La Ricerca Dell'Assoluto

La Comédie Humaine #74

by Honoré de Balzac, Andrea Zanzotto (Translator), Ferdinando Camon (Preface)

La ricerca dell'assoluto è il terzo volume degli “Studi di costume del XX” ,“scene della vita privata” della Commedia umana narra le vicende di Balthazar Claës e della sua famiglia. Il romanzo è ambientato a Douai, nella Fiandra francese all'inizio del XIX secolo.

La famiglia Claës è una delle più agiate famiglie della città di Douai, il capofamiglia, il sig. Balthazar Claës è sposato con Joséphine, discendente della famiglia spagnola della Casa-Real. La delicatezza di Balthazar aveva esaltato in lei i più generosi sentimenti, i due vivevano in una felicità scambievole. La famiglia si componeva inoltre di due figli e due figlie. La vita scorreva pressoché serena e armoniosa, fino al giorno in cui Balthazar dedicherà il suo tempo alla chimica nella speranza di ricercare l'Assoluto, la sostanza comune a tutte le creazioni.

In questa impresa verrà aiutato dal fedele domestico Lemulquinier il quale non lo abbandonerà mai. Questa sua attività di chimico lo assorbirà totalmente, fino a far venire meno quella felicità domestica che regnava in casa Claës, causando inoltre non pochi problemi economici per le spese sostenute nell'acquisto delle apparecchiature.

Il perdurare della situazione porterà alla morte della moglie Joséphine, la quale soffrirà molto della mancanza di amore del marito, ma non cesserà mai di amarlo e aiutarlo economicamente, tanto che il giorno della sua morte farà promettere alla figlia maggiore, Margherite, di seguire il padre e di amarlo per sempre, qualsiasi cosa accada.

La figlia assolverà la promessa fatta nonostante il perdurare degli sperperi economici da parte del padre, il quale in fasi alterne continuerà a cercare l' Assoluto, sperperando sei patrimoni. La figlia Margherite, si sposerà con Emmanuel Solis, nipote dell'abate Solis amico di famiglia da vecchia data. L'eredità ricevuta dalla famiglia Solis risulterà provvidenziale per permettere a Margherite di riportare la famiglia Claës e a casa, ai vecchi fasti. Il romanzo si conclude con Balthazar invecchiato e povero in punto di morte (ancora una volta povero) con il suo fedele servo Lemulquinier, e accudito da sua figlia Margherite e suo marito Emmanuel, il quale leggendo un articolo di giornale mette a conoscenza il suocero della scoperta dell'Assoluto compiuta da altri ricercatori.

Genres: Classics, French Literature, Fiction, France, 19th Century, Novels, Literature

193 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1834

About the author

French writer Honoré de Balzac (born Honoré Balzac), a founder of the realist school of fiction, portrayed the panorama of society in a body of works, known collectively as La comédie humaine .

Honoré de Balzac authored 19th-century novels and plays. After the fall of Napoléon in 1815, his magnum opus, a sequence of almost a hundred novels and plays, entitled, presents life in the years.

Due to keen observation of fine detail and unfiltered representation, European literature regards Balzac. He features renowned multifaceted, even complex, morally ambiguous, full lesser characters. Character well imbues inanimate objects; the city of Paris, a backdrop, takes on many qualities. He influenced many famous authors, including the novelists Marcel Proust, Émile Zola, Charles John Huffam Dickens, Gustave Flaubert, Henry James, and Jack Kerouac as well as important philosophers, such as Friedrich Engels. Many works of Balzac, made into films, continue to inspire.

An enthusiastic reader and independent thinker as a child, Balzac adapted with trouble to the teaching style of his grammar. His willful nature caused trouble throughout his life and frustrated his ambitions to succeed in the world of business. Balzac finished, and people then apprenticed him as a legal clerk, but after wearying of banal routine, he turned his back on law. He attempted a publisher, printer, businessman, critic, and politician before and during his career. He failed in these efforts From his own experience, he reflects life difficulties and includes scenes.

Possibly due to his intense schedule and from health problems, Balzac suffered throughout his life. Financial and personal drama often strained his relationship with his family, and he lost more than one friend over critical reviews. In 1850, he married Ewelina Hańska, his longtime paramour; five months later, he passed away.

Reviews

[°°°·.°·..·°¯°·._.· ʜᴇʟᴇɴ Ροζουλί Εωσφόρος ·._.·°¯°·.·° .·°°° ★·.·´¯`·.·★ Ⓥⓔⓡⓝⓤⓢ Ⓟⓞⓡⓣⓘⓣⓞⓡ Ⓐⓡⓒⓐⓝⓤⓢ Ταμετούρο Αμ · Rating 4 out of 5]

«Η αναζήτηση του απόλυτου», μια ισχυρή ιστορία γραμμένη με το απλό και κορυφαίο στυλ της μεγάλης τέχνης.
Είναι γεγονός πως για όσους αγαπούν το μυθιστόρημα που καθρεφτίζει την κραυγή της ανθρώπινης ασχήμιας μπροστά στην αλήθεια, την αίσθηση της τραγωδίας και την ανάλυση με ψυχογραφικό μικροσκόπιο της ανθρώπινης φύσης, ο Μπαλζάκ με πάθος, είναι άκρως απολαυστικός.

Αυτό το έργο κατατάσσεται στις ήπιες φιλοσοφικές μελέτες αναφορικά με τον εθισμό, την εμμονή και την παρανοϊκή συμπεριφορά των ανθρώπων που αισθάνονται τα χάδια της μεγαλοφυΐας τους.

