Literary notes about gendarme (AI summary)
Literary usage of the word “gendarme” spans a wide range of depictions—from the strict enforcer of state authority to a more human, sometimes humorous figure. In many narratives, such as those by Dumas and Hugo ([1], [2], [3]), the gendarme appears as a symbol of official power, involved in dramatic or decisive moments of law and order. At the same time, authors like Maupassant and Chekhov introduce a lighter tone, employing the gendarme in witty or ironic contexts—whether through a sardonic remark or a comically mundane duty ([4], [5], [6]). This duality in representation, evident in examples ranging from the assertive, action-oriented character in [7] and [8] to the genial, everyday presence noted in [9] and [10], underscores how the gendarme functions as both a personification of state control and a versatile, humanized character in literature.
- At Amiens station the door was opened, and a gendarme entered and seated himself by the side of Préveraud.
— from The History of a Crime by Victor Hugo - “It is for you,” replied a gendarme.
— from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet - Préveraud, full of surprise and rage, gently pushed back the gendarme's hand.
— from The History of a Crime by Victor Hugo - The gendarme made a little joke: “He takes the shepherd's blankets.”
— from Complete Original Short Stories of Guy De Maupassant by Guy de Maupassant - And he wants the gendarme to be sure to mention his countenance.
— from Project Gutenberg Compilation of Short Stories by Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov - ” “What am I to write next?” asks the gendarme.
— from Project Gutenberg Compilation of Short Stories by Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov - On a given signal from the friendly gendarme, Delisle fled, while another gendarme took aim and shot him through the thigh.
— from Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds by Charles Mackay - On a given signal from the friendly gendarme, Delisle fled, while another gendarme took aim and shot him through the thigh.
— from Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds by Charles Mackay - But the sturdy Madame Loiseau, who had the soul of a gendarme, continued morose, speaking little and eating much.
— from Complete Original Short Stories of Guy De Maupassant by Guy de Maupassant - When our cook Martha used to ask about her gendarme, she used to say my man.
— from Plays by Anton Chekhov, Second Series by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov