Eugénie Grandet

Eugénie Grandet is a novel by Honoré de Balzac. The original edition was published in 1834 in Balzac's La Comédie humaine series of novels (English: The Human Comedy ). Eugénie Grandet is one of the Scènes de la vie de province ( scenes from provincial life ).

Action

The book is about the family Grandet, who lives on the Loire in Saumur. Father Grandet is one of the richest men in the environment, but also inhuman stingy; all his costumes and striving applies sole purpose of preserving and at stimulating its assets. The mother, his daughter Eugénie and the maid lead in his shadow a silent, joyless existence.

The local families Des Grassins Cruchot and intrigue to the assets and want to marry their sons to Eugénie. On her 23rd birthday, if the success of her son Adolphe triumphed at the Lucienne of Grassins at the heiress, Charles, Cousin Eugenie, to visit, has no idea that his father committed suicide after his bankruptcy. Eugénie and her cousin fall in love, and the world feels strange girl for the first time the wild joy of passion. But your Father, who knows nothing, has no plans to keep the useless eaters in the house, and sends Charles without a sou to India. First, however, Eugénie lends him her coin collection, which her ​​father had given her for her birthday.

As Father Grandet learns what has happened, he loses his mind with rage almost - not to Eugenie love, but to the lost money 's sake. Eugénie is locked in her room, however, firmly believes in Charles ' return. Grandet made ​​between avarice and family honor, pushing the payment of the debts of his brother with the greatest skill in front of it. Eugenie house arrest but is finally lifted. When her mother becomes ill with grief, Grandet persuaded his daughter to renounce their inheritance; shortly after their mother dies. And Father Grandet dies also.

Eugénie sole heir to her father 's rich now and will continue courted, but is still waiting for Charles. The banker of Grassins, traveling on business for Grandet in Paris, leaving his wife for a courtesan. From now on, directs Lucienne Grassins of the Bank of Saumur. From her son Adolphe she learns that Charles has become wealthy and unscrupulous in India, has returned to France to marry a Parisian nobleman there. Eugénie, deprived of their only hope, sends him back his love tokens and paid his debts. A little later she marries the greedy M. Cruchot under the condition that he calls neither love nor passion from her. This dies not long afterwards, leaving behind his wife's entire heritage.

Henceforth Eugénie performs as a woman, " which is in the midst of this world not of this world: those created to be a wonderful mother and wife, neither husband nor children, nor family owns " a " saintly, frugal " life in her dark house, and seek solace in charitable works.

Expenditure

• Scènes de la vie de province. Tome I. Eugénie Grandet. L. Haumann, Bruxelles 1834. later editions, inter alia, Gallimard

German translations

• Eugénie Grandet. Rowohlt, Berlin ( translated by Mira Koffka ). later revisions of this translation by Diogenes, most recently in 2009, ISBN 978-3-257-23992-8

Films

Exhibition

• 2010: Louise Bourgeois: Moi, Eugénie Grandet. Maison de Balzac, Paris.