Employees or the higher Woman

the Employees or the higher Woman is a Romance French of Honore de Balzac, published in original edition in 1838, under the title the higher Woman , in two volumes in the Werdet editor. In 1843, Balzac dedicates the work to David of Angers (which made a medallion and a sculpture of the author). Work finally appears under another title in 1844, with the Furne editions, in the Scènes of Parisian life : Employees or the higher Woman . The title will be still modified in 1845 and will become the Employees .

In its large company aiming at giving all the aspects of the company in which he lived, Balzac tackles here a subject which could seem minor at his time, but which appears almost contemporary nowadays. The life of office, its meannesses, the intrigues to obtain a higher station, are the daily batch of the characters of the novel whose majority are secondary figures of the human Comedy . With share the Bixiou caricaturist whom one foresees in Rabouilleuse , the count Chardin of Lupeaulx which has a big role in the Cousin White beet , the House Nucingen and Splendeurs and miseries of the courtesans , and Célestine Rabourdin (also in the Cousin White beet ), the protagonists are with the image of their stakes altogether rather petty.

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In the offices of a ministry, Xavier Rabourdin postulates under head of division, estimating to deserve this promotion by his seniority and his merit. Pushed by his wife Célestine ( the higher Woman ) it launches out in a great project of administrative reform, which, thinks he, will be worth a beautiful advance to him. However another head clerk, supported by a small circle middle-class poor and plotters who push his candidature to advance their personal interests, aspires to the same station: Isidore Baudoyer. This last is also urged on by the ambition of his wife, Elisabeth. The battle thus will be played between the two women who organize each one their plan and bring together their partisans in two quite distinct clans. Célestine Rabourdin has on its rival an significant advantage: the count of Lupeaulx, general secretary of the ministry, makes him the court. But the party of the médiocratie (middle-class men) is tough, undermining the efforts of the Rabourdin clan patiently, digging with obstinacy the way of Baudoyer, so that this one up carrying it its Rabourdin rival ends who gives his resignation while ensuring his wife that it has a new project, imposing, to fill his ambitions.

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