Literature

The novel was written in the seventeenth century by Mme De Lafayette, under the assumed name of Segrais.  It is a fact that the novel was semi-autobiographic in nature and this is the reason that the novelist preferred to hide under an assumed name.  The novel rings with the melancholy and sweetness of the character of the novelist.  She was also connected with the prominent women of her century and this too led to the writing of many works of art. The story is centers on a womans search for passion and fulfillment in the sixteenth century French royal court (Marie-Madeleine de la Fayette.2010).

Part I
Madame de Cleves the heroine of the novel, wants to spare the pain she would cause her husband if he knew that she did not love him but loved Monsieur de Nemours (Pearl.B.M.2006).Duc de Nemours is introduced as someone with great charm, so that even a one sided romance with Queen Elizabeth I is mentioned.  .  Another important character is the heroine itself.  She is introduced as the most beautiful of woman as in any heroine of European fiction. After her marriage with M. De Cleves, her husbands passion for her only increases. Then she meets with M. de Nemours.  She and Nemours fall in love at first sight.  She refuses to acknowledge this due to her devotion and commitment being held elsewhere.

Part II
The plot, of the next book starts with the story of Madam de Tournon, which serves as a forerunner to the main plot.  It is the same story extended throughout.  Their fates are similar and while one unfolds, the other is still budding.  Both are devoted to their husbands while their affections are diverted elsewhere (Pearl.B.M. 2006).  The prince says that he would give her advice as a friend, if her passions were else where.  Even though her passion for her lover is suspended for a time by the advice and death of her mother, it becomes ignited again, when the queen-Dauphin reveals that M. de Nemours is also keeping the love a secret and he had forsaken the chance of a crown for her sake (Brian .P.2010).  When the duke Nemours steal picture, the heroine sees it but declines to reveal it and pretends ignorance of it even from the one who takes it (Gutenbergs e-book the princess of cleves. 1996).

Later, there is an accident while the king and M. De Nemours try to break horses.  Trying to save the king, Nemours gets himself hurt and he recognizes the look on her face.  He is but disappointed to see pity on the princesss face instead of love.   The part ends with the love letter incident in which unknowingly the princess again displays jealousy for Nemours alleged love affair. When the Princes of Cleves shows jealousy on hearing that Nemours has a love affair Nemours is happy to see that she cares for him.

Later on, after being lost, Nemours ends up hidden in the house of the prince and princess and overhears them talking about her need for privacy from the courtiers.  Upon questioning she confides to the husband that she loved someone else.  But she refuses to give the name.  And soon by a clever trick he understands the man who had stolen his wifes attention, but the wife still wouldnt agree.  At home from the court both the husband and wife cry and swear faithfulness to each other. Nemours tells Vidame about the story in third person and this is discovered by the Princess of Cleves.  This is a revelation for her. Later, Nemours try again to see her at her house and M. de Cleves comes to know of it. It leads to a quarrel between the husband and the wife, and she retires to Couloummiers.   A spy reports M. de Cleves that Nemours had stayed within the house for two nights.  M. de Cleves is heartbroken at this and he believes that his wife is betraying him. He is struck down with serious illness. After being accused of infidelity his wife tries to reason with her husband about her virtue. He believes her but dies within a few days.

III  IV
After   the death of her husband she feels that she had not loved him enough.  Nemours had disappeared from her mind and she was smitten with grief.  She was preoccupied with her grief. But later she sees him in the park and comes to know from a shopkeeper that he was staying in the room overlooking hers.  She feels the same passion.  Even though she was free now, the obstacles to their marriage were numerous. She wanted to avoid Nemours.  But her heart would not listen to her.  Finally the two lovers meet each other at the contrivance of Vidame and open up their hearts.  The princess confesses her love for the duke but says that she considers him the murderer of her husband.  Even after much persuasion she is adamant and leaves Nemours with Vidame. The main reason for her to leave Nemours was that she did not believe that he could be faithful to her.  She is stuck by illness.  Even though she recovers she never gets back her health completely.  On the sick bed she holds fast to the memories of her husband.  Finally she retires to a convent.  And in spite of many persuasions by the lover, dies there within a few years (LA PRINCESSE DE CLVES).

Opinion
This book is about love and sacrifice of marriage.   I thoroughly agree with the author on this count.  Even though the heroine is hopelessly in love with someone other than the husband, she tries her best to keep her fidelity.  She is just mortal like anyone as well as the lover, M. de Nemours. Her passions are not hidden.  So it may not be virtuous in the commonly religious sense.  She, in spite of her precautions and faithfulness falls prey to the passions of her heart.  But, it is of notable consideration that she never falls from virtue.

When she was sent to Couloummiers by he husband, she is prudent enough to stay with the servants and not return to the room, where Nemours was waiting.  Even the next day, she does not come into the same room.  This happens because she was able to guess the true nature of Nemours, which he reveals the incident of confession. To Nemours she was just another trophy, which would lose its glamour once it was won (Roparz).

The importance of the  book
Mme De La Fayette wrote about the century that preceded her times.  But this look at the past is used to gauge the times in which she lived.  This was the first roman danalyse, a novel of analysis, which was used in French literature for the first time.  The trend lasted till the tidal wave of Romanticism took it away. The novel concerns itself with morals and not emotions (Brian .P.2010).

Conclusion
Taking after novels previous to her, the authoress uses a succession of secondary stories in the novel to emphasize and predict the nature of the novel. Like all writers through the ages the author is romanticizing the age in which she lives in.  Kings were allowed to take mistresses but the queens were never to have any illegitimate affairs.  The hypocrisy of the courtiers, including the queen is highlighted.  The novels in which sentiments are given an importance begin with this novel.  Mme de La Fayette transforms the prevalent Roman comique by a story which was short and crisp as compared with the lengthy and extravagant romances. The notable touch is that things move generally on what is not said explicitly than what is said.  This can be called a modern novel at any time (Roparz).