Armance by Stendhal. Short summary

5 seconds

Octave de Maliver has become an enviable groom. He loves Armance, she secretly loves him. The young men are hindered by the thought that their feelings are caused by a large inheritance. They torment each other with jealousy.

1 minute

The de Maliver family is ruined by the revolution. The state has pledged to compensate for the pecuniary damage. So overnight, poor aristocrat Octave de Maliver turns into an enviable groom. He is pestered by the mothers of his daughters to be given away, but he is in love with Armance Zoilov. But she does not want to be intrusive like the other maidens, so she puts on a cold face, though she secretly loves Octave.

Throughout the novel, the young men torment each other with groundless jealousy. Octave wooed the Countess de Aumale for appearance, and Armance lies that she is betrothed.

The lovers manage to be together for only two months when the Chevalier de Bonnivet arrives to woo Armance. The separated lovers are once more tormented by jealousy. Octave´s enemies, de Soubrinand and de Bonnivet, forge letters from Armand to Octave. He thinks his beloved has grown cold to him, and he drinks the poison.

After Octave’s death, Armand takes the veil of nunhood.