This was an untenable position. Cataneo, who only looked for a duchess, thought himself ridiculous as a husband; and, when Massimilla complained of this indifference, he calmly bid her look about her for a cavaliere servente, even offering his services to introduce to her some youths from whom to choose. The Duchess wept; the Duke made his bow.
French writer Honor茅 de Balzac (born Honor茅 Balzac), a founder of the realist school of fiction, portrayed the panorama of society in a body of works, known collectively as La com茅die humaine.
Honor茅 de Balzac authored 19th-century novels and plays. After the fall of Napol茅on I Bonaparte in 1815, his magnum opus, a sequence of almost a hundred novels and plays, entitled, presents life in the years.
Due to keen observation of fine detail and unfiltered representation, European literature regards Balzac. He features renowned multifaceted, even complex, morally ambiguous, full lesser characters. Character well imbues inanimate objects; the city of Paris, a backdrop, takes on many qualities. He influenced many famous authors, including the novelists Marcel Proust, 脡mile Zola, Charles John Huffam Dickens, Gustave Flaubert, Henry James, and Jack Kerouac as well as important philosophers, such as Friedrich Engels. Many works of Balzac, made into films, continue to inspire.
An enthusiastic reader and independent thinker as a child, Balzac adapted with trouble to the teaching style of his grammar. His willful nature caused trouble throughout his life and frustrated his ambitions to succeed in the world of business. Balzac finished, and people then apprenticed him as a legal clerk, but after wearying of banal routine, he turned his back on law. He attempted a publisher, printer, businessman, critic, and politician before and during his career. He failed in these efforts. From his own experience, he reflects life difficulties and includes scenes.
Possibly due to his intense schedule and from health problems, Balzac suffered throughout his life. Financial and personal drama often strained his relationship with his family, and he lost more than one friend over critical reviews. In 1850, he married Ewelina Ha艅ska, his longtime paramour; five months later, he passed away.
Balzac has excelled himself in this story with this description of Emilio's garden: The shelving gardens were full of the marvels where money has been turned into rocky grottoes and patterns of shells,--the very madness of craftsmanship,--terraces laid out by the fairies, arbours of sterner aspect, where the cypress on its tall trunk, the triangular pines, and the melancholy olive mingled pleasingly with orange trees, bays, and myrtles, and clear pools in which blue or russet fishes swam. Whatever may be said in favour of the natural or English garden, these trees, pruned into parasols, and yews fantastically clipped; this luxury of art so skilfully combined with that of nature in Court dress; those cascades over marble steps where the water spreads so shyly, a filmy scarf swept aside by the wind and immediately renewed; those bronzed metal figures speechlessly inhabiting the silent grove; that lordly palace, an object in the landscape from every side, raising its light outline at the foot of the Alps,--all the living thoughts which animate the stone, the bronze, and the trees, or express themselves in garden plots,--this lavish prodigality was in perfect keeping with the loves of a duchess and a handsome youth, for they are a poem far removed from the coarse ends of brutal nature. It's an interesting story as much for the way contrasts Italian life with French: he sees it as much more relaxed and congenial, but it's risky to leave politics and business to others - because they are invariably corrupt and often ruin results. There is an attractive carelessness in the way women dress, compared to the seriousness with which French women invest it. But Italy is not free: in the tussle between Austria and France, Austria had the upper hand and Italy has been ceded to them. There is talk of independence, but it is only talk; the Italians envy France her freedom from despotism. When it's suggested that Italy would be better off allowing France to protect her, as a man protects his mistress. the Duchess replies that France would not love Italy as she wants to be loved. She's no democrat and she's not interested in liberty, fraternity and equality. She just wants the Italian aristocracy restored to its privileges: "We want to be free. But the liberty I crave is not your ignoble and middle-class liberalism, which would kill all art. I ask," said she, in a tone that thrilled through the box,--"that is to say, I would ask,--that each Italian republic should be resuscitated, with its nobles, its citizens, its special privileges for each caste. I would have the old aristocratic republics once more with their intestine warfare and rivalry that gave birth to the noblest works of art, that created politics, that raised up the great princely houses. The Italians, it seems have the upper hand over the Austrians, when it comes to opera. Balzac indulges himself with some complex discussion about their respective merits, the main point being that Rossini鈥檚 opera is Mose (Moses in Egypt) which of course is all about rebelling against oppression, while the Austrians (i.e. Mozart) content themselves with writing operas about a libertine at odds with his victims (i.e. Don Giovanni). As the hymn of the delivered Israelites rings out, the Italians stand and demand an encore, a clear symbol of their resentment of the occupiers. The love story concerns an innocent youth called Emilio, heir to a princedom but no money. He loves Massimilla, wife of the Duke Cataneo who is old and ugly and doesn't want her anyway. He expects her to take a lover, but her religious scruples preclude it, and Emilio is too honourable to succumb to his feelings as well. Alas for him, a mix-up occurs when they go to Venice, separately, and he doesn't get the message that his close friend Vendramin has leased his palazzo to the Duke so that he can entertain Clarina Tinti, the opera singer he's besotted with. (The idea is that the Duke will renovate it, something Emilio doesn't have the money to do. There's a farcical scene where Emilio having gone to bed has left his trousers lying about and when the Duke comes in and sees them he gets in a rage. Clara throws him out for being so rude and promptly seduces Emilio. Emilio is of course wracked by guilt but he doesn't 'fess up, and what鈥檚 more, he succumbs more than once. They go to the opera again, and this time the two stars, Clara and Genovese are at odds with each other, Clara singing sublimely, and Genovese braying like a donkey. Clearly some intervention is needed and it鈥檚 a French doctor who supplies a cure for both the courting couples that is reminiscent of the switcheroo identity plots of Mozart鈥檚 comic operas!
