Der Ball Von Sceaux

'The Ball at Sceaux' is one of the oldest books in Balzac's 'The Human Comedy' series. It tells the story of Émilie de Fontaine, a pretentious and spoiled young lady who refuses to love anyone who is not known in French high society. At the ball she falls in love with a handsome and mysterious young man, who is revealed to be the taciturn Maximilien Longueville. Émilie's family later discovers that Maximilien is concealing the fact that he is a shopkeeper at a Paris marketplace, which horrifies Émilie. But all is not what it seems, as Émilie is soon to find out after she abandons Maximilien for a rich man she does not love. Inspired by Aleksandr Pushkin’s 'Eugene Onegin' and the fables of La Fontaine, in particular 'The Girl' and 'The Heron'. This Balzacian novella is a wonderful and enthralling read, where the mysterious and unknown tightly grips the reader well past the final page. It is one of the sheer joys of 'The Human Comedy' that we will meet these characters again in other stories. Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850) was a French novelist and playwright, most famous for his collection of novels and plays, collectively called 'The Human Comedy'. His detailed observation of humanity and realistic depiction of society makes him one of the earliest representatives of realism in Europe. He was a master-creator of complex characters that often found themselves in ambiguous moral dilemmas.

Der Ball von SceauxBy Honor� de Balzac,

Reproduction of the original.

"The Ball at Sceaux" is a novella written through the French literary massive Honoré de Balzac, forming a part of his collection titled "La Comédie Humaine." Published in 1830, this painting portrays the social intricacies and romantic aspirations of the early 19th-century French aristocracy. The narrative revolves round Emilie de Fontaine, a young and socially bold lady from a provincial history. Eager to climb the social ladder, Emilie strategically plans a ball on the Château de Sceaux, hoping to draw a wealthy suitor from the Parisian elite. The story deftly explores issues of love, social stratification, and the pursuit of repute. As the ball unfolds, Balzac skillfully unravels the complexities of human relationships and the nuances of societal expectancies. The characters navigate the delicate dance of courtship, revealing their aspirations, vanities, and the tensions among societal norms and personal desires. Balzac's eager statement of human nature is obvious as he weaves a tapestry of social observation, humor, and mental insight. "The Ball at Sceaux" serves as a microcosm of Balzac's broader exploration of French society, offering readers with a glimpse into the intricacies of class, love, and ambition in the evolving landscape of submit-revolutionary France. Through shiny characterizations and astute storytelling, Balzac crafts a timeless narrative that remains a charming mirrored image on the human circumstance.

The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic. After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, "I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne." And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins. Though ruined by confiscation, the staunch Vendeen steadily refused the lucrative posts offered to him by the Emperor Napoleon. Immovable in his aristocratic faith, he had blindly obeyed its precepts when he thought it fitting to choose a companion for life. In spite of the blandishments of a rich but revolutionary parvenu, who valued the alliance at a high figure, he married Mademoiselle de Kergarouet, without a fortune, but belonging to one of the oldest families in Brittany.

The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic. After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, "I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne." And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins. Though ruined by confiscation, the staunch Vendeen steadily refused the lucrative posts offered to him by the Emperor Napoleon. Immovable in his aristocratic faith, he had blindly obeyed its precepts when he thought it fitting to choose a companion for life. In spite of the blandishments of a rich but revolutionary parvenu, who valued the alliance at a high figure, he married Mademoiselle de Kergarouet, without a fortune, but belonging to one of the oldest families in Brittany. When the second revolution burst on Monsieur de Fontaine he was encumbered with a large family. Though it was no part of the noble gentlemen's views to solicit favors, he yielded to his wife's wish, left his country estate, of which the income barely sufficed to maintain his children, and came to Paris. Saddened by seeing the greediness of his former comrades in the rush for places and dignities under the new Constitution, he was about to return to his property when he received a ministerial despatch, in which a wellknown magnate announced to him his nomination as marechal de camp, or brigadiergeneral, under a rule which allowed the officers of the Catholic armies to count the twenty submerged years of Louis XVIII.'s reign as years of service. Some days later he further received, without any solicitation, ex officio, the crosses of the Legion of Honor and of Saint-Louis.