Père Goriot is the tragic story of a father whose obsessive love for his two daughters leads to his financial and personal ruin. Interwoven with this theme is that of the impoverished young aristocrat, Rastignac, who came to Paris from the provinces to hopefully make his fortune. He befriends Goriot and becomes involved with the daughters. The story is set against the background of a whole society driven by social ambition and lust for wealth.
Father Goriot (Le Père Goriot) by Honoré de Balzac, first published in 1834-1835, is one of the most famous novels in Balzac’s monumental series, La Comédie Humaine. The novel explores themes of social ambition, family, sacrifice, and the corrupting influence of wealth and power, set against the backdrop of post-Revolutionary France.
The story takes place in Paris in the early 19th century, primarily in a boarding house on the rue de la Harpe, where the central characters are introduced. At the heart of the novel is Father Goriot, an elderly, impoverished man who has made extreme personal sacrifices for the sake of his two daughters, who, despite his devotion, have abandoned him in favor of their wealthy husbands.
Father Goriot’s situation becomes emblematic of the novel's exploration of parental sacrifice, the tension between love and social ambition, and the pursuit of wealth. As Goriot's fortunes dwindle and his daughters grow more distant, he continues to support them financially, even as they neglect him in return.
Published on by eBooks
Categories: Fiction Literature Classics