Béatrix

La Comédie Humaine #20

by Honoré de Balzac

L'éducation sentimentale d'un jeune homme, Calyste du Guénic, «magnifique rejeton de la plus vieille race bretonne» (l'action commence à Guérande), et le douloureux vieillissement d'une femme de lettres, Félicité des Touches, qui, après avoir hésité devant un dernier amour, achèvera dans un couvent l'«ardente aridité» de sa vie. George Sand a inspiré le personnage de Félicité. Marie d'Agoult et Liszt ceux de la marquise de Rochefide, «Béatrix», et de son amant, le musicien Conti, qu'elle a autrefois volé à Félicité. Entre ces quatre êtres se joue un drame subtil et dangereux dans lequel Pierre Gascar voit «l'expression la plus achevée du romantisme balzacien» et qui résume les problèmes de la condition féminine au XIXe siècle.

Genres: Classics, French Literature, Fiction, France, 19th Century, Romance, Roman

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1838

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

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Indagine nel mondo femminile

Si può riassumere in quattro parole questo magnifico romanzo di Balzac. Vi è narrata una storia d’amore insana, una passione assoluta e -perdonatemi- priva di senso tra Calyste De Guenic, un giovanissimo nobile bretone ingenuo e ignaro dell’amore, ed una navigata marchesa, Beatrix de Rochefide, simbolo di perdizione e di sensualità, una femmina misteriosa che piomba nella vita di Calyste sconvolgendola. Ma il romanzo non è soltanto questo, sarebbe riduttivo liquidarlo così.
Tre tipologie di donne vengono sezionate nei loro pensieri intimi, nei loro comportamenti verso “il maschio” e nei rapporti di invidia, gelosia ed anche odio tra loro, per la “gestione” del suddetto: dapprima il giovanissimo Calyste incontra la quarantenne Felicitè des Touches, anch'essa nobile, conosciuta come scrittrice con lo pseudonimo di Camille Maupin, prima tipologia di donna, indipendente, brillante, intelligente, bella, è un’artista che vive fuori dagli schemi della buona società, razionale tanto da capire di essere troppo vecchia per una relazione con un ventenne, e al contempo guidata dal sentimento perché innamorata di Calyste a tal punto da ordire una serie di inganni ai danni del povero ragazzo -cui l’amore è ancora ignoto- per farlo innamorare di Beatrix, prototipo della seduttrice scaltra ed abilissima, la femme fatale, che trascinerà il giovane alla rovina. Potrebbe sembrare un banalissimo feuilleton, una “fiction” rosa dei nostri tempi, ma non è così, fidatevi, perché la maestria di Balzac rende il romanzo un gioiello di scrittura.
I tre quarti del romanzo sono un capolavoro di studio (le descrizioni dei personaggi nel loro aspetto fisico e quelle dei luoghi fatte nella parte iniziale sono stupende) e di indagine psicologica di queste due donne, l’artista, donna piena di contraddizioni, colta e raffinata, moderna per alcuni versi e rientrante nel solco della tradizione letteraria dell’epoca per altri versi, secondo me il personaggio più interessante del romanzo perché non si riesce ad etichettarla in alcun modo, mentre l’altra è “il demonio”, la donna bella e fascinosa che pensa soltanto a sé stessa e conquista gli uomini per divertimento, per aggiungere un nuovo trofeo alle proprie conquiste.
Poi vi è l’ultima parte, aggiunta successivamente da Balzac, che introduce il terzo tipo di donna, l’angelo del focolare, la moglie fedele e innamorata, Sabine de Grandlieu, sposata da Calyste senza amore. E i personaggi maschili? Fanno proprio una pessima figura, a partire da Calyste, che passa da sciocco, senza carattere, trascinato da una passione che coinvolge soltanto i sensi.
Non vi dico chi trionferà nel finale caotico e poco coinvolgente (che mi ha portato a dare 4 stelle al romanzo, da cinque stelle fino ai due terzi), consiglio soltanto di leggere un romanzo che rappresenta magistralmente le donne, nei loro pregi e nei loro difetti.

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 3 out of 5]

BEATRIX IS A COMPLETE BITCH Total ho she’s going to hell and not collecting $100. She has gotten enough funds from her conquests the devil doesn’t owe her anything else.


I have such a hard time believing that these young men (who are called "my child" but they are most likely older teenagers would act this way over women. They cry and whine and hide. It's really quite disgusting. Is it just me because I'm not of a romantic, intimate disposition? Sickening!

[Maria Thomarey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 να ένα περίεργο βιβλίο του Μπαλζάκ . Στηριγμένο σε διάσημα πρόσωπα του καιρού του , είναι ένα τέλειο σχόλιο πάνω στην επαρχία και το Παρίσι . Δεν είναι χαρακτηριστικά δείγμα του Μπαλζακικου έργου , αλλά είναι υπνωτιστικα γοητευτικό

[Armin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nutze die Gesamtausgabe, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Wollte aber eine Rezi speziell zu diesem ganz besonderen Teil der CH schreiben. Ich verrate zwar keine expliziten Auflösungsdetails, aber mein Versuch diesem seltsam-sperrigen Werk gerecht zu werden, das die Leser gelegentlich doch arg auf die Folter spannt, besteht eine gewisse Spoilergefahr.

