Honoré De Balzac (1842)
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Honoré de Balzac ( , more commonly , ; born Honoré Balzac;Jean-Louis Dega, La vie prodigieuse de Bernard-François Balssa, père d'Honoré de Balzac : Aux sources historiques de La Comédie humaine, Rodez, Subervie, 1998, 665 p. 20 May 1799 – 18 August 1850) was a French novelist and playwright. The
novel sequence A book series is a sequence of books having certain characteristics in common that are formally identified together as a group. Book series can be organized in different ways, such as written by the same author, or marketed as a group by their pub ...
''
La Comédie humaine LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...
'', which presents a panorama of post-
Napoleonic Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
French life, is generally viewed as his ''
magnum opus A masterpiece, ''magnum opus'' (), or ''chef-d’œuvre'' (; ; ) in modern use is a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or a work of outstanding creativity, ...
''. Owing to his keen observation of detail and unfiltered representation of society, Balzac is regarded as one of the founders of
realism Realism, Realistic, or Realists may refer to: In the arts *Realism (arts), the general attempt to depict subjects truthfully in different forms of the arts Arts movements related to realism include: *Classical Realism *Literary realism, a move ...
in
European literature Western literature, also known as European literature, is the literature written in the context of Western culture in the languages of Europe, as well as several geographically or historically related languages such as Basque and Hungarian, and ...
. He is renowned for his multi-faceted characters; even his lesser characters are complex, morally ambiguous and fully human. Inanimate objects are imbued with character as well; the city of Paris, a backdrop for much of his writing, takes on many human qualities. His writing influenced many famous writers, including the novelists
Émile Zola Émile Édouard Charles Antoine Zola (, also , ; 2 April 184029 September 1902) was a French novelist, journalist, playwright, the best-known practitioner of the literary school of naturalism, and an important contributor to the development of ...
,
Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...
,
Marcel Proust Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust (; ; 10 July 1871 – 18 November 1922) was a French novelist, critic, and essayist who wrote the monumental novel ''In Search of Lost Time'' (''À la recherche du temps perdu''; with the previous Eng ...
,
Gustave Flaubert Gustave Flaubert ( , , ; 12 December 1821 – 8 May 1880) was a French novelist. Highly influential, he has been considered the leading exponent of literary realism in his country. According to the literary theorist Kornelije Kvas, "in Flauber ...
, and
Henry James Henry James ( – ) was an American-British author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. He was the ...
, and filmmakers
François Truffaut François Roland Truffaut ( , ; ; 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After a career of more tha ...
and
Jacques Rivette Jacques Rivette (; 1 March 1928 – 29 January 2016) was a French film director and film critic most commonly associated with the French New Wave and the film magazine ''Cahiers du Cinéma''. He made twenty-nine films, including ''L'amour fou' ...
. Many of Balzac's works have been made into films and continue to inspire other writers. James called him "really the father of us all." An enthusiastic reader and independent thinker as a child, Balzac had trouble adapting to the teaching style of his grammar school. His willful nature caused trouble throughout his life and frustrated his ambitions to succeed in the world of business. When he finished school, Balzac was apprenticed in a
law office A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients (individuals or corporations) about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to r ...
, but he turned his back on the study of law after wearying of its inhumanity and banal routine. Before and during his career as a writer, he attempted to be a publisher, printer, businessman, critic, and politician; he failed in all of these efforts. ''
La Comédie Humaine LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...
'' reflects his real-life difficulties, and includes scenes from his own experience. Balzac suffered from health problems throughout his life, possibly owing to his intense writing schedule. His relationship with his family was often strained by financial and personal drama, and he lost more than one friend over critical reviews. In 1850, Balzac married
Ewelina Hańska Eveline Hańska (; 6 January  – 11 April 1882) was a Polish noblewoman best known for her marriage to French novelist Honoré de Balzac. Born at the Wierzchownia estate in VolhyniaJuanita Helm Floyd ''Women in the Life of Balzac''. Page 13 ...
(), a Polish aristocrat and his longtime love. He died in Paris six months later.


Biography


Family

Honoré de Balzac was born into a family which aspired to achieve respectability through its industry and efforts. His father, born Bernard-François Balssa, was one of eleven children from an artisan family in Tarn, a region in the south of France. In 1760 he set off for Paris with only a ''Louis'' coin in his pocket, intent on improving his
social standing Social stratification refers to a society's categorization of its people into groups based on socioeconomic factors like wealth, income, race, education, ethnicity, gender, occupation, social status, or derived power (social and political). As su ...
; by 1776 he had become Secretary to the King's Council and a
Freemason Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
(he had also changed his name to the more noble sounding "Balzac", his son later adding—without official recognition—the
nobiliary particle A nobiliary particle is used in a surname or family name in many Western cultures to signal the nobility of a family. The particle used varies depending on the country, language and period of time. In some languages, it is the same as a regular p ...
: "''de''"). After the
Reign of Terror The Reign of Terror (french: link=no, la Terreur) was a period of the French Revolution when, following the creation of the First Republic, a series of massacres and numerous public executions took place in response to revolutionary fervour, ...
(1793–94), François Balzac was despatched to
Tours Tours ( , ) is one of the largest cities in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Indre-et-Loire. The Communes of France, commune of Tours had 136,463 ...
to coordinate supplies for the
Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
. Balzac's mother, born Anne-Charlotte-Laure Sallambier, came from a family of
haberdasher In British English, a haberdasher is a business or person who sells small articles for sewing, dressmaking and knitting, such as buttons, ribbons, and zippers; in the United States, the term refers instead to a retailer who sells men's clothing, ...
s in Paris. Her family's wealth was a considerable factor in the match: she was eighteen at the time of the wedding, and François Balzac fifty. As the author and literary critic Sir Victor Pritchett explained, "She was certainly drily aware that she had been given to an old husband as a reward for his professional services to a friend of her family and that the capital was on her side. She was not in love with her husband". Honoré (named after Saint-Honoré of Amiens, who is commemorated on 16 May, four days before Balzac's birthday) was actually the second child born to the Balzacs; exactly one year earlier, Louis-Daniel had been born, but he lived for only a month. Honoré's sisters Laure and Laurence were born in 1800 and 1802, and his younger brother Henry-François in 1807.


Early life

As an infant Balzac was sent to a
wet nurse A wet nurse is a woman who breastfeeds and cares for another's child. Wet nurses are employed if the mother dies, or if she is unable or chooses not to nurse the child herself. Wet-nursed children may be known as "milk-siblings", and in some cu ...
; the following year he was joined by his sister Laure and they spent four years away from home. (Although Genevan philosopher
Jean-Jacques Rousseau Jean-Jacques Rousseau (, ; 28 June 1712 – 2 July 1778) was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment throughout Europe, as well as aspects of the French Revolu ...
's influential book '' Émile'' convinced many mothers of the time to nurse their own children, sending babies to wet nurses was still common among the middle and upper classes.) When the Balzac children returned home, they were kept at a frosty distance from their parents, which affected the author-to-be significantly. His 1835 novel ''
Le Lys dans la vallée ''Le Lys dans la Vallée'' (English: ''The Lily of the Valley'') is an 1835 novel about love and society by French novelist and playwright Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850). It concerns the affection — emotionally vibrant but never consummated — ...
'' features a cruel governess named Miss Caroline, modeled after his own caregiver. At age ten Balzac was sent to the Oratorian
grammar school A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented secondary school ...
in
Vendôme Vendôme (, ) is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Departments of France, department of Loir-et-Cher, France. It is also the department's third-biggest Communes of France, commune with 15,856 inhabitants (2019). It is one of the ...
, where he studied for seven years. His father, seeking to instill the same hardscrabble work ethic which had gained him the esteem of society, intentionally gave little spending money to the boy. This made him the object of ridicule among his much wealthier schoolmates. Balzac had difficulty adapting to the rote style of learning at the school. As a result, he was frequently sent to the "alcove", a punishment cell reserved for disobedient students. (The janitor at the school, when asked later if he remembered Honoré, replied: "Remember M. Balzac? I should think I do! I had the honour of escorting him to the dungeon more than a hundred times!") Still, his time alone gave the boy ample freedom to read every book which came his way. Balzac worked these scenes from his boyhood—as he did many aspects of his life and the lives of those around him—into ''
La Comédie humaine LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...
''. His time at Vendôme is reflected in ''
Louis Lambert Louis Lambert is a politician, lawyer, and teacher from Prairieville, Louisiana. He is best known for his campaign for the 1979 Louisiana gubernatorial election, which he lost to David Treen in one of the closest elections in recent memory. By ...
'', his 1832 novel about a young boy studying at an Oratorian grammar school at Vendôme. The narrator says : "He devoured books of every kind, feeding indiscriminately on religious works, history and literature, philosophy and physics. He had told me that he found indescribable delight in reading dictionaries for lack of other books." Balzac often fell ill, finally causing the headmaster to contact his family with news of a "sort of a coma". When he returned home, his grandmother said: "''Voilà donc comme le collège nous renvoie les jolis que nous lui envoyons!''" ("Look how the academy returns the pretty ones we send them!") Balzac himself attributed his condition to "intellectual congestion", but his extended confinement in the "alcove" was surely a factor. (Meanwhile, his father had been writing a treatise on "the means of preventing thefts and murders, and of restoring the men who commit them to a useful role in society", in which he heaped disdain on prison as a form of crime prevention.) In 1814 the Balzac family moved to Paris, and Honoré was sent to private tutors and schools for the next two and a half years. This was an unhappy time in his life, during which he attempted suicide on a bridge over the river
Loire The Loire (, also ; ; oc, Léger, ; la, Liger) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it drains , more than a fifth of France's land, while its average discharge is only half that of the Rhône ...
. In 1816 Balzac entered the
Sorbonne Sorbonne may refer to: * Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities. *the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970) *one of its components or linked institution, ...
, where he studied under three famous professors:
François Guizot François Pierre Guillaume Guizot (; 4 October 1787 – 12 September 1874) was a French historian, orator, and statesman. Guizot was a dominant figure in French politics prior to the Revolution of 1848. A conservative liberal who opposed the a ...
, who later became
Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
, was Professor of Modern History;
Abel-François Villemain Abel-François Villemain (9 June 17908 May 1870) was a French politician and writer. Biography Villemain was born in Paris and educated at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand. He became assistant master at the Lycée Charlemagne, and subsequently at the ...
, a recent arrival from the ''Collège Charlemagne'', lectured on French and classical literature; and, most influential of all,
Victor Cousin Victor Cousin (; 28 November 179214 January 1867) was a French philosopher. He was the founder of "eclecticism", a briefly influential school of French philosophy that combined elements of German idealism and Scottish Common Sense Realism. As ...
's courses on philosophy encouraged his students to think independently. Once his studies were completed, Balzac was persuaded by his father to follow him into the Law; for three years he trained and worked at the office of Victor Passez, a family friend. During this time Balzac began to understand the vagaries of human nature. In his 1840 novel ''Le Notaire'', he wrote that a young person in the legal profession sees "the oily wheels of every fortune, the hideous wrangling of heirs over corpses not yet cold, the human heart grappling with the Penal Code". In 1819 Passez offered to make Balzac his successor, but his apprentice had had enough of the Law. He despaired of being "a clerk, a machine, a riding-school hack, eating and drinking and sleeping at fixed hours. I should be like everyone else. And that's what they call living, that life at the grindstone, doing the same thing over and over again.... I am hungry and nothing is offered to appease my appetite". He announced his intention to become a writer. The loss of this opportunity caused serious discord in the Balzac household, although Honoré was not turned away entirely. Instead, in April 1819 he was allowed to live in the French capital—as English critic
George Saintsbury George Edward Bateman Saintsbury, FBA (23 October 1845 – 28 January 1933), was an English critic, literary historian, editor, teacher, and wine connoisseur. He is regarded as a highly influential critic of the late 19th and early 20th centu ...
describes it—"in a garret furnished in the most Spartan fashion, with a starvation allowance and an old woman to look after him", while the rest of the family moved to a house twenty miles 2 kmoutside Paris.


