Vautrin

by Honoré de Balzac, Prescott W Katherine Prescott Wormerley (Translator), Katherine Prescott Wormerley (Translator)

Large format for easy reading. Work from the 'La Comedie Humaine' series from the man hailed as the 'Charles Dickens of France' and one of the founding fathers of French Realist writing.

Genres: Plays, French Literature

124 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1839

About the author

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was delighted to run across a collection of plays by Honoré de Balzac at the Central Library. Some years ago, I read all of Balzac's novels and stories, but never any of his plays. So I will now take the opportunity of reading all of them over the next couple of months. The drama in Balzac's time was very different from our own: I keep thinking of the movie Children of Paradise which was set at that time.

Vautrin stars the master criminal Jacques Collin, who goes under that name. Vautrin was in a number of Balzac's greatest novels, most particularly Père Goriot, Lost Illusions, and The Splendors And Miseries Of Courtesans V1. Except that the action of the play takes place years earlier, after the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy following the fall of Napoleon.

The action centers around an attempt by Vautrin to marry a foundling into a noble family. There are numerous ups and downs as Vautrin passes himself off as a Mexican diplomat, and the Duke of Montsorel wishes to pass off an illegitimate offspring of one of his mistresses as the real thing.

[Classic reverie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would not read this until after reading " Father Goriot" and "Lost Illusions" because this becomes more interesting from the comparison and not ruining those other novels. I really enjoyed this play because the ending has a different spin but the similarities are still present here. Balzac's " Vautrin" was produced in 1840, the stories that correspond were written 1837-1852. So he was using fluid ideas for both but "Lost Illusions" was still in progress .

Play in short- Vautrin finds a protege who he looks to live be his life through, just like in "The Human Comedy".

The below highs are from my Delphi Collection of Balzac;

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For those readers who now make the acquaintance of the dramas, we would say briefly that the Balzac Theatre comprises five plays — Vautrin, Les Ressources de Quinola, Pamela Giraud, La Maratre, and Mercadet. These plays are in prose. They do not belong to the apprenticeship period of the Works of Youth, but were produced in the heyday of his powers, revealing the mature man and the subtle analyst of character, not at his best, but at a point far
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above his worst. True, their production aroused condemnation on the part of many contemporary dramatic critics, and were the source of much annoyance and little financial gain to their creator.


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Presented for the first time at the Porte-Saint-Martin Theatre, Paris March 14, 1840
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Must the author explain his work? Its only possible commentator is M. Frederick Lemaitre. Must he complain of the injunction which delayed the presentation of his play? That would be to betray ignorance of his time and country. Petty tyranny is the besetting sin of constitutional governments; it is thus they are disloyal to themselves, and on the other hand, who are so cruel as the weak? The present government is a spoilt child, and does what it likes, excepting that it fails

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to secure the public weal or the public vote.
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PERSONS OF THE PLAY Jacques Collin, known as Vautrin The Duc de Montsorel The Marquis Albert de Montsorel, son to Montsorel Raoul de Frascas Charles Blondet, known as the Chevalier de Saint-Charles Francois Cadet, known as the Philosopher Fil-de-Soie Buteux
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Philippe Boulard, known as Lafouraille A Police Officer Joseph Bonnet, footman to the Duchesse de Montsorel The Duchesse de Montsorel (Louise de Vaudrey) Mademoiselle de Vaudrey, aunt to the Duchesse de Montsorel The Duchesse de Christoval Inez de Christoval, Princesse D’Arjos Felicite, maid to the Duchesse de Montsorel Servants, Gendarmes, Detectives, and others
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SCENE: Paris TIME: 1816, after the second return of the Bourbons.


❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert


I loved that this story ended up favorably compared to Lucien troubles in "Lost Illusions" , Raoul has similarities to Lucien but indeed quite different. Lucien had known the Vautrin had not done things in the up and up but he was kept away from that folly. Both had needed help but Raoul was in dire straights without a family to go home to. Lucien had his mother, sister and brother in law. Raoul was sent away because his father did not believe he was his child, his mother never could give up in finding her child. Vautrin, is a mastermind that taught them both but were Raoul is more honorable than Lucien, but he is also of noble birth, Lucien would have loved that kind of status. Lucien kills himself and he was about to be saved. Raoul wins his parents and the lady he loves who is rich too. Lucien was giving up his love for Esther for position and wealth. The duel that had tried to make Rastignac rich in "Father Goriot" by killing a rich man's son but Rastignac refused. The duel of Albert and Raoul is stopped when Vautrin hears they are brothers. The detective is the nemesis of Vautrin just like in "The Human Comedy" he dies eventually and Vautrin becomes head of the agency. In the book they come at odds but both are alive at the end. I was happy that Raoul's parents forgave each other and it seems are keeping quiet about Albert's true mother. Vautrin in the play goes to jail but it is unknown for how long, at the end of "The Human Comedy" he works for the government.

