The Impudent Ones

Name: The Impudent Ones
ISBN: 9787532765799

Marguerite Duras / 桂裕芳Shanghai Translation Publishing House · ChinaFeb 2019

4.2

Word count: 86K words
Chapters: 4
ISBN: 9787532765799

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Summary

The Shameless One is Duras's debut novel, written in an elegant style quite different from the sonorous force of her later work. Yet the triangular relationship that haunted the author all her life takes shape here: daughter, son, mother. The son and mother transcend the relationship of good and evil, forming a strange and complicated alliance, while the little girl is forever driven outside, denied her mother's love. This strange family, this ball of love and hate rolled together, adhesive and protective, becomes the theme of the book. Marguerite said: "This book fell out of me: fear and desire, malice born of a hard childhood..." The novel is strongly autobiographical, and its characters and conception of love set the tone for Duras's subsequent writing.

Editor's review

The Unworthy is an autobiographical novel by the French writer Marguerite Duras, published in 1992, ISBN 9787532765799, with a Chinese translation by Shanghai Translation Publishing House. The book has a Douban rating of approximately 7.8, reflecting readers' varied responses to its complexity. As a major figure in twentieth-century French literature, Duras is known for works such as The Lover and excels at exploring themes of memory, desire, and trauma. This book continues her consistent fragmented narrative style; through a first-person perspective, it recounts the author's personal experiences during World War II, especially an ambiguous relationship with a German officer, interwoven with reflections on family, war, and identity. In the editor's view, the value of this work lies in its profound inner exploration and literary experimentalism: Duras breaks the linear structure of traditional autobiography and, with poetic and austere language, reveals moral ambiguity and emotional contradiction in extreme circumstances. Reading this book, one can not only feel Duras's distinctive "voice"—that narrative charm that is both detached and fervent—but also gain insight into the dilemmas of individual existence against a historical backdrop. However, it is not an easy read; its跳跃 time and space, repetitive images, and obscure expressions may confuse some readers. Yet it is precisely this challenging quality that makes The Unworthy a valuable text for studying Duras's late style and modern autobiographical literature. Overall, this is a work suited to quiet savoring; it invites readers into a world shrouded in the mist of memory and prompts them to reconsider the nature of shame, love, and survival.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literary enthusiasts interested in the style of Marguerite Duras's works
Deep readers who enjoy exploring themes of memory, trauma, and identity
Researchers studying World War II history or personal narrative
Literary experimentalists who appreciate fragmented, poetic narration

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking light entertainment or coherent plots
New readers uncomfortable with obscure, nonlinear narration

Reading tips

It is advisable to first learn about Duras's life background, especially her experiences during World War II, to enhance understanding of the text
While reading, do not insist on linear logic; focus on the experience of language rhythm and emotional atmosphere
Reading it alongside other works by Duras, such as The Lover, allows for a more comprehensive grasp of her creative trajectory

About the publisher

Shanghai Translation Publishing House China · Founded in 1978

Shanghai Translation Publishing House is a Chinese publisher oriented mainly toward translation and publishing. Its publications cover foreign literature, world classics and classic works, as well as social culture, folk literature and classical poetry. The database contains 2,618 titles, including Never Let Me Go, Les Misérables (2 volumes), Don Quixote (illustrated collector's edition), The Complete Comedies of Molière (4 volumes), The Complete Novels of Kafka (3 volumes), The Collected Works of Dostoevsky (9-volume set), Reason and Persons, and Oedipus Rex (Translation Classics). Its author resources include foreign writers such as Kazuo Ishiguro, Victor Hugo, Cervantes and Molière, as well as translators such as Zheng Kelu, Sun Jiameng, Li Jianwu and Zhang Kun. The publisher has brands such as "Translation Classics Selections" and "Translation Documentary," and emphasizes translated works in foreign literature and the humanities and social sciences, while also publishing bilingual dictionaries and foreign-language educational books. Public information is limited; the above is based on the book information in the database.

版权信息
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FAQ

Is this book an autobiography by Duras?

Yes, The Unworthy is an autobiographical novel based on Duras's real experiences during World War II, but it has been literary processed, blending memory with fiction.

Why is the book titled 'The Unworthy'?

The title reflects Duras's moral reflection on her own behavior during the war, exploring the complex relationship between shame, betrayal, and survival.

How difficult is this book to read?

Relatively high. Duras employs fragmented narration and poetic language, and the themes are profound, making it suitable for patient readers willing to think deeply.

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About the author

Marguerite Duras Author · France · 1914–1996

Marguerite Duras (1914–1996) was a French novelist, playwright, screenwriter and film director, born Marguerite Donnadieu in Gia Định, French Indochina, and died in Paris in 1996. She first gained recognition with The Sea Wall in 1950 and achieved international fame with her screenplay for Hiroshima mon amour in 1959; in 1984 her novel The Lover won the Prix Goncourt. Her writing often explores colonial upbringing, love and desire, memory and loss, in a spare, musical prose. The collection holds 58 of her works, including novels, plays and essays, commonly classified under foreign literature and classics, and she is regarded as a major figure in the French New Novel and feminist writing.

桂裕芳 Author

Public information about Gui Yufang is limited; her nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background are not clearly recorded. Judging from the holdings in the library, she was a translator of foreign literature active in Chinese-language publishing, with 16 works, commonly classified under foreign literature and world classics. Her translations span French and Russian literature, including Gide's Strait Is the Gate, Duras's Summer Evening, The Dam, and The Collected Works of Duras, as well as works on Russian literature such as Six Lectures on Dostoevsky, along with Writing and Childhood. Overall, her choice of texts leans toward classics and major authors, and her translations have served to introduce foreign literature to Chinese readers, appearing repeatedly in related translation series and collected works.