Main characters
Balzac wrote more than 20 people in "Petro Goriot".
Among them are nobles, financiers, retired businessmen, apartment proprietresses, college students, absconding convicts, girls abandoned by their fathers, widows, old ladies, petty civil servants, servants, etc.
They represent the upper and lower classes of Parisian society.
There are four main characters in the novel: Rastignac, Goriot, Vautrin and Madame Boseant.
Their experiences constitute the main plot of this novel.
1. Rastignac
Balzac's novel is named after "Petro Goriot", but it is not centered on this character.
During the writing process, Rastignac was the main character throughout the novel.
Rastignac often appears in "The Human Comedy" and is the image of a young careerist.
His first appearance was in "Old Man Goriot".
Rastignac in "Petro Goriot" is a developing character. Balzac describes the whole process of the formation of his careerist in "Petro Goriot". This is the biggest point in this book. Where the value lies.
Rastignac was originally a poor boy from a certain province in France. His family saved all expenses to send him to university in Paris, hoping to revive the family business in the future.
This practice was common in Restoration France.
When the novel begins, he is 21 years old. He is an enthusiastic and talented young man, smart and handsome, studying law in Paris with the idea of ??getting rich and rising.
He originally wanted to climb up the ladder step by step based on his own skills after graduation.
But in less than a year in Paris, the poverty of his family and the prosperity of Parisian society increased his desire to climb tenfold.
He found that in Paris, women had a great influence on social life, so he wanted to conquer a few women who could be his backstage.
He knew from his great-aunt that he had a distant cousin, Mrs. Bausaian.
I went to ask her for advice on how to climb up.
At that time, Madame Beauseant was frustrated in love and full of resentment. She said to Rastignac: "This society is just a group of fools and liars, and they want to deal with this society in kind.
The more heartless you are, the faster you will rise.
If you attack others mercilessly, they will be afraid of you and can only treat men and women as stage horses.
They ride until they are exhausted and drop them when they get to the station.
In this way, you can reach the peak of desire." She asked Rastignac to hide his true thoughts and be good at cheating. Find a successful wife as a cover.
At that time, she believed that money dominated status, so she asked Rastignac to seduce the wealthy Mrs. Nucingen as a springboard for him to climb up.
She said: "If you can love her, just love her. If you can't love her, just use her." Mrs. Boseon also brought him to the social world.
In this way, Madame Beauseant taught Rastignac the first lesson of extreme egoism and became his first leader in climbing up.
Rastignac returned to his apartment from Madame Bosaion's luxurious house, and the strong contrast in the environment further aroused his desire.
If he wants to hang out in the upper class, he needs money.
So he wrote a letter home without conscience, asking his mother and sister to chip in 1,200 francs for him.
But at this time, Rastignac had not completely given up the idea of ??relying on knowledge to gain a future, and he had not completely lost his conscience.
After writing the letter home, he felt terribly uncomfortable.
When he knew that Old Man Goriot had sacrificed everything for his daughter, he thought Old Man Goriot was really great.
He sympathized with Old Man Goriot and stepped forward to be his protector, until he finally took care of Old Man Goriot's funeral.
His second leader was Vautrin.
Vautrin was an absconding prisoner.
He has rich social experience and is familiar with the inside story of the ruling class.
With sharp eyes, Rastignac’s desperate desire to climb up could be seen at a glance.
He wanted to make Rastignac an accomplice.
He said to him: "In this society, wealth is a virtue. Anyone who is covered in mud and sits in a car is a gentleman. Anyone who is covered in mud and walks on two legs is a villain." Gangster, if you pickpocket anything, you will be displayed in the courthouse square.
Everyone will treat you as a trick.
If you steal a million, you will be talked about in society. He is a great sage." He told Rastignac: "If you want to climb up, you will eat me and I will eat you, like many spiders in a bottle." He said: "You know how the Parisians conquer the world. ? Either by the brilliance of money, or by the ability of corruption.
