Bergelon
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Bergelon (1941) is a novel by Georges Simenon, one of his 'romans durs'.
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Summary
Bergelon is a small-town general practitioner in Bugle, the same town where his father practiced before sinking into alcoholism. He is attracted by an offer of Mandalin, his wealthy colleague: the honorarium of the first client he sends to Mandalin's private clinic will be paid to him. For subsequent operations, the fee will be half. Cosson, a bank employee, wants his wife to have the best possible obstetrician, and Bergelon recommends Mandalin's clinic. That is the first customer. Unfortunately, Mandalin's drunken behavior that night leads to the death of both mother and child. Cosson, who discovers the truth, hunts down Bergelon, thinking of killing him. The "little doctor" makes no attempt to escape. Cosson has settled in with Cécile, his mistress, a young prostitute who is inspected for stds by Bergelon every week. Bergelon, who understands Cosson's reaction, meets him during a moving conversation, and Cosson, while not abandoning his project, delays its execution. Cécile, however, prudently advises Bergelon to run off, so he takes a vacation. On the beach at Riva-Bella, where he is resting alone for a few days, lying next to Edna, his mistress of the day before, Bergelon spots Germaine, his wife, arriving unexpectedly. So he decides to flee. From Germaine, who suffers, from Annie and Emile, his children, who judge him, and perhaps from Cosson, who, having obtained his address, has written him a letter betraying a great mental instability.
After wandering for several days, he ends up in Antwerp, where anything is possible, where everything can start again, since a childhood friend, found by chance, offers him a job on a ship bound for Trebizond. But, contacted by a telegram from Cosson, he agrees to meet him in Paris, near the gare du Nord. After a final meeting, it is Cosson who boards a cargo ship for the adventure of gold digging in Upper Volta. As for Bergelon, he resumes his monotonous existence at Bugle, between Germaine, the children and the customers, with the occasional escape for little Cécile.
Analysis
The novel reveals a double psychological introspection: that of Bergelon, who analyzes himself by referring to the mediocrity of his environment; and that of Cosson, the victim of a tragedy that triggers a process of failure. This is the story of a crisis that exposes the characters' inner selves.
Work description
Spatio-temporal setting
Space
Bugle, a small town on the Loire. [Riva-Bella]]. [Antwerp]]. [Paris]].
Time
Contemporary times.
Characters
Main character
Elie Bergeron. Doctor of medicine. Married, two children. Age 33.
Other characters
- Cosson, bank clerk in his thirties.
- Cécile, prostitute and Cosson's mistress.
- Germaine, Bergelon's wife.
