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La Comédie Humaine #67
Οι χωριάτες
"Σκοπός αυτού του βιβλίου -που η φριχτή αλήθεια του θα υπάρχει όσον καιρό η Κοινωνία θα επιμένει να θεωρεί τη φιλανθρωπία αρχή, αντί να την παίρνει για ατύχημα- είναι να δείξει ανάγλυφα τις κύριες μορφές ενός λαού ξεχασμένου από τόσες συγγραφικές πέννες που κυνηγάνε τα καινούργια θέματα".
365 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1844
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509 people want to read
About the author
Honoré de Balzac
9,539 books4,363 followersFrench 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.
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.
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December 10, 2017Executive Summary
Well! A deeply compelling, if curious reading experience, I could only nod sagely at any star rating from one to five and think that there are fair grounds to support that view.
Introduction
In conversation I confessed that despite my advanced age and Balzac's amusing surname and his prodigious output that I had never read any of his novels. This deficiency however could be swiftly remedied since on the shelves there was an old translation of Les Paysans the spine still tobacco stained from my parents' youthful smoking habit. Since I seem to be in the mood for confessions then I must say that I did not so much read it as sail across its waters and I am in unequal measure deeply impressed and underwhelmed by the voyage.
Les Paysans
Is perhaps the last, or one of the last novels of Balzac, it was at any rate unfinished when he died in 1850, though he had stopped working on it in 1845 leaving the first part complete, some chapters and an outline of the rest, his widow wrote at least a chapter and she found some journeyman writer to finish the thing off and put it before the public, since the great discovery that pushes the plot into existence occurs at circa page 345 of 363 pages and the plot is then resolved within a dozen pages, one could say that the ending of the story was somewhat rushed and not entirely in accordance with the author's style, alternatively one might feel that by 1845 Monsieur Balzac felt that he had written himself into a corner and so abandoned it in effect to the tender mercies of Mme Balzac and her need to capitalise on his estate.
The portrayal of those Paysans is one of the interesting features of the book, some translations into English use as their title 'sons of the soil', which gives an impression of what Balzac has in mind with the important caveat that he wouldn't intend it in a positive manner, judging from the novel in which his peasants are effectively primitives, their houses are like burrows or dens constructed from instinct with their small windows to the north and their boxed steps of loose pebbles to allow drainage, the peasants of the title are formed by the produce of their region, wild from wine - a fascinating reversal of the standard trope in which viticulture is equated with civilisation, by contrast, the Breton formed by the gentle blossoms of the dreaming apple tree, is felt in this book to be a fine and reliable fellow . The Burgundian peasant is for Balzac a brutal schemer, which in a sense runs counter to the narrative, they are the locals, while the general, the notional hero, is a parvenu interloper too incompetent to either manage his estate effectively or hire somebody trustworthy to do it for him , he gets no less than one might expect attempting to reassemble the ancien regime pastoral world after the Revolution and Empire.
The mystery of the absent plot
The story deals with the estate of Aigues-Vives, the name standing in unclear reference to the port of Aigues-Mortes founded by Louis IX to cement the authority of the Kings of France over the Mediterranean coast. The wealth of the estate is due to being 40 miles or so from Paris - I felt from Balzac an awareness and fascination for the sociological or economic or cultural or political-economy detail, everything exists within a society that is precisely understood, the story is set in the 1820s, 40 miles distant from Paris means the estate's produce is marketable in this pre-railway age in the capital both relatively fresh and relatively cheap. A Prime source of income is a five year contract to fell trees and sell the timber, the contractor hurts the General who has acquired the estate where it hurts most - deep in the wallet - with the news that the economic value of the woodland has declined by a good 1/5th. This naturally threatens his ability to marry off his daughters, leading inevitably to the thought that without wives and daughters there would plainly be no economic activity at all in France, since the only purpose of which seems to be to provide dowries, the only attractions of a woman of marriageable age apparently her bright shining coins and crisp, rustling banknotes, but I digress. This then the circumstances laid before us in the opening chapters of the novel, but entirely incidental to most of the proceedings until the end.
A fork in the plot
The first prong is that the contractor could be stripped of the contract, it is pointed out that this could be contested through the courts, the general would ultimately win, but it would cost him in cold hard cash, alternatively he could set up a rival contractor, my silly heart delighted in all this, searching as I am even before reading The Rise of Silas Lapham for the great business novel relying upon wit, law, and accountancy. This though is abandoned in favour of any alternative - it is the peasants who did it, the final resolutions from circa pages 345 are, in my considered opinion, after reading many novels and watching lots of Scobby Doo as a child, rather silly and rely upon nobody noticing that trees are being killed off and removed within sight of the grand house at the centre of the estate over a period of some years. Despite this I did not throw away the book in disgusted amusement.
A book fuelled by coffee, or maybe opium
The ever correct Wikipeadia claims that Balzac wrote under the influence of gallons of coffee, the introduction to my edition quotes Balzac as saying that he wrote his previous book while using mustard footbaths and this one with a head full of opium. Overall I had a strong sense indeed of the writer working on automatic pilot, irrespective of whether coffee, mustard or opium fuelled. Rather than developing, for example, a traditional plot based story, he seemed happier stumbling along introducing us to an expanding range of characters, like a child delighted by watching the ripples spread from a pebble thrown in a pond, then throwing in a stone, a rock, a bloody great lump of concrete, until the water is a wash of waves sweeping backwards and forwards and ever outwards. More and more characters, but I found that I didn't care, I could have happily have read on endlessly even without a mustard foot bath of my own, because - and this I think my central and virtually only point of this review - of the quality of the authorial voice. The writing is as testicular and grossly physical as his name implies in English, in passing a woman is described and one feels the impact of her pregnancy in her lost teeth and the absence of vivacity in her eyes, he has a profound grasping feel for his times and society and everything he writes is rooted in this, the old regime has been swept away, the new regime of the Republic has been and gone, the newer regime of the empire of Napoleon didn't last so we have France in the brand new circumstances of the restored Bourbons while new certainties are emerging there is in the interim only the power of money, people and places shaken and muddled up by revolution, empire and war, do you go to Church, do you obey the law? Well maybe, but for the livre respect is unbounded. I feel that I know the man in passing who believes that on account of playing billiards regularly in the wineshop that he'll get to marry the wineshop owner, of course I do know this man because I've come across him in other novels written by writers who have read Balzac . In short one feels oneself in the hands of a master, an over caffeinated and opiated master with mustard on his feet, but a master none the less.
I also had a sense of Balzac as the year Zero writer, in his indifference to plot and contentedness to develop character he is the father of Hugo, in his sense of time and place his sociology he fathers Zola and he stands in some relation to Stendhal in my mind too (though possibly just because of the setting). So I find myself impressed by what is possibly not a very good book, written by a powerful and distinctive author. Impressed enough to learn French to read him in the original - no, but the idea doesn't strike me as entirely absurd.
Well! A deeply compelling, if curious reading experience, I could only nod sagely at any star rating from one to five and think that there are fair grounds to support that view.
Introduction
In conversation I confessed that despite my advanced age and Balzac's amusing surname and his prodigious output that I had never read any of his novels. This deficiency however could be swiftly remedied since on the shelves there was an old translation of Les Paysans the spine still tobacco stained from my parents' youthful smoking habit. Since I seem to be in the mood for confessions then I must say that I did not so much read it as sail across its waters and I am in unequal measure deeply impressed and underwhelmed by the voyage.
Les Paysans
Is perhaps the last, or one of the last novels of Balzac, it was at any rate unfinished when he died in 1850, though he had stopped working on it in 1845 leaving the first part complete, some chapters and an outline of the rest, his widow wrote at least a chapter and she found some journeyman writer to finish the thing off and put it before the public, since the great discovery that pushes the plot into existence occurs at circa page 345 of 363 pages and the plot is then resolved within a dozen pages, one could say that the ending of the story was somewhat rushed and not entirely in accordance with the author's style, alternatively one might feel that by 1845 Monsieur Balzac felt that he had written himself into a corner and so abandoned it in effect to the tender mercies of Mme Balzac and her need to capitalise on his estate.
The portrayal of those Paysans is one of the interesting features of the book, some translations into English use as their title 'sons of the soil', which gives an impression of what Balzac has in mind with the important caveat that he wouldn't intend it in a positive manner, judging from the novel in which his peasants are effectively primitives, their houses are like burrows or dens constructed from instinct with their small windows to the north and their boxed steps of loose pebbles to allow drainage, the peasants of the title are formed by the produce of their region, wild from wine - a fascinating reversal of the standard trope in which viticulture is equated with civilisation, by contrast, the Breton formed by the gentle blossoms of the dreaming apple tree, is felt in this book to be a fine and reliable fellow . The Burgundian peasant is for Balzac a brutal schemer, which in a sense runs counter to the narrative, they are the locals, while the general, the notional hero, is a parvenu interloper too incompetent to either manage his estate effectively or hire somebody trustworthy to do it for him , he gets no less than one might expect attempting to reassemble the ancien regime pastoral world after the Revolution and Empire.
The mystery of the absent plot
The story deals with the estate of Aigues-Vives, the name standing in unclear reference to the port of Aigues-Mortes founded by Louis IX to cement the authority of the Kings of France over the Mediterranean coast. The wealth of the estate is due to being 40 miles or so from Paris - I felt from Balzac an awareness and fascination for the sociological or economic or cultural or political-economy detail, everything exists within a society that is precisely understood, the story is set in the 1820s, 40 miles distant from Paris means the estate's produce is marketable in this pre-railway age in the capital both relatively fresh and relatively cheap. A Prime source of income is a five year contract to fell trees and sell the timber, the contractor hurts the General who has acquired the estate where it hurts most - deep in the wallet - with the news that the economic value of the woodland has declined by a good 1/5th. This naturally threatens his ability to marry off his daughters, leading inevitably to the thought that without wives and daughters there would plainly be no economic activity at all in France, since the only purpose of which seems to be to provide dowries, the only attractions of a woman of marriageable age apparently her bright shining coins and crisp, rustling banknotes, but I digress. This then the circumstances laid before us in the opening chapters of the novel, but entirely incidental to most of the proceedings until the end.
A fork in the plot
The first prong is that the contractor could be stripped of the contract, it is pointed out that this could be contested through the courts, the general would ultimately win, but it would cost him in cold hard cash, alternatively he could set up a rival contractor, my silly heart delighted in all this, searching as I am even before reading The Rise of Silas Lapham for the great business novel relying upon wit, law, and accountancy. This though is abandoned in favour of any alternative - it is the peasants who did it, the final resolutions from circa pages 345 are, in my considered opinion, after reading many novels and watching lots of Scobby Doo as a child, rather silly and rely upon nobody noticing that trees are being killed off and removed within sight of the grand house at the centre of the estate over a period of some years. Despite this I did not throw away the book in disgusted amusement.
A book fuelled by coffee, or maybe opium
The ever correct Wikipeadia claims that Balzac wrote under the influence of gallons of coffee, the introduction to my edition quotes Balzac as saying that he wrote his previous book while using mustard footbaths and this one with a head full of opium. Overall I had a strong sense indeed of the writer working on automatic pilot, irrespective of whether coffee, mustard or opium fuelled. Rather than developing, for example, a traditional plot based story, he seemed happier stumbling along introducing us to an expanding range of characters, like a child delighted by watching the ripples spread from a pebble thrown in a pond, then throwing in a stone, a rock, a bloody great lump of concrete, until the water is a wash of waves sweeping backwards and forwards and ever outwards. More and more characters, but I found that I didn't care, I could have happily have read on endlessly even without a mustard foot bath of my own, because - and this I think my central and virtually only point of this review - of the quality of the authorial voice. The writing is as testicular and grossly physical as his name implies in English, in passing a woman is described and one feels the impact of her pregnancy in her lost teeth and the absence of vivacity in her eyes, he has a profound grasping feel for his times and society and everything he writes is rooted in this, the old regime has been swept away, the new regime of the Republic has been and gone, the newer regime of the empire of Napoleon didn't last so we have France in the brand new circumstances of the restored Bourbons while new certainties are emerging there is in the interim only the power of money, people and places shaken and muddled up by revolution, empire and war, do you go to Church, do you obey the law? Well maybe, but for the livre respect is unbounded. I feel that I know the man in passing who believes that on account of playing billiards regularly in the wineshop that he'll get to marry the wineshop owner, of course I do know this man because I've come across him in other novels written by writers who have read Balzac . In short one feels oneself in the hands of a master, an over caffeinated and opiated master with mustard on his feet, but a master none the less.
I also had a sense of Balzac as the year Zero writer, in his indifference to plot and contentedness to develop character he is the father of Hugo, in his sense of time and place his sociology he fathers Zola and he stands in some relation to Stendhal in my mind too (though possibly just because of the setting). So I find myself impressed by what is possibly not a very good book, written by a powerful and distinctive author. Impressed enough to learn French to read him in the original - no, but the idea doesn't strike me as entirely absurd.
May 28, 2017
Το βιβλίο αυτό αποδεικνύει ένα συχνό θέμα στη ζωή: ακόμη κι οι ολότελα άδικοι σε κάποιο σημείο έχουν ή είχαν ένα μέρος δίκιου το οποίο από κινητήριος πυρήνας για κάθε τίμια πράξη ή έστω αντίπραξη έγινε λάβαρο για πράξη κάθε χαρακτήρα. Η τριάδα του Γκωμερτέν, οι χωριάτες, ο στρατηγός έχουν όλοι κάπου ένα δίκιο, μια αρχική αγαθή πρόθεση, προσωπική ή συλλογική. Ο στρατηγός χάνει το δίκιο του γιατί ο οξύθυμος χαρακτήρας του τον ωθεί πάντοτε να χύνει την καρδάρα. Ωστόσο βέβαια μπορεί αυτά να ήταν τα γνωρίσματα της εποχής, εμένα όμως μου φαίνεται παράλογο να έχεις στην ιδιοκτησία σου ένα ολόκληρο δάσος και το μεγαλύτερο μέρος των πιο προσοδοφόρων κτημάτων σε μια ολόκληρη περιοχή, ενώ τα υπόλοιπα ανήκουν σε άλλους μεγαλοτσιφλικάδες. Όσο παράλογο μου φαίνεται δεδομένης της κατάστασης η προσωπική σου τιμή να σου επιτρέπει να λες ναι στην αγαθοεργία και όχι στην παραχώρηση λίγων αγαθών στους αδύναμους, έστω και αν εκείνοι προτίμησαν να υφαρπάξουν στα κλεφτά παρά να ζητήσουν ντόμπρα.
Όταν ο άλλος πρέπει να φάει και δεν έχει τρόπο γιατί οι δυνατοί τον έχουν στραγγίξει, θα παλέψει, θα λυσσάξει, θα ανταριαστεί και ναι θα κλέψει όλα αυτά θα τα κάνει συνέχεια χωρίς σταματημό ή βελτίωση, θα φτάσει μέχρι το φόνο. Εκεί χάνουν το δίκιο τους οι χωριάτες. Στη βιαιότητα τους, στην επιμονή τους σε πλάγιες οδούς και δίνοντας εξουσία σε άλλους που είναι οι λάθος αλλά επικροτώντας την εκμετάλλευση τους αρκεί που το αιματοκύλισμα τους δεν είναι αδυσώπητο αλλά οι τοκογλύφοι τους αφήνουν ένα έμπα ανά��ας να ντερλικώσει λίγο το στομάχι.
Κι αυτοί οι άλλοι που βασίζονται στο ένα μέρος δίκιου και στο ελεύθερο που τους δίνουν οι χωριάτες πως ο σκοπός αγιάζει τα μέσα κρύβοντας τις προθέσεις τους στο συννεφάκι του ευγενούς τοπικισμού. Στην τελική, τι το ευγενές έχει ο τοπικισμός όταν είναι τυφλός κι εξοστρακίζει ανθρώπους, απορρίπτοντας τους αυτοστιγμής που θα τους απομυζήσει; Πόσοι άνθρωποι που ζούμε σε ένα τόπο που δεν είναι ο τόπος μας έχουμε αποξενωθεί και διατηρούμαστε στη θέση του ημιαπόβλητου ενώ χυδαία ανθρωπάρια ‘’made in local’’ μας εκμεταλλεύονται;
Πώς ξεκινούν όλα; Ο στρατηγός αγοράζει μια ασύλληπτη κτηματική έκταση σε ένα τόπο απαρτιζόμενο από φτωχούς ανθρώπους και όπου η προκάτοχος της γης αυτής λίγο φοβισμένη, λίγο αμαρτωλή, με τύψεις απλόχερα τους επιτρέπει να αρπάζουν με τις ευλογίες του διαχειριστή της, ο οποίος την κατακλέβει και παράλληλα δρέπει το προφίλ του Ρομπέν των δασών και δημιουργεί τις βάσεις για ένα πανίσχυρο εμπορικό συνασπισμό με λάβαρα πάντοτε τον τοπικισμό και την άνοδο της μπουρζουαζίας έναντι των παλαιών αριστοκρατών. Μια εποχή πεθαίνει και μια άλλη γεννιέται της οποίας τα κίνητρα και τα προνόμια είναι ακόμη κρυφά ( θανατηφόρο το σχόλιο του Μπαλζάκ για τον εχθρό που ξέρεις ώστε να προτιμήσεις αυτά τα προνόμια παρά τα άλλα που βρίσκονται στα σπάργανα για να τα οικειοποιηθούν και πλέον να τα επιβάλλουν εθιμικά οι ‘’δικαιούχοι’’ ). Όλη αυτή η κουστωδία ανεβαίνει, εξουσιάζει, αναγνωρίζεται, μονοπωλεί, προσφέρει ελάχιστα και με τόκους ηθικούς, οικονομικούς και σαρκικούς. Ο στρατηγός βλέπει την απατεωνιά του διαχειριστή και μέσα στο θυμό του τον προσβάλει και μετά τον χτυπά με τη βίτσα ( αυτό μου θυμίζει μια φίλη σε διαπληκτισμό με άλλο οδηγό, εκείνος την έβρισε με τις γνωστές χυδαίες κλισεδιές που αφορούν τις γυναίκες οδηγούς, εκείνη τον είπε διανοητικά καθυστερημένο κι ενώ ήταν δικό του το λάθος, όσο κι η επίθεση της έκανε μήνυση για εξύβριση ). Υπάρχει ένας τρόπος για όλα.