Παραδίδονται στην αγκαλιά της αναζήτησης γύρω απο τον τομέα της επιστήμης που υπηρετούν και ανάλογως το πάθος, την εκτίμηση τους για την ανθρωπότητα και την μεγάλη ιδέα της ανακάλυψης, διευρύνουν τα προϊόντα της ύπαρξης, με την ευχή της πρωτοτυπίας και την μαγική έλξη της χίμαιρας.
Παίρνουν ως βάπτισμα την κατάρα της αφοσιωμένης και παθητικής αποχαύνωσης, σέρνονται με αυτοθυσία στα λασπόνερα της αποτυχίας, αγωνίζονται,ελπίζουν, ονειρεύονται, φιλοδοξούν, ματαιοπονούν, και αναλώνονται αρρωστημένα μπροστά στην αιώνια δόξα,την παντοδυναμία και την αθανασία.

Χωρίς ηθικούς ή συναισθηματικούς ενδοιασμούς αρνούνται τον εξορκισμό τους απο τους δαίμονες της νοημοσύνης και της θεϊκής εξομοίωσης που γλυκά, μυστικά και μελαγχολικά απολαμβάνουν.

Υπόσχονται στην διαθήκη της τεράστιας εφευρετικής και αλχημιστικής τους διανόησης να μην εξαπατήσουν τις επιτυχημένες προσδοκίες αποτυχίας για κάθε βήμα προόδου και να αφήσουν παρακαταθήκη στην ανθρωπότητα το μυστικό της πτώσης απο τον παράδεισο και τη σοφία της κοσμικής απογοήτευσης.
♥️🌈♥️
😈

Καλή ανάγνωση.
Πολλούς ασπασμούς.

[Φώτης Καραμπεσίνης · Rating 4 out of 5]

Η εν λόγω νουβέλα σίγουρα δεν συγκαταλέγεται στα κορυφαία έργα του… κορυφαίου Μπαλζάκ. Όχι πως έχει και μεγάλη σημασία, δεδομένου πως το χαρακτηριστικό, sui generis, Ύφος του συγγραφέα διαποτίζει τη καθεμιά σελίδα της.
Η "Αναζήτηση του απόλυτου", δεν απαιτεί κάποια περαιτέρω επεξήγηση – ο τίτλος είναι ενδεικτικός του περιεχομένου. Επικεντρώνεται ουσιαστικά στον τρόπο με τον οποίο μια μεγάλη Ιδέα μπορεί να "καταβροχθίσει" ανθρώπους και αντικείμενα στο διάβα της. Θέμα με πολλές προεκτάσεις, το οποίο έχει απασχολήσει και συνεχίζει να απασχολεί τα ανθρώπινα και επ' αυτού δεν έχει νόημα να προσθέσω κάτι.
Εκείνο όμως που σκέφτηκα, αφότου ολοκλήρωσα την ανάγνωση, ήταν το εξής: Είχα την αίσθηση -μη αποδεδειγμένη και αποδείξιμη προφανώς- καθ' όλη τη διάρκεια της ανάγνωσης πως ο Μπαλζάκ θα παρατηρούσε τα δρώμενα και την πορεία της Πτώσης του ήρωά του αφ' υψηλού, με διάθεση ειρωνική, ενίοτε επικριτική σε κάποιον βαθμό.
Τι εννοώ; Δεδομένου του περφεξιονισμού του συγγραφέα όσον αφορά τη διαχείριση της Τέχνης του, δεν είναι δυνατόν παρά να είχε αναρωτηθεί και ο ίδιος κατά πόσον η αναζήτηση του δικού του λογοτεχνικού Απόλυτου είχε φτάσει σε αίσιο τέλος. Ή έστω, αν βρισκόταν κοντά στην ολοδική του Λογοτεχνική Λίθο, εκείνη που μετουσιώνει τον λόγο σε Τέχνη. Εκείνη, τέλος, που διαχωρίζει τους ελάσσονες και ικανούς γραφιάδες από τους Πατρικίους της συγγραφής.
Θα ήθελα να γνωρίζω κατά πόσον οδηγούμενος στο τέλος της φυσικής του ύπαρξης είχε θεωρήσει πως άγγιξε το μεγαλειώδες, έστω στιγμιαία. Όσον αφορά το τι μπορεί εκείνος να θυσίασε προς άγραν του Απολύτου, η απάντηση είναι απλή και συνάμα αποτρεπτική για τους απλούς επιβαίνοντες και συνοδοιπόρους: Μια ολάκερη ζωή παρανάλωμα στην Τέχνη είναι το ελάχιστο το οποίο εκείνος που θεωρεί εαυτόν Συγγραφέα οφείλει να αφιερώσει. Τα λοιπά, είναι απλά έπεα.

[Théo d'Or]

And man was allowed to think. Then, the Search began.. It is in human nature.
Balzac amazes me, here, not by what he writes, and not even by how he writes, but simply by his choice regarding the nature of his topic, a totally different approach from the one he used to me. One could classify the essence of his volume as a purely ( or almost ) philosophical one, but no, Balzac does something else here, he transforms the philosophical into a state of fact, he materializes the entire philosophical concept defying the immaterial character of philosophy, by introducing an object into his equation - an alkahest - a chemical that could disintegrate absolutely any matter known by man. Balzac's alkahest is, in a way, Sisyphus' boulder, the vain illusion of being freed from the Burden.
In other words, I found here another touchstone, after Wells' "Invisible Man" and Stevenson's " Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde " - with the same message of futility of seeking the Absolute. Giacometti had a horror of the infinite. Not of the Pascalian infinite, of the infinitely great, there is another infinite, more devious, more secret, who slips away from divisibility. " In space " , says Giacometti - " there is too much ".
This " too much " is the pure and simple coexistence of parts in juxtaposition. As Freddie said, " Too Much Love Will Kill You ".
And the love for absolute is too much.