First literary efforts

Balzac's first project was a
libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...
for a
comic opera Comic opera, sometimes known as light opera, is a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending and often including spoken dialogue. Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a ne ...
called ''Le Corsaire'', based on
Lord Byron George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824), known simply as Lord Byron, was an English romantic poet and Peerage of the United Kingdom, peer. He was one of the leading figures of the Romantic movement, and h ...
's ''
The Corsair ''The Corsair'' (1814) is a long tale in verse written by Lord Byron (see 1814 in poetry) and published by John Murray in London. It was extremely popular, selling ten thousand copies on its first day of sale, and was influential throughout the ...
''. Realizing he would have trouble finding a composer, however, he turned to other pursuits. In 1820 Balzac completed the five-act verse tragedy ''
Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...
''. Although it pales by comparison with his later works, some critics consider it a good-quality text. When he finished, Balzac went to
Villeparisis Villeparisis () is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the north-eastern suburbs of Paris from the centre. Inhabitants of Villeparisis are called ''Villeparisiens''. ...
and read the entire work to his family; they were unimpressed. He followed this effort by starting (but never finishing) three novels: ''Sténie'', ''Falthurne'', and ''Corsino''. In 1821 Balzac met the enterprising Auguste Le Poitevin, who convinced the author to write short stories, which Le Poitevin would then sell to publishers. Balzac quickly turned to longer works, and by 1826 he had written nine novels, all published under pseudonyms and often produced in collaboration with other writers. For example, the scandalous novel ''Vicaire des Ardennes'' (1822)—banned for its depiction of nearly-incestuous relations and, more egregiously, of a married priest—attributed to a "Horace de Saint-Aubin". These books were
potboiler A potboiler or pot-boiler is a novel, play, opera, film, or other creative work of dubious literary or artistic merit, whose main purpose was to pay for the creator's daily expenses—thus the imagery of "boil the pot", which means "to provide one ...
novels, designed to sell quickly and titillate audiences. In Saintsbury's view, "they are curiously, interestingly, almost enthrallingly bad". Saintsbury indicates that
Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as ''Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll a ...
tried to dissuade him from reading these early works of Balzac. American critic Samuel Rogers, however, notes that "without the training they gave Balzac, as he groped his way to his mature conception of the novel, and without the habit he formed as a young man of writing under pressure, one can hardly imagine his producing ''La Comédie Humaine''". Biographer
Graham Robb Graham Macdonald Robb FRSL (born 2 June 1958, Manchester) is a British author and critic specialising in French literature. Biography Born at Manchester, Robb attended the Royal Grammar School, Worcester, before going up to Exeter College, ...
suggests that as he discovered the Novel, Balzac discovered himself. During this time Balzac wrote two pamphlets in support of
primogeniture Primogeniture ( ) is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate child to inherit the parent's entire or main estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relativ ...
and the
Society of Jesus , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...
. The latter, regarding the
Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...
s, illustrated his lifelong admiration for the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. In the preface to ''La Comédie Humaine'' he wrote: "Christianity, above all, Catholicism, being ... a complete system for the repression of the depraved tendencies of man, is the most powerful element of social order".


''"Une bonne spéculation"''

In the late 1820s Balzac dabbled in several business ventures, a penchant his sister blamed on the temptation of an unknown neighbour. His first enterprise was in publishing which turned out cheap one-volume editions of French classics including the works of
Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (, ; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, , ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and world ...
. This business failed miserably, with many of the books "sold as waste paper". Balzac had better luck publishing the Memoirs of the Duchess of Abrantès, with whom he also had a love affair. Balzac borrowed money from his family and friends and tried to build a printing business, then a
type foundry A type foundry is a company that designs or distributes typefaces. Before digital typography, type foundries manufactured and sold metal and wood typefaces for hand typesetting, and matrices for line-casting machines like the Linotype and Mono ...
. His inexperience and lack of capital caused his ruin in these trades. He gave the businesses to a friend (who made them successful) but carried the debts for many years. As of April 1828 Balzac owed 50,000 francs to his mother. Balzac never lost his penchant for ''une bonne spéculation''. It resurfaced painfully later when—as a renowned and busy author—he traveled to
Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label=Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after ...
in the hopes of reprocessing the
slag Slag is a by-product of smelting (pyrometallurgical) ores and used metals. Broadly, it can be classified as ferrous (by-products of processing iron and steel), ferroalloy (by-product of ferroalloy production) or non-ferrous/base metals (by-prod ...
from the Roman mines there. Near the end of his life Balzac was captivated by the idea of cutting of
oak wood An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
in Ukraine and transporting it for sale in France.