Als Schlüsselroman, in dessen Personal die zeitgenössischen Leser leicht George Sand, Marie d'Agoult, Franz Liszt und den Kritikerpapst jener Ära erkennen konnten, bot das Werk alle Voraussetzungen zu einem Bestseller und war auch ein kommerzieller Erfolg. Zumal Balzac es den Lesern sonst nicht so leicht machte, die Vorbilder für Helden wie Schurken zu erkennen.
Trotz Prominenz hat der Roman seitdem viel an Popularität eingebüßt, durchaus zu Recht, die Wahrnehmungsgewohnheiten haben sich geändert, das erste Drittel gleicht eher dem Spaziergang durch ein Schloss oder dem Besuch einer Gemäldegalerie, wer Filmoptik oder Clip-Tempo gewohnt ist, wird sich schnell langweilen. Im Vergleich zu den Gipfeln wie Gobseck, Pére Goriot, Verlorene Illusionen oder Glanz und Elend gibt es aber auch ein paar Abstriche in Sachen Balance und charakterlicher Tiefenschärfe. Die vier oben genannten Werke, die so etwas wie das Rückgrat der Comédie Humaine bilden, sollte man unbedingt gelesen haben, bevor man sich dieses Ungeheuer antut, sonst verliert das Finale seinen erlösenden Charakter für einen im Romanuniversum und der Leser hat ziemlich lange umsonst gelitten.
Die ersten 2/3 spielen im hintersten Winkel der Bretagne, wo fast noch mittelalterliche Verhältnisse zwischen Herrschaft und Landbevölkerung herrschen. Balzac beschreibt den Stammsitz der Guenics, Uradelige mit etlichen Kreuzrittern im Stammbaum, die bei jeder monarchistischen oder legitimistischen Revolte auf der Seite des Königs oder älteren Linie gestanden hatten. Der Patriarch ist mittlerweile 74 und hat im Exil eine junge Irin aus gutem katholischen Hause geheiratet und mit ihr einen mittlerweile 20jährigen Sohn Calyste, ein bildhübsches Bübchen, das schon mit 16 seinen Mut bei einer adeligen Revolte beweisen durfte, aber auf einmal vollkommen aus der Art fällt und sich an keine Regeln mehr hält. Außer Kirche, Kartenspiel und gelegentlichem Krieg hat das Leben auf dem Stammsitz, wo extrem sparsam gewirtschaftet wird, auch nichts zu bieten.
Mutter Fanny, die gar nicht weiß, was Liebe ist, sofern es sich nicht um Gefühle für den eigenen Sohn handelt, stellt den Spätheimkehrer nach Mitternacht und erfährt, dass er seine Zeit bei der Skandalautorion Félicitie des Touches verbringt, einer Zigarren rauchenden Frau in Hosen, die unter dem Männernamen Camille Maupin auch noch Bücher schreibt und zwei skandalöse Affären hatte. Zu allem übel bedroht die Beziehung des schönen Sohnes zu einer Frau, die seine Mutter sein könnte, auch die Bestrebungen zu einer standesgemäßen Sanierung der Finanzen über eine Heirat.
Aber die Skandalnudel ist (noch) zu klug, um sich auf eine Liebe einzulassen, die ihr das Herz brechen würde, also lässt sie Béatrice de Rochefide den Vortritt, einer zehn Jahre jüngeren Blondine, die sie schon mal bei einem Komponisten beerbt hat, der nun seinerseits eine frische Muse braucht, während Béatrice die ganze Zeit darunter gelitten hat, dass der eitle Maestro immer zuerst an sich und seine Kunst denkt. Der tumbe Calyste, der nichts von der Welt weiß und nichts kennt als seine frisch erwachten Gefühle für Béatrice, verheddert sich prompt in sämtlichen Intrigen und bringt mit seiner an Idiotie grenzenden Unbedingtheit auch sämtliche Pläne Félicités zu Fall, die Sache mit der praktisch schon aufgegebenen Geliebten des Komponisten zu richten. Nach dem Scheitern aller Pläne entsagt F der Welt und richtet ihrem schönen Schwarm eine reiche Heirat in jenen Hochadel ein, der anderen Helden der CH ziemlich schnöde die Tür vor der Nase zuschlug.
Calyste ist über sein schlechtes Timing, bzw. die zu frühe Rückkehr des Komponisten, der nach dem Durchfall seiner jüngsten Oper nicht auch noch einem jüngeren Mann einen Erfolg gönnen wollte, emotional vollkommen eingefroren, taut weder in den Flitterwochen noch später auf. Auch Nachwuchs ändert nichts an der herzhaften Verstockung des Prachtexemplars von einem Kerl, sondern verschärft noch die Lage als Béatrix wieder verfügbar scheint.
In diesem Kapiteln lässt Balzac die junge Sabine wie die Leser erbarmungslos leiden, vor allem habe ich diesen von seiner Mätresse in allerlei Machtspielchen genasführten Dummkopf mit seinem Herzen voll unbedingter Liebe für eine alternde Kokotte gehasst, der kaltherzig den Rest der Welt zugrunde gehen lässt. Calyste, den Balzac immer noch irgendwie als sonst guten Menschen dastehen lässt, war mir zuletzt verächtlicher als der übelste Schuft im CH-Universum, der Falschspieler Maxime de Trailles, der so viele Familien ruiniert hat und auch die ihm hörige ältere Tochter von Pére Goriot zu allerlei Grausamkeiten wie der Ausplünderung des Vaters, Gattenmord und Testamentsfälschung motiviert.
Und dann taucht dieser Diavolus ex Machina tatsächlich als Löser des vollkommen verfahrenen Konflikts auf, denn Béatrix fordert von Calyste den ultimativen Liebesbeweis, gleichbedeutend mit dem kompletten gesellschaftlichen Ruin. Der Schurke, der sich aus dem Hochstaplergeschäft zurück ziehen und zugleich das frisch geheiratete viele Geld gesellschaftsfähig machen will, bietet dem Hochadel seine Dienste für eine Intrige an, die Béatrix an ihrer empfindlichsten Stelle trifft und baut zugleich seinen Nachfolger La Palferine im Flachleger- und Betrugsgeschäft auf. Ein brillantes Finale, zugleich so etwas wie der knappere Vorlauf zu Vautrins last Avatar (Finale Glanz und Elend), in Sachen Entstehungschronologie.
Einen Schönheitsfehler hat das großartige Ende dann doch, Balzac gönnt uns leider keinen Blick in den Kopf oder das Herz des glücklich kurierten Calyste. Anscheinend hatte er von diesem Blödmann auch die Nase gestrichen voll. Die Erzählung A Prince of Bohemia (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) liefert ein ausführlicheres Portrait des neuen Schlüssels zu Béatrix kaltem Herzen und bezeichnende Einblicke in den ziemlich unsanften Umgang des neuen Fürsten der Bohéme mit reichen, älteren Frauen.

[Clara (The Bookworm of Notre-Dame) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
BALZAC, JE T’AIME TANT.

[Classic reverie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me awhile to finish this story. Why? I actually loved it at the final curtain but I was so exasperated by the male lead, Calyste which drove me to distraction. I felt many emotions as I read this story which shows how Balzac can write a story, isn't a great story one that stirs an emotional response to a reader. Also Camille Maupin in building up the infamous Beatrix to the young man and knowing that the she-wolf would bring trouble to this noble family.

Is love blind and will it always be that way? Camille tries to rectify that folly but it seems so useless because the dye is cast and the young man sees halos around the woman who is wrapped in horns.

I did not read this edition but a Delphi collection of his works with the below comments.

"This 1839 novel first appeared in the periodical Le Siècle in August 1839 and appeared in book form the same year."

"The narrative introduces the handsome young man named Calyste du Guénic, who is in love with the older woman, Félicité des Touches, a famous writer using the pen name of Camille Maupin. Félicité at first does not reciprocate Calyste’s feelings and Calyste falls in love with the blonde marchioness Béatrix de Rochefide. Balzac based the characters on real-life figures, with Félicité des Touches being based on the novelist George Sand."

I wonder how much George Sand is in this character, Camille Maupin, but it gives us an idea how society frowned on learned women and book writing.


Story in short- Calyste is madly in love with an older fallen woman who uses all her wiles to keep him at her feet.

From "Secrets of the Princesse de Cadignan"

“When you told me, the other day, that Beatrix had gone off with Conti, I thought of it all night long,” said the princess, after a pause. “I suppose there was happiness in sacrificing her position, her future, and renouncing society forever.”


