Gobseck

"Money’s properties are my – the possessor’s – properties and essential powers. Thus, what I am and am capable of is by no means determined by my individuality. I am ugly, but I can buy for myself the most beautiful of women. Therefore I am not ugly, for the effect of ugliness – its deterrent power – is nullified by money... I am brainless, but money is the real brain of all things and how then should its possessor be brainless? Besides, he can buy clever people for himself, and is he who has power over the clever not more clever than the clever? Do not I, who thanks to money am capable of all that the human heart longs for, possess all human capacities? Does not my money, therefore, transform all my incapacities into their show more contrary?" - Karl Marx, Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844

Reading this story you can see a lot of what it was that actually drew Marx and so many Marxist thinkers since to Balzac as a writer, as Gobseck is a lurid and fascinating character study of a moneylender/usurer and the mentality that comes with - the title character lives for nothing but to acquire more, rendering all the old nobility and the families of the restored kingdom mere pawns for the power of capital, willing to debase and dishonour themselves in any way rather than have their own real poverty revealed to the world.

Lots of links to other stories seemingly and in particular to Le Pere Goriot (which I've yet to get to); otherwise this is definitely one of the more complex texts I've read in French and the financial scheming would be hard enough for me to follow even in English so it was tricky here too. It's all worth it though for the writing and plot machinations which make this soar, particular highlights being Gobseck's speech in the early part of the story as well as the vivid vignette of his demise which lays bare his true nature as well as the grotesque excess and waste of his profession as a whole. Fantastic story. show less