The Duchesse of Langeais

"The Duchesse of Langeais" by Honoré de Balzac is a novel written during the early 19th century that belongs to the trilogy known as "The Thirteen." The story explores complex themes of love and societal expectations through the life of its main character, the Duchesse de Langeais, and her tumultuous relationship with General Armand de Montriveau. The narrative delves into the intricacies of desire, fidelity, and the sacrifices one makes in pursuit of love. The opening of the novel sets an atmospheric scene, beginning at a Carmelite convent on an island in the Mediterranean, which remains untouched by the upheavals of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. A French general, curious and passionate, arrives at the convent during a mass, revealing his deep emotions when he identifies a nun playing the organ as the woman he once loved. This poignant recognition ignites a series of recollections and dashed hopes, establishing the tension between his longing for connection and the constraints of her vows. As the general reflects on his past with Sister Theresa, the narrative foreshadows the ensuing conflict between personal desire and societal duty that characterizes the lives of both characters. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Honoré de Balzac was a French novelist and playwright. The novel sequence La Comédie humaine, which presents a panorama of post-Napoleonic French life, is generally viewed as his magnum opus.