“She was a little fool,” said Madame d’Espard, gravely. “Mademoiselle des Touches was delighted to get rid of Conti. Beatrix never perceived how that surrender, made by a superior woman who never for a moment defended her claims, proved Conti’s nothingness.”


💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢 Spoiler Alert💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠

I was finally happy when I saw Calyste and his wife Sabine happy. The time and energy
to put in the plan to show him that his angel is the devil in disguise without a heart. Camille kept helping him with Beatrix but saw the folly and damage this did to the young man and finds a girl for him to marry. A wife beautiful and good can not keep him from the jezbel but seeing the truth about her, finally he is free.


"ROCHEFIDE (Marquise de), wife of the preceding, younger daughter of the Marquis de Casteran; born Beatrix-Maximilienne-Rose de Casteran, about 1808, in the Casteran Castle, department of Orne. After being reared there she became the wife of the Marquis of Rochefide in 1828. She was fair of skin, but a flighty vain coquette, without heart or brains — a second Madame d’Espard, except for her lack of intelligence. About 1832 she left her husband to flee into Italy with the musician, Gennaro Conti, whom she took from her friend, Mademoiselle des Touches. Finally she allowed Calyste du Guenic to pay her court. She had met him also at her friend’s house, and at first resisted the young man. Afterwards, when he was married, she abandoned herself to him. This liaison filled Madame du Guenic with despair, but was ended after 1840 by the crafty manoeuvres of the Abbe Brossette. Madame de Rochefide then rejoined her husband in the elegant mansion on rue d’Anjou-Saint-Honore, but not until she had retired with him to Nogent-sur-Marne, to care for her health which had been injured during the resumption of marital relations. Before this reconciliation she lived in Paris on rue de Chartres-du-Roule, near Monceau Park. The Marquise de Rochefide had, by her husband, a son, who was for some time under the care of Madame Schontz."

"GUENIC (Gaudebert-Calyste-Louis du), probably born in 1815, at Guerande, Loire-Inferieure; only son of the foregoing, by whom he was adored, and to whose dual influence he was subject. He was the physical and moral replica of his mother. His father wished to make him a gentleman of the old school. In 1832 he fought for the heir of the Bourbons. He had other aspirations which he was able to satisfy at the home of an illustrious chatelaine of the vicinity, Mlle. Felicite des Touches. The chevalier was much enamored of the celebrated authoress, who had great influence over him, did not accept him and turned him over to Mme. de Rochefide. Beatrix played with the heir of the house of Guenic the same ill-starred comedy carried through by Antoinette de Langeais with regard to Montriveau. Calyste married Mlle. Sabine de Grandlieu, and took the title of baron after his father’s death. He lived in Paris on Faubourg Saint-Germain, and between 1838 and 1840 was acquainted with Georges de Maufrigneuse, Savinien de Portenduere, the Rhetores, the Lenoncourt-Chaulieus and Mme. de Rochefide — whose lover he finally became. The intervention of the Duchesse de Grandlieu put an end to this love affair. Beatrix. "


"GUENIC (Madame Calyste du), born Sabine de Grandlieu; wife of the preceding, whom she married about 1837. Nearly three years later she was in danger of dying upon hearing, at her confinement, that she had a fortunate rival in the person of Beatrix de Rochefide. "

I was aggregated with Calyste throughout and also Camille who was the one to glorify Beatrix. She says she does it because she loves him and she must have him not give attentions to her because she is too old, near 50. Her trying to have Calyste snap out of it too late. His wife an angel yet he flies to the evil one with a passion. Sabine loves Calyste too much and happily they are united at the end. Calyste is the son of Baron du Guenic who had lift his country after not surrendering to Napoleon. He goes to Ireland and marries and returns home 20 years later. When the Baron comes back home with his young wife, his sister is happy that, the couple wants her to remain in charge. The du Guenics are frequented by Jacqueline de Pen-Hoel, who has money and wanting a union with the du The nice for one of her nieces to marry the young Calyste which Zaphirine agrees. Also the rector comes and knows of Jacqueline's plans. An old Chevalier du Halga often comes too. The Baroness and rector talk of Calyste and Mademoiselle des Touches and his infatuation for this actress/writer who has many lovers; she is over 40 & Calyste stays over at her home. They have plans for his wife which he needs to find some with some money.Camille's history- Felicite had lost her parents and lived with an uncle who was an intellectual and Felicite helped him which had increased her mind to vast knowledge. Her woman cousins would make fun of her lack of social graces which to show them all, Felicite learned. She had fallen in love but was left for another. Then she had come back with Conti, the composer who she had befriended and made Les Touches more beautiful. She was thought to have bad behavior by many especially at Guerdane. She appears to be wanting to marry the critic, Claude Vignon but that seems false. She has excelled in music, writing and beauty. Calyste sees Felicite at home. She seems to be worried about Claude Vignon not having returned from his walk. Does she love Claude? It seems not. Calyste sees the contrast of his dull home life and Les Touches. Marquise de Rochefide is a friend of Felicite who had taken away Conti, the composer from her and the Marquise Beatrix left her husband for Conti. Felicite thinks Conti only loves himself. Calyste's mother Fanny hears about his wanting love not just to be married as the family plans; Fanny finally agrees and wants her son happy though she has never loved. Calyste has fallen in love with the description of Beatrix. Then he sees her in person which gives his love heat but she does not respond to him. He feels worthless after hearing Condi work. Calyste can not hide his ardor. Claude sees Calyste upsets and tells him that he sees Camille loves him a d that he, Claude is upset with women; him and Condi will be leaving in a couple of days; beware. Calyste goes to see the women send off Conti and Claude. He sees Charlotte and her mother, Madame de Kergarouet plus Mademoiselle de Pen-Hoel. Charlotte sees that Calyste is cold and the reason why is the Parsian women and she becomes jealous. Beatrix needed to leave her son when she left her husband's home. Calyste compares the Parisian to Provincial women and knows that he will never marry Charlotte though all but his mother think he will because he says he no longer loves Camille but they do not factor in Beatrix. His mother sees him anxious to go to Les Touches, she makes an excuse for Madame Kergarouet for a ride in the morning. Camille has been working on Beatrix trying to make her go to Calyste which started to work but Calyste ruined it after declaring to Beatrix that he no longer loves Camille but adores her. Beatrix started to get cold and has Conti come for her. Calyste writes a love letter to Beatrix which she coyly tells him that she can not love another and he must find and it be Camille. His ardor is increased which worries his mother. Camille is upset to hear the letter Calyste sent Beatrix but wants him to have her. So Camille tries to confuse Beatrix in admitting that she does love Calyste. Calyste's parents go by the sea where the party goes and Fanny sees that Camille loves her son but the marquise does not. When climbing and talking Calyste pushes Beatrix after she says she will never be his and he tells her she will be no other. She falls and almost dies but the help of the party which includes Camille and Gasselin, Beatrix and Calyste kiss. I think what is disturbing me is his rejection of camille though older, a good sort and there is something unsettling about Beatrice. Conti has arrived. It seems that Beatrix wants Calyste to idolize her but not to make love which any times he brings up running away she talks of not being her own and tied to Conti. She also keeps him in check about the accident. Camille tries to open Calyste's eyes to the false Beatrix but it is useless. Conti gets Calyste a drink to make him tell of his love. Calyste sees only good in Beatrix who has left with Conti. After Beatrix leaves with Conti, Calyste can not recover and loses interest in life and is wasting which worries his parents; this takes a toll on his father which he prays to God for his son's recovering and trading his life. Calyste tells Charlotte to marry another because he can only love Beatrix and will wait for him. Camille can not help until she mentions going to Paris to look for Beatrix. Calyste is married and Sabine his wife loves him but he seems to be doing better but Beatrix is in his heart. Camille has gone to a convent to e a nun and gives advice to Sabine for Calyste never to see Beatrix. She had started this all and trying to correct which might never be corrected. Calyste is wanting to go out and his wife tells him to go. At the opera he meets with Beatrix and after going home not seeing his wife because their son is sick, goes sees Beatrix and his love is inflamed. I hate Calyste for he is so ridiculous to like this no good Beatrix. His wife receives a perfumed short note and smells perfume on him. She tells her friend that she us going to die because her husband does not love her. Her girlfriend tells her mother who calls Calyste out in his wife condition because he saw Beatrix and they lie to Sabine that Calyste was gambling. After his wife recovers he goes to false Beatrix who says mean things about his wife. Sabine tries to win Calyste by making his home perfect but it is useless.Sabine's mother has a plan to try to win Calyste back home. Beatrix's husband she abandoned has found more wealth and a mistress. Sabine's mother looks to Maxime de Trailles to help her win Calyste back to Sabine. The plan worked that Sabine's mother with the help Charles-Edouard La Palferine, Madame Schnotz, Maxime de Trailles is performed to perfection. Rochefide has had Madame Schnotz as a wife of sorts and is happy but Maxime offers her money if she lets Arthur Rochefide go so he can take his wife back by giving her money and other help so she can marry and have importance to her husband. Palferine's debts are paid so that he is willing to help Maxime in having Beatrix show her true colors to Calyste, that she does not love him and she is not a virgin. He is able to woo Beatrix and be a tyrant which she becomes in love with him but still wanting to keep Calyste but Palferine tells she must drop him. At the opera Beatrix is made fun of by another lady which Calyste can not go to her because his wife is near but Palferine does and that seals all. Calyste thinks he and Beatrix will go away together but she refuses to see him which maddens him because of his rival which finally he sees Palerfine and he tells him that she is going back to her husband and she does not love Calyste. Finally Beatrix has fallen and he sees his folly. Sabine and Calyste are happy.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is bizarre, this story of the rivalry between two middle-aged women for the love of a hopelessly foolish young man.

