Archive: Père Goriot

Père Goriot is a man who gives his all for his two daughters. He completely expends himself for them. The setting is in Paris the year of 1819. This tragedy brings the genre of realism out, in what some say is the best work by Balzac. Honoré de Balzac, the author of this novel, was a very interesting man. Honoré de Balzac was born in 1799 in Tours, France. Balzac was the son of Bernard-François and Anne-Charlotte-Laure Sallambier. His family moved to Paris after the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy. Balzac studied law in Paris and worked at a lawyer’s office. Honoré struggled to start his writing career and began a relationship with Laure de Berny. In 1832 Balzac discovered Madame Hanska. Honoré writes many works before “becoming president of the Société des Gens de Lettres” in 1839. In the year of 1849, Balzac’s health began to go downhill. Honoré married Madame Hanska on the fourteenth of March, 1850 and later died in Paris on August 18, 1850. Balzac's works became very influential in more modern French literature.



Plot Summary
The story begins in an old boarding house by the name of the Maison Vauquer. The owner is none other than the widow of Monsieur Vauquer. Many individuals enter the boarding house; some to reside and some just to have meals. Père Goriot is the title character and he makes his appearance much earlier than the intial beginning of this work. Monsieur Goriot was a successful merchant and he treated himself to many indulgences of wealthy living, to begin with. Ideas began to circulate as Monsieur Goriot request to be moved to an upper floor and reduces his rent. The reason for this occurrence was not because of a loss in investment or money spent on a mistress but on the happiness of his two daughters, Delphine and Anastasie. Eugène de Rastignac aspires to be included in the upper class of society. His family sends him majority of their income to support him and his dreams. Eugène is mentored by his cousin Madame de Beauséant on the ways of the upper class and how to conduct his person including his affairs. Eugène develops an eye for Père Goriot’s daughter Delphine. Vautrin however wants to use Eugène as a way of personal gain. If Eugène will court Victorine Taillefer, the young girl who is cared for by Madame Couture, than Vautrin will be a step closer to a financial gain. Victorine’s father is leaving his inheritance to her brother but if something happens to her brother than she would be the next in line to inherit and this is the fact that Vautrin wants. Vautrin offers, if Eugène will succumb to his will and court Victorin that he would dispose of her brother so that the inheritance would be his. Vautrin does this of course out of his own self-interest. Eugène continues to pursue Delphine. Vautrin, a mysterious man that could never be figured out, had a past. Vautrin was in fact a criminal and being such continues through with the killing of Frederic, Victorine’s brother. Mademoiselle Michonneau, a border of the Maison Vauquer, discovers that Vautrin is an escapee and turns him over to the police. When Delphine and Anastasie come to their father for one last time, everything has fallen apart for them. Anastasie’s husband has figured out everything and has brought about conditions. Everything that Anastasie has done for her lover still hasn’t saved him and he is going to court. The two sisters clash and Eugène witnesses verbally and in person. Père Goriot suffers a stroke as diagnosed by the tightness of his upper face being pulled away from his lower face. A big secret is to be let out at Madame de Beauséant’s ball. Later, after all the struggles and hardships he had endured to support his daughters, Monsieur Goriot dies essentially without them there. Rastignac remains faithful to his ‘father’ and at the end of the novel continues to see Delphine.

Characters
Madame Vauquer The owner of the boarding house. She initially is wooed by Monsieur Goriot but soon becomes just his landlord. She looks out for herself first and puts money first in her life. Angry, greedy, hypocritical, old, non-sympathetic.

Sylvie The cook for the boarding house. She cooks for the tenants and plays a role in spreading gossip. Fat and nice.

Christophe The handyman Accompanies Rastignac at the funeral of Monsieur Goriot. Nice.

Madame Couture Boarder on the first floor along with Madame Vauquer. She took care of an orphan girl named Victorine Taillefer. Good, religious, old fashioned.

Victorine Taillefer Boarder on the first floor and inspiration for a crime. Victorine admired the older men of Vautrin and Rastignac. Victorine’s father was very wealthy and this inspired Vautrin to try to convince Rastignac to court her and he would kill her brother so she would inherit her father’s fortune. Young, religious, yearnful. Poiret A boarder on the second floor that accompanies many of the other guests throughout the story. Shriveled up, old, gentlemen.

Vautrin A boarder on the second floor.Vautrin is the escaped criminal Jacques Collin. He arranges for Victorine’s brother to be killed as part of a plan. Strong, happy, mysterious, criminal, greedy, sly.

Mademoiselle Michonneau A boarder on the third floor. She turns Vaurin over to the police for a reward. Old, nice, cautious.

Père Goriot Title character, the father of Delphine and Anastasie. A retired merchant that sells his possessions and hands over his fortune to his two daughters for their own happiness. The man endures terrible suffering and loses the love of his daughters as if they ever really showed it for him at any time other than wanting for money. Eager, old, father, proud, respectable, enduring, sad.