Among this group of people, there are few talents, and corruption is prevalent everywhere. "He also said to Rastignac: " If you want to make big money, you have to work hard. That's how life is. It's just as smelly as the kitchen.
Don't be afraid of getting your hands dirty when you want to make money.
Just wash your hands afterwards.
The so-called morality today is nothing more than this." He directed Rastignac to seduce Miss Taifan.
Miss Taiyifan’s father is a big banker.
Seeking wealth and killing people during the Revolutionary Era.
Balzac wrote the history of his fortune in the short story "The Red Hotel".
In order to preserve his property and pass all the property to his son, he kicked his daughter out of the house.
Vautrin suggested that the two of them cooperate, with Rastignac pursuing Miss Taifan while he tried to kill her brother.
In this way, Miss Taiyifan will have a million-dollar fortune to accompany her marriage.
Vautrin demanded 200,000 francs afterwards.
Although Rastignac did not dare to accept this suggestion, Vautrin's words were deeply imprinted in his heart.
When he saw Miss Taiyifan later, a voice echoed in his ears: "800,000, 800,000..."
Both of these two guides were very interested in Rusty. Nirvana analyzed the true nature of society's shamelessness.
The power of money attracted him to the path of extreme egoism of tit for tat, immorality for immorality, and unscrupulous means.
Although their words are different in form, they are essentially the same.
Rastignac once said: "What Mrs. Bauseyon said to me elegantly and elegantly, Vautrin said it nakedly." Climb, you must do what they say.
He first pursued Mrs. Nucingen and found that she had no financial power (her dowry was controlled by her husband).
He found that his plan failed, and seeing that he had no money and no future, he remembered Vautrin's plan again and pursued Miss Taiyifan instead.
But at this moment, Vautrin was arrested.
Rastignac had no choice but to pursue Mrs. Nucingen because he did not want to risk breaking the law.
His careerist character was completed only after the three tragedies of Vautrin's arrest, Madame Bausaion's abandonment and the death of Goriot.
The reason why this article is named after "Old Man Goriot" is determined by the profound significance of the tragedy of Goriot Goriot in the article.
The tragedy of Goriot is the most important lesson in Rastignac’s social education, which is far more profound than the two lessons taught to him by his cousin Madame Beausein and the fugitive slave laborer Vautrin. It was the most powerful whip Rastignac received on the way to the formation of his careerist character.
2. Madame Beauseon
She is a typical example of aristocratic women during the Restoration period.
She was born into a noble family, the last daughter of the Pugone royal family, and the queen of Parisian society.
Her living room is the most meaningful place in aristocratic society. Anyone who can show up in her living room is "equal to having a certificate of aristocratic family" and has no problem in the upper class society.
Bourgeois women in Paris dream of squeezing in.
But in fact, although she was prominent on the outside, she felt like she was declining inside.
She realized that money is the real ruler of society, and profit-seeking is the moral principle.
But she herself followed the tradition and arrogance of the aristocracy and slandered bourgeois women.
It can be said that she is aware of current affairs, but she is unwilling to follow the trend.
She has been in love with the Spanish Marquis Aljuda for three years, and her love is sincere.
But her lover abandoned her in order to marry a bourgeois noble lady with a dowry of four million.
Therefore, she is bidding farewell to Parisian society.
She held a grand ball when she was leaving. Balzac described the scene of this farewell ball with infinite sympathy and tenderness.
The novel writes: "The surroundings of the Bausaion Mansion were brightly illuminated by the lights on more than 500 cars. Countless people from the upper class came to see her off, just like the Roman youth in ancient times facing a The fighting beast who died with a smile cheered.
In the splendid hall, the band played music, but her heart was desolate.
In the eyes of others, she was dressed in white and at ease. Quietly, she shed tears and burned her love letters behind her back, preparing to leave." Balzac used contrasting techniques to exaggerate the tragic atmosphere when she withdrew from the historical stage, singing an endless elegy.
Later, Madame Beauseon was abandoned again in "The Abandoned Wife".
Her tragedy vividly illustrates the decline of the aristocracy and the gain of the bourgeoisie during the Restoration period.
