Father Goriot

Father Goriot, a former pasta merchant, is a well-known tragic figure in world literature. Once a wealthy and prosperous businessman, he now resides in the small boarding house of the widow Vauquer and languishes on the verge of poverty. He lives only for his two flighty and self-serving daughters, who completely ignore him. He is running out of strength and money, and in the squalid environment of the boarding house, he becomes a target of ridicule, gossip, and intrigue. Among the local residents, Eugène de Rastignac initially stands out for his selfless behaviour. He once came to Paris full of ideals to study law. Gradually, however, he too abandons his moral principles and chases only wealth and social recognition.

In this novel, Balzac once again succeeds in filling the story with colourful characters and a merciless depiction of distorted family relationships. And as in his other prose, he credibly transports us to the environment of Paris at that time.