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Ladies of Balzac's age and theirs. "Balzac age" - how much? So, "Balzac's age" is how much

The expression "women balzac age"Is quite common, but what does it mean - a woman's age, state of mind, any particular behavior?

How old is a woman of Balzac's age?

The term "Balzac's age" originated after the publication of the work of Honore de Balzac "A Thirty-Year-Old Woman", whose heroine was distinguished by her courageous views and freedom in the expression of feelings. At first, the ladies of Balzac's age were those who tried to copy the behavior of the heroine of the novel, then the expression began to be used to refer to ladies aged 25-35 years.

But that was before, and how old is the woman of Balzac's age now? Today, this is the name for the ladies who celebrated their 40th birthday or who have approached the 50th birthday. This is due to the fact that before women very quickly spent their youth on husband, children and housekeeping. Today ladies have learned to prolong their youth, and by the age of 35-40 the hormonal peak comes. Therefore, women of Balzac's age today are sexy beautiful ladies with a twinkle in his eyes.

Fashion for women of balzac age

The epithet "mature" is applicable to women of Balzac's age, but not "old", so wave your hand at yourself and dress "as conveniently", thinking that fashion clothes intended only for young girls and famous people, not worth it. Among the achievements of the fashion industry, you can find many things for women of Balzac's age. Don't think that it's hard for you to find the right clothes... Your figure may have changed, but following some rules will help you look good. So, if you notice the appearance of extra folds in yourself, then the following things should be avoided:

  • jeans on a low rise (but you also need them "up to the ears", the best fit is at the level of the navel or just below it);
  • pleated trousers;
  • mid-length and thigh jackets and double-breasted jackets;
  • horizontal stripes;
  • capri pants.

Approach the assessment of the figure critically, but not too much. If you only have top part the torso has lost the correctness of forms, and the legs remain beautiful and slender, then do not dare to hide them. Dresses for women of Balzac age should not be flashy colors, you don't need an extreme cut either. But put on monastic robe also not worth it. Give preference to restraint classic form and a juicy deep shade is what you need. Measure different models to determine which one suits you best.

It is necessary to leave the habit (if any) of buying a lot of things Bad quality- they sit badly, sewn from an unpleasant fabric, quickly lose their appearance. It is better to purchase a few things, but of high quality, it is useless to clog the wardrobe with a mass of clothes - most of it will still gather dust.

Choose clothes for a specific occasion, when purchasing a thing, you must know exactly where and when you will put it on. And don't forget about home clothes- a filthy robe inherited from a great-grandmother - in the trash.

Hairstyles for women of balzac age

The Balzac age is a time of elegance, therefore, the choice of hairstyle must be approached with great care.

  1. Short haircuts are suitable for women with very large or very small features a person with a well-defined jaw line, beautiful shape neck and head. such haircuts require a minimum of maintenance, and the hair looks well-groomed. But beware too short length hair because they can give a masculine look. Good options such haircuts are "short mess", classic or graduated bob, multi-layered textured haircut.
  2. Hair middle length are considered the best choice for middle-aged women. There are many types of such haircuts, so you can choose what is right for you. pay attention to layered haircuts if the hair is thin, it will add volume to the hairstyle. With angular facial features, you should take a closer look at the classic curls.
  3. Long hair perfectly emphasizes natural color hair, and many men find long-haired ladies sexier. remember, that long hair must have healthy look if this is not the case, then it is better to choose a shorter haircut.

“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.

Preface, or what is a woman of 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 -

Female age at all times was delicate topic, and due to the 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 on your 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.

When it comes to female age, comes into force unwritten rule the use of hints, allegories and metaphors. Such a topic is considered unsuitable for discussion, and direct reference to a number is regarded as tactlessness and ignorance of the speaker. A common ironic expression about a lady of Balzac's age sometimes baffles the interlocutor. What can be considered as such, so as not to embarrass himself in a conversation and not to hurt at the same time to the quick?

How did the expression come about

The older a woman gets, the more sharply she reacts to the most innocent reminders of the years she has lived. Even on her own birthday, she avoids admitting how old she has already turned - "again twenty-five."

This is the origin of the persistent tradition of describing the number of years lived in mild terms. This happened many decades ago, when the phrase about a lady of Balzac's age spread.

The French writer Honore de Balzac could not imagine what path was prepared for his name when he released his story "A Thirty-Year-Old Woman."

