.jpg

Iam very glad to say that this was helpful — Preceding unsigned comment added by 117.254.89.180 (talk) 07:12, 8 March 2019 (UTC)

Epitaph statement is incorrect
The statement that Maupassant penned his own epitaph, "I have coveted everything, and taken pleasure in nothing," is incorrect, and I must imagine the source of it spreading across the Internet. His actual epitaph in Montparnasse cemetery, as can be seen in your own Wikipedia picture file reads: "La vie, voyez-vous, ça n'est jamais si bon ni si mauvais qu'on croit." It is taken from the ending of his first novel, Une Vie, published in 1883. The source of the mis-attributed quote is his Sur l'eau, from 1888, where he states: "Ah!  J'ai tout convoité sans jouir de rien. 2601:640:8500:10F0:D9DD:4D76:655A:A5FC (talk) 06:40, 7 October 2022 (UTC)

Maupassant or de Maupassant?
When referring to Maupassant after using the full name in the lead, should he not be referred to as, "de Maupassant" since his father had received permission to name himself Gustave de Maupassant? At the French Wikipedia, they've used, "Guy de Maupassant" wherever he is mentioned subsequently.-1Firang (talk) 08:54, 1 July 2023 (UTC)


 * I don't have a conflict of interest but I am using the template above to get responses.-1Firang (talk) 08:57, 1 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Wikiproject France would be a better bet to get feedback on this from, than using the template. The editors there are well informed and eager to help. Try contacting them if you can, If not there then there's always the Teahouse, where just now they're having a discussion on 'Names and titles for 16th-century nobility' (even though Maupassant came 3 centuries later) but that just shows the diversity of discussion at the tea house. Spintendo  09:43, 1 July 2023 (UTC)