Old Goriot • Honoré de Balzac

The undisputed master of literature, for me, is Honoré de Balzac. I have devoured more books by Balzac than by any other author, and I’ve immensely enjoyed immersing myself in his Paris during the Restoration period. His novels and novellas depict the customs of his time, but not as dry descriptions—they are thrilling stories encompassing everything that makes up humanity and society. You’ll find in his works passionate love stories, the rise and fall of people from all social classes. It’s about society, money, war, politics—everything that defines human beings both individually and collectively. Old Goriot is a book that offers an excellent introduction to Balzac’s oeuvre. It contains a gripping and moving story and introduces several very important and well-crafted figures from his universe. France at the beginning of the 19th century—an old, dull cheese or as relevant as ever? Read Old Goriot or this post, and you’ll find out.

Old Goriot tells the story of Eugène de Rastignac, a rather poor scion of a noble family who comes from the provinces to Paris to study. He takes up lodgings in a shabby boarding house, where he meets the impoverished pasta manufacturer Father Goriot. Thanks to his noble origins, Eugène is soon introduced to the higher circles of society. There, he plunges into the dazzling, luxurious, and decadent Parisian world, while through Father Goriot, he comes to know the darker side of that same society.

As is typical for Balzac, the novel begins with a detailed description of the setting. This is characteristic of his style—he paints the scenery first. But then the story gathers momentum, and together with Eugène, the reader gradually becomes acquainted with Parisian society. From the shabby, impoverished residents of the boarding house to the wealthy nobility, the full spectrum unfolds. I found it utterly captivating to read, especially when love and passion enter the scene and emotions run high—as they often do in French literature of that period. The characters feel authentic and real, and Balzac masterfully captures Eugène’s emotions, thoughts, and observations. I could empathize with him at every moment. The entire story is simply well-crafted and beautifully composed.

One scene I particularly love is when Vautrin explains to young Eugène how Parisian society works. It’s a masterpiece. The way Balzac portrays the Paris of his time, how fortunes are made, how he lets the utterly cynical and disillusioned Vautrin speak—it’s brilliant. And Balzac sprinkles his wisdom throughout; it’s a feast to read. On the one hand, it’s linguistically of the highest order; on the other, Balzac presents human society in an abstract, universal way. Time and again, you realize that it still works exactly like that—that it’s still the same today. That’s what makes his books so special: what Balzac describes still happens now. I’m reminded of his novel César Birotteau, in which he depicts bankers making real estate deals and swindling unsuspecting investors. Or The Firm of Nucingen, which goes bankrupt again and again—while making huge profits from it. Anyone who follows the news will notice: all of this still exists; all of this still happens in our time. Society hasn’t fundamentally changed. Balzac interprets and judges fearlessly and without restraint.

“The idol of nations is liberty; but where on earth is there a free people?”

Balzac’s language is magnificent. His sentences are long and melodious, with a wonderful rhythm. He weaves in vivid comparisons and depicts scenes and characters with strikingly apt, evocative words. I savor his sentences every time—it’s astonishing how he can describe a scene and then craft such a splendid phrase that you have to read it again and again because it’s so apt and beautiful.

“With a little more happiness in life, she would have been enchanting; for happiness is the poetry of women, as dress is their adornment.”

Old Goriot is part of Balzac’s monumental cycle La Comédie Humaine (The Human Comedy). Inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy, Balzac sought to create a comprehensive portrayal of French society in the 19th century. Across all social strata—from the petty bourgeoisie and provincial dwellers to the high aristocracy—everything is represented in his novels. His plan was for The Human Comedy to consist of 137 works; by his death, he had completed 91.

What’s remarkable is that Balzac lets numerous characters reappear throughout his works. Eugène de Rastignac, for example, appears in a total of 28 novels. He is said to have created over 3,000 characters in all. It’s fascinating how Balzac interweaves them—how they cross paths again and again, sometimes as minor figures, sometimes as protagonists. Someone even went to the enormous effort of creating a genealogical chart of all the characters. I, of course, obtained a copy of this chart, which is also displayed in the Balzac Museum in Paris, and you can read about it in this post.

Born in 1799 in Tours, France, Balzac witnessed the aftermath of the Revolution and the period of the Restoration firsthand. He spent a joyless, loveless childhood in boarding school and was later pressured by his parents to study law. Fortunately, he soon abandoned that path and persuaded his father to support him financially for two years so that he could establish himself as a writer. His early years were difficult and met with only moderate success. His life story reads partly like one of his own novels—a vibrant and eventful life. In the early 1830s, he achieved his breakthrough.

I own Old Goriot in the edition published by Diogenes. But for my recent rereading, I used the translation by Ernst Sander in the collected edition from Goldmann Verlag. I bought it years ago when I realized that every single one of Balzac’s books is truly outstanding. Unfortunately, the complete edition is now only available second-hand. However, I gave mine a fresh new look with custom-made covers and some extra flair. I wrote about it in this post.

Conclusion: Honoré de Balzac’s books are masterpieces. Old Goriot is a wonderful novel that offers a superb insight into his world and perfectly showcases the breadth of Balzac’s craft. His writing style is masterful—his long, flowing sentences have a perfect musicality, his vivid metaphors and depictions are unparalleled, and his abstract, universal reflections are always insightful and full of wisdom and life experience. His stories are thrilling, and I’ve always been completely drawn in by his love stories in particular. This magnificent, opulent Paris—and at the same time the abysses it hides—is simply a delight to read about. Exciting and profound, as relevant as ever, filled with passion and authenticity. Whenever I pick up one of Balzac’s books, I feel as though I’m sitting with him in a tavern, sharing a beer while he tells me about his experiences. And then, at some point, you feel yourself carried away—you realize how he moves beyond the mundane, how beneath the surface of an entertaining story, an entire world opens up. I’ve read most of his Human Comedy. Many thousands of pages—and I still can’t get enough of this absolute and unsurpassed pinnacle of literature.

Book information: Old Goriot • Honoré de Balzac • 368 pages