Μεγάλο ατού του βιβλίου που είναι τελικά εκείνο που αποκαλύπτει την κυριότερη και κρυστάλλινη σκέψη του Μπαλζάκ στο τέλος, καθώς και την άριστη σκηνοθεσία που ενορχήστρωσε. Ο Ραστινιάκ στο Γκοριό είναι ένας νέος με ιδανικά και υγιή εν μέρει φιλοδοξία που αργότερα τον συναντάμε στις Χαμένες Ψευδαισθήσεις πλήρως διεφθαρμένο και εν τη γεννέσει διαφθορέα και για τον οποίο το θράσος του Κολλέρ, ενός πραγματικά ικανού εγκληματία γίνεται ο φραγμός να ξεπέσει ακόμη περισσότερο στις Εταίρες. Αυτή είναι μια ‘’λογική’’ πορεία απ’ την αφθαρσία της νιότης στην παρακμή και τους συμβιβασμούς. Στις Χαμένες Ψευδαισθήσεις λιγότερο και στις Εταίρες περισσότερο συναντάμε και τον ήδη πολύ διεφθαρμένο κι ανάλγητο Μπλοντέ που εδώ εμφανίζεται πάλι με τον ωραιότατο συλλογισμό ότι μακριά από ‘κεινο που μας διαφθείρει και μας οδηγεί σε κάθε πνευματική και άλλη διαστροφή υπάρχει γυρισμός, όταν βρίσκουμε απάγκιο σ’ ανθρώπους έξω απ’ αυτά τα μονοπάτια σαν μια άλλη ζωή και βλέπουμε μέσα από ‘κεινους στην υπόσταση μας και στο χαρακτήρα της ζωής την πνευματικότητα και την ηθική που μας κάνουν πάλι παιδιά. Και στο τέλος του βιβλίου ξανά διεφθαρμένος, μαυρισμένος απ’ τις ομίχλες έχει την ευκαιρία να αποδράσει ξανά και στην απόδραση βρίσκει μια άλλη Αιγκ, τη σωστή Αιγκ κι ας μη της τ’ αναγνωρίζει.
Αυτά όλα θα στοιχειοθετούσαν ένα πεντάστερο βιβλίο διότι ο Μπαλζάκ πραγματικά ως την τελευταία σκηνή μπαινοβγαίνει σε ρόλους υποστηρικτή και κατήγορου κρατώντας σιωπηλή την πραγματική του θέση ώστε στο τέλος να αναγνωρίσουμε μόνοι μας το άτοπο αφού θα έχουμε φρίξει απ’ όλα. Δυστυχώς όμως το βιβλίο έχει και προβλήματα. Το βασικό θέμα είναι το ύφος του. Ναι μεν υπάρχει το γνωστό μπαλζακικό, υπέροχα σαρκαστικό, ρεαλιστικό, ευφυές ύφος αλλά σε δόσεις κι από λίγο. Γενικά υιοθετεί ένα ξερό ύφος πολύ περιγραφικό, με εμμονή στις θεωρίες των φυσιογνωμιστών περισσότερο από άλλα βιβλία του, που κουράζει και θυμίζει περισσότερο πραγματεία ή κοινωνιολογική μελέτη. Είναι μεν τέχνασμα κατά το οποίο πετάει κάτω πολλά καρότα χωρίς ν’ αποκαλύπτει τις προθέσεις του ως το τέλος, αλλά με κούρασε και με ξενέρωσε σε πολλά σημεία. Όχι αυτό που λες, το παρατάω το βιβλίο αρκετά, ή θα διαβάσω κάτι άλλο, όμως εκείνο το άλλο αίσθημα που δε σε αφήνει και να θυσιάσεις τον ύπνο σου για να το τελειώσεις.
4.
Όταν ο άλλος πρέπει να φάει και δεν έχει τρόπο γιατί οι δυνατοί τον έχουν στραγγίξει, θα παλέψει, θα λυσσάξει, θα ανταριαστεί και ναι θα κλέψει όλα αυτά θα τα κάνει συνέχεια χωρίς σταματημό ή βελτίωση, θα φτάσει μέχρι το φόνο. Εκεί χάνουν το δίκιο τους οι χωριάτες. Στη βιαιότητα τους, στην επιμονή τους σε πλάγιες οδούς και δίνοντας εξουσία σε άλλους που είναι οι λάθος αλλά επικροτώντας την εκμετάλλευση τους αρκεί που το αιματοκύλισμα τους δεν είναι αδυσώπητο αλλά οι τοκογλύφοι τους αφήνουν ένα έμπα ανά��ας να ντερλικώσει λίγο το στομάχι.
Κι αυτοί οι άλλοι που βασίζονται στο ένα μέρος δίκιου και στο ελεύθερο που τους δίνουν οι χωριάτες πως ο σκοπός αγιάζει τα μέσα κρύβοντας τις προθέσεις τους στο συννεφάκι του ευγενούς τοπικισμού. Στην τελική, τι το ευγενές έχει ο τοπικισμός όταν είναι τυφλός κι εξοστρακίζει ανθρώπους, απορρίπτοντας τους αυτοστιγμής που θα τους απομυζήσει; Πόσοι άνθρωποι που ζούμε σε ένα τόπο που δεν είναι ο τόπος μας έχουμε αποξενωθεί και διατηρούμαστε στη θέση του ημιαπόβλητου ενώ χυδαία ανθρωπάρια ‘’made in local’’ μας εκμεταλλεύονται;
Πώς ξεκινούν όλα; Ο στρατηγός αγοράζει μια ασύλληπτη κτηματική έκταση σε ένα τόπο απαρτιζόμενο από φτωχούς ανθρώπους και όπου η προκάτοχος της γης αυτής λίγο φοβισμένη, λίγο αμαρτωλή, με τύψεις απλόχερα τους επιτρέπει να αρπάζουν με τις ευλογίες του διαχειριστή της, ο οποίος την κατακλέβει και παράλληλα δρέπει το προφίλ του Ρομπέν των δασών και δημιουργεί τις βάσεις για ένα πανίσχυρο εμπορικό συνασπισμό με λάβαρα πάντοτε τον τοπικισμό και την άνοδο της μπουρζουαζίας έναντι των παλαιών αριστοκρατών. Μια εποχή πεθαίνει και μια άλλη γεννιέται της οποίας τα κίνητρα και τα προνόμια είναι ακόμη κρυφά ( θανατηφόρο το σχόλιο του Μπαλζάκ για τον εχθρό που ξέρεις ώστε να προτιμήσεις αυτά τα προνόμια παρά τα άλλα που βρίσκονται στα σπάργανα για να τα οικειοποιηθούν και πλέον να τα επιβάλλουν εθιμικά οι ‘’δικαιούχοι’’ ). Όλη αυτή η κουστωδία ανεβαίνει, εξουσιάζει, αναγνωρίζεται, μονοπωλεί, προσφέρει ελάχιστα και με τόκους ηθικούς, οικονομικούς και σαρκικούς. Ο στρατηγός βλέπει την απατεωνιά του διαχειριστή και μέσα στο θυμό του τον προσβάλει και μετά τον χτυπά με τη βίτσα ( αυτό μου θυμίζει μια φίλη σε διαπληκτισμό με άλλο οδηγό, εκείνος την έβρισε με τις γνωστές χυδαίες κλισεδιές που αφορούν τις γυναίκες οδηγούς, εκείνη τον είπε διανοητικά καθυστερημένο κι ενώ ήταν δικό του το λάθος, όσο κι η επίθεση της έκανε μήνυση για εξύβριση ). Υπάρχει ένας τρόπος για όλα.
Μεγάλο ατού του βιβλίου που είναι τελικά εκείνο που αποκαλύπτει την κυριότερη και κρυστάλλινη σκέψη του Μπαλζάκ στο τέλος, καθώς και την άριστη σκηνοθεσία που ενορχήστρωσε. Ο Ραστινιάκ στο Γκοριό είναι ένας νέος με ιδανικά και υγιή εν μέρει φιλοδοξία που αργότερα τον συναντάμε στις Χαμένες Ψευδαισθήσεις πλήρως διεφθαρμένο και εν τη γεννέσει διαφθορέα και για τον οποίο το θράσος του Κολλέρ, ενός πραγματικά ικανού εγκληματία γίνεται ο φραγμός να ξεπέσει ακόμη περισσότερο στις Εταίρες. Αυτή είναι μια ‘’λογική’’ πορεία απ’ την αφθαρσία της νιότης στην παρακμή και τους συμβιβασμούς. Στις Χαμένες Ψευδαισθήσεις λιγότερο και στις Εταίρες περισσότερο συναντάμε και τον ήδη πολύ διεφθαρμένο κι ανάλγητο Μπλοντέ που εδώ εμφανίζεται πάλι με τον ωραιότατο συλλογισμό ότι μακριά από ‘κεινο που μας διαφθείρει και μας οδηγεί σε κάθε πνευματική και άλλη διαστροφή υπάρχει γυρισμός, όταν βρίσκουμε απάγκιο σ’ ανθρώπους έξω απ’ αυτά τα μονοπάτια σαν μια άλλη ζωή και βλέπουμε μέσα από ‘κεινους στην υπόσταση μας και στο χαρακτήρα της ζωής την πνευματικότητα και την ηθική που μας κάνουν πάλι παιδιά. Και στο τέλος του βιβλίου ξανά διεφθαρμένος, μαυρισμένος απ’ τις ομίχλες έχει την ευκαιρία να αποδράσει ξανά και στην απόδραση βρίσκει μια άλλη Αιγκ, τη σωστή Αιγκ κι ας μη της τ’ αναγνωρίζει.
Αυτά όλα θα στοιχειοθετούσαν ένα πεντάστερο βιβλίο διότι ο Μπαλζάκ πραγματικά ως την τελευταία σκηνή μπαινοβγαίνει σε ρόλους υποστηρικτή και κατήγορου κρατώντας σιωπηλή την πραγματική του θέση ώστε στο τέλος να αναγνωρίσουμε μόνοι μας το άτοπο αφού θα έχουμε φρίξει απ’ όλα. Δυστυχώς όμως το βιβλίο έχει και προβλήματα. Το βασικό θέμα είναι το ύφος του. Ναι μεν υπάρχει το γνωστό μπαλζακικό, υπέροχα σαρκαστικό, ρεαλιστικό, ευφυές ύφος αλλά σε δόσεις κι από λίγο. Γενικά υιοθετεί ένα ξερό ύφος πολύ περιγραφικό, με εμμονή στις θεωρίες των φυσιογνωμιστών περισσότερο από άλλα βιβλία του, που κουράζει και θυμίζει περισσότερο πραγματεία ή κοινωνιολογική μελέτη. Είναι μεν τέχνασμα κατά το οποίο πετάει κάτω πολλά καρότα χωρίς ν’ αποκαλύπτει τις προθέσεις του ως το τέλος, αλλά με κούρασε και με ξενέρωσε σε πολλά σημεία. Όχι αυτό που λες, το παρατάω το βιβλίο αρκετά, ή θα διαβάσω κάτι άλλο, όμως εκείνο το άλλο αίσθημα που δε σε αφήνει και να θυσιάσεις τον ύπνο σου για να το τελειώσεις.
4.
March 28, 2025
Gute Absichten schlecht ausgeführt
Persönliche Befangenheitserklärung: Es war das erste mal, dass ich einen Roman Balzacs abbrechen musste, um erst mal zwei Bios zu lesen. Beide Biographen loben das Werk auf Kosten Zolas, wenn auch aus moralischen Gründen. Mutter Erde hat bei mir fünf Sterne bekommen, keineswegs als Pornobonus, sondern weil der Roman über einen König Lear auf dem Land und seine gierige Nachkommenschaft keinen Leerlauf kennt und die Gesetze beschreibt, unter denen ein netter Außenseiter ganz schnell wieder mit leeren Händen dastehen kann, wenn sich alle, einschließlich das Mordopfer, darin einig sind, dass das Land in der Familie bleiben muss.
Rezi:
Balzacs Bauern beschreiben auch das Zusammenwirken von lokalen Kräften gegen einen Eindringling, aber es ist eher die alte Leier, immer mal wieder wird, wie im wirklichen Leben des Autors, eine herausragende Gestalt von den Tücken des miteinander unter einer Decke steckenden Durchschnitts, zu Fall gebracht.
Die Bauern waren so etwas wie ein Schmerzenskind Balzacs, nicht nur wegen der Zahnschmerzen zu Beginn der Arbeiten, die unter Opium ihren Anfang nahmen. Dabei beginnt das Buch durchaus hoffnungsvoll, denn Balzac liefert zum Eingang keinen seiner üblichen Architekturpornos im auktorialen Stil, keine anonyme Kamerafahrt über Torbögen, Türpfosten, Einlegearbeiten und was sonst so in besseren Zeiten an Architekturkunst gefertigt wurde. Statt dessen lässt er den Gast aus Les Aigues seine Eindrücke einem Freund mitteilen. Genauer gesagt, der bestens eingeführte Journalist und Hinterdiekulissenblicker Emile Blondet schreibt an seinen Freund, den Dichter Nathan, ebenfalls eine vertraute Größe seit Verlorene Illusionen, über die Schönheiten des Landguts. Blondet wird erst ein Opfer seiner Naivität gegenüber der Landbevölkerung, die jede Gelegenheit wahrnimmt, die Bewohner von Les Aigues hinters Licht zu führen, um sie auszunehmen.
Dann folgt der erste Perspektivenwechsel und die Einführung in den Teufelskreislauf beginnt.
Das aktuelle Schloss geht auf die Zeit Heinrichs IV. (spätes 16., frühes 17. Jahrhundert zurück) und wurde bis in die Zeiten von Ludwig XV. immer wieder, im jeweiligen Zeitgeschmack, erweitert.
Eine Operndiva bekam den Besitz als Geschenk von einem adeligen Verehrer, im burgundischen Hinterland kam die Dame, einigermaßen unbehelligt, durch die Französische Revolution und allerlei kriegerische Nachwehen.
Um die Wirtschaft kümmerte sich der Verwalter Gaubertin, der sich die Ahnungslosigkeit und Dankbarkeit der Dame zunutze macht. Denn das Opernrelikt hätte hin und wieder um ihren Hals hätte fürchten müssen, wäre er nicht so gut vernetzt gewesen. Aber er wollte ja seine goldene Gans nicht verlieren und machte dafür gern ein paar leicht zu vernachlässigende Opfer an den Pöbel. Doch ein Vierteljahrhundert später sind aus Zugeständnissen unverbrüchliche Rechte geworden. Dazu zählt die Lese von trockenem Holz im Wald oder das Stoppeln während der Ernte, keineswegs nur eine Nachlese.
Graf Montcornet, der Held von Essling und deshalb von Napoleon geadelt, kauft den Besitz, wirft Gaubertin unter ehrenrührigen Umständen heraus und schafft sich damit einen bestens vernetzten Erzfeind, denn das Gesinde hat die Lotterwirtschaft unter Gaubertin ebenso lieb gewonnen wie die Bauern. Als die Waldplünderung durch die Bauern zu einem Riesenverlust führt, will Montcornet andere Saiten aufziehen und holt eigenes Personal auf den Besitz. Der Konflikt eskaliert so weit, dass die ländliche Interessengemeinschaft auch nicht vor Mord zurück schreckt, zumal vier lokale Größen längst auf die Verwertung des Besitzes spekuliert haben.
