Bel Ami · Chapter
Chapter XVII explained
Three months after Duroy's divorce, he and the Walters spend a day in the country.
What happens
Three months after Duroy's divorce, he and the Walters spend a day in the country. Duroy, now free, plots to marry Suzanne Walter, despite her parents' intentions for the Marquis de Cazolles. He persuades Suzanne to defy her parents and elope with him. When Walter discovers the elopement, he reluctantly agrees to the marriage to avoid scandal, while Madame Walter, devastated, seeks solace in a vision of Jesus.
Themes in this chapter
Manipulation and Seduction
Duroy manipulates Suzanne's affections to orchestrate an elopement, forcing her parents' hand.
Marriage as Transaction
Walter views the marriage as a pragmatic deal, weighing Duroy's potential as a deputy and minister against the scandal.
Hypocrisy and Moral Decay
The Walters prioritize public reputation over genuine morality, accepting the elopement to avoid scandal.
Characters to notice
- George Duroy
Now divorced, he orchestrates an elopement with Suzanne Walter to force her parents' consent.
- Suzanne Walter
Innocent and infatuated, she agrees to Duroy's risky plan and elopes with him.
- Madame Walter
Devastated by her daughter's elopement, she refuses to consent but is overruled by her husband.
- Monsieur Walter
Pragmatic and resigned, he decides to accept the marriage to avoid scandal.
- Count de Latour-Yvelin
Engaged to Rose Walter, he accompanies the family outing.
Key passages
“He thought it a clever stroke to respect her.”
He believed that showing restraint and respect toward her was a strategic move.
Duroy's calculated behavior toward Suzanne.
“It is done; he has got her. We are done for.”
It's over; he has taken her. We are ruined.
Walter's resigned reaction to the elopement.
“He will be a deputy and a minister.”
He will become a member of parliament and a government minister.
Walter's pragmatic assessment of Duroy's potential.