''La Comédie Humaine'' and literary success

After writing several novels, in 1832 Balzac conceived the idea for an enormous series of books that would paint a panoramic portrait of "all aspects of society". The moment the idea came to him, Balzac raced to his sister's apartment and proclaimed: "I am about to become a genius!"Pritchett, 161 Although he originally called it ''Etudes des Mœurs'' ( literally 'Studies of manners', or 'The Ways of the World ' ) it eventually became known as ''La Comédie Humaine'', and he included in it all the fiction that he had published in his lifetime under his own name. This was to be Balzac's life work and his greatest achievement. After the collapse of his businesses, Balzac traveled to
Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, Historical region, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known ...
and stayed with the De Pommereul family outside
Fougères Fougères (; br, Felger; Gallo: ''Foujerr'') is a commune and a sub-prefecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine department in the region of Brittany in northwestern France. As of 2017, Fougères had 20,418 inhabitants. The Fougères area comprises appr ...
. There he drew inspiration for ''
Les Chouans ''Les Chouans'' (, ''The Chouans'') is an 1829 novel by French novelist and playwright Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850) and included in the ''Scènes de la vie militaire'' section of his novel sequence ''La Comédie humaine''. Set in the French ...
'' (1829), a tale of love gone wrong amid the
Chouan Chouan ("the silent one", or "owl") is a French nickname. It was used as a nom de guerre by the Chouan brothers, most notably Jean Cottereau, better known as Jean Chouan, who led a major revolt in Bas-Maine against the French Revolution. Part ...
royalist forces. Although Balzac was a supporter of the
Crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...
, Balzac paints the revolutionaries in a sympathetic light—even though they are the center of the book's most brutal scenes. This was the first book Balzac released under his own name, and it gave him what one critic called "passage into the Promised Land". It established him as an author of note (even if its historical fiction-genre imitates that of
Sir Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet, playwright and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European and Scottish literature, notably the novels '' Ivanhoe'', '' Rob Roy' ...
) and provided him with a name outside his past pseudonyms. Soon afterwards, around the time of his father's death, Balzac wrote '' El Verdugo''—about a 30-year-old man who kills his father (Balzac was 30 years old at the time). This was the first work signed "Honoré ''de'' Balzac". He followed his father in the surname Balzac but added the aristocratic-sounding nobiliary particle to help him fit into respected society, a choice based on skill rather than by right. "The aristocracy and authority of talent are more substantial than the aristocracy of names and material power", he wrote in 1830. The timing of the decision was also significant; as Robb explained: "The disappearance of the father coincides with the adoption of the nobiliary particle. A symbolic inheritance." Just as his father had worked his way up from poverty into respectable society, Balzac considered toil and effort his real mark of nobility. When the
July Revolution The French Revolution of 1830, also known as the July Revolution (french: révolution de Juillet), Second French Revolution, or ("Three Glorious ays), was a second French Revolution after the first in 1789. It led to the overthrow of King ...
overthrew
Charles X Charles X (born Charles Philippe, Count of Artois; 9 October 1757 – 6 November 1836) was King of France from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. An uncle of the uncrowned Louis XVII and younger brother to reigning kings Louis XVI and Loui ...
in 1830, Balzac declared himself a
Legitimist The Legitimists (french: Légitimistes) are royalists who adhere to the rights of dynastic succession to the French crown of the descendants of the eldest branch of the Bourbon dynasty, which was overthrown in the 1830 July Revolution. They re ...
, supporting King Charles' Royal House of Bourbon, but not without qualifications. He felt that the new
July Monarchy The July Monarchy (french: Monarchie de Juillet), officially the Kingdom of France (french: Royaume de France), was a liberal constitutional monarchy in France under , starting on 26 July 1830, with the July Revolution of 1830, and ending 23 F ...
(which claimed widespread popular support) was disorganized and unprincipled, in need of a mediator to keep the political peace between the King and insurgent forces. He called for "a young and vigorous man who belongs neither to the Directoire nor to the Empire, but who is 1830 incarnate...." He planned to be such a
candidate A candidate, or nominee, is the prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position; for example: * to be elected to an office — in this case a candidate selection procedure occurs. * t ...
, appealing especially to the higher classes in
Chinon Chinon () is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department, Centre-Val de Loire, France. The traditional province around Chinon, Touraine, became a favorite resort of French kings and their nobles beginning in the late 15th and early 16th centuri ...
. But after a near-fatal accident in 1832 (he slipped and cracked his head on the street), Balzac decided not to stand for election. 1831 saw the success of ''
La Peau de chagrin ''La Peau de chagrin'' (, ''The Skin of Shagreen''), known in English as ''The Magic Skin and The Wild Ass's Skin'', is an 1831 novel by French novelist and playwright Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850). Set in early 19th-century Paris, it tells t ...
'' (''The Wild Ass's Skin'' or ''The Magic Skin''), a fable-like tale about a despondent young man named Raphaël de Valentin who finds an animal skin which promises great power and wealth. He obtains these things, but loses the ability to manage them. In the end, his health fails and he is consumed by his own confusion. Balzac meant the story to bear witness to the treacherous turns of life, its "serpentine motion". In 1833 Balzac released ''
Eugénie Grandet ''Eugénie Grandet'' is a novel first published in 1833 by French author Honoré de Balzac. While he was writing it he conceived his ambitious project, ''La Comédie humaine'', and almost immediately prepared a second edition, revising the names ...
'', his first best-seller. The tale of a young lady who inherits her father's miserliness, it also became the most critically acclaimed book of his career. The writing is simple, yet the individuals (especially the bourgeois title character) are dynamic and complex. It is followed by ''
La Duchesse de Langeais '' La Duchesse de Langeais '' is an 1834 novel by French author Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850) and included in the ''Scènes de la vie parisienne'' section of his novel sequence ''La Comédie humaine''. It is part of his 1839 trilogy ''Histoire ...
'', arguably the most sublime of his novels. '' Le Père Goriot'' (''Old Father Goriot'', 1835) was his next success, in which Balzac transposes the story of ''
King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane an ...
'' to 1820s Paris in order to rage at a society bereft of all love save the love of money. The centrality of a father in this novel matches Balzac's own position—not only as mentor to his troubled young secretary, Jules Sandeau, but also the fact that he had fathered a child, Marie-Caroline Du Fresnay, with his otherwise-married lover, Maria Du Fresnay, who had been his source of inspiration for ''
Eugénie Grandet ''Eugénie Grandet'' is a novel first published in 1833 by French author Honoré de Balzac. While he was writing it he conceived his ambitious project, ''La Comédie humaine'', and almost immediately prepared a second edition, revising the names ...
''. In 1836 Balzac took the helm of the ''Chronique de Paris'', a weekly magazine of society and politics. He tried to enforce strict impartiality in its pages and a reasoned assessment of various ideologies.Robb, 272 As Rogers notes, "Balzac was interested in any social, political, or economic theory, whether from the right or the left." The magazine failed, but in July 1840 he founded another publication, the ''Revue Parisienne''. It produced three issues. These dismal business efforts—and his misadventures in
Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label=Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after ...
—provided an appropriate ''milieu'' in which to set the two-volume ''
Illusions perdues ''Illusions perdues'' — in English, ''Lost Illusions'' — is a serial novel written by the French writer Honoré de Balzac between 1837 and 1843. It consists of three parts, starting in provincial France, thereafter moving to Paris, and final ...
'' (''Lost Illusions'', 1843). The novel concerns Lucien de Rubempré, a young poet trying to make a name for himself, who becomes trapped in the morass of society's darkest contradictions. Lucien's journalistic work is informed by Balzac's own failed ventures in the field. ''
Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes ''Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes'', translated variously as ''The Splendors and Miseries of Courtesans'', ''A Harlot High and Low'', or as ''Lost Souls'', is an 1838-1847 novel by French novelist Honoré de Balzac, published in four initi ...
'' (''The Harlot High and Low'', 1847) continues Lucien's story. He is trapped by the Abbé Herrera (
Vautrin Vautrin is a character from the novels of French writer Honoré de Balzac in the ''La Comédie humaine'' series. His real name is Jacques Collin . He appears in the novels '' Le Père Goriot'' (Father Goriot, 1834/35) under the name Vautrin, a ...
) in a convoluted and disastrous plan to regain social status. The book undergoes a massive temporal rift; the first part (of four) covers a span of six years, while the final two sections focus on just three days. ''
Le Cousin Pons ''Le Cousin Pons'' () is one of the last of the 94 novels and short stories that make up Honoré de Balzac’s '' Comédie humaine''. Begun in 1846 as a novella, it was envisaged as one part of a diptych, '' Les Parents pauvres'' (''The Poor Rel ...
'' (1847) and ''
La Cousine Bette ''La Cousine Bette'' (, ''Cousin Bette'') is an 1846 novel by French author Honoré de Balzac. Set in mid-19th-century Paris, it tells the story of an unmarried middle-aged woman who plots the destruction of her extended family. Bette works wit ...
'' (1848) tell the story of ''Les Parents Pauvres'' (''The Poor Relations''). The conniving and wrangling over wills and inheritances reflect the expertise gained by the author as a young law clerk. Balzac's health was deteriorating by this point, making the completion of this pair of books a significant accomplishment. Many of his novels were initially serialized, like those of
Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian er ...
. Their length was not predetermined. ''Illusions Perdues'' extends to a thousand pages after starting inauspiciously in a small-town print shop, whereas '' La Fille aux yeux d'or'' (''The Girl with the Golden Eyes'', 1835) opens with a broad panorama of Paris but becomes a closely plotted novella of only fifty pages. According to the literary critic Kornelije Kvas, "Balzac's use of the same characters (Rastignac, Vautrin) in different parts of ''The Human Comedy'' is a consequence of the realist striving for narrative economy".


Work habits

Balzac's work habits were legendary. He wrote from 1 am to 8 am every morning and sometimes even longer. Balzac could write very rapidly; some of his novels, written with a quill, were composed at a pace equal to thirty words per minute on a modern typewriter. His preferred method was to eat a light meal at five or six in the afternoon, then sleep until midnight. He then rose and wrote for many hours, fueled by innumerable cups of black coffee. He often worked for fifteen hours or more at a stretch; he claimed to have once worked for 48 hours with only three hours of rest in the middle. Balzac revised obsessively, covering printer's proofs with changes and additions to be reset. He sometimes repeated this process during the publication of a book, causing significant expense both for himself and the publisher. As a result, the finished product quite often was different from the original text. Although some of his books never reached completion, some—such as ''Les employés'' (''The Government Clerks'', 1841)—are nonetheless noted by critics. Although Balzac was "by turns a hermit and a vagrant", he managed to stay in tune with the social spheres which nourished his writing. He was friends with
Théophile Gautier Pierre Jules Théophile Gautier ( , ; 30 August 1811 – 23 October 1872) was a French poet, dramatist, novelist, journalist, and art and literary critic. While an ardent defender of Romanticism, Gautier's work is difficult to classify and rem ...
and
Pierre-Marie-Charles de Bernard du Grail de la Villette Pierre-Marie-Charles de Bernard du Grail de la Villette (24 February 1804 – 6 March 1850), better known simply as Charles de Bernard, was a French writer. Biography He was born in Besançon, member of a very ancient family of the Vivarais, was e ...
, and he was acquainted with
Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...
. Nevertheless, he did not spend as much time in ''salons'' and
clubs Club may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Club'' (magazine) * Club, a ''Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' character * Clubs (suit), a suit of playing cards * Club music * "Club", by Kelsea Ballerini from the album ''kelsea'' Brands and enterprises ...
of Paris like many of his characters. "In the first place he was too busy", explains Saintsbury, "in the second he would not have been at home there.... felt it was his business not to frequent society but to create it". However he often spent long periods at the
Château de Saché The Château de Saché is a writer's house museum located in a home built from the converted remains of a feudal castle. Located in Saché, Indre-et-Loire, between 1830 and 1837, it is where French writer Honoré de Balzac wrote many of his nov ...
, near
Tours Tours ( , ) is one of the largest cities in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Indre-et-Loire. The Communes of France, commune of Tours had 136,463 ...
, the home of his friend Jean de Margonne, his mother's lover and father to her youngest child. Many of Balzac's tormented characters were conceived in the chateau's small second-floor bedroom. Today the chateau is a museum dedicated to the author's life.


