Women of Balzac age in the ace. Why are modern women of Balzac's age so good. Full-length by the mirror

“For a night of love, it’s not a pity to give your life”, “Love is our second birth”, “Who is able to rule a woman can rule the state” - so said Honore de Balzac, who is rightfully called “an expert female heart”And to whom we owe such concepts as BALZAC AGE and BALZAC WOMEN. Was he himself happy in love? How extensive is his "Don Juan list"? What the femme fatale broke his heart, forcing him to write these bitter words: “Love is a counterfeiter, turning not only coppers into gold, but often gold into coppers”, “No one becomes a woman’s friend if he can be her lover” flint women, a man with a character as hard as steel is needed. Did Balzac manage to fan this fire of love himself? Has he won the hand and heart of his chosen one? And who is she, the only one with whom “I’m not sorry to give my life”?

A series: Femme fatale

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company liters.

Foreword, or what a woman is balzac age

Balzac age - this is when marriage is no longer called, and it is still early in the coffin.

Unknown author

Age for a woman is not the most important thing: you can be delightful at 20, charming at 40 and remain irresistible until the end of your days.

Coco Chanel

As can be seen from the selected epigraphs, the attitude towards the Balzac age can be very different. So what is it and where did this very controversial term come from?

Any philologist will tell you that the term "Balzac's age" became common after the appearance in 1831 of Honore de Balzac's novel "The Thirty Years Old Woman". The heroine of this novel was distinguished by independence, independence of judgment and freedom in the expression of her feelings. As a result, in the first years after the publication of the novel, this expression was used ironically in relation to women who resembled or sought to resemble the heroine of Balzac's work.

Unfortunately, later this meaning of the term was forgotten. Moreover, the term has acquired some kind of jokingly ironic sound, sometimes very offensive for women. As a result, the age from 30 to 40 years was called the Balzac age. Moreover, this term was used not only in relation to independent women, free in their feelings, but also to all women of about this age.

This expression is widely used in films, books and the media. Suffice it to mention the popular television movie "Balzac's Age, or All Men Are Their Own ...", which contains about forty episodes. But nowadays a lot has changed since the time of Balzac. First of all, if in the 19th century by the age of 30 a woman should have already had children adolescence, but now 30 years is for many only the age of marriage. Yes and modern cosmetology began to work such miracles that the concept of "Balzac's age" shifted even more - towards 40–45 years. A typical example is the well-known proverb: "At forty-five - a woman has a berry again!"

Different people invest in this phrase completely different meaning... Some believe that a woman of Balzac's age is a woman who has life experience and your own judgment about many everyday and not only situations. Others are sure that this is a woman in her prime, no longer a girl, but has not yet begun to fade.

And what about Balzac? He perfectly knew how to use women who loved him and were older in age. He himself was born on May 20, 1799. His first woman, Laura de Bernie, was born on May 23, 1777, that is, she was 22 years older.

Duchess Laura d'Abrantes was born in 1784 and she was 15 years older than Balzac.

Zulma Carro was born in 1796 and she was only 3 years older than Balzac.

The Marquise de Castries was also born in 1796, and she was 2.5 years older than Balzac.

Evelina Ganskaya was born in 1801 and she was younger than Balzac.

And Countess Gidoboni-Visconti was born in 1804.

Who are these women? You will learn this by reading the book. But one thing is for sure - they all played very important role in the life of a great writer. Moreover, it was they who helped him become a great writer.

As you can see, the difference in the age of Balzac and his another woman declined. But they were all typical women"Balzac age". The most typical example is Laura de Bernie. When they met, Balzac was 23 years old, and she was 45 years old.

Laura d'Abrantes was younger than Laura de Bernie. But they met Balzac, according to various sources, in 1825 or in 1829. That is, the duchess was then either 41 years old, or all the same 45 years old.

Henriette de Castries was even younger, but when Balzac began dating her, she was 36 years old. With Zulma Carro, he began to correspond when she was 33 years old, Evelina Hanska, who later became Balzac's wife, when the writer met her, was 32 years old, and Countess Gidoboni-Visconti, when they met, was 31 years old.