[Carlo Mascellani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Letteralmente divorato dalla propria Idea, dalla passione scientifica e dal desiderio di giungere a scoperte sensazionali, Balthazar Claes non esita a sacrificar loro famiglia, denaro, affetti, onore. Ma non è forse questo il destino di molti geni, di coloro che, sacrificando ogni cosa, a scanso del biasimo generale, condussero il mondo di un passo più avanti? O, forse, in realtà, solo dei folli, di coloro che trascorsero la vita inseguendo solo una vana chimera? Il viaggio di un uomo deciso a scoprire uno dei tanti segreti di Dio, che non esita a veder sbiadir la propria stessa anima in nome dell'unico ideale che per lui conta davvero. Romanzo struggente come una storia d'amore. Perché d'amore, in un certo senso, si tratta..

[Evripidis Gousiaris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ο Balzac καταφέρνει με πανέμορφο τρόπο να παρουσιάσει κάτι άσχημο και καταστροφικό.
Η έννοια της λέξης Εμμονή έχει πλέον άλλη διάσταση.

[Esma T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anlaşılmaz bir nedenle bir çok insan inanmadan da umut besleyebilir.

Mutlak Peşinde, bilime merak salmış bir adamın ve ailesinin dramatik öyküsünü konu alıyor. Biraz felsefe birazda dramın harmanlandığı bir aile trajedisi. Kitabın konusu ve karakterlerini çok sevdim, yazar nokta atışı seçimler yapmış ancak ben sunumu çok beğenemedim ne yazık ki. Balzac'ın uzun betimlemelerinden sıkça söz edilir, diğer kitaplarında bu betimlemeler beni rahatsız etmese de bu kitapta sıkıcı bulduğumu itiraf etmeliyim. Kitap genel anlamda güzel olsa da olması gerekenden uzunmuş gibi geldi bana, roman zaten kalın değil, 210 sayfa, ancak konuya ve hikayenin gidişatına fazla gibi geldi bana. Yarısı kadar olsaydı sanki tadı damakta kalacak daha fazlasını isteyecek ama yerinde sayfa sayısı içinde sevinecekmişiz gibi hissettim.

Toplum insanlardan beklediği erdemlerin hiçbirine uyma gereği duymaz: Her an cinayet işler ama sözle işler; nasıl güzeli gülünçleştirerek küçültürse alay yoluyla da kötülüklerin yolunu açar; babalarının ölümüne fazla ağlayan oğulları alaya alır, yeterince ağlamayanları aforoz eder; sonra da kendisi, henüz soğumamış ölülerle uğraşarak eğlenir.

Genel anlamda sevdiğim ama zayıf bulduğum bir Balzac eseri oldu.Tutkuyu ve tutkunun biçimlerin, insan hayatındaki etkilerini okumak zevk verici idi, Balzac daha önce okuduğum kitaplarında çıtayı yükseltmese daha çok severdi belki. İçinde çok güzel cümleler de vardı, onları bir kez bir kez daha okumaktan da kendimi alamadım. Eğer Balzac okumak istiyorsanız başlangıç kitabı olarak seçmenizi önermem, yazarı biraz daha tanıdıktan sonra okumak daha yerinde olacaktır.
Umut isteğin çiçeği, inanç güvenin yemişidir.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story. Balthazar Claes the head of a wealthy Flemish family becomes obsessed with discovering the philosophers stone. The nuances of the story are enthralling as first his wife and her martyrdom and then his daughter Marguerite tries to make him see sense.

This for me was a story about obsession and the hopeless, selfish tyranny of a fixed idea. Claes goes through his own fortune and his wife’s although she puts some aside for her four children. Set in the city of Douai in France in a great house where we watch as it is stripped of value. There is also the details of the movie nor characters such as Lemulquinier his manservant who believes in his master’s madness.

I came across 11 Balzac novels in a charity shop and now looking forward to reading the others.

[Kaloyana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Обичам историите на Балзак. Писал е през 19 век и когато го чета, винаги се чудя дали самият той е знаел, че през 21 век (почти 200 години по-късно!), много неща ще са се променили в живота ни, самият живот ще е коренно различен, но хората си оставаме същите - често зли, алчни, нещастни, пресметливи, страхливи, лъжци, заслепени от егоизъм, неспособни да живеем щастливо в мир със себе си и с другите. Жестоки. И най-жестоки - с най-близките.
Балзак е рядък познавач на човешките низости и падения в детайли. Харесвам как се развиват героите му и това, че са изключително достоверни образи, благодарение на познанията му на човешката психика. Балзак е този, който ще покаже всичко, без да залъгва някой и без да пробутва нелогичен щастлив край. Точно той е авторът, който може да ме накара да мразя истинс��и някой герой и да беснея за свинщните му. Тази история започва с мъката на една жена, заради низостта и заслепението на съпруга ѝ, в търсене на "абсолютното". Разказва за драмите на цялото семейство, минава през различни обрати, за да покаже, че когато нещата се оправят, хората не се поправят и пак сриват всичко.
Балзак много точно показва, че доброто не може да вирее в токсична среда. Помощта не помага на заслепения, който не иска да му се помогне.
Обичам потока на мисълта му, умните му и дълбоки съждения за човешката природа. Обичам контрастите, които така умело прави, харесвам стила и описанията му.
В търсене на абсолютното, човек губи себе си. А после всичко и всички.
Балзак казва, че човек, често се надява без да вярва, защото надеждата е свързана с желанието, а вярата - със знанието.

[Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

The dissonance between passionately lofty ideals and the material reality of the world we live in is Balzac's perpetual subject, and more than anyone else, he has so thoroughly examined the trauma of the incompatibility of artistic/intellectual pursuits with a society built upon money.

This is another of Balzac's realist horror stories. Simply by shifting focus away from the passionate individual and towards his family, we can't help but look at him as a villain. How dare he ignore material things in a quest for scientific discovery? How dare he aim to provide meaning to his life beyond base societal ideals? How dare he let his family suffer because he is too cowardly to live a boring life and die in obscurity?

So many great artists have been terrible spouses and parents... but we often forgive them because of their successes. What about all the great artists who were terrible spouses and parents but never achieved the success to compensate? They just strive, making other people suffer, and for what? Is it just vanity at that point?

This is some of Balzac's best characterization. Claes is a madman, but those of artistic temperament will likely blush at how honest his mania feels. How understandable it would be if only we didn't have such richly drawn portraits of his wife and daughter, whose dedications to material survival are no less noble than Claes' quest for science.

I'm convinced that Balzac was the most honest writer in the world, because of his own hypocrisies. When he writes from Claes' perspective it is his true perspective, and he believes fully in the man's sublimity. Yet, when we focus on the necessary contradiction of his wife and daughter's perspectives he is also fully convinced of the man's villainy. Balzac is more or less incapable of striking false notes for the sake of drama, he just was of multiple minds on all subjects and scarily good and moving between them from one moment to the next. He's the best.

[Ben Dutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

“La Recherche de l’Absolu is, as has been said, a novel in itself. Taking minor points only, it is a masterpiece.” So said George Saintsbury in his introduction to the Complete La Comédie Humaine. After reading this short but powerful novel it is not hard to agree – contained in this story is the essence of Balzac, the purest of his writing, some of his most powerful. I had heard La Recherche de l’Absolu called his finest novel and it indeed maybe which makes it all the more surprising that there is no definitive edition out there – Penguin, Wordsworth Classics, none of them has seen fit to release this work. The copy I have read is from the out of copyright Ellen Marriage translation from 1901.

La Recherche de l’Absolu forms part of the Études Philosophiques, Balzac’s subversion of the roman noirs, a popular literary movement in France in the first quarter of the nineteenth century (as the English Gothic works were being translated and released there, it seemed imitation was the sincerest form of flattery). Balzac is an intuitive writer and it would be beneath him to simply create his own roman noir. Instead he uses the form to explore the fragility of human emotion and the lengths to which a ‘genius’ must be allowed to go to achieve their aim.

La Recherche de l’Absolu’s plot is simple. Balthazar Claes is a chemist, married to a beautiful woman, Josephine, and they live in the Mansion Claes with their children. Balthazar Claes is seeking the philosophers stone and because of his genius he is supported emotionally and financially by his family but as the years pass and no Absolute seems to have been found and their money is dwindling Josephine falls ills and dies and the mantle of supporting Balthazar passes to his daughter, Marguerite. The family’s wealth is squandered in this quest, and Mansion Claes is gutted of its treasures.

“A woman’s power is limited by nature; how can she engage in a struggle with an Idea, with the infinite delights of thought and charms that are always renewed? What could she attempt in the face of the coquetries of ideas which take new forms and grow fairer amid difficulties, which beckon to the seeker, and lure him on so far from the world that he grows forgetful of all things else, and human love and human ties are as nothing to him?”

The obsessions becomes overwhelming, and it drives a wedge between the Claes family and the rest of the world. When Josephine dies her death is barely mourned:

“On the evening of the day when Mme. Claes died her friends discussed her over their whist, dropped flowers on her tomb in a pause while the cards were dealing, and paid their tribute to her noble character while sorting hearts and spades.”

Nobody but those invested in the quest can understand it, but a question must be asked: How much money and time can be dedicated to a cause until time should be called on it?

Balzac’s novels have sometimes been attacked for their unnecessary descriptions and longuers designed to increase the word-count, and therefore his payment for he was often paid by the word, and La Recherche de l’Absolu does have a little of that, but in this case almost every word is necessary and it contains some of Balzac’s finest and most taut writing. The emotional argument at the heart of this novel is heartbreaking and wonderfully realised. His portrait of Josephine and Marguerite reveal some of his finest writing about women and their lives.

This story can be found in Volume 1 of the Complete La Comédie Humaine at the Internet Archive, beginning on page 443. It is worth your time.

[Gwynplaine26th · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il rimando a "La pelle di zigrino" nonostante le differenze, è marcato. Le catastrofi cui soggiaciono quasi tutti i protagonisti qui vengono provocate dal dilemma insolubile della scelta impossibile, quella tra la passione della conoscenza e quel che invece rappresenta la viva quotidianità, la famiglia, le abitudini e i doveri.

Ciò che viene qui trattato è uno dei miti più tenaci della narrativa, quello faustiano dell'alchimista, tragico quanto paradossale, una passione che divampa fino a distruggere un uomo nell'idea della ricerca di quello che è "l'elemento assoluto", la sostanza comune a tutte le creazioni.

[mohab samir · Rating 4 out of 5]

يروى لنا بلزاك هنا مأساة العبقرية المؤمنة بما تسعى إليه حتى أنها تضحى بكل ملذات الحياة وبكل ما تملك بل وعندما يفقد العبقرى شرفه وهو ذو الأصل النبيل والمحتد الكريم فإنه يفقد إثر ذلك حياته نفسها فى اللحظة التى ينكشف له فيها سر المطلق الذى أفنى فى سبيله كل شىء بلا حساب .
وفى أثناء العمل نتعرف على شخصيات فريدة فى بنيتها ومتشابكة فى أدوارها تشابكاً واقعياً . فهذه بيبيتا الزوجة المحبة والأم الرؤوم التى افنت شبابها فى محاولة التوفيق بين حبها لزوجها الذى بدأ يضحى فجأه بكل شىء وبسعادتها وبثروة عائلته الآيلة لأبنائه بل وثروتها ذاتها وبين حبها لأطفالها ورعبها على مستقبلهم الغامض من بعدها فهى تعمل على رأب هذا الصدع فى حياتها بذاتها وروحها فهى تحسن نشأة مارغريت كبرى بناتها وتحسن تعليمها ووصايتها بأبيها وإخوتها الصغار وها هى مارغريت تحسن الى موت امها باتباع وصايتها خير اتباع وتنقذ ابيها من العار مرات عدة كما تضمن إستقلال أخوتها وحسن نشأتهم بإجتهادها وتحملها لمثالب ابيها والمشاق التى يسببها لأسرته بإفناء كل غالى ونفيس يملكه فى سبيل سعيه اللامتناهى واللامجدى وراء المطلق . كما ترتسم طبيعة كل من بيركيين محامى العائلة وايمانويل معلم صغار الأسرة واضحة ليمثل كل منهما نقيض الاخر ولكن لا تخلو بعض الشخصيات من تحولات فجائية نابعة عن صحوات الضمير والتفكير المنطقى العميق غير السطحى والغير معتاد لدى الشخصية كما تجد كل شخصية موقفها الحاسم الذى تعرف انه مفرق الطرق بالنسبة اليها وان عليها ان تتخذ قرارا عملياً وعقلانياً ، سريعاً ومتروياً فى آن وغالبا ورغم ضيق هذه المواقف يحسن البسطاء من ذوى الحس السليم التصرف ويتحملون الالم والمشاق بصبر بغية الوصول للهدف المتحقق بالضرورة نتيجة للعمل الصبور . الا ان الباحث وراء المطلق فإن صبره وتحمله للألم والشقاء يصبح مطلقاً كذلك ويصبح سعيه سعياً مطلقاً ولا متناهى يصاحبه حتى اخر لحظة فى حياته .

[Jonfaith · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend of mine recommended this to me over 20 years ago. J Barry is an excellent philosopher, a champion of Arendt and Merleau-Ponty, yet his thoughts on literature have often went awry to my own tastes. This may have been the most static exercise by Balzac which I have encountered. That isn't a dig at the maestro, just an observation. The Quest concerns an obsession, which inflicts immeasurable harm on a family. One thinks of Balzac's Wild Ass' Skin but I was drawn to compare it to Mary Shelley. Both alternate the pursuit with the proprietary bliss of the gentry. Those damned ideas spoil it all. The premise is established early and then unfolds to an expected meter. Barristers aren't portrayed well, which is an appreciable edge to the Balzac milieu. The hypocrisies of funerals and mourning are displayed, though I found the exercise less convincing here than in, say, Cousin Pons.
I read this in airports and flying across the Atlantic. It wouldn't be a bad entry to La Comédie humaine, but unfortunately remains largely a curiosity, not a triumph. 2.5 stars.

[Ferda Nihat Koksoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kimi BİLGİSİZ ve AÇGÖZLÜ kişiler, KAYNAĞINA GİTME sıkıntısına katlanmadan HEYECAN yaşamak istedikleri için, TARİHİ bilmeye hep karşı çıkarlar; TOHUM ekmeden çiçek, GEBE kalmadan çocuk isterler. SANATIN doğadan üstün olduğuna mı inanır acaba bu insanlar?

Erkeğin İNCELİĞİ, kadınlığının en CÖMERT duygularını coşturmuş, aldığından FAZLASINI verme isteğiyle yakıyordu içini.

KADINLAR biçimlere her zaman YENİLİK veren sanatçı ele, bir cümleyi hiçbir zaman ÇEŞİTLEYİP TAZELEMEDEN tekrarlamayan sese sonsuza dek sadık kalırlar.
SEVDA yalnızca bir duygu değil, bir SANATTIR da.
DUYGULAR da bedenimiz gibidir, HAREKET ister.

TOPLUM yüze vuran şeylerle yetinir; aslı astarı var mı yok mu düşünmez, GÖRDÜĞÜNE bakar yalnızca. GERÇEK ACI bir GÖSTERİDİR onun için, bir tür eğlencedir ve bu yüzden her şeyi, bir CANİYİ bile bağışlayabilir; HEYECANA bayıldığı için hiç fark gözetmeden kendini AĞLATANA da GÜLDÜRENE de, nasıl ağlattığına, nasıl güldürdüğüne bakmadan, aynı biçimde davranır.

*****
-tüm gücünü sabit bir düşünceye kaptırarak fiziki varlığını unutmuş bir insanın bitkinliği
-sanatın ya da bilimin doğurduğu kıskanç bağnazlık
-mutluluk karşısında duyulan vahşi kıskançlıklar
-dünyadan öcünü alabilecek bir aşkın sürekliliği ve içtenliği
-bir erkeğin güzel bir kadının karşısında sanki onun üstünlüğüne meydan okurcasına çıkardığı tatlı küskünlükler
-hazzı sonsuza de çeşitlendirme içgüdüsüne sahip İspanyol kadını
-her yaşam bir yanma gerektirir
-budalaların düşüncesiz sabrından doğan inatçılık
-büyük isimlerin eşi, çocuğu olmamalı; onlar büyük ağaçlar gibi çevrelerindeki toprağı kuruturlar.
-FLANDRE: Derin/mütevazı huzur, sabır, çalışma, görev duygusu, saf ahlâk, dürüstlük, düzenlilik, özgürlük düşkünlüğü.

[Naim · Rating 4 out of 5]

"SOCIETY practices none of the virtues it demands from individuals: every hour it commits crimes, but the crimes are committed in words; it paves the way for evil actions with a jest; it degrades nobility of soul by ridicule; it jeers at sons who mourn their fathers, anathematizes those who do not mourn them enough, and finds diversion (the hypocrite!) in weighing the dead bodies before they are cold."

