Asmodeus or, The Devil on Two Sticks

Le Sage, Alain René, 1668-1747Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.2

Word count: 591K words
Chapters: 60

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Asmodeus; or, The Devil on Two Sticks by Alain René Le SageAuthor: Le Sage, Alain René, 1668-1747,Language: English, Class: PQ: Language and Literatures: Romance literatures: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Release Date: Feb 8, 2016

Editor's review

Asmodeus or, The Devil on Two Sticks is a classic satirical novel by the French writer Alain René Le Sage. Through the fantastical device of the lame devil Asmodeus, who lifts the roofs of Madrid and reveals the private lives of every social class, it strings together a series of street-level stories and moral observations. Its value lies in using a light fantastical shell to carry sharp social criticism: aristocratic vanity, the straits of writers, and philistine scheming are all exposed under the devil's guidance, offering both the humor of folk tales and a pre-Enlightenment insight into society. The prose has the ease and wit of eighteenth-century narrative literature and will appeal to readers interested in French literature, the satirical tradition, and devil-themed fiction. As a public-domain ebook, it is easy to dip into at any time, especially suited to reading one short story at a time on the commute or before bed, savoring its detached, wry humor. Note that some of the social context is far removed from today, and readers need a little historical imagination to fully appreciate the edge of the satire.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy French classical literature and social satire
Those interested in devil-themed fiction and fantastical narrative frames
Literature lovers curious about eighteenth-century European society
Readers accustomed to fragmented reading who are comfortable with episodic stories

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting fast-paced plots and strong dramatic conflict
Readers impatient with classical narrative pacing and old-world social settings
Those hoping for systematic historical scholarship or academic annotations

Reading tips

Start with the opening frame in which the devil appears, then read the stories in sections; there is no need to finish it in one sitting.
When you come to a satirical passage, jot down which social role it targets; this helps you grasp the author's point.
If you are unfamiliar with eighteenth-century Spanish or French society, skim a brief background introduction before starting the main text.
Best as bedtime or commute reading: one or two tales at a time keeps the humor and satire fresh.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this a long continuous story or a collection of short stories?

It uses a frame narrative: the devil Asmodeus leads the narrator over the city and lifts the roofs of houses, bringing out one relatively independent short story after another. There is a unifying perspective throughout, but the individual stories can be read separately, making it well suited to reading in sections.

Can I understand it without a background in French literature?

You can follow the main plot and humor, but some of the satire targets the social roles and manners of the time, and without that background you lose a layer of meaning. Read it as a collection of social stories; don't worry about unclear social context and enjoy the narrative first.

Is this edition suitable for quotation or academic research?

This is a public-domain electronic text from Project Gutenberg in English, convenient for reading and searching, but it provides no academic annotations or textual notes. For serious research, consult a scholarly edition with annotations.

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About the author

Le Sage, Alain René, 1668-1747 Author

Alain-René Le Sage (1668–1747) was a French novelist and playwright best known for satirical picaresque fiction. The library holds ten of his works, notably The History of Gil Blas of Santillane, along with The Devil on Two Sticks. His works generally follow a wandering protagonist whose experiences portray society in all its variety, mocking human vanity and deceit with a humorous touch. Gil Blas circulated widely, appearing in Spanish, Dutch, Finnish and other languages, and left a deep mark on the European picaresque tradition. The library classifies him under inspirational coming-of-age writing, focusing on the protagonist's trials and growth amid worldly affairs. Public information is limited and biographical details are scarce, yet his works show a gift for conveying social observation and lessons on life through accessible storytelling.