| Author |
Balzac, Honoré de, 1799-1850 |
| Translator |
Bell, Clara, 1834-1927 |
| Title |
Sarrasine
|
| Note |
Reading ease score: 69.1 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.
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| Credits |
Produced by John Bickers, and Dagny
|
| Summary |
"Sarrasine" by Honoré de Balzac is a short novel written in the early 19th century, during the Romantic period. This literary work explores themes of art, obsession, and the complexities of human desire, encapsulated through the tumultuous life of a sculptor named Ernest-Jean Sarrasine. It intricately delves into the intersection of love and identity, epitomizing the intense emotions characteristic of Balzac's narrative style. The story follows Sarrasine, a passionate young sculptor who falls madly in love with a beautiful opera singer known as La Zambinella. However, he soon discovers that La Zambinella is not what she seems, as she is a castrato—a male singer who has undergone surgery to prevent his voice from changing. This revelation unleashes a torrent of confusion, desire, and ultimately tragedy, as Sarrasine grapples with his feelings towards his idealized love that defies the norms of gender and societal expectations. This tale serves not only as a commentary on the nature of infatuation but also as a poignant exploration of the consequences of societal judgment and the fragile boundaries between love and possession. Balzac masterfully combines rich, descriptive prose with a nuanced examination of character and emotion, making "Sarrasine" a captivating and thought-provoking read. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
PQ: Language and Literatures: Romance literatures: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
|
| Subject |
Autobiographical fiction
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| Subject |
French fiction -- Translations into English
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| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
1826 |
| Release Date |
Aug 22, 2005 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Jan 27, 2021 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
860 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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