Colonel Chabert by Honoré de Balzac
"Colonel Chabert" by Honoré de Balzac is a novel written in the early 19th century, specifically during the post-Napoleonic era in France. The story centers around Colonel Chabert, who was thought to be dead after a heroic battle at Eylau but discovers that he is alive and struggles to reclaim his identity, his fortune, and his wife, who has remarried and is now living a life of luxury. The opening of the
novel introduces a chaotic and lively scene in the attorneys' office where a group of clerks indulges in banter and practical jokes. In this environment, the elderly and shabby Colonel Chabert arrives, ignored and mocked by the clerks, who are unaware of his true identity. The Colonel's demeanor reflects the neglect he has faced in society after being declared dead. The atmosphere shifts dramatically when the Colonel reveals his identity, indicating a potential legal conflict with his widow, who has remarried. The stage is set for a deeper exploration of themes like identity, social class, and the legal battles faced by those who have been wronged by society. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Balzac, Honoré de, 1799-1850 |
|---|---|
| Translator | Bell, Clara, 1834-1927 |
| Translator | Marriage, Ellen, 1865-1946 |
| Title | Colonel Chabert |
| Note | Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonel_Chabert_(novella) |
| Note | Reading ease score: 77.7 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. |
| Credits | Produced by John Bickers, and Dagny, and David Widger |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PQ: Language and Literatures: Romance literatures: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese |
| Subject | Historical fiction |
| Subject | France -- Fiction |
| Subject | Legal stories |
| Subject | French fiction -- Translations into English |
| Subject | Napoleonic Wars, 1800-1815 -- Veterans -- Fiction |
| Subject | Justice, Administration of -- Political aspects -- France -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 1954 |
| Release Date | Jul 1, 2004 |
| Most Recently Updated | Jan 27, 2021 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 762 downloads in the last 30 days. |
| Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free! | |