Die Kurzfassung klingt verlockend, leider ufert die Ausführung in eine endlose Aneinanderreihung von Portraits und Genreskizzen aus, gleicht eher einer Gemäldegalerie oder einem ländlichen Panorama als einer linearen Handlung, auch, wenn es gewisse Eskalationsstufen gibt, etwa, wenn die Bauern bewusst gesunde Bäume infizieren, damit es wieder totes Holz zum sammeln gibt. Ein Umschlagpunkt, denn danach kungeln die Bauern nicht nur aus, wer für den Waldfrevel in den Bau geht, sondern auch, wessen Flinte die größten Hindernisse beseitigt.
Ja, die Geschichte hatte das Potenzial zum Restaurationsgegenstück von une tenebreuse Affaire zu werden, in deren Verlauf sich die Werkzeuge Talleyrands einen adeligen Besitz unter den Nagel reißen und die Familie auch sonst gründlich ruinieren. In diesem Fall konnte Balzac aber in Glanz und Elend reichlich Karma an den Schuften spielen, die einer größeren kriminellen Energie zum Opfer fallen und teilweise kläglich verrecken müssen. In diesem, angesichts des Umfangs an Exposition viel zu breit angelegten Roman, gibt es keine erlösenden Elemente,allenfalls die Gräfin Montcornet wird erlöst (siehe unten).
Die Bauern erwiesen sich auch für die Retter von anderen Fragmenten als zu harte Nuss, denn jedes der ausgeführten Kapitel war auf hohem Niveau. Der vorliegende Text war aber eher eine Perlenkette, obwohl das Finale ja als Skizze vorlag. Die Witwe, die längst einen neuen Mann im Leben hatte, entschloss sich dazu, nur noch am Schluss eine bezeichnende Änderung vorzunehmen. Der ebenso entschlossene wie streitsüchtige General, der sich mit seinen Gegnern einfach nicht vergleichen kann, stirbt an einer anderen Front den Heldentod und die Gräfin kann ihren verarmten Favoriten Blondet zu sich nehmen. Auf ihrer Hochzeitsreise passieren die Frischvermählten auch den früheren Mittelpunkt ihres Lebens. Bis auf einen Pavillon wurde Les Aigues komplett parzelliert, der legendäre Wald komplett niedergelegt zugunsten von mehr Feldern.
Warum zwei Sterne? So wenig gebe ich sonst nur den eher anekdotisch geratenen frühen Erzählungen und dem allgemein als verkorkst eingestuften Dorfpfarrer.
Rein qualitativ ist jedes ausgeführte Kapitel der Bauern einer Nettigkeit wie die Börse oder die Botschaft überlegen. Aber das Netz der gegenseitigen Beziehungen gibt anfangs unterschätzten kurzen Erzählungen später zusätzliche Bedeutung. Etwa das Zusammenspiel von La Grenadiere (beim ersten mal für mich die allerschwächste von allen) mit der Lilie im Tal (Balzacs Lieblingsroman). Oder das Haus Nucingen, Blondets Moment im Rampenlicht, dessen Blick hinter die Kulissen der Finanzwirtschaft, das Karma für den Schuft aus Eugenie Grandet nachliefert und jede Menge anderen Erzählungen vom Ruin allzu gutgläubiger Leute, von dem nur die drei Oberschufte der Finanzclique profitiert haben. Danach hat man kein Mitleid mehr, mit dem vom Napoleon des Verbrechens gerupften und von seiner mutmaßlichen Beute genarrten Napoleon des Finanzwesens. Doch nach dem Heldenstück Glanz und Elend und Tante Lisbeth, das allerlei weitere Aufschlüsse darüber liefert, wie der größte Verbrecher als Polizeichef funktioniert, war Balzac nur noch krank in der Ukraine und den Launen einer gar nicht so reichen Frau ausgeliefert.
Persönliche Befangenheitserklärung: Es war das erste mal, dass ich einen Roman Balzacs abbrechen musste, um erst mal zwei Bios zu lesen. Beide Biographen loben das Werk auf Kosten Zolas, wenn auch aus moralischen Gründen. Mutter Erde hat bei mir fünf Sterne bekommen, keineswegs als Pornobonus, sondern weil der Roman über einen König Lear auf dem Land und seine gierige Nachkommenschaft keinen Leerlauf kennt und die Gesetze beschreibt, unter denen ein netter Außenseiter ganz schnell wieder mit leeren Händen dastehen kann, wenn sich alle, einschließlich das Mordopfer, darin einig sind, dass das Land in der Familie bleiben muss.
Rezi:
Balzacs Bauern beschreiben auch das Zusammenwirken von lokalen Kräften gegen einen Eindringling, aber es ist eher die alte Leier, immer mal wieder wird, wie im wirklichen Leben des Autors, eine herausragende Gestalt von den Tücken des miteinander unter einer Decke steckenden Durchschnitts, zu Fall gebracht.
Die Bauern waren so etwas wie ein Schmerzenskind Balzacs, nicht nur wegen der Zahnschmerzen zu Beginn der Arbeiten, die unter Opium ihren Anfang nahmen. Dabei beginnt das Buch durchaus hoffnungsvoll, denn Balzac liefert zum Eingang keinen seiner üblichen Architekturpornos im auktorialen Stil, keine anonyme Kamerafahrt über Torbögen, Türpfosten, Einlegearbeiten und was sonst so in besseren Zeiten an Architekturkunst gefertigt wurde. Statt dessen lässt er den Gast aus Les Aigues seine Eindrücke einem Freund mitteilen. Genauer gesagt, der bestens eingeführte Journalist und Hinterdiekulissenblicker Emile Blondet schreibt an seinen Freund, den Dichter Nathan, ebenfalls eine vertraute Größe seit Verlorene Illusionen, über die Schönheiten des Landguts. Blondet wird erst ein Opfer seiner Naivität gegenüber der Landbevölkerung, die jede Gelegenheit wahrnimmt, die Bewohner von Les Aigues hinters Licht zu führen, um sie auszunehmen.
Dann folgt der erste Perspektivenwechsel und die Einführung in den Teufelskreislauf beginnt.
Das aktuelle Schloss geht auf die Zeit Heinrichs IV. (spätes 16., frühes 17. Jahrhundert zurück) und wurde bis in die Zeiten von Ludwig XV. immer wieder, im jeweiligen Zeitgeschmack, erweitert.
Eine Operndiva bekam den Besitz als Geschenk von einem adeligen Verehrer, im burgundischen Hinterland kam die Dame, einigermaßen unbehelligt, durch die Französische Revolution und allerlei kriegerische Nachwehen.
Um die Wirtschaft kümmerte sich der Verwalter Gaubertin, der sich die Ahnungslosigkeit und Dankbarkeit der Dame zunutze macht. Denn das Opernrelikt hätte hin und wieder um ihren Hals hätte fürchten müssen, wäre er nicht so gut vernetzt gewesen. Aber er wollte ja seine goldene Gans nicht verlieren und machte dafür gern ein paar leicht zu vernachlässigende Opfer an den Pöbel. Doch ein Vierteljahrhundert später sind aus Zugeständnissen unverbrüchliche Rechte geworden. Dazu zählt die Lese von trockenem Holz im Wald oder das Stoppeln während der Ernte, keineswegs nur eine Nachlese.
Graf Montcornet, der Held von Essling und deshalb von Napoleon geadelt, kauft den Besitz, wirft Gaubertin unter ehrenrührigen Umständen heraus und schafft sich damit einen bestens vernetzten Erzfeind, denn das Gesinde hat die Lotterwirtschaft unter Gaubertin ebenso lieb gewonnen wie die Bauern. Als die Waldplünderung durch die Bauern zu einem Riesenverlust führt, will Montcornet andere Saiten aufziehen und holt eigenes Personal auf den Besitz. Der Konflikt eskaliert so weit, dass die ländliche Interessengemeinschaft auch nicht vor Mord zurück schreckt, zumal vier lokale Größen längst auf die Verwertung des Besitzes spekuliert haben.
Die Kurzfassung klingt verlockend, leider ufert die Ausführung in eine endlose Aneinanderreihung von Portraits und Genreskizzen aus, gleicht eher einer Gemäldegalerie oder einem ländlichen Panorama als einer linearen Handlung, auch, wenn es gewisse Eskalationsstufen gibt, etwa, wenn die Bauern bewusst gesunde Bäume infizieren, damit es wieder totes Holz zum sammeln gibt. Ein Umschlagpunkt, denn danach kungeln die Bauern nicht nur aus, wer für den Waldfrevel in den Bau geht, sondern auch, wessen Flinte die größten Hindernisse beseitigt.
Ja, die Geschichte hatte das Potenzial zum Restaurationsgegenstück von une tenebreuse Affaire zu werden, in deren Verlauf sich die Werkzeuge Talleyrands einen adeligen Besitz unter den Nagel reißen und die Familie auch sonst gründlich ruinieren. In diesem Fall konnte Balzac aber in Glanz und Elend reichlich Karma an den Schuften spielen, die einer größeren kriminellen Energie zum Opfer fallen und teilweise kläglich verrecken müssen. In diesem, angesichts des Umfangs an Exposition viel zu breit angelegten Roman, gibt es keine erlösenden Elemente,allenfalls die Gräfin Montcornet wird erlöst (siehe unten).
Die Bauern erwiesen sich auch für die Retter von anderen Fragmenten als zu harte Nuss, denn jedes der ausgeführten Kapitel war auf hohem Niveau. Der vorliegende Text war aber eher eine Perlenkette, obwohl das Finale ja als Skizze vorlag. Die Witwe, die längst einen neuen Mann im Leben hatte, entschloss sich dazu, nur noch am Schluss eine bezeichnende Änderung vorzunehmen. Der ebenso entschlossene wie streitsüchtige General, der sich mit seinen Gegnern einfach nicht vergleichen kann, stirbt an einer anderen Front den Heldentod und die Gräfin kann ihren verarmten Favoriten Blondet zu sich nehmen. Auf ihrer Hochzeitsreise passieren die Frischvermählten auch den früheren Mittelpunkt ihres Lebens. Bis auf einen Pavillon wurde Les Aigues komplett parzelliert, der legendäre Wald komplett niedergelegt zugunsten von mehr Feldern.
Warum zwei Sterne? So wenig gebe ich sonst nur den eher anekdotisch geratenen frühen Erzählungen und dem allgemein als verkorkst eingestuften Dorfpfarrer.
Rein qualitativ ist jedes ausgeführte Kapitel der Bauern einer Nettigkeit wie die Börse oder die Botschaft überlegen. Aber das Netz der gegenseitigen Beziehungen gibt anfangs unterschätzten kurzen Erzählungen später zusätzliche Bedeutung. Etwa das Zusammenspiel von La Grenadiere (beim ersten mal für mich die allerschwächste von allen) mit der Lilie im Tal (Balzacs Lieblingsroman). Oder das Haus Nucingen, Blondets Moment im Rampenlicht, dessen Blick hinter die Kulissen der Finanzwirtschaft, das Karma für den Schuft aus Eugenie Grandet nachliefert und jede Menge anderen Erzählungen vom Ruin allzu gutgläubiger Leute, von dem nur die drei Oberschufte der Finanzclique profitiert haben. Danach hat man kein Mitleid mehr, mit dem vom Napoleon des Verbrechens gerupften und von seiner mutmaßlichen Beute genarrten Napoleon des Finanzwesens. Doch nach dem Heldenstück Glanz und Elend und Tante Lisbeth, das allerlei weitere Aufschlüsse darüber liefert, wie der größte Verbrecher als Polizeichef funktioniert, war Balzac nur noch krank in der Ukraine und den Launen einer gar nicht so reichen Frau ausgeliefert.
September 1, 2025
Toplumların çok uzun sürelerde ve çok küçük ölçeklerle değişiminin asli nedenini köylülük üzerinden anlatmaya çalışan Balzac yine hayranlık uyandırdı bende, en büyük eserim dediği son kitabı; dev bir şaheser.
***
"Sonunda sanatın doğaya karıştığı bir kır buldum, burada biri diğerini bozmuyor, sanat doğanın kendisi, doğa da bir sanatçı. Bazı romanların etkisiyle sık sık hayal ettiğimiz vahaya rastladım.
Altı gündür bu güzel köydeyim ve sık ormanların altında bulunan ve akarsular boyunca uzayıp giden güzel patikaları olan bu parkın harikalarını seyretmekten hiç bıkmadım. Doğa ve sessizliği, sakin zevkler, basit ve telaşsız yaşantının çekiciliği, her şey, bağladı beni buraya. İşte, gerçek edebiyat budur. Bir çayırda hiçbir zaman bir üslup hatası yoktur. Anlaşılan burada mutluluk her
şeyi, işi, haberleri bile unutmak."
"Bir Parisli, kıra gittiğinde bütün alışkanlıklarından yoksun kalır ve dostlarının sıcak ilgisine rağmen, kısa sürede zamanın ne kadar ağır ilerlediğini hisseder. Ev sahipleriyle haşhaş üzerine yapılan söyleşileri uzun süre sürdürmenin olanaksızlığı karşısında çabucak yorularak, 'burada çok sıkılacaksınız' der rahatça. Gerçekten de kır hayatının tadını çıkarmak için orayla ilgilenmek, yapılan işlerden anlamak ve insan yaşamının ölümsüz simgesi olan güçlüklerle mutluluğun birlikteliğini bilmek gerekir.
Uyku düzene girip yol yorgunluğu atıldıktan ve kır hayatının alışkanlıkları benimsendikten sonra ne avcı ne de çiftçi olan ve ince deriden zarif çizmeler giyen bir Parislinin bir şatoda bile geçireceği zor saatler başlar.
Kırın zorluklarını kavrayarak dokunmadan geri götüreceği bir iş getirmemişse yanında, bir süre sonra bu olanağı da tüketir. Parkın ara yollarında dönüp durarak, aval aval çevreye bakarak, iri ağaçları saymak zorunda kalacaktır, oysa insanın hayatı ne kadar gerçekse, bu uğraşlar o kadar sıkıcıdır.
En güzel toprak, en güzel şatolar bile ilişkileri yalnızca bu güzellikleri seyretmekten öteye gidemeyenler için tatsızlaşmaya başlar.
O zaman Paris'in hayali bile göz kamaştırıcı olur; kuş olup Paris'in coşku verici gösterilerine ve amansız savaşlarına uçmak istersiniz."
"Akıllı bir adamı bir ay süreyle köyde tutup, yüzünde aşırı doymuşluğun yapay gülücüğünü, kaçınılmaz biçimde sezilen bir bıkkınlığın gizli esnemesini görmemek, bir kadının en büyük zaferlerinden biridir. Bu tür denemelere dayanan bir sevgi sonsuza kadar sürse gerek.
Sinsiliğin İskender'i olan II. Philippe bile köyde baş başa geçirilen bir ay içinde sırrını açıklardı mutlaka. Bu nedenledir ki krallar sürekli çok hareketli bir yaşam sürdürürler ve hiç kimsenin onları on beş dakikadan fazla görme hakkı yoktur."
"Köylü, kendisine mal ettiği her şeye, kendisine yarayacak her şeye ancak gerektiği kadar emek harcar ve hiç fazla zahmete girmez. Her şeyde ihtiyacına bakar ve değerlendirirken hiç yanılmaz. Nadiren nedenlerle ilgilenir ve gözü hep sonuçtadır. Emeğin bütün derecelerini bilir ve burjuva için çalışırken olabildiğince az vererek, olabildiğince çok almasını bilir."
"Sefaletlerinin arkasına nasıl gizlendiklerine bakılırsa, bu köylülerin zevk ve eğlenceye düşkünlüklerine buldukları bahaneyi kaybetmekten tir tir titredikleri anlaşılır.
Köylüler aile ahlakı konusunda hiç titizlik göstermezler. Eğer bir kızları aldatıldıysa ve aldatan zengin ve çekingen biriyse ahlaktan söz açarlar; çocuklar, birer sermaye, refahları için birer araçtır. Bir eylemin yasal ya da ahlâka uygun olup olmamasının hiçbir önemi yoktur, yeter ki yararlı olsun. Dinle karıştırılmaması gereken ahlak, insan rahat bir yaşantıya kavuşunca başlar. Tıpkı insan ruhundaki incelmenin, yukarı tabakada servete kavuşulduktan sonra gelişmesi gibi. Bütünüyle dürüst ve ahlaklı kimse bir istisnadır köylü sınıfında. Meraklılar niçin diye soracaklardır. Başlıca nedeni şudur: Toplumsal işlevlerinin doğası gereği köylüler vahşilik durumuna yakın bütünüyle maddesel bir hayat sürdürürler. Onları bu duruma iten, doğayla olan sürekli ilişkileridir. Beden çalışmaktan ezilince, özellikle cahil kimselerde düşüncenin arıtıcı etkisi azalır ve sonunda da sefalet köylülerin gizlenmeleri için bir bahane olur."