Marriage, romantic relationships, and death

In 1833, as he revealed in a letter to his sister, Balzac entered into an illicit affair with fellow writer Maria Du Fresnay, who was then aged 24. Her marriage to a considerably older man (Charles du Fresnay, Mayor of
Sartrouville Sartrouville () is a commune in the Yvelines department, Île-de-France, north central France. it is located in the north-western suburbs of Paris, from the center of Paris. Name In the Middle Ages the name Sartrouville was recorded in Medieva ...
) had been a failure from the outset. In this letter, Balzac also reveals that the young woman had just come to tell him she was pregnant with his child. In 1834, 8 months after the event, Maria Du Fresnay's daughter by Balzac, Marie-Caroline Du Fresnay, was born. This revelation from French journalist Roger Pierrot in 1955 confirmed what was already suspected by several historians: the dedicatee of the novel
Eugénie Grandet ''Eugénie Grandet'' is a novel first published in 1833 by French author Honoré de Balzac. While he was writing it he conceived his ambitious project, ''La Comédie humaine'', and almost immediately prepared a second edition, revising the names ...
, a certain "Maria", turns out to be Maria Du Fresnay herself. Balzac had also long been suspected of being attracted to males as well. When the official records of homosexuals once maintained by the Paris police were finally released, his name was found listed. In February 1832 Balzac received an intriguing letter from
Odessa Odesa (also spelled Odessa) is the third most populous city and municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea. The city is also the administrativ ...
—with no return address and signed simply "''L'Étrangère''" ("The Foreigner")—expressing sadness at the cynicism and atheism in ''La Peau de Chagrin'' and its negative portrayal of women. His response was to place a
classified advertisement Classified advertising is a form of advertising, particularly common in newspapers, online and other periodicals, which may be sold or distributed free of charge. Classified advertisements are much cheaper than larger display advertisements used ...
in the ''Gazette de France'', hoping that his anonymous critic would see it. Thus began a fifteen-year correspondence between Balzac and "the object of issweetest dreams":
Ewelina Hańska Eveline Hańska (; 6 January  – 11 April 1882) was a Polish noblewoman best known for her marriage to French novelist Honoré de Balzac. Born at the Wierzchownia estate in VolhyniaJuanita Helm Floyd ''Women in the Life of Balzac''. Page 13 ...
. Ewelina (''née'' Rzewuska) was married to a
nobleman Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteristi ...
twenty years her senior,
Marshal Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used for elevated o ...
Wacław Hański Wacław Hański (1782–1841) was a Polish noble (Korczak coat of arms), landowner, marszałek of the nobility in the Volhynian Governorate. He was the first husband of Ewelina Hańska Eveline Hańska (; 6 January  – 11 April 1882) was ...
, a wealthy Polish landowner living near
Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
. It had been a
marriage of convenience A marriage of convenience is a marriage contracted for reasons other than that of love and commitment. Instead, such a marriage is entered into for personal gain, or some other sort of strategic purpose, such as a political marriage. There are ...
to preserve her
family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
's fortune. In Balzac Countess Ewelina found a kindred spirit for her emotional and social desires, with the added benefit of feeling a connection to the glamorous capital of France. Their correspondence reveals an intriguing balance of passion, propriety and patience;
Robb Robb is a surname of Scottish origin, formed from a diminution (reduction) of the name Robert. Robert was a popular name, especially after its use by three Scots Kings in the fourteenth century. Rob is first recorded as a surname in the mid-15th ...
says it is "like an experimental novel in which the female protagonist is always trying to pull in extraneous realities but which the hero is determined to keep on course, whatever tricks he has to use". Marshal Hański died in 1841, and his widow and her admirer finally had the chance to pursue their affections. A rival of the Hungarian composer
Franz Liszt Franz Liszt, in modern usage ''Liszt Ferenc'' . Liszt's Hungarian passport spelled his given name as "Ferencz". An orthographic reform of the Hungarian language in 1922 (which was 36 years after Liszt's death) changed the letter "cz" to simpl ...
, Balzac visited Countess Hańska in
St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
in 1843 and won her heart. After a series of financial setbacks, health problems and objections from
Tsar Nicholas I , house = Romanov-Holstein-Gottorp , father = Paul I of Russia , mother = Maria Feodorovna (Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg) , birth_date = , birth_place = Gatchina Palace, Gatchina, Russian Empire , death_date = ...
, the couple finally received permission to wed. On 14 March 1850, with Balzac's health in serious decline, they travelled by carriage from her
family seat A family seat or sometimes just called seat is the principal residence of the landed gentry and aristocracy. The residence usually denotes the social, economic, political, or historic connection of the family within a given area. Some families to ...
at Verhivnya
Park A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...
in
Volhynia Volhynia (also spelled Volynia) ( ; uk, Воли́нь, Volyn' pl, Wołyń, russian: Волы́нь, Volýnʹ, ), is a historic region in Central and Eastern Europe, between south-eastern Poland, south-western Belarus, and western Ukraine. Th ...
to St. Barbara's Catholic Church in
Berdychiv Berdychiv ( uk, Берди́чів, ; pl, Berdyczów; yi, באַרדיטשעװ, Barditshev; russian: Берди́чев, Berdichev) is a historic city in the Zhytomyr Oblast (province) of northern Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center ...
(
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
's former banking city in present-day
Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
), where they were married by Abbot Ożarowski. The ten-hour journey to and from the ceremony took a toll on both husband and wife: her feet were too swollen to walk, and he endured severe heart trouble. Although he married late in life, Balzac had already written two treatises on marriage: ''Physiologie du Mariage'' and ''Scènes de la Vie Conjugale''. These works lacked firsthand knowledge; Saintsbury points out that "cœlebs cannot talk of arriagewith much authority". In late April the newly-weds set off for Paris. His health deteriorated on the way, and Ewelina wrote to her daughter about Balzac being "in a state of extreme weakness" and "sweating profusely". They arrived in the French capital on 20 May, his fifty-first birthday. Five months after his wedding, on Sunday, 18 August 1850, Balzac died in the presence of his mother — his wife, Eve de Balzac (''formerly'' Countess Hańska) had gone to bed. He had been visited that day by
Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...
, who later served as a
pallbearer A pallbearer is one of several participants who help carry the casket at a funeral. They may wear white gloves in order to prevent damaging the casket and to show respect to the deceased person. Some traditions distinguish between the roles of ...
and the eulogist at Balzac's funeral. Balzac is buried at
Père Lachaise Cemetery Père Lachaise Cemetery (french: Cimetière du Père-Lachaise ; formerly , "East Cemetery") is the largest cemetery in Paris, France (). With more than 3.5 million visitors annually, it is the most visited necropolis in the world. Notable figures ...
in Paris. At his
memorial service A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect th ...
, Victor Hugo pronounced "Today we have people in black because of the death of the man of talent; a nation in mourning for a man of genius". The funeral was attended by "almost every writer in Paris", including Frédérick Lemaître,
Gustave Courbet Jean Désiré Gustave Courbet ( , , ; 10 June 1819 – 31 December 1877) was a French painter who led the Realism movement in 19th-century French painting. Committed to painting only what he could see, he rejected academic convention and t ...
, Dumas ''père'' and Dumas ''fils'', as well as representatives of the
Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...
and other dignitaries. Later, a
statue A statue is a free-standing sculpture in which the realistic, full-length figures of persons or animals are carved or cast in a durable material such as wood, metal or stone. Typical statues are life-sized or close to life-size; a sculpture t ...
(called the ''
Monument to Balzac ''Monument to Balzac'' is a sculpture by Auguste Rodin in memory of the French novelist Honoré de Balzac. According to Rodin, the sculpture aims to portray the writer's persona rather than a physical likeness. The work was commissioned in 1891 ...
'') was created by the celebrated French sculptor
Auguste Rodin François Auguste René Rodin (12 November 184017 November 1917) was a French sculptor, generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally and took a craftsman-like approach to his work. Rodin possessed a uniqu ...
. Cast in bronze, the Balzac Monument has stood since 1939 nearby the intersection of
Boulevard Raspail Boulevard Raspail is a boulevard of Paris, in France. Its orientation is north–south, and joins boulevard Saint-Germain with place Denfert-Rochereau whilst traversing 7th, 6th and 14th arrondissements. The boulevard intersects major roadw ...
and
Boulevard Montparnasse The Boulevard du Montparnasse is a two-way boulevard in Montparnasse, in the 6th, 14th and 15th arrondissements in Paris. Situation The boulevard joins the place Léon Paul Fargue and place Camille Jullian. The Tour Montparnasse and place du ...
at Place Pablo-Picasso. Rodin featured Balzac in several of his smaller sculptures as well.


