Showing results by author "Honoré de Balzac" in All Categories

Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author’s brain, their soul and heart. They can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that are difficult to achieve elsewhere. The City of Lights may be one of the glories of the world but for those whose three score and ten have passed it is the final resting place for some of the very finest of literary talents.

"Otec Gorio" (1834-1835), samyy znamenityy roman Bal'zaka, zanimayushchiy central'noe mesto v ego tvorchestve, razvorachivaet pered nami dramu otcovstva, istoriyu bespredel'noy otcovskoy lyubvi k ehgoistichnym i neblagodarnym docheryam. Ego nazyvayut francuzskim "Korolem Lirom". Napisannyy na edinom dyhanii za dvadcat' pyat' dney, po priznaniyu samogo avtora, ehtot roman s potryasayushchey siloy raskryvaet bezdny chelovecheskih strastey, porokov, prestupleniy, demonstriruet bezgranichnuyu vlast' deneg vo francuzskom obshchestve ehpohi Restavracii, hladnokrovnyy raschet i zhestokost', ne dayushchie probit'sya rostkam dobryh chuvstv.

Aus den Tolldreisten Geschichten Balzacs hier die besten: "Die schöne Imperia", "Die Jungfrau von Thilouze", "Der lustige Pfarrer von Azay-le-Rideau", "Die schöne Wäscherin von Pontillon", "Die Fasten König Franz' des Ersten", "Wie eine schöne und tugendsame Frau zur Hure gemacht werden sollte", "Die Hochzeit des Mönchs", "Eine teure Liebesnacht", "Wie das schöne Mädchen von Pontillon seinen Richter überführte", "Missliche Unterhaltung dreier Pilger". Ungekürzt gelesen. Mit dabei: Ein pdf-Dokument mit Trackliste.

Balzacs Meisterwerk als kinoreifes Hörspiel. Paris, Anfang des 19. Jahrhunderts. In der bürgerlichen Pension von Madame Vauquer wohnen sieben Gäste. Darunter der ehemalige Nudelfabrikant Goriot, der von den anderen als Kauz belächelt und spöttisch "Vater Goriot" genannt wird. Eugène de Rastignac, weiterer Pensionsgast und ambitionierter Jurastudent, findet heraus, dass der Grund für Goriots finanzielle Verausgabung seine beiden hübschen verheirateten Töchter sind: Der Alte ist von den beiden nahezu besessen. Hörspielbearbeitung: Helmut Peschina, Regie: Judith Lorentz, Komposition: Lutz Glandien.

La rabouilleuse est la personne qui trouble l'eau de la rivière afin qu'écrevisses et petits poissons paniqués tombent dans le piège du pêcheur. Agathe est veuve très tôt, coupée de sa riche famille de province pour des raisons obscures, elle doit se débrouiller seule avec ses deux fils que tout oppose. Le beau Philippe, le préféré, blond aux yeux bleus qui devient rapidement capitaine dans l'armée et Joseph, le petit brun taciturne qui a des velléités de devenir peintre. Toutefois les passions des deux frères ne les destineront pas à un sort attendu.

Au cours d'un dîner, Hermann raconte une "histoire à faire peur" : en 1799, dans une auberge sur les bords du Rhin, se rencontrent par hasard deux jeunes français et un riche négociant allemand.

The Weird Circle, featuring tales of terror and horror, aired from 1943-1947, mainly on the Mutual radio network. This episode was originally broadcast on September 26, 1943.

“The Chouans” (1829) was the first novel published under Balzac’s own name (rather than a pen-name). It became the first book in the great work of his lifetime — the novel series titled “The Human Comedy.” Balzac was impressed by the writings of Sir Walter Scott. Scott made Scottish history come alive by creating fictions that used real history as backdrop. Balzac’s novel is set in 1799 — the year that Napoleon became First Consul of France. In the far west of France (i.e., Brittany), anti-revolutionary sentiment still simmered. The Chouans were a rustic guerrilla militia who ...

Manon Lescaut est bien plus qu'une simple histoire d'amour passionné ; c'est une plongée profonde dans la psychologie de deux êtres aux prises avec leurs démons intérieurs. Le chevalier des Grieux, jeune homme idéaliste et romantique, est aveuglé par son amour pour Manon, une femme complexe et énigmatique. Leur relation, aussi intense que destructrice, révèle la fragilité de l'âme humaine face aux passions dévorantes.

The Philosophical Studies from The Human Comedy (La Comedie Humaine) are a series of works that are intended as a reflection on history in part through the use of fiction. 'Catherine de Medici' is one such 'study', and features, alongside detailed history (and even architectural) sections, elements of the 'story' are fictionalised. In particular, this happens through dialogue that describes the feelings of the characters and what they are doing, these parts in the manner of a novel. In particular, Catherine de Medici (apparently), was depicted by historians as a bad ruler. This book is an ...

