''The Short Reign of Pippin IV: A Fabrication'' is a novel by

John Steinbeck John Ernst Steinbeck Jr. (; February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968) was an American writer and the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature winner "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social ...

published in 1957; his only

political satire Political satire is satire that specializes in gaining entertainment from politics; it has also been used with subversive intent where Political discourse analysis, political speech and dissent are forbidden by a regime, as a method of advancing ...

, the book pokes fun at

French politics The politics of France take place with the framework of a semi-presidential system determined by the French Constitution of the French Fifth Republic. The nation declares itself to be an "indivisible, secular, democratic, and social Republic ...

Plot summary

''Pippin IV'' explores the life of Pippin Héristal, an amateur

astronomer An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses their studies on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. They observe astronomical objects such as stars, planets, natural satellite, moons, comets and galaxy, g ...

in 1950s France, who is suddenly proclaimed the

King of France France was ruled by monarchs from the establishment of the Kingdom of West Francia in 843 until the end of the Second French Empire in 1870, with several interruptions. Classical French historiography usually regards Clovis I () as the first ...

. Unknowingly appointed to give the

Communists Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a so ...

monarchy A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state for life or until abdication. The political legitimacy and authority of the monarch may vary from restricted and largely symbolic (constitutional monarchy) ...

to revolt against, Pippin is chosen because he was descended from the famous king

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first Holy ...

. Unhappy with his lack of privacy, alteration of family life, uncomfortable housings at the

Palace of Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 19 ...

and his lack of power as a

constitutional monarch A constitutional monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in decision making. Constitutional monarchies dif ...

, the protagonist spends a portion of the novel dressing up as a commoner, often riding a

motorscooter A scooter (motor scooter) is a motorcycle with an underbone or step-through frame, a seat, and a platform for the rider's feet, emphasizing comfort and fuel economy. Elements of scooter design were present in some of the earliest motorcycles ...

, to avoid the constrained life of a king. Pippin eventually receives his wish of dethronement after the people of France enact the rebellion Pippin's kingship was destined to receive. He returns to his home in Paris to find that nothing has really changed.

Characters

* Pippin Arnulf Héristal - protagonist of the story; he is an amateur astronomer whose bloodline traces back to King Pippin II and to

. He later becomes the

. * Marie, Pippin's wife - a practical, buxom woman who becomes

Queen of France This is a list of the women who were queens or empresses as wives of French monarchs from the 843 Treaty of Verdun, which gave rise to West Francia, until 1870, when the Third Republic was declared. Living wives of reigning monarchs technica ...

in a down-to-earth fashion. She likens managing the kingdom to managing a home. * Clotilde, Pippin's daughter - a best-selling author, inspiration for a religious movement, intellectual prodigy, and

Crown Princess A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wife ...

, all by the age of twenty. She is a stereotypical youth, clumsy and frivolous. * Charles Martel - Pippin's uncle, an art and antique dealer who shares a name with the

historical figure A historical figure is a significant person in history. The significance of such figures in human progress has been debated. Some think they play a crucial role, while others say they have little impact on the broad currents of thought and social ...

, an ancient member of his family. He often advises Pippin on tough situations. * Sister Hyacinthe (née Suzanne Lescault) - a former

cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or d ...

performer-turned-nun who provides sage advice to Marie and Pippin. * Tod Johnson - a young American traveling in Europe who becomes involved with Clotilde; heir to a large fortune from his father, H. W. Johnson, the "Egg King of

Petaluma, California Petaluma (Miwok languages, Miwok: ''Péta Lúuma'') is a city in Sonoma County, California, Sonoma County, California, located in the North Bay (San Francisco Bay Area), North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Its population was 59,776 a ...

". He introduces Pippin to the American way of

politics Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studies ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Short Reign Of Pippin Iv 1957 American novels American satirical novels Novels by John Steinbeck Novels set in France Political satire books Fictional French people Fictional kings Viking Press books

Plot summary

Characters

References

Further reading

External links