| Author |
Balzac, Honoré de, 1799-1850 |
| Translator |
Wormeley, Katharine Prescott, 1830-1908 |
| Uniform Title |
Le lys dans la vallée. English
|
| Title |
The Lily of the Valley
|
| Note |
Reading ease score: 74.3 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
|
| Credits |
Produced by John Bickers, and Dagny, and David Widger
|
| Summary |
"The Lily of the Valley" by Honoré de Balzac is a novel written during the early 19th century. The story centers around the character Felix de Vandenesse, who reflects on his tumultuous childhood and his complex feelings regarding love, particularly for the beautiful Madame de Mortsauf, who becomes the focus of his emotional struggles. The narrative explores themes of unrequited love, social class, and the impact of familial relationships on one's life. At the start of the novel, the dedication implies a deep personal connection between the author and a doctor, indicating the emotional weight carried within the text. The opening describes Felix's sorrowful childhood, marked by neglect from his family and the harshness of his upbringing, which breeds a sense of isolation and longing. As he recounts his early memories filled with cruelty from his siblings and emotional detachment from his mother, he also hints at the development of his internal strength and moral resistance. This sets the stage for his later romantic endeavors and the profound impact that his first love will have on his life. The initial focus on Felix’s painful past serves as a foundation for understanding his character and the complex emotions he will navigate in his interactions with Madame de Mortsauf. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
|
| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
PQ: Language and Literatures: Romance literatures: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
|
| Subject |
Historical fiction
|
| Subject |
Biographical fiction
|
| Subject |
Love stories
|
| Subject |
France -- Fiction
|
| Subject |
Man-woman relationships -- Fiction
|
| Subject |
French fiction -- Translations into English
|
| Subject |
Letters -- Fiction
|
| Subject |
Romance fiction
|
| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
1569 |
| Release Date |
Jan 25, 2005 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Jan 27, 2021 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
212 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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