Description:Timeless French masterpieces such as Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, Flaubert's Madame Bovary, and Camus' The Plague (1947) have been the subject of copious literary criticism since their publications. This volume was developed specifically to help students and general readers reach a deeper understanding of eight French masterpieces. Lucid yet challenging literary analysis focuses on plot and character development, themes, style, and biographical and historical context. This guide offers a fuller sense of the historical and literary environment in which each author worked.