Gobsek characterization of heroes. Balzac "Gobsek": a detailed analysis of the story and the protagonist
The French realist writer Honore de Balzac believed that the work should have more living details, everyday details, since the depiction of everyday life gives images and phenomena truthfulness. Balzac is the author of the epic cycle of works " human comedy”, which includes the famous story “Gobsek”.
Main character- a rich moneylender who believes that with the help of money you can control people. He found clients in dire need and gave them money at a huge percentage. Thus, the hero accumulated a fortune. However, Gobsek continued to live modestly, saving every penny. He was possessed by an insane passion for accumulation, and along with it came a suspicion of people. Gobsek pretended to be a poor old man so that no one would rob him. Once he became a hostage of two of his passions at once. The hero dropped a gold coin, but did not recognize that it belonged to him. Despite his greed for money, he was unable to reveal himself to the other tenants of the house.
The image of Gobsek is not unambiguous. It is as if a miser and a philosopher coexist in him. He does not just take interest from clients, but enjoys the moments of weakness of pathetic people who become addicted to him. Gobsek creates his own theory of the unlimited power of gold over the human mind. He is sure that whoever owns the gold owns the world. And yet, Gobsek is not a malevolent person, because he knows how to see not only bad, but also good qualities in others. The old man deftly notices the details in the behavior and even the movements of his clients, he knows when they are afraid, they are trying to delay the payment of money. But we will not beg Gobsek, and collects all bills without delay, independently running "on his thin legs" through the homes of his debtors.
However, this "man-automaton" knows what friendship is, although he understands it to the best of his convictions. When Derville, the only companion of the usurer, asks to lend him money, he refuses, explaining that money destroys friendship: the debtor feels obliged, and the creditor is waiting for his interest. Knowing himself, Gobsek does not want to have a "golden" power over a friend. Gobsek's humanity is also evident in his attitude towards the seamstress Fanny Malvo. He admires the nobility of the poor girl.
Gobsek is a good analyst, although his conclusions are biased. Watching people, he realizes that the only constant engine in the world is gold. It alone, in his opinion, is invariable - which means that in order to achieve power, you need to own gold.
Why does Gobseck need unlimited power over others? The answer lies in the experiences experienced in youth. Then the hero was completely different, not a cynical realist, but a desperate romantic. But betrayal and unhappy love made his heart hard. Now it is clear why the only friend who will not betray, he called money.
Honore de Balzac shows in the image of the main character how the cult of gold cripples the souls of people. After all, Gobsek had a great inner strength, but chose the path of a soulless money-grabbing machine, turning from a human philosopher into a semi-automatic machine.
— Gobsek,
— Vicomtesse de Granlier,
- Camille - daughter of the Viscountess,
- Count de Bornbrat - brother of the viscountess,
- Derville is a friend of their family, F
- Fanny Malvo (Derville's wife)
— Count Maxime de Tray,
— Comte de Restaud and his wife.
Gobseck's characteristic
The first impression of the image of Gobsek is sharply negative. This is due to his profession (usurer) and the defining character trait (stinginess). In world and Russian literature, we have already met with similar characters. This is the Miser from the comedy of the same name by Moliere, Gogol's Plyushkin, the usurer from Gogol's story "Portrait", the old pawnbroker Alena Ivanovna from Dostoevsky's novel "Crime and Punishment". All of them are sharp negative characters. The authors denounce them for spiritual impoverishment and the desire to get rich at the expense of the weaknesses and misfortunes of other people. None of these images positive trait therefore neither the author nor the readers have any sympathy for them.
So, at first glance, Gobsek seems to be. But his image is much deeper than the images of the heroes we named. Let's prove this statement by creating a table of "contradictions" of Gobseck's behavior and character:
| Gobsek is a rich man (only five people in Paris can compare with him in terms of wealth.) | Dragging out a miserable existence. Afraid to advertise his wealth (did not pick up gold) |
| Misanthrope. Hates all his relatives. | Supports friendly relations with Derville |
| Concentrated in his hands the power over the world (... I own the world without tiring myself.” | At the same time, he goes to clients and humiliatingly collects payments. |
| A hero devoid of any human feelings: “a man is an automaton”; “a man is a bill”; “a golden idol.” | Magnanimous man: felt "a feeling of pity" at the sight of impending poverty threatening the Comtesse de Restaud; Gobsek "almost touched" when he saw the seamstress Fanny's room |
| “Savage” (experienced “the evil triumph of the savage who took possession of the shiny stones” after acquiring the Countess's diamonds.) | An educated person: Knows all the intricacies of jurisprudence, is well versed in politics, art (it is no coincidence that the author compares him with a statue of Voltaire - one of the most educated people of his time) |
| Moneylender. | "Gobsek is an honest man" |
|
They live in it "The Miser and the Philosopher" “vile creature and sublime” He is an "old man and a child" "old baby" |
|
So, Gobsek is a complex, multifaceted and controversial personality.
