description The Ogre Overview
The Ogre (French: Le Roi des aulnes) is a 1970 novel by French author Michel Tournier that won the Prix Goncourt. The story follows Abel Tiffauges, a simple French mechanic who is captured during World War II. He eventually becomes a servant of the Nazi regime, overseeing a castle where children are kidnapped and indoctrinated for military service. The narrative heavily incorporates the Erlking myth from Goethe's poem and explores philosophical themes of destiny and the nature of evil.
insights Ranking position
The Ogre ranks #68 of 107 in the Philosophical Fiction ranking, behind Amerika, ahead of The Flies.
help The Ogre FAQ
What is the plot of Michel Tournier's The Ogre?
The novel follows Abel Tiffauges, a simple and childlike French auto mechanic with an almost mystical affinity for children. After being captured during World War II, he is swept into the Nazi apparatus and eventually becomes an overseer at a castle that trains young boys for the Nazi regime, a role he embraces with disturbing innocence.
Did The Ogre by Michel Tournier win the Prix Goncourt?
Yes, The Ogre (Le Roi des aulnes) won the Prix Goncourt, France's most prestigious literary prize, in 1970. The novel became Tournier's most celebrated and widely read work, cementing his reputation as one of the major French novelists of the late 20th century.
Is there a film adaptation of The Ogre?
Yes, a film adaptation titled Der Unhold (The Ogre) was released in 1996, directed by German filmmaker Volker Schlöndorff. It starred John Malkovich in the role of Abel Tiffauges and screened at major international film festivals.
What myth or fairy tale does The Ogre draw on?
The novel's French title, Le Roi des aulnes, translates to The Erlking, referencing the figure from Germanic folklore and Goethe's famous poem Erlkönig. Tournier weaves this mythological archetype of a being who lures children into the narrative, making Abel Tiffauges a modern embodiment of the Erlking myth.
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