The empire builders by boris vian [rare books]
The empire builders by boris vian [rare books]
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Book Summary:
Les Bâtisseurs d'Empire, also known as Le Schmürz, is a 1959 play by French writer Boris Vian. This darkly comedic and absurdist work portrays a bourgeois family—comprising a father, mother, their daughter Zénobie, and a maid—who are driven to madness by an unexplained, ever-present noise and a silent, mistreated figure known as the "Schmürz." Each time the noise becomes unbearable, the family relocates to a smaller apartment higher in their building, progressively losing their belongings and members. The Schmürz, a mute and battered character, silently endures abuse from the family, symbolizing the marginalized and oppressed. Zénobie is the only one who attempts to communicate with him, but her efforts are in vain. The play culminates in the family's complete disintegration, leaving the father and the Schmürz as the sole survivors, possibly perishing together in the end.
Vian's work is a critique of bourgeois society, colonialism, and the absurdity of human existence. The recurring noise and the Schmürz's silent suffering serve as metaphors for societal ills, including the Algerian War's impact on France during the late 1950s.
About the Author:
Boris Vian (1920–1959) was a multifaceted French writer, poet, musician, and engineer, renowned for his avant-garde and satirical works. He was associated with the post-war literary movement known as the "Pataphysics," which explored the absurd and the imaginary. Vian's works often challenged societal norms and conventions, blending humor with critical commentary. In addition to Les Bâtisseurs d'Empire, his notable works include the novels L'Écume des jours (Froth on the Daydream) and J'irai cracher sur vos tombes (I Shall Spit on Your Graves), as well as plays like L'Équarrissage pour tous (Knackery for All). His untimely death at the age of 39 cut short a prolific and influential career.
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