Against the Grain · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Against the Grain by J.-K. Huysmans.
Chapter 1
Notice
The chapter introduces the Duc Jean des Esseintes, the last scion of a once-mighty aristocratic family that has degenerated over centuries through intermarriage and decadence. Des Esseintes is a frail, neurotic young man who, after a sickly childhood and a desolate family life, becomes disillusioned with Parisian society, its hypocrisies, and its empty pleasures. Exhausted by debauchery and nervous collapse, he resolves to sell his ancestral château and retreat to a secluded house in Fontenay-aux-Roses, where he plans to live in artificial solitude and escape the 'incessant deluge of human folly.'
Chapter 2
Against the Grain
The chapter explores Des Esseintes' deep disillusionment with society and his retreat into an artificial, aesthetic world. It details his contemplation of decadent Latin literature, his admiration for Gustave Moreau's Salomé, and his memories of D'Aigurande's marriage, all while he experiences nervous collapse and hallucinations.
Chapter 3
I
Des Esseintes prepares to retreat to his house at Fontenay, reflecting on his past eccentricities and meticulously planning the decoration of his new home to create an artificial, self-contained environment suited to his solitary nocturnal life.
Chapter 4
Chapter II
Des Esseintes settles into his new home at Fontenay, establishing a rigid, isolated routine with his two servants. He designs an artificial dining room with an aquarium window and elaborates on his philosophy that artifice surpasses nature, arguing that manufactured pleasures and illusions can equal or exceed natural experiences. He reflects on his disgust with Parisian society and the vulgarity of modern life.
Chapter 5
Chapter III
Des Esseintes' contemplation of Latin literature, focusing on the decadent period of the Silver and Late Latin authors, his disdain for the Golden Age writers like Virgil and Cicero, and his fascination with Petronius, Apuleius, and the Christian apologists such as Tertullian, set against the backdrop of the crumbling Roman Empire and the barbarian invasions.
Chapter 6
IV
Des Esseintes, having adorned a turtle's shell with precious stones, gazes at it with satisfaction. He enjoys a meal of tea and toast, then returns to his study. He uses a 'mouth organ' of liquors to evoke musical sensations and memories, recalling a painful visit to a dentist. He reflects on the selection of gems for the turtle's shell, preferring rare and unusual stones.
Chapter 7
Chapter V
Des Esseintes curates a collection of artworks that embody his rejection of modern life, focusing on the disturbing engravings of Jan Luyken, the fantastical drawings of Odilon Redon, and the decadent masterpiece of Gustave Moreau's Salomé. He arranges his bedroom as a retreat, contemplating the dichotomy between sensual pleasure and solitary contemplation, while the art serves as a gateway to exotic, horrific, and ancient worlds.
Chapter 8
VI
Des Esseintes, lost in reverie, recalls his manipulation of D'Aigurande's marriage and his scheme to corrupt a young boy, Auguste Langlois, by introducing him to luxury and vice in order to create a criminal. He reflects on the futility of his experiment and the nature of education and social hatred.
Chapter 9
VII
Des Esseintes, overwhelmed by solitude and unable to read, relives his past, particularly his Jesuit education and his earlier dissolute life. His health deteriorates with nervous symptoms, and he decides to distract himself by decorating his house with exotic flowers.
Chapter 10
Chapter VIII
Des Esseintes reflects on the pervasive influence of syphilis throughout human history, seeing it manifested in the grotesque patterns of his exotic flowers. He argues that mankind has surpassed Nature by artificially creating new plant species, making gardeners the true artists. Overwhelmed by his hothouse environment, he experiences a terrifying nightmare where he encounters a bulldog-faced woman and a green, sexless creature representing the Pox, culminating in a vision of a woman who transforms into a monstrous, sexually charged figure.
Chapter 11
Chapter IX
Des Esseintes reflects on his past mistresses, particularly Miss Urania and a ventriloquist, as he experiences a resurgence of carnal desires triggered by a Siraudin sweetmeat. His attempt to find solace in Dickens' novels backfires, leading him to wallow in memories of old dissipations.
Chapter 12
The Perfume Experiment
Des Esseintes experiences a temporary recovery from his nervous malady, only to be plagued by hallucinations of the smell of frangipane. In an attempt to cure himself through olfactory homeopathy, he immerses himself in the art of perfumery, analyzing and creating complex scents. He reflects on the history and grammar of perfumery, comparing it to literature and other arts, and ultimately creates a synthetic landscape of odors to overpower the persistent frangipane.
Chapter 13
Chapter XI
Des Esseintes, overwhelmed by the oppressive solitude of his self-imposed isolation, experiences a nervous crisis and resolves to escape by traveling to London. He prepares for the journey, selecting clothes and guidebooks, and sets off by train, dreaming of the foggy, industrial city. However, his plans are interrupted when he suffers a collapse, prompting his servants to summon a doctor. After recovering, he continues his preparations, but his journey is marked by anxiety and a sense of futility.
Chapter 14
XII
Des Esseintes returns home and reacquaints himself with his library, finding new beauty in his books and bindings. He reflects on Baudelaire's unique ability to explore the morbid psychology of the soul and contrasts him with other writers, particularly Barbey d'Aurévilly, whose style he admires for its decadent, gamey qualities.
Chapter 15
Chapter XIII
Des Esseintes, suffering from extreme heat and nervous exhaustion, reflects on the cruelty of existence and the futility of procreation. He observes children fighting over bread, which triggers a pessimistic meditation on the struggle for life, the hypocrisy of society, and the absurdity of laws that both encourage and punish birth control. His physical ailments worsen, and he attempts to soothe himself with Bénédictine liqueur, but his thoughts drift to the degraded state of modern love and the exploitative nature of beer-hall romances, ultimately returning to his own misery at Fontenay.
Chapter 16
XIV
Des Esseintes continues his literary analysis, finding himself increasingly dissatisfied with contemporary writers like Victor Hugo, Gautier, and Leconte de Lisle, while reaffirming his deep admiration for Baudelaire and Edgar Allan Poe. He explores the works of Tristan Corbière and Théodore Hannon, and reflects on his evolving aesthetic criteria, preferring works that allow him to escape modern reality and enter into a more artificial, dreamlike state.
Chapter 17
XV
Des Esseintes' enthusiasm for the 'digester' quickly fades as his dyspepsia worsens, leading to severe hallucinations and physical decline. He recalls the religious music of his Jesuit schooling, particularly plainsong, which he reveres above all other religious music. He reflects on his disdain for secular music and its public performance, preferring the solitary, ascetic music of the Middle Ages. His condition deteriorates, and in a moment of lucidity, he is horrified by his own appearance and sends for his Paris doctor, oscillating between hope and despair.
Chapter 18
XVI
Des Esseintes, ordered by doctors to return to Paris for his health, is forced to abandon his secluded life at Fontenay. He rages against the bourgeois society he must rejoin, despising its mediocrity, corruption, and the decay of aristocracy. He contemplates the futility of pessimism and the failure of religion, feeling utterly isolated and despairing as his refuge is dismantled around him.
Chapter 19
Endnotes
The endnotes provide references and poetic quotations that illuminate themes of memory, desire, and disillusionment, citing works by Barbey d'Aurévilly and others.
