The Duchesse of Langeais
“The Duchesse of Langeais” is a novella by the renowned French author Honoré de Balzac. It tells the story of young officer Raphael de Valentin’s entanglement in the high society of Paris and his tumultuous love affair with the beautiful yet distant Duchesse de Langeais.
About This Ebook
As part of Balzac’s “La Comédie Humaine” series, “The Duchesse of Langeais” vividly portrays the social landscape and human complexities of 19th-century France. The protagonist, Raphael, comes from a modest background but dreams of finding true love among the aristocracy. The Duchesse, while outwardly graceful, harbors inner loneliness and dissatisfaction with her marriage. Their passionate yet doomed relationship serves as a microcosm of the societal tensions between different classes at the time. Through this tragic romance, Balzac delves into themes such as the conflicts arising from social hierarchy, as well as deeper psychological issues like possessiveness and jealousy inherent in human emotions.