Why did Gobsek choose the profession of moneylender? What is his life credo?
Answer: Gobsek deliberately chose the profession of a usurer. He considers money to be a commodity that can be bought and sold profitably. Therefore, he sees nothing immoral in lending money at high interest and profiting from it. These are the rules of any trade.
What does Gobsek himself believe in?
Answer: Gobsek believes in the limitless power and power of gold. He declares: "Gold is the spiritual value of today's society."
“You believe everything, but I believe nothing. Well, save your illusions if you can. I will now sum up the human life. What in Europe causes delight is punished in Asia, What in Paris is considered a vice, beyond the Azars is recognized as a necessity. There is nothing lasting on earth, there are only conventions, and in each climate they are different ... all our moral rules and convictions are empty words ... Live with me, you will find out that of all earthly blessings there is only one reliable enough to make it worth a person to chase after him. Is this gold.
All the forces of mankind are concentrated in gold... As for morals, man is the same everywhere: everywhere there is a struggle between the poor and the rich, everywhere. And it is inevitable. So it’s better to push yourself than to let others push you.”
Thus, Gobsek argues that there are no absolute values and truths in the world. At different peoples its own morality, its own laws, its own concept of morality.
And only gold is absolute truth and value in all countries and at all times. Only gold can give a person absolute, real power over the world.
Now you have remembered the main characters of Gobsek, as well as Gobsek's character traits, which largely explain his actions.
In the 1930s, Balzac entirely turned to the description of the customs and way of life of modern bourgeois society. At the origins of the "Human Comedy" is a short story "Gobsek", which appeared in 1830. Although outwardly it seems to be a novel of a completely portrait plan, a kind of psychological study, it nevertheless contains all the key moments of the Balzac worldview.
The short story was, along with the novel, Balzac's favorite genre. At the same time, many of Balzac's short stories are not built around a certain center - although they sometimes tell about very dramatic ups and downs - but around a certain psychological type. Taken together, the Balzac short stories are, as it were, a portrait gallery of various types of human behavior, a series of psychological studies. In the general plan of The Human Comedy, they are, as it were, preliminary developments of characters, which Balzac then releases as heroes on the pages of his major plot novels.
And it is extremely significant that the first to appear in this gallery of types is Gobsek, the usurer, one of the key, main figures of the entire bourgeois age, as if a symbol of this era. What is this new psychological type? In our critical literature Unfortunately, the image of Gobseck is often interpreted one-sidedly. If you do not read the story itself, but read other critical judgments about it, then we will be presented with the image of a sort of spider sucking blood from its victims, a person devoid of any spiritual movements, thinking only about money - in general, this figure, as you can imagine, portrayed by Balzac with hatred and disgust.
But if you carefully read the story itself, you will probably be somewhat confused by the categorical nature of these harshly negative judgments. Because in the story you will often see and hear something completely opposite: the narrator, who is quite positive and fair man, lawyer Derville, speaks of Gobsek, for example, like this: "I am deeply convinced that, outside of his usury affairs, he is a man of the most scrupulous honesty in all of Paris. Two creatures live in him: a miser and a philosopher, an insignificant and sublime creature. If I If I die leaving young children, he will be their guardian." I repeat, this is said by the narrator, who is clearly acting on behalf of the author.
Let's take a look at this strange character. Gobsek is undeniably ruthless to his clients. He pulls from them, as they say, three skins. He "plunges people into tragedy," as the old saying goes.