It is widely acknowledged that the story was written to paint a flattering portrait of two of Balzac's friends, the famous novelist the Baroness Dudevant known also by her nom-de-plume George Sand and another lady called Madame de Steel. These two are combined in Balzac's story in the character of Mademoiselle des Touches, (whose nom-de-plume is Camille Maupin), and like George Sand she has adopted a free and independent lifestyle and some masculine habits such as smoking and wearing men's clothes.

Beatrix, Madame de Rochefide, on the other hand, is a thinly-disguised study of the Comtesse d'Agoult who wrote under the pseudonym Daniel Stern and was the lover of Franz Liszt. She is presented in an unflattering light, jealous and spiteful and outsmarted by Mademoiselle des Touches.

(As often happens in Balzac's work, the interchangeable names in this story become confusing. Balzac alternates calling Mademoiselle des Touches Camille Maupin while Beatrix is also referred to as Madame de Rochefide. In a full length novel where many chapters go by without a reminder of the alternate name, at times I found myself forgetting who they were.)

In Balzac's story the Comtesse d'Agoult's lover Liszt is Beatrix's lover Conti, while the lover of Mademoiselle des Touches is Claude Vignon, representing one of Baroness Dudevant's many lovers, the critic Gustave Planche. (She also had affairs with the poet Alfred de Musset and Frederic Chopin amongst others).

The story begins with a description of the Town of Guerande in Brittany, an isolated outpost of Royalist sympathies and a place where traditions are very firmly entrenched indeed. It is fervently Catholic, superstitious and medieval in its architecture, agricultural practices and habits. Here the du Gaisnics are impoverished aristocrats, a noble family in debt to farmers for centuries without embarrassment until reforms under the Republic. The old Baron, who fought for his king remains unresigned to the Republic but his one hope is that his son will marry a Breton girl of good family and traditions and carry on the family name.

Alas, Calyste isn't interested in Charlotte, selected to be his bride by the family. No, he falls first for the Mademoiselle des Touches, and then for Beatrix, and there follows a most unedifying battle for his affections. Quite why two educated and intelligent middle-aged women would be interested in an uneducated and singularly naive young man escapes me. But they do. When chapter Xiii begins with the sort of silly statement quoted below, I'm inclined to think that Balzac should have stuck to writing short stories not novels:

"Perhaps one of the greatest enjoyments that small minds or inferior minds can obtain is that of deceiving a great soul, and laying snares for it. Beatrix knew herself far below Camille Maupin. This inferiority lay not only in the collection of mental and moral qualities which we call talent, but in the things of the heart called passion." (Kindle location 2221)

The lengthy dialogue between these two is tedious in the extreme, the more so for being utterly unconvincing, because Beatrix doesn't really want Calyste anyway, There is a melodramatic scene on the cliffs at Croisic when she tells him so, and Mademoiselle des Touches, who has (by and large) behaved with integrity up to that point, is not only complicit in a cover-up but also jealous that Calyste doesn't love her enough to inflict violence upon her! Not content with that bit of absurdity, Balzac then makes Beatrix have an unconvincing change of heart so that she too finds herself in love with Calyste because of the violence of his feelings.

But just when Calyste has the attention of the one he loves, Conti turns up, claiming Beatrix as an old lover can apparently do. Balzac has another dig at Liszt by having Conti return for the reason that his opera has failed: he has lost fame and his mistress, and it is Camille's lover the critic Claude Vignon (of course) who makes a joke about this. Conti, his passion for Beatrix reignited by jealousy of Calyste, dupes the young man by pretending that he no longer loves Beatrix and then whisks her away overnight.

This leaves the field clear for Mademoiselle des Touches, right? But can Balzac frustrate the hopes of Calyste's old father the chevalier for an heir by marrying Calyste off to an 'old' woman? Of course not! Charlotte de Kergarouet makes a reappearance but Calyste persuades her to go off to Ireland so that he can pine for Beatrix and become dangerously ill. All this emotional tumult finally carries off the old Baron and it seems that there is nothing for it but for Mademoiselle des Touches to take Calyste off to Paris to find Beatrix and restore him to health. But Beatrix has (conveniently) disappeared abroad, and Mademoiselle des Touches decides to enter a convent because she cannot have his love. Instead she sets up a marriage with Sabine de Grandlieu, the wealthy daughter of some friends of hers, and like a mother, leaves him her fortune. (Prudently, given the state of the family finances) Calyste submits to this loveless marriage.

