Cousin Bette by Honoré de Balzac (Book Analysis)
Cousin Bette by Honoré de Balzac (Book Analysis)
Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide
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This practical and insightful reading guide offers a complete summary and analysis of Cousin Bette by Honoré de Balzac. It provides a thorough exploration of the novel’s plot, characters and main themes, as well as an examination of Balzac’s realism and his depiction of the power of money. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.
This clear and detailed 26-page reading guide is structured as follows:
- Biography of Honoré de Balzac
- Presentation of Cousin Bette
- Summary of Cousin Bette
- Character study
- Cousin Bette
- Valerie Marneffe
- Baron Hulot
- Adeline
- Hortense
- Wenceslas
- Victorin and Celestine
- Celestin Crevel
- Analysis of Cousin Bette
- Balzac’s realism
- The image of the woman
- Money as a character in its own right
About Cousin Bette
Cousin Bette was first published in serial form in a French newspaper, and forms part of Balzac’s vast work The Human Comedy. It tells the story of Lisbeth Fisher (the Cousin Bette of the title), who is consumed by jealousy and seeks to take revenge on her cousin’s family, the Hulots. The plot revolves around her schemes to drive the Hulots to financial, moral and emotional ruin, and introduces us to a range of manipulative and self-centred characters.
About Honoré de Balzac
Honoré de Balzac was one of the major French writers of the 19th century, and is considered to be one of the founding fathers of the realist novel. He is best known for The Human Comedy, a monumental series of more than 90 novels and short stories which aimed to give a complete depiction of the society of his time. His work was hugely influential and inspired many later writers, including Charles Dickens, Gustave Flaubert and Henry James, and a large number of his books have been adapted for television and the cinema.
Product details
ISBN | 9782806287885 |
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Publisher | Plurilingua Publishing |
Collection | BrightSummaries.com |
Format | |
Pages | 26 |
File size | 1.4 MB |