Father Goriot

Interesting Facts

• The novel is part of the series «La Comédie Humaine», which includes over 90 works, in which Balzac aimed to create a panorama of French society of his time.
• The main character, Goriot, symbolizes paternal love and self-sacrifice, reflecting the theme of family relationships and the moral decay of society.
• Balzac used a realistic style to depict social classes and their interactions, making the novel an important contribution to the development of realism in literature.
• The character Eugène de Rastignac, a young student striving to break into high society, became an archetype of the ambitious young man willing to do anything for success.
• The novel was first published in 1835 and was acclaimed for its deep psychological portrayal of characters and social critique.
• The image of Madame Vauquer's boarding house, where much of the action unfolds, became a symbol of Parisian life and social inequality.