Publicado em 1839 faz parte dos Estudos Filos贸ficos dentro da Com茅dia Humana. Temos uma trama amorosa que se passa em Veneza que 茅 apenas pretexto para o autor discorrer sobre m煤sica, fazendo na maior parte do tempo uma apaixonada defesa da 贸pera italiana atrav茅s da obra Mois茅s de Rossini, encenada na novela e analisada por uma das personagens que a assiste. O romance praticamente se perde em meio 脿s digress玫es sobre o tema m煤sica.
Hist贸rico de leitura 12/02/2019
"Como sabem os conhecedores, a nobreza veneziana 茅 a primeira da Europa."
NASSIMILLA DONI-HONOR脡 DE BALZAC 鉁�"鈥� Prince, pauvre, jeune et beau, mais c鈥檈st un conte de f茅e !鈥� dit-elle." 鉁�"Aux yeux d鈥橢milio, il y avait comme une joute entre l鈥檃mour saint de cette 芒me blanche, et l鈥檃mour de la nerveuse et col猫re Sicilienne." 鉁�"Ainsi va la vie italienne : le matin l鈥檃mour, le soir la musique, la nuit le sommeil." 馃拑Jedna kratka pri膷a iz Balzakove Ljudske komedije iz ciklusa o filozofskom 啪ivotu. 馃拑Me膽utim,ovde osim filozofije ima i ljubavi i svakakvih zavrzlama. 馃拑Ljubav duhovna ili ljubav telesna i mogu li se ta dva ose膰anja spojiti u ljubav prema jednoj osobi 馃拑Razlike izme膽u francuskog i italijanskog duha,kroz vi膽enje muzike 馃拑Razlika izme膽u slikarstva koje predstavlja fizi膷ki objekat i muzike koja je potpuno eteri膷na. 馃拑Jedna prava 膷itala膷ka poslastica. #7sensesofabook #knjige #classicliterature #literature #readingaddict #bookstagram #balzac
Before reading Balzac's "Massimilla Doni"(MD), I decided to re-read his short story "Facino Cane" because Emilio who is one of the main characters in MD. Facino Cane the last of his line, next heir is Emilio. Massimilla is introduced in the very end of "Gambara", and it is clear that " Gambara" happens after MD. The year is 1820, Massimilla has married a Duke, after living all her life in a convent, her mother helps with her match. Balzac brings music into this story, as he did in "Gambara", he had help from a musical friend which he dedicates to him. The Opera and the importance to Italian life as well as how the French and English differ. Balzac brings up how an Empire of great men is a shadow of its former self and how Princes and other nobility are very likely to live in poverty. Emilio has the new title and an empty castle with very little money, making it impossible. How nations die, is a very interesting and sad reality, I especially can see it happening and the sad reality in current times. This is a romance of that is of the mind, but is that enough for a young man?
Story in short- Massimilla marries an older man who only wants her in name only, he encourages her to find a lover but that doesn't necessarily mean a love affair. Bring in some more characters and see what happens.
I didn't read this edition bit from a collection of his works which included the synopsis below.
"This 1839 short story concerns the character Emilio Cane, who is the last in a line of nobility of Venice. Though poor, he will succeed to a property, but for the time being he must survive on a small income from a country house. Emilio is in love with Massimilla Doni, a beautiful young woman who is an heiress of the Doni of Florence and married to the rich, old Duke Cataneo."
