Eugenie Grandet Literary Elements

Novel

The actions depicted in the novel take place during the first part of the XIX century, in the town of Saumur, France.

It is a third-person type of narration.

Both the tone and mood of the novel are smooth and patient.

The protagonist is the old Grandet, and the antagonist is French society’s vices embodied in the Grandet’s greed for money.

The main conflict of the novel concerns money and people’s attitude towatds it. Along with this the novel touches on questions of religion, as well as relationships between parents and children, and between a husband and a wife.

The climax comes when Eugenie’s mother dies and she signs a document denying any claims on her heritage and gives it fully to her father, the old Grandet. It is the moment when Eugenie enters poverty. This situation changes when the old Grandet dies, but Eugenie has so strongly been accustomed to the mode of life led by her father, that the inherited millions do not change it.

It is clear that Eugenie won’t be together with her cousin as they have completely different values and opinions on the world.

Love between a husband and a wife is understated in the novel. Though the old Grandet is mean and greedy, he loves his wife and his daughter, but this love is weaker than his love for money. That’s why this type of love is understated and not fully developed.

The novel alludes to the French Revolution.

The novel is filled with images of characters, nature, and the everyday environment. The images provided in the novel are influenced by the classic literature of the French realistic movement.

The main paradox is that the old Grandet has a lot of money, but his family has to live in poverty and scarcely make two ends meet.

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The Grandet’s only maid is named Nanon, but she has the nickname “La Grande Nanon” or “long-legged Nanon.” It is a metonymy as personal characteristics acquire weight enough to become a name.

“A thousand confused thoughts came to birth in her mind.”