"Sanılmasın ki köylüler bilerek ve isteyerek 'biz hırsızlıkla yaşayacağız ve ustalıkla çalacağız' demiş olsunlar. Bu alışkanlıklar yavaş yavaş artmıştı. Aile, önce kuru dala birkaç yaş dal karıştırdı sonra alışkanlık ve cezalandırılmamak için yapılması gerekenler konusunda kazanılan deneyim ve ustalık yüreklendirdi onları ve aile yirmi yıl içinde yalnız odunlarını değil bütün hayatlarını hırsızlıkla sağlar duruma geldiler. İneklerin kaçak olarak otlatılması, hasat artıklarının toplanmasının kötüye kullanılması aşama aşama yerleşti alışkanlıklar arasına. Elde edilenlerin tadını vadinin tembelleri bir kez aldılar mı, tabana kadar varan bu alışkanlıklardan köylüleri vazgeçirmek olası değildi. Meğer ki üstün bir güç caydırmaya zorlamasın onları."
"İnanılmaz bir Makyavelcilik vardır bu adamlarda, şunu iyi bilin ki meyhanede toplanan on köylü büyük bir siyasetçiye eşittir."
"Harman artıklarını kaldırma zamanı gelince, neredeyse can çekişiyor diyeceğimiz yaşlı köylüler öyle çevik, öyle genç, öyle dinç oluyor ki, şaşırırsınız.”
"Köylünün ve işçinin şakası pek açık olur. Bütün düşüncesini açık ve kaba bir anlatımla, büyüterek verir. Soylu çevreler de böyledir ya aslında!.. Bütün fark renkli kabalık yerine, ince espriler kullanılmasındadır."
"Siz siyasetten hiç anlamazsınız ki! Hükümetin bu kadar vergi koymasının sebebi nedir? Kazandığımızı geri almak ve bizi sefalet içinde tutmak istiyor. Hepimiz zengin olsaydık, ne olurdu onların hali? Tarlalarını kendileri mi sürecekti? Hasat yaparlar mıydı? Onlara mutsuz, fakir insanlar gerekiyor."
"Sizin her şeyiniz var, bizim hiçbir şeyimiz yok; dostluk bekleyemezsiniz hâlâ."
"Köylü de askerler gibi itaat etmek zorundadır, bir asker gibi dürüst olmalıdır, asker gibi saymalıdır başkasının hak hukukunu ve hırsızlıkla değil çalışmayla, dürüstlükle uğraşmalıdır subay olmak için. Saban ve kılıç ikizdir. Üstelik askerin her an başında bekleyen ölümü vardır."
"1789 hareketinin köylüler arasında uyandırdığı umutlar kimi bölgeleri daha derinlemesine etkilemiştir. Burgonya'nın Paris'e çok yakın olan bu ucu, hareketi, Galyalılar'ın, Franklar'a karşı zaferi olarak görenlerden biridir. Tarihsel açıdan köylüler, ortaçağdaki köylü ayaklanmalarından yeni çıkmışlardır daha. Uğradıkları yenilgi yer etmiştir kafalarında. Olayı hatırlamazlar artık; ama yenilgi içgüdüsel fikir haline dönüşmüştür. Eskiden nasıl üstünlük düşüncesi soyluların kanına işlemişse, bu fikir de köylülerin kanına öyle işlemiştir. 1789 İhtilali, yeniklerin intikamı olmuştur. Köylüler feodal yasanın bin iki yüz yıldır kendilerine yasakladığı toprak mülkiyetine doğru ilk adımı atmışlardır.
Gözlerinin önünden geçen uygarlığın ana düşüncelerini hiçbir zaman değiştiremediği köylü kastı için on iki yüzyılın hiçbir önemi yoktur. 1815'teki mucizevi geri dönüşünün kökleri halkın içine uzanan Napoléon'a duyulan o derin sevgi yalnızca bundan kaynaklanıyordu. Halkın gözünde bir milyon askeriyle sürekli özdeşleşmiş olan Napoléon, hâlâ ihtilalin içinden çıkan bir kral, halka ulusal varlıklara sahip olma olanağı sağlayan bir adamdır. İmparatorluk tacını giymesi bu düşüncede yatmaktadır."
"Bir ana çok sevdiği kızına bile, çıkarcı birinin sağdığı ineğe gösterdiği özen kadar okşayıcı ve koruyucu davranamaz."
"Vicdanlardaki gizli lekelerin karşılıklı olarak bilinmesi ve birbirini idare etme durumu, bu dünyanın en zor çözülen bağlarından biridir. Taşra insanı sinsiyse, sinsi olmak zorunda olduğu içindir."
"Machiavelli'yi ondan bir şeyler öğrenmek için okuyanlar bilir ki ihtiyatlı davranmak için hiçbir zaman tehdit etmemek, yapılacak her şeyi söylemeden yapmak, düşmanın geri çekilmesini yılanın kuyruğuna basmadan kolaylaştırmak ve kendinden küçüğünün onurunu kırmaktan bir cinayetten kaçınır gibi çekinmek gerekir. Bir davranış, çıkarlara ne kadar zararlı olursa olsun, sonunda bağışlanır, çeşitli biçimlerde açıklanır ama yediği darbe nedeniyle sürekli kanayan onur, küçük düşmeyi hiçbir zaman bağışlamaz. Manevi kişilik, maddi kişilikten daha duyarlı, daha canlıdır. Ne yaparsak yapalım sonunda iç dünyamız egemen olur bize. Savaşan aileler barışabilir ama iftira edenle iftiraya uğrayan barışamaz."
" 'Herkes kendi evinde, herkes kendisi için' sözüyle aile bencilliği, modern toplumun çok gereksinim duyduğu ve İngiltere'nin üç yüz yıldan beri hayran olunacak derecede düzenli bir biçimde uyguladığı oligarşik bencilliği öldürecektir. Ne yapılırsa yapılsın mülk sahipleri, kiliseyi yetkin bir yönetim modeli durumuna getiren disiplinin gerekliliğini ancak evlerini, ailelerini tehdit altında gördükleri zaman hissedeceklerdir ama o zaman da çok geç olacaktır.
Demokrasinin canlı ve eylemci mantığı olan komünizmin, toplumun manevi düzenine saldırmakta gösterdiği gözü peklik, daha şimdiden artık ihtiyatı elden bırakmayan Samson'un, yani halkın, toplumun sütunlarını ziyafet salonlarında devirmektense bodrumda kemirdiğini gösterir."
"Gizli yapılan kötülüklerin, bilinmeyen alçaklıkların en önemli unsuru, tam olmayan bir mutluluktur belki de; insan belki umutsuz bir sefalete, sürekli yağmurlar arasında beliren güneş ve sevgi seçeneklerinden daha kolay katlanır. Beden hastalanır, ruh da hasetten cüzzama yakalanır! Dar kafalı küçük insanlarda bu cüzzam hem korkak hem kaba, hem cüretli hem sinsi bir açgözlülüğe dönüşür. Kültürlü kimselerdeyse toplumculuğa karşı öğretiler oluşturur ve bu öğretilerden kendinden üstün kimseleri alt etmek için merdiven olarak yararlanılır. Bundan şöyle bir atasözü çıkaramayız mı acaba? 'Bana neyin oldu ğunu söyle, sana ne düşündüğünü söyleyeyim'."
"Bırakın yağmalasınlar ya da korkutun milletin gözünü. Halk, kadınlar ve çocuklar aynı biçimde, dehşet salınarak yönetilir. İmparator'un büyük sırrı buydu."
"Büyük siyaset adamları için görmek fiilinin gelecek zaman için kullanımı yoktur."
"Bugünün yasa koyucusunun yaptığı biçimiyle, yasa sanıldığı kadar etkili değildir. Ülkenin her yerinde aynı eşitlikle uygulanmaz. Uygulamada, ilkelerini inkâr edecek kadar değişiklik gösterir. Bu durum her dönemde az çok belirli olarak fark edilir. En güçlü iktidarın çıkardığı yasaların bile bütün ülkede uygulandığını iddia edecek kadar cahil tarihçiler var mıdır acaba?
Vergi tahsilatı, askere alma işlemleri, büyük suçların cezalandırılması yürür tabii ki ama kabul edilmiş bazı gereklilikler dışında, yerelde, ahlakla, çıkarlarla, birtakım yolsuzluklarla ilgili bütün yaptırımlar genel bir isteksizlikle, bir kötü niyete çarparak işlemez duruma düşer."
"Bölge polisinin, jandarmanın ve savcılığın bu adamlara karşı ne kadar umursamaz bir tavır içinde olduklarını tasavvur edemezsiniz. Köylüler çiftlikleri yakmasınlar, adam öldürmesinler, zehirlemesinler, vergilerini ödesinler de aralarında ne yaparlarsa yapsınlar. Kimse karışmaz onlara ve köylülerin ahlaki ilkeleri olmadığından, korkunç şeyler olup biter."
"Bütün suçlular adalete teslim edilse, mahkeme ve hapishane masraflarıyla devlet çöker."
"1789'da başlayan ve 1830'da yinelenen toplumsal eşitleştirme hareketi burjuvazinin kuşku verici zorbalığını hazırlamış ve Fransa'yı burjuvaziye teslim etmiştir."
"Açıkça ilan edilmiş, bilinen ayrıcalıkların devam etmesi daha iyi olmaz mıydı aslında? Değil mi ki kamuya yüklenilmek istenen kurnazlık ve hilebazlık sayesinde yaratılan yeni ayrıcalıklar, zorbalığın temellerini bir derece daha aşağıdan alarak yeniden kuruyor, vatanlarına bütün varlıklarıyla bağlı soylu zorbalar bencil zorbalar yaratmak için mi alaşağı edildi?"
"İnsanın sapıklıkları sfenksler tarafından korunan gizemli uçurumlardır."
"Kurum olarak bizim görevimiz fakirlere, 'Fakirliğinizi bilin!' yani 'Acı çekin, mütevekkil olun ve çalışın!' yani 'Akıllıca iyilik edin, itikatli ve Tanrı'nın size bağışladığı mevkiye layık olun!' demektir." (Katolik papaz)
"Meyhane halkın parlamentosudur."
"İçerdiği fikirden belki de daha müthiş bir şey olan cumhuriyet sözcüğünü duyunca, cumhuriyet diye bir şeye inanmıştı. Jean-Jacques Rousseau'nun cumhuriyetine inanmıştı. İnsanların kardeşliğine, birbirlerine karşı güzel duygular beslemelerine, hakka ve hukuka, kısacası ufak bir imparatorluk düzeyinde hayal olan her şeye inanmıştı.
Bu yüce cumhuriyetçinin eline başkasına ait tek bir kuruş, tek bir dal geçmedi. Kendisinin bu örnek davranışı yaygınlaşabilseydi, cumhuriyet, kabul edilebilir bir yönetim biçimi olabilirdi.
Merhametli olmadıkları için zenginlere lanet okuyan ihtiyar, bazı tartışmalı durumlarda çoğu zaman tek hakem tayin edilirdi ve herhangi bir kötülüğü kınamaktan da hiçbir zaman geri kalmazdı; bu nedenle de hırsızın polisten korktuğu gibi korkarlardı ondan."
"Burjuvayı katakulliye getirmek cepheden sal-dırmaktan iyidir. Bunu iyice kafanıza yerleştirin yoksa canınızı çıkarırlar. Yok biz küreği seviyoruz diyorsanız, o sizin bileceğiniz iş."
"Özel çıkarın görüşü yasama meclisininkinden her zaman beş yıl ileridedir, bir ülke bundan önemli dersler çıkarmalıdır.
Yasalar her zaman ne kadar akıllı olurlarsa olsunlar, halkla özdeşleştiğinde değerlerini yitirecek olan yüzlerce akıllı adamdan değil, bir tek dâhiden çıkmalıdır."
"En sağlam gelir devletten veya piyasadan sağlanan gelir değil, insanın kendi kendisine duyduğu saygıdan gelenidir."
"Kusuru olan kimse her zaman düşmanlarının kölesi durumundadır, düşmanları bundan yararlanabilirse tabii. Güçlü insanlar ise kusurlarının tutsağı olacakları yerde, kusurlarını kendilerine tutsak ederler."
"Kimlerin eline düştü şehir! İşte, ihtilalin bize getirdiği! Alçaklar, haydutlar! Şişeyi ters çevirince tortunun yüze çıkacağı ve şarabı bozacağını kestirmek gerekiyordu!"
"Şimdi artık namuslu olmayacak kadar zengin"
"Halk ihtilallerinin en acımasız düşmanları ihtilaller sayesinde bir yere gelen kimselerdir."
"Tarlalarda çalışanları çizen ressamların imgeleminden doğan bronz bacaklar, dazlak kafalar, paramparça, rengi solmuş, yırtık pırtık giysiler, kısaca sefaletin ideal anlatımı olarak gördükleri bütün malzeme gerçeğin gerisinde kalırdı, insanların aç gözlü, sersemlemiş, aptal, vahşi yüz ifadeleri de resim ve renk ustalarının ölümsüz kompozisyonları karşısında doğanın sanata karşı sonsuz üstünlüğünü kanıtlardı. Gözkapakları kızarmış, kirpikleri dökülmüş, başlarını av köpekleri gibi uzatmış kımıltısız duran yaşlı kadınlar, silah altındaki erler kadar sessiz çocuklar, yem bekleyen hayvanlara benzeyen küçük kızlar oluşturuyordu manzarayı: Çocukluk ve yaşlılık karakterleri vahşi bir kin ve haset içinde yitip gidiyordu. Başkalarının malları kendi malları oluyordu artık, gözleri parlıyordu, hareketleri tehditkârdı; ama hepsi Kont'un, kır bekçisinin ve genel muhafızın karşısında sessizdi. Orada büyük toprak sahibi, çiftlik kiracıları, işçiler ve yoksullar temsil edilme fırsatını bulmuşlardı. Toplumsal sorun açıkça görülüyordu, çünkü bu sert çehreleri oraya yönelten şey açlıktı... Yüzdeki kırışıklıklar ve çizgiler güneşin altında daha da belirginleşiyordu: Çıplak toza bulanmış ayaklar güneşin altında kavruluyordu. Gömleksiz, sırtlarında yırtık pırtık fanilalar olan çocukların kıvırcık sarı saçlarında saman, ot, ağaç çöpleri parlıyordu. Sağda solda yeni yürümeye başlamış küçük çocuklarını ellerinden tutmuş dolaşan birkaç kadın göze çarpıyordu. Çocuklar daha sonra kendi başlarına bırakılacaklar ve yerlerde yuvarlanacaklardı."
***
"Sonunda sanatın doğaya karıştığı bir kır buldum, burada biri diğerini bozmuyor, sanat doğanın kendisi, doğa da bir sanatçı. Bazı romanların etkisiyle sık sık hayal ettiğimiz vahaya rastladım.
Altı gündür bu güzel köydeyim ve sık ormanların altında bulunan ve akarsular boyunca uzayıp giden güzel patikaları olan bu parkın harikalarını seyretmekten hiç bıkmadım. Doğa ve sessizliği, sakin zevkler, basit ve telaşsız yaşantının çekiciliği, her şey, bağladı beni buraya. İşte, gerçek edebiyat budur. Bir çayırda hiçbir zaman bir üslup hatası yoktur. Anlaşılan burada mutluluk her
şeyi, işi, haberleri bile unutmak."
"Bir Parisli, kıra gittiğinde bütün alışkanlıklarından yoksun kalır ve dostlarının sıcak ilgisine rağmen, kısa sürede zamanın ne kadar ağır ilerlediğini hisseder. Ev sahipleriyle haşhaş üzerine yapılan söyleşileri uzun süre sürdürmenin olanaksızlığı karşısında çabucak yorularak, 'burada çok sıkılacaksınız' der rahatça. Gerçekten de kır hayatının tadını çıkarmak için orayla ilgilenmek, yapılan işlerden anlamak ve insan yaşamının ölümsüz simgesi olan güçlüklerle mutluluğun birlikteliğini bilmek gerekir.
Uyku düzene girip yol yorgunluğu atıldıktan ve kır hayatının alışkanlıkları benimsendikten sonra ne avcı ne de çiftçi olan ve ince deriden zarif çizmeler giyen bir Parislinin bir şatoda bile geçireceği zor saatler başlar.
Kırın zorluklarını kavrayarak dokunmadan geri götüreceği bir iş getirmemişse yanında, bir süre sonra bu olanağı da tüketir. Parkın ara yollarında dönüp durarak, aval aval çevreye bakarak, iri ağaçları saymak zorunda kalacaktır, oysa insanın hayatı ne kadar gerçekse, bu uğraşlar o kadar sıkıcıdır.
En güzel toprak, en güzel şatolar bile ilişkileri yalnızca bu güzellikleri seyretmekten öteye gidemeyenler için tatsızlaşmaya başlar.
O zaman Paris'in hayali bile göz kamaştırıcı olur; kuş olup Paris'in coşku verici gösterilerine ve amansız savaşlarına uçmak istersiniz."
"Akıllı bir adamı bir ay süreyle köyde tutup, yüzünde aşırı doymuşluğun yapay gülücüğünü, kaçınılmaz biçimde sezilen bir bıkkınlığın gizli esnemesini görmemek, bir kadının en büyük zaferlerinden biridir. Bu tür denemelere dayanan bir sevgi sonsuza kadar sürse gerek.
