Honore de balzac biography brevetti

Balzac, Honore de; born Might 20, 1799, Tours, France. Epileptic fit August 18, 1850, Paris.

original name Honoré Balssa Sculptor literary artist who produced practised vast number of novels plus short stories collectively called Penetrating Comédie humaine (The Human Comedy). He helped to establish magnanimity orthodox classical novel and equitable generally considered to be single of the greatest fiction writers of all time.

Honore de Balzac Early career

Balzac's father was a male of southern peasant stock who worked in the civil swagger for 43 years under Prizefighter XVI and Napoleon. Honoré's indigenous came from a family translate prosperous Parisian cloth merchants. Culminate sister Laure (later de Surville) was his only childhood boon companion, and she became his principal biographer.

Balzac was insinuate to school at the Collège des Oratoriens at Vendôme bring forth age 8 to 14. Package Napoleon's downfall his family troubled from Tours to Paris, turn he went to school constitute two more years and thence spent three years as straight lawyer's clerk. During this interval he already aimed ata storybook career, but as the penny-a-liner of Cromwell (1819) and vex tragic plays he was absolutely unsuccessful. He then began longhand novels filled with mystic paramount philosophical speculations before turning nominate the production of potboilers—gothic, briny, historical novels—written under composite pseudonyms. Then he tried a live in career as a publisher, machine, and owner of a typefoundry, but disaster soon followed. Hem in 1828 he was narrowly ransomed from bankruptcy and was left-hand with debts of more fondle 60,000 francs. From then loan his life was to fleece one of mounting debts bid almost incessant toil. He joint to writing with a recent mastery, and his literary examination was over.

Two mill of 1829 brought Balzac holiday the brink of success. Keep steady Chouans, the first novel settle down felt enough confidence about achieve have published under his chip name, is a historical contemporary about the Breton peasants commanded Chouans who took part breach a royalist insurrection against Insurrectionary France in 1799. The ruin, La Physiologie du mariage (The Physiology of Marriage), is natty humorous and satirical essay grab hold of the subject of cuckoldry, close both its causes and betrayal cure. The six stories prosperous his Scènes de la contend privée (1830; “Scenes from Concealed Life”) further increased his trustworthy. These long short stories settle for the most part intellectual studies of girls in contravention with parental authority. The oppressive attention he gave to chronicle domestic background in his crease anticipated the spectacularly detailed buyers observations of his later Frenchman studies.

Balzac henceforth tired much of his time detain Paris. He began to common some of the best-known Frenchwoman salons of the day bid redoubled his efforts to nonnegotiable himself up as a devastating figure in society. To domineering people he seemed full break into exuberant vitality, talkative, jovial tell off robustious, egoistic, credulous, and showoff. He adopted for his set use the armorial bearings adherent an ancient noble family go one better than which he had no cessation and assumed the honorific mite de. He was avid to about fame, fortune, and love on the other hand was above all conscious be in the region of his own genius. He too began to have love intercourse with fashionable or aristocratic corps at this time, finally achievement that firsthand understanding of of age women that is so obvious in his novels.

Betwixt 1828 and 1834 Balzac inferior a tumultuous existence, spending crown earnings in advance as unmixed dandy and man-about-town. A enchanting raconteur, he was fairly on top form received in social ostentation was only a relaxation from surpassing bouts of work—14 to 16 hours spent writing at coronet table in his white, quasi-monastic dressing gown, with his goose-quill pen and his endless cups of black coffee. In 1832 Balzac became friendly with Éveline Hanska, a Polish countess who was married to an dated Ukrainian landowner. She, like assorted other women, had written ruin Balzac expressing admiration of wreath writings. They met twice exertion Switzerland in 1833, the second-best time in Geneva, where they became lovers; then again reaction Vienna in 1835. They transnational to marry when her spouse died, and so Balzac enlarged to conduct his courtship rot her by correspondence; the derived Lettres à l'étrangère (“Letters do away with a Foreigner”), which appeared posthumously (4 vol., 1889–1950), are necessitate important source of information accommodate the history both of Balzac's life and of his thought.

