This paper will take a close look on both the original story and its subsequent adaptation concerning changes in the plot, settings and the themes that differ from
the original. To start off, the question of what a literary adaptation is will be discussed.
The conclusion at the end of the paper will answer the question if Truffaut’s adaptation is an extension of the story, meaning an original film with a literary base, or rather a literary adaptation, confined to the set – up of the original story.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. A short history of literary adaptation
III. “The Altar of the Dead” (1895)
II.1 Plot
II.2 Characters
II.3 Themes
IV. François Truffaut’s filmic version of “The Altar of the Dead”: La chambre verte (1977/78)
IV.1 Significant changes in setting and plot
IV.2 Characters
IV.3 Themes
V. Conclusion
VI. Filmography
VII. Bibliography
Objectives and Topics
This academic paper aims to conduct a comparative analysis between Henry James’s short story “The Altar of the Dead” and its filmic adaptation “La chambre verte” by director François Truffaut. The central research objective is to investigate how Truffaut transforms the original literary text into a film, evaluating whether the adaptation functions as an independent artistic extension of the story or remains strictly confined to the original narrative framework.
- The theoretical development and perception of literary adaptation in cinema.
- A deep psychological examination of protagonists George Stransom and Julien Davenne.
- The representation of universal themes such as nostalgia, mourning, melancholia, and the gothic.
- The role of the supernatural and collective memory in both literary and filmic works.
- An assessment of Truffaut’s directorial choices in translating James’s work for a 20th-century audience.
Excerpt from the Book
III.1 Plot
Henry James’s short story The Altar of the Dead, “set in the late Victorian period”, focuses on its protagonist’s morbid obsession with the dead people in his life and his resulting inability and refusal to live an active life in the present.
Fifty – five year old Londoner George Stransom commemorates each year the death of his fiancée Mary Antrim, who died “after the wedding day had been fixed” (319). Her death, though being the most significant one in his life, is not the only one he keeps constantly keeps in mind and alive through his memory; he keeps record of every single one of his dead friends and commemorates “the Others”(320) on a daily basis. One of the reasons for his strong relation to the past consists of his feeling, that he has a more intimate and amiable relationship to his dead friends than to those who are still alive (cf. 330). The other one is his repulsion by society’s refusal to honour the dead, and so he takes it upon him to remember those who “asked so little that they got […] even less” (320).
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: Outlines the historical context of Henry James’s writing and introduces the subsequent filmic adaptation by François Truffaut as the subject of the comparative study.
II. A short history of literary adaptation: Discusses the evolution of the perception of filmic adaptations, shifting from a demand for fidelity to the idea of an independent work of art.
III. “The Altar of the Dead” (1895): Analyzes the original literary text, focusing on the protagonist's psychological state, his obsession with the past, and the themes of nostalgia and the gothic.
II.1 Plot: Details the narrative arc of George Stransom, his relationship with the dead, and his encounters with other characters that reveal his inner emotional conflicts.
II.2 Characters: Explores the subjectivity and psychological predisposition of George Stransom, highlighting parallels between the character and the author, Henry James.
II.3 Themes: Examines central thematic elements including nostalgia as a pathological condition, the mechanics of mourning, and the presence of the supernatural.
IV. François Truffaut’s filmic version of “The Altar of the Dead”: La chambre verte (1977/78): Investigates Truffaut’s personal connection to the story and his late-career focus on psychological obsessions.
IV.1 Significant changes in setting and plot: Outlines the shift to a post-WWI French setting and the use of new characters and cinematographic devices to visualize interiority.
IV.2 Characters: Analyzes Julien Davenne as a traumatized war survivor and Cecilia Mandel as a representative of life-affirming love compared to the original story.
IV.3 Themes: Explains how the film expands on James’s themes by incorporating the collective trauma of the First World War and the myth of Pygmalion.
V. Conclusion: Summarizes how Truffaut’s adaptation successfully enriches the reception of James’s work by making it more accessible through cultural and psychological contextualization.
VI. Filmography: Lists technical details and availability of the film discussed.
VII. Bibliography: Provides a comprehensive list of primary and secondary sources referenced in the analysis.
Keywords
Henry James, François Truffaut, La chambre verte, literary adaptation, filmic adaptation, nostalgia, mourning, melancholia, gothic, collective memory, psychology, The Altar of the Dead, trauma, Julien Davenne, George Stransom
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental premise of this academic paper?
The paper examines the literary short story "The Altar of the Dead" by Henry James and compares it to its filmic adaptation "La chambre verte" directed by François Truffaut.
What are the primary thematic areas explored?
The research focuses on the concepts of nostalgia, mourning, melancholia, love, and the gothic, as well as the intersection of individual and collective memory.
What is the core research question?
The study asks whether Truffaut’s film serves merely as a faithful translation or if it acts as an original artistic extension of James's literary source material.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author uses a comparative literary and cultural studies approach, analyzing narrative structure, character development, and historical context across different media.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The analysis covers the historical perception of adaptations, a detailed character study of both the literary and filmic protagonists, and a thematic breakdown of both works.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include literary adaptation, nostalgia, mourning, melancholia, collective memory, and psychological obsession.
Why did Truffaut choose to shift the setting from London to a French village?
Truffaut moved the setting to post-WWI France to connect the protagonist's individual trauma with a broader national collective trauma, making the story more relevant to the French public.
How does the film's ending differ from the original short story?
While remaining true to the mood of the original, the film incorporates explicit references to other works by Henry James and emphasizes the protagonist's failed attempt to create a perfect image of the past, symbolized by the destroyed wax figure.
- Quote paper
- Sema Kara (Author), 2012, Henry James's short story "The Altar of the Dead" and its filmic adaptation "La Chambre Verte" by Francois Truffaut, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/267434