But let's ask a logical question - who is his client, from whom does he take money? Two such clients appear in the novel - Maxime de Tray, a socialite, a gambler and a pimp who squanders the money of his mistress; the mistress herself is the Countess de Resto, blindly in love with Maxim and stealing from her husband and children for the sake of her lover. When her husband falls seriously ill, his first concern is to make a will so that the money is not left to the wife, but to the children; and then the countess, truly losing her human appearance, encloses the office of the dying count with vigilant supervision in order to prevent him from passing the will to the notary. When the count dies, she rushes to the dead man's bed and, throwing the corpse against the wall, rummages through the bed!
Do you feel how this complicates the situation? After all, these are different things - does the usurer Gobsek rob simply helpless people in trouble, or just people like these? Here we must, apparently, be more careful in assessing Gobseck, otherwise we will have to feel sorry for the poor Maxime de Tray and the Countess de Resto! But perhaps Gobsek doesn't care whom to rob? Today he pressed the countess and Maxim, tomorrow he will press a decent person?
We are assured that he almost drinks human blood, and he throws Maxime de Tray in the face: "It is not blood that flows in your veins, but mud." He says to Derville: "I appear with the rich as retribution, as a reproach of conscience ..."
Here, it turns out, what a Gobsek! But perhaps this is all demagogy, but in reality Gobsek rips off the poor and the poor with the same pleasure. honest people? Balzac, as if foreseeing this question, introduces into his short story the story of the seamstress Fanny - Gobsek feels sympathy and passion for her.
One does not need to have any special flair to see that the hero's speeches here are not hypocritical: they sound completely sincere, they were composed by Balzac in order to set off precisely human essence Gobsek! True, in the same scene, Gobsek, having become emotional, almost offers her money for a loan. the minimum rate, "only out of 12%", but then changes his mind. This seems to sound sarcastic, but if you think about the situation, it is again more complicated. Because Balzac has no mockery here - on the contrary, the whole stronghold of Gobsek's existence is shaking here! He is a usurer, a seemingly ruthless character, he himself is ready to lend money, and he is so forgotten at the sight of Fanny that he is ready to demand the minimum percentage in his understanding. Isn't it obvious that here it is important for Balzac not to mock Gobseck's sentimentality, but to emphasize precisely all his shock - clearly human, humane feelings spoke in him! His professional instinct remained stronger, but it is curious that his rejection of this idea was due not to greed, but to skepticism, distrust of people: “Well, no, I reasoned with myself, she probably has a young cousin who will force her to sign bills and clean the poor thing!" That is, Fanny alone Gobsek was still ready to do good! Here we have not so much sarcasm or satire as Balzac's deep psychological insight, here the tragic sides of human psychology are revealed - even trying to do good to worthy people, he does not dare to take this step, because his whole psychology is already poisoned by distrust of people!
The whole plot of the story convinces us of the complexity of Gobsek's character, of the remarkable human resources of his soul. Indeed, at the end of it, it is Gobsek who is entrusted by the dying Comte de Resto to protect his children from the intrigues of his own mother! The count, therefore, implies in him not only honesty, but also humanity! Further, when Derville is about to establish his own notary office, he decides to ask Gobsek for money, because he feels his friendly disposition. Another brilliant psychological detail follows - Gobsek asks Derville for the minimum amount of interest in his practice, he himself understands that it is still high, and therefore almost demands from Derville that he bargain! He is literally waiting for this request - so that, again, he himself does not violate his principle (do not take less than 13%). But ask Derville, he will reduce the amount even more! Derville, in turn, does not want to humiliate himself. The amount remains 13%. But Gobseck, so to speak, organizes for him an additional and profitable clientele free of charge. And in parting, he asks Derville for permission to visit him. Before you in that scene is again not so much a spider as a victim of his own profession and his own distrust of people.
Thus Balzac, with the finest psychological skill, exposes to us the secret nerves of this strange soul, "the fibers of the heart modern man", as Stendhal said. This man, allegedly carrying "evil, ugliness and destruction", is in fact deeply wounded in his soul. His penetrating sharp mind is cold to the limit. He sees the evil reigning around, but he still convinces himself that he he sees only this: “Live with me - you will find out that of all earthly blessings there is only one reliable enough to make it worth a person to chase after him. Is this gold".
