02362cam a22003133u 450000100060000000300070000600500170001300600020003000700050003200800410003704000110007804100170008905000070010610000360011324500410014926400510019030000470024133600260028833700260031433800360034050000310037650800390040752013720044653400450181865300630186365300620192685600430198899900170203115878UtSlPG20260610133355.0mcr n260607r2005||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d  aUtSlPG 7aen2iso639-1 4aPQ1 aBalzac, Honoré de,d1799-185014aThe Stepmother, A Drama in Five Acts 1aSalt Lake City, UT :bProject Gutenberg,c2005  a1 online resource :bmultiple file formats  atextbtxt2rdacontent  acomputerbc2rdamedia  aonline resourcebcr2rdacarrier  aRelease date is 2005-05-23  aProduced by Dagny and John Bickers  a"The Stepmother: A Drama in Five Acts" by Honoré de Balzac is a theatrical drama written in the mid-19th century. The play revolves around the complex dynamics of a family led by General Comte de Grandchamp, particularly highlighting the struggle of his daughter, Pauline, and her connections with those around her, including her stepmother, Gertrude, and a suitor named Godard. The narrative delves into themes of love, jealousy, and familial duty, set against the backdrop of societal expectations in 1829 France.  At the start of the play, we are introduced to the lavish drawing-room of the General’s chateau, where he and Gertrude discuss their daughter Pauline's prospective marriage. Gertrude expresses concern over the persistent gossip suggesting she is impeding Pauline's romantic opportunities. As the General favors Pauline’s freedom to choose her husband, Godard, a wealthy suitor, enters with intentions of courtship. The opening scenes unfold the tensions between Gertrude and Pauline, contrasting Gertrude's role as a devoted yet insecure stepmother with Pauline’s youthful aspirations and emerging affections for another man, Ferdinand. As familial bonds and romantic endeavors intertwine, underlying animosities and secrets begin to surface, setting the stage for the dramatic conflicts to come. (This is an automatically generated summary.)  nOriginal publication data not identified  aFrance -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Drama  aFrench drama -- 19th century -- Translations into English40uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15878  c57266d57266