| Author |
Balzac, Honoré de, 1799-1850 |
| Translator |
Wormeley, Katharine Prescott, 1830-1908 |
| Title |
Rise and Fall of Cesar Birotteau
|
| Note |
Reading ease score: 67.6 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.
|
| Credits |
Produced by John Bickers, and Dagny, and David Widger
|
| Summary |
"Rise and Fall of Cesar Birotteau" by Honoré de Balzac is a novel written in the early 19th century. The story revolves around Cesar Birotteau, a humble yet ambitious perfumer in Paris who experiences both the heights of success and the depths of failure as he navigates social and financial aspirations. The beginning of the novel presents a tense scene where Madame Birotteau is haunted by a nightmare, fearing for her husband, Cesar. She worries that he has left her without a word, contemplating different scenarios, including the possibility of his death or infidelity. When she finally finds him in a ridiculous pursuit of measuring the air, her fear dissipates, leading to a revealing discussion about Cesar's newfound ambition to host a grand ball in celebration of his recent recognition as deputy-mayor. As he shares his extravagant visions for their future and business, the opening reflects the complexities of their relationship, alongside the themes of ambition, fear, and the societal pressures that accompany the pursuit of status. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
|
| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
PQ: Language and Literatures: Romance literatures: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
|
| Subject |
Revenge -- Fiction
|
| Subject |
French fiction -- Translations into English
|
| Subject |
Paris (France) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
|
| Subject |
Bankruptcy -- Fiction
|
| Subject |
Business enterprises -- Fiction
|
| Subject |
Middle class -- France -- Fiction
|
| Subject |
Cosmetics industry -- Fiction
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| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
1942 |
| Release Date |
Jul 19, 2005 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Jan 27, 2021 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
237 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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