Sinsiliğin İskender'i olan II. Philippe bile köyde baş başa geçirilen bir ay içinde sırrını açıklardı mutlaka. Bu nedenledir ki krallar sürekli çok hareketli bir yaşam sürdürürler ve hiç kimsenin onları on beş dakikadan fazla görme hakkı yoktur."
"Köylü, kendisine mal ettiği her şeye, kendisine yarayacak her şeye ancak gerektiği kadar emek harcar ve hiç fazla zahmete girmez. Her şeyde ihtiyacına bakar ve değerlendirirken hiç yanılmaz. Nadiren nedenlerle ilgilenir ve gözü hep sonuçtadır. Emeğin bütün derecelerini bilir ve burjuva için çalışırken olabildiğince az vererek, olabildiğince çok almasını bilir."
"Sefaletlerinin arkasına nasıl gizlendiklerine bakılırsa, bu köylülerin zevk ve eğlenceye düşkünlüklerine buldukları bahaneyi kaybetmekten tir tir titredikleri anlaşılır.
Köylüler aile ahlakı konusunda hiç titizlik göstermezler. Eğer bir kızları aldatıldıysa ve aldatan zengin ve çekingen biriyse ahlaktan söz açarlar; çocuklar, birer sermaye, refahları için birer araçtır. Bir eylemin yasal ya da ahlâka uygun olup olmamasının hiçbir önemi yoktur, yeter ki yararlı olsun. Dinle karıştırılmaması gereken ahlak, insan rahat bir yaşantıya kavuşunca başlar. Tıpkı insan ruhundaki incelmenin, yukarı tabakada servete kavuşulduktan sonra gelişmesi gibi. Bütünüyle dürüst ve ahlaklı kimse bir istisnadır köylü sınıfında. Meraklılar niçin diye soracaklardır. Başlıca nedeni şudur: Toplumsal işlevlerinin doğası gereği köylüler vahşilik durumuna yakın bütünüyle maddesel bir hayat sürdürürler. Onları bu duruma iten, doğayla olan sürekli ilişkileridir. Beden çalışmaktan ezilince, özellikle cahil kimselerde düşüncenin arıtıcı etkisi azalır ve sonunda da sefalet köylülerin gizlenmeleri için bir bahane olur."
"Sanılmasın ki köylüler bilerek ve isteyerek 'biz hırsızlıkla yaşayacağız ve ustalıkla çalacağız' demiş olsunlar. Bu alışkanlıklar yavaş yavaş artmıştı. Aile, önce kuru dala birkaç yaş dal karıştırdı sonra alışkanlık ve cezalandırılmamak için yapılması gerekenler konusunda kazanılan deneyim ve ustalık yüreklendirdi onları ve aile yirmi yıl içinde yalnız odunlarını değil bütün hayatlarını hırsızlıkla sağlar duruma geldiler. İneklerin kaçak olarak otlatılması, hasat artıklarının toplanmasının kötüye kullanılması aşama aşama yerleşti alışkanlıklar arasına. Elde edilenlerin tadını vadinin tembelleri bir kez aldılar mı, tabana kadar varan bu alışkanlıklardan köylüleri vazgeçirmek olası değildi. Meğer ki üstün bir güç caydırmaya zorlamasın onları."
"İnanılmaz bir Makyavelcilik vardır bu adamlarda, şunu iyi bilin ki meyhanede toplanan on köylü büyük bir siyasetçiye eşittir."
"Harman artıklarını kaldırma zamanı gelince, neredeyse can çekişiyor diyeceğimiz yaşlı köylüler öyle çevik, öyle genç, öyle dinç oluyor ki, şaşırırsınız.”
"Köylünün ve işçinin şakası pek açık olur. Bütün düşüncesini açık ve kaba bir anlatımla, büyüterek verir. Soylu çevreler de böyledir ya aslında!.. Bütün fark renkli kabalık yerine, ince espriler kullanılmasındadır."
"Siz siyasetten hiç anlamazsınız ki! Hükümetin bu kadar vergi koymasının sebebi nedir? Kazandığımızı geri almak ve bizi sefalet içinde tutmak istiyor. Hepimiz zengin olsaydık, ne olurdu onların hali? Tarlalarını kendileri mi sürecekti? Hasat yaparlar mıydı? Onlara mutsuz, fakir insanlar gerekiyor."
"Sizin her şeyiniz var, bizim hiçbir şeyimiz yok; dostluk bekleyemezsiniz hâlâ."
"Köylü de askerler gibi itaat etmek zorundadır, bir asker gibi dürüst olmalıdır, asker gibi saymalıdır başkasının hak hukukunu ve hırsızlıkla değil çalışmayla, dürüstlükle uğraşmalıdır subay olmak için. Saban ve kılıç ikizdir. Üstelik askerin her an başında bekleyen ölümü vardır."
"1789 hareketinin köylüler arasında uyandırdığı umutlar kimi bölgeleri daha derinlemesine etkilemiştir. Burgonya'nın Paris'e çok yakın olan bu ucu, hareketi, Galyalılar'ın, Franklar'a karşı zaferi olarak görenlerden biridir. Tarihsel açıdan köylüler, ortaçağdaki köylü ayaklanmalarından yeni çıkmışlardır daha. Uğradıkları yenilgi yer etmiştir kafalarında. Olayı hatırlamazlar artık; ama yenilgi içgüdüsel fikir haline dönüşmüştür. Eskiden nasıl üstünlük düşüncesi soyluların kanına işlemişse, bu fikir de köylülerin kanına öyle işlemiştir. 1789 İhtilali, yeniklerin intikamı olmuştur. Köylüler feodal yasanın bin iki yüz yıldır kendilerine yasakladığı toprak mülkiyetine doğru ilk adımı atmışlardır.
Gözlerinin önünden geçen uygarlığın ana düşüncelerini hiçbir zaman değiştiremediği köylü kastı için on iki yüzyılın hiçbir önemi yoktur. 1815'teki mucizevi geri dönüşünün kökleri halkın içine uzanan Napoléon'a duyulan o derin sevgi yalnızca bundan kaynaklanıyordu. Halkın gözünde bir milyon askeriyle sürekli özdeşleşmiş olan Napoléon, hâlâ ihtilalin içinden çıkan bir kral, halka ulusal varlıklara sahip olma olanağı sağlayan bir adamdır. İmparatorluk tacını giymesi bu düşüncede yatmaktadır."
"Bir ana çok sevdiği kızına bile, çıkarcı birinin sağdığı ineğe gösterdiği özen kadar okşayıcı ve koruyucu davranamaz."
"Vicdanlardaki gizli lekelerin karşılıklı olarak bilinmesi ve birbirini idare etme durumu, bu dünyanın en zor çözülen bağlarından biridir. Taşra insanı sinsiyse, sinsi olmak zorunda olduğu içindir."
"Machiavelli'yi ondan bir şeyler öğrenmek için okuyanlar bilir ki ihtiyatlı davranmak için hiçbir zaman tehdit etmemek, yapılacak her şeyi söylemeden yapmak, düşmanın geri çekilmesini yılanın kuyruğuna basmadan kolaylaştırmak ve kendinden küçüğünün onurunu kırmaktan bir cinayetten kaçınır gibi çekinmek gerekir. Bir davranış, çıkarlara ne kadar zararlı olursa olsun, sonunda bağışlanır, çeşitli biçimlerde açıklanır ama yediği darbe nedeniyle sürekli kanayan onur, küçük düşmeyi hiçbir zaman bağışlamaz. Manevi kişilik, maddi kişilikten daha duyarlı, daha canlıdır. Ne yaparsak yapalım sonunda iç dünyamız egemen olur bize. Savaşan aileler barışabilir ama iftira edenle iftiraya uğrayan barışamaz."
" 'Herkes kendi evinde, herkes kendisi için' sözüyle aile bencilliği, modern toplumun çok gereksinim duyduğu ve İngiltere'nin üç yüz yıldan beri hayran olunacak derecede düzenli bir biçimde uyguladığı oligarşik bencilliği öldürecektir. Ne yapılırsa yapılsın mülk sahipleri, kiliseyi yetkin bir yönetim modeli durumuna getiren disiplinin gerekliliğini ancak evlerini, ailelerini tehdit altında gördükleri zaman hissedeceklerdir ama o zaman da çok geç olacaktır.
Demokrasinin canlı ve eylemci mantığı olan komünizmin, toplumun manevi düzenine saldırmakta gösterdiği gözü peklik, daha şimdiden artık ihtiyatı elden bırakmayan Samson'un, yani halkın, toplumun sütunlarını ziyafet salonlarında devirmektense bodrumda kemirdiğini gösterir."
"Gizli yapılan kötülüklerin, bilinmeyen alçaklıkların en önemli unsuru, tam olmayan bir mutluluktur belki de; insan belki umutsuz bir sefalete, sürekli yağmurlar arasında beliren güneş ve sevgi seçeneklerinden daha kolay katlanır. Beden hastalanır, ruh da hasetten cüzzama yakalanır! Dar kafalı küçük insanlarda bu cüzzam hem korkak hem kaba, hem cüretli hem sinsi bir açgözlülüğe dönüşür. Kültürlü kimselerdeyse toplumculuğa karşı öğretiler oluşturur ve bu öğretilerden kendinden üstün kimseleri alt etmek için merdiven olarak yararlanılır. Bundan şöyle bir atasözü çıkaramayız mı acaba? 'Bana neyin oldu ğunu söyle, sana ne düşündüğünü söyleyeyim'."
"Bırakın yağmalasınlar ya da korkutun milletin gözünü. Halk, kadınlar ve çocuklar aynı biçimde, dehşet salınarak yönetilir. İmparator'un büyük sırrı buydu."
"Büyük siyaset adamları için görmek fiilinin gelecek zaman için kullanımı yoktur."
"Bugünün yasa koyucusunun yaptığı biçimiyle, yasa sanıldığı kadar etkili değildir. Ülkenin her yerinde aynı eşitlikle uygulanmaz. Uygulamada, ilkelerini inkâr edecek kadar değişiklik gösterir. Bu durum her dönemde az çok belirli olarak fark edilir. En güçlü iktidarın çıkardığı yasaların bile bütün ülkede uygulandığını iddia edecek kadar cahil tarihçiler var mıdır acaba?
Vergi tahsilatı, askere alma işlemleri, büyük suçların cezalandırılması yürür tabii ki ama kabul edilmiş bazı gereklilikler dışında, yerelde, ahlakla, çıkarlarla, birtakım yolsuzluklarla ilgili bütün yaptırımlar genel bir isteksizlikle, bir kötü niyete çarparak işlemez duruma düşer."
"Bölge polisinin, jandarmanın ve savcılığın bu adamlara karşı ne kadar umursamaz bir tavır içinde olduklarını tasavvur edemezsiniz. Köylüler çiftlikleri yakmasınlar, adam öldürmesinler, zehirlemesinler, vergilerini ödesinler de aralarında ne yaparlarsa yapsınlar. Kimse karışmaz onlara ve köylülerin ahlaki ilkeleri olmadığından, korkunç şeyler olup biter."
"Bütün suçlular adalete teslim edilse, mahkeme ve hapishane masraflarıyla devlet çöker."
"1789'da başlayan ve 1830'da yinelenen toplumsal eşitleştirme hareketi burjuvazinin kuşku verici zorbalığını hazırlamış ve Fransa'yı burjuvaziye teslim etmiştir."
"Açıkça ilan edilmiş, bilinen ayrıcalıkların devam etmesi daha iyi olmaz mıydı aslında? Değil mi ki kamuya yüklenilmek istenen kurnazlık ve hilebazlık sayesinde yaratılan yeni ayrıcalıklar, zorbalığın temellerini bir derece daha aşağıdan alarak yeniden kuruyor, vatanlarına bütün varlıklarıyla bağlı soylu zorbalar bencil zorbalar yaratmak için mi alaşağı edildi?"
"İnsanın sapıklıkları sfenksler tarafından korunan gizemli uçurumlardır."
"Kurum olarak bizim görevimiz fakirlere, 'Fakirliğinizi bilin!' yani 'Acı çekin, mütevekkil olun ve çalışın!' yani 'Akıllıca iyilik edin, itikatli ve Tanrı'nın size bağışladığı mevkiye layık olun!' demektir." (Katolik papaz)
"Meyhane halkın parlamentosudur."
"İçerdiği fikirden belki de daha müthiş bir şey olan cumhuriyet sözcüğünü duyunca, cumhuriyet diye bir şeye inanmıştı. Jean-Jacques Rousseau'nun cumhuriyetine inanmıştı. İnsanların kardeşliğine, birbirlerine karşı güzel duygular beslemelerine, hakka ve hukuka, kısacası ufak bir imparatorluk düzeyinde hayal olan her şeye inanmıştı.
Bu yüce cumhuriyetçinin eline başkasına ait tek bir kuruş, tek bir dal geçmedi. Kendisinin bu örnek davranışı yaygınlaşabilseydi, cumhuriyet, kabul edilebilir bir yönetim biçimi olabilirdi.
Merhametli olmadıkları için zenginlere lanet okuyan ihtiyar, bazı tartışmalı durumlarda çoğu zaman tek hakem tayin edilirdi ve herhangi bir kötülüğü kınamaktan da hiçbir zaman geri kalmazdı; bu nedenle de hırsızın polisten korktuğu gibi korkarlardı ondan."
"Burjuvayı katakulliye getirmek cepheden sal-dırmaktan iyidir. Bunu iyice kafanıza yerleştirin yoksa canınızı çıkarırlar. Yok biz küreği seviyoruz diyorsanız, o sizin bileceğiniz iş."
"Özel çıkarın görüşü yasama meclisininkinden her zaman beş yıl ileridedir, bir ülke bundan önemli dersler çıkarmalıdır.
Yasalar her zaman ne kadar akıllı olurlarsa olsunlar, halkla özdeşleştiğinde değerlerini yitirecek olan yüzlerce akıllı adamdan değil, bir tek dâhiden çıkmalıdır."
"En sağlam gelir devletten veya piyasadan sağlanan gelir değil, insanın kendi kendisine duyduğu saygıdan gelenidir."
"Kusuru olan kimse her zaman düşmanlarının kölesi durumundadır, düşmanları bundan yararlanabilirse tabii. Güçlü insanlar ise kusurlarının tutsağı olacakları yerde, kusurlarını kendilerine tutsak ederler."
"Kimlerin eline düştü şehir! İşte, ihtilalin bize getirdiği! Alçaklar, haydutlar! Şişeyi ters çevirince tortunun yüze çıkacağı ve şarabı bozacağını kestirmek gerekiyordu!"
"Şimdi artık namuslu olmayacak kadar zengin"
"Halk ihtilallerinin en acımasız düşmanları ihtilaller sayesinde bir yere gelen kimselerdir."
"Tarlalarda çalışanları çizen ressamların imgeleminden doğan bronz bacaklar, dazlak kafalar, paramparça, rengi solmuş, yırtık pırtık giysiler, kısaca sefaletin ideal anlatımı olarak gördükleri bütün malzeme gerçeğin gerisinde kalırdı, insanların aç gözlü, sersemlemiş, aptal, vahşi yüz ifadeleri de resim ve renk ustalarının ölümsüz kompozisyonları karşısında doğanın sanata karşı sonsuz üstünlüğünü kanıtlardı. Gözkapakları kızarmış, kirpikleri dökülmüş, başlarını av köpekleri gibi uzatmış kımıltısız duran yaşlı kadınlar, silah altındaki erler kadar sessiz çocuklar, yem bekleyen hayvanlara benzeyen küçük kızlar oluşturuyordu manzarayı: Çocukluk ve yaşlılık karakterleri vahşi bir kin ve haset içinde yitip gidiyordu. Başkalarının malları kendi malları oluyordu artık, gözleri parlıyordu, hareketleri tehditkârdı; ama hepsi Kont'un, kır bekçisinin ve genel muhafızın karşısında sessizdi. Orada büyük toprak sahibi, çiftlik kiracıları, işçiler ve yoksullar temsil edilme fırsatını bulmuşlardı. Toplumsal sorun açıkça görülüyordu, çünkü bu sert çehreleri oraya yönelten şey açlıktı... Yüzdeki kırışıklıklar ve çizgiler güneşin altında daha da belirginleşiyordu: Çıplak toza bulanmış ayaklar güneşin altında kavruluyordu. Gömleksiz, sırtlarında yırtık pırtık fanilalar olan çocukların kıvırcık sarı saçlarında saman, ot, ağaç çöpleri parlıyordu. Sağda solda yeni yürümeye başlamış küçük çocuklarını ellerinden tutmuş dolaşan birkaç kadın göze çarpıyordu. Çocuklar daha sonra kendi başlarına bırakılacaklar ve yerlerde yuvarlanacaklardı."
