Originally published in French in 1731 as part of a longer novel series, Manon Lescaut is the story of the Chevalier des Grieux, a young nobleman of good family who abandons everything — honor, family, and fortune — for the beautiful, faithless Manon Lescaut. Prevost’s tale of destructive passion became one of the most influential French novels of the eighteenth century, inspiring operas by Massenet and Puccini.
This text is available in English translation. The novel’s unflinching portrait of obsessive love and social downfall gave it a lasting place in European literary history. Download this free EPUB from Better Gutenberg and discover the original Manon.