[A. Berfu · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Çoğu zaman kötü alışkanlıklara deha benzer sonuçlar doğurur; sıradan kişi de bunları birbirine karıştırır. Deha da zamanı, parayı, bedeni yiyip bitiren, insanı kötü alışkanlıklardan daha çabuk yatağa seren, daimi bir aşırılık değil midir? Üstelik kötü alışkanlıklar insanların gözünde dehadan daha saygındır sanki; çünkü dehaya güvenmezler. Bilim adamının gizli araştırmalarından beklenen kazanç öylesine uzak görünür ki toplum onu sağlığında hesaba katmaktan çekinir; sefaletini ya da yaşadığı felaketleri ondan bilir ve bunu bağışlamayarak ödeşmeyi yeğler.”

“Toplum yüze vuran şeylerle yetinir; aslı var mı yok mu düşünmez, gördüğüne bakar yalnızca. Gerçek acı bir gösteridir onun için, bir tür eğlencedir ve bu yüzden her şeyi, bir caniyi bile bağışlayabilir; heyecana bayıldığı için hiç fark gözetmeden kendini ağlatana da, güldürene de -nasıl ağlattığına, nasıl güldürdüğüne bakmadan- aynı biçimde davranır.”

[Ivana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Прекрасна книга, впечатляваща и реална история, въпреки че е писана преди повече от 150 г. Четейки я, мога да си представя едновременно какво е да си обзет до пристрастяване да постигнеш мечтата си и същевременно да гледаш как някой близък за теб човек е неспособен да се контролира и по този начин погубва както себе си, така и онези, които ги е грижа за него.
Определено я препоръчвам, само сто и няколко страници, а след тях вече си по-друг човек.

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually 3.5*

FRANÇAIS: Roman curieux sur l'obsession d'un homme pour la recherche scientifique. Publié en 1834, Balzac place le début de l'action en 1812, lors de la campagne de Napoléon en Russie.

Il est surprenant qu'à une époque où la science et les scientifiques étaient vénérés par la société, Balzac eut l'idée d'écrire un roman sur les dangers de la recherche scientifique, avec un protagoniste qui se comporte comme un obsessive qui gaspille, non et sa propre fortune, mais celle de sa femme, et même le pain de ses enfants, animé d'une ambition imparable de s'enrichir en découvrant une méthode qui lui permettrait de fabriquer des diamants à partir de sulfure de carbone.

L'épouse du protagoniste est une femme faible et soumise, qui ne sait pas comment défendre ses enfants contre les effets délétères de l'obsession de son mari et qui, lorsqu'elle meurt, restreint la liberté de sa fille, lui ordonnant de ne pas se marier avant qu'elle n'ai pas résolu le problème qu'elle-même ne savait pas résoudre.

Margueritte, la fille aînée du protagoniste, est une femme forte qui, bien que soumise aux instructions de sa mère mourante, est capable d'affronter son père et de résoudre les problèmes qu'il a causés.

Le roman contient quelques inexactitudes scientifiques:

a) La femme du protagoniste dit que "j'ai eu le courage d'étudier une science condamnée par l'Église, pour être en état de te comprendre". Mais l'Église n'a jamais interdit l'étude de la chimie. Même l'alchimie n'a jamais été interdite. Je crains que Balzac soit confus parce que que le principal travail alchimique de Cornelius Agrippa a été inclus dans l'Index des livres interdits, mais c'est parce qu'il a mélangé l'alchimie avec la magie noire. Cela s'est également produit au 16e siècle, pas au 19e siècle.

b) L'un des fondements chimiques du roman (l'obsession du protagoniste pour la décomposition de l'azote, qu'il est convaincu qu'il ne s'agit pas d'un élément chimique) reflète certaines des préoccupations des chimistes de l'époque. Cependant, en 1812, environ 48 éléments étaient déjà connus, pas 53, comme le dit Balzac, qui correspond plutôt à la date de publication du roman.

c) Le final "Eureka" est inutile. Dire que «la recherche de l'absolu» finira par réussir peut être raisonnable alors, mais aujourd'hui, avec la perspective du temps, nous savons que c'était impossible. Je ne serais pas surpris si certaines des prédictions "imminentes" de notre temps (comme atteindre l'immortalité ou la véritable intelligence artificielle) sont également inaccessibles en principe.

ENGLISH: A curious novel about a man obsessed by scientific research. Published in 1834, Balzac places the beginning of the action in 1812, during Napoleon's Russian campaign.

It is surprising that, at a time when science and scientists were revered by society, Balzac had the idea of writing a novel about the dangers of scientific research, with a protagonist who behaves like an obsessive addict, who squanders, not just his own fortune, but also that of his wife, and even the bread of his children, driven by an unstoppable ambition to get rich by discovering a method that would let him manufacture diamonds from carbon sulfide.

The wife of the protagonist is a weak and submissive woman, who does not know how to defend her children from the deleterious effects of her husband's obsession, and when she dies, restricts her daughter's freedom, by ordering her not to marry until she has solved the problem that she herself could not solve.

Margueritte, the protagonist's eldest daughter, is a strong woman who, although restricted by the commands of her dying mother, is able to confront her father and solve the problems he has caused.

The novel contains a few scientific inaccuracies:

a) The wife of the protagonist says this: "I have had the courage to study a science condemned by the Church, in order to understand you." But the Church never banned the study of chemistry. Even alchemy was never forbidden. I am afraid that Balzac was confused because the alchemical work by Cornelius Agrippa was included in the Index of Forbidden Books, but this was because he mixed alchemy with black magic. Also, that had happened in the 16th century, not in the 19th.

b) The chemical basis of the novel (the protagonist's obsession with decomposing nitrogen, which he is convinced is not a chemical element) reflects some of the concerns of the chemists of the time. However, by 1812 about 48 elements were already known, not 53, as Balzac says, which is the correct figure for the date when the novel was published.

c) The "Eureka" ending is unnecessary. To imply that "the search for the absolute" will end up being successful could be understandable in Balzac's time, but today, with our perspective, we know it was impossible. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the "imminent" predictions of our time (such as achieving immortality or strong artificial intelligence) may equally be unattainable in principle.