November 15, 2020
I wouldn't recommend this to a new Balzac reader, but I've read so much of his work now that I have learned to love the digressions, the back stories, the moralizing. You get the feeling that Balzac really knew these peasant people and the provincial hatreds - yes, it's discursive and meandering, but none the less readable. I love too his interior descriptions, the detail, you can smell that disgusting inn.
What an author he was.
What an author he was.
December 5, 2019
Δεν το συνεχίζω...
November 20, 2018
Esse livro faz parte de Estudos de Costumes - Cenas da Vida Rural e foi publicado em duas partes, sendo a primeira em 1844 e a segunda postumamente em 1855.
Com essa leitura é possível entender a admiração que Engels e Marx tinham pelo autor, um grande observador de seu tempo, em todos os aspectos.
Apesar de Balzac ser um aristocrata conservador, acabou criando aqui uma obra progressista, onde fala da dominação de uma classe sobre outra. Temos aqui os camponeses e os proprietários de terra e a forma de dominação de um sobre o outro. A história se desenvolve numa espécie de guerra surda. Apesar da trama ser interessante a narrativa é morosa e confusa por falta de desenvolvimento de inúmeros personagens; acabei me perdendo e talvez seja pelo fato da obra ter sido publicada postumamente através dos rascunhos deixados pelo autor.
Histórico de leitura
19/11/2018
"E para que nos serve o exército? Para fazer os coronéis viverem à custa do soldado, como os burgueses vivem à custa do camponês."
"- Ah, meu Deus, o senhor está me obrigando a ler jornal. Vovô diz que isso foi feito para os ricos, e que a gente acaba sempre sabendo mais tarde o que está escrito nele."
"Meu caro Nathan, que com tuas fantasias proporcionas ao público sonhos deliciosos: vou fazer-te sonhar com a realidade."
Com essa leitura é possível entender a admiração que Engels e Marx tinham pelo autor, um grande observador de seu tempo, em todos os aspectos.
Apesar de Balzac ser um aristocrata conservador, acabou criando aqui uma obra progressista, onde fala da dominação de uma classe sobre outra. Temos aqui os camponeses e os proprietários de terra e a forma de dominação de um sobre o outro. A história se desenvolve numa espécie de guerra surda. Apesar da trama ser interessante a narrativa é morosa e confusa por falta de desenvolvimento de inúmeros personagens; acabei me perdendo e talvez seja pelo fato da obra ter sido publicada postumamente através dos rascunhos deixados pelo autor.
Histórico de leitura
19/11/2018
"E para que nos serve o exército? Para fazer os coronéis viverem à custa do soldado, como os burgueses vivem à custa do camponês."
"- Ah, meu Deus, o senhor está me obrigando a ler jornal. Vovô diz que isso foi feito para os ricos, e que a gente acaba sempre sabendo mais tarde o que está escrito nele."
"Meu caro Nathan, que com tuas fantasias proporcionas ao público sonhos deliciosos: vou fazer-te sonhar com a realidade."
April 28, 2023
A really insightful novel set against the backdrop of fierce class struggle in Burgundy.
Marx and Trotsky both commented on Balzacs depiction of the peasantry and how he was able to grasp their psychology and motives.
The setting of the novel is the estate of Les Aigues. The estate was not broken up after the Revolution of 1789. Instead, the former opera singer and courtesan to the Royal court who owned it looked away whilst the peasants gleaned and poached from its lands.
The novel is set in the Restoration, the estate having been bought by one of Napoleon's former generals. He is attempting to stamp out this now decades-long practice.
Class anger is bubbling up among the peasantry towards the landlord, and this is used skillfully by the local bourgeoisie, whose wealth and connections give an enormous, invisible power that the ex-general can scarcely conceive.
It's a brilliantly depicted story. Balzacs sympathies are wholly with the landlord and he despises the peasantry, but the dynamics of the period are brilliantly depicted in personal stories.
Apparently it's an unfinished novel. Balzac was notorious for working and reworking the proofs of his novels, but this reads like a good finished piece, although the number of characters is sometimes bewildering and the ending a bit abrupt, but neither of those are unique to this Balzac novel as he often builds up the pieces of the puzzle, with the denouement arriving rapidly when it comes.
Marx and Trotsky both commented on Balzacs depiction of the peasantry and how he was able to grasp their psychology and motives.
The setting of the novel is the estate of Les Aigues. The estate was not broken up after the Revolution of 1789. Instead, the former opera singer and courtesan to the Royal court who owned it looked away whilst the peasants gleaned and poached from its lands.
The novel is set in the Restoration, the estate having been bought by one of Napoleon's former generals. He is attempting to stamp out this now decades-long practice.
Class anger is bubbling up among the peasantry towards the landlord, and this is used skillfully by the local bourgeoisie, whose wealth and connections give an enormous, invisible power that the ex-general can scarcely conceive.
It's a brilliantly depicted story. Balzacs sympathies are wholly with the landlord and he despises the peasantry, but the dynamics of the period are brilliantly depicted in personal stories.
Apparently it's an unfinished novel. Balzac was notorious for working and reworking the proofs of his novels, but this reads like a good finished piece, although the number of characters is sometimes bewildering and the ending a bit abrupt, but neither of those are unique to this Balzac novel as he often builds up the pieces of the puzzle, with the denouement arriving rapidly when it comes.
May 4, 2024
از دور که به این کتاب نگاه میکنی یک اثر نیمه تاریخی-داستانی مشاهده میکنی که پر شده از توصیفات مناظر و جغرافیای یک منطقه روستایی-شهری در فرانسه قرن نوزده، با شخصیت های که تعدادشون به اندازه انسان های یک شهر میرسه و ترجمه فارسی و نگارش بدی که خوندن و دنبال کردنش رو سخت تر هم میکنه، اما کمی نزدیک تر، یکی از واقعی ترین جدال های طبقاتی ممکن که توسط یک نویسنده قابل تصویر سازی بوده رو میشه داخل این کتاب دید، چه شرارت ها و خباثت های که کاملا قابل تصورن و چه انسان های بدی که دل انسان رو به رحم میارن، آدمهایی که پایانی ندارن و نویسنده نه به خاطر پیشروی و شکل دادن به داستان و ارضا کردن یک نیاز مصنوعی بلکه چون دقیقا چنین انسان هایی وجود دارن، داستان و زندگیشون رو روی کاغذ آورده.
ولی با این وجود که هر فصل از کتاب میتونه خسته کننده باشه و به دلایل خیلی زیادی آدم رو از ادامه دادن منصرف کنه، من توصیه میکنم به هرسختی و مشقتی هم که شده این کتاب رو بخونید و از این شرِ واقعی که بالزاک، تعداد زیادی از اونها رو در این کتاب نشون داده لذت ببرید.
ولی با این وجود که هر فصل از کتاب میتونه خسته کننده باشه و به دلایل خیلی زیادی آدم رو از ادامه دادن منصرف کنه، من توصیه میکنم به هرسختی و مشقتی هم که شده این کتاب رو بخونید و از این شرِ واقعی که بالزاک، تعداد زیادی از اونها رو در این کتاب نشون داده لذت ببرید.
July 13, 2024
Warning: Expérience balzacienne extrême
August 29, 2021
In first glance Balzac seems to have a classist hatred towards the peasants (and maybe he really does) but the whole structure of the novel shows a more multifaceted work.
September 22, 2021
Honoré de Balzac-Les paysans
✍"...les cigales chantent, le grillon crie, les capsules de quelques graines craquent, les pavots laissent aller leur morphine en larmes liquoreuses, tout se découpe nettement sur le bleu foncé de l’éther."
✍"... enfin, le riche a des passions, le paysan n’a que des besoins, le paysan est donc doublement pauvre ; et si, politiquement, ses agressions doivent être impitoyablement réprimées, humainement et religieusement, il est sacré."
✍"– Oh ! pardi ! monsieur le comte lui-même a été pris à la loutre du père Fourchon, répondit le valet. Dès qu’il arrive un étranger à Aigues, le père Fourchon se met aux aguets, et si le bourgeois va voir les sources de l’Avonne, il lui vend sa loutre… Il joue ça si bien que monsieur le comte y est revenu trois fois, et lui a payé six journées pendant lesquelles ils ont regardé l’eau couler."
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🏞 Lagano napredujem u svom projektu da pročitam celu Ljudsku komediju u originalu 🤓trenutno scena iz provincije
🏞Prelepi oposi pejzaža
🏞Balzakova oštra kritika svih društvenih slojeva-seoskog,aristokratije na zalasku i buržoazije u nastajanju
🏞A tu je i humor-beskrajno zabavna podvala s lovom na vidru. 😄
🇺🇸
🏞One of the parts of Human comedy describing provincial scenes
🏞Beautifull descriptions of scenery
🏞Balzac's critique of all social backgrounds-villagers,descending aristocracy and ascending bourgoisie
🏞And there is some humor-so funny prank with the otter fishing 😄
#7sensesofabok #honoredebalzac #bookstagram #knjige #classicliterature #literature #readingaddict
✍"...les cigales chantent, le grillon crie, les capsules de quelques graines craquent, les pavots laissent aller leur morphine en larmes liquoreuses, tout se découpe nettement sur le bleu foncé de l’éther."
✍"... enfin, le riche a des passions, le paysan n’a que des besoins, le paysan est donc doublement pauvre ; et si, politiquement, ses agressions doivent être impitoyablement réprimées, humainement et religieusement, il est sacré."
✍"– Oh ! pardi ! monsieur le comte lui-même a été pris à la loutre du père Fourchon, répondit le valet. Dès qu’il arrive un étranger à Aigues, le père Fourchon se met aux aguets, et si le bourgeois va voir les sources de l’Avonne, il lui vend sa loutre… Il joue ça si bien que monsieur le comte y est revenu trois fois, et lui a payé six journées pendant lesquelles ils ont regardé l’eau couler."
🇷🇸
🏞 Lagano napredujem u svom projektu da pročitam celu Ljudsku komediju u originalu 🤓trenutno scena iz provincije
🏞Prelepi oposi pejzaža
🏞Balzakova oštra kritika svih društvenih slojeva-seoskog,aristokratije na zalasku i buržoazije u nastajanju
🏞A tu je i humor-beskrajno zabavna podvala s lovom na vidru. 😄
🇺🇸
🏞One of the parts of Human comedy describing provincial scenes
🏞Beautifull descriptions of scenery
🏞Balzac's critique of all social backgrounds-villagers,descending aristocracy and ascending bourgoisie
🏞And there is some humor-so funny prank with the otter fishing 😄
#7sensesofabok #honoredebalzac #bookstagram #knjige #classicliterature #literature #readingaddict
July 4, 2022
J’aurais mis 5 étoiles si Balzac avait eu le temps de le finir, mais c’est Eve Hanska qui a rédigé la deuxième partie d’après les notes de Balzac.
C’est un roman féroce sur les rapports entre les paysans et les bourgeois.
Que ce soit les pauvres gens ou les petits bourgeois enrichis des petites villes de province, aucun n’a de morale quand il s’agit de rouler dans la farine les propriétaires terriens, les gendarmes ou toute forme d’autorité qui se let en travers de leur route.
C’est un roman féroce sur les rapports entre les paysans et les bourgeois.
Que ce soit les pauvres gens ou les petits bourgeois enrichis des petites villes de province, aucun n’a de morale quand il s’agit de rouler dans la farine les propriétaires terriens, les gendarmes ou toute forme d’autorité qui se let en travers de leur route.
August 29, 2024
3,5/5. Κλασικός Μπαλζάκ, στο τελευταίο έργο του, πριν πεθάνει, το οποίο μάλιστα, ήταν ανολοκλήρωτο και το τελείωσε η σύντροφός του.
Αν έχει ένα μειονέκτημα, είναι η πολλή πληροφόρηση που περιέχει, κυρίως όσον αφορά ονόματα προσώπων που απλώς αναφέρονται, χωρίς να προσφέρουν κάτι στην πλοκή. Προφανώς, σκοπός του συγγραφέα ήταν η όσο πιο παραστατική περιγραφή της πραγματικότητας στη Βουργουνδία της παλινόρθωσης και για τον λόγο αυτό, συμπεριλαμβάνει στο έργο του όλους αυτούς τους μάλλον αχρείαστους χαρακτήρες.
Το έργο είναι μια λεπτομερής απεικόνιση, μέσα από τα μάτια του συγγραφέα, της σκληρής πραγματικότητας στην επαρχία, μακριά από το Παρίσι, όπου ισχύουν, σχεδόν, τοπικοί άγραφοι νόμοι. Οι χωριάτες δεν φοβούνται πια τόσο πολύ τους άρχοντες, ούτε καν τους σέβονται. Έχει προηγηθεί το 1789, το οποίο άλλαξε για πάντα τις κοινωνικές σχέσεις. Τι κι αν ο νέος ιδιοκτήτης μιας τεράστιας έκτασης είναι πρώην στρατηγός και ήρωας των ναπολεωντιων πολέμων; Οι χωριάτες είχαν συνηθίσει στη χαλαρή εξουσία της προηγούμενης ιδιοκτήτριας, την οποία κατακλεβαν και τώρα τους κακοφαινεται.
Ο Μπαλζάκ δεν χαϊδεύει κανένα. Η απεικόνιση των σχεδόν αποκτηνομένων χωρικων θυμίζει τον νατουραλισμό του Ζολά και δεν είναι καθόλου κολακευτική.
Στα υπέρ του βιβλίου η καταγραφή συνηθειών και παραδόσεων της ευρωπαϊκής επαρχίας, δύο αιώνες πριν, που σήμερα φαντάζουν παράξενες.
Επίσης, η παρούσα έκδοση, αν και είναι κακής ποιότητας, όσον αφορά τη βιβλιοδεσία και έχει μικρούς χαρακτήρες, συνοδεύεται από ένα διήγημα και από ένα βιογραφικό σημείωμα του Μπαλζάκ, γραμμένο από τον Τσβάιχ. Αν σας αρέσει η κλασική γαλλική λογοτεχνία να μην το χάσετε.
Αν έχει ένα μειονέκτημα, είναι η πολλή πληροφόρηση που περιέχει, κυρίως όσον αφορά ονόματα προσώπων που απλώς αναφέρονται, χωρίς να προσφέρουν κάτι στην πλοκή. Προφανώς, σκοπός του συγγραφέα ήταν η όσο πιο παραστατική περιγραφή της πραγματικότητας στη Βουργουνδία της παλινόρθωσης και για τον λόγο αυτό, συμπεριλαμβάνει στο έργο του όλους αυτούς τους μάλλον αχρείαστους χαρακτήρες.
Το έργο είναι μια λεπτομερής απεικόνιση, μέσα από τα μάτια του συγγραφέα, της σκληρής πραγματικότητας στην επαρχία, μακριά από το Παρίσι, όπου ισχύουν, σχεδόν, τοπικοί άγραφοι νόμοι. Οι χωριάτες δεν φοβούνται πια τόσο πολύ τους άρχοντες, ούτε καν τους σέβονται. Έχει προηγηθεί το 1789, το οποίο άλλαξε για πάντα τις κοινωνικές σχέσεις. Τι κι αν ο νέος ιδιοκτήτης μιας τεράστιας έκτασης είναι πρώην στρατηγός και ήρωας των ναπολεωντιων πολέμων; Οι χωριάτες είχαν συνηθίσει στη χαλαρή εξουσία της προηγούμενης ιδιοκτήτριας, την οποία κατακλεβαν και τώρα τους κακοφαινεται.
Ο Μπαλζάκ δεν χαϊδεύει κανένα. Η απεικόνιση των σχεδόν αποκτηνομένων χωρικων θυμίζει τον νατουραλισμό του Ζολά και δεν είναι καθόλου κολακευτική.
Στα υπέρ του βιβλίου η καταγραφή συνηθειών και παραδόσεων της ευρωπαϊκής επαρχίας, δύο αιώνες πριν, που σήμερα φαντάζουν παράξενες.
Επίσης, η παρούσα έκδοση, αν και είναι κακής ποιότητας, όσον αφορά τη βιβλιοδεσία και έχει μικρούς χαρακτήρες, συνοδεύεται από ένα διήγημα και από ένα βιογραφικό σημείωμα του Μπαλζάκ, γραμμένο από τον Τσβάιχ. Αν σας αρέσει η κλασική γαλλική λογοτεχνία να μην το χάσετε.
October 24, 2021
I started “Scenes From Country Life" with "The Peasants", though this is an unfinished work, it is finished enough, maybe his wife was able from his notes to wrap it up, though it is perfectly clear that it is not finished as his usual. I read from a Delphi collection of his works which included the summery below plus some comments from Balzac's dedication. There are a tremendous amount of characters which can make this story confusing but the glossary is quite helpful. Emile Blondet is here, not having a too favorable opinion of him from other stories, but after the conclusion, I had began to like the Parisian.
