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Commission in Lunacy

Commission in Lunacy

By: Honoré de Balzac
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“The Commission in Lunacy” is a short novel first published in 1836 with the French title “L’interdiction” (i.e., “The Ban” or “The Prohibition”). An aristocratic woman wants the courts to declare her estranged husband mentally incompetent to manage his own affairs. To achieve this, the petition must pass through the hands of an examining judge — a man of old-fashioned integrity and conscience. In this story of Parisian society, we see Balzac developing techniques of rich character portrayal and psychological realism. - Summary by Bruce PirieCopyright Literary Fiction Genre Art Hygiene & Healthy Living Literary History & Criticism Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
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  • Commission in Lunacy - Honore de Balzac

    Commission in Lunacy - Honore de Balzac
    Jun 6 2026
    “The Commission in Lunacy” is a short novel first published in 1836 with the French title “L’interdiction” (i.e., “The Ban” or “The Prohibition”). An aristocratic woman wants the courts to declare her estranged husband mentally incompetent to manage his own affairs. To achieve this, the petition must pass through the hands of an examining judge — a man of old-fashioned integrity and conscience. In this story of Parisian society, we see Balzac developing techniques of rich character portrayal and psychological realism. - Summary by Bruce Pirie
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    3 hrs and 36 mins
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