Writing style

The ''Comédie Humaine'' remained unfinished at the time of his death—Balzac had plans to include numerous other books, most of which he never started. He frequently flitted between works in progress. "Finished articles" were frequently revised between editions. This piecemeal style is reflective of the author's own life, a possible attempt to stabilize it through fiction. "The vanishing man", wrote Sir Victor Pritchett, "who must be pursued from the rue Cassini to ... 
Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, u ...
,
Ville d'Avray Ville-d'Avray () is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. The commune is part of the arrondissement of Boulogne-Billancourt in the Hauts-de-Seine department. In 2019, it had a population of ...
, Italy, and
Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...
can construct a settled dwelling only in his work".


Realism

Balzac's extensive use of detail, especially the detail of objects, to illustrate the lives of his characters made him an early pioneer of literary
realism Realism, Realistic, or Realists may refer to: In the arts *Realism (arts), the general attempt to depict subjects truthfully in different forms of the arts Arts movements related to realism include: *Classical Realism *Literary realism, a move ...
. While he admired and drew inspiration from the Romantic style of Scottish novelist
Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet, playwright and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'', ''Rob Roy (n ...
, Balzac sought to depict human existence through the use of particulars. In the preface to the first edition of ''Scènes de la Vie privée'', he wrote: "the author firmly believes that details alone will henceforth determine the merit of works". Plentiful descriptions of décor, clothing, and possessions help breathe life into the characters. For example, Balzac's friend
Henri de Latouche Hyacinthe-Joseph Alexandre Thabaud de Latouche, commonly known as Henri de Latouche (2 February 1785 – 9 March 1851) was a French poet and novelist known for his publication of André Chénier and early encouragement of George Sand. (His ...
had a good knowledge of hanging wallpaper. Balzac transferred this to his descriptions of the Pension Vauquer in ''Le Père Goriot'', making the wallpaper speak of the identities of those living inside. Some critics consider Balzac's writing exemplary of naturalism—a more pessimistic and analytical form of realism, which seeks to explain human behavior as intrinsically linked with the environment. French novelist
Émile Zola Émile Édouard Charles Antoine Zola (, also , ; 2 April 184029 September 1902) was a French novelist, journalist, playwright, the best-known practitioner of the literary school of naturalism, and an important contributor to the development of ...
declared Balzac the father of the naturalist novel. Zola indicated that whilst the
Romantics Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...
saw the world through a colored lens, the naturalist sees through a clear glass—precisely the sort of effect Balzac attempted to achieve in his works.


Characters

Balzac sought to present his characters as real people, neither fully good nor fully evil, but completely human. "To arrive at the truth", he wrote in the preface to ''
Le Lys dans la vallée ''Le Lys dans la Vallée'' (English: ''The Lily of the Valley'') is an 1835 novel about love and society by French novelist and playwright Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850). It concerns the affection — emotionally vibrant but never consummated — ...
'', "writers use whatever literary device seems capable of giving the greatest intensity of life to their characters". "Balzac's characters", Robb notes, "were as real to him as if he were observing them in the outside world". This reality was noted by playwright
Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...
, who said: "One of the greatest tragedies of my life is the death of 'Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes'' protagonistLucien de Rubempré.... It haunts me in my moments of pleasure. I remember it when I laugh". At the same time, the characters depict a particular range of social types: the noble soldier, the scoundrel, the proud workman, the fearless spy, the alluring mistress. That Balzac was able to balance the strength of the individual against the representation of the type is evidence of the author's skill. One critic explained that "there is a center and a circumference to Balzac's world". Balzac's use of repeat characters, moving in and out of the ''Comédie'' books, strengthens the realist representation. "When the characters reappear", notes Rogers, "they do not step out of nowhere; they emerge from the privacy of their own lives which, for an interval, we have not been allowed to see". He also used a realist technique which French novelist
Marcel Proust Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust (; ; 10 July 1871 – 18 November 1922) was a French novelist, critic, and essayist who wrote the monumental novel ''In Search of Lost Time'' (''À la recherche du temps perdu''; with the previous Eng ...
later termed "retrospective illumination", whereby a character's past is revealed long after she or he first appears. A nearly infinite reserve of energy propels the characters in Balzac's novels. Struggling against the currents of human nature and society, they may lose more often than they win—but only rarely do they give up. This universal trait is a reflection of Balzac's own social wrangling, that of his family, and an interest in the Austrian mystic and physician
Franz Mesmer Franz Anton Mesmer (; ; 23 May 1734 – 5 March 1815) was a German physician with an interest in astronomy. He theorised the existence of a natural energy transference occurring between all animated and inanimate objects; this he called " ani ...
, who pioneered the study of
animal magnetism Animal magnetism, also known as mesmerism, was a protoscientific theory developed by German doctor Franz Mesmer in the 18th century in relation to what he claimed to be an invisible natural force (''Lebensmagnetismus'') possessed by all livi ...
. Balzac spoke often of a "nervous and fluid force" between individuals, and Raphaël de Valentin's decline in ''La Peau de Chagrin'' exemplifies the danger of withdrawing from other people's company.


Place

Representations of the city, countryside, and building interiors are essential to Balzac's realism, often serving to paint a naturalistic backdrop before which the characters' lives follow a particular course; this gave him a reputation as an early naturalist. Intricate details about locations sometimes stretch for fifteen or twenty pages. As he did with the people around him, Balzac studied these places in depth, traveling to remote locations and comparing notes that he had made on previous visits. The influence of Paris permeates ''La Comédie'': nature defers to the artificial
metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big c ...
, in contrast to descriptions of the weather and wildlife in the
countryside In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, ...
. "If in Paris", Rogers says, "we are in a man-made region where even the seasons are forgotten, these provincial towns are nearly always pictured in their natural setting". Balzac said, "the streets of Paris possess human qualities and we cannot shake off the impressions they make upon our minds." His labyrinthine city provided a literary model used later by English novelist
Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...
and Russian author
Fyodor Dostoevsky Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (, ; rus, Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский, Fyódor Mikháylovich Dostoyévskiy, p=ˈfʲɵdər mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪdʑ dəstɐˈjefskʲɪj, a=ru-Dostoevsky.ogg, links=yes; 11 November 18219 ...
. The centrality of Paris in ''La Comédie Humaine'' is key to Balzac's legacy as a realist. "Realism is nothing if not urban", notes critic Peter Brooks; the scene of a young man coming into the city to find his fortune is ubiquitous in the realist novel, and appears repeatedly in Balzac's works, such as ''
Illusions Perdues ''Illusions perdues'' — in English, ''Lost Illusions'' — is a serial novel written by the French writer Honoré de Balzac between 1837 and 1843. It consists of three parts, starting in provincial France, thereafter moving to Paris, and final ...
''. Balzac visited the
Château de Saché The Château de Saché is a writer's house museum located in a home built from the converted remains of a feudal castle. Located in Saché, Indre-et-Loire, between 1830 and 1837, it is where French writer Honoré de Balzac wrote many of his nov ...
in Touraine which was owned by his friend Jean de Margonne (who was also his mother's lover), between 1830 and 1837, and wrote many of his novels in the series "La Comedie Humaine" there. It is now a museum dedicated to Balzac where one can see his writing desk and quill pen and chair.


Perspective

Balzac's literary mood evolved over time from one of despondency and chagrin to that of solidarity and courage—but not optimism. ''La Peau de Chagrin'', among his earliest novels, is a pessimistic tale of confusion and destruction. But the cynicism declined as his '' oeuvre'' developed, and the characters of ''Illusions Perdues'' reveal sympathy for those who are pushed to one side by society. As part of the 19th-century evolution of the novel as a "democratic literary form", Balzac wrote that ''"les livres sont faits pour tout le monde"'' ("books are written for everybody"). Balzac concerned himself overwhelmingly with the darker essence of human nature and the corrupting influence of middle and high societies. His mission was to observe humankind in its most representative state, frequently wandering through the streets ''incognito'' among the masses of Parisian society to undertake his research.Robb, 70 He used incidents from his life and the people around him, in works like ''Eugénie Grandet'' and ''Louis Lambert''.


Politics

Balzac was a
legitimist The Legitimists (french: Légitimistes) are royalists who adhere to the rights of dynastic succession to the French crown of the descendants of the eldest branch of the Bourbon dynasty, which was overthrown in the 1830 July Revolution. They re ...
; in many ways, his views are the antithesis of
Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...
's democratic republicanism. He wrote, in his essay ''Society and the Individual'': Balzac was influenced by the counter-revolutionary philosopher and statesman
Louis de Bonald Louis Gabriel Ambroise, Vicomte de Bonald (2 October 1754 – 23 November 1840) was a French counter-revolutionary philosopher and politician. He is mainly remembered for developing a theoretical framework from which French sociology would ...
, and once remarked that " en it beheaded
Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was ...
, the
Revolution In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...
beheaded in his person all fathers of families." Nevertheless, his keen insight regarding working-class conditions earned him the esteem of many socialists, including Marxists.
Engels Friedrich Engels ( ,"Engels"
''
Das Kapital ''Das Kapital'', also known as ''Capital: A Critique of Political Economy'' or sometimes simply ''Capital'' (german: Das Kapital. Kritik der politischen Ökonomie, link=no, ; 1867–1883), is a foundational theoretical text in Historical mater ...
'' also makes some references to the works of Balzac, and
Trotsky Lev Davidovich Bronstein. ( – 21 August 1940), better known as Leon Trotsky; uk, link= no, Лев Давидович Троцький; also transliterated ''Lyev'', ''Trotski'', ''Trotskij'', ''Trockij'' and ''Trotzky''. (), was a Russian M ...
famously read Balzac in the middle of meetings of the Central Committee, much to the consternation of his colleagues and comrades.