Not content with this absurd characterisation of the two aging rivals for Calyste's heart, Balzac now develops Sabine as a self-sacrificing virgin of great innocence who is prepared to overlook the fact that Calyste is still pining for Beatrix. He tells her that he loves another and she loves him more than ever. The new Signeur and his bride return to Guerande return (with great plans to improve the estate with her money) in triumph, but Beatrix, abandoned now by Conti, lurks not far away in a theatre and Calyste's acceptance of his marriage falters. He's not happy with the noble Sabine, and wicked Beatrix poisons his mind against her by calling her dull. When he betrays her, Sabine is distraught and her mother the duchess is called in to save her life. She covers up for Calyste and he goes along with the fraud but continues his relationship with the wicked Beatrix behind their backs: now it is Sabine and her mother who must fight this perfidious rival.

The plot becomes ever more daft. The duchess calls in La Palferine, whom we met in A Prince of Bohemia, and he seduces Beatrix so that she decides to cast off Calyste who of course suffers paroxysms of jealousy. In what seems like a long digression with a whole bunch of confusing new characters, everyone seems to be outwitting everyone else like a French farce. Eventually however Calyste is enlightened as to Beatrix's real character when she is reconciled with her husband, because it is in her own self-interest. Calyste returns to Sabine and lives in domestic harmony from then onward.

Now, I like Balzac, but this celebrated novel just seemed ridiculous to me. I hope his other novels turn out to be better than this one!

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Free download available at Project Gutenberg.

The original French text is available at La Bibliothèque électronique du Québec.



Opening lines:
France, especially in Brittany, still possesses certain towns completely outside of the movement which gives to the nineteenth century its peculiar characteristics. For lack of quick and regular communication with Paris, scarcely connected by wretched roads with the sub-prefecture, or the chief city of their own province, these towns regard the new civilization as a spectacle to be gazed at; it amazes them, but they never applaud it; and, whether they fear or scoff at it, they continue faithful to the old manners and customs which have come down to them. Whoso would travel as a moral archaeologist, observing men instead of stones, would find images of the time of Louis XV. in many a village of Provence, of the time of Louis XIV. in the depths of Pitou, and of still more ancient times in the towns of Brittany.

Scènes de la vie privée :
3* La maison du Chat-qui-pelote (1830)
3* Le bal de Sceaux (1830)
3* La Bourse (1830)
4* La Vendetta (1830)
3* Madame Firmiani (1832)
3* Une Double Famille (1830)
4* La paix du ménage (1830)
3* La Fausse Maîtresse (1842)
3* Étude de femme (1830)
4* Albert Savarus (1842)
4* Mémoires de Deux Jeunes Mariées (1841)
3* Le Colonel Chabert (1844, first published as La transaction, 1832)
4* Une fille d'Eve (1839)
3* La Femme Abandonee (1833)
4* La Grenadière (1832)
3* Le Message (1833)
3* Gobeseck (1830)
3* Autre Etude de Femme (1839-1842)
4* La Femme de Trente Ans (1834)
4* Le Contrat de Marriage (1835)
3* La Messe de L'Athee (1832)
2* Beatrix (1839)
4* La Grande Bretèche (1832)
2* Honorine (1843)

[Monica. A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guérande, città di origini feudali che, ancora nel 1820, sembra essere rimasta in pieno Medioevo.
Quanto tempo ci vorrà per avvicinarci ai personaggi della storia? Sembrano interminabili le descrizioni del ponte levatoio che fa accedere alla città, delle vie e degli edifici, per certi versi sembra un trattato storico, artistico e architettonico, più che un romanzo. Sarà una prerogativa dei francesi, ai quali sono decisamente allergica, la descrizione esasperante, minuziosa e logorroica?
Il sipario si alza, finalmente nel 1836, ci dice l'autore, e dopo 20 pagine interamente dedicate all'introduzione del luogo, ci si augura di poter iniziare anche la storia.
Beatrix vi giunge già sposata, dal 1928.
Le bionde, hanno su noi brune il vantaggio di una preziosa diversità: vi sono cento modi di essere bionda ed uno soltanto di essere bruna, dice Félicité.
Rivalità di colori, rivalità di salotti!
Calyste, è il predestinato, la giovane vittiama del fascino di Beatrix.
Tutto si riduce all'amore stucchevole, e poco interessante, di un giovane che un giorno si strugge per una donna e, quello dopo, s'invaghisce di un'altra appena conosciuta, ma che poi finisce in lacrime fra le braccia materne.
Si crea un classico triangolo, la donna innamorata aiuta il giovane a conquistare la donna che crede di amare.
Un po' in stile "Le amicizie pericolose" inizia un'intima corrispondeza frai due che poi si estende agli altri presonaggi della storia. Insomma, fra una lettera e l'altra, si sfiorano tragedie, si consumano amori e, finalmente, si giunge alla tanto sospirata conclusione.

[James F · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I like the idea of Balzac’s Comédie humaine, he just wrote too much, and much of it is uneven. This book is one of the full-length novels that anchor the shorter works of the collection, and not the best of Balzac, although oddly it was one of the most popular at the time it came out, perhaps due to the allusions to actual people. It has the double purpose of describing life in Brittany, and describing the life of intellectual women.

After about a fifth of the book comprised of pure architectural and landscape description in which nothing happens but a few games of cards, the protagonist, Calyste, a rather stupid and spoiled young Breton nobleman, becomes involved in a love triangle with two malicious and calculating older women, Felicité and Béatrix. The former is loosely based on George Sands, which Balzac both admits and denies by describing her as “a rival of George Sands”; the latter, and more unpleasant of the two, and her fatuous musician/lover Conti, are apparently based on Marie d’Agoult and Franz Liszt. (I don't know how much actual detail is taken from these real persons beyond the fact that they were artists; biographies of Sands and Liszt are on my TBR list, but so far down I may never get to them.)

In a second part of the novel, added later, Calyste and Béatrix reappear with a different set of secondary characters. There are many “cross-references” to other books and stories of the Comédie humaine. The biggest problem for a psychological/realist novel is that the psychology in many respects just didn’t seem to me to work. I suspected that this was an early work, but if the 1839 serial publication is really when it was written it came after such masterpieces as Père Goriot.