ESPAÑOL: Curiosa novela sobre la obsesión de un hombre por la investigación científica. Publicada en 1834, Balzac sitúa el comienzo de la acción en 1812, durante la campaña de Napoleón en Rusia.

Es sorprendente que, en una época en que la ciencia y los científicos eran venerados por la sociedad, Balzac tuviera la idea de escribir una novela sobre los peligros de la investigación científica, con un protagonista que se comporta como un adicto obsesivo que despilfarra, no ya su propia fortuna, sino la de su esposa, y hasta el pan de sus hijos, empujado por una ambición irrefrenable por hacerse rico descubriendo un método que le permitiría fabricar diamantes a partir del sulfuro de carbono.

La esposa del protagonista es una mujer débil y sumisa, que no sabe defender a sus hijos de los efectos deletéreos de la obsesión de su marido, y que además, al morir, coarta la libertad de su hija, ordenándola que no se case hasta que haya resuelto el problema que ella no supo resolver.

La hija mayor del protagonista, Margueritte, es una mujer fuerte que, aunque coartada por las órdenes de su madre moribunda, es capaz de enfrentarse a su padre y resolver los problemas que él ha causado.

La novela contiene algunas incorrecciones científicas:

a) La esposa del protagonista dice que "He tenido el valor de estudiar una ciencia condenada por la Iglesia, para poder comprenderte." Pero la Iglesia jamás prohibió el estudio de la Química. Ni siquiera la alquimia estuvo nunca prohibida. Me temo que Balzac se ha confundido porque la obra alquímica principal de Cornelio Agripa sí fue incluida en el Índice de Libros Prohibidos, pero fue porque mezcló la alquimia con la magia negra. Además, eso ocurrió en el siglo XVI, no en el XIX.

b) Uno de los fundamentos químicos de la novela (la obsesión del protagonista por descomponer el nitrógeno, que está convencido que no es un elemento químico) refleja algunas de las preocupaciones de los químicos de la época. Sin embargo, hacia 1812 ya se conocían unos 48 elementos, no 53, como dice Balzac, cifra que más bien corresponde a la fecha de la publicación de la novela.

c) El final "Eureka" es innecesario. Dar a entender que "la búsqueda del absoluto" acabará teniendo éxito podría ser justificable entonces, pero hoy, con la perspectiva del tiempo, sabemos que era imposible. No me extrañaría que algunas de las predicciones "inminentes" de nuestro tiempo (como alcanzar la inmortalidad o la inteligencia artificial fuerte) resulten igualmente inalcanzables por principio.

[K. Sánchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Como siempre, tengo que admitir que sufrí mucho leyendo a Balzac, pero no sé si sea alentador decir que esta historia pudo haber terminado peor.

Esta historia gira en torno a la búsqueda de la piedra filosofal por parte de Baltasar, un hombre bien acomodado y de muy buena reputación (la cual fue descendiendo a medida que se esparcía el rumor del fin de sus experimentos en pleno siglo XIX), la cual se convirtió en una obsesión que, poco a poco, fue acabando con su fortuna y destruyendo a su familia (no quiero entrar en detalles para no hacer spoilers innecesarios), no habiendo lugar para nada más en su pensamiento que para la ciencia (y este es un debate muy interesante que encontré a lo largo del texto, al narrarse la diferencia entre los hombres 'de genio' entre los demás).

Así, el desarrollo de la novela está enmarcado en las repercusiones de las conductas dilapidadoras de Baltasar, quien, por fortuna, contó con una esposa y unos hijos demasiado fieles como para no deshonrarle, independientemente de lo reprochable que haya sido su conducta. Por su parte, se cuenta cómo Josefina, su esposa, y Margarita, su hija mayor, vivieron esta situación y el carácter noble, hábil y honrado de ambas mujeres se mantuvo a pesar de las desgracias, pues también el autor es muy descriptivo al ilustrar las angustias y tristezas por las que tuvieron que pasar.

Considero que las historias de los demás personajes son subsidiarias (resalto el papel de Lemulquinier, el criado de Baltasar, de quien siempre tuve sospechas infundadas), o probablemente sean relatadas en libros de La Comedia Humana que aún no he tenido el gusto de leer (pero creo que no es así).

Admirable también, como siempre, la delicada afición por el arte que muestra el autor, ya que esta vez, como factor de gran relevancia, se relataba que la familia Claes era coleccionista de arte: platería, pinturas y flores (tulipanes) fueron esta vez los protagonistas a este respecto. Y, definitivamente, ese contraste permanente entre la miseria y la felicidad como fiel retrato de la realidad, que es lo que, a mi parecer, constituye una de las razones de mayor peso para leer las obras de Balzac, y para recomendar también esta.