Legacy

Balzac influenced writers of his time and beyond. He has been compared to
Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...
and is considered one of Dickens' significant influences. Literary critic W. H. Helm calls one "the French Dickens" and the other "the English Balzac", while another critic, Richard Lehan, states that "Balzac was the bridge between the comic realism of Dickens and the naturalism of
Zola Zola may refer to: People * Zola (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * Zola (musician) (born 1977), South African entertainer * Zola (rapper), French rapper * Émile Zola, a major nineteenth-century French writer Plac ...
".
Gustave Flaubert Gustave Flaubert ( , , ; 12 December 1821 – 8 May 1880) was a French novelist. Highly influential, he has been considered the leading exponent of literary realism in his country. According to the literary theorist Kornelije Kvas, "in Flauber ...
was also substantially influenced by Balzac. Praising his portrayal of society while attacking his
prose Prose is a form of written or spoken language that follows the natural flow of speech, uses a language's ordinary grammatical structures, or follows the conventions of formal academic writing. It differs from most traditional poetry, where the f ...
style, Flaubert once wrote: "What a man he would have been had he known how to write!" While he disdained the label of "realist", Flaubert clearly took heed of Balzac's close attention to detail and unvarnished depictions of bourgeois life. This influence shows in Flaubert's work ''L'éducation sentimentale'' which owes a debt to Balzac's ''Illusions Perdues''. "What Balzac started", observes Lehan, "Flaubert helped finish".Lehan, 48
Marcel Proust Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust (; ; 10 July 1871 – 18 November 1922) was a French novelist, critic, and essayist who wrote the monumental novel ''In Search of Lost Time'' (''À la recherche du temps perdu''; with the previous Eng ...
similarly learned from the Realist example; he adored Balzac and studied his works carefully, although he criticised what he perceived as Balzac's "vulgarity". Balzac's story ''Une Heure de ma Vie'' (''An Hour of my Life'', 1822), in which minute details are followed by deep personal reflections, is a clear forebear of the style which Proust used in ''
À la recherche du temps perdu ''In Search of Lost Time'' (french: À la recherche du temps perdu), first translated into English as ''Remembrance of Things Past'', and sometimes referred to in French as ''La Recherche'' (''The Search''), is a novel in seven volumes by French ...
''. However, Proust wrote later in life that the contemporary fashion of ranking Balzac higher than Tolstoy was "madness". Perhaps the author most affected by Balzac was American expatriate novelist
Henry James Henry James ( – ) was an American-British author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. He was the ...
. In 1878 James wrote with sadness about the lack of contemporary attention paid to Balzac, and lavished praise on him in four essays (in 1875, 1877, 1902, and 1913). In 1878 James wrote: "Large as Balzac is, he is all of one piece and he hangs perfectly together". He wrote with admiration of Balzac's attempt to portray in writing "a beast with a hundred claws". In his own novels James explored more of the psychological motives of the characters and less of the historical sweep exhibited by Balzac—a conscious style preference; he stated: "the artist of the ''Comédie Humaine'' is half smothered by the historian". Still, both authors used the form of the realist novel to probe the machinations of society and the myriad motives of human behavior.
William Saroyan William Saroyan (; August 31, 1908 – May 18, 1981) was an Armenian-American novelist, playwright, and short story writer. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1940, and in 1943 won the Academy Award for Best Story for the film ''The ...
wrote a short story about Balzac in his 1971 book, ''
Letters from 74 rue Taitbout ''Letters from 74 Rue Taitbout or Don't Go But If You Must Say Hello To Everybody'' is a book of short stories in the form of letters by William Saroyan. The stories often recollect meetings, relationships, observations, ask questions and wond ...
or Don't Go But If You Must Say Hello To Everybody''. Balzac's vision of a society in which class, money and personal ambition are the key players has been endorsed by critics of both left-wing and right-wing political persuasions. Marxist
Friedrich Engels Friedrich Engels ( ,"Engels"
'' rom Balzacthan from all the professional historians, economists and statisticians put together". Balzac has received high praise from critics as diverse as
Walter Benjamin Walter Bendix Schönflies Benjamin (; ; 15 July 1892 – 26 September 1940) was a German Jewish philosopher, cultural critic and essayist. An eclectic thinker, combining elements of German idealism, Romanticism, Western Marxism, and Jewish mys ...
and
Camille Paglia Camille Anna Paglia (; born April 2, 1947) is an American feminist academic and social critic. Paglia has been a professor at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, since 1984. She is critical of many aspects of modern cultur ...
. He was also praised by
James Baldwin James Arthur Baldwin (August 2, 1924 – December 1, 1987) was an American writer. He garnered acclaim across various media, including essays, novels, plays, and poems. His first novel, '' Go Tell It on the Mountain'', was published in 1953; de ...
, who said 1984: "I'm sure that my life in France would have been very different had I not met Balzac. e taught methe way that country and its society works." In 1970
Roland Barthes Roland Gérard Barthes (; ; 12 November 1915 – 26 March 1980) was a French literary theorist, essayist, philosopher, critic, and semiotician. His work engaged in the analysis of a variety of sign systems, mainly derived from Western popular ...
published '' S/Z'', a detailed analysis of Balzac's story ''
Sarrasine ''Sarrasine'' is a novella written by Honoré de Balzac. It was published in 1830, and is part of his '' Comédie Humaine''. Introduction Balzac, who began writing in 1819 while living alone in the rue Lesdiguières, undertook the composition ...
'' and a key work in structuralist literary criticism.
Carlos Fuentes Carlos Fuentes Macías (; ; November 11, 1928 – May 15, 2012) was a Mexican novelist and essayist. Among his works are ''The Death of Artemio Cruz'' (1962), '' Aura'' (1962), '' Terra Nostra'' (1975), ''The Old Gringo'' (1985) and ''Christophe ...
, sometimes called "the Balzac of Mexico", cited Balzac as a major influence on his writing. Balzac has also influenced popular culture. Many of his works have been made into popular films and television serials, including:
Travers Vale Travers Vale (31 January 1865 – 10 January 1927) was an English-born silent film film director, director. He directed more than 70 films between 1910 and 1926. He was born in Liverpool and died in Hollywood, California from cancer. Trave ...
's ''Père Goriot'' (1915), ''Les Chouans'' (1947), ''Le Père Goriot'' (1968 BBC mini-series), and ''La Cousine Bette'' (1974 BBC mini-series, starring
Margaret Tyzack Margaret Maud Tyzack (9 September 193125 June 2011) was an English actress. Her television roles included ''The Forsyte Saga'' (1967) and ''I, Claudius'' (1976). She won the 1970 BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for the BBC serial ''The First Ch ...
and
Helen Mirren Dame Helen Mirren (born Helen Lydia Mironoff; born 26 July 1945) is an English actor. The recipient of numerous accolades, she is the only performer to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting in both the United States and the United Kingdom. ...
; 1998 film, starring
Jessica Lange Jessica Phyllis Lange (; born April 20, 1949) is an American actress. She is the 13th actress to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting, having won two Academy Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Tony Award, along with a Screen Actors G ...
). Balzac is mentioned to humorous effect in
Meredith Willson Robert Reiniger Meredith Willson (May 18, 1902 – June 15, 1984) was an American flutist, composer, conductor, musical arranger, bandleader, playwright, and writer. He is perhaps best known for writing the book, music, and lyrics for the 195 ...
's musical ''
The Music Man ''The Music Man'' is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and ...
''. He is included in
François Truffaut François Roland Truffaut ( , ; ; 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After a career of more tha ...
's 1959 film, ''
The 400 Blows ''The 400 Blows'' (french: Les Quatre Cents Coups) is a 1959 French coming-of-age drama film, and the directorial debut of François Truffaut. The film, shot in DyaliScope, stars Jean-Pierre Léaud, Albert Rémy, and Claire Maurier. One of ...
''. Truffaut believed Balzac and Proust to be the greatest French writers.