"When this was over, the Princess had to take part in the famous quartette, Mi manca la voce, which was sung by her with Tinti, with the famous tenor Genovese, and with a well-known Italian Prince then in exile, whose voice. It he had not been a Prince. would have made him one of the princes of Art." Albert Savarus
After reading "Gambara", I was curious about Massimilla and who she was because she and her husband offer to help the musician. Emilio is her husband, so the Duke has died, and after making love that night of the party in MD, so he no longer thinks of La Tinti. The below is from the end of " Gambara".
"It was nine o鈥檆lock in the evening. A handsome Italian, the Principessa Massimilla De Varese, took pity on the poor creatures; she gave them forty francs and questioned them, discerning from the woman鈥檚 thanks that she was a Venetian. Prince Emilio would know the history of their woes, and Marianna told it, making no complaints of God or men. 鈥淢adame,鈥� said Gambara, as she ended, for he was sober, 鈥渨e are victims of our own superiority. My music is good. But as soon as music transcends feeling and becomes an idea, only persons of genius should be the hearers, for they alone are capable of responding to it! It is my misfortune that I have heard the chorus of angels, and believed that men could understand the strains. The same thing happens to women when their love assumes a divine aspect: men cannot understand them.鈥� This speech was well worth the forty francs bestowed by Massimilla; she took out a second gold piece, and told Marianna she would write to Andrea Marcosini. 鈥淒o not write to him, madame!鈥� exclaimed Marianna. 鈥淎nd God grant you to always be beautiful!鈥� 鈥淟et us provide for them,鈥� said the Princess to her husband; 鈥渇or this man has remained faithful to the Ideal which we have killed.鈥�
Facino Cane has died and his relative Emilio Memmi is given the title, Prince de Varese. This title give him only a small amount to live on and a castle that has no furniture or warmth of luxury, just stone and art within that cannot be sold. His mistress though they have not made love yet, due too his seeing her so grand and having nothing to offer her, is Massimilla Doni, her husband had married her just to be married and told her to find a lover. She had finally found Emilio at the opera, they fell in love at first sight. She is 20 and has bought her homes in hope to have her love affair but her lover is timid. He is extremely poor and his only meal is when he dines with his lover. He is told of his new postion and is not too happy because he has no wealth but he is amazed when coming to the castle in Venice, he sees the castle luxurious, thinking his mistress has fixed it for him. He has heard about a young opera singer, Tinti and a tenor, Genovese coming to Venice but is not concerned about it. He goes to sleep and is awakened by a young girl and old man, the man finds Emilio in her bed and tells her that he never wants to see her again. Tinti is surprised and denies, it is apparent that this old man fixed up the castle for his opera singer, who he had found working as a waitress when she was very young. Tinti is 16 and is kept not for sexual purposes but for the Duke's pleasure in hearing her beautiful voice and especially when it is combined with a tenor, Genovese, it brings him happiness. When Tinti sees Emilio, his beauty and being a prince, she falls in love with him. She tells the Duke to leave or she will never see him again, so the Duke leaves. Meanwhile Emilio is thinking of his lover and his need to escape, because though this young girl is beautiful, he think of his divine Massimilla, but when he sees Tinti crying, looking so heavenly, he only sees her and they make love, but when he wakes up, he curses Tinti and leaves. Tinti had told Emilio that she knows his lover is Massimilla, and that Massimilla's husband is her benefactor, the Duke, who fixed up the rooms. Emilio's friend Vendramini had rented out the castle for his friend, so he can have more money and had written to Emilio but the letter was not fully read, having thrown it away. Emilio sees Tinti again and feels guilty, he feels that Massimilla gives him spiritual love and earthly love he has from the opera singer. He feels so upset that he doesn't know how much longer he can live like this. Massimilla knows the Duke and his opera mistress are at Emilio's castle, she decides that if Emilio can stand to see the Duke, she can too, not knowing about Emilio's affair with Tinti. The opera goes well until Genovese who is in love with Tinti tries to speak love to her with his music bit that doesn't go well, his voice is terrible and the crowd is upset until Tinti sings, it is rumored she is in love. Massimilla is very knowledgeable about the opera and explains it to the French doctor that is there to exam her husband's health. The doctor sees that something is wrong with Massimilla and Emilio, she worries she is losing him and Emilio feels so beneath his lover. The Duke invites Emilio and the others for dinner, Tinti is there and Emilio drinks forgetting all except Tinti. The doctor knows about the troubles of Emilio and Genovese, so he tells Massimilla, her lover is in danger and she needs to be the courtesan as Tintio can be, she makes love to Emilio and he wakes to a beautiful dream and reality. The doctor tells Tinti she must help Genovese, she makes love to him, and he has real love for he needs not seek love in his singing, which he is back to his normal radiant self. Massimilla has a baby with Emilo, her husband dies as well as Vendramini, which his friends grieve.