Eugène de Rastignac A law student and boarder of the Maison Vauquer.Ratignac develops a relationship with Delphine one of Goriot’s daughters. He is also very close with Monsieur Goriot. Rastignac is there at the end to take care of Goriot as he lay dying. Rastignac was one of the few people that really cared for Goriot and was one of the two that were present at his funeral. Young, smart, understanding, friendly, trustworthy.

Delphine One of the daughters of Monsieur Goriot. Delphine is married to Baron de Nucigen she is supported by her father and has an affair with Rastignac that is approved by Goriot. Unfaithful, selfish, passionate.

Anastasie One of the daughters of Monsieur Goriot. Anastasie is married to Comte de Restaud. She drains lots of money from her father including selling family items to bail her lover out of debt. Unfaithful, greedy, selfish, cold.

Maxime de Trailles Anastasie’s lover. His actions contribute to the financial ruin of Monsieur Goriot through way of Anastasie. Gambler, addicted.

Madame de Beauséant Eugène’s cousin. Teaches Rastignac about society in higher standings. Teaches Rastignac about society in higher standings. Uptight, love struck.

Bianchon Rastignac’s friend. Bianchon was a medical student that aided Monsieur Goriot in his dying days. Bianchon was present along with Rastignac when Goriot died. Bianchon gave advice to Rastignac on how to handle the burial of Père Goriot. Smart, nice, helpful, generous.

Baron de Nucigen Delphine’s Husband Prevents Delphine from visiting her father on his deathbed( according to the maid) Rich, banker, confrontational.

Comte de Restaud Anastasie’s Husband Confronts Anastasie about selling her jewelry and her affair with Maxime but wants to forget all about it and forgive her. Understanding and nice.

Themes
	Acceptance by society is more important than family- this theme is possible because throughout this entire novel the characters strive to become higher in a class that they were not meant to be in because it wasn’t in their birth rite. The characters of the two daughter’s take advantage of their father to gain higher status in their married into class and completely push him aside.

	Greed- this theme is possible because greed is what drives Vautrin to have Victorine’s brother killed, it drives why the two daughters used their father for money, and the way that the two daughters wanted their lovers to theirselves but also their husbands at the same time. Madame de Beauséant is greedy of d’Ajuda- Pinto as well. Madame Vauquer displays greed throughout especially at the end when she is holding Goriots gold locket when they place him in the coffin.

	Family First- this theme is possible because throughout the story Père Goriot expends himself for his daughters. He puts everything out for them just to make them happy. He uses all of his money and takes away all of his comforts for his daughters which are his family. He always puts them first beyond everything else and he cannot stay mad at them very long or even curse them for a very long period of time even though he knows that they used him he still wants the idea of having relationships and people to love. Monsieur Goriot loved his daughters very much and he put them first before money and himself.

Motifs
Money This thematic element reoccures throughout this work as the focus for the strata of the people. Money is the entity that brings him together with his daughters in a false manner and what ruins him in the end. Without money this realism novel would not be realistic as money is a large part of survival in life or essentially wealth.

Material People This element allows for the daughters to be in the picture. They, along with most other characters in this novel, put items and ownership among all the rest. This material obsession is essentially the conflict in this story as it is the basis for the greed that is inspired throughout with his daughters. The daughters would rather have their father's money to gain social standing and items of wealth than to actually have a family relationship with him.

Mud This reoccures throught out the novel as well overall showing the amount of povery that was present during those times. Paris is compared to a mud pit or "un bourbier". The meaning grows as the novel unfolds. Also the meaning for prevention or holding back is portayed as well.

Symbols
The empty carriages at the funeral symbolize that the daughters are too embarrassed to be seen at his funeral because of how they treated him but it also represents the social purpose of having their carriages noticed there.

The unfaithfulness of the two daughters symbolizes there lack of involvement in family. Just as they step out of marriage they also step out from their own family.

The golden lock represents Goriot’s most treasured possession of memory of his daughters. This locket holds clippings of hair from their childhood where there was more involvement instead of them just coming around wanting something. These clippings are the most valuable to him because it was when he was looked at as a father and not a bank teller.

Significant Quotes
'''“Such a collection of people should, and indeed did, present in miniature the elements of society as a whole.” Explanation: This quote establishes the basis of this story as being a realistic novel. Each individual that resided at the Maison Vauquer made an important contribution to the way of things in the larger world. The boarding house tenants interacted among themselves in a manner that others would if society were to be isolated. Essentially the boarding house encompasses the middle class but within the boarding house the three floors seem to represent a schism within the middle class into three smaller classes. From this you can also see that social interactions and class division is going to play a role later on in the story. The three smaller classes that are brought about from the motives of the tenants allow for the same criticism that each of the larger classes give to each other. After this quote in the story it is established that Père Goriot is the butt of society in the boarding house. If this were to be analyzed this would hold true in a socio-economic argument because he lived on the top floor and paid the lowest cost for rent that was provided separate from the cook and the handyman. The cook and the handyman contributed to the boarding house much more to make up for their part. Their jobs coincided in the boarding house while the other residents, except for the owner, did not.