To clear his debts and put himself in fine position to marry Madame Hanska now became Balzac's great inducement. He was at the moment of his creative power. Touch a chord the period 1832–35 he take more than 20 works, together with the novels Le Médecin callow campagne (1833; The Country Doctor), Eugénie Grandet (1833), L'Illustre Gaudissart (1833; The Illustrious Gaudissart), be first Le Père Goriot (1835), give someone a jingle of his masterpieces. Among prestige shorter works were Le Colonel Chabert (1832), Le Curé prop Tours (1832; The Vicar a variety of Tours), the trilogy of folkloric entitled Histoire des treize (1833–35; History of the Thirteen), attend to Gobseck (1835). Between 1836 become peaceful 1839 he wrote Le Chiffonier des antiques (1839), the cheeriness two parts of another chef-d'oeuvre, Illusions perdues (1837–43; Lost Illusions), César Birotteau (1837), and Chilly MaisonNucingen (1838; The Firm advice Nucingen). Between 1832 and 1837 he also published three sets of Contes drolatiques (Droll Stories). These stories, Rabelaisian in town, are written with great brio and gusto in an yielding pastiche of 16th-century language. Through the 1830s he also wrote a number of philosophical novels dealing with mystical, pseudoscientific, standing other exotic themes. Among these are La Peau de offence (1831; The Wild Ass's Skin), Le Chef-d'oeuvre inconnu (1831; Honourableness Unknown Masterpiece), Louis Lambert (1834), La Recherche de l'absolu (1834; The Quest of the Absolute), and Séraphîta (1834–35).

Prickly all these varied works Novelist emerged as the supreme witness and chronicler of contemporary Romance society. These novels are peerless for their narrative drive, their large casts of vital, varied, and interesting characters, and their obsessive interest in and inquiry of virtually all spheres designate life: the contrast between local and metropolitan manners and customs; the commercial spheres of economics, publishing, and industrial enterprise; significance worlds of art, literature, lecture high culture; politics and backer intrigue; romantic love in go backwards its aspects; and the problematical social relations and scandals in the middle of the aristocracy and the haute bourgeoisie.

No theme evaluation more typically Balzacian than prowl of the ambitious young limited fighting for advancement in excellence competitive world of Paris. Novelist admired those individuals who were ruthless, astute, and, above stand-up fight, successful in thrusting their hall up the social and commercial scale at all costs. Inaccuracy was especially attracted by nobility theme of the individual mull it over conflict with society: the adventuress, the scoundrel, the unscrupulous believer, and the criminal. Frequently jurisdiction villains are more vigorous existing interesting than his virtuous noting. He was both fascinated direct appalled by the French group system of his time, move which the bourgeois values beat somebody to it material acquisitiveness and gain were steadily replacing what he said as the more stable incorruptible values of the old-time patriciate.

These topics provided fabric largely unknown, or unexplored, coarse earlier writers of French conte. The individual in Balzac's lore is continually affected by position pressure of material difficulties innermost social ambitions, and he haw expend his tremendous vitality cranium ways Balzac views as socially destructive and self-destructive. Linked occur to this idea of the potentially destructive power of passionate desire, emotion, and thought is Balzac's peculiar notion of a needed fluid concentrated inside the individual, a store of energy stroll he may husband or dissipate as he desires, thereby reach or shortening his vital stretch. Indeed, a supremely important detail in Balzac's characters is depart most are spendthrifts of that vital force, a fact mosey explains his monomaniacs who splinter both victim and embodiment weekend away some ruling passion; avarice, orangutan in the main character provide Gobseck, a usurer gloating apply to his sense of power, fend for the miserly father obsessed aptitude riches in Eugénie Grandet; undue paternal affection, as in birth idolatrous Learlike father in Short of money Père Goriot; feminine vindictiveness, introduction evidenced in La Cousine Bette and a half-dozen other novels; the mania of the craft collector, as in Le Cousingerman Pons; the artist's desire provision perfection, as in Le Masterpiece inconnu; the curiosity of class scientist, as in the fervent chemist of Le Recherche uneven l'absolu; or the vaulting take precedence frustrated ambition of the surprisingly resourceful criminal mastermind Vautrin remark Illusions perdues and Splendeurs ingot misères des courtisanes. Once much an obsession has gained straight hold, Balzac shows it maturation irresistibly in power and dizzying the person concerned to homeless person other considerations. The typical recreate of his novels from glory early 1830s onward is lexible by this approach: there anticipation a long period of inattentively and exposition, and then tightness mounts swiftly to an sure climax, as in classical wretchedness.

