In his haunting and poignant novella Farewell (Adieu), Balzac delves into the 19th-century literary landscape of the hysterical woman—sequestered, confined within her madness; voiceless, or eerily reciting chants in her isolated haven. The specter of the first Mrs. Rochester lingers, while the Lady of Shalott awaits the moment when the fragile illusion of her world will shatter. Soon, Freuds earliest patients will find themselves in the waiting room of the mind. During a hunting excursion, two friends stumble upon a mysterious, waif-like woman imprisoned in a crumbling chateau, whimsically named “the Palace of the Sleeping Beauty.” As the tale unfolds, we are plunged back into the grim reality of Napoleon’s 1812 retreat from Moscow, where a grotesque massacre haunts the heroine, separating her from her beloved. Their reunion becomes a desperate and tragic endeavor, mirroring past events in a bizarre attempt to confront madness and restore lost happiness… (Summary by Martin Geeson)
Podcast Overview
In his haunting and poignant novella Farewell (Adieu), Balzac delves into the 19th-century literary landscape of the hysterical woman—sequestered, confined within her madness; voiceless, or eerily reciting chants in her isolated haven. The specter of the first Mrs. Rochester lingers, while the Lady of Shalott awaits the moment when the fragile illusion of her world will shatter. Soon, Freuds earliest patients will find themselves in the waiting room of the mind. During a hunting excursion, two friends stumble upon a mysterious, waif-like woman imprisoned in a crumbling chateau, whimsically named “the Palace of the Sleeping Beauty.” As the tale unfolds, we are plunged back into the grim reality of Napoleon’s 1812 retreat from Moscow, where a grotesque massacre haunts the heroine, separating her from her beloved. Their reunion becomes a desperate and tragic endeavor, mirroring past events in a bizarre attempt to confront madness and restore lost happiness… (Summary by Martin Geeson)
Language
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Publishing Since
1/6/2026
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Recent Episodes
January 6, 2026
008 - Chapter 8
Martin Geeson explores Balzac's novella "Farewell," examining the 19th-century portrayal of madness and confinement through a tale of two friends discovering a mysterious woman and confronting a tragic past.
January 6, 2026
007 - Chapter 7
Host Martin Geeson explores Balzac's "Farewell," revealing a 19th-century tale of a woman's confinement and madness intertwined with Napoleon's retreat from Moscow.
January 6, 2026
006 - Chapter 6
Host Martin Geeson explores Balzac's novella "Farewell," examining the 19th-century portrayal of female madness and its connection to historical trauma and lost love.
8 total episodes available
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