So, we see that in the biography of Balzac himself, women who were significant for him were from 31 to 45 years old. And this was at the moment when they got to know each other, because later, in the process of communication, they all only grew older. And this is surprising, because in those days, women over 30 already simply had to be married (then girls were married at the age of 14-18). Therefore, it was believed that a 30-year-old woman does not seem to have the right to love ...

However, as already mentioned, by the middle of the last century, the time frame of the Balzac age confidently shifted to the age of 40, and then even further.

Why were all these women so attracted to Balzac? Because they were adults, experienced, fully developed natures. He needed to take something from them, and he did. Someone has money, someone has - useful tips or dating. In short, he used them in his own interests. And what do you get from an 18-year-old fool? Yes, she can be as beautiful as a flower, but how can she help, will she support difficult moment…

Well, from a purely social point of view, today the Balzac age of a woman means for her complete freedom... She already has a lot, the children (if any) have grown up, and the woman can think about herself again. She can arrange the day as she sees fit and devote more time to her favorite activities. A woman at this age becomes wiser, she has already learned to understand many issues. After all, she has at her disposal a huge life experience, which simply cannot be with 18-year-olds.

And most importantly, a woman of Balzac's age is less worried about bad behavior husband, because at the age of 40-50, many men already have a decent tummy and abuse alcohol. And sometimes they walk on the side ... And if for an 18-year-old girl this is a disaster, then a woman of Balzac's age looks at it in a completely different way. She is also a person, her vital interests have long ago gained clarity, and she is able to enjoy life on her own. As the saying goes, “either of two things: love you or not. In both of these extreme cases, jealousy is completely pointless. " By the way, do you know who said that? Honore de Balzac, by the way.

American psychologists, who conducted a survey among women of Balzac's age regarding their sense of life, were surprised to learn that almost all women during this period of life live more carefree and freer than before, and only now can they truly enjoy life.

And polls in our country show that women of Balzac's age are more self-confident and more independent. For the most part, they do not think about old age, do not register themselves as old women. As long as health allows, they enjoy the world around them and life. After all, a person is exactly as old as he feels himself.

Now even Russian women, who have long been tired of stopping their horses at a gallop and entering burning huts, have learned to love themselves. And look who is basically filling in now GYM's, attends exhibitions and goes on excursions ... To paint over the gray hair now is not a problem. Losing heels of extra pounds - too. AND normal woman Balzac age will no longer allow herself to be "divorced" by some youth from the provinces, she herself will "divorce" anyone, especially the young and inexperienced. And she uses it so skillfully that the man will be sure that it was he who used her ...

By the way, have you noticed that the term "Balzac's age" is not used in relation to men? And that's because modern men in 40-50 years for the most part are a very miserable sight. And at some, even at the age of 30, you can't look at them without laughing. This is understandable, because the way to their heart lies through the stomach, and they are silent only because they have nothing to say, and they differ from boys only in the cost of their toys. And let them carry on healthy image life is fashionable, but they don't chase after fashion ...

And surprisingly, it is these men who are very fond of talking about women of Balzac's age with a tinge of contempt, associating it with physical and psychological withering and developing complexes in women about their own age.

And what is there to complex? After all, "a woman is always seven years younger than her friends claim, and five years older than men give her." This is Gina Lollobrigida said, one of the most beautiful women in the world, sex symbol of the 50s. By the way, she was born in 1927, and she is now well over eighty ...

True, there are other opinions. For example, like this:

“And now, out of the blue, you become a middle-aged woman. Nobody notices you. You gain amazing freedom - the freedom of an invisible man. "

And these are the words of the English writer Doris Lessing. But she, by the way, was born in 1919, and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2007, that is, at 88 years old. So those are right who believe that at fifty, life is just beginning to end. And, of course, "every woman has the age she deserves." And these are the words of the famous Coco Chanel, who died in 1971 at the age of 87.

And what about Balzac? Yes, he used women of Balzac's age. He became what he became, largely thanks to them. But, by the way, his last woman, Evelina Ganskaya (practically ours, by the way, a compatriot), when Balzac died on August 18, 1850, did not grieve for long. First, she found solace in the arms of the young writer Jules-François Chamfleury, who studied the life and work of Balzac, and then, in 1852, became the mistress of the artist Jean Gigou. She was then 51 years old, and she died at the age of "over eighty", perfectly confirming the thesis that women who do not hide their age are good, but even better are those who have no reason to do this.