Nobility cannot compete with money, and love cannot compete with money.
3. Vautrin
His real name is Jorg Gaoleng, nicknamed "The Ghost". He is an important bourgeois careerist image in "The Human Drama" .
In "Old Man Goriot", he is an absconding hard labor prisoner, a confidant and consultant of the high-level wealth-stealing group's office, dealing in large amounts of stolen goods, and the image of a fierce plunderer who has not yet gained power.
Vautrin is very capable and has a group of minions at his disposal.
He had extensive experience, was familiar with the upper class society, and saw through the political, economic, and legal truth of the society at that time.
He pointedly pointed out to Rastignac: "The difference between a robber and a ruler is only whether there is blood or not." The big bourgeoisie are just big thieves protected by the law. In this society, there is wealth and convenience. It is virtue.
As long as he has four million francs, he will be Mr. "Four Million", a citizen of the United States, and no one will question him about his past history.
He wants to develop, to fight evil against evil, to fight immorality against immorality. He will blast in like a cannonball and get in like a plague, seek wealth and murder, seduce young people, and do whatever it takes to get there. Grab wealth.
He is familiar with the law, knows how to take advantage of legal loopholes, and is never sentenced to death when caught.
He attaches great importance to loyalty and has never betrayed anyone.
He said to La: "You can call him a villain, a scoundrel, a scoundrel, or a robber, but don't call me a liar, and don't call me a spy." Even the spy who caught him said that he was a good man. .
His purpose is to get another 200,000 francs, and then go to America to buy 200 black slaves and set up a large plantation.
This image is very risky.
Vautrin rebelled against society because he was greatly ostracized by society and his ambitions could not succeed.
He studies society and exposes society in order to adapt to this system and climb up. As long as his ambition to climb up succeeds, he will become a hawk to protect the current system.
This image appears in many works.
"Petro Goriot" writes that he was arrested in 1819. After that, he escaped again. After traveling to Spain, he put on makeup and returned to France.
In "Disillusionment", he appeared as a Spanish priest, in "The Rise and Fall of the Courtesan", he became the director of the Paris Secret Police, and in "Aunt Belle" he became a police officer Become a director and climb into the ruling class.
It is said that Balzac wrote this image based on the experience of a secret police leader in Paris.
The image of Vautrin is very complicated. He is the whistleblower of capitalist society and the creator of evil.
Balzac also had a contradictory attitude towards him. He not only wrote him as a representative of social evils and criticized him, but also admired his free spirit, spirit and ability, and expressed his views on society through his cynicism. criticism.
The scene of Vautrin's arrest in the novel is very heroic. The painter present at the time said: "It would be quite beautiful to draw him!" Everyone in Volgai's apartment sympathized with him and expressed his betrayal. His Miss Michelle was very angry. Everyone shouted at her: "Get out, spy!" They all objected to living in the same apartment with her.
Even such a smart and powerful robber was defeated by money!
4. Goriot
Balzac mentioned in his letter to Mrs. Hansgar on October 18, 1834 that he wrote "Old Goriot".
He said: "I want to describe an extremely powerful emotion in this book. The protagonist of the work is a father." Old Man Goriot is a typical example of fatherly love.
He was originally a noodle businessman. During the Revolution, he engaged in grain speculation and became a nouveau riche and a giant in the business world.
He had a fortune of 2 million and became the mayor of Paris during the Empire.
He is very shrewd in business and knows how to take advantage of opportunities. The novel writes that he "has the talent of a minister of state" in business.
But he cannot adapt to the trend in family relationships.
After his wife died, many people wanted to marry their daughters to him, but he refused.
He poured his love into his two daughters, and his love for his two daughters developed to an absurd level.
He fulfills their most extravagant wishes.
Their life is as luxurious as that of a duke's lover, and they have their own carriage at the age of 15.
When they grew up, Goriot gave each of them a dowry of 800,000 francs so that they could get into good marriages.
The eldest daughter Alasdaq was keen on his disciples, married a nobleman, and became Countess Lesto; the second daughter liked money, married a banker, and became Mrs. Nucingen.
