Written between 1840 and 1842,

captures Balzac in full maturity, reflecting both his ambition to serve as the “secretary” (Balzac, H. de, 1976-81, 1: 11) of nineteenth-century French society, and his instinctive enthusiasm for stories of domestic turmoil, frustrated talent, and monetary greed. The novel was first mentioned in Balzac's notes and correspondence in 1839, under the titles

[

] and

[

]. Focussing on the tribulations of a provincial bachelor, it was intended to complete a trilogy of works entitled

[

], and that already included

[

] (1832) and

(1840). Publication was, however, spread over more than two years, as a…

3066 words

Citation: Watts, Andrew. "La Rabouilleuse". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 05 April 2008 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=21922, accessed 31 October 2024.]