Eugenie Grandet

Author: [French] Balzac, translated by Zhang Guanyao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-05-01
Features: The story of "Eugenie Grandet" unfolds within the domestic life of a family, devoid of sensational events or any trace of. As the author himself said, it is a "banal tragedy without poison, without daggers, without blood," yet its severity is no less than that of classical tragedies. Eugenie is almost a saintly figure impossible to find in reality. She embodies nearly all the virtues of a woman, such as diligence, loyalty, quietness, and devotion. She is generous—helping her uncle, the father of Charles, who had deceived her into his only true love, to repay a massive debt, and donating substantial sums to the church, schools, and public works. She is also brave—driven by the power of love, she once defied her father's will, secretly and even openly, providing food and necessities for Charles. In the end, she no longer remains ignorant; she perceives the complexities of the world. She makes an extraordinary and courageous act. Grandet is shrewd and reserved, speaking little and moving even less. He is ruthless, manipulating others at will. In the city of Saumur, everyone has been skillfully ensnared by his steel-like claws. No one who sees him does not feel both admiration and fear.