Balzac shows us the path of thought that led the hero to such ethics, he shows us in all its complexity the soul that professes such principles - and then these words already sound tragic. Gobsek turns out to be a deeply unhappy man; the surrounding evil, money, gold - all this distorted his honest and basically good nature, poisoned it with the poison of distrust of people. He feels completely alone in this world. "If human communication between people is considered a kind of religion, then Gobsek could be called an atheist," says Derville. But at the same time, Gobseck’s thirst for real human communication has not died completely, it’s not for nothing that he reached out with his soul to Fanny, it’s not for nothing that he is so attached to Derville and, to the meager measure of his strength, tries to do good! But the logic of the bourgeois world, according to Balzac, is such that these impulses most often remain just fleeting impulses - or acquire a grotesque, distorted character.
In other words, Balzac draws here not the tragedy of Maxime de Tray and the Countess de Resto, who fell into the clutches of a usurer spider, but the tragedy of Gobsek himself, whose soul he distorted, twisted the law of the bourgeois world - man is a wolf to man. After all, how senseless and tragic at the same time the death of Gobsek! He dies completely alone next to his rotting wealth - already dying like a maniac! His usury, his stinginess is not a cold calculation, but a disease, a mania, a passion that absorbs the person himself. We must not forget about his vengeful feeling towards the rich! And it is no coincidence, of course, that the whole story is put into the mouth of Derville, who tells it in a high-society salon - this story is clearly built on the fact that Derville is trying to dissuade his listeners, in any case, tell them the truth about Gobsek's life. After all, his listeners know this story from the same Gobsek victims - from the same Maxim, from the same Countess de Restaud. And they, of course, have the same idea of Gobseck as in the critical judgments I quoted above - he is a villain, a criminal, he brings evil, ugliness, destruction, and Derville, a lawyer by profession, builds his entire story on extenuating circumstances. And so, paradoxically, it is the fate of Gobsek that becomes a guilty verdict on bourgeois society - his fate, and not the fate of Maxim and the Countess de Restaud!
But realizing this, we are also aware of Balzac's serious artistic protest in this image. Indeed, in pronouncing a guilty verdict on mercantile ethics, Balzac, of course, chooses a figure not the most suitable for this role as the main victim and accuser. Even if we assume that there were such usurers, it is hardly possible to admit that such a fate of the usurer was typical. She is definitely an exception. Meanwhile, Balzac clearly raises this story above the framework of a particular case, he gives it a generalizing, symbolic meaning! And in order to make the role of Gobseck as an accuser of society look legitimate, so that the author's sympathy for the hero looks justified, the author not only gives a subtle psychological analysis of Gobseck's soul (as we saw above), but also reinforces this with a kind of demonization of the image. And this is a purely romantic procedure. Gobsek is shown as a brilliant but sinister connoisseur of human souls, as a kind of their researcher.
Balzac, in essence, elevates the private everyday practice of the usurer to majestic proportions. After all, Gobsek becomes not only a victim of the golden calf, but also a symbol of enormous practical and cognitive energy! And here the purely romantic manner of depicting irresistible demonic villains, for whose villainy the world is to blame, intrudes into the technique of a remarkable realist. Not themselves.
Very little time will pass, and Balzac will become much more unambiguous and merciless in the depiction of bourgeois businessmen - this will be the image of old Grande. But now, in Gobsek, he is still obviously wavering on a very important point—on the question of purposefulness, of the moral prime cost of bourgeois energy.
By creating the figure of the all-powerful Gobsek, Balzac clearly pushes into the background the immorality of the ultimate goal of usury - pumping money out of people, which you, in fact, did not give them. Gobseck's energy and strength are still of interest to him in and of themselves, and for the time being he is clearly weighing for himself the question of whether this practical energy is for the good. That is why he distinctly idealizes, romanticizes this energy. Therefore, it is precisely in matters of the ultimate goal that Balzac seeks mitigating circumstances for Gobseck that mystify the real state of affairs - either for Gobseck this is a study of the laws of the world, then observation of human souls, then revenge on the rich for their swagger and heartlessness, then some kind of all-consuming "one single venous passion." Romanticism and realism intertwined in this image is truly indissoluble.
As we can see, the whole story is woven from the deepest dissonances, reflecting the ideological fluctuations of Balzac himself. Turning to the analysis of modern morals, Balzac still mystifies them in many ways, overloading the basically realistic image. symbolic meanings and generalizations. As a result, the image of Gobseck appears, as it were, on several planes at once - he is both a symbol of the destructive power of gold, and a symbol of bourgeois practical energy, and a victim of bourgeois morality, and yet - simply a victim of an all-consuming passion, passion as such, regardless of its specific content.
