LA FEMME NOYÉE
by Jean de La Fontaine · from Fables de La Fontaine
Adapted Version
Long ago, a woman was in the river. She was not swimming.
The Stubborn Woman was in the river. She was not alive. The river took her. It carried her away.
Her Husband was very sad. He loved his wife. He looked for her body. He walked by the river. He wanted to find her. He wanted to say goodbye to her. He walked along the river bank.
Other people walked by the river. They did not know about the woman. The Husband saw them.
The Husband asked the people. He needed help. "Did you see my wife?" he asked. "Did you see The Stubborn Woman?" He hoped they saw her.
The First Man spoke. "No," he said. "We did not see her." He pointed downstream. "The river flows that way," he said. "It goes down there. She will go that way too. The water will carry her."
Then The Clever Man spoke. He had a different idea. It was a strange idea. "No, do not look there," he said. He pointed up the river. "Look up there instead. Go the other way. Go against the flow."
The Clever Man said, "She was very stubborn. She always did the opposite. She never went with the flow. She did not like to follow. The river goes one way. She will go the other way. She will go against the water. She always did the opposite. She always said 'no.' She will do it now. This was her way. She was always like this. It is a surprising idea. She will surprise us all."
This was a very strange idea. It was a surprising thing to say. The Husband listened to him. He thought about it.
Some people are very, very stubborn. They always do the opposite. They like to go against things. They do this their whole life. They always do the opposite. It is surprising. This is just how they are. They never change.
And so, the husband looked. Some people are very, very stubborn. They always do the opposite. It is surprising.
Original Story
LA FEMME NOYÉE.
Je ne suis pas de ceux qui disent: Ce n’est rien,
C’est une femme qui se noie.
Je dis que c’est beaucoup; et ce sexe vaut bien
Que nous le regrettions, puisqu’il fait notre joie.
Ce que j’avance ici n’est point hors de propos,
Puisqu’il s’agit, en cette fable,
D’une femme qui dans les flots
Avoit fini ses jours par un sort déplorable.
Son époux en cherchoit le corps,
Pour lui rendre, en cette aventure,
Les honneurs de la sépulture.
Il arriva que sur les bords
Du fleuve auteur de sa disgrâce
Des gens se promenoient, ignorant l’accident.
Ce mari donc leur demandant
S’ils n’avoient de sa femme aperçu nulle trace:
Nulle, reprit l’un d’eux; mais cherchez-la plus bas,
Suivez le fil de la rivière.
Un autre repartit: Non, ne le suivez pas,
Rebroussez plutôt en arrière:
Quelle que soit la pente et l’inclination
Dont l’eau par sa course l’emporte,
L’esprit de contradiction
L’aura fait flotter d’autre sorte.
Cet homme se railloit assez hors de saison.
Quant à l’humeur contredisante,
Je ne sais s’il avoit raison;
Mais que cette humeur soit ou non
Le défaut du sexe et sa pente,
Quiconque avec elle naîtra
Sans faute avec elle mourra,
Et jusqu’au bout contredira,
Et, s’il peut, encor par delà.
XVII
Story DNA
Moral
Those born with a contradictory nature will maintain it until their very end, and perhaps even beyond.
Plot Summary
A husband searches for his drowned wife's body along a river to give her a proper burial. He asks passersby for help, and while one suggests searching downstream, another cynically advises looking upstream. The second man explains that due to the wife's inherent contradictory nature, she would likely float against the natural current. The fable concludes with the narrator asserting that a contradictory spirit persists until death and beyond.
Themes
Emotional Arc
amusement to reflection
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
La Fontaine's fables often satirized human foibles and societal norms of his time, frequently using animals or simple human scenarios to convey moral lessons. This fable reflects a common, albeit stereotypical, view of women as inherently contradictory or stubborn in 17th-century European society.
Plot Beats (10)
- The narrator prefaces the story by stating the importance of women, even in death, setting a slightly ironic tone.
