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Jonat's Reviews > Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes
Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes
by
by
*3.5 stars*
Before reading this, keep in mind that christiniaty, sex works, misogynistic society were all in an exponentially worse state than currently.
The decisions made by the characters and the personalities they have, seem to be imbibed profoundly as something trivial and “normal”; so instead of judging how the authors wrote their personalities, I took value from educating myself in the immoral forces that governed the lives of sex workers during the early 19th century.
Not only that, but balzac’s prose contains such delightful worldview, the one that makes you dream the way he describes things was the actual reality.
This might be a touchy topic but it makes us more aware of why, everyone is strict with never allowing this to happen again, immersing us into the depth of how wretched the life of a prostitue was, both inwardly and outwardly. Her inner life is intrinsically twisted due to the misogynistic society she has been brought up by;
She sees herself as “lucky” to have been “saved” by Lucien from a life of prostitution.
The novel presents the mindset of how it was in former times. An introspection of her misery was recurrently highlighted through letters, and more than ever on her suicide note.
and Balzac *knows* how to make her distress and her blind affection towards Lucien so adorable to the point that, even the most ethical of readers would forget her insane adoration to just go in “awe” at those thoughts full of cuteness.
“It bothers me to go to hell,
I wished i could see the angels to know if they look like you 🥲 »
Fiinally, Jacques Colin’s final part giving us an authentic and emotive introspection when It comes to life after being in prison; calling out the judicial system for indirectly forcing old prisonners to resort in commiting the same crimes if they want to survive, because life after prison was just so poorly handled back then, leaving no room, for proper reintegration into Society.
He felt like “being a steering wheel between two rackets, one of which is called the penal colony, and the other the police”
Relatability doesn’t always matter.
Show me an experience personal to you that can educate me on a life experience that I don’t usually see, but that exists.
But, Make such portrayal with enough immersiveness that would make anyone acquainted to it, and treat it with realism.
Never take advantage of it to cheaply cover up an underdeveloped plot line.
The portrayal needs to be done intricately enough.
People only seeking for relatability in art are robbing themselves from the educational purpose that stories can allow.
-Splendeurs et Misères des Courtisanes by Honoré de Balzac : 7.5/10
Before reading this, keep in mind that christiniaty, sex works, misogynistic society were all in an exponentially worse state than currently.
The decisions made by the characters and the personalities they have, seem to be imbibed profoundly as something trivial and “normal”; so instead of judging how the authors wrote their personalities, I took value from educating myself in the immoral forces that governed the lives of sex workers during the early 19th century.
Not only that, but balzac’s prose contains such delightful worldview, the one that makes you dream the way he describes things was the actual reality.
This might be a touchy topic but it makes us more aware of why, everyone is strict with never allowing this to happen again, immersing us into the depth of how wretched the life of a prostitue was, both inwardly and outwardly. Her inner life is intrinsically twisted due to the misogynistic society she has been brought up by;
She sees herself as “lucky” to have been “saved” by Lucien from a life of prostitution.
The novel presents the mindset of how it was in former times. An introspection of her misery was recurrently highlighted through letters, and more than ever on her suicide note.
and Balzac *knows* how to make her distress and her blind affection towards Lucien so adorable to the point that, even the most ethical of readers would forget her insane adoration to just go in “awe” at those thoughts full of cuteness.
“It bothers me to go to hell,
I wished i could see the angels to know if they look like you 🥲 »
Fiinally, Jacques Colin’s final part giving us an authentic and emotive introspection when It comes to life after being in prison; calling out the judicial system for indirectly forcing old prisonners to resort in commiting the same crimes if they want to survive, because life after prison was just so poorly handled back then, leaving no room, for proper reintegration into Society.
He felt like “being a steering wheel between two rackets, one of which is called the penal colony, and the other the police”
Relatability doesn’t always matter.
Show me an experience personal to you that can educate me on a life experience that I don’t usually see, but that exists.
But, Make such portrayal with enough immersiveness that would make anyone acquainted to it, and treat it with realism.
Never take advantage of it to cheaply cover up an underdeveloped plot line.
The portrayal needs to be done intricately enough.
People only seeking for relatability in art are robbing themselves from the educational purpose that stories can allow.
-Splendeurs et Misères des Courtisanes by Honoré de Balzac : 7.5/10
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Reading Progress
February 16, 2022
– Shelved
February 16, 2022
– Shelved as:
french-literature
February 16, 2022
– Shelved as:
to-read
February 21, 2022
–
Started Reading
February 21, 2022
–
12.0%
February 21, 2022
–
13.0%
February 22, 2022
–
40.0%
February 22, 2022
–
74.0%
"It bothers me to go to hell,
I would have liked to see the angels to know if they look like you :("
I would have liked to see the angels to know if they look like you :("
February 23, 2022
–
Finished Reading
March 20, 2022
– Shelved as:
19th-century
