Balzac's Shagreen Skin - a parable or a portrait of time and society?

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

Honoré de Balzac conceived and almost brought to life a daring plan: to write a cycle of novels and short stories in which a literary model of contemporary France would be created. He called the main creation of his life "The Human Comedy", by analogy with the "Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri. The writer hoped that it would become as significant for the 19th century as the creation of the great Florentine for the Middle Ages. The anthology was supposed to contain 144 works connected by transitional characters, a single style and issues. However, Balzac managed to write only 96 of them. "Shagreen Skin" (1831) is also included in this cycle and is in the "Philosophical Studies" section.

This novel deals with the conflict between the individual and society, which was the focus of contemporary literature (for example, in Stendhal's "Red and Black"). However, the philosophy of this book and the pluralitymeanings make it look like a parable with deep meaning. “Shagreen leather”, the brief content of which boils down to a truly Buddhist conclusion that desires kill, nevertheless carries a life-affirming message: happiness is possible without a “magic wand”, it can be found in selfless love and the desire to give, and not take and own.

The main character of the work is Rafael de Valantin, an impoverished educated aristocrat. For several years he drags out the existence of a poor man in the attic of a small hotel, unaware that the owner's daughter, Polina, is in love with him. He himself became interested in the brilliant socialite - Countess Theodora, and for her sake he began to play in the casino, madly spend money on gifts, after which there was only one way out for his honor - suicide. Thus begins Shagreen Skin.

For lack of better ideas, the hero enters an antique shop, where he acquires a piece of donkey skin, on the reverse side of which the inscription is embossed in some oriental language: “When you take possession of me, I will take possession of you. I will fulfill your desires, but with each of them I will decrease - just like your life. Therefore, measure your desires.” Not believing in the effectiveness of what was written, Raphael thinks of a spree, and immediately meets his friends who invite him to drink. He traces the contours of his talisman in ink and wishes to receive great we alth. The next morning, the lawyer informs him that his uncle died in India and bequeathed to the young de Valentin all his considerable savings. Raphael reaches into his pocket andtakes out an antique dealer's gift. Shagreen leather shrank in size!

The next story unfolds rapidly: believing in the effectiveness of the talisman, Rafael tries to give up desires. But the casually dropped phrase of courtesy "I wish you happiness", the attraction to the woman he loves and the thirst to win the duel quickly nullify his days.

Shagreen leather is shrinking in size, no physical experiments can stop this process. In the end, the hero dies in his luxurious house in the arms of Polina, who loves him without any miracles and talismans.

It seems that the whole work is a parable of soul-burning desires, symbolized by shagreen leather. Analysis of the style of the novel nevertheless shows that Balzac works in a narrative style and builds on the romanticism of his predecessors, writers of the early 19th century, using very realistic details, coupled with a colorful and dynamic composition. The hero describes the story of the ruin of his family in such a way that anyone who knows the economic and political realities of France at the end of the reign of Louis XVI will not doubt the veracity of his words. The sincerity of this novel, despite the fantastic plot, puts it among the best works of classical realism.