Carmen

A cautionary tale narrated by a French archaeologist traveling through Spain, Carmen tells the story of Don José, a soldier undone by his obsessive love for the fiery, free-spirited Romani woman Carmen. Drawn into a life of smuggling and crime for her sake, José finds that Carmen's refusal to be possessed by anyone leads them both toward a tragic reckoning. Mérimée's tightly wound novella of passion, jealousy, and fatal desire later inspired Bizet's celebrated opera.