Customer Reviews

Cousin Pons

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

*Cousin Bette* and *Cousin Pons*, Part One and Two of 'Poor Relations', are generally considered to be the last great gasp of French genius Honore de Balzac, inspired simultaneously and written in a fury to capitalize on the recent market for novel serializations. I'm not sure about this "last gasp" claim yet - *The Wrong Side of Paris*, Balzac's last novel (recently republished!) is on my reading list - but they certainly are great in and of themselves, *Bette* more than *Pons*, in my opinion. Not to degenerate this work in the slightest: being within the shadow of a masterpiece is close enough for posterity.

'Poor Relations' tackles the subject of the individual and its family; but where in *Bette* the poor relation was the spinster cousin, surrounded and revered by her family while she secretly schemed to destroy them, in this novel Pons is the outcast and victim, humiliated by his wealthy relations for his eccentric behavior and mooching ways. For Pons loves food - sumptuous feasts, where he can indulge the demands of his gastronomical addiction - and when his lack of social grace irritates his relatives to the point of banishment, he always wheedles his way back into their hearts with exquisite presents: Pons' monomania extends to collecting the great masterpieces of art, hoarding them away in his private salon where he can bask in the glory of oil and gold. After a scheme intended to permanently set his place at the dinner-table goes awry, however, the old man finds himself an exile, snubbed and refused at the homes of his relatives. The heartbreak - and the stomach-ache - drives the poor man to his deathbed, one hounded by prospective vultures seeking to profit on his jealously-kept collection.

*Cousin Pons*, on reflection, is perhaps one of Balzac's bitterest and unrelentingly tragic novels, sharing similarities to *Pere Goirot* in its plot, structure and sharp denouncement of the materialistic bourgeois society that had come in fashion after the July Revolution. Greed, avarice, selfishness, poisonous coveting (literally), corruption, hypocrisy and blackmail all raise their heads in this novel, a gaggle of vipers ranging from the highest of society (the infuriating Presidente) to the lowest dregs (the despicable La Cibot), and all those that scheme in between (the ghoulish Fraisier). Pons and his roommate Schmucke, gentle failures in the game of life, haven't a chance among these beasts: and it is heartache to see the villainous deeds done to these two men for the glitter of lucre and the whiff of prestige. Balzac was never much of one for happily-ever-after, but most of his tragedies have some sort of uplifting resolution, some cosmic vengeance dealt upon at least a few of the miscreants (and *Bette* was probably the most satisfying in this regard); *Pons* refutes this technique, leaving the reader shaken and upset at the circumstances of the conclusion...at the _reality_ of it.

This volume is not quite within Balzac's creative pantheon: it's too slim (!), lacking the complexity and the captivating digressions of a *Lost Illusions*; but man o man does that ending work - for the novel, and as a conclusion to one of the most ambitious artistic statements of the past two centuries.

Four and a half stars, rounded down.

I'm a Balzac's french fan.
"Cousin Pons" is one of my favourites Balzac's novels.
This novels speaks about art (music, paintings, ...), social relationships in a family and in a flat, and over there of FRIENDSHIP.
The friendship between Pons and Schmücke is the most facinating aspect of this novel (may be it's more than a frienship : a platonic love ?).

This work, like all of Balzac's works, possesses his style, namely his perceptive insights into a Parisian's sole and the fabric of society during that time. Had these observations been relevent only to Paris of that time (the book takes place 1844-46) this book would not have the impact it does. I can almost imagine any one of these characters existing today, and wouldn't be surprised to open up the newspaper and reading a column with a similar story as this book.

It's a great look at what moves people to get ahead and step over other's who are more vulnerable. It is as if Balzac is saying that society is an extension of the apt phrase "survival of the fittest". The characters that ultimately succeed in this novel are the one's not with the most talent, but with the drive to get ahead in society. There are limits however, as a character who oversteps the laws of society is ultimately punished.

It is a painful novel to read as the characters who are the most sensitive and least versed in the ways of society suffer the most . Even a relatively minor character who is noble becomes withdrawn and pessimistic as a result of his inability to be charitable. It's definetely not an uplifting read, but it is very well written nontheless.

This is absolutely one of my favorite novels by Balzac; his character invention soars to new heights with his creation of Sylvain Pons and his best friend, a German named Schmucke.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Pons is the protagonist; a musician who almost made it to the big time, but didn't pay enough attention to his orchestration. Now he gives private lessons and conducts a theatrical orchestra, and barely gets by.

Pons is dominated by two very different manias. The first is collecting small works of "bric-a-brac," which includes such masterpieces as a fan created by Watteau for Mme Pompadour, which Pons manages to acquire for ten francs (it is worth thousands). His private museum contains 2,000 wonderful works of art, probably worth a million francs all told --- although he would never dream of selling them. His second mania, alas, is gourmet dining. He has learned, and learned well, what truly fine food and wine taste like, and he's addicted. He became addicted when he was a popular young musician during the Empire, but now he has fallen to the status of a mere parasite, a "hanger-on," a poor relation. At the time the story opens, he is barely tolerated --- almost openly mocked --- at the homes where he appears "just at suppertime."

Like many Balzac novels, this one does not keep you in the dark about exactly how much money each character has, in property and income, and the eternal Parisian struggle for more money and higher status. Suffice it to say that Pons' richie relatives look upon him as a fool until a crisis puts him at death's door, and the richies learn about his magnificent art collection. Understanding nothing of art whatsoever, these ignorant clods understand a million francs perfectly, and so the last days of Sylvain Pons must be devoted to defending his property against those richie relatives, who reveal themselves as unscrupulous thieves.

It's not cheerful reading, but tragedies rarely are. "Cousin Pons" will leave you shivering with horror, and asking yourself, "Is this really what mankind amounts to?"

If you enjoy this, there is a lot more excellent stuff where this came from!

I just downloaded this to my Kindle. Much to my chagrin I found it is not in French as advertised but is an English translation.