Despite the fact that he is an honorable man and a war hero ready to die on the battlefield, his social ascension was fast and questionable like most of Napoleon's highest ranking men. ... The fate of Colonel Chabert's wife illustrates perfectly the ambiguity of the era: from street prostitute, she accessed the Empire's highest society thanks to her husband's military career. ... Chabert's rich military class and Russia old aristocracy). ...

• Word Count: 1327
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate