The Idiots

"The Idiots" is a short story by Joseph Conrad, his first to be published. It first appeared in The Savoy in 1896. The story was included in the Conrad collection Tales of Unrest, published in 1898. Set in Brittany, France, the story describes the life of the Bacadou family. Jean Pierre and his wife Susan are naturally excited about their children when they are born. But as time goes by they realize that the children suffer from intellectual disability. But the revelation soon puts a strain on the family, something that will result in a horrific murder…