Used Book – The Princess of Cleves, De La Fayette

At the court of King Henry II, the Princess of Cleves, a young bride, fears loving the Duke of Nemours, who loves her. Cruelly torn between her desire and her duty, she confesses her feelings to her husband, whom she drives to despair. The prince soon dies, consumed by grief. Madame de Cleves remains faithful to him and forbids herself from ever giving in to her passion for the duke. A portrait of a tormented soul elevated to a symbol of virtue, Madame de Lafayette's novel remains one of the masterpieces of romantic literature. The edition's supplementary materials include a collection of texts on the figure of the honnête homme and the courtier.