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Pere Goriot

A Norton Critical Edition
Series: Norton Critical Editions
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Père Goriot by Honoré de Balzac is a captivating tale set in post-revolutionary Paris, capturing the intersecting lives within a boarding house. It primarily follows the tragic figure of a devoted father who sacrifices everything for his selfish daughters, intertwined with the ambitions and endeavours of a young law student named Rastignac. Through vivid character portrayals, the novel paints a complex picture of social status, family ties, and the pursuit of wealth in 19th-century France.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this classic work of French literature if you appreciate intricate storytelling and character development set against the backdrop of Parisian society. With its vivid portrayal of ambition, love, and betrayal, this novel offers a compelling exploration of human nature and social dynamics, making it a fascinating read for those interested in 19th-century society and timeless themes.

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The text is that of Burton Raffell’s acclaimed 1994 translation.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The text is accompanied by an introduction, textual annotations by the editor, and a map of Paris.

Père Goriot has had a profound impact on literature, as illustrated in "Responses: Contemporaries and Other Novelists," highlighting Balzac's immense influence on other writers such as Charles Baudelaire, Hippolyte Taine, Émile Zola, and Marcel Proust.

"Twentieth-Century Criticism" presents a superb selection of critical writing about the novel. The critics include Ernst Robert Curtius, Albert Béguin, Erich Auerbach, Georges Poulet, Michel Butor, Louis Chevalier, Pierre Barbéris, Peter Brooks, Sandy Petrey, Nicole Mozet, and Janet L. Beizer.

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Père Goriot by Honoré de Balzac is often praised for its vivid portrayal of Parisian society during the Restoration period. Many reviews highlight Balzac's keen insight into human nature and his ability to depict the social climbing and familial ambitions of his characters. The novel is appreciated for its intricate character study and is considered a poignant reflection on the themes of ambition, betrayal, and paternal sacrifice.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780393971668

Publisher: WW Norton & Co

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 April 1998

Country: United States

Imprint: WW Norton & Co

Edition: Critical edition

Contributors:

  • Translated by Burton Raffel
  • Edited by Peter Brooks
  • Edited by Peter Brooks
  • Edited by Peter Brooks
  • Translated by Burton Raffel

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 23.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 213.0mm

Weight: 316g

Pages: 384

Collections

Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Series: Norton Critical Editions

About the Author

Honore de Balzac (1799-1850) was born in Tours. By the time of his death, he had written over one hundred novels, novellas, and plays, all the while working as a journalist. Colonel Chabert is one of the "Scenes from Private Life," which is a part of Balzac's well-known life-long project, La Comedie Humaine. Peter Brooks has written extensively about the nineteenth-century novel, French and English. His books include The Melodramatic Imagination: Balzac, Henry James, Melodrama, and the Mode of Excess; Reading for the Plot, Body Work, Psychoanalysis and Storytelling and The Emperor's Body: A Novel. After many years on the faculty at Yale University, he currently teaches at Princeton University. Burton Raffel is Distinguished Professor of Humanities at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Emeritus. He is the translator of many works, including Gargantua and Pantagruel (awarded the French-American Foundation Translation Prize), Père Goriot, Beowulf, and the five romances of Chrétien de Troyes.

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