La Rabouilleuse
Encyclopedia
La Rabouilleuse is a 1842 novel by Honoré de Balzac
as part of his series La Comédie humaine
. The Black Sheep is the title of the English translation by Donald Adamson
published by Penguin Classics. It tells the story of the Bridau family, trying to regain their lost inheritance after a series of unfortunate mishaps.
Though for years an overlooked work in Balzac's canon, it has gained popularity and respect in recent years. The Guardian
listed The Black Sheep 12 on its list of the 100 Greatest Novels of All Time.
and Issoudun
. Agathe Rouget, who was born in Issoudun, is sent to be raised by her maternal relatives, the Descoings in Paris by her father Doctor Rouget. He suspects (wrongly) that he is not her true father. There she marries a man named Bridau, and they have two sons, Phillipe, and Joseph. Monsieur Bridau dies relatively young, Phillipe, who is the eldest and his mother's favourite, becomes a soldier in Napoleon's armies, and Joseph becomes an artist. Phillipe, the elder son is shown to be a courageous soldier, but is also a heavy drinker and gambler. He resigns from the army after the Bourbon Restoration
out of loyalty to Napoleon. Joseph is a dedicated artist, and the more loyal son, but his mother does not understand his artistic vocation.
After leaving the army Phillipe took part in the failed Champ d'Asile
settlement in Texas. On returning to France he is unemployed, and lives with his mother and Madame Descoings, and becomes a financial drain on them, especially due to his hard drinking and gambling lifestyle. Phillipe becomes estranged from his mother and brother after stealing money from Madame Descoings. Phillipe is soon afterwards arrested for his involvement in an anti-government conspiracy.
Meanwhile in Issoudun, Agathe's elder brother Jean-Jacques takes in an ex-soldier named Max Gilet as a boarder. Max is suspected of being his illegitimate half brother. Max and Jean-Jacques' servant Flore Brazier work together to control Jean-Jacques. Max leads a group of young men who call themselves "The Knights of Idleness" who frequently play practical jokes around the town. Two of these are against a Spanish immigrant named Fario, destroying his cart and his grain, and therefore ruining his business.
It is now that Joseph and his mother travel to Issoudun to try to persuade Jean-Jacques to give Agathe money to help cover Phillipe's legal costs. They stay with their friends the Hochons. Jean-Jacques and Max only give them some old paintings, but only Joseph recognises their value. Joseph tells of his luck to the Hochons, not realising that their grandsons are friends of Max. Afterwards when Max discovers the value of the paintings he coerces Joseph into returning them. Then one night whilst out walking Fario stabs Max. As Max is recovering he decides to blame Joseph for the stabbing. Joseph is arrested, but later cleared and released, and he and his mother return to Paris.
In the meantime, Phillipe has been convicted for his plotting. However, he cooperates with authorities and gets a light sentence of five years Police supervision in Autun. Phillipe gets his lawyer to change the location to Issoudun in order to claim his mother's inheritance for himself. He challenges Max to a duel with swords, and kills him in the duel. He then takes control of Jean-Jacques and his household, forcing Flore to become Jean-Jacques' wife.
Phillipe marries Flore after the death of Jean-Jacques. Flore too soon dies. The book hints that both of these deaths are arranged by Phillipe but is not explicit about the means. Through his connections, Phillipe has now obtained the title Comte de Brambourg. Phillipe later marries a rich man's daughter. An attempt by Joseph to reconcile Phillipe and their mother before her death fails. Phillipe's fortunes take a turn for the worse after some unsuccessful speculation, and he rejoins the army to take part in the war in Algeria
where he is killed in action, so that in the end Joseph, now a successful artist, inherits the family fortune.
as its Classic Serial on Sunday 17 August and Sunday 24 August 2008, with actor Geoffrey Whitehead
as the narrator.
Honoré de Balzac
Honoré de Balzac was a French novelist and playwright. His magnum opus was a sequence of short stories and novels collectively entitled La Comédie humaine, which presents a panorama of French life in the years after the 1815 fall of Napoleon....
as part of his series La Comédie humaine
La Comédie humaine
La Comédie humaine is the title of Honoré de Balzac's multi-volume collection of interlinked novels and stories depicting French society in the period of the Restoration and the July Monarchy .-Overview:...
. The Black Sheep is the title of the English translation by Donald Adamson
Donald Adamson
Donald Adamson is a historian, biographer, philosophical writer, textual scholar, literary critic, and translator of French literature...
published by Penguin Classics. It tells the story of the Bridau family, trying to regain their lost inheritance after a series of unfortunate mishaps.
Though for years an overlooked work in Balzac's canon, it has gained popularity and respect in recent years. The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
listed The Black Sheep 12 on its list of the 100 Greatest Novels of All Time.
Plot summary
The action of the novel is divided between ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Issoudun
Issoudun
Issoudun is a commune in the Indre department in central France. It is also referred to as Issoundun, which is the ancient name.-History:...
