Honore de Balzac: works and life of the great writer

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Honoré de Balzac is a great writer of French origin, whose "Human Comedy", containing about a hundred novels (97 volumes), became a kind of reflection of the era. "A powerful and tireless worker" - this is what his close friend and colleague Victor Hugo called the famous writer.

Life and works of Honore de Balzac

Despite the prefix "de" peculiar to aristocrats, Honore de Balzac did not come from a family of nobles at all. According to some reports, his father came from a peasant class, and his mother came from a bourgeois family. From the age of four, the future writer was brought up outside the home: first, Balzac studied at a clerical school, then his fate fell to boarding schools, of which Honore had the most negative memories. After completing his education (bachelor's degree), the young man entered the notary's office, where he served for almost three years. However, when his father invited him to open his own practice, Honore refused, determined to devote himself to literature (by that time he had already written several novels). Having settled in a poor Parisian quarter, the writer impatiently took upa business. The novel, which in the near future will make Honore widely known, came out from under his pen with fantastic speed. But the critics were ruthless - they did not recognize his works.

Then the times of lack of money came for the unknown writer, and Honore de Balzac (whose works at that time were of no interest to publishers) decided to organize several financial projects not related to literary creativity. But all attempts to get rich turned out to be just another debt for him.

Honoré de Balzac: works that changed his whole life

In 1829, Balzac returned to writing. He established a truly "army" mode for himself: he slept in the evenings, and woke up around midnight, again took up the pen, supporting his strength with the help of numerous cups of strong black coffee. Balzac worked at an incredible speed - he could use several goose feathers in a day.

After the release of the book "Chuans" finally received the deserved attention of Honore de Balzac, his works began to be published. Hard labor was rewarded, and after the release of the novel Shagreen Skin, the young writer began to be called a fashionable writer at all. Inspired by the success, he decided to create the epic "The Human Comedy". But this plan was not destined to be fully realized - Balzac managed to write only about a hundred books. The whole life of the heroes appeared before the eyes of the reader: their birth, growing up, falling in love, marriage and children. The publication of the novel from the series "The Human Comedy"brought the writer the fame of an unsurpassed novelist, so desired for him.

The Great Honore de Balzac: works (list of earlier works)

After the release of the following works, the writer finally forms his life and creative position:

• the novel "Chuans", followed by collections of scenes from private life (1830);
• novella "Gobsek";
• "The house of the cat playing ball";
• "Shagreen leather" (the work brought tremendous success to the writer).

Despite the constant attacks of critics, Balzac continues to work. After some time, he has the idea to combine all existing and future books into an epic. This is how The Human Comedy was born. As conceived by the author, widely known throughout the world (his name, Honore de Balzac, sounded on everyone’s lips), the works that will be included in the epic should describe the whole society, all its classes, ages, that is, create a picture of the customs of their time. Some of the novels included in the epic "The Human Comedy":

• "Lost Illusions";
• "Elixir of Longevity";
• "Old Maid";
• "Physiology of marriage", etc.

Before his death, exhausted by terrible pains, Balzac asked the doctor Bianchon, the hero of one of his books, to be brought to him. Thus, at the end of his life, the writer completely immersed himself in the world he invented.