"The Duel" is a work of short fiction by Joseph Conrad, first published in The Pall Mall Magazine in January–May, 1908. The story was collected in A Set of Six (1908) released by Methuen Publishing. It was adapted as the 1977 film The Duellists, directed by Ridley Scott. "The Duel" is told from a third-person omniscient point of view. The story is set during the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815), a period of mass military mobilization across Europe. The focal characters are two French cavalry officers—Hussars—serving in Napoleon's army. Though dueling is frowned upon by the military establishment, it is not forbidden. Only officers of the same rank may engage in these contests to resolve matters of personal honor. The story opens in Strasbourg during a brief lull in the military campaigns.
Adaptations (1)
The Duel was adapted into a 1977 film.
The Duellists1977 · film · 100 min · dir. Ridley Scott · IMDb ↗In 1800, as Napoleon Bonaparte rises to power in France, a rivalry erupts between Armand and Gabriel, two lieutenants in the French Army, over a perceived insult. For over a decade, they engage in a series of duels amidst larger conflicts, including the failed French invasion of Russia in 1812, and shifts in the political and social systems of Europe.
