Eugenie Grandet by Honoré de Balzac
"Eugenie Grandet" by Honoré de Balzac is a novel written during the early 19th century, which explores themes of wealth, avarice, and familial duty in a provincial French town. The story centers around the character of Monsieur Grandet, a wealthy and miserly wine-grower, and his only daughter, Eugenie, whose life is shaped by her father's overwhelming greed and ambitions. At the start of the novel, Balzac paints a vivid picture of the
somber and stagnant life in Saumur, contrasting its bleak provinciality with the richness of its history. Monsieur Grandet’s character is introduced as a former cooper who has amassed a considerable fortune through cunning agricultural investments. His life is marked by a strict regime and a profound disdain for extravagance, which extends to the treatment of his wife and daughter. The opening chapters set the stage for a narrative steeped in social dynamics and ambitions, as different local families vie for Eugenie's hand in marriage, each motivated by her father's wealth. This initial glimpse into Grandet's household introduces a mix of familial tension and societal expectations, hinting that the arrival of Eugenie's cousin Charles will further complicate their lives and relationships. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Balzac, Honoré de, 1799-1850 |
|---|---|
| Translator | Wormeley, Katharine Prescott, 1830-1908 |
| Title | Eugenie Grandet |
| Note | Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eug%C3%A9nie_Grandet |
| Note | Reading ease score: 78.0 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. |
| Credits | Produced by John Bickers, and Dagny, and David Widger |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PQ: Language and Literatures: Romance literatures: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese |
| Subject | Fathers and daughters -- Fiction |
| Subject | Misers -- Fiction |
| Subject | France -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction |
| Subject | French fiction -- Translations into English |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 1715 |
| Release Date | Sep 18, 2004 |
| Most Recently Updated | Jan 27, 2021 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 875 downloads in the last 30 days. |
| Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free! | |
