
Produced by Dagny; and John Bickers
DECEMBER 5, 1829. - FIRST PART. - A GENERAL CONSIDERATION.
A clever, tongue‑in‑cheek meditation on the institution of marriage opens this work, where the author treats the topic as a living laboratory of human nature. Drawing on legal history, social customs, and the ever‑present specter of adultery, he sketches a portrait of married life that is at once humorous and unsettling. The opening pages set the stage for a satirical inquiry that questions whether the rules governing couples have ever truly served their happiness.
At the heart of the essay lies a whimsical premise: after twenty‑seven years together, a husband and wife suddenly fall in love for the first time. This unexpected spark becomes the launchpad for a series of observations about desire, duty, and the ways society shapes intimate bonds. Listeners will be drawn into a lively blend of irony and insight, discovering how a seemingly simple anecdote can illuminate the complexities of partnership and the ever‑evolving quest for fulfillment.
Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (226K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
Jul 4, 2005
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1799–1850
A towering figure of 19th-century French literature, he transformed the novel into a vivid portrait of society, ambition, money, and desire. His interconnected fiction, later gathered as La Comédie humaine, remains one of the great literary panoramas of modern life.
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