“What physiognomist can interpret character more swiftly than a dog telling whether a stranger is friendly or not?” Explanation: This quote emphasizes the analysis that has to be given by an individual to establish a relationship. Each boarder had their own opinion of each other. So many rumors circulated throughout the house that there wasn’t a for sure way of knowing what was true or false. Not all of the boarders had personal contact with each other that was substantial. Those that did didn’t always have a friendly relationship. Monsieur Goriot was the subject of the mockery in the Maison Vauquer and being as such he was weary of the other boarders. The over eagerness for him to please his daughters made him to be compared to as a dog. In this case Monsieur Goriot could sense that Rastignac meant well and he did so by judging his character by what he had seen so far. The relative ease in which Monsieur Goriot made this assumption is included in this quote.

“It’s between the two of us now!” Explanation: This line is given at the ending of the novel by Rastignac. This quote gives a continuance of the novel. The passion of Rastignac to be in higher standing is carried on as well as the respect to Père Goriot of dating his daughter. Rastignac states this while looking toward Paris. This so called revenge is to be on Parisian society and how the best were the outcast of their own classes. This ending to the novel allows for a surmised theme to be supported of under classmen striving to be included in higher society.

Background
Originally published in the winter of 1834-35. The Bourbon restoration is occuring in France during this time. The impacts are especially noticiable in Paris the city of the setting. The year is 1819 which is four years after the battle of Waterloo. The aristocracy was beginning to develop tensions produced by an industrial revolution. Many of the inhabitants of Paris were deeply in poverty. In the year 1819 Balzac’s age was exactly that of Rastignac and he also lived in Paris. Balzac was a law student in that year, being his graduation year, as was Rastignac. When this novel was in the making, Balzac had written many other works. He began to sequence his novels into La Comédie Humaine.

Allusions
There are many various allusions that are given throughout this novel.

“Lilliputian minds”- This refers to Gulliver's Travels and speaks to the incompletness of someone's thoughts or foolishness.

"Alceste"- This refers to the Misanthrope and speaks to the herotic acts as Alceste was the hero.

"Dolobin"- This plays the same significance as the before allusion but speaks to the imaturity of a person. Dolobin was a character from the author Desforges.

"All is True"- This allusion stands for the word meaning to establish that the events that occured are true but this also alludes to William Shakespeare's Henry VIII.

"Georges or Pichegru"- This establishes an understanding of Madame Vauquer and her quest for wealth. Georges and Pichgru were betrayed in the conspiracy against Napoleon and were executed. This allusion provides better understanding because it gives a factual event to relate to and a serious event such as the one picked.

Adaptations
Pere Goriot (TV mini-series 1968)

Le père Goriot (TV 2004)

'''Theatre at UBC: Honoré de Balzac’s Old Goriot On the Subject

Reviews
Amazon.com Review Nobody writes about money like Balzac, and his classic chronicle of a young man from the provinces clawing his way to success in 19th century Paris, even as an older man is victimized by the same milieu, shrewdly captures the financial dimension of so much that goes on between people. The boarding house in which the two protagonists live is a microcosm of their world, and Goriot's treatment by his daughters would make Lear blanch.

From Library Journal Balzac's 1834 King Lear-esque novel here gets a little fresh air breathed into it by Burton Raffel, who won the 1991 French-American Translation Prize. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer review taken from Amazon.com Indeed, Père Goriot is a sad tale. Without giving away any more than the back of the book already does, I can say that it encompasses the tale of a man who has sacrificed of himself for his children's sake, as laid out in contrast to the story of a man who asks of his own family that they sacrifice for him. It is the study of both sides of that equation, all tied together through a boardinghouse where every boarder has a story to tell, where every turn and twist is an obstacle for some, an opportunity for others, and an escape for none. All are tied into this Paris that lives and breathes on the page.

Balzac was a character writer. He tells you about the person, all the intimate little details that seem so trivial but that build up the image of the person in your mind. You can see Vautrin, the mysterious all-knowing boarder as he watches young Rastignac, the young law student, struggle inside of himself as he wrestles his way into an unforgiving society. In the process of doing so, you watch sometimes in horror, sometimes in fascination, listening to the man deliver speech upon speech, some of which seem to bear an eerie early foreboding to Dostoevsky's `The Grand Inquisitor' for it's sheer, unflinching look at some point of society. Like that writer, Balzac builds the man, then lets him be himself on the page, summoning only those talents that are necessary in a writer to get out of the way and allow the story to tell itself.

Is this book worth reading? Absolutely. Who should read it? Anyone who enjoys a tale with action, honor, and ethical, internal struggles. There are criminal men, unscrupulous women, love affairs, dedication, a betrayal...there are all the elements of the modern novel, told in an engaging and playful style that you come to trust and respect and that, in the end, leaves you with a mighty hunger for more...

Henry Reed does a great translation as well. His afterword helps to place the novel in the series that it belongs, putting into proper perspective in Balzac's La Comedie humaine, a series of novels and stories built around Paris during a certain time period. Balzac was a very dedicated writer, putting himself to the task sometimes for hours on end (up to 18 by some accounts). His works contain in them many characters that repeat into other works, as in the two that I mentioned above (Rastignac in particular).

Bottom line: I cannot highly enough recommend this book to anyone. It is fantastic and easily enjoyable.