A Street of Paris and its Inhabitant
The story revolves around a young woman who lives on the Rue de la Chaussée-d'Antin in Paris. She is a courtesan and her life is marked by luxury and excess. The narrative explores themes of love, desire, and the corrupting influence of wealth.
By Honoré De Balzac · First published 1836 · Genre: Realist Fiction, Satire, Social Commentary · 8 chapters · 4,543 words
First lines
Paris has curved streets, streets that are serpentine. It counts, perhaps, only the Rue Boudreau in the Chaussee d'Antin and the Rue Duguay-Trouin near the Luxembourg as streets shaped exactly like a T-square. The Rue Duguay-Trouin extends one of its two arms to the Rue d'Assas and the other to the Rue de Fleurus.
In 1827 the Rue Duguay-Trouin was paved neither on one side nor on the other; it was lighted neither at its angle nor at its ends. Perhaps it is not, even to-day, paved or lighted. In truth, this street has so few houses, or the houses are so modest, that one does not see them; the city's forgetfulness of them is explained, then, by their little importance.
What this Textopian page supports
A Street of Paris and its Inhabitant is listed on Textopian as a novel by Honoré De Balzac, dated 1836 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Honoré De Balzac
- Date: 1836 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Realist Fiction, Satire, Social Commentary, Character Study, Urban Fiction
- Length: 4,543 words
- Structure: 8 chapters, 124 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Street of Paris and its Inhabitant by Honoré De Balzac
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering A Street of Paris and its Inhabitant?
- How does this novel by Honoré De Balzac fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Realist Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Realist Fiction — The narrative focuses on detailed descriptions of everyday life and the environment, characteristic of realist literature.
- Satire — The portrayal of the absent-minded professor and his interactions with others highlights the absurdities of intellectual life, a common element in satire.
- Social Commentary — The text critiques societal norms and the lives of intellectuals, reflecting on the disconnect between academic pursuits and practical life.
- Character Study — The work delves deeply into the personality and habits of the protagonist, providing insight into his character.
Tags
Realism · Literary Fiction · French Literature · 19th Century · Social Commentary · Urban Life · Class Struggle · Love Story · Romance · Satire · Comedy of Manners · Character Study
Contents
- Physiognomy of the Street
- Silhouette of the Inhabitant
- Madame Adolphe
- Inconvenience of Quays where are Book Stalls
- First Course
- Second Course
- Dessert
- This Shows that the Wife of a Man of Science is very Unhappy