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Book Review
Nov. 1st, 2005 09:22 pmPere Goriot
by Honore de Balzac
Balzac's story concerns Eugene de Rastignac, a student of gentle birth; Pere Goriot, Eugene's fellow resident at an economically shabby Paris boarding house; and Goriot's two daughters, who are wealthy members of high society thanks to their father's generosity and sacrifices as well as their marriages to rich men. Eugene gets to know Pere Goriot and becomes involved with each of his daughters as Eugene attempts to launch himself into high society. The events that ensue reveal that the supposedly refined Parisian high society is actually peopled by superficial, selfish people driven by ruthless greed for both money and social status.
This novel was a lot like Thackeray's Vanity Fair in its critical look at the darker side of high society in the first half of the nineteenth century. However, where Vanity Fair is incredibly long, Pere Goriot is fairly short; and while the former is mocking and satirical, the latter is tragic and cynical.
by Honore de Balzac
Balzac's story concerns Eugene de Rastignac, a student of gentle birth; Pere Goriot, Eugene's fellow resident at an economically shabby Paris boarding house; and Goriot's two daughters, who are wealthy members of high society thanks to their father's generosity and sacrifices as well as their marriages to rich men. Eugene gets to know Pere Goriot and becomes involved with each of his daughters as Eugene attempts to launch himself into high society. The events that ensue reveal that the supposedly refined Parisian high society is actually peopled by superficial, selfish people driven by ruthless greed for both money and social status.
This novel was a lot like Thackeray's Vanity Fair in its critical look at the darker side of high society in the first half of the nineteenth century. However, where Vanity Fair is incredibly long, Pere Goriot is fairly short; and while the former is mocking and satirical, the latter is tragic and cynical.