[Jeffrey Green · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unless, like me, you're set upon reading the entire Comedie Humaine, there's no reason to read this long, amorphous, tedious novel. In many ways it reads like a parody of Balzac. I don't think he had any idea where the book was going to go when he started it, and I'm not sure he had any idea where it had gone when he finished it. It contains long descriptions of Brittany, evocations of a supposed noble character of the place, cynical descriptions of life in Paris, and, at the end, a lot of manipulative action. The title is, of course, ironic, in that the woman named Beatrix has anything but a beneficent effect on the plot.
Two things are nevertheless very interesting. The first is, you can't figure out what Balzac thinks of his characters. In some instances he sounds like a total reactionary, glorifying the royalist opposition to the Revolution. In other places, he sounds like a partisan of modernity, free thought, science, progress. I believe that his ambiguous attitudes are part the secret of his usual brilliance as a novelist (aside from some failures like "Beatrix"). The second thing I noticed was that his fiction is dream-like, obeying principles of causation not anchored in the real world. Although it has many realistic elements, it's largely fantasy. Which is what fiction is, after all.

[Aurélie Lilie-C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un roman qui concilie plusieurs genres littéraires à la fois avec maestria. J'ai adoré notamment les emprunts aux tragédies de Racine, les sentiments extatiques perdus au milieu des grandes et des petites manipulations.
L'amour ne serait donc que de l'ego dont les noeuds se font et se défont au gré du vent, au gré des vanités satisfaites ou des vanités contrariées?

J'ai été moins seduite par la première partie du roman clairement écrite pour impressionner et dire son attachement et sa tendresse à George Sand. Bon...Trop de sous texte, de scenes à double entente, de messages personnels entre les lignes. Si bien qu'en tant que lecteur, on se sent parfois "exclu de la conversation". 🙂

[Rémy]

La douleur est comme cette tige de fer que les sculpteurs mettent au sein de leur glaise, elle soutient, c'est une force !

[Etienne Mahieux · Rating 4 out of 5]

Balzac a écrit ce roman en deux fois : les deux premières parties en 1839, la troisième en 1844. Le résultat final en porte une marque étrange : encore que la rupture ne corresponde pas exactement à cette construction, si les trois premiers quarts de l'oeuvre sont admirables, le quatrième quart est... disons curieux.
Le quatre-quarts, ne l'oublions pas, est une spécialité des terres bretonnes, et c'est là que débute et va longtemps se maintenir "Béatrix", à Guérande et dans les horizons de marais qui l'entourent. Fils de nobliaux locaux mais de vieille souche, Calyste du Guénic s'extirpe de la moisissure d'éternité de sa famille — longs portraits au début du roman, évoquant une province qui s'est figée dans un repli du temps — attiré comme une phalène par Félicité des Touches, la fille du pays qui a conquis une scandaleuse renommée d'écrivain(e) à Paris sous le nom de Camille Maupin. Leur chassé-croisé amoureux et problématique est résolu par l'arrivée aux Touches de Béatrix de Rochefide, plus jeune, plus blonde que Félicité/Camille, et pour qui Calyste a tôt fait de concevoir une passion dévorante. Le drame évolue lentement, avec des bouffées de violence romanesque, dans les paysages salins.
La troisième partie envoie le héros à Paris et cette transplantation renouvelle considérablement la distribution des "dramatis personae", au point que dans le fameux dernier quart les deux protagonistes, Calyste et Béatrix, ne sont pas loin de passer au second plan, le premier étant occupé par une vengeance qui fait intervenir tout un Olympe ex machina, et que Balzac, abandonnant la lenteur analytique du début, qu'il revendiquait dans la préface de 1839, mène à une telle allure que le récit prend parfois des allures de résumé, ou de prospectus publicitaire de la "Comédie humaine" tant il abonde en personnages reparaissants, par là même à peine présentés (il faut maîtriser son Balzac pour suivre), et même en renvois feuilletonesques du type "Voir 'L'Etoile mystérieuse' et 'Le Crabe aux pinces d'or'". Etait-ce pour équilibrer les trois parties, ou par urgence ? On n'est pas loin du sabotage.
Mais le charme du roman dans son ensemble est profond. La fascination de Balzac pour les femmes y éclate, à coups de portraits des nombreux personnages féminins importants, de théories et de fantasmes, comme celui qui consiste à faire rentrer Camille Maupin, quasi double de George Sand, au couvent : comme si Balzac devait isoler socialement le féminisme de sa consoeur, qu'il semble craindre, derrière l'hommage, comme une Méduse des lettres. L'amour entre les deux sexes paraît d'ailleurs souvent ici comme une forme supérieure de lutte, indéfiniment prolongée par le nombre lui-même indéfini des combattants et des combinaisons, et dont le juge de paix est le temps qui passe, l'âge des protagonistes étant sans cesse recalculé à l'année près. Qu'au début le protagoniste soit pris entre Félicité et Béatrix (étymologiquement, entre béatitude et béatitude) n'est pas une coïncidence mais ne manque pas d'ironie. Le geste de Calyste au sommet des rochers du Croisic n'est que la forme, soudain précipitée, de cette lutte.

[Helynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honoré de Balzac was not only prolific; he was an amazingly talented, indefatigable novel-writing phenomenon. His entire collection of works, entitled La Comédie Humaine, contains 95 finished novels and short stories and about 48 works that Balzac didn't finish because he virtually worked himself to death, and died at age 51. Béatrix, which was written mid-career, features Balzac's collaboration with George Sand in vilifying their fellow novelist Marie d'Agoult. D'Agoult tended to be pompous and critical of their works, so they got her back, but good; Sand with her novel Horace and Balzac with Béatrix.. Since Balzac was fast friends with Sand, he depicted her in this novel as a talented, self-effeacing heroine, Félicité des Touches (even better known under her nom de plume of Camille Marpin), while d'Agoult received a most unflattering literary portrait as the envious, vain, and socially ambitious Béatrix de Rouchefide, a predatory marquise who seeks "to mask her shallowness of intellect and character behind the rich elegance of her dress, the exquisite artistry of her make-up and hairdo, the calculated grace of her poses, the varporous undulations of her shawl and veils" (Curtis Cate, George Sand: A Biography 503). Balzac's Béatrix delights in taking the successful, respected Camille down a peg by besting her in the fight for the attentions of the handsome and much-younger provincial aristocrat Calyste Guénic. Camille manages to command the attention of the Italian singer Gennaro Conte (an unflattering portrayal of composer Franz Liszt, D'Agoult's former lover) and, for a time, the blustering Calyste. However, in the end, Béatrix is left without lovers and without respect, while Camille serenely retires to a convent where she finds peace and fulfillment. As for Calyste, well, I can't give everything away.
For those who read French, Balzac reads smoothly and easily. His style is great, but readable. Also, all of his works are available in English translation. Please give Balzac a whirl, whether it is Béatrix, or one of his many other wonderful novels. Some of his best-known books are Eugénie Grandet and Cousine Bette.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

The work of Honoré de Balzac is chock full of surprises. Picture to yourself a novel set in a grim little town in Brittany among a group of encrusted local nobility, the du Guenics and their friends. The son, Calyste, becomes interested in an artsy woman twice his age by the name of Felicité Des Touches who has moved into the area. Although Balzac mentions George Sand by name, Mlle Des Touches -- who calls herself Camille Maupin and smokes cigars -- is herself a novelist of note and very like George Sand.

