The condition of French society in the early half of the nineteenth century-the period covered by Balzac's novels-may be compared to that of a people endeavouring to recover themselves after an earthquake. Everything had been overthrown, or at least loosened from its base-religion, laws, customs, traditions, castes. Nothing had withstood the shock.
The condition of French society in the early half of the nineteenth century-the period covered by Balzac's novels-may be compared to that of a people endeavouring to recover themselves after an earthquake. Everything had been overthrown, or at least loosened from its base-religion, laws, customs, traditions, castes. Nothing had withstood the shock.