The Girl with the Golden Eyes
The novel revolves around a young woman known as La Fosseuse, who is the object of desire for several men. Her true identity and past are shrouded in mystery, adding to her allure. The story explores themes of love, deception, and social class, set against the backdrop of 19th-century French society.
By Honoré De Balzac · First published 1835 · Genre: Realism, Romance, Psychological Fiction · 32,991 words
First lines
One of those sights in which most horror is to be encountered is, surely, the general aspect of the Parisian populace -- a people fearful to behold, gaunt, yellow, tawny. Is not Paris a vast field in perpetual turmoil from a storm of interests beneath which are whirled along a crop of human beings, who are, more often than not, reaped by death, only to be born again as pinched as ever, men whose twisted and contorted faces give out at every pore the instinct, the desire, the poisons with which their brains are pregnant; not faces so much as masks; masks of weakness, masks of strength, masks of misery, masks of joy, masks of hypocrisy; all alike worn and stamped with the indelible signs of a panting cupidity? What is it they want? Gold or pleasure? A few observations upon the soul of Paris may explain the causes of its cadaverous physiognomy, which has but two ages -- youth and decay: youth, wan and colorless; decay, painted to seem young.
What this Textopian page supports
The Girl with the Golden Eyes is listed on Textopian as a novel by Honoré De Balzac, dated 1835 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: 1835 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Realism, Romance, Psychological Fiction, Social Commentary, Drama
- Length: 32,991 words
- Structure: 1 section, 451 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Girl with the Golden Eyes 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
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Girl with the Golden Eyes?
- How does this novel by Honoré De Balzac fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Realism first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Ursula by Honore De Balzac
- The Deserted Woman by Honore De Balzac
- The Deserted Woman by Honore De Balzac
- A Daughter Of Eve by Honore De Balzac
- A Mesalliance by Guy De Maupassant
- Domestic Peace by Honore De Balzac
Genres
- Realism — The narrative focuses on detailed depictions of everyday life and social conditions.
- Romance — Central to the plot is a passionate and complex love affair.
- Psychological Fiction — Explores the inner thoughts and motivations of the characters.
- Social Commentary — Critiques and examines the social structures and class dynamics of the time.
Tags
Romance · Novel · French Literature · 19th Century Fiction · Social Commentary · Class Struggle · Love Triangle · Deception · Mystery · Suspense · Family Secrets · Marriage