Old Man Goriot divided his property between his two daughters. This was the first stupid thing he did.
In the beginning, because he still had money, his daughter and son-in-law often invited her to be guests. There was always a cutlery and fork from him on the dining table. Everyone looked at him respectfully, as if he were a guest respectfully. Looks like money.
Not long after, the political situation changed. The Bourbon dynasty was restored, the nobility regained power, and the concept of discipleship rose again.
Even bankers like Nucingen were squeezed into the royalist party. Of course, noodle merchants like Old Man Goriot were considered disgraceful by the upper class. They were just stains on a piece of oil paper in the living room and became disgraceful. As a popular person, the daughter asked her father to close his business.
Old Man Gao met his daughter's request and sold out the shop.
In this way, he did the second stupid thing and cut off his own financial resources.
In 1813, he moved into the Vauquer apartment.
Although he still had an income of 8,000 to 10,000 francs a year at that time, he could only go in through the back door to see his daughter, or stand by the roadside and wait for their carriage to pass by.
The two daughters continued to live a life of profligacy and corruption, visiting their father only when he needed money.
In order to satisfy the desires of his daughters, Goriot moved from the best room on the second floor to the third, fourth, and fifth floors. The room and board expenses were also reduced from 1,200 francs per year to 45 francs per month.
He sold all the things he could sell, and his personality changed from Mr. Gaoliang to "Old Man Gao", "Old ***", and "Old Panda", becoming everyone's happy object.
However, his two daughters still forced him to ask for money, forcing him to suffer from a cerebral hemorrhage.
During his critical illness, he longed to see his two daughters, but they were busy attending Mrs. Bauseyon's party, "even if they stepped on their father's body, they would not hesitate."
Old Man Gao finally understood that he had been abandoned by his daughter, and said with great sadness: "I gave them my whole life, and today they didn't even give me an hour." He also realized that his daughters had not given him an hour. The kind of life they live in was "made by me, and I spoiled them."
Before he died, he shouted angrily: "Money can buy everything, including a daughter." He died miserably, and his daughter and son-in-law did not come to attend the funeral. Only on the day of the funeral, Two empty carriages were sent, painted with the insignia of the title.
The tragedy of Goriot has profound social reasons. Balzac said at the beginning: "This tragedy is by no means a fabrication, nor a novel. Everything is true and real, and everyone can understand it." Discover the elements of this tragedy in yourself or in your heart. "From the perspective of the society in which Old Man Goriot lives, Old Man Goriot's fatherly love also has profound social roots.
When the novel begins, he is over 70 years old and has lived in a patriarchal society for most of his life.
Before he became rich, he was a citizen, and the citizens had a strong patriarchal concept. This was the social root of his father's love.
During the Industrial Revolution, he became a nouveau riche. He only knew how to pursue money and how to express his father's love by using money to satisfy his daughter's material life desires.
Although his love was sincere, it objectively helped society use money to corrupt his two daughters, cultivating their selfishness and money worship, so that he became a victim.
In addition, his two daughters are actually controlled by their husbands, and their actions are restricted. The two sons-in-law are representatives of the nobility and the big bourgeoisie respectively. In this way, for the two daughters The accusations will inevitably lead to accusations and criticism of the upper class society.
Balzac sympathized with Goriot, exaggerated his fatherly love, and wrote him as having the same tenacity and self-sacrifice spirit as a Christian martyr.
He used his great soul and self-sacrifice to criticize this upper-class society with rampant human desires and moral decay, as well as its money relations and profit-seeking moral principles.
The significance of Goriot's tragedy is not to praise father's love, but to expose the evil of money.
Money destroys humanity and families to a shocking extent.
In that society, human value is determined by money, and the relationship between people is a naked money relationship.
As Marx said in the "Communist Manifesto": "The bourgeoisie has taken off the veil of tenderness and tenderness covering family relationships and turned this relationship into a pure money relationship.
It makes there is no other connection between people except naked money relationship and ruthless cash transactions