The French Revolution has brought many changes and in "The Peasants" the ills of society which from lack of religious beliefs sets up for increased immorality. The increased sense that one can do nothing but deserves what they desire. Today's society with decreased faith, the thought that all the rich are evil and doing harm to others without consequences, socialist ideologies are far worse now IMO, where some wealthy help instigate and ignite the needy to do their dirty work.
“Les Paysans (The Peasants) was part published in 1844, but was left unfinished at the time of Balzac’s death. The novel concerns Emile Blondet, a Parisian journalist that has come to visit the chateau known as The Aigues. A friend of the current owner, Blondet is also possibly the lover of owner’s wife.”
"You are now to behold that indefatigable mole, that rodent which undermines and disintegrates the soil, parcels it out and divides an acre into a hundred fragments, — ever spurred on to his banquet by the lower middle classes who make him at once their auxiliary and their prey. This essentially unsocial element, created by the Revolution, will some day absorb the middle classes, just as the middle classes have destroyed the nobility."
"If during the last eight years I have again and again given up the writing of this book (the most important of those I have undertaken to write), and as often returned to it, it was, as you and other friends can well imagine, because my courage shrank from the many difficulties, the many essential details of a drama so doubly dreadful and so cruelly bloody. Among the reasons which render me now almost, it may be thought, foolhardy, I count the desire to finish a work long designed to be to you a proof of my deep and lasting gratitude for a friendship that has ever been among my greatest consolations in misfortune. De Balzac."
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert ❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
It was heart breaking that Michaud was murdered and his wife died soon after. Only a couple of the peasants were likeable, I liked the Countess for not having an affair, it seemed she wanted what the Michauds had. The General was a likeable character and I liked Bonnebault for his warning the General about his need to leave Les Aigues. I wonder about Nicolas, if he would allow Rigou to help him lose his hand, his being so against serving unbelievable.
"Les Aigues, August 6, 1823."
"These forests belong to Les Aigues, and to the Marquis de Ronquerolles and the Comte de Soulanges, whose castles and parks and villages, seen in the distance from these heights, give the scene a strong resemblance to the imaginary landscapes of Velvet Breughel."
"In 1790 Mademoiselle Laguerre, alarmed at the turn of public affairs, came to settle at Les Aigues, bought and given to her by Bouret,"
"She abandoned that name, which was quite unknown down here, and called herself Madame des Aigues,"
"After Mademoiselle was dead and buried at Blangy, the notary of Soulanges — that little town which lies between Ville-aux-Fayes and Blangy, the capital of the township — made an elaborate inventory, and sought out the heirs of the singer, who never knew she had any. Eleven families of poor laborers living near Amiens, and sleeping in cotton sheets, awoke one fine morning in golden ones. The property was sold at auction. Les Aigues was bought by Montcornet,"
“It was a time of great misery, and of great hopes; but now are the days of forgetfulness.” The saying seemed to me sublime in its simplicity; but when I came to reflect upon the matter, I felt there was some justification for the apparent ingratitude of the House of Austria. Neither nations nor kings are wealthy enough to reward all the devotions to which these tragic struggles give rise."
Blondet has come to Les Aigues, 1823, he writes to his friend Nathan about his being invited by Madame Montcornet, who controls her husband. Blondet looking for something to do, goes for a walk and meets Pere Fourchon who has him believing in trying to catch an otter. Charles the servant is looking for him as the whole chateau. They fear that he is drowned.
“Monseigneur, when I observe the stress that the peasantry lay on their poverty, I realize how they fear to lose that excuse for their immorality.” Though everybody knew that the family had no principles and no scruples, nothing was ever said against the morals of the Grand-I-Vert. At the beginning of this book it is necessary to explain, once for all, to persons accustomed to the decencies of middle-class life, that the peasants have no decency in their domestic habits and customs.”
“A positively moral and upright man is rare among the peasantry. Do you ask why? Among the many reasons that may be given for this state of things, the principal one is this: Through the nature of their social functions, the peasants live a purely material life which approximates to that of savages, and their constant union with nature tends to foster it. When toil exhausts the body it takes from the mind its purifying action, especially among the ignorant. The Abbe Brossette was right in saying that the state policy of the peasant is his poverty.”
“Meddling in everybody’s interests, Tonsard heard everybody’s complaints, and often instigated frauds to benefit the needy. His wife, a kindly appearing woman, had a good word for evil-doers, and never withheld either approval or personal help from her customers in anything they undertook against the rich.”
“Every revolt, open or concealed, has its banner. The banner of the marauders, the drunkards, the idlers, the sluggards of the valley des Aigues was the terrible tavern of the Grand-I-Vert. Its frequenters found amusement there, — as rare and much-desired a thing in the country as in a city.”
Tonsard and his father-in-law, Pere Fourchon takes what they can by doing very little work. After Tonsard is given land, he marries a girl from a Ronquerolles farm. The farmer is Pere Fourchon, who was once well to do, but morally he had failed and after many positions, this educated man has many shady deaings as well as legitimate which he turns to his advantage. Mouche is on of his grandsons from one of his daughters. Tonsard married one of these daughters, who he had not treated right, so she looked to ruin him with wine and drink. She was pretty and did not let morals interfer with her wants. The couple had many ties with the chateau which helped them not be troubled with their criminal deeds of taking what was not theirs. Their children were not treated to kindly but would do the work that the father and mother refused. Madame had a tavern which was called the Grand-I- Vert, this tavern was the meeting place for many Ne'er-do-wells. Pere Fourchon goes to his daughter's inn with his coin from his otter trick and his daughter wants to buy him new clothes but he refuses, this would interfer with his ability to swindle. Tonsard sees another coin in his father-in-laws' pocket and while Vermichal tries to convince Fourchon to help him but he needs to go to Les Aigues, Tonsard steals the coin. Brunet comes to tell Tonsard about Montcornet not putting up with the pilfering of his property any longer. Tonsard's old mother comes back with new wood hidden in her older bundle, out of breath and with Vatel having seen and followed her. They were able to trick Vatel by putting ashes in his eyes and accusing him of harassing a good woman. Vatel unable to see leaves upset and Brunet turning a blind eye.
“I shall not talk platitudes after such a flattering speech as that,” said the abbe, smiling. “What is going on in this valley is spreading more or less throughout France; it is the outcome of the hopes which the upheaval of 1789 caused to infiltrate, if I may use that expression, the minds of the peasantry, the sons of the soil. The Revolution affected certain localities more than others. This side of Burgundy, nearest to Paris, is one of those places where the revolutionary ideas spread like the overrunning of the Franks by the Gauls.“
General Comte de Montcornet and his wife are breakfasting with Blondet and the Abbe when Mouche comes to sell the otter and Madame sees and hears Mouche's sad story. His father died serving Napoleon and his mother by following her husband. The young boy is hardly being taught by his grandfather, who is basically showing him how to swindle. Madame offers him breakfast and clothes. Fourchon comes and wants a price of 25, the cost for the otter. He then goes on why Montcornet should beware because the peasant are not his friends. He looks to scare the chateau and looks for a stable position for Mouche. Sibilet is a kind of knaveing and Michaud having been in the military is a strong and upright man who take care of the estates. Silibet is the steward and Michaud is the baliff who when he sees that Fourchon has cheated the General out of money and having had someone in his family steal this morning which Vatel saw and other men are to talk to Montcortnet.
“When General Montcornet took possession of Les Aigues, Gaubertin was no longer rich enough to give up his place. In order to marry his daughter to a rich banker he was obliged to give her a dowry of two hundred thousand francs; he had to pay thirty thousand for his son’s practice; and all that remained of his accumulations was three hundred and seventy thousand, out of which he would be forced, sooner or later, to pay the dowry of his remaining daughter, Elise, for whom he hoped to arrange a marriage at least as good as that of her sister. The steward determined to study the general, in order to find out if he could disgust him with the place, — hoping still to be able to carry out his defeated plan in his own interests. With the peculiar instinct which characterizes those who make their fortunes by craft, Gaubertin believed in a resemblance of nature (which was not improbable) between an old soldier and an Opera-singer. An actress, and a general of the Empire, — surely they would have the same extravagant habits, the same careless prodigality? To the one as to the other, riches came capriciously and by lucky chances. If some soldiers are wily and astute and clever politicians, they are exceptions; a soldier is, usually, especially an accomplished cavalry officer like Montcornet, guileless, confident, a novice in business, and little fitted to understand details in the management of an estate. Gaubertin flattered himself that he could catch and hold the general with the same net in which Mademoiselle Laguerre had finished her days. But it so happened that the Emperor had once, intentionally, allowed Montcornet to play the same game in Pomerania that Gaubertin was playing at Les Aigues; consequently, the general fully understood a system of plundering"
"he had himself learned the secrets of it; accordingly, he passed himself off as another Mademoiselle Laguerre, a course which lulled the steward into false security. This apparent simple-mindedness lasted all the time it took the general to learn the strength and weakness of Les Aigues, to master the details of its revenues and the manner of collecting them, and to ascertain how and where the robberies occurred, together with the betterments and economies which ought to be undertaken. Then, one fine morning, having caught Gaubertin with his hand in the bag, as the saying is, the general flew into one of those rages peculiar to the imperial conquerors of many lands. In doing so he committed a capital blunder, — one that would have ruined the whole life of a man of less wealth and less consistency than himself, and from which came the evils, both small and great, with which the present history teems. Brought up in the imperial school, accustomed to deal with men as a dictator, and full of contempt for “civilians,” Montcornet did not trouble himself to wear gloves when it came to putting a rascal of a land-steward out of doors. Civil life and its precautions were things unknown to the soldier already embittered by his loss of rank. He humiliated Gaubertin ruthlessly, though the latter drew the harsh treatment upon himself by a cynical reply which roused Montcornet’s anger."
"Montcornet might have dismissed his steward under pretext of paying off a military obligation by putting some old soldier in his place; Gaubertin and the general would have understood the matter, and the latter, by sparing the steward’s self-love would have given him a chance to withdraw quietly. Gaubertin, in that case, would have left his late employer in peace, and possibly he might have taken himself and his savings to Paris for investment. But being, as he was, ignominiously dismissed, the man conceived against his late master one of those bitter hatreds which are literally a part of existence in provincial life, the persistency, duration, and plots of which would astonish diplomatists who are trained to let nothing astonish them. A burning desire for vengeance led him to settle at Ville-aux-Fayes, and to take a position where he could injure Montcornet and stir up sufficient enmity against to force him to sell Les Aigues.”
“The Catholic religion, and it alone, is able to prevent these capitulations of conscience. But, ever since 1789 religion has no influence on two thirds of the French people. The peasants, whose minds are keen and whose poverty drives them to imitation, had reached, specially in the valley of Les Aigues, a frightful state of demoralization. They went to mass on Sundays, but only at the outside of the church, where it was their custom to meet and transact business and make their weekly bargains.”
“The audacity with which communism, that living and acting logic of democracy, attacks society from the moral side, shows plainly that the Samson of to-day, grown prudent, is undermining the foundations of the cellar, instead of shaking the pillars of the hall.”
Mademoiselle Laguerre thought that her ladies maid and stewart were really serving her well ut they were serving themselves. At first maid, Cochet tried to warn her about the stewart, Francois Gaubertin but he could make her reputation pay, so she played along and became swindling partners. Cochet married her suitor, Soudry, he waited over 15 years until Laugere's death. Gaubertin thought he could buy Les Aigues but General Montcornet was able to at a higher price which Gaubertin darn not pay. Gaubertin's income decreased after putting his son through school and his two daughters high dot. Gaubertin thought he could still play the game with the General that he did with the actress but he could not fool the new master. After Montecornet determined the folly, he insulted and whipped the stewart firing him too. Gaubertin looks to ruin the General and have him lose Les Aigues.
“Gaubertin, who discovered during the excitement of the scene (which lasted more than two hours) the difficulties in which the general would soon be involved, jumped on his pony after leaving the room where the quarrel took place, and galloped to Soulanges to consult the Soudrys. At his first words, “The general and I have parted; whom can we put in my place without his suspecting it?” the Soudrys understood their friend’s wishes. Do not forget that Soudry, for the last seventeen years chief of police of the canton, was doubly shrewd through his wife, an adept in the particular wiliness of a waiting-maid of an Opera divinity.”
“The installation of Sibilet took place in the autumn of 1817. The year 1818 went by without the general being able to set foot at Les Aigues, for his approaching marriage with Mademoiselle de Troisville, which was celebrated in January, 1819, kept him the greater part of the summer near Alencon, in the country-house of his prospective father-in-law.”
“Though Napoleon had made him a count of the Empire and given him the following arms, a field quarterly, the first, azure, bordure or, three pyramids argent; the second, vert, three hunting horns argent; the third, gules, a cannon or on a gun-carriage sable, and, in chief, a crescent or; the fourth, or, a crown vert, with the motto (eminently of the middle ages!), “Sound the charge,” — Montcornet knew very well that he was the son of a cabinet-maker in the faubourg Saint-Antoine, though he was quite ready to forget it. He was eaten up with the desire to be a peer of France, and dreamed of his grand cordon of the Legion of honor, his Saint-Louis cross, and his income of one hundred and forty thousand.”
“Montcornet made Virginie de Troisville his heir in the marriage settlements. Completely under the control of his wife, as Blondet’s letter has already shown, he was still without children, but Louis XVIII. had received him, and given him the cordon of Saint-Louis, allowing him to quarter his ridiculous arms with those of the Troisvilles, and promising him the title of marquis as soon as he had deserved the peerage by his services.”
“The general, who knew very well the canker that was eating into his revenues, departed without his wife, resolved to take vigorous measures. In so doing he reckoned, as we shall see, without his Gaubertin.”
Montcornet has fired his stewart and it is not easy to find another. Gaubertin through his friends, thinks Sibilet will do the job, he was offered in a round about way so the General had no idea that the old steward had his hand in all. Sibilet had married a pretty girl, Adeline Sarcus who had no income. She was in love with the young Lupin but his father wanted him to marry a Gaubertin, so he sent him to Paris where he had ruined himself. Adeline's love gone she was forced to marry Sibilet. Sibilet loves her but the poverty and 2 children make him greedy for income. The General after seeing the family man decides he looks like a good fit, Montcornet being a cabinet maker's son looks for a title which has been granted by the Empire and he looks for a noble wife, with the help of a friend, he marrys a Troisville and this keeps him in Paris longer which causes more trouble at his estate, demanding he comes home sooner.
The French Revolution has brought many changes and in "The Peasants" the ills of society which from lack of religious beliefs sets up for increased immorality. The increased sense that one can do nothing but deserves what they desire. Today's society with decreased faith, the thought that all the rich are evil and doing harm to others without consequences, socialist ideologies are far worse now IMO, where some wealthy help instigate and ignite the needy to do their dirty work.
“Les Paysans (The Peasants) was part published in 1844, but was left unfinished at the time of Balzac’s death. The novel concerns Emile Blondet, a Parisian journalist that has come to visit the chateau known as The Aigues. A friend of the current owner, Blondet is also possibly the lover of owner’s wife.”
"You are now to behold that indefatigable mole, that rodent which undermines and disintegrates the soil, parcels it out and divides an acre into a hundred fragments, — ever spurred on to his banquet by the lower middle classes who make him at once their auxiliary and their prey. This essentially unsocial element, created by the Revolution, will some day absorb the middle classes, just as the middle classes have destroyed the nobility."
"If during the last eight years I have again and again given up the writing of this book (the most important of those I have undertaken to write), and as often returned to it, it was, as you and other friends can well imagine, because my courage shrank from the many difficulties, the many essential details of a drama so doubly dreadful and so cruelly bloody. Among the reasons which render me now almost, it may be thought, foolhardy, I count the desire to finish a work long designed to be to you a proof of my deep and lasting gratitude for a friendship that has ever been among my greatest consolations in misfortune. De Balzac."
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert ❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
It was heart breaking that Michaud was murdered and his wife died soon after. Only a couple of the peasants were likeable, I liked the Countess for not having an affair, it seemed she wanted what the Michauds had. The General was a likeable character and I liked Bonnebault for his warning the General about his need to leave Les Aigues. I wonder about Nicolas, if he would allow Rigou to help him lose his hand, his being so against serving unbelievable.
"Les Aigues, August 6, 1823."
"These forests belong to Les Aigues, and to the Marquis de Ronquerolles and the Comte de Soulanges, whose castles and parks and villages, seen in the distance from these heights, give the scene a strong resemblance to the imaginary landscapes of Velvet Breughel."
"In 1790 Mademoiselle Laguerre, alarmed at the turn of public affairs, came to settle at Les Aigues, bought and given to her by Bouret,"
"She abandoned that name, which was quite unknown down here, and called herself Madame des Aigues,"
"After Mademoiselle was dead and buried at Blangy, the notary of Soulanges — that little town which lies between Ville-aux-Fayes and Blangy, the capital of the township — made an elaborate inventory, and sought out the heirs of the singer, who never knew she had any. Eleven families of poor laborers living near Amiens, and sleeping in cotton sheets, awoke one fine morning in golden ones. The property was sold at auction. Les Aigues was bought by Montcornet,"
“It was a time of great misery, and of great hopes; but now are the days of forgetfulness.” The saying seemed to me sublime in its simplicity; but when I came to reflect upon the matter, I felt there was some justification for the apparent ingratitude of the House of Austria. Neither nations nor kings are wealthy enough to reward all the devotions to which these tragic struggles give rise."