When the Marquise Beatrix de Rochefide comes to visit Mlle Des Touches, Calyste then falls in love with her -- hard. But Beatrix is even then in a relationship with the Italian musician Gaetano Conti, and separated from her husband the Marquis Arthur de Rochefide (who has found consolation in the arms of a Mlle Aurelie Schontz). Beatrix returns to Paris, and Calyste is disconsolate. So disconsolate that he allows himself to be married to the young daughter of the Duchesse de Grandlieu, by the name of Sabine.

As one could expect, Calyste runs into Beatrix at the theater and falls in love with her anew -- and this time she is available.

Originally, Balzac ended his novel here, but he returned to it later, added several more chapters and in the process made it much better. Sabine is distraught and tearful when she finds out that Calyste has hooked up with Beatrix.

But then Mama, the Duchesse, steps in and brings in some heavy guns to bear. With the help of a connection, the Marquis d'Ajuda-Pinto, who contacts his friend Count Maxime de Trailles, a plot is set in motion. If Mlle Schontz could be persuaded to dump the old Marquis, and Beatrix could be induced to dump Calyste, then the Marquis and his estranged wife Beatrix could be reunited, if not in love or lust -- at least in respectability.

Balzac employs a deft touch here and the plot comes off perfectly.

This is not one of Balzac's better-known novels, but it deserves to be; and it also deserves to be translated into the modern idiom. The Victorian ladies and gentlemen who produced the translations at Gutenberg.Org were at the very least competent, and at best even inspired, but I feel that no one will read Beatrix if they have to wade through their at times arcane prose.

[Tatiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

As usual, Balzac writes brilliantly, but it is very plain that those are two books haphazardly glued together. The earlier portion has a very different vibe, atmosphere, location and even characters than the final portion of the book. Besides, this was one of the only books written by Balzac that actually made me angry and that I regretted reading.

All in all, I found this story to be extremely biased against women, very strange and dated. Balzac could've focused on Camille Maupin and written a masterpiece ahead of its time. Instead, he chooses to punish and humiliate all the women who are not slaves to conventional morals and societal rules. First, he makes Camille "repent" from her progressive views, her modern lifestyle and even her literary achievements. Then, he makes her into a cliché, the lady who finds God later in life and goes into a convent. As for Beatrix, I really don't know how he could've been more cruel to that character. By the end of the book she's nothing more than a kind of a prostitute. Unbelievable.

Meanwhile, Calisto, a spoiled little brat who doesn't even have the spirit to realize how stupid and ridiculous he is, is made into the hero of the book. Please! All the men end up happily ever after, with great futures and the prospect of success. All the women either are crushed into conforming to convention or are made to pay for it dearly. UGH.

[Prisacariu Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

,,Uneori imaginea acestei aşezări revine să bată la templul amintirii: intră împodobită cu turnurile şi gătită cu centura ei, etalându-şi rochia presărată cu frumoasele-i flori, fluturându-şi mantia de aur a dunelor, împrăştiind miresmele îmbătătoare ale frumoaselor drumuri pline de spini şi de buchete de flori înmănuncheate la întâmplareş ea te cucereşte şi te cheamă ca o femeie divină pe care ai zărit-o într-o ţară stranie şi care s-a aciuat într-un ungher al inimii."

,,În clipele de pasiune, ochii lui Camille Maupin sunt sublimi: aurul privirii ei aprinde albul acela gălbui, şi totul se învăpăiază; dar, cănd sunt liniştiţi, rămân şterşi, toropeala meditatţiei dându-le un aer de stupiditate; iar când lumina sufletului le lipseşte, trăsăturile feţei se mohorăsc şi ele."

,,Napoleon spunea că nefericirea este moaşa geniului."

,,El scrutează gândul tuturor, fără nici un scop şi fără nici o pricină, târnăcopul criticii lui dărâmând necontenit şi neconstruind nimic. Aşa încât oboseala lui este oboseala celui ce distruge, şi nu cea a arhitectului."

[Yavor Petkov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Roman tortueux et difficile à lire, mais aussi accaparant qu'un thriller américain, ce qui est le propre des romans de Balzac.
La glaise et les paludiers de la Bretagne, mystique et d’un pittoresque sobre et d’autant plus enivrant. Pour avoir visité la Bretagne, je peux tout à fait ressentir l’émotion. La famille simple, orthodoxe, désuète de Calyste. J’aime beaucoup cette mentalité-là. Cette droiture morale combinée à une bonté simple, à la bonne franquette. C’est ce qui manque à notre siècle, qui est aux antipodes de cet ordre des choses. Cela s'applique-t-il à la Bretagne d’aujourd’hui? J’ai trouvé ces images très puissantes.
Lire le reste ici: https://puis-chap.blogspot.com/2021/1...

[reveurdart · Rating 5 out of 5]

You could argue that this is Balzac's feminist work - it's a balanced portrait of women, but written for his time periods' audience. Balzac always dared to go far. A true trailblazer.

George Sand was of course the inspiration for the character Félicité des Touches who writes novels under the pen name Camille Maupin. Marie d'Agoult was the inspiration for Béatrix de Rochefide, and Franz Liszt was the inspiration for her lover, the musician Conti. The characters, though, are very much their own.

I savoured this novel and loved Balzac's writing. The setting of Brittany was a big draw for me in the story, as well. While not his masterpiece, it is nonetheless a truly great but flawed work.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's as if Dickens went back to Great Expectations a year or two later, scrubbed out the last page and then wrote another few thousand words about the marriage of Pip and Estella. Yes, it really is that disjointed. I really enjoyed the first novel, and really enjoyed the second, but the seam is terrible. It's no wonder Balzac died young, it must have been overwork. Oh, and Calyste is his least likeable character ever.

[Lexane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Si je fais une critique positive sur ce livre, vous aurez l impression d'entendre ce collègue qui vous dit "regarde cette série, franchement au 24e épisode elle devient bien !"

[Richard Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not top drawer Balzac, but good in spots.

[Denisa-Daniela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Geniul lui Balzac reiese din limpezimea cu care citește sufletul și mintea omului: pătrunde atât de adânc prin toate cotloanele ființei umane încât descoperă totodată și Binele, și Răul din ea.

[Anabela's Bookshelf · Rating 1 out of 5]

*1.5
I don't think I've ever encountered a more stupid character.(Yes, this is about Calyste). I have to admit I laughed when he pushed Beatrix. What an idiot.

[Alejandro Teruel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Una novela extraña y heterogénea en la compilación maestra de La Comedia Humana. Es una novela "bisagra" o "conectora" entre el mundo provincial -en este caso la provincia bretona-, las escenas de vidas privadas y el complejo mundo parisino balzaciano, comenzando por su escandoloso y picaro demimundo escandaloso demimundo (démimonde).

