The Illustrious Gaudissart

In "The Illustrious Gaudissart," Honoré de Balzac delves into the complexities of 19th-century French society through the lens of satire and social critique. This novella is part of Balzac's sweeping collection, "La Comédie Humaine," which explores the various strata of French life with incisive wit and rich characterizations. The protagonist, the vainglorious Gaudissart, is a traveling salesman w...