This outstanding French realist novel contrasts the social progress of an impoverished but ambitious aristocrat with that of a father whose obsessive love leads to personal and financial ruin. "The modern King Lear." ? Leslie Stephen.

Specially commissioned for the World's Classics, this translation includes a full editorial apparatus.

A Study Guide for Honore de Balzac's "Pere Goriot," excerpted from Gale's acclaimed Novels for Students. This concise study guide includes plot summary; character analysis; author biography; study questions; historical context; suggestions for further reading; and much more. For any literature project, trust Novels for Students for all of your research needs.

This is a magnum-opus and one of the most widely read novels written by Balzac. It is a story of a young and eager man, Rastignac, who is determined to succeed at any cost. The novel contains deep sense of family values where a father sacrifices his all means for his two daughters. Moreover, Balzac's portrayal of Parisian aristocracy and human behaviour is conspicuous. Worth-read!