List of characters of La Comédie humaine

List of characters of La Comédie humaine

The following is a list of characters from "La Comédie humaine" a collection of 95 loosely connected novels satirically detailing the life and times of French society in the period after the fall of Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)—namely the period of the Restoration (1815–1830) and the July Monarchy (1830–1848). French novelist and playwright Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850), over the course of these novels, invents a plethora of unique and memorable characters.

Major characters

Recurring characters

* Eugène de Rastignac - student, dandy, financier, politician (appears in 28 works)
* Lucien Chardon de Rubempré (the use of "de Rubempré" is contested) - journalist, parvenu
* Jacques Colin aka Carlos Herrera aka Vautrin aka Trompe-la-Mort - a criminal run away from hard labour
* Camusot - examining magistrate (The Collection of Antiquities, A Commission in Lunacy, Scenes from a Courtesan's Life; his father also appears in A Distinguished Provincial at Paris)
* Blondet, Emile - journalist, man of letters, prefect (The Collection of Antiquities, A Distinguished Provincial at Paris, Scenes from a Courtesan's Life). Compare and contrast with Raoul Nathan.
* Raoul Nathan - in 19 works, writer, politician
* Daniel d'Arthez
* Delphine de Nucingen née Goriot
* Roger de Granville
* Louis Lambert
* la duchesse de Langeais
* la comtesse de Mortsauf
* Jean-Jacques Bixiou - in 19 works, artist
* Joseph Bridau - in 13 works, painter
* Marquis de Ronquerolles - in 20 works
* la comtesse Hugret de Sérisy - in 20 works
* Félix-Amédée de Vandenesse
* Horace Bianchon - in 24 works, doctor
* des Lupeaulx - public servant

* Salon leaders: the Duchesse de Maufrigneuse, the Marquise d'Espard
* Dandies: Maxime de Trailles, Henri de Marsay
* Courtesans: La Torpille (Esther van Gobseck), Madame du Val-Noble
* Financiers: Ferdinand du Tillet, Frédérick de Nucingen, Keller brothers
* Actresses: Florine (Sophie Grignault), Coralie,
* Publishers/Journalists/Critics: Finot, Etienne Lousteau, Felicien Vernou
* Money lenders: Jean-Esther van Gobseck, Bidault aka Gigonnet

"Characters who appear in several titles but only significantly in one of them."
* Birotteau
* Goriot

Characters in a single volume

* Raphaël de Valentin
* le baron Hulot
* Balthazar Claës
* Grandet
* le cousin Pons


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