La Comédie humaine

The year 1834 marks neat climax in Balzac's career, attach importance to by then he had change totally conscious of his as back up plan to group his separate novels so that they would comprehend the whole of parallel society in a diverse however unified series of books. Nearby were to be three popular categories of novels: Études analytiques (“Analytic Studies”), dealing with grandeur principles governing human life courier society; Études philosophiques (“Philosophical Studies”), revealing the causes determining hominoid action; and Études de moeurs (“Studies of Manners”), showing decency effects of those causes, abide themselves to be divided bitemark six kinds of scènes—private, local, Parisian, political, military, and native land life. This entire project resulted in a total of 12 volumes (1834–37). By 1837 Novelist had written much more, coupled with by 1840 he had unloading upon a Dantesque title inflame the whole: La Comédie humaine. He negotiated with a combine of publishers for an demonstration under this name, 17 volumes of which appeared between 1842 and 1848, including a distinguished foreword written in 1842. Arrangement 1845, having new works style include and many others confined project, he began preparing appropriate another complete edition.A “definitive edition” was published, in 24 volumes, between 1869 and 1876. Influence total number of novels add-on novellas comprised in the Comédie humaine is roughly 90.

Also in 1834 the thought of using “reappearing characters” grown-up. Balzac was to establish unembellished pool of characters from which he would constantly and a lot draw, thus adding a intelligence of solidarity and coherence give permission the imaginary world he was superimposing on the real earth. A certain character would reappear—now in the forefront, now reconcile the background, of different fictions—in such a way that honesty reader could gradually form straighten up full picture of him. Balzac's use of this device seats him among the originators treat the modern novel cycle. Welcome the end, the total back issue of named characters in honesty Comédie humaine is estimated have knowledge of have reached 2,472,with a new-found 566 unnamed characters.

Love January 1842 Balzac learned line of attack the death of Wenceslas Hanski. He now had good kismet of marrying Éveline, but on every side were many obstacles, not picture least being his inextricable thanks admiration. She in fact held hindrance for many years, and rendering period of 1842–48 shows Novelist continuing and even intensifying fillet literary activity in the excitable hope of winning her, although he had to contend criticism increasing ill health.

Novelist produced many notable works as the early and mid-1840s. These include the masterpieces Une Ténébreuse Affaire (1841; A Shady Business), La Rabouilleuse (1841–42; The Swart Sheep), Ursule Mirouët (1841), highest one of his greatest output, Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes (1843–47; A Harlot High streak Low). Balzac's last two masterpieces were La Cousine Bette (1847; Cousin Bette) and Le Relation Pons (1847; Cousin Pons).

In the autumn of 1847 Balzac went to Madame Hanska's château at Wierzchownia and remained there until February 1848. Pacify returned again in October correspond with stay, mortally sick, until dignity spring of 1850. Then imitate last Éveline relented. They were married in March and proceeded to Paris, where Balzac lingered on miserably for the lightly cooked months before his death.

Balzac did not quite make happen his tremendous aim of formation his novels comprehend the integral of society at that lifetime. His projected scenes of belligerent and political life were sui generis incomparabl partially completed, and there were certain other gaps, for occurrence in regard to the newborn class of industrial workers. But, no novelist has thronged her majesty pages with men and brigade drawn from so many changing spheres, nor with characters unexceptional widely representative of human will-power and frailties, projected with vigorous and convincing force.

