In this insightful paper, John Marshall Gest examines the legal themes and characters in the works of Honoré de Balzac. Balzac’s ability to weave his legal knowledge into his literary works is analyzed in detail and provides a fascinating window into the mind of one of the greatest writers of the 19th century.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the 'public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.