And who after that will say that after fifty a woman is at the end of her sex appeal beyond the threshold female happiness…

But Laura de Bernie died in 1836 at the age of 59. She continued to love Balzac, while he was having fun with another woman. Yes, he loved Laura, but in his own way. Too "in its own way". She became more than a mother to him. She always supported him in word and deed. She thought about him even in the last minutes of her life.

In psychology, this is called "anchoring." This means events or people that once aroused strong emotions in a person, and then recorded by his unconscious and many years later causing a similar emotional reaction.

"Anchoring" is wrong, and sometimes very dangerous. An "anchored" emotion can and should be interrupted by another strong emotion or, in the end, some kind of business. It is not for nothing that people in the village have the least depression, because they need to milk the cow, chop wood, light the stove, and go to fetch water - in short, a lot of things to do, there is no time to worry. And in the city "not to anchor" women are helped by a career, as well as this universal remedy like children and grandchildren, in which many, becoming mothers and grandmothers, dissolve almost completely.

But Laura de Bernie's problem was much more complicated, because Balzac was 22 years younger than her. For women of Balzac's age, this often becomes an insurmountable question. Here very often there is a transformation of mind and character, for a fading woman projects onto a much younger partner her, as it seems to her, her last love.

The fact is that a young woman always gives sexually a young man(I am young and beautiful, and thus I already have happiness) and requires gratitude for this. But a woman of Balzac's age already understands that her lover in equally makes her happy. If he is much younger, then he gives her his masculine strength, your body, your attention. And she learns to accept this gift, learns to be grateful for it. She's getting wiser ...

And it’s good when between a young man and a woman of Balzac’s age in the main there is a certain parity: she is for him, and he is for her. And it's bad when this parity is violated. Unfortunately, most men frankly do not appreciate the experience and spiritual wealth of the one who "has already reached the top of her mountain of life and began to descend into the valley of female oblivion." They were simply not taught this. But the love of an already aging woman can become an exceptional happiness for a man. For such women, love is like a swan song. And here everything is appreciated ... Like the last time ... And any shepherd boy can seem like a prince. And if a woman of Balzac's age is experienced and wise, she, of course, sees that this is not a prince, but ... she is so glad to be deceived ...

Much has been written about first love. About the latter - much less. Meanwhile, it is last love women, women who are wise and experienced - this is exceptional love, for an aging woman knows how to love a man. Knows how to appreciate him. Knows how to be grateful to him. The only pity is that not all men understand this. So Balzac changed the woman who was 22 years older than him to the one who was older "only" by 15 years. And then - for two or three years ... And then I found myself those who are younger. But did he become happier from this ...

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The given introductory fragment of the book Balzac women... The age of love (S. Yu. Nechaev, 2014) provided by our book partner -

Recently, at lunchtime in the buffet, a colleague sat down at my table and, looking sideways at a friend standing in line at the cashier, a woman pre-retirement age and more than a dense physique, dressed in a translucent blouse and leggings, said venomously: “No, just look how our lady of Balzac's age has dressed up! In her years it is time to think about the grandchildren and about the soul. " I asked, "forgetting" for a moment that Honore de Balzac is one of my favorite writers, what age category fits the definition of "a woman of Balzac's age"? "And Balzac's age is how old do you think?" I asked. “Over fifty,” a colleague replied confidently.

Thirty-year-old Russian women in Russia are usually called "girls."

from forty and older

Meanwhile, the heroine of Balzac's novel, independent and free from prejudice, Viscountess d'Eglemont, was 26 years old at the beginning of The Thirty-Year-Old Woman, and only in the finale - about fifty. The society of Balzac's times, to put it mildly, did not approve of such behavior of women, especially those who were in their mid-twenties. After all, the married viscountess succumbed to the forbidden feeling of love and cheated on her husband. It is not surprising that after the release of the novel, breaking all stereotypes, the expression "woman of Balzac's age" received a sarcastic, ironic meaning among the writer's contemporaries. And then it was forgotten.

