Résumé
This volume from Honoré de Balzac's La Comédie Humaine series presents a collection of novellas depicting various facets of Parisian society in the early 19th century, focusing on themes of ambition, downfall, identity, and social intricacies. Key stories include "Le Colonel Chabert," where a presumed-dead Napoleonic officer struggles to reclaim his life and fortune; "Sarrasine," exploring artistic obsession and gender deception; and "Grandeur et Décadence de César Birotteau," chronicling the rise and tragic bankruptcy of a perfumer.
Through richly detailed characters and moral dilemmas, Balzac offers a satirical yet poignant critique of bourgeois life, human vanity, and the harsh realities of French Restoration society.