"Cosmopolis" is a novel by French author Paul Bourget that explores the contrast between the modern and the traditional, set against the backdrop of Rome. The novel follows several characters who find themselves in Rome, including an ex-revolutionary, a traditionalist Catholic, a high-society exile, and an American artist. The characters are all struggling with their own identity and place in the world. They are torn between their desire for the modern and their yearning for tradition and the past. This conflict is epitomized by the city of Rome itself, which is steeped in history and tradition, but also represents the modern world. Through the characters' experiences, Bourget offers a deep insight into the human condition and the struggles we all face in finding our place in the world. The author shows how we are all trying to balance our desire for modernity with our need for tradition, and how this struggle can lead to conflicts within ourselves and with others.
Paul Bourget (1852-1935) was a French novelist, critic, and essayist who played a significant role in the French literary scene of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Bourget was known for his psychological novels and his exploration of the themes of morality, religion, and identity. Bourget's work often focused on the conflicts between tradition and modernity, and his characters were often torn between their desire for progress and their longing for the past. He was interested in the human condition and the struggles we all face in finding our place in the world. Bourget's most famous works include "Le Disciple" (1889), "La Terre Promise" (1892), and "Cosmopolis" (1892). "Cosmopolis" is a novel that explores the conflict between the modern and the traditional, set against the backdrop of Rome. Bourget was also a prominent literary critic, and he played an important role in shaping the French literary scene. He was a member of the prestigious Académie française and was highly regarded by his peers.
