About
Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850) was a major French writer of the 19th century. He is the author of La Comédie humaine, a collection of nearly 90 novels and short stories depicting post-Napoleonic French society through more than 2,000 characters. His most famous works include Le Père Goriot, Eugénie Grandet, and Illusions perdues. Balzac faced persistent financial difficulties, which drove him to write prolifically, often during intense work sessions. His realistic style, characterized by meticulous observation of details and moral complexity, influenced many later writers.
* 1799-05-20 — † 1850-08-18
Major works
- La Peau de chagrin (1831)novel
- Eugénie Grandet (1833)novel
- Le Père Goriot (1835)novel
- Illusions perdues (1843)novel
- La Cousine Bette (1847)novel
Key milestones
- 1834Conceived the overall plan for La Comédie humaine.
- 1842Publication of the preface to La Comédie humaine and start of the collected edition.
- 1850Married Polish countess Eveline Hanska in March, then died in Paris in August.
Themes
realismsocial ambitionpassion and obsessionmoney and powerpost-Napoleonic French society
Sources: britannica.com · maisondebalzac.paris.fr