The Muse of the Department: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The Muse of the Department: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
The Muse of the Department is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Balzac, Honoré de (1799–1850). The listed translation credits are Waring, James.
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The Muse of the Department" by Honoré de Balzac is a novel written in the early 19th century, reflecting the complexities of provincial life in France. The story introduces several central characters, including Dinah Piedefer, a beautiful and intelligent woman, and her husband, Monsieur de la Baudraye, who struggles with his own insecurities and ambitions. The novel explores themes of social status, ambition, and the penetrating conflicts faced by women in a provincial setting, especially against the backdrop of rising intellectual and artistic movements. At the start of the narrative, we are introduced to the town of Sancerre, a picturesque locale by the Loire River, where Dinah is regarded as a "Superior Woman." Despite her charm and intellect, she struggles with the constraints of her provincial life, caught between her aspirations and her mundane existence. The opening chapters reveal snippets of her past and familial background, as well as her marriage to the diminutive and cold Monsieur de la Baudraye, who remains largely indifferent to her desires for intellectual and artistic fulfillment. This combination of beauty, talent, and emotional struggle sets the stage for a rich exploration of Dinah's challenges and the societal norms of 1830s France.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The Muse of the Department
- Author credits: Balzac, Honoré de (1799–1850)
- Catalogue language: English
- Translator credits: Waring, James
Catalogue subjects
- French fiction -- Translations into English
Gutenberg collections
- Category: French Literature
- Category: Novels
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.
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