But not in our country, where adults are called that today, mature women"From forty and older." As for the thirty-year-old Russian women, in Russia it is customary to call them "girls" - for example, in public transport, - of course, if they do not look much older than their age.

Marriage is the only meaning of life

Today women 30-35 years old can sometimes only think about creating a family in the future and having children, giving career growth or "living for yourself" all your strength. It is not easy for them to imagine themselves in the place of Balzac's disenfranchised contemporaries, who in best case expected marriage and three "K" (kinder, kirchen, kyuchen - children, church, kitchen). Further than three "K" women were not recommended to stick out their nose, so that they could not change the true female destiny. Yes and jealous husband it was much quieter ...

Before the revolutionary changes of the last century, the overwhelming majority of women could only dream about studies, careers and self-realization. The family remained their lot. And if the representative fair half mankind did not manage to acquire a husband and children by the age of thirty, then those around her and she herself were considered hopeless. After all, the chance of marriage - the only possible meaning of life - was reduced to zero for her.

"Haven't you married yet?"

In the classical sense, a woman of Balzac's age is a woman after 30 who does not fit into traditional script, in the framework that society has defined for her. She may not be married, live in a civil marriage, can afford to fall in love. Nowadays, the age range has shifted, but the attitude towards women of Balzac's age has not changed at all. And if the inhabitants of Europe society allows them to remain unmarried and childless for up to forty years or more, then in our country any relative, neighbor or colleague can afford a hint of insolvency in personal life or an open censure of a woman who has no family of her own. They say that the Balzac age has already approached, but for some reason she is not married ...

They do not hesitate to give a couple of tips on how to dress and behave with men, so that, "finally, at least a poor husband for himself" (not an inferior one, of course, has long been dismantled). I was so "lucky" once. At the age of thirty, being not officially married, I once found myself in an elevator with my mother. former classmate living on the floors above. "How are you? Have you even gotten married? " - instead of a greeting, the ponderous, tastelessly dressed aunt asked contemptuously. And, knowing that I “didn’t come out,” without waiting for an answer, she immediately began to teach me wits about reason, as is customary in our "land of soviets." At that time I was still too well educated to immediately send the counselor to “take a walk” (although over the years my upbringing in relation to such aunts evaporated), so I restrained myself. But by that time I had something to boast of: a university diploma, and an adored profession - a work of life, and an interesting circle of friends, and great friends, and (what is already there) cute adorers. But I silently stood in front of a simple bazaar aunt, unable to put her in her place, and then fought for a long time with out of nowhere an inferiority complex that had arisen. This is the price of neighborly "goodwill".

Over the years, many women only open up like flowers and reveal their attractiveness, including sexual.

Work on yourself

Of course, ladies of Balzac's age need much more time to work on themselves, if they do not want to be like an “old mermaid”. You need to have the courage to revise and change your fashionable ones, taste preferences, do exercises, especially if you previously allowed yourself to do without gymnastic exercises... It is necessary to choose clothes, get a haircut, make a make-up according to age and social status, for there is nothing sadder in the world of a desperately youthful woman, whose youth remained in the last century. Moreover, this age does not cancel relations with the opposite sex. Over the years, many women only open up like flowers and reveal their attractiveness, including sexual. And the fact that all ages are submissive to love, including Balzac's, is a well-known fact.

Visitors to online communities and dating forums sometimes discuss what can be called "balzac". Usually, the fair sex insist that it belongs to the period of 30-40 years.

The majority of men, in turn, believe that the lady "" is 40 and older. The difference in the explanation of the meaning of this expression is largely determined by how people understand the concept of "maturity".

Some contemporaries who are familiar with foreign prose and the biography of the classics are sure that in this matter it is necessary to proceed from how old the first mistress of the young Balzac was. However, on this score also no unanimous opinion... The fact is that in various publications of articles about personal it is indicated different facts.

Some authors insist that Honoré had an affair with a 42-year-old woman, while others claim that she was 53 years old. Therefore, in attempts to concept "Balzac age" confusion arises. So how old was she: 42 or 53? In reality, both versions are wrong.

