Henri 2, Paw de Deux

In trying to mesh my literary interests with my non-literary interests (largely cats), I would like to share this video which parodies the dramatic French sentiment:
Henri 2, Paw de Deux
Besides being hilarious, this video displays the sort of romantic melancholy we imagine when we think of French people and art. Take this poem by Victor Hugo (Les Miserables anyone?) for example:
 Demain dès l'aube
Demain, dès l'aube, à l'heure où blanchit la campagne,
Je partirai. Vois-tu, je sais que tu m'attends.
J'irai par la forêt, j'irai par la montagne.
Je ne puis demeurer loin de toi plus longtemps.
Je marcherai les yeux fixés sur mes pensées,
Sans rien voir au dehors, sans entendre aucun bruit,
Seul, inconnu, le dos courbé, les mains croisées,
Triste, et le jour pour moi sera comme la nuit.
Je ne regarderai ni l'or du soir qui tombe,
Ni les voiles au loin descendant vers Harfleur,
Et quand j'arriverai, je mettrai sur ta tombe
Un bouquet de houx vert et de bruyère en fleur.
Translated into English:
Tomorrow at Dawn
Tomorrow, at dawn, at the hour when the countryside becomes pale with snow,
I will leave. You see, I know that you are waiting for me.
I will go by the forest, I will go by the mountain.
I cannot stay far from you any longer.
I will walk with my eyes fixed on my thoughts,
Without seeing anything outside, without hearing any noise,
Alone, unknown, back curved, hands crossed,
Sad, and the day for me will be like the night.
I will not look at the gold of the evening which falls,
Nor the faraway sails descending towards Harfleur.
And when I arrive, I will put on your tomb
A green bouquet of holly and flowering heather.

I think this poem is something Henri le chat would recite! French poetry is beautiful but often sad and depressing, like this cat's outlook on life. It is interesting to think that perhaps the way a culture is perceived is often shaped by the poetry and prose it produces. Très intéressant!