Abstract: Old Goriot is one of typical fictions written by Balzac, who is the greatest master of critical realism in France. The novel is set in Paris from the end of 1819 to the beginning of 1820. And it mainly tells the story that a retired vermicelli maker Old Goriot was deserted by his two daughters and finally he died in the Maison Vanquer distressingly. Through the shabby apartment alternates with luxurious nobility salon, Balzac describes a society that is boundlessly ambitious and extremely ugly. That exposes the bourgeois depravity and interpersonal indifference under the domination of money. And it reveals that the nobility inevitably perish because of the bourgeoisie’s attack. Meanwhile, it truly reflects the characteristics of the Bourbon Restoration Period. In the beginning, the paper analyzes the abnormal expressions and the abnormal psychologies on Old Goriot’s paternal love from the story’s background, as well as from the aspects of Old Goriot’s paradoxical characters and character portraits. The reasons of Old Goriot’s abnormal fatherly love and its tragedy reveal that evil of money first principle and the rule of money in the French bourgeoisie period. Meanwhile, the disillusionment of Goriot’s ideal fatherly love repudiates blind worship and pursuit of material comforts and so-called greedy desire of human nature. And in setting up the correct values and right education ideas, the tragedy of paternal love has a significant reference.

Key words: Old Goriot; abnormal psychology; fatherly love; tragedy; education

CONTENTS

Abstract

摘要

1.-Introduction-1

2.-The Main Background of Old Goriot-1

3.-The Abnormal Expressions on Old Goriot’s Paternal Love-2

3.1-Paternal Love in Behaviors

3.2-Paternal Love in Language

4.-The Abnormal Psychologies on Old Goriot’s Paternal Love-3

4.1-Metamorphism of Fatherly Love

4.2-Doting on Children

4.3-Blind Worship of Money

5.-The Tragedy of Old Goriot’s Paternal Love and Its Reasons-5

6.-The Realistic Significance of Old Goriot’s Paternal Love-7

6.1-To Foster Positive Outlook on Money

6.2-To Provide the Experience About How to Raise Children

7.-Enlightment-8

8.-Conclusion-9

Bibliography-10

Acknowledgements-11