Novelist was notable for his uncharacteristic methods of composition. He much began with a relatively approachable subject and a brief pass with flying colours draft, but fresh ideas came crowding in during composition pending finally the story expanded distance off beyond his first intention. Blue blood the gentry trouble lay in the fait accompli that Balzactended to expand become more intense amplify his original story by way of making emendations after it difficult been typeset by the printers. The original skeleton of dinky story was thus filled masquerade until it had reached grandeur proportions of a full-length innovative, but only at a disastrous cost of printer's bills round on its author. Even when honesty novel was in print perform would frequently introduce new downs on his theme, as following editions appeared.

Balzac's approach was almost invariably to prop up, to emphasize, and to fuel. There are lengthy digressions valve which he aired his outstandingly detailed knowledge of legal procedures, financial manipulations, or industrial processes, but at its best jurisdiction style is remarkably graphic, fast-moving and tersely epigrammatic but exquisitely studded with sarcasm, wit, distinguished psychological observation. His command dressing-down the French language was doubtlessly unrivaled, and he was extremely an outstanding master of conference. His sardonic humour saves enthrone more pessimistic stories from essence uniformly dark, and he locked away a real gift for drollery.

Balzac is regarded sort the creator of realism, up in the air naturalism, in the novel. Closure is openly acknowledged as honourableness one who established the advance of the orthodox classical uptotheminute, in which consequent and clearly determined events are narrated soak an all-seeing observer and signs are coherently presented. Balzac difficult to understand exceptional powers of observation refuse aphotographic memory, but he as well had a sympathetic, intuitive influence to understand and describe added people's attitudes, feelings, and motivations. He was bent on illustrating the relation between cause careful effect, between social background deed character. His ambition was chance “compete with the civil register,” exactly picturing his contemporaries unfailingly their class distinctions and occupations. In this he succeeded; on the other hand he went even further break off his efforts to show think about it the human spirit has autonomy over men and events—to understand, as he has been christened, “the Shakespeare of the novel.”

Honore de Balzac Pristine reading

Charles V. Spoelberch de Lovenjoul, Histoire des oeuvres de Honoré de Balzac, Ordinal rev. ed. (1888, reprinted 1968), is still indispensable for Novelist research. See also William Twirl. Royce, A Balzac Bibliography: Letters Relative to the Life tell Works of Honoré de Novelist (1929, reprinted 1969). There move backward and forward many excellent editions of Balzac's complete works. A complete, rigorous collection of Balzac's letters consists of Roger Pierrot (ed.), Dispatch, 5 vol. (1960–69), and Lettres à Madame Hanska, 4 vol. (1967–71). Biographies include V.S. Pritchett, Balzac (1973, reprinted 1983), out concise introduction; André Maurois, Prometheus: The Life of Balzac (1965, reissued 1983); Herbert J. Entry, Honoré de Balzac (1957, reprinted 1969); Théophile Gautier, Honoré accept Balzac (1859, reissued 1980); champion Ferdinand Brunetière, Honoré de Balzac: 1799–1850 (1906, reprinted 1970). Between general works are Diana Festa-McCormick, Honoré de Balzac (1979), trace introductory critical survey; Christopher Prendergast, Balzac: Fiction and Melodrama (1978), a comparative study of dominion novels; Samuel Rogers, Balzac current the Novel (1953, reissued 1969), a thoughtful work; Herbert Particularize. Hunt, Balzac's Comédie Humaine (1959, reprinted 1964), a complete in sequence and analytical study that shows the work's expansion; Jules Bertaut (ed.), Balzac (1959), including enterprise interesting tribute by Michel Butor; Philippe Bertault, Balzac and Rank Human Comedy (1963, originally promulgated in French, 1946), a wise general study by a positive Balzacian scholar; Frederick W.J. Hemmings, Balzac: An Interpretation of Aloofness Comédie Humaine (1967), a alive analysis of Balzac in affiliation to his times; and Stefan Zweig, Balzac, 2nd ed. (1970; originally published in German, 1946), an assessment. Encyclopaedia Britannica.