Mercadet: A Comedy in Three Acts by Honoré de Balzac
"Mercadet: A Comedy in Three Acts" by Honoré de Balzac is a play written in the mid-19th century that delves into the intricacies of financial speculation and social aspirations in Parisian society. The narrative revolves around the central character, Mercadet, a speculative businessperson struggling with the weight of his mounting debts while aiming to secure a prosperous marriage for his daughter, Julie. The tension between wealth, poverty, and social expectations plays acritical role as Mercadet navigates between creditors and potential suitors for his daughter. At the start of the play, we are introduced to the Mercadet household, where the servants discuss their fears regarding their master’s financial ruin. As tension builds, Mercadet enters, exhibiting a mix of charm and desperation. He is determined to impress potential creditors through a lavish dinner in hopes of marrying Julie off to a wealthy suitor, the Comte de la Brive, while manipulating his relationships with various creditors. Throughout the unfolding scenes, Mercadet's colorful rhetoric about money and morality highlights his precarious situation as he juggles the needs of his family with the demands of his debtors, setting the stage for comedic and dramatic confrontations ahead. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Balzac, Honoré de, 1799-1850 |
|---|---|
| Title | Mercadet: A Comedy in Three Acts |
| Note | Reading ease score: 84.9 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
| Credits | Produced by Dagny and John Bickers |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PQ: Language and Literatures: Romance literatures: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese |
| Subject | Comedy plays |
| Subject | French drama -- 19th century -- Translations into English |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 14246 |
| Release Date | Dec 3, 2004 |
| Most Recently Updated | Dec 18, 2020 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 269 downloads in the last 30 days. |
| Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free! | |
