The Clemenceau Case

The narrative unfolds through a letter from Pierre Clemenceau, an illegitimate child, to a judge while he is imprisoned. Reflecting on his troubled upbringing, he critiques the societal injustices faced by women and children in 19th-century France. Pierre's life is marked by bullying, distrust, and a descent into crime, stemming from his mother's secrecy about his father. He grapples with guilt over his mother's struggles and questions a society that absolves men of paternal responsibility. This edition presents a classic work of French literature for contemporary readers.