In 1830 an immortal story was written French writer Honore de Balzac "Gobsek". The problematics of the work is completely based on one of the human vices - stinginess, which at the end of the life of the protagonist turned into absurdity. Over time, the story was included by the author in the multi-volume work "The Human Comedy".
Brief biography of the author
Born in Paris on May 20, 1799. According to biographical data, his father was a peasant, and his mother was from the bourgeoisie. Honore began to use the aristocratic prefix "de" in the year of the publication of his story "Gobsek", which you can briefly read in this article.
After receiving a bachelor's degree, Balzac began a three-year service in a notary's office. The young man confidently rejected his father's proposal to open his own practice. His passion and work he saw only literature. It is worth saying that at that time the works of the young guy did not represent the slightest interest for publishers.
Overwhelmed with impatience, Honore moved to a poor Parisian quarter and set to work. The novel that he began to write would make him popular among true connoisseurs of literature many years later, but critics of that time mercilessly did not recognize his creations.
Return to writing
Since 1829, Balzac continued to create his immortal novels and story. At night he wrote, keeping in himself vitality plenty of cups of black coffee, and rested in the evening. During the day, Honore wrote more than one quill pen.
This "army" mode has finally been rewarded, and the books are marked with due attention. Novel " Shagreen leather"brought the writer the title of one of the best authors that time. This resounding success greatly inspired the young writer, thanks to which he created an excellent epic called The Human Comedy. It included the story "Gobsek", the content of which is very close to the characters and actions of Balzac's contemporaries.
Importance of Ukraine in the writer's life
Balzac first visited this country in 1847. Here he was married to Evelina Hanska, so he often visited Ukrainian lands. Many essays were written by him about these wonderful places, and one of them is "Letter about Kyiv". Balzac admired the fertile land on which wheat is sown every year, without fertilizing the soil at all.
Being in the estate of Ganskaya, Honore was sincerely interested in the life of the peasants. He liked to watch groups of people coming home from work, singing cheerful songs. As a result, the author's love for Ukraine was reflected not only in letters to Paris, but also in the novel Peasants.
Balzac's innovation
The work of the young Honore fell at the dawn of two main genres: novels about history and personality. Balzac never followed fashion in European literature and created works, trying to show in them the individualized type of each character, as, for example, to everyone famous image Gobsek.
The author's attention was almost always focused on modern bourgeois society with all its shortcomings. The existence of the estates of that time, social institutions and public states are fully disclosed in the "Studies on Morals", which Balzac wrote. "Gobsek" also entered this cycle as a demonstration of human stinginess and greed.
"The Human Comedy"
Despite the constant nitpicking of critics, Balzac did not stop working. After a while, the author decides to combine his works into an epic called "The Human Comedy". As conceived by the author, the book was supposed to contain stories that would describe modern society, each existing character trait, in a word - to create a peculiar picture of his time.
The cycle consists of three parts, the most extensive being "Etudes on Morals". She unfolded the real picture France where Balzac lived. "Gobsek" is one of the literary masterpieces that are included in the "Etude".
All Balzac's characters are vividly drawn - they are memorable and ambiguous. This is exactly what the main character of the book "Gobsek" is. An abbreviated story is presented below, but summary conveys only a small part of the meaning that the author wanted to tell the reader about.
The story begins in the salon of the Viscountess de Granlier, who was visiting Count Ernest de Resto and Derville. When the first of them left, the mistress of the house began to explain to her daughter Camille that it was impossible to show a good disposition towards the count so directly, because not a single Parisian family would want to intermarry with them. Ernest was not a suitable match for her daughter, as he was bankrupt.
Derville decides to intervene in what is happening to clarify the true essence of things. He began the story from afar, mentioning that he met Gobsek while still a student and called him a cold-blooded golden idol.
Once a moneylender told a story about collecting a debt from a countess. Fearing exposure, she gave him the diamonds, for which her lover received a bill of exchange. Gobsek was right when he said that he would ruin her entire family.
Later, the fair-haired handsome Count Maxime de Tray turned to Derville with a request to get acquainted with the usurer. Gobsek, in turn, at first refused to give the earl a loan, since the borrower at that time was entirely in debt. But the same woman comes to the usurer with the rest and without a doubt agrees to all the conditions. The countess did all this because of de Tray's blackmail, which consisted in transferring money to him, otherwise he would allegedly commit suicide.