La primera parte nos introduce a una orgullosa pero empobrecida rancia aristocracia bretona y nos depicta el retraso y el "charm" de la vida en esa dura provincia norteña. El único hijo de esta familia se enamora, para desespero y horror de su familia, de una progresiva, exitosa y escandalosa escritora libremente modelada sobre George Sand, mucho mayor que él. La escritora rehúsa corresponderle al joven, al menos de palabra, y prefiere hacer que el joven se enamore de una marquesa, también mayor que el joven, pero no por tanto -basada más libremente aún en la escritora Madame de Stael- que acaba de abandonar su marido e hijo por un cantante y compositor hipócrita y sinvergüenza -basado, malintencionadamente, en Liszt. La psicología de este juego de seducciones en que la presa es el muy agraciado pero poco inteligente joven es retorcido muy lleno de tormentas y celos al gusto romántico. En una escena francamente cavernícola, el joven desesperado de no poder terminar de convencer a la marquesa de huir con él a Irlanda, la lanza, por orgullo masculino herido, por un acantilado. De manera inverosímil, no le ocurre gran cosa y es puesta a salvo por el mismo joven, del cuál, ahora sí se enamora. En el juego con su rival, la marquesa también juega la carta del sacrificio aparente para regresar con el músico, dejando al joven a las puertas de la muerte por un corazón roto.

Vuelve a intervenir la novelista y salva de la muerte al joven casándolo con una muchacha que, en un momento clave, viste como la marquesa.

Este matrimonio va camino de ser feliz -cree la ilusa muchacha que evidentemente no había podido leer a Freud al que le faltaban unas cuantas décadas por nacer- cuando en París el joven vuelve a encontrarse con la obsesión de su vida, la marqueza, que ahora sí, quiere apoderarse de él.

La pelea por el muchacho, uno de los personajes menos agradables de Balzac, hace que la familia de su esposa aliste de su lado a estafadores ambiciosos y refinadas cocottes de genio e intelecto que urden un entrerevesado plan de manipulación y sobornos.

Me cuesta mucho decidirme entre dos y tres estrellas para esta novela. Tiene pasajes excelentes, tediosos, audaces, irritantes, muy poco creíbles y confusos, en un arroz con mango, que hacen difícil evaluarla. No lamento haber leído la novela, pero me cuesta rcomendarla -ciertamente no se la recomendaría a quien se esté iniciando en las novelas de La Comedia Humana.

[Socrate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Franţa, şi cu deosebire Bretania, mai posedă şi astăzi câteva oraşe rămase cu totul în afara mişcării sociale care dă fizionomia veacului al nouăsprezecelea. Lipsite de comunicaţii vii şi susţinute cu Parisul, de-abia legate printr-un drum prost cu subprefectura sau reşedinţa de care depind, oraşele acestea ascultă sau privesc trecerea noii civilizaţii ca pe un spectacol, minunându-se fără s-o aplaude; şi, fie că se tem de ea, fie că o iau în râs, rămân credincioase vechilor moravuri a căror pecete o poartă. Cel ce ar vrea să voiajeze ca arheolog al spiritului şi să cerceteze oamenii, în loc să cerceteze pietrele, ar putea regăsi o imagine a veacului lui Ludovic al XV-lea în vreun sat din Provence, pe cea a veacului lui Ludovic al XIV-lea în adâncul Poitou-ului pe cea a veacurilor încă şi mai vechi în adâncul Bretaniei. Cele mai multe dintre aceste oraşe au decăzut dintr-o strălucire despre care nu vorbesc deloc istoricii, mai preocupaţi de fapte şi de date decât de obiceiuri, dar a cărei amintire trăieşte încă în memorie, ca în Bretania, unde caracterul naţional nu prea îngăduie uitarea a ceea ce este în legătură cu locurile de baştină. Multe dintre aceste oraşe au fost capitalele vreunui mic stat feudal, comitat sau ducat cucerit de coroană ori fărâmiţat între moştenitori, din pricina lipsei unei descendenţe bărbăteşti. Dezmoştenite de activitatea lor, aceste capete au devenit de-atunci încoace braţe. Braţul, lipsit de hrană, se usucă şi vegetează. Aşa încât, de treizeci de ani, portretele acestea ale vremurilor bătrâneşti încep să se şteargă şi să devină rare. Producând pentru mase, industria modernă se dezvoltă distrugând creaţiile străvechii arte, ale cărei roade erau cu totul personale şi pentru consumator şi pentru meşterul ce le făurea. Noi avem produse, nu mai avem opere. Monumentele sunt şi ele, în bună parte, prinse în fenomenele acestea retrospective. Or, pentru industrie, monumente sunt carierele de piatră de construcţie, minele de salpetru sau depozitele de bumbac. Câţiva ani încă, şi aceste originale cetăţi vor fi transformate şi nu se vor mai vedea decât în iconografia aceasta literară.

[Luis Rodrigues · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quando o enredo da Béatrix de Balzac vai a meio, o amor do jovem Calyste é disputado pelas duas mulheres que comandam a acção: a madura e sofisticada Camille, que tanto tem para ensinar a qualquer rapaz que lhe saiba dar o valor, e a fresca e deslumbrante Béatrix, cujos atractivos físicos dispensam atributos suplementares. Béatrix tem um amante de quem não tenciona separar-se, mas mesmo assim gosta de se sentir desejada. Calyste enamora-se de Béatrix com a intensidade com que isso acontece aos vinte anos.

Durante um passeio junto ao mar da Bretanha, Calyste pretende arrancar de Béatrix palavras de amor correspondido. Mas ela nega-se e previne que para ele não poderá passar de um sonho. Num momento de loucura, Calyste grita-lhe que se não o quer a ele, também não pertencerá a nenhum outro, e empurra-a de um penhasco para o mar.

O vestido, enredado numa ponta de rochedo e na vegetação, salva Béatrix da queda. Calyste cai em si e resgata-a, com risco de também ele se despenhar. Toda a cena é presenciada por Camille, que enquanto limpa uma lágrima se lamenta a Calyste: A mim não me terias tu lançado ao mar, não!

[Geoffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Balzac is a brilliant writer amongst literary giants of Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky. However, this is not his best work. The story line is weak and there are too many superfluous characters. Not being a French speaker made the recall of character names particularly difficult as there are so many, some with various aliases. A new reader would be well advised to keep a progressive list of names.

Initially the read is like walking through treacle, but it moves a little faster in the second half. Having said that Balzac's English expression and hallmark portrayal of human characteristics are of high standard. I am a slow reader but had to work even harder on this book.

[Mauro Barea · Rating 1 out of 5]

De esos capítulos de La Comedia Humana que, con el perdón del increíble genio de Balzac, me aburren, no logran ni conectarme ni engancharme, mucho menos interesarme en lo que pasa a los personajes. Hasta donde llegué, no deja de ser una monstruosa introducción a algo. ¿A qué? Ya no me interesa. Aplico la máxima de Borges: dejarlo a tiempo. A lo que sigue.