Nine spine-chilling stories from Charles Dickens, Edgar Allan Poe, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Jerome K. Jerome, read by Laurence Olivier, Nelson Olmsted, and Basil Rathbone.

In the heart of Paris, where art and ambition intertwine, the boundaries between genius and madness blur. A tale of creation, obsession, and the quest for perfection, this story dances on the edge of brilliance. The artist, driven by an insatiable desire to capture the unattainable, confronts the fragility of his own vision. As the canvas comes to life, so too does a world where nothing is as it seems, and the cost of true artistry might just be too high. Balzac's story whispers of the fine line between genius and obsession, where the artist's soul is as fragile as the masterpiece he seeks.

The Philosophical Studies from The Human Comedy (La Comedie Humaine) are a series of works that are intended as a reflection on history in part through the use of fiction. 'Catherine de Medici' is one such 'study', and features, alongside detailed history (and even architectural) sections, elements of the 'story' are fictionalised. In particular, this happens through dialogue that describes the feelings of the characters and what they are doing, these parts in the manner of a novel. In particular, Catherine de Medici (apparently), was depicted by historians as a bad ruler.

“The Two Brothers” (1842) is a captivating piece from Balzac’s monumental series, “The Human Comedy.” Originally titled “La Rabouilleuse” in French, it has also been known as “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment” in various English translations. Delving deep into the complexities of family dynamics, Balzac paints a vivid picture of strained relationships among parents, children, and siblings. Set in a small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father’s mistaken belief about his daughter’s legitimacy leads to her being raised by her in-laws in Paris. As she...

Dive into the world of Eugénie Grandet, a masterful novel by Honoré de Balzac, first published in 1833 and a cornerstone of his monumental series, La Comédie Humaine. Set against the backdrop of a provincial town in post-Revolutionary France, this poignant tale explores themes of wealth, greed, love, and obsession. At the heart of the story is a wealthy miser struggling to control the desires of his innocent daughter, Eugénie, who ultimately must navigate the perilous waters of a society where money reigns supreme. Balzacs keen attention to psychological depth and vivid detail has left a ...

In the enchanting novella “The Ball at Sceaux,” part of Balzac’s monumental series “The Human Comedy,” we are introduced to Émilie de Fontaine, the spirited youngest daughter of a noble yet struggling family in post-revolutionary France. With her father desperately seeking a suitable match, Émilie, headstrong and somewhat spoiled, has stubbornly dismissed all suitors who do not meet her lofty standards. Among her demands? A husband must be “the son of a peer of France.” As she clings to her ideals, the unfolding events reveal the ironies of love and social status. Balzac’s ...

The Rise and Fall of César Birotteau (1837) is a captivating tale from Balzacs renowned series The Human Comedy. Set against the vibrant backdrop of post-Napoleonic Paris, this story explores the dramatic shift in society as the aristocracy and the church cede power to an ambitious middle class of merchants, landlords, lawyers, and bankers. César Birotteau, a kind-hearted and unassuming perfumer, has risen from modest beginnings to earn the respect of his community and achieve commercial success. However, as he strives to ascend even higher, he becomes ensnared in a perilous web of financial...

La Grande Bretèche serves as a captivating addendum to Balzacs Another Study of Woman, concluding a series of intriguing stories shared around a dinner table. This particular tale, unveiled to the guests in the early hours of the morning, delves into themes of marital infidelity and revenge, leaving some listeners with restless minds long after the night is over. (Nicholas Clifford)

Step into the enchanting world of Balzac’s early work, At the Sign of the Cat and Racket, first published in 1830 and later refined. The title, which translates to La Maison du Chat-qui-pelote, refers to a whimsical sign above a Parisian fabric shop where a cartoon cat plays racquetball. The shop is run by a family steeped in the narrow confines of bourgeois propriety, their lives upended by the arrival of a gifted young artist from an aristocratic background who charms their daughter. This beautifully woven tale captures the complexities of domestic life and the tensions that arise when ...

In the gripping short novel “Colonel Chabert” (1832), part of Balzac’s monumental series “The Human Comedy,” we are drawn into the tumultuous aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars. Colonel Chabert, a valiant officer, is declared dead after a fierce battle, leading his wife to inherit his fortune and remarry. However, when Chabert miraculously survives and returns to Paris, he is faced with the daunting challenge of reclaiming his life and legacy. This poignant tale explores the clash between the enduring values of honor and integrity and the ruthless greed that pervades society in the ...