Father Goriot

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

1237

Title

Father Goriot

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Set in a grim Parisian lodging house in 1819, this novel follows the tragic rise and fall of the wealthy but emotionally bankrupt Father Goriot. Balzac weaves a tapestry of social ambition, familial betrayal, and the crushing weight of poverty against the backdrop of a ruthless aristocracy, offering a searing critique of human nature and the corrosive effects of civilization.

Summary up to 500 words

Set in the bleak, damp quarter of Paris known as the Maison Vauquer, Honoré de Balzac's *Father Goriot* unfolds a tragic drama of social climbing and familial abandonment. The narrative centers on the impoverished and eccentric Father Goriot, who rents a room in Madame Vauquer's lodging house, unaware that his two wealthy daughters have severed all ties with him to marry into high society. His tragic decline serves as a backdrop for the arrival of Eugène de Rastignac, a young law student from the provinces returning to the capital with high ambitions. Initially dazzled by the glittering world of the Faubourg Saint-Germain and the aristocratic Vicomtesse de Beauseant, Eugène quickly becomes entangled in the city's complex social web. Through interactions with figures like the eccentric Comte de Restaud and the mysterious Comtesse de Restaud, he learns the harsh realities of a society where wealth and lineage dictate status. As he navigates these treacherous waters, Eugène witnesses Father Goriot's desperate attempts to regain his daughters' affection, revealing the depth of his sacrificial love and the cruelty of those he adores. Balzac meticulously contrasts the hallowed halls of the aristocracy with the squalid reality of the poor, exposing the moral decay lurking beneath civilized society. The story explores profound themes of social climbing, the corruption of ambition, and the fragility of family bonds, creating a timeless tragedy that illustrates how civilization, like a relentless juggernaut, crushes individual hearts in its triumphant progress.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1237.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg1237.epub

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Categories

• Classics
• Romance
• Drama
• History
• Fiction