On the same day, the husband of the aforementioned woman bursts in on Gobseck demanding the return of the diamonds. But instead, he gives the moneylender all his property in order to protect him from his unfaithful wife and her lover. Towards the end, Derville reports that this incident happened to the father of Ernest de Resto.
After some time, the count falls seriously ill. His wife, on this occasion, breaks all ties with Maxim and takes care of her husband. A day after his death, looking for a will, the woman staged a rout in the office of the deceased. But her most terrible act was the burning of papers, in the absence of which the property of the deceased count passed into the possession of Gobsek. Derville begged the usurer to return everything to the de Resto family, but he was adamant.
At the end of the story, having found out that Camilla and Ernest love each other, Derville went to Gobsek and found him near death. By the end of his life, stinginess completely absorbed him. The house was littered with a lot of spoiled food because he didn't sell anything for fear of selling cheap. The image of Gobsek is the embodiment of a kind of predatory force, with the help of which a person is rapidly making his way to gold and power.
The story ends with the fact that the lawyer Derville informs de Grandlier about the imminent return of the lost property by the Comte de Resto. The noble lady decides that Camilla may well become Ernest's wife.
Characteristics of the main character
The image of Gobsek is internally contradictory. The main character is strong personality, and also to some extent a philosopher and psychologist. Along with these traits are greed, meanness and cruelty. Most likely, it is precisely because of the harsh conditions of existence that the usurer is used to achieving his goal by any means.
Also, the characteristics of Gobsek and his portrait are clearly visible in the author's statements about him. Balzac describes the protagonist as a man-promissory note. The realization of what a predatory world he lives in led him to usury. Moreover, he needs such an amount of money and gold not for a luxurious existence, but for a sense of protection. Gobsek's characterization is complemented by his meager speech, the standard dry set of phrases in conversation with clients. All of it appearance shows contempt for rich people.
Other works
In his youth, Honore tried not to pay attention to the unfair words of critics, continuing his work. early work become:
The novel "Chuans";
- "Shagreen leather";
- "Gobsek";
- "The house of the cat playing ball."
Balzac sought to demonstrate the individualized type of each of his characters. The center of his work was not fictional heroes, but the life and actions of bourgeois society. The beloved image of Gobsek from the story of the same name showed readers how tragic life can be if a person has to kill all the good in himself and become a soulless rip-off and hoarder.
"Gobsek" is impressive deep meaning and moral background of the story. This work is associated with Balzac's novel "Father Goriot", and some of the characters flash in other works of the French writer, for example, in the novel "The Human Comedy".
History of creation
Working on literary work, Balzac carefully formed the description of the heroes, raised the problems that worried him and exposed the vices. Greed, vanity, hypocrisy have always reproached the author. Apart from main idea story, Balzac pondered how to give the work an artistic sophistication. He tried to preserve the persuasiveness of the characteristics, to make sure that the characters assembled in the ensemble of the work personified the contemporary era of the author.
The exact date of writing is disputed by historians. After the death of the writer, three editions of the work were found, in which he made edits for 18 years. The basis for the story was short story"Pawnbroker", written by Balzac to order for the magazine "Modnik". It served as the basis for the first chapter of a work called "The Perils of Debauchery." In 1832 it was translated into Russian, and already in 1835 the public accepted the updated version of the story. The name was changed to "Papa Gobsek", which readers associated with the name "Father Goriot".
Balzac gave the current title to the novel in 1848, when, in a fit of inspiration, he returned to editing again. He removed the gentle treatment "dad", deciding to introduce the reader to a rude and greedy moneylender with unusual biography.
In both versions of the story, Balzac denounced the victims of money and pledges, as well as those who had power over them in the form of bills. In Balzac's work, aristocrats and ordinary strata of the population are opposed; those who are used to working without rest, and those who know how to spend gold, burning through life.
Art historians suggest that "Gobsek" is based on real events witnessed by the author of the work. The story is called autobiographical, seeing parallels with Balzac's personal life. The writer discusses in his works the meaning of money, condemning their all-consuming power. The drama that masculine and female images, unpredictable collisions, a high degree of moralism bribe anyone who gets acquainted with the work of Balzac in general and the story "Gobsek" in particular.
