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When you have read of the secret sorrows of old Goriot you will dine with unimpaired appetite, blaming the author for your callousness, taxing him with exaggeration, accusing him of having given wings to his imagination. But you may be certain that this drama is neither fiction nor romance. All is true, so true that everyone can recognize the elements of the tragedy in his own household, in his own heart perhaps.
So Balzac lets us know what to expect within the first couple pages of Old Goriot (or Pere Goriot depending on the translation). But while Goriot is the pivot around which the story revolves, the story itself belongs to Eugène de Rastignac, student of law, poor, ambitious. He has come to Paris from the country to study and make something of himself. His family scrimps and saves and goes without in order to send him as much money as they can. Rastignac takes up residence in the shabby but genteel boardinghouse of Madame Vauquer. Everyone at the boardinghouse makes fun of old Goriot, a quiet gentle man who keeps to himself. They see him occasionally with a well-dressed woman and assume he has spent all his money on mistresses. Rastignac, however, discovers the truth.
Eager to make a name for himself, Rastignac takes advantage of a family connection, his cousin the Viscountess Madame de Beauséant. Rastignac is like a cute puppy peeing on the carpet because he is so very excited and wants only to please. The Viscountess takes a liking to him and agrees to introduce him into society and teach him a thing or two.
It turns out that Goriot’s mistresses are actually his two beloved daughters. He has given then all his money and lives in increasing poverty as he gradually sells off all his remaining valuables in order to help them out of debts and buy their love. For he loves them very much and has deluded himself into believing they love him just as much in return. Rastignac falls in love with one of the daughters, Delphine, who, like her sister, is in a loveless marriage to a husband who has used her fortune badly.
This being Paris high society, everyone has affairs and as long as appearances are kept up that all is proper between husband and wife, nobody really cares. Rastignac and Delphine with full knowledge and encouragement from Goriot, launch themselves into a romance.
But poor Rastignac, he has two angels sitting on his shoulders. Goriot is the good angel and Vautrin the bad. Vautrin is a rich and ruthless dandy who ingratiates himself with everyone. All the residents at the boardinghouse love him. He offers to be like a father to Rastignac, lending him all the money he needs and teaching him everything he needs to know about how to be a success and become rich. Vautrin with his “basilisk glance” offers so many temptations to Rastignac that he finds himself on the brink of giving in and sacrificing any conscience he might have remaining to him.
But Goriot saves Rastignac by dying. Goriot’s death reveals to Rastignac the true nature of Delphine and her sister, their selfishness, insincerity and lack of conscience and duty. He had thought high society was just a game but now he understands just how depraved it all is. His response is to declare war, though what that means exactly, we are left to wonder, at least at the end of Old Goriot.
I have never read Balzac before so this was an interesting experience. He sticks hard to the realism, no flights of fancy, no romance, no dreamy moments. He shines a very bright light into all the dark corners revealing the dirt and the flaws, no one and nothing is spared, not even Goriot, the most sympathetic of all the characters. Balzac is given to making narrative intrusions and providing opinions. But at the same time he can turn out a marvelous description like this one of the lodgers at the boardinghouse:
Although their cold, hard faces were worn, like those on coins withdrawn from circulation, their withered mouths were armed with avid teeth.
The book is not a fast read nor is it especially compelling. However, it is a well-written, well-told story that is worth the effort. I read the book along with Danielle which was nice because we kept each other going. Be sure to hop over to her blog and read her thoughts on the book.
What an interesting review. You did a thorough job of telling us
the plot, but still made us want to read it. I have read it twice–in
1964 and 1982, but only your review made any memory of it
come alive.
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booksandbuttons, thanks! You’ve read it twice? Does that mean it’s a book you really like? Have you read any of Balzac’s other books where these characters show up?
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I read Eugenie Grande (in 1964) and
Cousin Bette in 1984, but memories of those
are fuzzy. I don’t believe the characters
carried over into these books though.