Works

Novels *''
Les Chouans ''Les Chouans'' (, ''The Chouans'') is an 1829 novel by French novelist and playwright Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850) and included in the ''Scènes de la vie militaire'' section of his novel sequence ''La Comédie humaine''. Set in the French ...
'' (1829) *''
La Maison du chat-qui-pelote ''La Maison du chat-qui-pelote'' (''At the Sign of the Cat and Racket'') is a novel by Honoré de Balzac. It is the opening work in the ''Scènes de la vie privée'' (''Scenes of Private Life''), which comprises the first volume of Balzac's ''La ...
'' (1829) *''
La Vendetta La Vendetta may refer to: * ''La Vendetta'' (film), a 1962 French comedy film * ''La Vendetta'' (novel), a novel by Honoré de Balzac * ''La Vendetta'' (TV series), a Filipino drama-suspense-thriller TV series * '' La Vendetta...'', 2014 album by A ...
'' (1830) *''
La Peau de chagrin ''La Peau de chagrin'' (, ''The Skin of Shagreen''), known in English as ''The Magic Skin and The Wild Ass's Skin'', is an 1831 novel by French novelist and playwright Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850). Set in early 19th-century Paris, it tells t ...
'' (1831) *''
Les Proscrits ''Les Proscrits'' (sometimes translated into English as ''The Exiles'') is a French short story by Honoré de Balzac, published in 1831 by éditions Gosselin, then in 1846 by Furne, Dubochet, Hetzel in ''Études philosophiques''. He subtitled it ...
'' (1831) *''
Louis Lambert Louis Lambert is a politician, lawyer, and teacher from Prairieville, Louisiana. He is best known for his campaign for the 1979 Louisiana gubernatorial election, which he lost to David Treen in one of the closest elections in recent memory. By ...
'' (1832) *''
Eugénie Grandet ''Eugénie Grandet'' is a novel first published in 1833 by French author Honoré de Balzac. While he was writing it he conceived his ambitious project, ''La Comédie humaine'', and almost immediately prepared a second edition, revising the names ...
'' (1833) *'' Le Médecin de campagne'' (1833) *'' Ferragus, chef des Dévorants'' (1833) *''
La Duchesse de Langeais '' La Duchesse de Langeais '' is an 1834 novel by French author Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850) and included in the ''Scènes de la vie parisienne'' section of his novel sequence ''La Comédie humaine''. It is part of his 1839 trilogy ''Histoire ...
'' (1834) *'' La Recherche de l'absolu'' (1834) *''
Séraphîta ''Séraphîta'' () is a French novel by Honoré de Balzac with themes of androgyny. It was published in the ''Revue de Paris'' in 1834. In contrast with the realism of most of the author's best known works, the story delves into the fantastic an ...
'' (1834) *'' Le Père Goriot'' (1835) *''
Le Lys dans la vallée ''Le Lys dans la Vallée'' (English: ''The Lily of the Valley'') is an 1835 novel about love and society by French novelist and playwright Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850). It concerns the affection — emotionally vibrant but never consummated — ...
'' (1835) *''
Le Contrat de mariage ''Le Contrat de mariage'' (English: ''A Marriage Contract'' or ''A Marriage Settlement'') is an 1835 novel by French author Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850) and included in the ''Scènes de la vie privée'' section of his novel sequence ''La Comé ...
'' (1835) *'' La Vieille Fille'' (1836) *''
César Birotteau ''Histoire de la grandeur et de la décadence de César Birotteau'' or ''César Birotteau'', is an 1837 novel by Honoré de Balzac, and is one of the ''Scènes de la vie parisienne'' in the series ''La Comédie humaine''. Its main character is a P ...
'' (1837) *''
Le Cabinet des Antiques ''Le Cabinet des Antiques'' (''The Cabinet of Antiquities'') is a French novel published by Honoré de Balzac in 1838 under the title ''les Rivalités en province'' (''Rivalries in the provinces'') in ''le Constitutionnel'', then published as a ...
'' (1838) *''
Une fille d'Ève Une is a municipality and town of Colombia in the Eastern Province, part of the department of Cundinamarca. The urban centre is located at an altitude of at a distance of from the capital Bogotá. The municipality borders Chipaque in the north ...
'' (1838) *''
Béatrix ''Béatrix'' is an 1839 novel by French author Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850) and included in the ''Scènes de la vie privée'' section of his novel sequence ''La Comédie humaine''. It first appeared in the periodical ''Le Siècle'' in August ...
'' (1839) *''
Le Curé de village ''Le Curé de village'' (''The Village Priest'') is a novel by Honoré de Balzac Honoré de Balzac ( , more commonly , ; born Honoré Balzac;Jean-Louis Dega, La vie prodigieuse de Bernard-François Balssa, père d'Honoré de Balzac : Aux s ...
'' (1839) *''Un grand homme de province à Paris'' (1839) *''
Ursule Mirouët ''Ursule Mirouët'', a novel, belongs to Honoré de Balzac’s series of 94 novels and short stories ''La Comédie humaine''. First published in 1841, it forms part of his ''Scènes de la vie de province''. The action of the novel takes place in ...
'' (1841) *''
Une ténébreuse affaire ''Une ténébreuse affaire'' (English "A Murky Business" or "A Historical Mystery") is a novel by Honoré de Balzac, published in 1841. It was originally published in serial form in ''Le Journal du Commerce''. It is one of the ''Scènes de la vie ...
'' (1841) *''
Mémoires de deux jeunes mariées ''Mémoires de deux jeunes mariées'' (''Letters of Two Brides'') is an epistolary novel by the French writer Honoré de Balzac. It was serialized in the French newspaper '' La Presse'' in 1841 and published by Furne in 1842 as the first work in ...
'' (1841) *'' La Fausse Maîtresse'' (1841) *'' La Femme de trente ans'' (1829–1842) *''
Albert Savarus ''Albert Savarus'' is an 1842 novel by French novelist and playwright Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850) and included in his series of novels (or ''Roman-fleuve'') known as ''La Comédie humaine'' (''The Human Comedy'') which parodies and depicts Fr ...
'' (1842) *''
La Rabouilleuse ''La Rabouilleuse'' (''The Black Sheep'', or ''The Two Brothers'') is an 1842 novel by Honoré de Balzac, and is one of '' The Celibates'' in the series ''La Comédie humaine''. ''The Black Sheep'' is the title of the English translation by Donal ...
'' (1842) *''
Un début dans la vie ''Un début dans la vie'' (''A Start in Life'') is a novel by the French writer Honoré de Balzac. It is the sixth of the ''Scènes de la vie privée'' (''Scenes of Private Life'') in La Comédie humaine. The novel was serialized in the review ' ...
'' (1842) *''
Illusions perdues ''Illusions perdues'' — in English, ''Lost Illusions'' — is a serial novel written by the French writer Honoré de Balzac between 1837 and 1843. It consists of three parts, starting in provincial France, thereafter moving to Paris, and final ...
'' (1837-1843) *'' Honorine'' (1843) *''
Modeste Mignon ''Modeste Mignon'' is a novel by the French writer Honoré de Balzac. It is the fifth of the ''Scènes de la vie privée'' (''Scenes of Private Life'') in La Comédie humaine. The first part of the novel was serialized in a bowdlerized edition i ...
'' (1844) *''
La Cousine Bette ''La Cousine Bette'' (, ''Cousin Bette'') is an 1846 novel by French author Honoré de Balzac. Set in mid-19th-century Paris, it tells the story of an unmarried middle-aged woman who plots the destruction of her extended family. Bette works wit ...
'' (1846) *''
Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes ''Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes'', translated variously as ''The Splendors and Miseries of Courtesans'', ''A Harlot High and Low'', or as ''Lost Souls'', is an 1838-1847 novel by French novelist Honoré de Balzac, published in four initi ...
'' (1838–1847) *''
Le Cousin Pons ''Le Cousin Pons'' () is one of the last of the 94 novels and short stories that make up Honoré de Balzac’s '' Comédie humaine''. Begun in 1846 as a novella, it was envisaged as one part of a diptych, '' Les Parents pauvres'' (''The Poor Rel ...
'' (1847) *'' L'Envers de l'histoire contemporaine'' (1848) *'' Les Paysans'' (1855) Published pseudonymously As "Lord Rhône", in collaboration *''L'Héritière de Birague'' (1822) *''Jean-Louis'' (1822) As "Horace de Saint-Aubin" *''Clotilde de Lusignan'' (1822) *''Le Centenaire'' (1822) *''Le Vicaire des Ardennes'' (1822) *''La Dernière Fée'' (1823) *''Annette et le Criminal (Argow le Pirate)'' (1824) *''Wann-Chlore'' (1826) Published anonymously *''Du Droit d'aînesse'' (1824) *''Histoire impartiale des Jésuites'' (1824) *''Code des gens honnêtes'' (1826) Incomplete at time of death *''Le Corsaire'' (opera) *''Sténie'' *''Falthurne'' *''Corsino'' *''Le Député d'Arcis'' Novellas *''
Le Bal de Sceaux ''Le Bal de Sceaux'' (''The Ball at Sceaux'') is the fifth work of Honoré de Balzac, one of the oldest texts of ''la Comédie Humaine''. The first edition of this novella was published in 1830 by Mame and Delaunay-Vallée in the ''Scènes de la v ...
'' (1830) *''
Sarrasine ''Sarrasine'' is a novella written by Honoré de Balzac. It was published in 1830, and is part of his '' Comédie Humaine''. Introduction Balzac, who began writing in 1819 while living alone in the rue Lesdiguières, undertook the composition ...
'' (1830) *''
Une double famille ''Une double famille'' (''A Second Home'') is a lengthy short story by Honoré de Balzac. The story first appeared in 1830 under the title ''La femme vertueuse'' (''The Virtuous Woman''). It was subsequently published in 1832 by Mame et Delaunay a ...
'' (1830) *''
La Paix du ménage ''La Paix du ménage'' (''Domestic Bliss'') is a French short story by Honoré de Balzac, which was first published by Mame et Delaunay-Vallée in 1830 as one of the author's ''Scènes de la vie privée'' (''Scenes from Private Life''). It was re ...
'' (1830) *''
Gobseck ''Gobseck'', an 1830 novella by French author Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850), appears in the ''Scènes de la vie privée'' section of his novel sequence ''La Comédie humaine''. ''Gobseck'' first appeared in outline form in '' La Mode'' in March 1 ...
'' (1830) *'' El Verdugo'' (1830) *'' Le Colonel Chabert'' (1832) *'' Le Curé de Tours'' (1832) *'' La Fille aux yeux d'or'' (1835) *'' Les Secrets de la princesse de Cadignan'' (1839) *''
Z. Marcas ''Z. Marcas'' is a Novella, novelette by French author Honoré de Balzac first published in 1840. Set in contemporary Paris, it describes the rise and fall of a brilliant political strategist abandoned by the politicians he helps into power. Desti ...
'' (1840) *''
L'Amour masqué ''L'amour masqué'' is a comédie musicale in three acts with music by André Messager and a French libretto by Sacha Guitry, based on the work by Ivan Caryll Félix Marie Henri Tilkin (12 May 1861 – 29 November 1921), better known by hi ...
'' (1911) Short Stories *''
Étude de femme ''Étude de femme'' (English "Study of a Woman") is a short story by Honoré de Balzac. It was published in 1830 and is one of the ''Scènes de la vie privée'' of ''La Comédie humaine''. Plot summary The story is narrated in the first-perso ...
'' (1830) *'' Adieu'' (1830) *''
Le Chef-d'œuvre inconnu ''Le Chef-d’œuvre inconnu'' (English ''The Unknown Masterpiece'') is a short story by Honoré de Balzac. It was first published in the newspaper ''L'Artiste'' with the title ''Maître Frenhofer'' (English: ''Master Frenhofer'') in August 1831 ...
'' (1831) *''
La Grande Bretèche ''La Grande Bretèche'' is a short story by Honoré de Balzac published in 1831. It is one of the ''Scènes de la vie privée'' of ''La Comédie humaine''. Plot Dr. Horace Bianchon discovers near the town of Vendôme an abandoned manor: La Gran ...
'' (1831) *'' Le Réquisitionnaire'' (1831) *'' L'Auberge rouge'' (1831) *'' La Comédie du diable'' (1831) *''
La Bourse ''La Bourse'' (''The Purse'') is a short story by the French novelist Honoré de Balzac. It was published in 1832 by Mame-Delaunay as one of the ''Scènes de la vie privée'' (''Scenes of Private Life'') in ''La Comédie humaine''. Later editi ...
'' (1832) *'' La Grenadière'' (1832) *''
Le Message ''Le Message'' (English "The Message") is a short story by Honoré de Balzac. It was published in 1832 and is one of the ''Scènes de la vie privée'' of ''La Comédie humaine''. Plot summary The story is told in the first person by an unname ...
'' (1832) *'' Un drame au bord de la mer'' (1834) *'' La Messe de l'athée'' (1836) *''
Facino Cane Facino Cane. Facino Cane da Casale (1360 – May 1412), born Bonifacio Cane, was an Italian condottiero. Biography Cane was born in Casale Monferrato to a noble family. He trained in the military arts by fighting under Otto of Brunswick agai ...
'' (1837) *'' Le Succube'' (1837) *''
Gambara Gambara (Brescian: ), not to be confused with Gambarana, is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy. Bordering communes are Asola (MN), Fiesse, Gottolengo, Isorella, Ostiano (CR), Pralboino, Remedello and Volongo (CR ...
'' (1837) *''
Massimilla Doni ''Massimilla Doni'' is a short story by Honoré de Balzac. History Its first chapter was published in 1837 in the ''Études philosophiques'' of ''la Comédie humaine'' alongside '' Gambara'', ''les Proscrits'' and ''Séraphîta''. Its second cha ...
'' (1837) *'' Pierre Grassou'' (1839) *''
Un épisode sous la Terreur ''Un épisode sous la Terreur'' (English "An Episode during the Terror") is a short story by Honoré de Balzac, published in 1830. Originally titled ''Une messe en 1793'' ''(A Mass in 1793)'', the text took its final title in the Chlendowski edi ...
'' (1842) Short Stories Collection *''
Les Cent Contes drolatiques ''Les Cent Contes drolatiques'' (French, "The Hundred Facetious Tales") — known as ''Droll Stories'' — is a collection of 30 ribald short stories by Honoré de Balzac. They resemble Boccaccio's ''Decameron'', an assertion made by the author h ...
'' (1832–1837) Plays *'' L'École des ménages'' (1839) *''
Vautrin Vautrin is a character from the novels of French writer Honoré de Balzac in the ''La Comédie humaine'' series. His real name is Jacques Collin . He appears in the novels '' Le Père Goriot'' (Father Goriot, 1834/35) under the name Vautrin, a ...
'' (1839) *'' Pierre Grassou'' (1839) *'' Les Ressources de Quinola'' (1842) *'' Paméla Giraud'' (1842) *''
La Marâtre LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on Figure 8 ( ...
'' (1848) *''
Mercadet ou le faiseur ''Mercadet'' or ''Le faiseur'' is a 1936 French comedy film directed by André Hugon and starring Paul Pauley, Janine Borelli and Philippe Janvier.Crisp p.407 It was based on an 1848 play by Honoré de Balzac. Cast * Paul Pauley as Monsieur Merc ...
'' (1848) Tragic verse *''
Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...
'' (1819)


