Eugénie Grandet; Old Man Goriot

Author: Balzac
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: "Eugenie Grandet" is one of the "most outstanding paintings" in "La Comédie Humaine" and one of Balzac's representative works. Through the depiction of Grandet's family life, the novel portrays the image of a cunning, greedy, miserly, and cruel nouveau riche, Grandet, exposing the naked monetary relationships between people of that era. "Père Goriot" describes the bizarre and diverse social landscape of Paris through the story of Goriot and his two daughters, as well as the "struggle" of Rastignac. "Eugenie Grandet" deeply reveals the monetary relationships within bourgeois families through conflicts such as those between the couple, father and daughter, and uncle and nephew of Grandet. The author uses a series of typical details to portray characters, successfully creating the typical image of Grandet. He is greedy, cunning, and miserly, with money as his god, and watching gold alone is his hobby. Even on his deathbed, he forgets to instruct his daughter to settle accounts on the other side. Despite his immense wealth, he personally distributes every loaf of bread for his meals and every candle he uses daily, not allowing even a single extra. His miserliness grows increasingly inflated, devouring his entire being. Grandet is depicted with great vividness, making him one of the most famous typical figures in the history of world literature. "Père Goriot" features two main threads: the story of Goriot and his two daughters, and the "struggle" of Rastignac. There are also several "interludes" in the work, such as the arrest of the escaped convict Vautrin. The entire novel weaves together the main threads, subplots, and interludes, creating a cohesive and resonant structure. With numerous characters and complex plots, the author arranges them with exquisite structure, ensuring a well-organized and clearly layered narrative.