The image of Gobsak. The image of Gobsek in the story of the same name Honore de Balzac

In 1830, the immortal novel of the French writer Honore de Balzac "Gobsek" was written. The problematic of the work is completely based on one of the human vices - avarice, which at the end of the life of the main character has gone to the absurd. Over time, the story was contributed by the author to the multi-volume work "The Human Comedy."

Brief biography of the author

The French writer was born in Paris on May 20, 1799. According to biographical data, his father was a peasant, and his mother was born of a bourgeois. The aristocratic prefix "de" Honore began to use in the year of publication of his story "Gobsek", which you can briefly familiarize with in this article.

Having received a bachelor's degree, Balzac started a three-year service in a notary's office. The young man confidently rejected his father's proposal to open his practice. His hobby and work, he saw only literature. It is worth saying that at that time the works of the young guy did not represent the slightest interest for publishers.

Overflowing with impatience, Honore moved to the impoverished Parisian quarter and set to work. The novel he began to write, after many years will make him popular among true connoisseurs of literature, but critics of that time ruthlessly did not recognize his creations.

Return to writing

Since 1829, Balzac continued to create his immortal novels and novels. At night, he wrote, supporting the vitality of a large number of cups of black coffee, and in the evening he rested. Over a day, Honore wrote not one goose quill.

This "army" regime was finally rewarded, and books were given due attention. The novel "Shagreen's skin" brought the writer the title of one of the best authors of that time. This loud success greatly inspired the young writer, so he created an excellent epic called "The Human Comedy." It included the novel "Gobsek", the content of which is very close to the characters and deeds of contemporaries of Balzac.

Importance of Ukraine in the writer's life

For the first time Balzac visited this country in 1847. Here he was married to Evelina Ghana, so he often visited Ukrainian lands. A lot of essays were written by him about these wonderful places, and one of them is the "Letter about Kiev". Balzac admired the fertile land on which wheat is sown every year, without completely fertilizing the soil.

Being on the estate of Ghana, Honore was sincerely interested in the life of the peasants. He liked to watch groups of people who came from work, singing funny songs at the same time. As a result, the author's love for Ukraine was reflected not only in letters for Paris, but also in the novel "Peasants".

The innovation of Balzac

Creativity of the young Honoré fell at the dawn of two main genres: novels about history and personality. Balzac never followed fashion in European literature and created works, trying to show in them an individualized type of each character, like, for example, the well-known image of Gobsek.

In the center of the author's attention, there was almost always a modern bourgeois society with all its shortcomings. The existence of estates of that time, social institutions and social states as fully as possible are uncovered in the "Etudes about the customs", written by Balzac. "Gobsek" also entered this cycle as a demonstration of human stinginess and greed.

"The Human Comedy"

Despite the constant criticism of critics, Balzac did not stop working. After a while, the author decides to combine his works in an epic called "Human Comedy". According to the author's intention, the book should contain stories that would describe the modern society, every existing character trait, in a word - to create a unique picture of its time.

The cycle consists of three parts, the most extensive is the "Etudes about manners". She unfolded a real picture of France, in which he lived Balzac. "Gobsek" is one of the literary masterpieces that have entered the "Etude".

Summary

All the characters of Balzac are brightly drawn - they are memorable and ambiguous. This is exactly what the main character of the book "Gobsek" is. The short story is presented below, but the summary conveys only a small part of the meaning about which the author wanted to tell the reader.

The story begins in the salon of the Viscountess de Grandlieu, who was visited by Count Ernest de Rest and Derville. When the first of them left, the mistress of the house began to explain to her daughter Camilla that it was not possible to directly show a good disposition to the count, since no Parisian family would want to become related to them. Ernest was not a suitable pair to her daughter, since he was insolvent.

Dervil decides to intervene in order to explain the true essence of things. He began the story from afar, mentioning that he had met Gobsek while still a student and called him a cold-blooded golden image.

Somehow, the usurer told a story about the debt collection from a countess. Afraid of exposure, she gave him diamonds, for which her lover received money for a bill. Gobsek was right, saying that this dandy would ruin her entire family.

Later, Deryvil was approached by the blond handsome Count Maxim de Tray with a request for an acquaintance with the usurer. Gobsek, in turn, initially refused to give the loan to the graph, since the borrower was completely in debt at that time. But the same woman with the remaining family jewels comes to the money-lender and no doubt agrees to all the conditions. All this Countess did because of the blackmail de Tray, which was to transfer money to him, otherwise he allegedly would commit suicide.

On the same day, the husband of the aforementioned woman rushes to Gobsek with the demand to return the diamonds. But instead he gives the usurer all his possessions, in order to protect him from his unfaithful wife and her lover. To completion, Derville reports that this incident occurred with the father of Ernest de Resto.

After a while, the earl is seriously ill. His wife on this occasion breaks all ties with Maxim and cares for her husband. A day after his death, looking for a will, the woman arranged a rout in the office of the deceased. But the most horrible of her actions was the burning of papers, in the absence of which the property of the deceased count was transferred to Gobsek's possession. Dervil begged the usurer to return everything to the family of de Resto, but he was adamant.

At the end of the story, after realizing that Camille and Ernest love each other, Dervil went to Gobsec and found it at death. By the end of his life, avarice completely absorbed him. The house was flooded with a lot of spoiled food, because he did not sell anything, afraid of cheating. The image of Gobsek is an embodiment of a peculiar predatory power with the help of which a person quickly makes his way to gold and power.

The story ends with the fact that the lawyer Dervil informs de Granlie about the imminent return of lost property to the Count de Resto. A noble lady decides that Camille may well become Ernest's wife.

Characteristics of the main character

The image of Gobsek is internally contradictory. The main character is a strong personality, and also to some extent a philosopher and psychologist. Along with these traits are greed, meanness and cruelty. Most likely, it is because of the harsh conditions of existence that the usurer is accustomed to achieve the goal by any means.

Also, Gobsak's profile and his portrait are clearly visible in the author's statements about him. Balzac describes the protagonist as a person-bill. Awareness of the predatory world in which he lives, led him to usury. And this amount of money and gold is not necessary for a luxurious existence, but for a sense of protection. The characterization of Gobsak is supplemented by his meager speech, a standard dry set of phrases in conversation with clients. His whole appearance shows contempt for rich people.

Other works

In his youth, Honore tried not to pay attention to the unfair words of critics, continuing his work. Early works were:

- The novel "Shuany";

- "Shagreen skin";

- "Gobsek";

"The house of a cat playing ball."

Balzac sought to demonstrate the individualized type of each of his characters. The center of his work was not imaginary heroes, but the life and actions of bourgeois society. The amazed image of Hobsak from the novel of the same name showed the readers what a tragic life can be if a person has to kill all the good things in himself and become a soulless ruffian and accumulator.