List of characters of La Comédie humaine

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The following is a list of characters from La Comédie humaine a collection of 95 loosely connected novels satirically detailing the life and times of French petit bourgeois society in the period after the fall of Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)—namely the period of the Restoration (1815–1830) and the July Monarchy (1830–1848). French novelist and playwright Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850), over the course of these novels, invents a plethora of unique and memorable characters.

[edit] Major characters

[edit] Recurring characters

Eugène de Rastignac - student, dandy, financier, politician (appears in 28 works)
Lucien Chardon de Rubempré (the use of "de Rubempré" is contested) - journalist, parvenu
Jacques Colin aka Carlos Herrera aka Vautrin aka Trompe-la-Mort - a criminal run away from hard labour
Camusot - examining magistrate (The Collection of Antiquities, A Commission in Lunacy, Scenes from a Courtesan's Life; his father also appears in A Distinguished Provincial at Paris)
Blondet, Emile - journalist, man of letters, prefect (The Collection of Antiquities, A Distinguished Provincial at Paris, Scenes from a Courtesan's Life). Compare and contrast with Raoul Nathan.
Raoul Nathan - in 19 works, writer, politician
Daniel d'Arthez
Delphine de Nucingen née Goriot
Roger de Granville
Louis Lambert
la duchesse de Langeais
la comtesse de Mortsauf
Jean-Jacques Bixiou - in 19 works, artist
Joseph Bridau - in 13 works, painter
Marquis de Ronquerolles - in 20 works
la comtesse Hugret de Sérisy - in 20 works
Félix-Amédée de Vandenesse
Horace Bianchon - in 24 works, doctor
des Lupeaulx - public servant

Salon leaders: the Duchesse de Maufrigneuse, the Marquise d'Espard
Dandies: Maxime de Trailles, Henri de Marsay
Courtesans: La Torpille (Esther van Gobseck), Madame du Val-Noble
Financiers: Ferdinand du Tillet, Frédérick de Nucingen, Keller brothers
Actresses: Florine (Sophie Grignault), Coralie,
Publishers/Journalists/Critics: Finot, Etienne Lousteau, Felicien Vernou
Money lenders: Jean-Esther van Gobseck, Bidault aka Gigonnet

Characters who appear in several titles but only significantly in one of them.