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I can understand why your memory on those would be fuzzy. I sometimes have a hard time remembering what I read two or three years ago! 🙂
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Rastignac is actually mentioned in Cousin Bette, and Vautrin makes a cameo appearance. Even though almost none of the other works are about Rastignac, you can trace his career through his brief appearances and incidental mentions.
Eugénie Grandet is the best written Balzac novel, in the way I always talk about “best written.” It is almost detached from the big scheme, off in its own corner.
The NYRB collection has at least two stories that tie in directly to Goriot, and in fact explain a couple of parts that don’t quite make sense as they are presented in the novel (e.g., the diamond necklace subplot). Plus, the NYRB book has the story about the soldier who falls in love with a panther.
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Tom, I will have to put Eugenie Grandet on my list then as well as the NYRB collection. A soldier who falls in love with a panther? I must see what that is about!
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I haven’t read any Balzac either. In fact my knowledge of European classics with the exception of the Russian greats is appalling. This sounds so sad I don’t think I could bear it, but you have whetted my appetite and I shall certainly look round for something else in this genre.
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Alex, it’s actually not a sad book. There is so much going on and many of the characters are so fleshed out that my feelings were more anger and surprise and sometimes pity. If you are looking for something French, George Sand is pretty good. I don’t remember which one of hers I read but it had a little bit of romance in it to soften the realism.
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It was hard to warm up to any of the characters–even Pere G. I felt sorry for him for loving his selfish daughters so very much, but when he would wrap himself around their feet almost–or want to keep Eugene’s waistcoat because the daughter had touched it–well, it felt like he was truly setting himself up. Everyone, or nearly so is pretty odious. Any further thoughts on the King Lear connection? It was mentioned in my intro but never really elaborated on and it has been far, far too long ago that I read the play to see where Balzac was going with it. I am curious, too, about what Eugene has in mind at the end scene where he is ready to take on Paris–I think the seeds of corruption were planted and he was going to tackle Society and try to rise to the top. I actually want to read more even though I felt pretty so-so about it during the reading. Strangely I feel much fonder for it all now that I am done and can just think about it than during the actual reading process. I guess that is talent that makes me want to keep on with Balzac–or I just don’t like to be defeated by a book. Now I guess I shall pick up that NYRB collection of stories! Thanks for the nudge to read this. Even though it wasn’t exactly compelling reading I am still glad I read it!
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Danielle, Goriot is such a doormat isn’t he? His desperation often made me feel angry. It think when it comes down to it the Lear connection is thin and only in the basic plot of loving father giving everything to his ungrateful daughters. In this case Goriot doesn’t have a Cordelia and his daughters, especially Delphine, are better at hiding their contempt. Ah, so you think Eugene is going into battle to make his way t the top? Which means Goriot taught him nothing and Vautrin’s ruthlessness and encouragement to use everyone to get what you want wins the day. With Goriot, Eugene’s innocence also dies kind of thing. That works. It’s pretty sad though. I know what you mean about liking it better now that I am done! I too am glad I read it though. I’m not sure I would have without you. So is it on to Founding Gardeners now? 🙂
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ok!! between you and Danielle, I think you both have convinced me that Balzac is not out of bounds of understanding….Me will try and read it!!!
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cirtnecce, Balzac is not hard reading at all, just very detailed and precise without much opportunity for the mind to drift. I hope you enjoy him should you decide to give him a try!
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I do need to read Balzac and have always been a bit intimidated to do so. This review makes me feel more confident to give him a try.
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boarding, The biggest challenge for me with Balzac was the small print and the musty smell of my library copy. The actual reading was not so very hard, just requires you pay good attention. Good luck should you try him!
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I went throgh a big Balzac phase once and loved his stuff – especially Cousin Bette, Cousin Pons and Eugenie Grandet. I would like to go back to him – but I have a sneaking feeling that I might not enjoy him quite so much now, perhaps simply because he is so much the quintessential 19th century novelist.
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Ian, even if you don’t go back and reread at least you have pleasant memories from your Balzac phase! Yes, he is definitely the quintessential 19th century novelist which can make him a bit of a challenge for a modern reader who likes a bit more pep and narrative play.
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