. Agathe Rouget, who was born in Issoudun, is sent to be raised by her maternal relatives, the Descoings in Paris by her father Doctor Rouget. He suspects (wrongly) that he is not her true father. There she marries a man named Bridau, and they have two sons, Phillipe, and Joseph. Monsieur Bridau dies relatively young, Phillipe, who is the eldest and his mother's favourite, becomes a soldier in Napoleon's armies, and Joseph becomes an artist. Phillipe, the elder son is shown to be a courageous soldier, but is also a heavy drinker and gambler. He resigns from the army after the Bourbon Restoration
Bourbon Restoration
The Bourbon Restoration is the name given to the period following the successive events of the French Revolution , the end of the First Republic , and then the forcible end of the First French Empire under Napoleon – when a coalition of European powers restored by arms the monarchy to the...
out of loyalty to Napoleon. Joseph is a dedicated artist, and the more loyal son, but his mother does not understand his artistic vocation.
After leaving the army Phillipe took part in the failed Champ d'Asile
Champ d'Asile
Champ d'Asile was a short-lived settlement started in Texas in 1818 by French veterans of the Napoleonic Wars. It was led by General Charles Lallemand. It was started in January 1818, by 20 Bonapartists from the Vine and Olive Colony. The land was offered to French settlers on March 3 1817, after...
settlement in Texas. On returning to France he is unemployed, and lives with his mother and Madame Descoings, and becomes a financial drain on them, especially due to his hard drinking and gambling lifestyle. Phillipe becomes estranged from his mother and brother after stealing money from Madame Descoings. Phillipe is soon afterwards arrested for his involvement in an anti-government conspiracy.
Meanwhile in Issoudun, Agathe's elder brother Jean-Jacques takes in an ex-soldier named Max Gilet as a boarder. Max is suspected of being his illegitimate half brother. Max and Jean-Jacques' servant Flore Brazier work together to control Jean-Jacques. Max leads a group of young men who call themselves "The Knights of Idleness" who frequently play practical jokes around the town. Two of these are against a Spanish immigrant named Fario, destroying his cart and his grain, and therefore ruining his business.
It is now that Joseph and his mother travel to Issoudun to try to persuade Jean-Jacques to give Agathe money to help cover Phillipe's legal costs. They stay with their friends the Hochons. Jean-Jacques and Max only give them some old paintings, but only Joseph recognises their value. Joseph tells of his luck to the Hochons, not realising that their grandsons are friends of Max. Afterwards when Max discovers the value of the paintings he coerces Joseph into returning them. Then one night whilst out walking Fario stabs Max. As Max is recovering he decides to blame Joseph for the stabbing. Joseph is arrested, but later cleared and released, and he and his mother return to Paris.
In the meantime, Phillipe has been convicted for his plotting. However, he cooperates with authorities and gets a light sentence of five years Police supervision in Autun. Phillipe gets his lawyer to change the location to Issoudun in order to claim his mother's inheritance for himself. He challenges Max to a duel with swords, and kills him in the duel. He then takes control of Jean-Jacques and his household, forcing Flore to become Jean-Jacques' wife.
Phillipe marries Flore after the death of Jean-Jacques. Flore too soon dies. The book hints that both of these deaths are arranged by Phillipe but is not explicit about the means. Through his connections, Phillipe has now obtained the title Comte de Brambourg. Phillipe later marries a rich man's daughter. An attempt by Joseph to reconcile Phillipe and their mother before her death fails. Phillipe's fortunes take a turn for the worse after some unsuccessful speculation, and he rejoins the army to take part in the war in Algeria
French Algeria
French Algeria lasted from 1830 to 1962, under a variety of governmental systems. From 1848 until independence, the whole Mediterranean region of Algeria was administered as an integral part of France, much like Corsica and Réunion are to this day. The vast arid interior of Algeria, like the rest...
where he is killed in action, so that in the end Joseph, now a successful artist, inherits the family fortune.
Explanation of Title
'La Rabouilleuse' is the nickname of Flore Brazier used behind her back by the people of Issoudun. Max takes offence when some of his friends use it in conversation. Adamson translates the term as "the Fisherwoman". From the French Wiki of this page, it appears that it is a regional word for someone who stirs up the water in a river, more easily to catch fish such as crayfish. "(En français régional, une personne qui agite et trouble l’eau pour effrayer les écrevisses et les pêcher plus facilement)". The nickname is a reference to the job that she did as a young girl when helping her uncle to fish for crayfish, before becoming a servant to the Rouget household. The English title of the book therefore moves the focus from her to the two brothers.Adaptations
The book was broadcast by BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
as its Classic Serial on Sunday 17 August and Sunday 24 August 2008, with actor Geoffrey Whitehead
Geoffrey Whitehead
Geoffrey Whitehead is an English actor. He has appeared in a huge range of television, film and radio roles. In the theatre, he has played at the Shakespeare Globe, St...
as the narrator.