The Quest of the Absolute
1834 novel by Honoré de Balzac
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Quest of the Absolute (French: La Recherche de l'absolu) is a novel by Honoré de Balzac.[1] The novel first appeared in 1834, with seven chapter-divisions, as a Scène de la vie privée; was published by itself in 1839 by Charpentier; and took its final place as a part of the Comédie in 1845.
AuthorHonoré de Balzac
OriginaltitleLa Recherche de l'absolu
IllustratorÉdouard Toudouze
LanguageFrench
 | |
| Author | Honoré de Balzac |
|---|---|
| Original title | La Recherche de l'absolu |
| Illustrator | Édouard Toudouze |
| Language | French |
| Series | La Comédie humaine |
| Publication date | 1834 |
| Publication place | France |
The astronomer Ernest Laugier helped Balzac in the use of chemical terminology in this novel.[2]
In popular culture
In François Truffaut's 1959 film The 400 Blows, teenager Antoine Doinel idolizes Balzac's work and depicts 'my grandfather's death' in a school essay, based on the plot of The Quest of the Absolute, leading his teacher to accuse of him of plagiarizing, causing him to quit school.
