Eugenie Grandet

Interesting Facts

• The main heroine, Eugenie Grandet, symbolizes female virtue and patience despite harsh living conditions and her father's cruelty.
• The book is part of the cycle «La Comédie Humaine», in which Balzac aimed to create a panorama of French society of his time.
• Eugenie's father, Felix Grandet, is depicted as an extremely miserly and cruel man, making him one of the most memorable characters in literature.
• The novel explores themes of greed, love, and family relationships, showing how wealth and power can destroy human lives.
• Eugenie Grandet falls in love with her cousin Charles, which becomes the central conflict of the novel and leads to dramatic consequences.
• Balzac uses detailed descriptions and realistic dialogues to create a vivid and believable picture of provincial life in 19th-century France.
• The novel also examines the social and economic changes occurring in France at the time and their impact on people of different classes.