His character was a Frenchwoman, an independent person with a well-established character, who had her own judgments about life and strove for freedom and independence. Considering this the main feature of a mature lady, lovers of French classics wittily assigned this term to all women over thirty.

In the Russian-speaking environment in the twentieth century, the expression became stable and meant nothing more than 30 years.

Modern interpretation

Over time, the popular expression has changed its original meaning. V modern society they no longer look at the age of thirty as a borderline of maturity.

This is inconsistent with the stages of a woman's life in the society of the XXI century: getting an education, getting a job, the first achievements in her career ... In addition, a long search suitable partner postpone emotional maturation and motherhood

Now no one will call the age of thirty Balzac, and this is correct.

In the modern world, it is, rather, after forty, and it is to such a lady that this expression can be justified today.

In addition, in a friendly conversation, even behind the eyes, our people are still embarrassed to hint at the years they have lived. Hence, another form of using the phrase - relative to 50-55 years, that is, when outward signs aging is already too obvious and gives the right to judge modestly about the years.

How to react if you are called "a woman of Balzac's age"

It is worth immediately answering the question for yourself: did the interlocutor really intend to offend you? If the answer is yes, then it is not worth continuing such communication. Pretend that you did not notice the barbs in the tone, did not hear hurtful words and didn't get the hint.

In any case, a person, especially if it is a man who uses this expression to embarrass or humiliate a woman, puts himself in a bad light - draw conclusions and reduce communication with him to a minimum.

If people who do not have anything bad against you have used the phrase about "balzac age" to you, then it may be worth making an effort to hide your disappointment or resentment in the conversation.

Think about the fact that the image of a “berry woman” is much more strongly fixed in the minds of our fellow tribesmen, and emphasize maturity, experience, wisdom in the conversation, and, most likely, the flowering of femininity could be the only goal of your interlocutor.

The most effective weapon against the fear of passport numbers is confidence in one's attractiveness and a clear life position... After 35-40 years for a woman, well-groomed and tidy is very important appearance, tasteful clothing and a calm demeanor.

By working in this direction, you will gain confidence and protection from the fear of ridicule about the years. Learn to present yourself with dignity at any age, and criticism will not hurt you under any circumstances.

Young women, hearing the expression "lady of Balzac's age", are horrified or despondent, because, in the opinion of the majority, this phrase is a direct allusion to old age. Is this really so and how old is a woman of Balzac's age - let's figure it out together and in detail.

What do you think, what age is considered "Balzac's"?

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In what years does the "balzac age" come

If you look for the answer to this question on the vastness of the global web, look at Wikipedia, you can stumble upon different opinions, among which one will prevail: it is traditionally considered women of Balzac's age to be women, whose age is in the range between 30 and 40 years. It is curious, but it is women, men who think so, but they are convinced that the age that the French classic glorified, the ladies come after 40 years. So who's right?

Connoisseurs and researchers of the biography of Honore de Balzac are sure that the answer to this burning question is worth looking in personal life the writer himself. The classic was once in love and had an affair with married lady, who was approximately 42 years old at the beginning of their relationship. But only a part of the researchers thinks so: some believe that the lady of the heart of Balzac was much older, and her age was approximately 53-54 years. Hence the confusion with precise definition balzac age. But you can figure it out if you leave gossip and take up the study of the writer's work.

The correct answer is in the work of Balzac

The exact answer to the question of the ladies' Balzac age is given by the classic novel itself with the eloquent title "A Thirty-Year-Old Woman". This novel was published in 1842 and generated a real resonance in society. Still: after all, the work described the relationship of a mature married woman with lover. It was not customary to discuss such things, and even more so - to write about them so openly.


In those days, a lady at the age of 30 was already considered an old woman, a matron, whose duties were only to take care of her spouse, children, and home. A lady at this age could attend balls and other social events, however, unlike debutantes and young girls, she could not afford flirting, a large number dances, other entertainments. A lady in 30 could be attractive for male attention, but the main condition was one thing: no romance with men, no relationships outside of marriage.

An unmarried woman at the age of 30 in that era usually vegetated forgotten, alone. Her chances of getting married were nil. And therefore old maidens usually became companions or hangers-on in the homes of relatives or friends at home. Balzac, in spite of his contemporaries, admired ladies just after the age of 30. According to the classic, it was at this time that a woman reaches a real flourishing of spiritual and physical maturity, sexuality. Fortunately, modern scientists also agree with the opinion of the writer, and therefore the Balzac age is not an age of old age, but of maturity.