A Study of Jacques Collin as he appears in "Le Père Goriot," "Illusions Perdues," and "Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes," three novels by Honoré de Balzac
Abstract
The intention of this paper is to examine Jacques Collin in several
lights. First, in Le Pere Goriot, where Collin makes his initial
appearance, the symbolic figure of this great criminal will be studied.
In Illusions Perdues and Splendeurs et Miseres des Courtisanes, the
real character of Collin is revealed to a greater extent than in Le Pere
Goriot. It is in these latter novels that one meets Jacques Collin in all his
baseness. In the course of these three novels the entire gamut of Balzac's
sentiments about Collin will be revealed -- from awestruck admiration of
the great power wielded by Jacques Collin to a realistic lessening of these
feelings to the point of frank revelation of his human weaknesses.