Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850) is considered one of the greatest writers of European literature. His novel cycle The Human Comedy, in which he attempts to characterize and describe French society in the 19th century, unfortunately, was never completed. Nevertheless, his work presents an impressive portrayal of the morals of that time. Balzac depicts the people and social environments in his stories so accurately and with such sharp analytical insight that he is rightly regarded today as the founder of the sociological novel. During his twenty-year creative period, he published nearly 100 novels as well as numerous other stories, essays, and dramatic works. For understanding the French Restoration society, these still represent one of the most significant literary sources today. The novel The Lily of the Valley.