"Balzac Age": a little history

In 1842, the French writer Honore de Balzac published his novel, A Woman of Thirty. This work tells about the sublime feeling “ forbidden love", Opposed to the primitive coexistence in marriage. The novel, evoking a response in society, made the author even more popular.

Today, few would call a 30-year-old woman old. The latest statistical studies confirm that it is at this age that the fair sex becomes the sexiest. In addition, the ability to look after their appearance, combined with proactively lives make modern ladies irresistible even in a much more mature age.

However, one should not forget that a woman in the Balzac era was a powerless creature. Her life was spent in a confined space between the children, the kitchen and the church. Only successful marriage was able to make her happy. The girl was considered a promising bride only up to 18-19 years old. Already at the age of 20 and older, her chances of getting married were significantly reduced.

Few people were interested in an unmarried 30-year-old woman, and her existence dragged on very monotonously.

But also family life at that time, too, rarely was anyone happy. Since marriage is most important issue was financial, the young bride usually remained just an additional supplement to. The wife, deprived of the right to her own opinion, became a living toy in the hands of her husband.

A married woman of 30 years in the Balzac era was considered an old woman. However, she could shine at balls in elegant outfits emphasizing high status her husband.

To a married woman allowed to be attractive to other men, but with one important condition: she should have been inaccessible to them.

Excellent upbringing, natural intelligence, broad outlook, education and the sad need to be the property of her husband in years, who does not care at all about the satisfaction of the emotional, sexual and his wife - such is the sad fate of Honore's heroine.

Thus, the correct answer to the question "Balzac's age -?" - after thirty. Women of this age especially liked this French writer. According to Balzac, a lady at the age of 30 was maturing spiritually and physically for family harmonious relationship... However, in the conditions of bourgeois society, she was forced to grow old ahead of time and fade in marriage with unloved husband or lead a double life on pain of exposure. Fortunately, those days are long gone.

Female age at all times was delicate topic, and by virtue of unwritten rules it is customary to talk about him with the help of hints or allegories. True, sometimes such allegories are frankly perplexing. For example, if it is said that such and such a lady is a woman of Balzac's age, then what years goes speech? This is where we will try to figure it out in our article.

Independence is the main criterion of the Balzac age

In 1842, the French prose writer Honore de Balzac, who was gaining more and more popularity both in his country and in Russia, published the novel "A Thirty Years Old Woman." The main character of this work became an independent, intelligent and sensual Marquise Julie d "Aiglemont, striving for freedom in the expression of feelings and having her own well-established judgments about the world.

The vivid image of a mature (in the minds of her contemporaries) lady was so convincing that her main features, so attractively described by the famous Frenchman, were transferred to all women who reached thirty years old, and the phrase "woman of Balzac's age" has since become their main characteristic.

Modern ladies of Balzac's age have gotten older

As often happens, popular expression over time, its meaning somewhat changes. The concept of the Balzac age was no exception.

Because of modern women still not reaching maturity at thirty, hidden meaning the described expression has also changed somewhat. Indeed, in the 21st century, a woman first receives an education, then gets a job, makes the first career advancements - and passing all these life stages somewhat delays her emotional maturation for a period well after thirty, closer to forty years.

That is why modern American, European and Russian women of Balzac's age are women who are already over forty. Only in our time can they be considered mature and have achieved that very independence in judgment and life wisdom, about which the great Frenchman wrote so impressively.

If a woman of “Balzac's” age - how old is it?

Our contemporaries no longer have the need, like their peers in the 19th century, to spend their beauty and youth only on family and children. They are no longer locked in the narrow world of their home and the interests of their husband (often unloved) - the whole palette of life is revealed to them. This led to an amazing metamorphosis: outwardly, our forty-year-old ladies will give odds to early withering and old ladies from the century before last.

Nowadays beautiful women Balzac's age is not irony, but truth. There are so many of them - confident, bold, independent, well-groomed and very attractive. You can say “mature” about them, but you can’t call them old!

Entering the balzac age, a woman does not age

Now, we hope you understand that the Balzac age is not the age of the famous French writer, but rather blurred in modern world the idea of ​​a mature, mature lady from 35 to ... (everything depends only on herself and her attitude towards herself).