Biography
All the characters in the story are described in detail by the author and have detailed characteristics. Gobsek's appearance says a lot about the character. An old man with a yellowish face of a rounded shape and unpleasant features does not cause sympathy. The nationality of the hero is hidden. His past is shrouded in a veil of secrecy, but it is clear that the life of a pawnbroker was rich and varied. Gobseck argues that difficulties and grief make a person strong, they also increase susceptibility.
Analysis of the hero suggests that in his youth he was a pirate. Avarice and selfishness helped to amass some fortune, which he used by lending money at high interest. For the impregnability and severity of the old man was called the "golden idol." Gobsek was in demand among his milieu. After dividing the "service areas" between the city moneylenders, he began to work with aristocrats and representatives of the cream of society. At the same time, in any situation, no matter how ticklish it may be, he remained adamant in his decisions.
Illustration for the book "Gobsek" Gobsek is the epitome of greed. The image combines romantic and realistic literary traditions. The appearance of the character speaks of noble old age, wisdom and experience. worldly wisdom and his actions make him a soulless money-making machine. The more the condition of the usurer became, the less humanity remained in him. Best Professional in his field, he demonstrates a high degree financial preparation, foresight and foresight.
A quick-witted pawnbroker deftly pulls off scams while remaining a diplomat. A businessman and an experienced businessman, the hero gives advice, invests money, benefiting society, but does not follow the lead of idleness. The character attracts with honesty and philosophical view. All the arguments that he voices are backed up by experience from his past life.
Gobsek was a corsair cabin boy in his youth, he traded precious stones and slaves, was in the service of the state. He was driven by the instinct of self-preservation, which allowed the hero to survive in difficult situations with whom he has encountered in his career.
The end of the moneylender's life is amazing. His life was spent in hoarding, which brought neither pleasure nor benefit. Closer to death, the romantic nature prevailed over the rational grain, so the Gobsek inheritance will go to the sister's granddaughter.
Plot
The action begins with a conversation between Derville, Count Ernest de Resto and the Viscountess de Granlier in her salon. The daughter of a high-ranking person showed a clear disposition towards the count, for which she was reproached by her mother. Ernest, without status and wealth, was a disadvantageous match for her daughter. Hearing this dialogue, Derville cites the story of Gobsek as an example, which the reader perceives from his lips as from a narrator.
The acquaintance of Derville and the usurer has been going on for a long time. During this time, Gobsek gained confidence in the lawyer Derville and told the story of how he once collected an impressive debt from a countess who was in a difficult situation. The woman was forced to pawn the diamonds, and the money went to her lover through a promissory note. The usurer's hint that he would ruin the countess' family was not heard, but was soon justified.
Later, Maxime de Tray, a favorite of society, who needed the help of a usurer, turned to Derville for help. Gobsek refused to provide services, knowing about the handsome man's debts. The previously designated countess again began to come to Gobsek, pawning jewelry. She did this for the sake of de Tray, who vilely threatened to commit suicide. The husband of the countess found out about the deal, nobly concealing his wife's connection. This man was the father of Ernest de Resto, who fell in love with the daughter of the viscountess.
The main characters of the story "Gobsek" (frame from the film) Some time later, the count fell mortally ill, and after his death, the countess burned the will, thereby transferring the family's property into the hands of Gobsek.
Derville was an intermediary in the issue of returning the inheritance to Ernest de Resto, but the usurer did not make concessions. The usurer died in terrible conditions, becoming a hostage to his own avarice and greed. The condition was returned to the rightful owner. The marriage of the viscountess' daughter was arranged not without the efforts of Derville.
Screen adaptations
Artworks classical literature became the first material used for visualization in cinema. Balzac directors did not ignore. The first film based on the story "Gobsek" was released in 1936. It was filmed by Soviet director Konstantin Eggert. The role of the protagonist was played by actor Leonid Leonidov. Alexander Shatov appeared in the image of Derville. It is curious that the director himself appeared in the image of the Count de Resto in the picture.
In 1987, director Alexander Orlov offered the public his own version of the story. The screen adaptation was prepared in the USSR, at the Moldova-film studio. Gobsek in the film was played by Vladimir Tatosov. The role of Derville went to Sergei Bekhterev. The tape became one of the first in the filmography, reincarnated in the frame as the Countess de Resto. The young Comte de Resto, played theater director while still a boy at the time.