"With a few rare exceptions this brilliant nobility has fallen into utter ruin. Among the gondoliers who serve the English 鈥� to whom history here reads the lesson of their future fate 鈥� there are descendants of long dead Doges whose names are older than those of sovereigns. On some bridge, as you glide past it, if you are ever in Venice, you may admire some lovely girl in rags, a poor child belonging, perhaps, to one of the most famous patrician families."
"The last Cane of the elder branch vanished from Venice thirty years before the fall of the Republic, condemned for various crimes more or less criminal."
"In the twentieth year of the present century they were represented only by a young man whose name was Emilio, and an old palace which is regarded as one of the chief ornaments of the Grand Canal. This son of Venice the Fair had for his whole fortune this useless Palazzo, and fifteen hundred francs a year derived from a country house on the Brenta,"
"At eleven in the forenoon, after a walk, and by the side of a table still strewn with the remains of an elegant breakfast, the Duchess, lounging in an easy-chair, left her lover the master of these muslin draperies, without a frown each time he moved. Emilio, seated at her side, held one of her hands between his, gazing at her with utter absorption. Ask not whether they loved; they loved only too well."
"By what obscure phenomenon did his soul so overmaster his body that he was no longer conscious of his independent self, but was wholly one with this woman at the least word she spoke in that voice which disturbed the very sources of life in him?"
"Massimilla, the heiress of the Doni, of Florence, had married the Sicilian Duke Cataneo. Her mother, since dead, had hoped, by promoting this marriage, to leave her rich and happy, according to Florentine custom. She had concluded that her daughter, emerging from a convent to embark in life, would achieve, under the laws of love, that second union of heart with heart which, to an Italian woman, is all in all. But Massimilla Doni had acquired in her convent a real taste for a religious life, and, when she had pledged her troth to Duke Cataneo, she was Christianly content to be his wife. This was an untenable position. Cataneo, who only looked for a duchess, thought himself ridiculous as a husband; and, when Massimilla complained of this indifference, he calmly bid her look about her for a cavaliere servente, even offering his services to introduce to her some youths from whom to choose. The Duchess wept; the Duke made his bow."
"Then she lost her mother, inherited her property, assumed mourning, and made her way to Venice. There she saw Emilio, who, as he went past her opera box, exchanged with her a flash of inquiry. This was all. The Venetian was thunderstruck, while a voice in the Duchess鈥� ear called out: 鈥淭his is he!鈥� Anywhere else two persons more prudent and less guileless would have studied and examined each other; but these two ignorances mingled like two masses of homogeneous matter, which, when they meet, form but one. Massimilla was at once and thenceforth Venetian."
*Massimilla Doni* is the only one of Balzac's novellas I know of that deals with Italy's pre-unification politics directly. It also seems to be less Legitimist-leaning than others. In some ways it is a bit of a slog; most of the action is a group of aristocrats watching a novel in late 1830s Venice. But the atmosphere of Habsburg Venice is apparent and it is one of Balzac's novels where the "feel" of Europe in the era is manifest quite obviously.
Balzac鈥檚 prose spills over with appetite for life, full of juice and power. This story is about the subtleties in musical compositions and artists performances, garnered with lust, infidelity and parties.
I missed the point all together. It is written in a style that does not suit me... long long looooooong descriptions and monologues about italian everything that I don't have the patience for. Sorry.
I found this a bit silly really, the music scenes don't make sense and go on far too long. I don't find Balzac at all convincing about music, singers etc.
Tengo que decir que me aburr铆 mucho. Demasiadas referencias y la extensa explicaci贸n de la opera no ayud贸 demasiado. La historia queda un poco de lado.
Although there's a kind of predictable love story, the most interesting thing about this novel is that almost all the action takes place at La Fenice opera house during a performance of Rossini's opera Mose'in Egitto. A Florentine duchess explains the greatness of Rossini and Venice to a Frenchman by means of describing Rossini's and the singers' performances. Short book, fascinating look by a French author at Venice in the mid 19th c., after Napoleon's takeover of Venice.