- The story begins with a woman who has drowned in a river.
- Her husband is searching for her body to perform burial rites.
- He encounters people walking along the riverbank.
- The husband asks them if they have seen any trace of his wife.
- One person advises him to search downstream, following the natural flow of the river.
- Another person, with a mocking tone, suggests he search upstream instead.
- This second person explains that due to the wife's inherent spirit of contradiction, she would likely float against the current.
- The narrator comments on the untimely humor of the man's remark.
- The narrator then generalizes, stating that those born with a contradictory nature will maintain it until their death, and even beyond.
Characters
The Drowned Woman
Her physical appearance is not described, but she is a woman who has drowned. Given the story's French origin and period, she would likely have a European appearance, possibly of a slender to average build, typical of the era.
Attire: Her clothing is not described, but as a woman of the 17th-century French countryside, she would likely have worn practical, layered garments. This might include a linen chemise, a wool or linen skirt (jupe), a bodice (corset or corselet), and perhaps a simple apron (tablier). Colors would be muted, such as browns, greys, or undyed fabrics, with perhaps a simple patterned kerchief (fichu) over her shoulders or head.
Wants: Her primary motivation, as implied by the fable, was to always contradict, even against natural forces.
Flaw: Her inherent spirit of contradiction, which is so strong it is believed to defy even the laws of nature.
Her arc is static; her character is presented as having lived and died with the same defining trait of contradiction.
Contradictory, stubborn, defiant, independent.
The Husband
His physical appearance is not described. As a 17th-century Frenchman, he would likely have a European appearance, possibly of average height and build, showing signs of a working life.
Attire: His clothing is not described, but as a man in 17th-century rural France, he would wear practical, durable garments. This might include a linen shirt, wool breeches (culottes), a simple jerkin or doublet (pourpoint) made of wool or leather, and sturdy leather shoes. Colors would be earthy and muted, such as browns, greys, or dark blues.
Wants: To find his wife's body to give her a proper burial and honor her memory.
Flaw: His grief and adherence to traditional customs might make him less open to unconventional suggestions.
He remains consistent throughout the story, focused on his task of finding his wife.
Grieving, dutiful, persistent, traditional (in seeking burial rites).
The First Passerby
His physical appearance is not described. As a 17th-century Frenchman, he would likely have a European appearance, possibly of average height and build, typical of someone out for a stroll.
Attire: His clothing is not described, but as someone 'strolling' (se promenoient), he might be slightly better dressed than a common laborer, perhaps in a simple but neat doublet, breeches, and a cloak, made of wool or sturdy linen in muted colors.
Wants: To offer practical advice based on the natural flow of the river.
Flaw: His reliance on conventional logic prevents him from understanding the unique nature of the drowned woman.
He remains static, serving as a foil for the second passerby's more insightful, albeit cynical, observation.
Helpful, logical, conventional (in his advice).
The Second Passerby
His physical appearance is not described. As a 17th-century Frenchman, he would likely have a European appearance, possibly of average height and build, similar to the first passerby.
Attire: His clothing is not described, but as someone 'strolling,' he might be dressed in a simple but neat doublet, breeches, and a cloak, made of wool or sturdy linen in muted colors, similar to the first passerby.
Wants: To offer a humorous, albeit dark, observation about the nature of the drowned woman, based on local knowledge or general cynicism about women.
Flaw: His cynicism might be perceived as insensitive in a moment of grief.
He remains static, serving as the voice of the fable's moral, highlighting the enduring nature of contradiction.
Cynical, witty, observant (of human nature), unconventional.
Locations
Riverbank where the body is sought
The muddy, sloping bank of a wide, flowing river, likely in a temperate European climate. The ground is damp and possibly uneven, with sparse vegetation like reeds or willow saplings at the water's edge. The river itself is broad and carries a steady current.
Mood: Somber, desolate, with a sense of quiet desperation as the husband searches.
The husband searches for his drowned wife's body, and passersby offer contradictory advice on where to look.