Of course, if a woman constantly complains about life, declaring that youth has long passed and nothing interesting awaits ahead, then soon she will face a gloomy transformation into a grumbling old woman, not sympathetic and living only with her memories.

And in the expression “woman of Balzac's age” the main word is “woman”. That is, before us is not an old woman, which means that she is still a beautiful creature, because ugly women does not exist! The beauty of the described age lies in the amazing harmony of spiritual and physical condition, in wisdom and self-sufficiency. Such a lady no longer needs to prove something to the world - she lives and enjoys life and the fact that she is able to rejoice. And in this wonderfully outlined circle of being there is always a place for something new, because wise woman loves novelty and willingly experiments.

As women get older, they become freer.

For women of Balzac's age, as well as for girls, it is important to be attractive. And the most effective method for this, of course, is a healthy lifestyle and correct habits. But, as psychologists say, no less, and sometimes more important, is psychological comfort, which can be achieved only by realizing that a woman of Balzac's age is a lady who can already live for herself. After all, children, as a rule, are already adults, and career aspirations recede into the background.

Vital interests for her acquire clarity, and her husband's bad behavior ceases to be a disaster, as in his youth. It is usually much easier for a woman over forty to break up an irrational, obsolete relationship. By the way, conflicts with those around her are becoming more and more rare, since life wisdom helps her to resolve them in time or to avoid them altogether.

Poems will still be written about such a lady

Yes, there is nothing more stupid than bringing old age closer, but you should not forget about the rapid flow of years, which means that everything that remains should be lived with the maximum comfort for yourself.

Take care of your health. Spend more time outward appearance(but don't harass yourself about new wrinkles!) Find a job or hobby that you truly enjoy. Don't be afraid to love and be loved! We are also talking about people close to you - children, grandchildren, friends, and about the only one who, perhaps, right now will appear in your life.

And then the poems about a woman of Balzac's age, composed by an admiring man, will compete with poems about young beauties. After all, here on the scales will be not only beauty, but also wisdom, and she often decides everything.

The expression "Balzac age" and "Balzac woman" appeared in the language with light hand French writer Honore Balzac after the release of his novel Woman of Thirty.

The heroine of the novel "A Thirty Years Old Woman", Viscountess d'Eglemont, was absolutely independent, independent in her judgments and free to express her feelings. Initially, women were called Balzac women who imitated the heroine of Balzac's novel. The expression was clearly ironic. Over time, the meaning of the term has changed and today the expression "Balzac woman" has acquired mainly an indication of the age limit and means a woman from 30 to 40 years old.


What are Balzac women attracted to today? They are self-sufficient and this is their main quality.


Women over thirty have already proved everything to themselves and to the world around them, they have acquired confidence, which gives rise to calmness.


Women after 30 years become not only smart, they acquire invaluable life experience.


They don't get bored and they don't suffer from loneliness. They are not jealous of girlfriends or they don't have girlfriends because they don't need them.


Women at thirty are well versed in men, they see through them.

But there is nothing wrong with that, because it is easy with such women. You just don't have to deceive them, everything will be fine.


Women in their 40s are confident and trust their partners. These are already proven partners who will never betray. And if betrayal happens, then the modern Balzac woman will not fall into depression. She has enough intelligence and strength to continue living on.


Women in their forties have great feelings. dignity... They do not throw tantrums over trifles, but if the partner is to blame, he will be punished in full. The reason is that women who have experienced a lot are full of responsibility and expect at least gratitude in return.

Women of the Balzac age know the value of success, so they are always ready to celebrate someone else's success and pay tribute to the winner. They know that there is enough success for everyone. They know how changeable fortune is. Therefore, they are not too happy about random luck.


Per 40-year-old women you have to hold on tight, because they have incredible intuition. The future belongs to them, but no less than the future, they value the present.


They have grown-up children and if you want them to please, then their children should like it.


Finally, women over the age of forty are reliable in everything. They have already experimented enough and now they know well what they need. You can judge this at least by the makeup. A young girl can look vulgar with red lipstick, grown woman- never.


Balzac women can afford bright makeup, but they can appear at a social reception, barely touching their lips with lipstick.

And the photographs were deliberately left without signatures, because everyone knows these women.