the Country doctor is a Romance of Honore de Balzac published in 1833.

In this second Scene of the life of countryside , Balzac approaches its own concerns on the social organization, the political power and the religion. But it is necessary to take care not to confuse the political principles of Balzac and the convictions of Doctor Benassis on whom criticism often gave adverse opinions. The ones seeing the emanation of a kind of liberalism such as one hears it there at the 20th century, the others the first steps of a thought Socialiste, others still of the tendencies Fouriériste S.

It is initially necessary to consider the romantic dimension of the work which, in spite of a rather mean intrigue, brings back to the world Rousseau, with a praise of nature, peace and poetry.

None the characters of this novel will reappear in the human Comedy .

Synopsis

In 1829, ordering it Genestas, arrives in a village of the Dauphiné where it meets Doctor Benassis, who, in ten years transformed this miserable and postponed borough into prosperous small town. The two men have each one a secrecy which will be delivered only at the end of the account.

Genestas settles in Doctor Benassis for ten francs per day under the pretext of look after old military wounds. The two men bind friendship and the commander accompanies the doctor in his round by visits. L discovers then how Benassis, become mayor of the village, brought prosperity there by applying its theories. By gigantic hydraulic work, it transformed an arid ground into cultivable ground where one could plant corn, fruit trees. It also improved the dwellings, created a small industry of basket making and of sawmill, makes build a road which connects the village to that of Grenoble. Blow, baker, marshal shoeing, and great number of craftsmen came to join the population which will know five years later a form of " luxe" , with the installation of trade, tanneries, butchery, as well as structures municipal: town hall, school. Finally the two new friends have the account of their life: the commander Genestas has a sick adoptive son, Adrien, which he wants to entrust to Doctor Benassis. The doctor accepts and succeeds in curing the child.

On its side Benassis entrusts its secrecy to the commander: the enormous task which it achieved for the village was a manner of atonement, for him which refuses the suicide or the monastery. After the death of an young girl whom it allured in her youth, and that of the son whom it had of it, he decided to put his life at the service of the others.

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