Résumé
Les Guêpes (The Wasps), séries 3 and 4, by Alphonse Karr, continues the satirical essay collection published in 1841–1843, offering a biting critique of 19th-century French society, politics, and culture.
Written in a conversational and ironic tone, Karr skewers public figures, institutions, and societal trends with sharp wit.
From the invasion of personal privacy through postal surveillance to the absurdity of judicial leniency with "circumstances atténuantes," he exposes hypocrisy and folly.
Karr critiques the press, the monarchy, and the growing cult of celebrity, while weaving in personal anecdotes and reflections, such as his musings on Victor Hugo’s entry into the French Academy or the misplaced painting by Gudin.
The essays blend humor, social commentary, and philosophical musings, capturing the absurdities of a rapidly changing France.