The Purse by Honoré De Balzac (1829)
The novel revolves around the life of a young woman who marries into a wealthy family and becomes embroiled in their complex web of relationships and financial dealings. As she navigates her new role, she must confront the harsh realities of her husband's infidelity and the family's corrupt business practices.
By Honoré De Balzac · First published 1829 · Genre: Realism, Romance, Drama · 13,622 words
First lines
For souls to whom effusiveness is easy there is a delicious hour that falls when it is not yet night, but is no longer day; the twilight gleam throws softened lights or tricksy reflections on every object, and favors a dreamy mood which vaguely weds itself to the play of light and shade. The silence which generally prevails at that time makes it particularly dear to artists, who grow contemplative, stand a few paces back from the pictures on which they can no longer work, and pass judgement on them, rapt by the subject whose most recondite meaning then flashes on the inner eye of genius. He who has never stood pensive by a friend's side in such an hour of poetic dreaming can hardly understand its inexpressible soothingness. Favored by the clear-obscure, the material skill employed by art to produce illusion entirely disappears.
What this Textopian page supports
The Purse is listed on Textopian as a novel by Honoré De Balzac, dated 1829 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: 1829 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Realism, Romance, Drama, Social Commentary
- Length: 13,622 words
- Structure: 1 section, 171 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Purse 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 Purse?
- 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
- The Purse by Honore De Balzac
- The Collection Of Antiquities by Honore De Balzac
- The Secrets Of The Princesse De Cadignan by Honore De Balzac
- A Fashionable Woman by Guy De Maupassant
- Colonel Chabert by Honore De Balzac
- The Village Rector by Honore De Balzac
Genres
- Realism — The narrative focuses on detailed depictions of everyday life and social conditions.
- Romance — The plot centers around romantic relationships and emotional connections between characters.
- Drama — The story involves intense character development and emotional themes.
- Social Commentary — The work critiques and reflects on societal norms and class distinctions.
Tags
Realism · French Literature · 19th Century Novel · Social Commentary · Class Satire · Economic Critique · Marriage and Family · Love and Relationships · Materialism vs Spirituality · Morality and Ethics · Social Hierarchy · Upper Class Life