Blondet has come to Les Aigues, 1823, he writes to his friend Nathan about his being invited by Madame Montcornet, who controls her husband. Blondet looking for something to do, goes for a walk and meets Pere Fourchon who has him believing in trying to catch an otter. Charles the servant is looking for him as the whole chateau. They fear that he is drowned.
“Monseigneur, when I observe the stress that the peasantry lay on their poverty, I realize how they fear to lose that excuse for their immorality.” Though everybody knew that the family had no principles and no scruples, nothing was ever said against the morals of the Grand-I-Vert. At the beginning of this book it is necessary to explain, once for all, to persons accustomed to the decencies of middle-class life, that the peasants have no decency in their domestic habits and customs.”
“A positively moral and upright man is rare among the peasantry. Do you ask why? Among the many reasons that may be given for this state of things, the principal one is this: Through the nature of their social functions, the peasants live a purely material life which approximates to that of savages, and their constant union with nature tends to foster it. When toil exhausts the body it takes from the mind its purifying action, especially among the ignorant. The Abbe Brossette was right in saying that the state policy of the peasant is his poverty.”
“Meddling in everybody’s interests, Tonsard heard everybody’s complaints, and often instigated frauds to benefit the needy. His wife, a kindly appearing woman, had a good word for evil-doers, and never withheld either approval or personal help from her customers in anything they undertook against the rich.”
“Every revolt, open or concealed, has its banner. The banner of the marauders, the drunkards, the idlers, the sluggards of the valley des Aigues was the terrible tavern of the Grand-I-Vert. Its frequenters found amusement there, — as rare and much-desired a thing in the country as in a city.”
Tonsard and his father-in-law, Pere Fourchon takes what they can by doing very little work. After Tonsard is given land, he marries a girl from a Ronquerolles farm. The farmer is Pere Fourchon, who was once well to do, but morally he had failed and after many positions, this educated man has many shady deaings as well as legitimate which he turns to his advantage. Mouche is on of his grandsons from one of his daughters. Tonsard married one of these daughters, who he had not treated right, so she looked to ruin him with wine and drink. She was pretty and did not let morals interfer with her wants. The couple had many ties with the chateau which helped them not be troubled with their criminal deeds of taking what was not theirs. Their children were not treated to kindly but would do the work that the father and mother refused. Madame had a tavern which was called the Grand-I- Vert, this tavern was the meeting place for many Ne'er-do-wells. Pere Fourchon goes to his daughter's inn with his coin from his otter trick and his daughter wants to buy him new clothes but he refuses, this would interfer with his ability to swindle. Tonsard sees another coin in his father-in-laws' pocket and while Vermichal tries to convince Fourchon to help him but he needs to go to Les Aigues, Tonsard steals the coin. Brunet comes to tell Tonsard about Montcornet not putting up with the pilfering of his property any longer. Tonsard's old mother comes back with new wood hidden in her older bundle, out of breath and with Vatel having seen and followed her. They were able to trick Vatel by putting ashes in his eyes and accusing him of harassing a good woman. Vatel unable to see leaves upset and Brunet turning a blind eye.
“I shall not talk platitudes after such a flattering speech as that,” said the abbe, smiling. “What is going on in this valley is spreading more or less throughout France; it is the outcome of the hopes which the upheaval of 1789 caused to infiltrate, if I may use that expression, the minds of the peasantry, the sons of the soil. The Revolution affected certain localities more than others. This side of Burgundy, nearest to Paris, is one of those places where the revolutionary ideas spread like the overrunning of the Franks by the Gauls.“
General Comte de Montcornet and his wife are breakfasting with Blondet and the Abbe when Mouche comes to sell the otter and Madame sees and hears Mouche's sad story. His father died serving Napoleon and his mother by following her husband. The young boy is hardly being taught by his grandfather, who is basically showing him how to swindle. Madame offers him breakfast and clothes. Fourchon comes and wants a price of 25, the cost for the otter. He then goes on why Montcornet should beware because the peasant are not his friends. He looks to scare the chateau and looks for a stable position for Mouche. Sibilet is a kind of knaveing and Michaud having been in the military is a strong and upright man who take care of the estates. Silibet is the steward and Michaud is the baliff who when he sees that Fourchon has cheated the General out of money and having had someone in his family steal this morning which Vatel saw and other men are to talk to Montcortnet.
“When General Montcornet took possession of Les Aigues, Gaubertin was no longer rich enough to give up his place. In order to marry his daughter to a rich banker he was obliged to give her a dowry of two hundred thousand francs; he had to pay thirty thousand for his son’s practice; and all that remained of his accumulations was three hundred and seventy thousand, out of which he would be forced, sooner or later, to pay the dowry of his remaining daughter, Elise, for whom he hoped to arrange a marriage at least as good as that of her sister. The steward determined to study the general, in order to find out if he could disgust him with the place, — hoping still to be able to carry out his defeated plan in his own interests. With the peculiar instinct which characterizes those who make their fortunes by craft, Gaubertin believed in a resemblance of nature (which was not improbable) between an old soldier and an Opera-singer. An actress, and a general of the Empire, — surely they would have the same extravagant habits, the same careless prodigality? To the one as to the other, riches came capriciously and by lucky chances. If some soldiers are wily and astute and clever politicians, they are exceptions; a soldier is, usually, especially an accomplished cavalry officer like Montcornet, guileless, confident, a novice in business, and little fitted to understand details in the management of an estate. Gaubertin flattered himself that he could catch and hold the general with the same net in which Mademoiselle Laguerre had finished her days. But it so happened that the Emperor had once, intentionally, allowed Montcornet to play the same game in Pomerania that Gaubertin was playing at Les Aigues; consequently, the general fully understood a system of plundering"
"he had himself learned the secrets of it; accordingly, he passed himself off as another Mademoiselle Laguerre, a course which lulled the steward into false security. This apparent simple-mindedness lasted all the time it took the general to learn the strength and weakness of Les Aigues, to master the details of its revenues and the manner of collecting them, and to ascertain how and where the robberies occurred, together with the betterments and economies which ought to be undertaken. Then, one fine morning, having caught Gaubertin with his hand in the bag, as the saying is, the general flew into one of those rages peculiar to the imperial conquerors of many lands. In doing so he committed a capital blunder, — one that would have ruined the whole life of a man of less wealth and less consistency than himself, and from which came the evils, both small and great, with which the present history teems. Brought up in the imperial school, accustomed to deal with men as a dictator, and full of contempt for “civilians,” Montcornet did not trouble himself to wear gloves when it came to putting a rascal of a land-steward out of doors. Civil life and its precautions were things unknown to the soldier already embittered by his loss of rank. He humiliated Gaubertin ruthlessly, though the latter drew the harsh treatment upon himself by a cynical reply which roused Montcornet’s anger."
"Montcornet might have dismissed his steward under pretext of paying off a military obligation by putting some old soldier in his place; Gaubertin and the general would have understood the matter, and the latter, by sparing the steward’s self-love would have given him a chance to withdraw quietly. Gaubertin, in that case, would have left his late employer in peace, and possibly he might have taken himself and his savings to Paris for investment. But being, as he was, ignominiously dismissed, the man conceived against his late master one of those bitter hatreds which are literally a part of existence in provincial life, the persistency, duration, and plots of which would astonish diplomatists who are trained to let nothing astonish them. A burning desire for vengeance led him to settle at Ville-aux-Fayes, and to take a position where he could injure Montcornet and stir up sufficient enmity against to force him to sell Les Aigues.”
“The Catholic religion, and it alone, is able to prevent these capitulations of conscience. But, ever since 1789 religion has no influence on two thirds of the French people. The peasants, whose minds are keen and whose poverty drives them to imitation, had reached, specially in the valley of Les Aigues, a frightful state of demoralization. They went to mass on Sundays, but only at the outside of the church, where it was their custom to meet and transact business and make their weekly bargains.”
“The audacity with which communism, that living and acting logic of democracy, attacks society from the moral side, shows plainly that the Samson of to-day, grown prudent, is undermining the foundations of the cellar, instead of shaking the pillars of the hall.”
Mademoiselle Laguerre thought that her ladies maid and stewart were really serving her well ut they were serving themselves. At first maid, Cochet tried to warn her about the stewart, Francois Gaubertin but he could make her reputation pay, so she played along and became swindling partners. Cochet married her suitor, Soudry, he waited over 15 years until Laugere's death. Gaubertin thought he could buy Les Aigues but General Montcornet was able to at a higher price which Gaubertin darn not pay. Gaubertin's income decreased after putting his son through school and his two daughters high dot. Gaubertin thought he could still play the game with the General that he did with the actress but he could not fool the new master. After Montecornet determined the folly, he insulted and whipped the stewart firing him too. Gaubertin looks to ruin the General and have him lose Les Aigues.
“Gaubertin, who discovered during the excitement of the scene (which lasted more than two hours) the difficulties in which the general would soon be involved, jumped on his pony after leaving the room where the quarrel took place, and galloped to Soulanges to consult the Soudrys. At his first words, “The general and I have parted; whom can we put in my place without his suspecting it?” the Soudrys understood their friend’s wishes. Do not forget that Soudry, for the last seventeen years chief of police of the canton, was doubly shrewd through his wife, an adept in the particular wiliness of a waiting-maid of an Opera divinity.”
“The installation of Sibilet took place in the autumn of 1817. The year 1818 went by without the general being able to set foot at Les Aigues, for his approaching marriage with Mademoiselle de Troisville, which was celebrated in January, 1819, kept him the greater part of the summer near Alencon, in the country-house of his prospective father-in-law.”
“Though Napoleon had made him a count of the Empire and given him the following arms, a field quarterly, the first, azure, bordure or, three pyramids argent; the second, vert, three hunting horns argent; the third, gules, a cannon or on a gun-carriage sable, and, in chief, a crescent or; the fourth, or, a crown vert, with the motto (eminently of the middle ages!), “Sound the charge,” — Montcornet knew very well that he was the son of a cabinet-maker in the faubourg Saint-Antoine, though he was quite ready to forget it. He was eaten up with the desire to be a peer of France, and dreamed of his grand cordon of the Legion of honor, his Saint-Louis cross, and his income of one hundred and forty thousand.”
“Montcornet made Virginie de Troisville his heir in the marriage settlements. Completely under the control of his wife, as Blondet’s letter has already shown, he was still without children, but Louis XVIII. had received him, and given him the cordon of Saint-Louis, allowing him to quarter his ridiculous arms with those of the Troisvilles, and promising him the title of marquis as soon as he had deserved the peerage by his services.”
“The general, who knew very well the canker that was eating into his revenues, departed without his wife, resolved to take vigorous measures. In so doing he reckoned, as we shall see, without his Gaubertin.”
Montcornet has fired his stewart and it is not easy to find another. Gaubertin through his friends, thinks Sibilet will do the job, he was offered in a round about way so the General had no idea that the old steward had his hand in all. Sibilet had married a pretty girl, Adeline Sarcus who had no income. She was in love with the young Lupin but his father wanted him to marry a Gaubertin, so he sent him to Paris where he had ruined himself. Adeline's love gone she was forced to marry Sibilet. Sibilet loves her but the poverty and 2 children make him greedy for income. The General after seeing the family man decides he looks like a good fit, Montcornet being a cabinet maker's son looks for a title which has been granted by the Empire and he looks for a noble wife, with the help of a friend, he marrys a Troisville and this keeps him in Paris longer which causes more trouble at his estate, demanding he comes home sooner.
March 10, 2021
I am no stranger to Balzac's Human Comedy. I am gradually working my through all the works in the recommended reading order. I am just over halfway. With this in mind, it is with hesitation and sadness that I give this book such a low rating. Of the approximately fifty novels, novellas and short stories in the series I have read, to date, it is quite possibly the worst. In his introduction, Balzac acknowledges that it had taken him eight years and many attempts to complete. In the end, the very hurried conclusion suggests that he simply wanted to get it out of the way. For much of the book it has the appearance of being intended to be one of his major projects and therefore longer works. Sadly, not for the first time, Balzac gets lost in his own detail. The worst part of his writing (his endless descriptions, sometimes, for example, of every item of furniture in a room) is represented here, but, much worse, the reader is burdened with a telephone directory's worth of characters, making it almost impossible for the reader both to remember (them all) and follow (the story, as a consequence). This book could have worked if, instead of continuing, he had gone back to the beginning, started again and simplified the plot much. I would urge, therefore, that only dedicated followers of The Human Comedy turn to this instalment. For the rest of you, it is one to steer clear of.
August 18, 2013
for someone born and raised in the countryside of southern Europe (me) this book is a masterpiece..it completely makes sense..
it isn't just a a classic but a story completely realistic.
Reading Les Paysans someone could understand the causes of financial and social crisis in S.Europe.
it isn't just a a classic but a story completely realistic.
Reading Les Paysans someone could understand the causes of financial and social crisis in S.Europe.
August 9, 2016
Comparing to other books I`ve read by Balzac,this is the worst.He was exaggerating in descriptions of nature.The plot was ok,it was exciting,thrilling from time to time.But reading this book I had to try so hard to stay focused.Denouement is not convincing.It seems as Balzac was in a hurry.
January 14, 2018
This was bleak even for Balzac, but he would appear to have given a chillingly accurate description of some knavish people. As always, he fleshes out his story with some remarkable characters. Why is it that the villains always seem to be more true to life?
September 5, 2014
My summary of this rather-too-long short story is at http://balzacbooks.wordpress.com/2013...
August 6, 2019
ένας αξιωματικός αποφασίζει να μείνει σε ένα χωριό
και όλοι όσοι συναντά δεν έχουν λυτρωμό να πούμε!
ανατριχιαστικό, ψυχοπλακωτικό, ώρες-ώρες γελάς από τα νεύρα, μα διαχρονικό τίγκα
και όλοι όσοι συναντά δεν έχουν λυτρωμό να πούμε!
ανατριχιαστικό, ψυχοπλακωτικό, ώρες-ώρες γελάς από τα νεύρα, μα διαχρονικό τίγκα
September 7, 2024
The most amazing book ever read. Although Balzac isn’t one of those authors who tend to satisfy the reader at the end of the story, I adore all of his books as it describes things as there are and it presents the society and all social matters with bare truth and all of their flaws. It is quite admirable that this book was written back in the 18th century yet it is like a description of today’s society. So many feelings as you read it. Excellent!
October 17, 2020
*"Herkes kendi evinde, herkes kendisi için."
Sosyal tabakalaşma, maddi durumun getirdiği kültür farklılıkları, sosyal alışkanlıklar o kadar güzel işlenmiş ki. Ben Balzac'dan bu kadar sosyoloji içerikli bir kitap beklemezdim. Fransa'da Avonne vadisinde 60 haneli bir köy olan Balngy'de burjuva ve köylünün çıkar çatışmalarına şahit oluyorsunuz.
Sosyal tabakalaşma, maddi durumun getirdiği kültür farklılıkları, sosyal alışkanlıklar o kadar güzel işlenmiş ki. Ben Balzac'dan bu kadar sosyoloji içerikli bir kitap beklemezdim. Fransa'da Avonne vadisinde 60 haneli bir köy olan Balngy'de burjuva ve köylünün çıkar çatışmalarına şahit oluyorsunuz.
December 24, 2022
An interesting view on the (im)moralism of the rural people in 19th century in France who try to benefit from their lands the most they can. Obviously a socialist criticism about how capitalism and capital relations can corrupt human relationships. I gave 3 stars because the story has so many names and in detail described characters that it can be very hard to follow.
April 21, 2023
Daha çok direniş falan beklerken Ayşe Teyze dedikodusu modunda okuduğum bir kitap oldu..
Balzac yine müthiş gözlemlerini yansıtmış..dönemin burjuvazi anlayışını eleştirmeye devam ettiği bir eseri daha..
Balzac yine müthiş gözlemlerini yansıtmış..dönemin burjuvazi anlayışını eleştirmeye devam ettiği bir eseri daha..
November 16, 2025
Podría haber sido una obra maestra, pero Balzac arruinó la novela al querer convertirla en un panfleto y llenarla de digresiones interminables. Fue un fracaso de forma comprensible y aprendió la lección para las obras de "Los parientes pobres", mucho mejor construidas.
August 8, 2020
This one was rather difficult as Balzac's love of detail and desire to tell a back story for each character got out of hand. But the detail and back stories are quite good.
August 29, 2021
Περίεργη περίπτωση το συγκεκριμένο μυθιστόρημα. Αρκετά άνισο θα έλεγα, μιας και υπάρχουν αρκετά σημεία που μοιάζουν πρόχειρα.
September 14, 2023
Πολυλογάς ο Μπαλζάκ και έχει πολλούς χαρακτήρες.
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