[Mojde Jayez · Rating 2 out of 5]

اسم این کتاب رو از بالزاک خیلی کن شنیده بودم ،یا پروفسور دیوونه که همه چیز رو فدای علم میکنه

[Φερειπείν · Rating 4 out of 5]

Στην αναζήτηση του απόλυτου ο Μπαλζάκ μετατρέπει την ίδια την πλοκή του σε μοτίβο, το οποίο επαναλαμβάνει με τρόπο που προκαλεί μια κορεσμένη διάλυση αισθημάτων. Αυτή η επαναληψιμότητα θα μπορούσε να του στερήσει την λογοτεχνική του υπόληψη, αν ήταν ίσως κάποιος άλλος δημιουργός κι όχι ο Ονορέ. Προσωπικά μου έφερε στο μυαλό το στίχο "και η επανάληψη την πείνα μεγαλώνει" και αυτό που θα οδηγούνταν στην κατάντια της χυδαίας ασάφειας, της σκόπιμης πρόκλησης μιας συγκίνησης υπόλογης στην ασφάλεια της πεπατημένης, καταλήγει στην επικύρωση εκείνης της μοναδικής έκφρασης του Μπαλζάκ απ'όπου ξεχειλίζει πλούσια, σαν χείμαρος που παρασύρει την καλοζυγισμένη σου πραγματικότητα, η σοφία της γλώσσας του λογοτέχνη.
Υπάρχουν σημεία που αφθονούν σε Μπαλζακική ευφυΐα μετατρέποντας τη συγγραφική πράξη σε πνευματική αδιακρισία. Σ'όλη την έκταση του βιβλίου υπάρχει ένα παραλογισμός άλλοτε ρωμαλέος κι άλλοτε ασθενικός, πάντοτε όμως γεμάτος πάθος, πόθο, λατρεία και ρομαντική λαχτάρα για ένα όραμα μεγαλύτερο των ανθρώπινων δυνατοτήτων, ικανός να οδηγήσει στη διάλυση και την καταστροφή• και πώς αλλιώς, αφού πρόκειται για έναν από τους μεγαλύτερους λογοτέχνες ολων των εποχών που ύμνησε τα πάθη και την καταστροφή!

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

There really is a reason why some of Balzac's novels are his well known works and others are not. He wrote some brilliant books. However, this is not one of those. He wrote some awful ones too, and this is not one of those either. This one is just mediocre. It's an overdone story with fairly flat characters. Mostly, it's hack work. Still, it's better than "Seraphita."

[Steve Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant Balzac as always. This story in a modern reading feels much more like the experiences of a family being ripped apart not by a scientist immersed in his genius, but by an addict laying waste for his high.

[Jeanne Eléonore · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

Alors. Peut-être que ce n'était pas le meilleur. Peut-être que j'aurai dû commencer par un autre. Mais Balzac. Girlie. Babe. Reprends toi.

1. Il a fait des fautes partout
Des INCOHÉRENCES en veux-tu, en voilà. Il se trompe de prénom. Il modifie les âges en plein milieu du récit, mais pour 2 personnages, pas les autres.

2. Il PARLE. Zola, c'est un SMS de tes parents en 2013 en comparaison. FERME TA GUEULE BALZAC. 60 PAGES SUR LA COMPOSITION DE LA MAISON.
Alors oui, c'est important pour le plot, pour le rendre plus dramatique. MAIS 60 PAGES. C'EST LONG, 60 PAGES. C'EST UN CINQUIÈME DU LIVRE. NON. JE REFUSE.

3. Ceci étant dit.

a) MARGUERITE. ICÔNE. Les personnages féminins, pour l'époque (1834), sont FABULEUX. Elles font TOUT le roman, et sans elles on se ferait chier à en crever. Bref, slay.

b) Certes, le pelo débite, mais ce n'est "pAs TrOp LoUrD" (ça l'aurait été sans les 60 pages mais bref). On navigue, c'est sympa.

c) Le plot est cool. La deuxième partie plus que la première. Il n'y a pas de chapitres, ce qui donne à la fois un côté fluide, mais aussi impressionnant (littéralement un free style).

bref, ce qu'on a appris, c'est que sans les femmes, les hommes ne pourraient pas se sauver eux-mêmes.

[Gokhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tarihsel kökenleri olan soylu bir aileye mensup Balthazar’ın felsefe taşını bulma düşüncesi peşinden saplantılı şekilde giderken, bu tutkunun yakın çevresine olan doğrudan ve dolaylı etkileri neticesinde başlarına gelen elim olaylarla, ailenin, çözüm arayışlarının, bu saplantı neticesinde üzüntüden ölen annelerine verilen ve bağlılıkla tutulan sözlerin ve sürekli bir esrime halindeki tutkun baba Balthazar’ı bu uğraştan vazgeçirme yolunda yapılan fedakarlıkların konu edildiği Balzac romanıdır.

Romanda, zenginliğin ve soyluluğun simyacılık uğruna günden güne erimesi karşısında bilime kendini adamaktan vazgeçmeyen, mutlağı ararken yaşamı ıskalamış bir adamın maddesel öyküsüyle; bu adamın yakın çevresindeki insanların büyük bir özveri ve dayanışmayla içine düştükleri sefaletten kurtulma çabalarında görülen maneviyat konu ediliyor.

[Esteban Martínez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historia de una obsesión que consume a una familia. Yo pensaba que un trataría la historia sobre la búsqueda en sí del alquimista o químico por la piedra filosofal o absoluto. Sin embargo más bien es la historia de la familia del químico que sufre las carencias por los continuos experimentos del padre. Historia de un aristócrata que paulatinamente se va deshaciendo de todas sus posesiones hasta dejar su casa en la miseria. Me recuerda a los grandes proyectos científicos que toman años y millones de dólares o pesos en realizarse con pocos resultados. Me gusta como retrata la obsesión ya que varias veces se gasta todo el dinero que tiene en experimentos. Sinceramente no puede dejar su tarea. También describe muy bien la complejidad de los sentimientos que su familia tiene hacia el padre dada su condición.

[Nino Meladze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Balzac proves to be the best story-teller. Even with obvious outlook of the story, the characters, actions and feelings are kept survived and relevant

[Philipp Sorge]

So, wenigstens einen kleinen Fortschritt gemacht in diesem Jahr im Lebensprojekt, die gesamte Comédie humaine zu lesen.

[bealivre · Rating 2 out of 5]

lecture scolaire, mais absolument personne ne lavait lu dans ma classe (et ils avaient essayé!). c’etait LOURD

[Arielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75✩