Manon Lescaut: Abbé Prévost

Manon Lescaut
Abbé Prévost

Manon Lescaut is basically the life story of a man named Chevalier Des Grieux. His tale starts when he was a boy of about fifteen; during a trip a pretty girl of about the same age catches his eye. He summons the courage to introduce himself and later, the two meet up to talk further. Chevalier learns of her father’s orders to commit Manon to a convent (a prison, of sorts (it is also suggested at this point that she is very liberal….in giving up her body to men)) and, being genuinely enraptured with this caring young man, she agrees to elope with him and the two sneak away to Paris in a carriage before the next dawn. The two move into a simple Parisian apartment for a few weeks; the naïve Chevalier is, quite viscously, torn apart from his dear
His pitiful state earns him a ticket on the ship that she is on; during this trip Manon seems to evolve into an adult and into a true lover. This becomes apparent after the two reach their very small and simple colonial settlement. She confesses that during the long journey across the ocean she was completely taken aback by Chevaliers loyalty and complete dedication to her and that she no longer craves trivial pleasures, she only wants him. It is very apparent to both Des Grieux and the reader that her soulful confessions were sincere. Their life in America is, for a short time, perfect for them both. Whether it was fate, bad luck, or stupidity, Chevalier reignites a chaotic blaze that seems to follow their relationship everywhere by confessing to the governor that the two were, in fact, not married. The Governor’s nephew is drawn to Manon (surprise..) and when he tries to come between them, Chevalier refuses to ever let anyone take her again and nearly kills the young nephew. The lovers flee the town and eventually stop in a barren field where Manon