Farewell

Honoré de Balzac's haunting novella Farewell explores the devastating psychological consequences of love and war through one woman's descent into madness. When two aristocratic hunters stumble upon a mysterious, ethereal woman confined within a crumbling château, they become entangled in a tragic tale that traces back to Napoleon's catastrophic 1812 retreat from Moscow. The heroine's fractured mind holds the secret of a horrific massacre that severed her from her beloved, leaving her suspended between reality and delusion in her isolated refuge. This psychological masterpiece examines themes of trauma, obsession, and the fragility of the human mind with remarkable prescience for its era. Balzac crafts a portrait of feminine suffering that challenged 19th-century literary conventions while prefiguring modern understandings of mental illness and emotional devastation. The narrative shifts between the present mystery and the historical horrors of the Napoleonic Wars, revealing how collective tragedy reshapes individual destinies. Through Ellen Marriage's elegant translation, the novella unfolds with mounting intensity as the protagonists attempt an extraordinary and desperate reunion—one final, heartbreaking effort to resurrect happiness by recreating the very trauma that destroyed it. Farewell is essential listening for those captivated by historical fiction, psychological explorations of the human condition, and the enduring power of classical European literature. This profound work resonates with anyone who seeks to understand how love, memory, and madness intertwine.