See also

* ''L'Année balzacienne'' * Balzac Society of America * ''
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress ''Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress'' (french: Balzac et la petite tailleuse chinoise, links=no) is a semi-autobiographical novella written by Dai Sijie, and published in 2000 in French and in English in 2001. A film based on his novel di ...
'' (''film'') *
List of works by Alexandre Falguière This is a list of some of the works by the French artist Alexandre Falguière. Biography Falguière was born in Toulouse on 7 September 1831 into a modest home, his father working as a mason. His father did, however manage to put him into the ...
(''statue of Balzac'') *
Rzewuski family The House of Rzewuski ( pl, Rzewuscy) was an important Polish szlachta, noble family (magnates) in the 17th century during the era of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. History The family originated from the village Bejdy near the town of ...
(''Mme. Eve de Balzac'') *
Henry James Henry James ( – ) was an American-British author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. He was the ...


References


Sources

*
Adamson, Donald Donald Adamson (born 30 March 1939), is a British literary scholar, author and historian. Books which he has written include ''Blaise Pascal: Mathematician, Physicist, and Thinker about God'' and '' The Curriers' Company: A Modern History''. H ...
(1986). "Le Père Goriot devant la critique anglaise". ''L'Année balzacienne'' . 7. . In
L'Année balzacienne
'. II. 20. Garnier Frères. 1999. *Adamson, Donald (2001). ''Balzac and the Tradition of the European Novel'' *Bertault, Philippe (1963). ''Balzac and The Human Comedy''. English version by Richard Monges. New York: NYU Press. * Brooks, Peter (2005). ''Realist Vision''. New Haven: Yale University Press. *Helm, W.H. (1905)
''Aspects of Balzac''
London: Eveleigh Nash. * James, Henry (1878)
''French Poets and Novelists''
London: Macmillan & Co., pp. 84–189. *James, Henry (1914)
''Notes on Novelists''
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, pp. 109–159. *Lehan, Richard (2005). ''Realism and Naturalism''. Madison: The University of Wisconsin Press. *Leone, Giuseppe (1999). "Honoré de Balzac, una creatività "sempre recidiva, mai stanca" – Con lui il romanzo s'è fatto uomo", su "Ricorditi di me...", in "Lecco 2000", Lecco, febbraio 1999 *Maurois, André (1965). ''Prométhée ou la vie de Balzac.'' Paris: Hachette. *Lotte, Fernand (1952). ' . Paris: Corti. *Prendergast, Christopher (1978). ''Balzac: Fiction and Melodrama''. London: Edward Arnold Ltd. * Pritchett, V. S. (1973). ''Balzac''. New York: Alfred A. Knopf Inc. * Proust, Marcel (1994). ''Against Sainte-Beuve and Other Essays''. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. *Robb, Graham (1994). ''Balzac: A Biography''. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. *Rogers, Samuel (1953). ''Balzac & The Novel''. New York: Octagon Books. * Saintsbury, George (1901)
"Honoré de Balzac"
In: ''The Works of Honoré de Balzac'', Vol. I. Philadelphia: Avil Publishing Company, pp. vii–xivi. * *Stowe, William W. (1983). "Systematic Realism". In: '. Edited by Harold Bloom. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers. * Zweig, Stefan (1946). ''Balzac''. New York: Viking Press.


External links

* * * *
Honoré de Balzac's Collection
a
One More LibraryHonoré de Balzac's works
text, concordances and frequency lists * by Professor Albert Keim and M. Louis Lumet

*
Victor Hugo's eulogy for Honoré de Balzac''Études balzaciennes'' (Balzac Studies)
La Sorbonne , image_name = Coat of arms of the University of Paris.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of Arms , latin_name = Universitas magistrorum et scholarium Parisiensis , motto = ''Hic et ubique terrarum'' (Latin) , mottoeng = Here and a ...
, Paris {{DEFAULTSORT:Balzac, Honore De 1799 births 1850 deaths Writers from Tours, France University of Paris alumni French monarchists French Roman Catholic writers French male short story writers 19th-century French short story writers French fantasy writers French literary critics French historical novelists 19th-century French dramatists and playwrights 19th-century French novelists Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery Obscenity controversies in literature Knights of the Legion of Honour