Maurizio Griffo
Università Federico II, Napoli
Abstract
The parliamentary novel experienced a certain fortune in the nineteenth century, Balzac also tried to experiment with this literary genre, but his political novel, Le député de Arcis, remained unfinished. In the sketch of the novel that Balzac left the political life of the July monarchy is presented as a petty quarrel, driven by self-serving patrimonial interests. Despite being pervaded by a satirical spirit, the novel also offers a picture of current political debate of the time and a realistic representation of the political balance in which the decisions of Paris played a decisive role. However, the phantom of the great revolution, which represents the implicit palimpsest of the French political life of that time, dominates everything.
Keywords
Parliamentary novel – Monarchy of July – Self interest – Patrimonialism – French revolution
DOI: 10.13131/2611-9757.suitefrancaise.n2.7