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Vautrin, a drama in five acts, was presented for the first time in the Porte-Saint-Martin theatre, March 14, 1840. The preface, dated May 1, 1840, was not ready in time for the printing of the first edition, which was a small octavo volume published by Delloye & Tresse. It appeared in the second edition, two months later. The dedication
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was to Laurent-Jan. [See “Jan” in Repertory.] The play was a distinct failure, but its construction and temper combine to explain this. At the same time it makes interesting reading; and it will prove especially entertaining to readers of the Comedie Humaine who have dreaded and half-admired the redoubtable law-breaker, who makes his initial entrance in Le Pere Goriot and plays so important a part in Illusions Perdues, and Splendeurs et Miseres des Courtisanes. Here we find Vautrin in a favorite situation. He becomes
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the powerful protector of an unknown young man — much as he picked up Lucien de Rubempre in Illusions Perdues, and attempted to aid Rastignac in Le Pere Goriot — and devotes all his sinister craft to his protege’s material interests. The playwright is careful to preserve some degree of the young man’s self-respect. Chance favors the two by providing the unknown hero with worthy parents; and Vautrin’s schemes unexpectedly work out for good. As in the story of Pere Goriot again, Vautrin, after furthering
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matrimonial deals and other quasi-benevolent projects, ends in the clutches of the law. Of Raoul little need be said. He is the foil for his dread protector and he is saved from dishonor by a narrow margin. The scene is laid at Paris, just after the second accession of the House of Bourbon, in 1816. Titles and families are in some confusion on account of the change of dynasties. It is therefore an opportune time for Vautrin to manufacture scutcheons as occasion may demand. Since this story of Vautrin is not included in
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the Comedie, it will not be found among the biographical facts recorded in the Repertory.




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The Duchess Ah! So you have been waiting for me! How very good of you! Mademoiselle de Vaudrey What is the matter, Louise? This is
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the first time in the twelve years of our mutual mourning, that I have seen you cheerful. Knowing you as I do, it makes me alarmed. The Duchess I cannot help showing my unhappiness, and you, who have shared all my sorrows, alone can understand my rapture at the faintest gleam of hope. Mademoiselle de Vaudrey Have you come upon any traces of your lost son?
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The Duchess He is found! Mademoiselle de Vaudrey Impossible! When you find out your error it will add to your anguish. The Duchess A child who is dead has but a tomb in the heart of his mother; but the child who has been stolen, is still living in that heart, dear aunt. Mademoiselle de Vaudrey Suppose you were overheard!
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The Duchess I should not care. I am setting out on a new life, and I feel strong enough to resist even the tyranny of De Montsorel. Mademoiselle de Vaudrey After twenty-two years of mourning, what possible occurrence can give you ground for hope? The Duchess I have much more than hope! After the king’s reception, I went to the Spanish ambassador’s, where I was introduced to Madame de Christoval. There I saw a young man who resembled me, and had
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my voice. Do you see what I mean? If I came home late it was because I remained spellbound in the room, and could not leave until he had gone. Mademoiselle de Vaudrey Yet what slight warrant you had for your elation! The Duchess Is not a revelation such as that more than sufficient warrant for the rapture of a mother’s heart? At the sight of that young stranger a flame seemed to dart before my yes; his glance gave me new life; I felt
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happy once more. If he were not my son, my feelings would be quite unaccountable. Mademoiselle de Vaudrey You must have betrayed yourself! The Duchess Yes, perhaps I did! People doubtless noticed us; but I was carried away by an uncontrollable impulse; I saw no one but him, I wished to hear him talk, and he talked with me, and told me his age. He is twenty-three, the same age as Fernand!

[myriam kisfaludi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toujours pas convaincue des talents de dramaturge de Balzac.