Honore de Balzac and Gustave Flaubert's Writings on Capitalism

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Honore de Balzac and Gustave Flaubert's Writings on Capitalism

The Revolution in France, during the 19th century, gave power to the people for the first time in France. French citizens now had faith that they could form a strong, independent country; but what they did not realize was that there must be some form of financial or monetary backbone present for a country to excel on its own in the modern world. This gave way to the rise of capitalism and all its follies, debaucheries, and mainly the exploitive nature it excites in people. Two authors, who were writing and observing these changes during this time in France, Honore de Balzac, and Gustave Flaubert, exemplify the demoralization of a people caused by the onslaught of capitalism, especially concerning the influence of this exploitive system as it stains everyday life with its deceptive characteristics. Through evaluating Balzac’s Pere Goriot and Flaubert’s Madame Bovary, it is evident that the exploitive aspects of capitalism permeate not only through the lives of a spectrum of characters, but also throughout the government as it exploits its country’s citizens.

Balzac comments on the exploitation of family member via the actions of Eugene Rastignac and Pere Goriot, the main characters in Balzac’s Pere Goriot. Pere Goriot’s role in the exploitation of family members is rather overt; however, Eugene’s role is easy to overlook. Eugene uses whatever means necessary to work his way into the high ranks of Parisian society. His desperation to join these wealthy individuals proves to be his demise, but it is not the entirety of his flaws. The influence of capitalistic ideals of Eugene’s time forces him to exploit his family for his own selfish ends by reques...

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...e scheme, no matter how many parties are involved. The government’s role during the rising of capitalism is seen as an oppressive force that cannot be overthrown. Balzac portrays the government as something that openly deceives public in order to benefit the most with no regard to the human condition. On the other hand, Flaubert portrays the government as quasi Machiavellian in that it covertly deceives its country’s people. Although the authors’ beliefs may not be clear on how they conceive the exploitive aspects due to the historical significance of capitalism, it is evident that they are aware of this social change and all of its influences on society.

Work Cited

Balzac, Honore de. Pere Goriot. Trans. A.J. Krailsheimer. New York: Oxford, 1991.

Flaubert, Gustave. Madame Bovary. Trans. Lowell Bair. Ed. Leo Bersani. New York: Bantam Classics, 1972.

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